What Matters Most

Post 2x17. A look of what happened years ahead of when the show ended. Julia and Michael take the kids on a trip, in hopes of getting Artie's mind off the fact Monica is getting married again, until their plans don't go as they thought. Sorry about sucky summary, story is better!

A/N: no one is going to read this anyways because I know the show is been over for a while and a lot of stuff has happened in between but I blame Netflix for putting Smash on one of my frustrated endings list and I so love Michael and Julia, and come on how can you not fall in love with Will Chase? Fight it, I dare you.

I own nothing.

Summer

Julia looked at the tickets in her hand. 5 tickets. One happy family, at least it's what she wanted this trip to mean, for her and Michael and the kids, Leo was all grown up now, off in college for the most part, but she hoped this couple of weeks would give him a reason to come home more often. For the heart of her, Monica had allowed Artie to come along, the now 10 year old was far from the boy she'd met when she and Michael had… Well, gotten back together? That was until he had gone to Seattle, to be close to Artie, even though she had not figured out how he had survived there without working, in anything that resembled acting, of course.

Her heart had been broken for a year and so after that, her relationship with Frank had reached a breaking point, and Leo was slowly beginning to forgive her, her life had returned to be what she once knew as normal, until she had decided to not give the court, or Frank the letter where her deepest emotions about Michael were contained, instead, she had sent him that letter.

And he'd showed up at her doorstep that night at the Tony's.

And what had resulted from that, from the mending or their relationship once both of them had owned up to their mistakes, a year later, was Gracie, her sweet deep blue eyed tomboy, who, she cursed under her breath when she thought of how much that little girl hated to wear dresses and tried so hard to avoid anything pink, Michael of course had told her it was only a phase. One she'd grow out of, she loved that little girl so much though, she had been quite the surprise as she was no longer her young self to be having a child, until she happened, of course, there was no lie she was everything she'd hope for having a child with Michael would be. She was kind and had the brighter smile, and of course had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

A small cry pulled her out of her thoughts.

"I've got it!" Michael called from the other room, oh there was that tiny detail missing, baby Jack, she didn't think she'd have it in her to have another child, she didn't think either of them did, it'd be so long until they had an empty nest again, for the most part she was terrified of the prospect of Gracie and Jack growing up, she didn't want to stop being mommy; not for the age part and not for the delight of watching her children, hers and Michael's grow up.

Jack had been something in her life that she'd talked about with her husband, oh man, he was her husband of 5 years now; Gracie had been there at their wedding, a mere baby, and now her actual baby was another story, Jack she had not given birth to, even though he was still part of her and Michael, they'd gone to a surrogate for what they both bowed it would be their last child, a blessing nonetheless.

"I think he's hungry." Michael said handing the 11 month old baby to her.

"Of course he is," she said toting the little boy. "You mind making sure we make it out of here with one suitcase for each child? I don't want to be one of those maniac mothers at the airport." He smirked, she'd be one anyway.

"Don't give me that look! We have to be out of here in an hour!"

"Relax Jules, I've got it." He smiled widely and she wanted to die, or smack him for being such a tease.

And hour later, kids packed in the car they made their way to the airport. Leo was plugged to his phone while Artie reviewed with his father whatever activities they'd be doing at the beach and Disneyland. This was a big deal for Artie, he'd barely saw his dad and for what she'd learned the last couple days, Monica was getting remarried and the little boy wasn't taking it well. With a baby asleep in her arms, Gracie holding on to Michael's neck for dear life, they'd made it through the airport, Artie and Leo trailing at their heels.

"Thank you so much." Julia said as he flight attendant helped them to their seats, Gracie squeezed between the two of them, Michael could see the anxiousness in her eyes, she hated planes, most of all, she hated take offs.

"Jules." She felt his hand on hers as he squeezed. "It's okay, you're fine."

"Tell that to my nerves." She said, moving Jack closer to her body. Michael grinned, without letting go of her hand.

"Hey baby, mind doing me a really big favor?" He told his little girl, Gracie turned her head as Michael whispered something in her ear, he winked over at Julia and she looked at him confused, Gracie then turned again and placed a kiss on Julia's cheek. "Do you feel better mommy?"

Julia sighed. She did feel better.

"I might need another one, just to make sure." She said pointing to her cheek once more. Gracie kissed it again just as Michael pouted next to her.

"Hey dad?" Artie asked in front of Michael. "Can we go swimming as soon as we get to the hotel?"

"Sure buddy, as soon as we're there," the little boy seemed satisfied as he turned his back again, putting on his seatbelt. Julia liked the prospect of Artie smiling again, she knew it had been hard for him to not have Michael present often.

Few hours later, true to his promise, Michael and Artie headed for the pool, Gracie in tow. Julia had tried to make Leo go down with them but the boy only limited himself to his phone and a few grumbles as exchanges for words.

Julia understood though, Leo had seen the whole thing from the start, he had witnessed the nature of her relationship with Michael from the start, so she knew he still had issues, thank goodness Artie had not been old enough to even understand why he suddenly had to move and his daddy wasn't coming along, not at first anyway. He had tried living near Artie for a while, until work had forced him to move back to New York. Work and her.

"You know where to find us if you change your mind." She said, swinging Jack's diaper bag over her shoulder.

By the time she made it to the pool, Michael and the kids were on the far side of the pool. "Hey beautiful." He said with a smile, and she blushed, like a school girl, how could she not? Honestly… One look at that smile and she was on her knees. "Where's Leo?"

She sighed. "Suffering from late adolescence, I'm afraid." Michael looked at her apologetically. She glanced over at Gracie and Artie as they splashed nearby. Julia moved to a chair so she could get some sunscreen on Jack, not before she went on mommy mode and asked if he'd made sure the other two were wearing enough. Michael rolled his eyes. "It's not my first time in the rodeo Jules." Ah, hell, how could she argue with that?

A moment later, Gracie called her attention, waving her hands up so she could show her the new tricks daddy had just taught her.

"I think those floaters are ready to come off." He told her, getting a hold on the baby as she joined him on the pool.

"Oh I'm not so sure about that honey, she's just a baby." Julia winked at Michael and he smirked.

"Mommy, I am not!" She protested, a pout, identical to her father's. "I can do it, right Daddy?"

"Sure you can." Michael said with a smile. "In fact, why don't we show mommy right now?" Artie's eyes widened, clearly excited. "I'm sure Artie will keep an eye on too, right buddy?"

"Sure, I got her dad." He smiled, swimming a bit farther along. Julia kept her eyes fixed on Gracie as she got rid of her floaters, handing the baby over to Julia, Michael moved to join Artie, as they all encouraged the little girl to let go of the edge of the pool and begin kicking, Julia could see Michael's body language change as he was ready to aid her in case she needed him.

"Look mommy!" The little girl said excitedly, clearly proud of her accomplishments.

"I am baby." Julia held a hand to her mouth as she watched nostalgically the look on her daughter's face as Michael caught her, he and Artie high fived her excitedly. She was not a baby anymore that was true.

"I'd say that deserves some ice cream later huh?" A voice said behind Julia. It was Leo.

"I'd say it does." His step father said, a small understanding between the two was enough for Julia.

True to his word, Leo took the kids out for ice cream, down the street from the hotel, leaving Michael and Julia alone with baby Jack. "And this is why I don't like going on vacation. Why can't they invent something that you just fold? It's the era of technology for goodness sake. " He said annoyed put up the travel crib as she bathed Jack on the bathroom next door.

She laughed. "Stop complaining you big baby." She rolled her eyes as he knelt next to her, watching Jack splash around the tub. "Thankfully, this is our last huh?"

"Thank goodness." He said playfully. "Not that it's a bad thing baby"

"Definitely a good thing." Julia added with a smile as he leaned to kiss her. Oblivious, Jack splashed harder, giggling, clearly upset by the lack of attention, getting both his parents wet.

"So that was a sure change of heart, from Leo." Michael said as they got Jack out of the tub.

"I know" Julia gave him a look as they moved to the bedroom, Michael got out a pair of pjs for Jack. "He's just…avoiding us I guess."

"Avoiding me, you mean?" He said bitterly. "You'd think he'll like me by now." Michael said sadly. "He doesn't have to, I get it."

"He likes you. He's just…"

"Deciding how much?" He asked grimly.

"Michael…"

"Its fine Jules, I know I'm not his favorite person, but I'm glad he's trying to have some kind of relationship with Artie and Gracie, of that I'm thankful."

"Well, Monica getting remarried, that can't be easy." She noted. "He understands that."

And Leo did understand, he didn't get into details with Artie of just how much, he just asked him if he was alright with all of it.

"I like Jim a lot." Artie had said. "He's real nice and he seems to want to buy me all I want…" Leo laughed.

"Been there, done that." Artie's eyes widened.

"Dad has tried buying you off too?"

"Kind of." Leo admitted with a smile. He'd remembered when a few years back he had come home for thanksgiving and his step father had offered to help him buy a new car since his last one was giving his good last runs, he knew he had mostly had done it for Julia because she worried like crazy about him driving in that thing, that more than once had left him sided on the far end of the road, still, Michael had seemed to try and make things between them smoother, especially because of Gracie. "All I'm saying here man it's that if you really do want make peace with your mom getting married is…"

"Moving in with dad, I could ask him, I'm sure your mom won't mind."

"That's not…" Crap that had not gone as he had planned it. Leo glanced over at Gracie who was playing with some other kids nearby. Julia was going to kill him.

Needless to say Artie went straight to the touchy subject of having make up his mind about Jim. Julia and Michael looked at each other, and then at Leo, he shrugged, that had not been his fault.

"I don't think... I mean Julia and I love having you around buddy, we all do, but I don't think your mom would be alright with that." He fought the urge to say something else, he didn't think he'd off that easy if Monica found out about it. "And wouldn't you miss your aunt, and your friends at school?"

"I guess." He said "But I miss you guys a lot too. Don't you?"

"Of course we do sweetie." Julia reached for Artie's hand.

"Then what's the problem?" There was a problem, there would be, a big legal problem.

"We'll talk about it when we get home buddy, right now we just want to have a good time, right'" Michael begged that'd be last of it, at least until they made it back to New York

TBC