A/N:Hey guys….Sorry about the delay on the NCIS Wedding fic….It's so hard to make it sound so right…..and writers block does not help……anyways…..this is a fic we wrote to help us let go of the writers block……Should it stay as a one shot or should we continue it?? R&R
"Would Dean Portman please come to main reception?"
I look up at the ceiling and roll my eyes. Here we go again. The amount of times I've been called to that office is amazing. I know it better than my own dorm. I walk down the corridor and take my time. This is such a preppy school. The only reason I'm here is because of the Ducks. Not to mention Fulton and Jules. My two best mates. Fult is practically my brother and Jules…well…Jules is just Jules. They're my family. Man, that sounds so corny coming from me.
I finally reach main reception. I look at the secretary and give her a wink. She batts her eyelids and breaths, "The dean wants to see you."
I smile and walk to the dean's office. I love it how I can make the secretary so what I want. I walk into the office and slump into a chair at the back of the dean's.
"Yo, dude. What's up now?"
The Dean didn't respond but simply looks to a figure sitting in front of his desk. A sob comes from the person and they half turn their head. I instantly recognise Jules. I jump up and run to her side.
"Jules! What's wrong? Did Scooter hurt you? I'll get him, I promise!"
The Dean chuckles, "That won't be necessary Mr Portman."
"Hell it won't be. Jules, what happened?"
She turns to face me. Her face is twisted and torn. She looks like shit. I hate seeing her like this. I take her in my arms and smooth her hair as she cries into my shoulder. I want to take this pain away. Whatever it is, I just want to make it better. The Dean looks at me at me with a weird look. I try to shrug then turn my attention back to Jules.
"What's wrong, babe?" I whisper in her ear. She mumbles something but I don't understand. I stand up and she breaks away. I look at her and put out my hand. Part of me wants to kiss her. Damn it Portman, what the hell is up with you? Next thing I know, she takes my hand and I pull her close once again. She wraps her arms around my waist and the urge returns. God, she smells so good.
"Port," she whispers as she breaks me out of the trance.
"Yeah, babe."
"Take me home."
I know what she means but I can't stop thinking the other. I pick her up and carry her out the door. I turn and look at the Dean. He stands there dumbfounded.
"Thank – you, Dean Buckley."
I walk out and think about what's wrong with Jules. I walk straight past the secretary and she stands. I can't worry about her now. All I can think about is Jules.
"Your room or mine?" I ask
"Yours."
"Sure thing, babe."
I get to my dorm and let is in. I sit her on the bed and take her hands in mine. She looks at me with those baby blues filled with tears. Who ever did this to her better start praying. She continues to look at me as the tears fall. I brush them away with my thumb.
"Babe, please tell me what's wrong?"
She takes a breath and lays her head on my chest. I manuver around so that she's lying on my chest.
"My…my grandmother passed away. I'm not allowed to go the funeral though. It hurts too much."
She breaks into sobs once again. I tighten my grip. She stays for a while. When she raises her head it's around 10pm. I look down at her and kiss her forehead.
"Can I stay here tonight?" she asks as she settles back into my arms.
"Yeah,
sure. You can take my bed and I'll sleep in Fult's. He's going
home for the weekend."
"Ok."
She looks around the room taking in her surroundings. Our room is a total mess. Clothes all over the floor, books all over the desk. For the first time in my life I actually start to tidy up. As I try to put things away I feel Jules' hand on my arm.
"Hey, can I use your shower?"
"Yeah."
She makes her way towards the bathroom door and I can't help but notice the way she walks. Her hips sway from side to side as her hair swings. I continue to stare as she turns around.
"Uhhhh, Portman, I don't have a spare change of clothes. Can I, uh, pinch some of yours?" She looks away, embarrassed.
"Yeah, sure thing babe." I hand her a clean pair of boxers and a t – shirt.
She smiles sweetly then goes into the bathroom.
As soon as I here the water start to run I sit down. What the hell is wrong with me? This is Jules we are talking about. One of my best mates. I can't think about her like that. It's sick. I hear the water close and I wait for her to come out. Ten long minutes past and she still hasn't emerged. I knock on the door.
"Yo, Cat Lady, did you drown in there?" I don't hear a response, "Yo, Cat Lady. Are you in there?" I hear a sniffle. I open the door and see her as a crumpled heap on the floor. I kneel at her side and she looks up at me. It breaks my heart. Me, Dean Portman, a fucken softy. Jules crawls into my arms and I hold her close once again.
"Port, I want to go to the funeral but I can't." she whispers.
"Why?"
"Coz I can't."
I pull her face up so I can look into her eyes. She still looks like shit.
"Babe, what's really going on? You can trust me. I swear."
She breaks eye contact and lies against my chest.
"Before I joined the Ducks, I had a big fight with my mum. She wanted me to quit hockey and become a debutante. I hate debutantes. She said that if I joined the Ducks and come here I'd never be able to go home." She started to sob harder.
"What about your dad?"
"He still talks to me. I'm daddy's little girl. The only problem is that Mum runs the joint so he doesn't really get a say."
I smile. She's starting to sound like me. She cries even harder.
"Hey," I say as I rub her back in circles. I've never done this before but it feels so right. Her cries turn into silent tears. I look down at her and she's asleep so I sweep her up in my arms ad take her back in to the bedroom. I set her down on the bed and cover her with a blanket.
"Sleep tight, babe."
I kiss her forehead and make my way to Fulton's bed. I turn off the light and lie there. It's pitch black and I can hear everything. I can hear the Varsity having a drink up and banging coming from Guy's room. I swear to God that he is an animal. He's just as bad as me. Last but not least I can hear Jules. Her uneven breathing. I think about going over and lying next to her but I don't want to invade her privacy. If it was any other girl, I would've but she's not any other girl. She's Jules. I turn around and face the wall to get these thoughts out of my head but I can't. I can still hear her breathing. It's still uneven. She must still be crying.
"Port," her voice is hoarse and my suspicions have been confirmed.
"Yeah,"
"Are you asleep?"
"Yep."
She gives a small chuckle. I turn and she's standing at the foot of my bed.
"What's up?"
"I can't sleep."
"So, you decided to wake me up?" I say trying to lighten the mood a bit more.
She gives a watery smile. I pat the space next to me on the bed and she crawls up the bed and into my arms. She snuggles her head into the crook of my neck. She's a perfect fit. I kiss her forehead as I wrap my arms around her.
"Do you really want to go to the funeral?"
"Yes and no."
"Huh?"
"Yes because she's my grandmother and I loved her very much but no because that means I have to see my darling mother."
"If it really means that much to you, I'll come."
What the hell am I saying?
She looks up at me, "Really?"
"Yeah. You know…you'd be there if I needed you."
She smiles again and lies back down, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"Why did you choose the Duck's?"
Out of all the bloody questions on the earth did she have to ask that one? The one question I've avoided for years. Not even Fulton knows the real reason why. If I had to tell anyone it'd probably be Jules. I know she wouldn't judge me.
"Well, I kindda got in trouble with the cops. I got busted dealing and they sent me to court. It was either join a hockey team as apart of community service or go to juvy. I wasn't going to juvy so they sent me to Morgan Park. I made a lot of mates on the team but they were shady. They got me back into dealing. Then Tibbles came along and scouted me. He said that he'd give me my big hockey break if I stopped dealing. At first I wouldn't even consider it. My mum needed the cash to survive, you know. Bringing up four kids with an alcoholic, abusive dole bludger husband isn't easy,"
I feel tears spring to my eyes as I think of my family back in Chicago. Next thing I know they're spilling over. God, Portman, you're turning into a fucken poof. I feel Julie's hand move across my cheek brushing away a few tears.
"You don't have to tell me the rest."
"Yeah, I do," I take a breath and continue, "I realised that I didn't want to turn into my father. I wanted to be someone that my family looked up to. So I signed. After that I don't know why I stayed. I kinnda liked the idea of the Ducks being my family."
Here I go again, getting all corny. I look into Jules' eyes and I see that she's crying.
"I didn't know that you're childhood was that bad."
"It wasn't bad…just…I don't know…"
"Different."
"Yeah. That's the word; different."
"Well, I hope you know that you've done a good job."
I give her a confused look.
"Well, you're on your way to being the first person in your family to finish high school right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, you've come so far. I bet your mum is proud. I know that I am." she whispers.
I hug her tightly and smile into her hair. She's proud of me; Dean Portman. I feel awesome.
"Hey, Dean," she calls me by my first name. I hate it when people do but coming from her angelic lips it sounds good so I let her get away with it.
"Yeah babe."
"What are you thinking?"
It was either tell her how I felt or why she asked for me. I choose the last one.
"Why did you ask for me?"
She looks at me, sighs then lies back down.
"Because, I knew you would take care of me. If I called Connie, she would have gone into hysterics. Charlie would have reassured me that it would be ok and Averman would crack some inappropriate joke. You; on the other hand, you don't say anything until you have to. You don't interrupt me and you just hold me and let me vent."
"Is that before or after I threaten to kill whoever did this?"
"After, of course," she says with a smile, "The way you take care of me…it's like I'm…I don't know how to describe it."
I want to yell; because you're my everything, but decide against it. I turn my attention back to Jules.
"When I broke up with Scooter; I felt my whole world collapse. The thing was that I couldn't find anyone who could make me laugh. Not even Connie. Then you came along. Your antics made me laugh. The whole 'I-am-man-hear-me-roar' act was so hilarious that it made me forget about everything. It was as if Scooter never existed. You know something; you were right."
I give her a confused look, "What was I right about?"
"Scooter
being a jerk."
I smirk, "I'd hate to say it but I told you
so."
She gives me a pout then punches my arm. It tingles but not from pain.
"You're such a pain in the ass."
"But you still love me."
"Yes, I do." She said as she snuggled deeper into my arms.
"Try to sleep, ok." I kiss her forehead once again as she whispers her goodnight. I close my eyes and remember the first day we met.
"Hey Dean,"
"Yeah babe."
She lifts her head and brushes her lips against mine.
"Thanks."
"Any time, babe." I say as I pull her in for another kiss and before I know it, we are having a full on make out session. Her kisses are soft but soon deepen as we continue. It's as if she's wanted this as bad as I did. One of my hands fists in her hair as the other stays on the small of her back. She breaks away and places a kiss on my nose as she removes my shirt and stares at my chest. A sly grin comes across her face, "That's better."
She smiles sweetly as she rests her head on my chest as her hands trace the contours of my abs. I have to admit it feels really good. I trace incoherent patterns on her back and arm as I look at her.
"Now will you go to sleep?"
She gives me a playful smile and nods.
"Good, Kitty."
She laughs and kisses my chest. I shudder slightly and close my eyes again but this time to dream about the future.
The next morning I wake up. The sun shines on her beautiful brown hair. She looks so peaceful unlike last night. She squirms a bit then opens her eyes and smiles when she recognises my face. I lean forward and capture her lips for a moment before she pulls away and lies back. Now I know what it feels like to be in love.