“My pleasure Eve, the night is not over yet either my dear. What would you like to do? Do you want me to send down for something, a bite to eat? You need your strength for the baby, even though I know it’s difficult not to get sick at this time.”
“I could perhaps eat something small.” Eve said.

“Alright then my love, just give me a minute to order it. I better put on my robe as well, I don’t want to scare whoever comes to the door.” He said smiling.

Julian ordered some soup and crackers for her, figuring maybe she could keep it down. He wanted to do everything he could to make sure she was well rested and cared for. He knew that being a doctor, she knew how to take care of herself, but he wanted to try to learn and do what he could. When she finished, she handed him the tray and he placed it back on the cart.

“Why don’t you have a rest now Eve, you need your sleep.”

“Julian, you are so cute, concerned so much for me.”

“Well I am going to be a father, I have to take care of both of my darlings.” He said touching her stomach.

She kissed him sweetly on the mouth.

“So I will let you have a rest now Eve.”

“Julian, it’s not even ten yet, this isn’t a school night silly, besides I was thinking that we could maybe do something.” She said running her fingers over his bare chest.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea honey, I know we fooled around in the Jacuzzi, but we were just having a bit of fun, but to do that, I am not sure we should. I mean don’t get me wrong, I do love you and you turn me on, but I don’t know.”

“Julian, if you are worried about the baby, don’t, we still can even if I’m pregnant.”

“I just don’t want to disrespect you, you have been through a lot seriously, what with the confrontation with T.C. and all, I….”

She put her finger over his mouth.

“If I didn’t want to or had doubts, I would tell you, but I am fine so make love to me Julian.” She said running her fingers through his slightly damp hair.

“Alright.” He said smiling devilishly.

Eve removed her towel and sat back against the pillow, she ran her fingers over Julian’s upper body and then removed the robe he had been wearing. Julian sat there next to her, gazing at her body, admiring how beautiful she was. He brought his body close to hers as she sat up against the headboard and let him explore her with his mouth and tongue. When he made his way down her stomach, Eve lay down to get more comfortable. She ran her fingers through the back of his hair as he kissed her in the most intimate places. She enjoyed the pleasure he was giving her and then his hazel eyes met hers once more, as he tasted her lips once again. Julian brought his body over hers and she moaned as he entered her body. He stared at her for a moment, loving to satisfy her in every way. She couldn’t get enough of being one with him, sharing such a meaningful and loving connection, they weren’t just having sex, they were giving every bit of love they could to one another, body and soul. As Julian released his love for her, he looked into her eyes with true passion, desire and the feeling of almost being like he was in a wonderful dream and he never wanted to wake up. He lay on top of her for a minute, just gazing at her, before leaving her body.

“I love you so much Eve.”

“I love you too Julian.” She said hugging him very close to her.

When he lay next to her, he knew that this was the life he had wanted for so many years, and now contrary to what anyone had to say, he was going to be Eve’s husband some day. He was so proud and honored to be a part of her life and he was ready to shout it from the rooftops. But at the same time, he knew that there was one more thing that he had had to tell her, one part of his life he hadn’t been able to share. But if he had this second chance at love with Eve, then he had to be completely honest with her, no matter what the consequences were. Julian pulled Eve close to him so he could look her in the eyes.

“Honey, we need to talk.” He said.

“What about Julian?”

“About us and being honest with one another.”

“We both know that lies are never the answer Julian, I have learned that myself, if you love someone enough you will be honest with them.” Eve said.

“Exactly why I want to have this conversation, listen Eve, there is something you need to know about Rebecca.”

“I know all I need to know about that wench Julian, she is the bitch from hell.” Eve said bluntly.

“Oh I agree with you on that, but you know how she has been blackmailing me? Telling me that I have to marry her to keep our secret?”

“Yes of course, but she can’t blackmail you any more Julian, I am sure she knows about us now, I am sure it will be everywhere.” Eve said taking his hand.

“To be honest Eve, there is something else she can use against me.”

“What do you mean Julian?” Eve asked curiously.

“Well first of all, you know how much I love you Eve, you know that I am a changed man don’t you?”

“Yes Julian, of course I do, what are you trying to tell me?”

“You know how much I love my sister Sheridan, you know that I would go out of my way to help her if I could, considering her situation with the baby and the fact that she is almost torn between Luis and Antonio. She has been through hell and back Eve; she only wants to be with her true love Luis like we want to be together. But my father has become a factor with them as he did with us, trying desperately to keep Sheridan and Luis apart. Well if you can believe this, my father wanted to have my sister killed, not once, but twice.”

“Alistair wanted to have his own daughter murdered? Oh my God Julian, he is a sick and twisted bastard.”

“Yes he is Eve, he will do anything to keep them apart, anything Eve, the sad thing is that my father had assistance in the attempted murder of Sheridan, he wanted someone else to do his dirty work.”

“Do you know who the person was Julian?”

“I do know Eve.” He said lowering his head in shame.

“Tell me Julian, I won’t tell a soul.”

“Eve, I love you so much, you are everything to me, the woman of my dreams, the love of my life, but you have to know this as I have to be honest. Eve, the man who tried to kill Sheridan was me.” He said finally.

“You, what are you talking about?” she asked.

“I was the one who tried to kill my sister and to this day, I feel shame over it, embarrassed to even call myself Sheridan’s brother and admit that Alistair is my father.”

“No Julian, no you have to be lying to me, you would never try to kill Sheridan.” She said shaking her head in disbelief of what she had just heard.

“It’s the truth Eve, I could say my father made me do it, make up excuses, but I can’t lie to you Eve. Every day I have to live with the pain of what I did, putting my sister’s life in danger. I can’t ever forgive myself for doing that, just as I can’t ever pardon myself for abandoning you.”

“You can’t compare that to abandoning me Julian, do you realize you tried to take her life? I mean your own flesh and blood Julian?”

“I know Eve, I know it was wrong, believe me I love my sister dearly, I always have, I never intended to go along with it, but I did and I am so sorry that I almost killed her.”

“Julian, you can’t just say I’m sorry, your sister almost died, Sheridan is such a wonderful woman. She loves Luis and I cannot believe that your father can’t just let them be, why is this?”

“Well there are Crane secrets that Luis can never find out and if he married Sheridan he could.”

“So one secret justifies murdering someone, taking a loving caring woman’s life?” Eve said.

“Of course not, I love Sheridan with all of my heart, I am sorry I tried to kill her, I am so sorry Eve. But that is another thing Rebecca has on me. She has also been threatening to tell Luis what I did, using that as another piece of blackmail against me. You have to believe me when I say I regret it every day, I don’t want to see Sheridan hurt, not now, not ever. And yes I did attempt it, and it was wrong, it was very wrong, but I can’t take it back Eve, I can’t.”

“I do not believe this is happening.” Eve said staring coldly at him.

“How many times can I say I’m sorry Eve? What will it take for you to believe me? You have to trust me; I love Sheridan, even if I almost killed her. I have changed Eve; I am not the Julian Crane I used to be. I don’t want to be like my father, I hate him, please believe me, please trust me.” He said touching her arm.

“I don’t know if I can now Julian, I left my daughters and my husband for you, only to find out you kept such a secret from me?”

“I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid of the reaction I would get, the one I am getting now Eve.”

“It doesn’t matter, how can I trust you Julian? I mean we have a baby on the way and now this? God Julian, I don’t even know what to say.”

“We can work this out Eve, I know we can.”

“I don’t know, I can’t look at you the same right now, I’m sorry, but I just can’t.”

“What are you saying Eve?”

“Julian, I need to get out of here, I need to get away and do some serious thinking.”

“Please don’t Eve, we have to face this together, I want to be a part of this baby’s life, please don’t abandon me this time.”

“Julian, I need this time to think I told you.”

“Don’t run away from this Eve, I am not going to harm you, the baby or anyone, you can trust me.”

“Julian, I know you won’t harm anyone, but you broke the trust by not telling me about this sooner, please just don’t fight me on this, let me go and decide what I want to do.” Eve said.

“Are you going to go back to T.C.?” he asked.

“No of course not, I made the decision to leave him and I am sticking by it, besides he has Liz now.”

“Where will you go Eve, you are pregnant, I couldn’t bear anything happening to the baby, what if you need me? Please let me at least still be involved, I want to be here for you, I wasn’t there for our first born and besides, I thought you wanted to search for him?”

“I will be okay, I just need to time to think.”

“You are running away from me Eve.”

“No Julian, I am giving myself time to think and I can’t do that with you here. I need to be alone, even if it’s just for a little bit.”

“Don’t you want our baby to be raised by both of us? Eve, I love you, know how much I love you.” He said trying to reason with her.

“I do know that you love me, I don’t doubt that, and I have made mistakes myself.”

“Then forgive this one Eve.” He said hugging her.

“I can’t right now Julian, look I have to go, please just let me go, if you love me, you will.” Eve said looking at him.

“Can I call you at least to make sure you are okay?”

“Not right now.”

“Okay, I want you to stay with me so much, but I will respect your decision at this point in time, but if you need me, please call me. I have to ask you this though, do you think you will be able to trust me again?” he asked.

“I want to Julian, but only time will tell. I’m sorry to do this, it just has to be this way for now, good bye.”

“I love you Eve.” He said grasping her hand.

“I know Julian.”

He looked at her with sadness in his eyes and before he could say one more word to convince her she could trust him, she was gone. Julian sat down on the bed, almost in disbelief that he had just lost the love of his life for the second time. He hoped that she would decide to come back to him, his heart was so intertwined with hers, there was no way he could ever turn off the feelings he had for her. He loved Eve more than ever now that she was carrying his child. He put his hands over his eyes for a moment and then couldn’t help himself when tears ran down his cheeks.

“I just can’t lose her, I just can’t. How could I have ever done this to Sheridan? How could I go along with my father? God it’s bad enough he ruined my chance with Eve and my first born, now he may just ruin our relationship again. I hate my father, how I despise him more than life itself. I don’t care what it takes, he is going to pay for this, and I will get even.” He said suddenly getting very angry.