Like good old times.

   No matter how much Barnabas called for Josette, there was no answer.
Victoria heard his calling though, and came to tell him that she hadn't seen Josette since she returned to Collinwood.
 Angelique had bad feeling that her mother had already found a way to capture Josette's remaining soul to be sure Angelique had no one to help her.
 Barnabas sighed heavily and placed his hand against her back, "We will find a way... I swear it."
Angelique blinked and looked at him, "What did you just say?"
Barnabas looked slightly confused, "I said, we will find a way."
"But after that. What did you say?"
"I said... I swear it.."
Angelique felt sudden hit of flashback, seeing Barnabas standing at the balcony with Josette.
"The balcony...."
Barnabas looked at her curiously, "What are you talking about?"
Angelique looked at him, "You gave your promise to be with Josette forever, when you were standing at the balcony with her. You also got together with Victoria when you where at the balcony..."
She looked around destroyed manor. "Where the balcony was?"
Barnabas lead her to place where it used to be.
"Call her now." Angelique said simply.
Barnabas raised eyebrow but still he looked around and called for Josette to come to him.
 He called her name for while, until he sighed again and looked at Angelique. "It's not working.. Angelique? Angelique?!" He placed his hands to her shoulders, shaking her gently.
Angelique looked up to him, "Yes, my love?" She said like she had just awaken from deep sleep.
"Angelique, it is not working. She is not answering to me."
"But I am right here." Angelique said. Her voice was softer now, and her eyes didn't seem so icy. Only bright baby-blue.
 "Oh my god..." Barnabas said, realizing that Josette had taken over Angelique's body. Somewhere deep down in his mind, he became to worry what Angelique would do when she figured this out after Josette leaves her body, but he couldn't help but being pleased to be able to speak with Josette again.
 "Josette.." He said slightly uncertain, and Angelique nodded.
"I came when you first called me, but her hate towards me is much greater than her need for my help. And I cannot lie to you Barnabas, I don't do this for her. I do this for you. So you would have a chance to talk her into releasing your family from this curse. To release you."
 "I see... It's very.. Noble, of you."
Angelique smiled. Barnabas didn't remember when he had seen her smiling with so purely sweet manner.
For Josette, it was natural. But for Angelique, it was rare these days.
 Partly Barnabas could blame himself, but partly it has been Angelique's own choice.

... Barnabas nodded gently on old wooden door and waited.
"I'm coming" Soft voice answered and soon the door opened and Angelique looked at him, smiling as she saw him.
 "Did I awake you?" He asked, entering small room.
"No, I was.. Reading."
"What did you read?"
"That same old book." Angelique smiled and sit down to her bed, taking the book from her bedside table.
Barnabas smiled and sit next to her. "Maybe I should find another book for you. You must get tired of reading that over and over again."
"You don't have to. I'm happy with this." Angelique said, holding the book against her chest.
Barnabas laughed, looking at her playfully. "If it makes you happier than I do, I will become jealous."
Angelique laughed softly and placed the book back to the table. "Don't you worry my love, nothing can make me so happy as you do."
"Good. Then I need not kidnap you again and runaway, far away from here." Barnabas nodded and kissed her lips gently.
Angelique blinked and pulled back, "Why we could not run away? You have money enough to get us little house from somewhere. I am able to find food... We might not be able to live so fine life as here but.. It would still be life. Our life."
Barnabas singed and run his hand through his hair. "I cannot leave Collinwood. My parents need my help here. It would be awful shock for them if I suddenly disappeared."
Angelique took hold of his hand, "But they could get over it. They hardly ever see you anyway."
"But they know, I am here. I take care of business and the house."
"Excuse me, I take care of the house, you give just orders."
"You know what I meant..."
Angelique looked down, "I could do anything for you... But you.."
Barnabas turned to look at her and kneel down to the floor, taking hold of her hands. "I know you would. I wish I could do the same. I wish I could tell my parents about us. I wish we could build our life here as equal partners, I wish-"
Angelique pulled her hands away, "Your wishes are not enough, when you're not willing to do anything to make them true."
"I am willing!" Barnabas growled. He placed his finger under her chin, making her look at him. "I would not take these risks to spent so much time with you, unless I was willing to bear consequences. If these times we spent together, lead to that my parents finds out the truth, I am not going to let them punish you or throw you out. Or I come with you."
 Angelique smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I love you."
Barnabas smiled, hugging her tightly and buried his face to her hair. "I know... And I.. I know.."...


".. So if I am near by when you meet her mother, I am able to come into Angelique's body and have that way power over her mother. Now we only need to get Angelique to agree with this. Do you think you can talk her into it? Barnabas? Barnabas?!"
Barnabas blinked his eyes, "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
Angelique shake her head a bit, "What is on your mind Barnabas? This is serious situation."
"Yes, yes I know. I was.. Thinking."
She smiled. "Always so thoughtful."
"Indeed."
Suddenly Angelique stopped, like frozen. "She's fighting back... I must go.."
Barnabas didn't really have time to realize what happened before Angelique suddenly look up to him and watched carefully around, narrowing her eyes as she usually did.
"Angelique?"
She looked at him sharply, "Give me one good reason not to hunt her down and destroy her miserable soul for good!"
"Angelique!" Barnabas growled. "Stop this nonsense, you need her help."
 "Even so, she has no right to get into my body."
"You knew that?"
"Of course I did. I heard and saw everything all the time. Though it was like seeing a dream but I have lived long enough to know when someone is possessed. And that will be last time I am possessed."
 Barnabas sighed, trying to keep situation under his control. "Angelique, would you for once place your hatred and jealousy aside and let us work as a team? Especially when it is you who most need help."
"Don't you dare try to make her seem like saint. I can handle this by myself if I have to. I have-"
Barnabas rolled his eyes and pulled her closer, kissing her gently.
 Angelique blink few times in surprise until she closed her eyes, relaxing into his arms.
Barnabas pulled back, holding her protectively near. "Will you now listen what I have to say?"
"Hm.. If you just keep holding on me." Angelique smiled.
Barnabas smiled a bit and nodded, "Very well."
She rest her head against his chest, listening his plan how they could get rid of her mother.
He held her in his arms, breathing her fresh scent. He looked to the ocean farther away and felt cold shiver, as another presence was near by. He didn't feel the threat, but terrible pain, loneliness and sorrow.
Looking up, he could just nearly see faint figure of Josette disappearing into the shadows.
 He sighed heavily again and Angelique looked up to him, "What is it?"
"Nothing... I just feel tired of all this, chaos."
Angelique smiled a bit "Well, we could go to my house and have nice hot bath."
"A bath?"
Angelique nodded, smiling playfully. "You can't tell me you have forgot they are my specialty."
Barnabas massaged his temples and nodded tiredly, "Fine. A bath."
Angelique took hold of his hand and lead him back to her house.
  While Angelique was filling bathtub, Barnabas looked out of window to night sky. He knew it was hard for Josette to see him with Angelique. And it would be Hell to Angelique to see him with someone else. She would most likely destroy half of the world along with his beloved one.
 He heard Angelique moving near by, soon feeling her hands sliding around him as she hugged him behind.
"Bath is ready."
"Hm... I will be there soon. You go ahead and relax. I will join you shortly."
"Where you go?"
"Just take life from that little rabbit over there."
Angelique kissed the back of his neck and left.
He looked after her for while until he go out, hunting down the rabbit he saw little moment ago.
Throwing away the corpse, he got back inside and unbuttoned his shirt while walking towards bathroom.
As he entered the room, he smelled slight scent of roses. Lights were out and Angelique had placed candles around the room to light it up.
 "Hm.. You are in exceptionally  romantic mood today." He said and got into hot water.
 "Maybe.. Or maybe I feel like remembering good old times."
Barnabas looked at her and smiled a bit, "Indeed."
Angelique came closer and kissed him softly. "Turn around." She whispered against his lips.
He seemed little unwilling to turn away but did as he was told.
Angelique massaged his shoulders and back, easing tension from his muscles.
Barnabas closed his eyes for while, "I would love you like this... As you are, your old self."
"You would?"
"I would... I did, back then, but couldn't admit it." He opened his eyes and turned to face her. "I'm sorry."
Angelique looked at him, obviously confused. "Sorry? For what? You're leaving me again?!"
"No! No... I mean, the past. I am sorry I didn't ever tell you."
She relaxed and Barnabas could swear he saw her smiling a bit. "You can make it up to me now. We have all eternity together."
"Hm, eternity..." Barnabas repeated little uneasy. "Perhaps we start with inhumanly long lifetime together."
Angelique laughed softly and leaned against him, "We can start from that."
"After we have finished off your mother."
"Shh! That's tomorrow's problem." Angelique said and kissed him.