A/N:

I had the idea to explore the relationship between Pete and Julie after the events of the 1999 movie, with Claire Danes and Giovanni Ribisi, when I saw it after eight years last night. I've never seen the show, but from the clips I have seen of it, the characters seemed to me at least somewhat attracted to eachother. But Julie's demeanor is different from in the show than in the movie. So, this fic could be for both the movie and the show. But it's from the prespective of the movie.

Another note, this first chapter picks up when Julie, Pete, and Linc walk down the Boardwalk at the end of the movie.

italics represent flashbacks

Read/Review :)

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Julie Barnes leaned over the wood railing of the Boardwalk, and hung her head over the side. She couldn't believe this whole mess with Tricky and the others was over. It felt like she'd been living a completely different life these past few days. She was an undercover cop afterall. That was part of the job description. But this was different. Not only had Captain Greer died, but the cops had killed him. The people that she, Pete, and possibly even the hard, non-trusting Lincoln had looked to for guidance after his death. What a joke that turned out to be. Then there was Billy.

That name used to have a special ring to it when she said it millions of times in her head. When they first met and she made him her whole world, and then when he dissapeared and she felt that world crashing down around her. Not now. Now all she felt was hatred and disgust. Billy was the worst kind of person. He gambled with people's lives and destroyed everything they'd rebuilt. That's what he had done in a matter of weeks since he blew back into her life. He had brought back apart of herself that she was convinced was long buried. It had been two days, thirteen minutes, and fifty-two seconds since she had taken her last drink. Before Billy it had been a year and a half. She was doing good. She was on the straight and narrow. Well, maybe not straight. But definately narrow.

She thought about drinking, but never as much as she did after leaving that party. Walking past him and that girl in bed that morning after having been forced to listen to them have sex the night before was sickening. Her mind began to race as she looked out onto the water in front of her. That feeling was still there. That hurt. That anger. That pure hatred. She hated Billy. Hated him. Hated him for making her trust him. Hated him for believing in him for a second time. But most of all hated him for making this part of herself come back to the surface. Maybe it had always been there, but had been buried because of work. She did love immersing herself in the job. It was the only thing that kept her going.

"Could you just hold me?"

Julie closed her eyes and smiled. Pete. He had been there for her more than anyone ever had these past few days. He'd never know how grateful she was for the motel. Hell, for coming back for her after she'd quit on he and Linc after Greer was killed. He came back for her. He took care of her when she couldn't take care of herself. On the surface, that didn't happen. She had been taking care of herself for as long as she could remember. Her parents sure as hell didn't take care of she and her sister. She had to do that. Julie never hesitated when it came to taking care of Amy. It was like second nature. When she needed Julie, she was there. They both lived in L.A. but didn't see eachother much. But when she needed something, Julie was always there. Second nature. Protect the nest. At least that's how it was for her.

"Jules?" a voice said, standing next to her.

She tried not to look like Pete had just taken her out of some of the darkest thoughts she'd ever experienced in her young life. Easier said than done. He leaned on the railing next to her, reached over, and tucked some stray blonde hair behind her ear. "You look like you're blowing away out here."

Julie laughs a little, pushing back all of the hair in her face. She stopped when she realized what she was doing. Why did she give a shit how she looked? She never did that with Pete. Pete was her partner. He was one of the only people even close to a friend. This wasn't normal. "Yeah, I know."

He watched her do this and lowered his head. Lately, all Pete wanted to do was look at Julie. He knew she hated it, but that didn't stop him. Over the past few days, he'd experienced many unwanted, newly discovered, feelings about her. The need to protect, to shelter, to save.. maybe that was just instinct. Since they'd started this job, he and Linc had always had a silent agreement that when they were all in a dangerous situation on a job, they'd always get Julie out of there first. Pete guessed it was because she was the girl in the group and she had some sort of little sister thing going on with both of them, but he knew that wasn't it. Not for him anyway. Maybe he'd always felt this way about her.

She's beautiful he thought. Even standing on a pier at eleven-thirty in the morning, running on two hours of sleep, covered with dirt from head to toe, she was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Pete Cochran had seen alot of beautiful girls. He'd grown up in the Hollywood Hills. The only son of wealthy parents. He had alot of friends and dated alot of girls. Girls who only cared about his money and who his family was, but really good looking girls nonetheless. But none of them held a candle to Julie. None of them had as much heart, strength, integrity, grace, or beauty. She had it all and more. What was he even thinking? This was Julie. She could never see him like that. He was just the older brother she never had.

Julie runs a hand through her tossled hair. Pete was silent. She wondered what he was thinking. "Fucked up couple of days, huh?" she finally says.

He breathes, "That's one way to put it, yeah."

She balances herself on the railing. "I meant-- I didn't mean.."

"No, I know what you meant."

Julie and Pete stared at eachother for a long time, until Julie turned away. The silence was about to kill her. She starts again, "I never thanked you for the other night at the motel. You saved my life. I don't know what I would have done. Probably something really dumb. Seriously, I would be in some bar or asleep in a gutter somewhere," Her voice cracks as she finishes her sentence. "Like before."

He saw that she was in pain. He'd never asked her about her past. Obviously it was pretty bad. His life hadn't been a picnic either. Especially when he started getting thrown in jail on a weekly basis only a few years before. Seeing her like this was agony for him. "You don't have to thank me. It was-- I wanted to. I mean, yeah. I was happy to do it. I wanted to do it."

She looks at him confused, but didn't wait long before asking a question. Something inside of her had to know what he'd meant. Not wanting for him to know this, she spouted her usually dose sarcasm. "I did not know that about you, Pete. You sitting up with hungover girls and holding them all night while they cry on your shoulder, and don't give you sex afterwards. Learn something new everyday."

He stares at her, his eyes not leaving hers. He hoped she knew that it wasn't about the sex. "Like I said. I wanted to do it."

Julie's eyes dart to the ground. She could feel both nervousness and excitement pumping through her veins. She knew it was her turn to speak, but couldn't bring herself to. He would have to do it for her. "Listen, Julie.." Pete starts.

"Don't say something you can't take back, okay? Please. Because I swear to God, Pete. I will kick your ass. Literally. You know I can do it, too."

Pete nods slowly, getting himself prepared for what was coming next. He remembered the first day of training when he'd questioned her abilities. He and Linc had been recruited first and didn't think their new partner was going to be a girl of all things. She was a hundred pounds of skin and bones. Right off the bat, they didn't believe the rumors they'd heard about her around the station. She looked and acted tough, but that and being tough were two very different things. It's safe to say that he knew all to well that she could kick his ass. Usually that would embarrass the hell out of him. In this case, it didn't. That was just how Julie was. You mess with her and she will mess with you times ten.

"I know you, me, and Linc are still gonna be working together. So if this is out of line feel free to smack me or whatever. Free shot."

"What?" she interjects quickly, leaning her body towards him. "And I'm not gonna smack you. I'll just throw you over the railing. Linc'll have to save you though. I'm not about to jump into that freezing cold water to save anybody."

Pete silently wished she wouldn't have moved that close to him. All he wanted to do was kiss her. He may not be able to control himself. Linc was less than fifty feet away so he knew he couldn't. The last thing he wanted was for this to affect all of them. He plays with a pepple on the dock with his foot. "Do you want to maybe go out sometime? You know, to a movie or dinner or whatever. Or we could do something else if you're not into that. Whatever you want." he asks, nervously.

She puts her hand over her mouth, trying to mask the uncontrollable laughter. "What, you didn't peg me for the dinner and a movie type?"

He shrugs. "No, not really. You're not like other girls. None that I know anyway. You know, easy."

"You're right, I'm not easy. I don't know if that's a good thing though." Julie answers. She had never been all that girly. She was always the one playing with the boys when she was a kid. She'd never had a close girl friend either. Not even in high school. All of the girls her age pretty much thought she was trailer trash. Damaged goods. She was the loner with a different boyfriend every week who she'd dump after she got what she wanted from him.

Pete's jaw tightens as he nervously runs a hand through his hair. He felt like a mumbling idiot for some reason. "I like you, okay?"

She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. The wind was getting stronger by the minute. "Pete, you don't have to."

He steps closer to her, takes off his jacket, and hands it to her. "Here, put this on."

She takes it from him. "Thanks."

"Just let me get this out, okay? I need to say this out loud or I'm gonna go fucking nuts." Julie nods, staying quiet. He continues, "The other night at the motel. That was-- I don't know what that was. I know we didn't do anything, but it meant something. It meant something to me."

Julie had never seen him look this sincere before. It was strange. "Me too, Pete."

He continued with caution, wanting to say this right. He definately didn't want to get thrown over the Boardwalk. That was for sure. "I've never felt anything like that. Just holding somebody and not doing anything afterwards, you know? Holding someone and not-- not wanting to let them go. Ever."

His fists clench when he thinks of Billy. That son of a bitch who had made Julie relapse. That was the only thing she'd ever been proud of since he'd met her. Her sobriety. That asshole took that away from her. He'd used her and lied to her. Something Pete would die before he would ever do to her. "I've never wanted to kill somebody so bad in my life. That Billy guy, for playing you like that."

He unclenches his fists, trying to calm himself. "The next morning when I woke up and you were laying there next to me all I wanted to do was kiss you, Jules. That's all I wanted. So I guess what I'm trying to say, and maybe I'm not saying it too well but I'm trying the best I know how, is that I like you. I like you a whole lot. And it's not because we work together and I have to watch your back, and it's not because you're pretty much the only girl I see everyday. It's because I really, genuinely like you."

Julie gently takes hold of the end of his long shirt sleeve. She had no clue what to say. Pete puts his hand behind her neck and she looks up at him surprised at the foreward jesture. She returns it by putting her free hand on his arm. "Look, it's cool if you don't want to give this a shot. I may feel like the biggest asshole in the world, but I can live with that. Hell, Linc tells me I'm an asshole all the time." he jokes.

She enlaces her fingers with his. He watches her do this. "I don't think you're an asshole." she answers.

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