1969-1970 - THE LEVIATHAN STORYLINE

Julia has returned from 1897 alone and has no idea what is happening to Barnabas in the past. She doggedly waits for him to return to the present, but as the weeks pass with no sign of him or from him, her worry intensifies. When he does finally reappear at the Old House, Julia soon learns that he is not the man she has come to know and love. He is cold and antagonistic toward her and does not care about Chris Jennings' curse or about the return of Quentin Collins. Julia refuses to stop trying to help Chris, and she also refuses to give up on her relationship with Barnabas even though he shows no interest in their friendship. Her efforts are successful, however, as she eventually convinces Barnabas to trust her with what is happening to him. Her persistence along with Barnabas' anger at what the Leviathans demand he do to Julia combine to make him turn to her once again, and by the time this storyline ends, Barnabas and Julia have become as close as they have ever been. 

At the Old House, Julia dejectedly reads from her latest diary entry dated 11/18/69. It has now been a month since she has returned from 1897. Although she has waited at the Old House every night hoping that Barnabas would give her a sign from the past, there has been nothing. "I'm beginning to fear that Barnabas Collins is trapped in the past and lost to me forever," she writes. She tells herself that she must not give up hope but there seems so little of that left now. 

At Collinwood, Carolyn offers to take Julia to the new antique shop in town, but Julia demurs saying that she has to go to the Old House. When Carolyn protests that Julia has been doing that every day for over a month, Julia says that she is convinced that Barnabas will return. "I'm so worried that something terrible may have happened to him." She also tells Carolyn that she hasn't been herself since Barnabas has been gone. "You're very fond of him," Carolyn says gently. "Yes," Julia admits. 

Julia, alone in the drawing room, then hears voices from the past saying that Barnabas and Kitty have disappeared. Julia becomes very distraught telling Carolyn that she is sure Barnabas is dead. But she quickly changes her mind, believing that she has misunderstood. She rushes to the Old House, now sure that Barnabas must be on his way back from the past, but he has not returned. 

Julia hears a heartbeat emanating from Barnabas' portrait at Collinwood. When she goes to the Old House, Barnabas descends the stairs, and Julia readily throws herself into Barnabas' arms. Julia is ecstatic that he has returned, but while Barnabas hugs her back, she cannot see that his visage is cold and distant. When she tells him that she has been waiting anxiously for him, he says with a touch of sarcasm, "How devoted of you to wait for me all that time." He also tells her that he returned via the I Ching.  Although Julia does not say anything to him, she is confused because she has locked the door to the basement so he could not possibly have used the I Ching without her there to unlock the door. When Julia expresses interest in the mysterious box that Barnabas has brought with him from the past, he is very short with her, admonishing her not to touch it because it is very old. 

Chris Jennings comes to the Old House, and Barnabas stoically tells him that he has found nothing with which to help him defeat his werewolf curse. Chris and Julia leave, and Julia is extremely upset by Barnabas' behavior. She explains to Chris about the I Ching saying, "There is no reason for Barnabas to lie to me." She knows that Barnabas is not himself because of the way he is treating her, and she vows to get to the bottom of the problem.

Barnabas confronts Julia as she looks over the mysterious box. His tone of voice is very harsh as he tells her not to touch it, and he orders her out of the house. Julia is quite upset and confused by the way her friend is treating her. "Barnabas, something is wrong with you. We've been friends too long," she says to him. He continues to be antagonistic, telling her, "You will give up your curious belief that you have a right to know everything about me." She refuses to leave when he once again orders her out, and she asks again about the box saying that he owes her that much. "I owe you nothing," he says coldly. She continues to say that something is terribly wrong with him, but he counters that he won't have someone around who has betrayed him.  "You would never have talked to me like that before you left....I can't forget how close we've been even if you can," Julia says. She decides to leave, but he stops her, abruptly changing his attitude and asking her to forgive him. He blames his mood on time travel saying, " I can't think of any other reason why I would quarrel with an old friend." Julia is visibly relieved by his apology. "We are friends, aren't we?" she asks smiling. "Of course," he reassures her. 

Later in the episode, Barnabas and Julia discuss Quentin and whether he has survived into this century. Barnabas doesn't seem to care about his cousin at all, and in despair, Julia asks, "Barnabas, what has happened to you?"

Barnabas and Julia have a confrontation at the Old House about Olivia Corey. Julia tries to convince him that Olivia's interest in Tate's painting means that Quentin is alive. He is not interested in her theory, and she accuses him of not listening to her. He rudely tells her she makes a bad detective and that she is wasting her time as well as his. He accuses her of sounding like a hysterical woman novelist and says he is simply not interested in Quentin or Amanda/Olivia. "What are you interested in, Barnabas?" Julia asks through gritted teeth. "And don't tell me nothing because I won't believe that." She demands to know what he does care about.

Carolyn bursts in at that moment, and it is obvious that Barnabas is extremely concerned about her. "You've just given me a clue, Barnabas, as to what you do care about," Julia immediately remarks. "See how bad a detective I am," she says defiantly as Barnabas looks guiltily away. 

Carolyn calls Julia to the hospital to see Grant Douglas who has been struck by a car. Julia gasps when she sees the man - he looks exactly like Quentin Collins. She struggles with her composure when Carolyn reveals that Barnabas was driving the car that hit Douglas. Julia confronts Barnabas, asking him why he didn't call her and tell her the man was Quentin. He tells her he doesn't care whether this is Quentin or not; all he cares about is that the man is dying, and he is responsible. She says she understands that, but she doesn't understand anything else about what is going on. She strongly tells him that there is much more than coincidence going on here and walks away from him. 

Later, in Douglas' hospital room, Julia tells Chris that there is no information available on Douglas' background. As Chris remarks that she has been very thorough in checking the man out, Barnabas walks in. "Very thorough indeed," he says snidely. Barnabas tells Chris he shouldn't let Julia raise his hopes too high - Douglas is not Quentin. Julia counters that she believes that he is Quentin.  "You believe only what you want to believe. That's not like you at all," Barnabas says to her. She shakes her head and tells him that his sudden changes of mood have made her very skeptical. They argue in bitter tones, and Barnabas proclaims that this cannot possibly be Quentin before walking out. "Quentin Collins exists; it's the Barnabas that I once knew who doesn't," Julia then tells Chris, finishing in a near-sob.

Barnabas and Julia again meet in Grant Douglas' hospital room. Once outside of Douglas' room, Barnabas castigates Julia for almost giving away that the man is Quentin Collins. She then accuses Barnabas of erasing Quentin's memory. He tells her to be rational - the man's memory loss is due to the car accident. Julia insists that Barnabas still has something to do with that loss. They continue to be very antagonistic toward each other each time they speak, standing close together during their confrontations with Julia speaking through gritted teeth.

Barnabas later interrupts Julia's conversation with Paul Stoddard in the drawing room at Collinwood. Stoddard hurriedly leaves the room. "You have quite an effect on him, Barnabas," Julia growls as she also tries to leave the room. Barnabas moves to stop her, calling her name, but Julia continues on. "Do we really have anything to say to each other?" she says as she walks away.

Barnabas walks into the cottage where Julia is trying to comfort Amy after her experience in the antique shop. "Did I frighten you?" he asks smugly. As he talks to Amy, Julia watches him suspiciously. She is surprised when Barnabas expresses an interest in Chris and settles himself in a chair to wait for him. "What game are you playing now, Barnabas?" she asks.  He rises from his chair to face her, asking if she is suspicious of him, and they are literally chest to chest, their faces only mere inches apart. When Amy then asks for water, Julia refuses to leave the girl alone with Barnabas. She tells him to get the water, and while he is gone, Julia tells Amy not to speak in front of Barnabas. After performing his little Leviathan mind trick on Amy when he returns, Barnabas goes to leave, saying he can't wait for Chris; he has other things to do. "I'm sure you do," Julia says sarcastically.

This is the first episode during the Leviathan storyline in which Barnabas exhibits his former feelings for Julia. Michael, the latest Leviathan child incarnation, demands that Barnabas kill Julia. "She's a very busy lady...her eyes are always wide open. Well, I want those eyes closed - permanently! I want you to kill Julia Hoffman - now!" Barnabas' eyes widen in horror at Michael's demand.  Michael says there is no reason to treat Julia like some kind of a special case and that Barnabas must forget all that happened before. "I cannot forget that Julia Hoffman risked her life for me. I cannot take her life, and I cannot let anyone else do it either," Barnabas says vehemently. Michael tells him that he can't let sentimentality make him careless. Julia is now an enemy. "I will not regard her as an enemy. Neither will you. Now the subject is closed," Barnabas says before turning and leaving the antique shop.

Back at the Old House, Barnabas lifts up the Leviathan box and demands that they hear him. "The boy demanded that I kill a good friend. I refused. He can demand it a hundred times and so can any member of the Leviathans in this world or any other world that they occupy, the answer is still the same. I still refuse. I will not do things I cannot agree with or understand." He tells himself that he mustn't let Michael upset him so. A child cannot demand that someone be killed - he has no right. He sits in his chair and begins to dream of Oberon. Oberon tells him he has no right to disobey and that he has broken their law; he is not loyal. When Barnabas asks how he has broken their law, Oberon says that enemies must be dealt with; that is the law. "I will not hurt her!" Barnabas insists. The creature tells him that he must constantly prove himself because his is an outsider and asks if Barnabas will deal with Julia Hoffman.  "No!" Barnabas tells him. "Nothing will make me change my mind." "Suppose we find out," Oberon laughs. Barnabas asks how they will make him do something against his will. The hooded figure then tells the story of the Leviathans and says that those who are not true Leviathans, i.e., those who have been taken over, will do for now. Barnabas disagrees. "They won't do - not if you demand things that are impossible, just as I refuse to do what-" Oberon abruptly disappears saying that they shall see what he will do; they know a great deal about him, about what he was...

Barnabas is then attacked by a bat, but he awakens in his chair, relieved that it was all a dream. Megan comes to his door and tells him that Michael told her he wants Julia dead. "Did he tell you I would not permit it?" Barnabas says. She asks if he can really stand up to Michael, and Barnabas says yes. He stares at Megan and feels odd, and he asks her to leave. He sees that he has no reflection and then screams in horror when he realizes he has fangs. He is a vampire again! He finds himself at the docks and attacks a woman.

Again at the Old House, Barnabas collapses in his chair. His "victim" appears as does Oberon who asks him if he wants more of this, if he wants for this to begin again. "If it is to begin again, then perhaps it would be best for the dawn to find me here and destroy me, but I will not kill Julia Hoffman!" Oberon tells him that is not the issue; his disobedience is the issue. For the moment, Julia needn't die, but she must be dealt with, and he orders Barnabas to do it.  He also tells Barnabas that they are holding Josette hostage and that she will die horribly if Collins disobeys. Terrified, Barnabas says he cannot let them harm Josette: "Do what you want." "Julia Hoffman will understand. She's a very understanding woman," Oberon mocks. Barnabas then awakens from this dream within a dream. "They have lifted the spell. But I must obey, at least until I find a way to escape them. Forgive me Julia, dear friend," he says sadly.

The voiceover for this episode is as follows: "Since the return of Barnabas Collins to the year 1969, one person more than any other at Collinwood has been troubled by the radical change in Barnabas. Little by little, Dr. Julia Hoffman has become convinced that the people at Collinwood are in grave danger." 

Barnabas tells Elizabeth that Julia must become "one of us". Barnabas later goes to Collinwood and finds Julia reading a book on lycanthropy in the drawing room. He professes to be concerned about Chris because the moon will be full, but Julia does not believe him, saying, "You wrote him off." Barnabas angrily tells her that she continues to misunderstand his feelings and his motives; he still feels compassion for Chris. "Is that really why you're here? Or is there some other reason?" she questions coldly. "I'm sorry you feel the way you do," he says.  "So am I," she answers, turning away. When she tells him that Chris will be going to Wyndcliffe tonight, he comments that she is determined to solve this problem. "I'm determined not to give up as you have," she says, deliberately sitting down and turning her back to him. He begins to stare at her until she turns back around. "What...what are you doing? What do you want of me?" she asks nervously. He tells her she has been working very hard, and it is beginning to show. He bends down to get closer to her. "Have you been resting enough?" "Yes," she says hypnotically. She tells him she doesn't believe he is suddenly concerned about her.  He tells her she will in time and that he hopes that she finds what she is looking for. He begins to stroke her face with his hand, slow, deliberate strokes as she stares up at him. The action looks very intimate. "Goodnight, Julia," he says with a slight smile. He leaves, and Julia staggers up the stairs as if she is half asleep.

Julia falls asleep in bed with her book. She dreams of Barnabas' sensuous voice telling her that soon she will believe. "Then you and I shall be close once more, as we were long ago. We need you, Julia...Come to us...." In the dream, Julia comes down the stairs and follows Barnabas, who carries the Leviathan box, into the drawing room. He invites her to open the box and look inside. She refuses despite his insistence and runs away, but he menacingly tells her that when she sees it again, she will be compelled to open it.

Barnabas tells Elizabeth that Julia has had her dream and that Liz must stay with her when she opens the box. But when Julia comes downstairs, she manages to refuse to open the box and quickly leaves the house when Chris comes to the door. Barnabas comes out of hiding and tells Liz that Julia was able to resist the box because certain people cannot be "absorbed" due to their genetic structure. Julia is one of those people. He orders Liz to find another way to deal with Julia.

At Collinwood, Barnabas and Julia talk about Paul Stoddard. Julia tells Barnabas that he is so totally different now and asks him what happened to him in the past. He turns away from her, claiming that nothing happened. She walks around to face him, telling him that they both know that is not true. "You used to be a man with feelings," she says. "You used to care about the people at Collinwood." "I still care about them," he claims. "That's showing some progress," she says. "That's the first sign of emotion I've seen-" "Julia, please," he interrupts with feeling. "Leave me alone. I beg you to stay out of this." She asks him what she should stay out of, but he turns from her again. "Barnabas, we've been through so much together. I think you need a friend now more than you've ever needed one before. Please let me be your friend, let me try to help," she pleads. Clearly torn, Barnabas thinks about what to do. If I tell her everything, then she will become too involved, he thinks to himself. And her own life will be in even greater danger. I've already caused enough harm. I must work this out alone. He turns back to her. "Julia, I've always valued your friendship, and that is why I don't want you involved in this," he says adamantly.  He tells her he must work to undo what has been done alone. "I don't understand," she says. "Don't try to understand. Just trust me." As he asks her to keep an eye on Carolyn, they are interrupted by a phone call from Megan Todd. As Barnabas prepares to leave in response to the call, Julia asks him what involvement he has with the Todds. "I asked you to trust me, Julia, and that's the way it must be," he says, walking out the door. Julia turns away, thoughtful and worried.

Later at the antique shop, Barnabas assures Phillip and Megan that Julia is not dangerous. When he leaves the shop, Julia, who has been waiting outside, follows him.

EPISODE 931:

Julia takes Paul Stoddard, who is in shock from his encounter with the Leviathan being, to Eliot Stokes. Stokes wants to call the police and send them to the shop, but Julia adamantly says that they must not do that yet. "Because of ...Barnabas," Eliot guesses correctly. "You think he may be involved in this." "I know he is," she says. She explains that she thinks Barnabas is involved, but not of his own free will and that he is in the shop right now. "Julia, it's time you were more realistic about Barnabas Collins." "I can't be," she answers. She begs Stokes to wait until Stoddard can speak and tell what happened so that Barnabas will not be caught at the shop by the police, and Eliot agrees.