Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be. Belong to Shaftesbury, CBC, the actors, the writers, etc. Just borrowing them a little.

Summary – Post ep for Murdoch Mysteries s08e13 'The Incurables'.

Note: It drove me insane that William and Julia were so distant in this ep. (as well as most of the season). She had been violently attacked and even in the end there was nothing from William. Independent woman aside, it still seemed very out of character for him. So, I corrected it lol.

Not Alone Anymore

William silently watched Julia finish the last of her drink and continued to be amazed by her resilience, her strength and her stubbornness. Not once in the days since Rose had attacked her when he was there, nor since her most recent ordeal, had she complained about the physical pain he knew she must be in. He noticed her trying to fight off the sleep that beckoned her.

Taking the empty glass from her hand, he slid his arm around her on the couch and pulled her close to him. Without a word, she snuggled against him. "You should get some sleep," he whispered into her hair.

"How can I sleep knowing people are being hurt at the asylum?" she whispered back.

Despite the situation, William smiled. She was by far the most frustrating woman he had ever known, which is one of the many reason he fell in love with her in the first place. "We can change the world tomorrow." He shifted enough to look at her. "Are you sure you don't want me to call Dr. Grace? You still have bruises on your back from the other day and I can only imagine what additional ones you have from tonight. And you were knocked unconscious not to mention your wrist…"

Julia smiled back. "I'm fine, William. It's just bruising."

"Still…"

She silenced him with her finger on his lips. "I have you to watch over me and I know you won't let anything happen to me." She leaned up, replacing her finger with her lips but the kiss was broken by her yawn. "Maybe you're right," she admitted.

"What?" he teased. "The great Dr. Ogden admitting I'm right?"

"Don't get used to it, Detective Murdoch," she laughed.

He helped her up from the couch and took her arm to walk her to the bedroom. "Julia, in all seriousness, I really do wish you would let me call Dr. Grace. If only for my own piece of mind."

She glared at him as she lay back on the pillow. "William…"

He pulled the covers over her and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his. "I'm not saying you're weak but you did take a pretty bad beating by some very vicious killers. Charlotte told me about it." He paused then softly said, "I'm sorry I didn't stay with you or that I didn't get there sooner."

Julia squeezed his hand. "You couldn't have known. It's late and Emily has to work tomorrow so please don't bother her. I know you're worried but I assure you I've been monitoring myself for anything serious and I am truly fine, just a bit sore."

He sighed. "You're a very stubborn woman, Julia."

She grinned. "Yes I am."

He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss before going to get ready for bed himself. When he returned a few minutes later she was fast asleep.

The next morning, Julia awoke feeling quite refreshed. She stretched and immediately regretted it. Her ribs were definitely bruised, as she had suspected, and her wrist, while the cast had held, was throbbing. She looked over but William wasn't there. Glancing at the clock she saw it was well after ten in the morning. Why hadn't William woken her for work? She tried to get out of bed quickly but her body fought back.

She groaned in frustration, which brought a very concerned William running in.

"Julia? What's wrong?" He helped her stand up.

"I'm very late for work!" She stopped and looked at him. "Why are you home?"

William stared at her. He feared her reaction when he told her he called both of them out of work for the day. However, he didn't need to tell her. She had a frightening way of reading his mind.

"You didn't!"

"It was a long night for both of us and you certainly deserved a day off after all that."

"William Murdoch, I am fully capable of making my own decisions about my own life without my husband telling me what to do!" When she finished yelling, she wrapped her arms around her ribs as best as she could with one in a cast.

Still fearing a bit for his life, he risked helping her back to the bed so she could lie down. "Julia, you know me better than that. And I know you well enough to know you would have gone to work despite barely being able to stand up. As I recall, you made me take a few days off, despite my protests, after I was shot in the shoulder."

Damn him, she couldn't argue that point but she was going to try. "I'm a doctor so it was doctor's orders." She knew it was lame the second the words left her mouth.

"And doctors make the worst patients," he replied with a grin.

"I'm still angry with you," she replied.

"Then I'll just have to spend the day making up for it, won't I?"

Despite herself, she laughed, again, regretting it immediately. "William, I am in no condition to involve myself in any physical activities like that."

Confusion filled his eyes for a brief moment followed by embarrassment. "N…no, that wasn't what I meant. Not that I'm opposed to that. I meant taking care of you. Breakfast will be up shortly and I will be serving it to you in bed today, Mrs. Murdoch."

It was not often he called her that and she knew it was out of respect of her and her choice but secretly she cherished those few times when he did and it was just them, just Mr. and Mrs. Murdoch not Detective and Doctor. She suspected he knew that already, though. "Be careful, Mr. Murdoch, or I may expect this kind of treatment every day."

He took her had and kissed it. "You would deserve it, my lady."

Now it was Julia's turn to blush. "William, what has gotten into you?"

There was a knock at the door that saved him. "Breakfast is here."

She just stared after him as he left wondering what was going on. She's been in danger before, nearly killed by James Gillies on more than one occasion, and William never acted so… differently. Her eyes fell on the rings on her finger. They were married now. That's what changed. When Gillies had buried her alive, she had been married to another. When she had been within seconds of hanging for Darcy's death, she and William had been secretly dating. Now… now they had finally found their way to each other and he was scared of losing her again just as she was of losing him.

Struggling to sit up, she watched him through tear-filled eyes as he returned with the tray of food.

Placing the tray beside her and sitting on the bed, William finally noticed the tears. "What's wrong?"

She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight despite her pain. "Nothing. Everything is perfect. I love you so much, William."

They held each other for a while, the ever-cautious detective keeping his arms loosely around his wife so as to not hurt her more.

"Breakfast is getting cold," he whispered, though not letting her go.

"I don't care about breakfast," she whispered then pulled back just enough to look into his dark eyes. Her voice choked by tears, she said, "I'm sorry. I was selfish."

"Julia…"

She shook her head. "I am used to having to prove myself time and again as a woman in a man's world. Of having to prove I'm just as capable, if not more so, than my peers. You have never made me feel that way. Ever. You are the most understanding man I have ever met, even when I know I don't make it easy for you."

"Julia…"

"William, shut up," she laughed. "What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry that I forgot about your feelings. I was so focused on not being seen as weak that I didn't realize you were scared and worried and honestly just cared about me as a person. If the situation had been reversed I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you."

Tears were rolling down her cheeks by the time she finished that all William could do was wipe them away and pull her close again. "I was so afraid I was too late," He admitted. "When I saw Eva outside and she hinted you were locked in there… It was bad enough when I couldn't stop Rose from attacking you that first day but knowing you could already be…"

She felt his tears against her cheek and held him even tighter. "I'm here, William. I'm not going anywhere."

Letting go of her only long enough to remove the tray off the bed, he slid under the covers beside her and pulled her close, her head resting on his chest. "I love you, too, Julia. So very much," he whispered as they both faded into a much-needed sleep.