Ned and Patty watched as Dewey paced in and out of their home, carrying boxes of his belongings. Behind him followed a girl they'd never seen before, helping him move everything. Patty caught him by the arm as the girl walked to the van with his crate of records. "Dewey who is that?" He grinned, calling the girl over to their group. "Patty, Ned, meet my fiancee. This is Austin." Austin shook their hands, enjoying the surprised looks on their faces as much as Dewey was. "It's so nice to meet you! I've heard so much about you!" She said cheerfully. Back in the van The Doors played and Dewey reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. "You have no idea how great that felt." He mused.
Later that night he collapsed on her faded red couch, exhausted from moving everything into her tiny apartment. She sat down next to him, passing him a can soda and propping her feet up on the coffee table. Thankfully he didn't have much to move in, and she didn't have much furniture to move around. Her dog, a boxer named Charlie, eyed Dewey suspiciously from the recliner. In the corner a Van Halen album spun on the turntable he'd brought in. "I think this is going to work out great." She mused, moving to rest against his side and he lifted his arm, bringing her close to him. He glanced at his guitar, sitting up proudly near the tv with her bass. "Yeah. I think so too. So. When are we getting Jude back?" He asked, absentmindedly twirling a lock of her hair between his fingers. "I'll make the call tomorrow and see if they'll send out a social worker. If I get a positive review, then I have a real chance in court." She sighed heavily, reaching for his hand. "I can't believe all of this." She chuckled. "I spot you in a bar and just over a month later we're living together. And engaged." "I'm glad you did." He replied, kissing the top of her head.
Later Dewey tossed his pillow on the couch, wrapping his blanket around his shoulders. "What are you doing?" She asked, eyeballing him suspiciously. "Crashing." He replied, stretching out on the old beat up couch. "That thing's uncomfortable. Come to bed." She said, her arms folded over her Boston t-shirt and leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom. "Are you sure?" He asked as he looked up at her from the couch, surprised. "Of course." She climbed into the huge bed, sinking into the pile of brightly colored pillows. Above her white fairy lights illuminated a Jimi Hendrix painting. She reached beside her and pressed the button on a small clock radio, turning on Bob Seger and she patted the bed beside her. He climbed in beside her and she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his Nirvana t-shirt. Tomorrow they have to return to the real world. She'd have difficult phone calls to make, they'd both have to head back to work. But for now she settled for laying against his chest, listening to him hum along to 'Night Moves'.
Two weeks later they sat in a court room, waiting for her ex and their son to show up in court. She held his hand, her leg bouncing with anxiety. When they heard the little voice cry "Mommy!" from the back of the room, she ran to the little boy and scooped him up in her arms. Her ex, a large biker dude, stood behind him with arms crossed. Tall with long hair in braids, tattoos up both arms. Dewey gave him the once over. He looked like the type of guy that would kick Dewey's ass in bar fight, honestly. He wondered momentarily how Austin felt, going from such a physical specimen to himself but she walked back over to him, letting the father take Jude to the other side of the room with his tall, blonde girlfriend. Austin reached for his hand again and held it tightly. After a lengthy debate the judge ruled in her favor finally. Austin automatically took the little boy by the hand, leading him over to Dewey. The father protested hardily about his son moving in with his mother's new fiancee, alleging that the pair barely knew each other. Dewey kneeled then, getting on the little boy's level, and introduced himself. Jude hid behind his mother's legs, peeking around at Dewey. "Hey buddy, wanna get some ice cream with Mommy?" He offered and the little boy nodded, clutching his mother's jeans.
Later that night, after having ice cream for dinner and moving all of Jude's things from his Dad's house to his Mom's, Austin sat beside Jude's bed in his new room. She smoothed his blonde bangs back from his forehead and kissed it gently. "Are you glad to be back with Mommy?" She asked him and he nodded. "I love you kiddo." "Goodnight little dude." Dewey called from where he leaned against the doorframe, watching the two. "G'night baby." She told the little one, leaning forward to kiss him goodnight and to tuck in his stuffed tiger in with him. She cut the light off and shut the door quietly behind them as they left his room. Austin follows Dewey to the kitchen where the radio is playing and they raid the pizza they had brought home. "Thanks for everything, Dewey." He shrugged as he took a swig of his beer. "I really mean it." She replied, wrapping her arms around him. He set the beer aside and hugged her in return. Before he could say anything she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Their first kiss. As Fleetwood Mac played in the background he kissed her again, his hands around her waist and her hands in his hair. "I love you, Dewey." She admitted between kisses. "I love you too."
