RedBalloon

Private

Juliette felt Alicia’s gaze on her for the remainder of the car ride but did not turn to look back at her. She was accustomed to people staring, even in such a personal space as a car. She didn’t have to look at her to know how she felt. Emotions like affection were more...complicated for someone like Juliette. She was human, technically yes, but her “job” required her to ignore those feelings because that meant ties and ties were for people who stayed.

Juliette slid out of the car after Alicia and smoothed out the fabric of her shirt. Katherine simply nodded in response to Alicia’s thank you. The expression on Alicia’s face was amusing, but she suppressed her giggle. Placing her hand between the space of her shoulder blades, Juliette guided her towards the front door. “I’ll have my assistances prepare the guest room for you,” she told her. “If you need anything from your home, I can send Katherine to fetch it if you would like?”

Private

Juliette glanced at her and Alicia’s troubled tone made her smile softly. “Don’t frett so much,” she assured. “I have more then enough room for you to stay. And it’s not a big deal, I assure you.” The place they were going was a smaller home she owned, smaller than the one she grew up in anyways.
Another twenty minutes passed by before Katherine turned the car into a gate checkpoint. The surrounding buildings were large homes were tall trees guarding the yards. Once they were through the gates, Katherine continued to drive through the Main Street. She pulled into a driveway of a noticeably different house compared to the others. This one, instead of being overly decorated, was simple with white walls and dark shutters, and a dark tiled roof. The front doors were two heavy-looking double doors with a security system for a handle.
Once the car was parked, Katherine got out to open the back seat door and let the two women out.

Private

Juliette pressed her lips together. She patted her shoulder, and by doing this, she took away the pain in her back to make it seem like it was just a temporary pain. That pain was taken from her and transferred to Juliette, but the ache in her back was a light injury to what she has faced.
“I know,” she said, facing forwards with her hands in her lap. “I didn’t plan on taking you home. Chez moi means to my home.” After the incident with her parents, Juliette would cry any time she was at her home so she stayed at a summer house they owned in Switzerland. Now that many years had passed, she lived in her childhood home and stayed there for a majority of her time.

Private

Juliette watched the buildings and cars pass by as they sped down the street. Her thoughts started to wander to other places before Alicia’s voice brought her back. “You did hit the floor fairly hard,” she told her. She turned her head towards her, pushing her blonde curls over one should in the process. “Are you in any pain?” She shouldn’t have kicked some hard, but it was an instinct for her to fight with all her strength.

Private

Juliette opened the door for her and slid in after her. “Chez moi, s’il vous plaït,” she instructed Katherine. The tall woman nodded and started forward. Juliette turned her attention back to Alicia to listen to her words. “You’re just in shock,” she assured her. “I remember how I felt that one night,” she was referring to her parents murder, but she mumbled the sentence under her breath.

Private

Juliette noticed the uncomfortable movement and leaned back to her straight back posture. “Maybe it was the lights above? They are quite bright,” she commented. “But it’ll be alright, I’m here for you.” She smiles at her gently. At that moment, a sleek black car rolled near the enterance and beeped at them. Juliette stood up, gesturing towards the car.

Private

Juliette stares at Alicia as she spoke, almost unblinking. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it. The situation was more severe than she thought. “I don’t... understand,” she murmured. “Maybe it was a moment of grief? I don’t think you were necessarily hallucinating, though.” She squeezed her hand, leaning closer to her face.
“You just went through something very traumatic,” she told her. “You stumbles around a little after he flat-lined and fell to ground. Do you really not remember that?”

Private

Katherine simply looked at Alicia then moved her eyes back to Juliette. “Shall I pull the car around, Madame?” She asked in a low, monotone. Juliette responded with just a curt nod, seemingly unbothered by the weight Alicia was leaning into her.
“You’ll be alright,” she assured her. Following after Katherine, they made quick pace through the hospital until they reached the main doors. The tall woman left them to fetch the car while Juliette say both her and Alicia on the steps. She didn’t leave her untouched, so she took her hand and held it in hers. Nothing could be said at the moment.

Private

The light from her palm instantly faded when Alicia spoke. She scrambled over to her, taking her arm and helping her up. “Ok, love,” she said, “I’lol get you home.” Keeping ahold of her arm, she guided her out of the room. A tall, possibly too tall, woman in a pressed pinstripe suit approached them. This woman was a common sight around Juliette because she was Katherine, her personal assistent and care taker since her parents passed.

Private

Juliette was always prepared to fight, that was her job after all. And without a seconds thought, she grabbed the lunging woman’s shoulder and kicked her towards the wall with great strength while still on her back. She quickly got up, raising her hands as she did. A quick glance around the room confirmed there was no other human to witness what she was about to do. If someone were to look at the camera footage, they would see nothing other than two grieving women.
Bright, golden white light burst from her hand, almost as if her palm were part of the sun. In doing this, Juliette hoped that the holy light would banish whatever rage Alicia was in. If not, then greater measures would have to be taken.