Author's Note: It's been a while I apologize, I gave you a long chapter to make up for it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 7: The Worst Bride Ever

Julie walked into the apartment about a week later and saw the blinking light on the machine, her wedding was now five weeks away and she was too excited. And then she pressed the button.

"Julie, this is your mother," She groaned, it was the first she'd heard from her mother since the invitations had been officially sent out, "As if it wasn't bad enough you refused to have your wedding up here at the club like I had always dreamed for you, you're getting married on a beach!" She smiled, she knew Anne would hate it. That was part of the draw. "I even spoke to Dean's mother and she's none to happy about it either. Apparently she wanted a church wedding for her son. I know it's last minute but I spoke to Clara and she said that they could absolutely fit you in at the club by the end of the summer for the reception and even though we aren't Catholic I called Our Lady of Sorrows and their pastor said he would speak to you and Dean, so if you could please…" Julie deleted the message there. She'd call her mother later and lay down the law. There was another message.

"Hello you two, Dean, this is your mother, but I'm calling for Julie," Julie smiled, after of Anne's grating voice Marisol was a happy relief, "Honey, I just got an odd message from your mother saying she managed to 'fix things to our satisfaction.' I guess this has something to do with the conversation we had last week about the wedding, where she was deeply concerned about the beach, and I mentioned that I was also disappointed that you weren't getting married in the Church. I didn't exactly expect you to, since you're not Catholic Julie, and I support your choices no matter what, just like you two living together before you got married," Julie heard the disappointed sigh. It was the only thing Marisol hadn't been completely one hundred percent on board with in their relationship. Aside from Dean breaking up with her all those times obviously, "I'm just checking as I know your mother and I don't want you ambushed, so just a warning. See you in a few weeks my loves, give Tucker a hug for me, I miss you all dearly." Julie smiled, saving that message. She made a mental note to make plans to head out to Chicago after the honeymoon. Suddenly she burped and felt something in her stomach churn. She ran to the bathroom and heaved easily.

"Bri?" Colleen walked into the loft, "Are you here?"

"Hey," Tucker walked out of his room. "He's out."

"Oh," She nodded, "Sure, I was just dropping off some stuff from his mom, I went home last week."

"Right," He said, "I'll tell him you stopped by."

"Great," She smiled, "How are you?"

"I'm good," He nodded, "You?"

"Good," She said. They looked at each other and laughed, "I should go, Scooter gets home soon."

"Sure," He nodded. "I was just on my way out. You want company for the walk."

"Yeah," She smiled, "That would be great."

"Cool," He said, they walked down the stairs and then out in the street. "So how was home?"

"Nice," She smiled, "Kind of boring, but it's good to go you know?"

"Yeah," He nodded. "Where are you guys from again?"

"Scranton, Pennsylvania," She sighed.

"Like The Office?" He asked.

"Yeah," She laughed, "Exactly like The Office, except more boring because we didn't even have Dwight." He laughed. "I missed my family though, I love it here and I love everyone, Julie and your brother and everyone, but it's not the same."

"That I get," He smiled, "Why do you think I moved out here?" She nodded. "I miss little things about home. New York is amazing, but Chicago, that's my city."

"I've never been," She shrugged.

"You'll have to come," He said, "I'll show you around." She smiled. "You can eat in the restaurant, Marisol would make the biggest fuss over you."

"What was it like?" She asked, he looked at her, "Growing up."

"I think it was harder on Dean," He shrugged, "Cause he remembers Dad a little bit, and I don't remember him at all. We didn't have a lot, but we also didn't really know, so it didn't matter you know?"

"Yeah," She smiled, "It was the same for us. I'm the only girl, so I had my own room, but all three of my brothers shared, and well, everyone lived the same way so," She sighed, "Scooter doesn't get it. He had everything handed to him." He looked at her.

"If you don't mind me asking," He said softly, "Why are you with him?" He knew he shouldn't be doing this, she was in a relationship and his best friend was in love with her, but he genuinely couldn't help it.

"He's good to me." She said softly, "We really do have a lot in common, we see life the same way."

"It must get boring though," He whispered.

"He's actually pretty good about letting me experience my youth," She shrugged, "I go out all the time, with Gary and Brian, or my girlfriends from dance class. Occasionally I even convince him to come." She laughed. "It's this one," She pointed to the building. He nodded. "Do you want to come in?" She asked. "I'm making dinner, and I'll be deathly bored until he gets home."

"Sure," He nodded. "What are you making?"

"I haven't decided yet," She shrugged as they walked to the door. "Hey Pete." She smiled at the door man.

"Hi Miss O'Malley," He said with a smile, "Is this guy OK?"

"Yeah," She laughed, "This is Tucker Portman, Dean's brother."

"Of course," He nodded. They walked in.

"Your doorman guards against infidelity?" Tucker laughed.

"Guess so," She said looking down. "Not that it did me any good." He looked at her.

"He cheated on you?" He asked.

"Ages ago," She laughed it off, "And only once. It's sort of complicated."

"He's a nut case." He said, still stunned by the information. "If I had a girl like you,"

"You're telling me you've never cheated?" She said skeptically.

"I have," He nodded, "But she didn't look like you." She smiled and looked down as the elevator stopped. They walked out and then into the apartment. "You said it was complicated?"

"It was his ex," She explained, "His married ex." She looked down. "She said she was leaving her husband and that she wanted to marry him. And he really wants to get married so," She sighed, "There you go."

"How'd you handle it?" He asked.

"I moved to Vegas for nine months and shacked up with an actor," She laughed.

"That's mature," He nodded. "So," He went into the fridge, "What've you got?"

"You're going to help me make dinner?" She looked at him. He nodded.

"Is that so hard to believe?" He smiled.

"Well, if your food skills are anything like your brother's," She grimaced, "I'd really rather you didn't."

"Hey!" He said, "While Dean was off in California, and Minnesota and here, I was running the kitchen at the restaurant, so, you do the math." She smiled. "Mozzerella, perfect." He smiled, "And tomatoes. You ever make your own pizza?"

"Colleen O'Malley," She said slowly, "What do you think?"

"Mm," He nodded, "Good point. Well, I'll teach you."

"OK," She shrugged. "Sounds great." They spent the whole time laughing and talking to one another.

"Hold on," Tucker said, and wiped her face.

"What?" She said.

"You're covered in flour," He laughed. She giggled as he licked his thumb and rubbed gently at it. They stopped and looked at each other. He leaned down to kiss her and she put her hands up.

"No, Tucker," She shook her head. "I can't."

"I'm sorry," He said sheepishly.

"It's OK," She said, "Really, I just, can't."

"Do you want to?" He asked. She looked at him, before she could answer the door opened.

"Hey," Scooter said.

"Hey," She smiled and walked over and kissed him. "Tucker taught me how to make pizza."

"Nice," He nodded. "Thanks man."

"No problem," Tucker said, "I'll see you."

"Bye," Colleen said. He walked out.

"Why was he over here?" Scooter asked.

"Um, I went over to the loft," She shrugged, "You know to drop off that stuff from Mrs. Taylor, and Bri wasn't there, but Tuck was, he offered to walk me home, and then we made pizza."

"Hm," He nodded and walked away.

"What?" She said.

"Nothing," He shook his head. "Just kind of weird."

"Not that weird," She shrugged, "I mean, he lives with Gary and Guy, he's Dean's brother. Befriending him is natural."

"Other things may come naturally too," Scooter shook his head.

"I'm your girlfriend," She said quietly, "And of the two of us only one of us has cheated."

"It was a year and a half ago," He groaned, "And what was Simon?"

"We weren't together when I slept with Simon," She said. He looked at her. "I can't do this Scooter."

"You're right," He said, "I'm sorry. It was a hard day. I'm just,"

"No," She looked at him, "I can't do this. I can't pretend to be the woman you want me to be. I'm not ready to be with someone for the rest of my life."

"Is this about the sex?" He looked at her. It was true that their sex life had dwindled, but when they did do it, it was always amazing.

"No," She groaned, "Yes, partly. But it's mostly about me. I want to be young Scooter, I want to live in a shitty apartment, and go out and have fun, and live my life."

"Live your life with Tucker Portman?" He said.

"Maybe," She sighed, finally admitting it, "But this isn't about him."

"So you're moving out?" He said. She nodded. "Col," He whispered and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too," She whispered. She pressed her head into his chest. "Why can't this just work?"

"It did, for a long time huh," He smiled. She nodded. "Sometimes things just end." The whole thing was horribly reminiscent of when Julie broke up with him. He really needed to start seeing women his own age.

"I'm gonna go pack an overnight bag, and go to the loft," She whispered, "I'll come back tomorrow, while you're working." He nodded.

Colleen walked to the loft building and then walked upstairs.. As much as sleeping in her old bed, and being with Gary would cheer her up, she knew that wasn't what she needed. So she prayed that he was home. She knocked on the door. Brian answered it.

"Col," He said. She looked at him, "What's wrong sweetie?" She hugged him and started to cry. "Oh, God."

"Can I stay here tonight?" She asked. "I'm moving out."

"Of course," He smiled, "You want something to drink?"

"Yes please," She nodded and settled on the couch.

"So what happened?" He asked handing her a beer.

"It ended," She sighed, "He wants so much more than I'm ready to give, and he deserves to have it. I just wish the wedding wasn't so soon!" She groaned. Brian smiled.

"I'll dance with you," He said softly. She smiled softly, "OK?"

"OK," She nodded. Feeling Brian hold her close after a breakup was probably the most comfortable feeling she ever had. Of course now that they were adults they probably weren't going to have sex this time, probably.

Julie sat with her feet up on the couch unable to stop smiling. Dean was unfortunately working late, but she was completely thrilled. There was a knock on the door, and she looked around completely confused. She stood up and opened it, she saw Scooter slumped against the door frame.

"Scooter?" She said, "What's going on?"

"Colleen's moving out," He mumbled, she looked at him. He looked terrible. Then she realized what was wrong.

"Are you drunk?" She sighed.

"Just a little," He murmured, "Gaffney, what the hell is wrong with me?" She sighed and helped him to the couch. "You didn't want me, Delia didn't want me, Colleen doesn't want me," He stopped, "I'm unlovable."

"You are not unlovable," She shook her head, "You just need to find the right person. You will though," He snorted, "You're an amazing guy, you're smart, and interesting, and very attractive," She stopped, none of this seemed to be helping, "You're amazing in bed, and rich, which you know is kind of shallow but a lot of girls like that, it does help," He leaned across the couch and kissed her, she stopped and pushed him away, "Oh my God no!" She shook her head.

"I'm sorry," He said, sobering up a little realizing what he did. "Julie, I don't know," She shook her head.

"Get out," She stood up and opened the door, trying not to cry. He looked down, not standing up, "Scooter, I'm not kidding, leave!"

"Julie, I swear, I wouldn't ever," He looked at her. She swallowed, "Did you feel something?"

"Maybe," She shook her head free of the thought, "It doesn't matter though."

"You're not married yet," He whispered. She looked at him seriously, "Julie, you're not!"

"Scooter," She said calmly, "I'm pregnant." He stared at her. "And by the way, we broke up ten years ago, and I always thought you were a good kisser. I'm marrying Dean in five weeks and you should go home and sober up." He walked out and she slammed the door. She'd now kissed two ex boyfriends in the past few months. She was the worst bride ever.

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