Standing in the doorway of the Old House drawing room, Barnabas Collins watched while Julia Hoffman made her way down the hall to his study. He glanced across the room at Willie Loomis and gave him a curt nod when Collins heard the study door close behind Doctor Hoffman. Barnabas turned his gaze back toward the hallway while behind him, Willie picked up Julia's purse, opened it, and carefully began searching through it. He paused several times, reading something, then hurried to return everything to its place and put the purse back on the table where Julia had left it when Barnabas signaled him. Seconds later Julia's footsteps could be heard coming closer.

Willie glanced at Barnabas and nodded once, frightened and uneasy, then turned and hurried from the room. Barnabas moved to the desk, pretending to be absorbed in studying the book Julia had left there. Collins glanced up when Julia re-entered the room.

"Did you find it, Julia?"

"Yes, I did, but not where you suggested. It was several shelves higher up. I doubt it will be much use to us however, the index had no listings for what we want and need."

"How odd. I was certain that volume would prove most helpful."

Julia glanced at the clock on the mantle when it began to strike eleven. She rubbed her hand across her tired and sore shoulders, taking a deep breath.

"I can't do any more tonight, Barnabas. I think I'll go back to Collinwood and turn in."

"I too have reached my limit for this evening, Julia. Perhaps a good night's sleep will do us both wonders."

She smiled at him and nodded, retrieving her purse and gloves from where she'd left them. Barnabas escorted her to the door, helped her with her coat, and saw her out.

"Goodnight, Barnabas."

"Goodnight, Julia."

Collins stood in the doorway, watching, until he was certain Julia was well on her way. He then turned and re-entered the house, closing the door behind him. He looked up to find Willie waiting for him.

"I... I found what we need, Barnabas."

"You are certain?"

"Yeah, here, I wrote it down. Barnabas, are you sure we should do this? Somehow it just doesn't seem right. And I sure didn't like snoopin' in her purse!"

"I am certain, Willie. It is exactly what Julia Hoffman deserves. You will prepare matters as we discussed."

"Yeah,... I'll get it ready, Barnabas. I'll do what you say."

Willie nodded almost reluctantly and left the room. Barnabas stood there a moment, then crossed to the windows and looked out in the direction Julia had gone.

"It will be a night you shall never forget, Julia Hoffman. I promise you."

Collins smiled with satisfaction, then turned from the window.

Head down, coat collar turned up against the cold wind, Julia Hoffman walked through the woods on the path between Collinwood and the Old House. She paused at the edge of the clearing, glancing behind her when she thought she heard hurried footsteps - someone running. The sound ceased and Julia waited a moment. She heard nothing more so resumed her journey to the Old House. She was halfway across the lawn when she heard the running footsteps again, then a voice calling her name.

"Julia!"

Turning, hand coming up to rest at the base of her throat, Julia Hoffman tensed when a shadow emerged from the edge of the forest, heading directly toward her at a very hurried pace.

"Julia..."

"Barnabas?"

She took several steps toward him, then hurried to his side as he paused on the path to catch his breath.

"Barnabas?"

He breathed hard, deeply, and Julia frowned, not liking anything about the way he sounded. She placed a hand on his shoulder, waiting, watching with a critical eye until his breathing returned somewhat to normal.

"Barnabas, what's this all about?"

"I called to you from the woods, but you must not have heard me over the wind."

"Why were you running?"

"To catch up with you."

"I'm obviously going to the Old House. Couldn't you have just followed me there?"

"I feared hearing footsteps behind you might frighten you."

"Not nearly as much as seeing you in this state."

Julia had reached up to feel the pulse at Barnabas' neck, a frown beginning to deepen on her face.

"If your heart rate hasn't returned to normal by the time we reach the house, I want to examine you. Your pulse rate is much too fast and I don't like the sound of your breathing. Don't argue."

Barnabas had been about to do just that. Instead he nodded once and gestured toward the Old House.

"As you wish, Doctor."

Julia gave him a suspicious, warning look, then started for the Old House again, Barnabas beside her.

"Are you all right, Julia? You seem a bit tense, not your usual self."

"Perhaps I am, Barnabas, and if so, I apologize. It has been a most... annoying day."

"Oh? How so?"

"I received a phone call from Wyndecliffe before breakfast this morning, telling me there were some urgent matters that needed my immediate attention today. When I arrived, I found the matters could easily have waited, or been dealt with by either of my assistants. Then all day long a series of minor problems kept me there much longer than I intended. Every time I was about to leave, something else came up that kept me there for what seemed like forever. When I finally did get away, I returned to a note at Collinwood saying I was needed at the Old House as soon as possible, but no one knew who had left the note or what it was about. No one even knew who had taken the message. Do you know what this is about, Barnabas?"

Julia stopped at the bottom of the Old House steps and turned to face Barnabas Collins, nailing him with a look that clearly stated she would accept nothing but the truth. He was grateful for the dark night concealing his features.

"No, I'm afraid I do not. Perhaps Willie..."

"I'm going to find out."

She turned and climbed the stairs to the Old House front door, waiting for Barnabas to join her and open the door. He did so, allowed her to enter first, then closed the door tightly.

"May I take your coat, Julia?"

She nodded and allowed Barnabas to hang it up for her. He did the same with his own Inverness cape, then touched Julia's elbow.

"Would you care for a sherry?"

"Yes, I think I would, Barnabas."

He nodded and preceded her into the drawing room, glancing to his left and lowering his head slightly. Julia followed him in, then glanced up quickly, eyes wide, realizing she had been set up.

The room was decorated with streamers and balloons, and her friends were gathered there, all smiling and laughing.

"Happy Birthday, Julia!"

Her eyes grew even wider, her mouth fell open, then she too laughed and accepted the birthday hugs offered by Elizabeth, Carolyn, David, Roger, and Willie, along with some of her staff from Wyndecliffe. Barnabas stood apart, watching and smiling. He met Julia's wide eyes with a gentle smile when she looked across the room at him. Barnabas inclined his head once, and received an amused, happy smile from his dearest friend.

Later that evening, after explanations were made, white lies confessed to, gifts opened and food eaten, Julia said goodnight to all her guests. She closed the front door and returned to the drawing room where Barnabas sat, glass of champaign in hand. She met his eyes quickly, then turned to Willie and met his uneasy gaze.

"Willie..."

"Yeah, Julia?"

"... Thank you."

"Wasn't my idea."

Julia glanced at Barnabas, then back at Willie and placed a quick peck on his cheek. He met her gaze with startled eyes, blushing in spite of himself.

"Perhaps not, but I know you put in a lot of effort to make it work. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Julia... Happy Birthday."

She smiled and watched while Willie melted away in the direction of the kitchen. She turned to face Barnabas, who had risen and held out a second glass of champaign to her.

"Happy Birthday, Julia."

She was about to reply, but changed her mind. Instead she simply smiled and held her glass up to touch the rim of Barnabas' glass in a silent toast. Both sipped the beverage, then Barnabas placed his glass on the table.

"I hope you did not find it conspicuous that my gift to you was not included with the others, Julia."

"I thought the party to be enough, Barnabas."

"No. I simply wanted you to open this particular gift in private."

Barnabas had crossed to the desk and opened a drawer, removing a package. He returned to Julia's side and handed the wrapped gift to her. She met his eyes and smiled, then sat in the chair, placing the gift on her lap. She opened the card first and read it, glancing up to meet Barnabas' gaze with a tender smile. Julia laid the card aside and turned her attention to the package. Carefully she removed the ribbon and wrapping paper, uncovering a plain white box. Julia opened the lid and glanced inside, her eyes going wide. She reached in and carefully lifted out a snow globe.

"Barnabas..."

She tilted the globe, causing the fine snow inside to sprinkle, and realized the base also contained a music box. She wound it up, delighted to hear her favorite passage of classical music as accompaniment to the gently falling snow on a miniature replica of the Old House.

"I... I don't know what to say."

"Then say nothing, Julia."

She looked at him, then moved the box and wrapping paper aside, standing to give Barnabas a tender kiss on the cheek. Her eyes were shining happily.

"It is beautiful. Where ever did you find it?"

"Roger was telling me of this small specialty shop he'd run across during one of his business trips to New York City. I commissioned them to make it for you."

Julia could only smile with delight.

"Thank you, Barnabas."

"It has indeed been my pleasure, Julia."

Barnabas watched as Julia inspected the musical snow globe more carefully. A secretive smile came to his eyes when she spotted a small area of special interest on the base of the globe.

"What is this?"

Barnabas just smiled and watched Julia as she inspected the area more closely. She realized there seemed to be a very fine but deliberate outline of some kind of opening in the base. Julia gently pushed on the tiny projection next to the aparent opening. A small drawer about the size of a jewelry box eased open. Inside, the drawer was lined in black velvet, a gold and diamond ring resting against the fabric. Julia's eyes grew wide once again and she looked up at Barnabas. He was grinning, then he stepped closer to her and covered her hands with his, so they were both holding the snow globe.

"Barnabas?"

He met her gaze with an intense look of his own, his expression hopeful and a bit frightened, as if this particular moment was the most important one in his life. Barnabas touched the snow globe, then lifted the ring from the drawer and placed it on Julia's finger.

"I wish to share with you all that I have, Julia; my home, my life, and especially my love. I had hoped, perhaps, this small gift might accompany us on our honeymoon, so that we shall always remember our home, and how, within its walls, we came to love one another."

Julia stared at Barnabas, almost dumbfounded.

"Honeymoon?"

"After a proper wedding, of course."

"Wedding...?

"Julia, will you consent to become my wife?"

She stared at the ring, then at Barnabas. Could this really be happening? He'd given other women he claimed to love a music box too... but that was Josette's music box. This one he had made especially for her. The look on Barnabas' face let Julia know this was real, and it was the most important moment in his life -- and in her life. This was what Barnabas truly wanted. Silently, Julia nodded her acceptance.

They honeymooned in Paris, and each night, on the balcony of their hotel suite, Barnabas and Julia Collins danced to the notes of the musical snow globe.

* * * * *

* * * * *

Terry S. Bowers

March 18, 1999