Julia was distraught, to say the least. Here she was, in Sam's cabin, almost 100% positive that Barbie was dead. Barbie. Someone who, in the span of two weeks, she had come to know and rely on, and maybe, just maybe, love. But it was stupid and pointless, because he was most certainly dead. Because of Big Jim. She sank into the worn leather couch, and dropped her head into her hands.

One couldn't say that she was unaware of his actions, since she was a journalist, and she was born to seek out answers, but the answers to the questions he rose never seemed to be answered. That, which she loathed to admit, even to herself, was it had always evaded her notice. Now, there were so many questions because of Big Jim, the dome, and Barbie, and Julia didn't know if she could bear not knowing the answers to one of the three (Barbie, her heart told her, you can't live without knowing what happened to Barbie. All you need to know about is Barbie. Her head told her, You want to know about the dome and Big Jim, but if he's out of the way then all you need is answers to why the dome is here.)

Anger pooled in her stomach, rose and welled in her throat, and Julia felt her eyes moisten. Her throat clenched as she fought back an onslaught of tears. You can't cry now, Julia willed herself. Not until you find out what's happened to Barbie. Only then.

Instead of crying, she unclenched and clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms, almost daring them to draw blood. She stayed like that for a while.

Hours passed, or perhaps it had only been minutes, as Sam had come up to her and asked her what she planned on doing, especially since the girl from the lake was gone, and she told him that she needs to go take care of something, do something only she may be able to do.

She went back to the lake to pick up her car, and drove around for a while, half looking for the girl, half looking for Barbie. As Julia drove on through the outskirts of town, she had strange feeling that what answers she's looking for, she'd find them in town.

As she turned into the center of town, where the huge wire tower is, she first saw people unconscious, and it frightened her. Was this the dome's new way of punishing them - of punishing her? She got out of the car, and went over to a few people she saw. She pressed her fingers to their necks, felt for their pulses, and was rewarded with a steady beat. She turned around and got up, and saw him. Julia was almost frozen to the spot.

There he was. Barbie. Kneeling over Joe, checking him over. Her mouth let out a strangled noise, and he turned. He was, at most, twenty yards away, but she ran towards him anyway. He stood up, took a few steps forward and opened his arms. Julia almost fell into them. Her hands weaved themselves into his hair, and before she knew it, she was crying. Her breaths were shallow, and she was shaking, but she was okay because he was.

Barbie looked at her, and she could've sworn that his eyes were misty. He smiled at her, and she kissed him. There was no rush to the kiss, it was just an "I'm so grateful to whatever god there is out there that you're okay and in my arms, and I love you, I love you, I love you so much." His body was solid against hers, mouth warm and comforting. She kissed him like she couldn't get enough of him, all passion and fire. His hands tangled in her hair, mouth open, tongue pressing against her mouth like he might never get to kiss her again.

They broke apart and he wiped away a tear away, and she laughed, both her hands interlocking around his neck, her forehead pressed against his.

"I love you, Barbie." Julia murmured. "I really, really do. I know that it's been two weeks, and a lot of shit's happened, but I needed to let you know that."

"When you got shot by Max," Barbie began, "I really thought I was gonna lose you. I didn't want to entertain the possibility, but it came to mind. And, when you were in that coma, your skin cool, and your face calm, I just kept thinking, 'Oh God, what if she doesn't wake up.' Not because of me being accused of shooting you, but because in that moment I knew I loved you and I couldn't lose you. I love you, Julia."

Julia looked up at him then, her eyes watering and his too, and she knew she had found her most important answer.