Title: Surprise

Author: Luckysparkle

Pairing: Jimmy/Julie

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Not real, i know that, you know that.

Feedback: yes please, some creative critism would be very much appreciated

Lyrics: Bob Seger - Tryin' To Live My Life Without You

So this was it, he was really leaving Newport, leaving his home, his friends, his daughters...leaving Julie. He honestly didn't know how he had made it all the way to the airport without pulling a U turn and heading straight back to her. It was impossible now anyway, a waste of time to even think about it. She wasn't his wife anymore, she was married to Caleb, she had a new life and he wasn't supposed to be a part of it. Besides if he went back now what would he say, just turn up on her doorstep plead for forgiveness and beg that she leaves Caleb and come back to him? It wasn't going to happen... Unless she came after him, he admitted he was secretly hoping he would hear the sound of her Manolos clicking on the tiled floor and her cries of his name as she ran through the airport. He quickly dismissed that idea as well, it was too much of a cliché for the Julie Cooper he knew and loved.

"Excuse me sir, can I have your boarding pass please"
Jimmy looked up, dazed, as the shrill voice of the young flight attendant pierced his fantasy. He knew this was his last chance, once he boarded this plane there was no going back, 'it will be best for everyone' he chanted in his head. He slid his wallet out of his back pocket and went to take out the pass.

Instead he was greeted by a smiling family - his smiling family, it was taken a long time ago, while Kaitlin was still a toddler and Marissa was too young to cause as much trouble as she has done recently. He remembered the day it had been taken, they were at a typical Newport Elite event in summer. His family had been sitting around one of the overly decorated tables that had been put in the lavish garden. Julie had leaned over to whisper something in his ear and they were both grinning, while Kaitlin was perched on Julie's lap and Marissa was trying to coax her into eating some cake. They were oblivious to someone pointing a camera at them and only realised there had been a picture taken when the photo had turned up in a magazine article about the event a few weeks later. He had spent hours trying to hunt down the photographer to get them a copy.

He had no idea why he had kept the photo in his wallet, it only served as a constant reminder of what he had lost. Taking another look at it he knew what he had to do.
"Sir, your boarding pass please?" The attendant asked again.
"Uh, I've got to do something, sorry." He replied dropping the pass on the desk and quickly walking in the direction of the nearest exit.
"But, Sir your luggage has already been packed" She called after him "It doesn't matter, there are more important things in life than luggage" he yelled over his shoulder, earning him several strange looks from other holidaymakers.

On the drive back to Newport he had come up with a plan, it wasn't a great plan but it was a plan, and out of the plans to win back your ex wife after telling her that you were leaving for Hawaii, Jimmy was sure his wasn't the worst. As he pulled up to the Cooper-Nichol mansion he was delighted to find that Julie's car was in the driveway and Caleb's was missing.

Walking to the door he winced as he heard...

"Trying to live my life without you babe It's the hardest thing I'll ever do Trying to forget the love we once shared It's the hardest thing I'll ever have"

He could recognise those lyrics anywhere, Julie had Bob Seger blasting, he could hear it even through the oversized front door. When Julie was involved, Bob Seger was bad news. He could recall to many times to count when they had vicious arguments and a furious Julie, or a miserable Julie, or a jealous Julie had stormed to the nearest CD player and played the same songs over and over. After she had asked him for a divorce the CD had been played practically 5 days straight. It was safe to say the sound of Bob Seger filled Jimmy with terror.

As he knocked on the door, he heard the music quieten and the echo of soft foot steps. The door opened and he braced himself for the wrath of Julie Cooper, but instead he was found staring at a much worse sight. Evil Julie he could cope with, he had plenty of practice, But a drained, devastated Julie was a different matter entirely. She stood there with no make-up on, her hair up in a messy pony-tail and her eyes were puffy and red, all in all she looked lost and vulnerable and it broke his heart because he knew he had caused her all this pain. "Jimmy?" She sounded so fragile.

Suddenly the plan was out the window as he had a sobbing Julie throwing herself at him. He wrapped his arms round her and held her close while she rested her head on his shoulder. As he felt her warm tears soak through his shirt he realized that even if he had got on the plane he wouldn't have been able to get over her, ever.

"Hey, Jules c'mon, please don't cry, I know I've messed up..." apparently she knew that too. Suddenly she pulled away from him, wiping her eyes and sniffing slightly, she looked like she would start breathing fire any second now.

"You've messed up? That must be the understatement of the year, JACKASS." So now they were back to good old fashioned Evil Julie.
"You're supposed to be in Hawaii, and yet you're on my doorstep. Jimmy, what are you doing here?"

"I...I'm back, leaving here was a stupid idea, possibly the most stupid idea in the world, I mean how does me leaving help me be a better Dad to Marissa, and I..." He was interrupted before he could profess his undying love for her

"Of course, Marissa, I should have know. You came back for her - to be a better Dad. And let me guess... Marissa wouldn't approve of us having a relationship again would she. So now you're back you can't see me again, right? Because you're letting our seventeen year old daughter tell you what, and who to do" She sighed, frustrated and looked away from him

He moved to carefully stroke her cheek and make her look him in the eye "Julie, no, you didn't let me finish. You think I came here to tell you i was back but couldn't be with you? Who do you think I left the airport for? I'm here because I love you more than anything and I don't think I could be anywhere without you there, I'd go insane. I need you."

Her face softened "This makes no sense. I was sitting there crying because you were leaving me, leaving me to stay married to an old man who I don't even love. But now you're back and you're staying"

He smiled, "Yeah, its pretty crazy"

She noticed his smile, "Jimmy its not funny, You were supposed to tell me that you loved me and that you wanted to be married to me again... I needed you to save me like you used to, but this time you left"

His heart filled with guilt, she was right he always did save her when she needed help and this time he had let her down. He knew he was the only person she let see her like this. She didn't trust anyone else not to hurt her, but now he had, "I know, I know, I shouldn't have even thought about moving and I know that I've hurt you and I've let you down, but Jules, you've got to let me try and fix things, please"

Once again he found himself with a Julie Cooper attached firmly to his chest, he gently stroked her hair and rubbed her back soothingly.

"What are we gunna do?" She whispered

"Not a lot at the moment, you're still married to Caleb" He pointed out disappointed,

"I could always just leave, I'm sure it wouldn't bother him that much, we hardly have a loving relationship. Marissa wouldn't complain, she hates it here, but that might have something to do with me being here. We can get a new house and Kaitlin can come home from school, we can be a family again. I'll file for divorce in the morning, if you're serious about this."

"Of course I'm serious, in fact I'll show you how serious I am" He whispered into her hair before pulling away from her. He gave her a soft kiss and bent down on one knee.

Julie eyed him with mild amusement, "Jimmy c'mon get up" she tugged at his arm with no prevail.

He grinned at her before starting "Julie Cooper, I love you with all my heart, and I always will. So would you do me the honour of being my wife... Again." He watched her expectantly

She broke out in a matching grin and he let her pull him up. She grabbed the back of his neck and attacked him mouth hungrily, as they pulled apart breathless, she whispered with a smirk, "Only if you help me pack" She stared to drag him inside.

"What now? What about Caleb, when does he get home?" Jimmy panicked slightly.

"Yes now. He wont be back for hours, we'll be long gone by the time he gets home." Jimmy relaxed at this.

As they passed through the lounge Jimmy was overjoyed to see Julie switch off that damn Bob Seger, he had a feeling it wouldn't be played again for a long time.

Tell me what you think. Thank you for reading.