Julia looked up at Darcy with sad eyes, she regretted being responsible for his hurt and she had hoped he wouldn't find out about William because she hadn't mentioned their history and now it would no doubt all come out and he would be even more hurt. "I'm sorry Darcy" Julia began but he wasn't listening, he was looking at Murdoch with an icy anger.
"You stood there and shook my hand while all the time you were seducing my fiancée. What kind of man are you?" Darcy spat.
"That's not really true," Murdoch spoke calmly. "Dr Ogden is an excellent pathologist and I asked her to return because she is an invaluable colleague. I won't deny I love her and have done for years but I had no intention of interfering with your relationship, I wanted Julia to be happy which she seemed to be with you so I'd resigned myself to life without her affection."
"Then why are you here with her now, the day she breaks it off with me? I tell you Detective Murdoch, Julia is an amazing woman and I'm prepared to fight you for her"
Murdoch watched him wearily but Julia moved to step between them. "Please Darcy, don't do this." Julia tried again.
"I can't just let you go, I love you Julia. He let you go before or I'd never have met you in Buffalo, I was good enough for you then. So now he tells you he loves you but I swear he can't love you as much as I do, would you really choose him over me?" He pleaded with her and she felt her insides squirm. Murdoch struggled to restrain himself, maybe he hadn't always got things right but this man couldn't possibly love Julia more than he did.
"Darcy please, you need to let me go. I can't explain it but I belong with him. I'm sorry I've hurt you but this is how it is." Her eyes were brimming with tears now and he was looking at her in disbelief. Then moving quicker than she could react to he pushed passed her and thumped Murdoch square in the face and grabbing him before he could fall he practically threw him back against the cabinets and shelves, vials and flasks fell and smashed along the work top. Murdoch was struggling with him when Julia pulled at Darcy's arms from behind, he shook her free and she fell back and hit her head on the opposite cupboard and slumped to the ground. This finally made Darcy stop and turn to see that she was ok.
"Darcy please, you're better than this." Her voice was almost a sob now and this seemed to reach him. He straightened up, brushed down his clothes and looked at her.
"You're right; I am too good for this. What a waste" he said venomously to Julia before turning on his heel and exiting the morgue at a fast pace.
Murdoch was beside her in an instant helping her to her feet "Julia I'm so sorry, if I'd stopped you leaving in the first place none of this would have been necessary. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Well I don't know" she smiled softly as he lifted her and carried her round to the chair "you'll have to earn it" she teased, kissing his lips fleetingly.
"What do you have in mind?" he asked, fingers stroking her hair. "Do you need some ice for your head?"
"No I'll be fine but what about you, your cheek is so swollen you look like a chipmunk?"
"A chipmunk?" the pain in his face only now seemed to dawn on him and he raised a hand up to feel the swelling.
She slipped from the stool to fetch some ice and returning placed it gently on his face "yes, you make quite a cute chipmunk" she smiled up at him, suppressing a giggle. He loved that twinkle in her eyes.
"So what can a fairly cute chipmunk do to earn your forgiveness?" he asked smiling pulling them closer together again.
"Well" she said pulling him down for a kiss "I've recently become quite keen on love letters" she paused for another kiss "and there's picnics of course" another kiss "and I believe you might have mentioned some of your own ideas in that letter of yours" this time she offered him a rather suggestive look and his only reply was a deeply passionate kiss.
"Well then, I'll see what I can do" he smiled at her despite the pain it caused, "perhaps I could ask just one favour in return though?" she gave him a look of mock outrage that made him laugh. "Marry me?" he asked, offering her the ring he'd picked out before she'd left.
"Of course I will, you silly man" she pulled him into a suffocating embrace.
"Then I'm the happiest chipmunk in the world." He replied lifting her back into his arms. Wrapping her arms round his neck she nuzzled against him. "So I believe we're due some discussions in the dark?" he asked as he carried her towards the door. Her only reply was a giggle of anticipation.
And they lived happily ever after