Finally finished the new chapter - thanks for your patience, my lovely girls and boys. LOL kidding - there's no boys here! (If you're a dude, please pm me to arrange our immediate marriage.)

Captain Albatross: Thanks for reviewing so fast! I love getting your reviews. Glad you liked the way it played out. Plenty more drama upcoming...

Steph: Aw, you're awesome! Wish I could update every second day for you! But I'm picky as hell so it takes me a little longer ;) thanks for your encouragement.

Luv990696luv: Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm really pleased you like how Adam is evolving, and he definitely isn't done yet. Hope you enjoy the new update.

HealingSpringWaters: Thanks for your input on both Adam and Julie, she's one of my all-time faves, so it was really great to hear that you thought it was true to her character.

I honestly appreciate the time you guys take to write me such thoughtful reviews. You guys rock.

On with the show...

Charlie's POV

Spaghetti Bolognese. My all-time favorite. Steaming pasta with a huge bowl of rich, meaty sauce and a pound of melty cheese. Hot, crusty loaves of garlic bread. A big bowl of crispy salad with loads of tomatoes and oodles of grated parmesan.

'Mom, did I mention lately that I love you?' I asked seriously as I sat at the kitchen table.

My mom smiled proudly at me as she stuck a pair of tongs in the salad and joined me at the table. It was just the two of us tonight, as Ryan was working a double shift. Life was pretty sweet.

I stuck my fork in and spooled myself up a big forkful of 'sketti goodness.

There was a soft knock on the front door of our house.

Yes, we actually had ourselves a little house these days, now that we lived with my stepfather. It was still only two bedrooms, but it was a house with a yard no less. First time we'd ever lived anywhere but an apartment. I guess there was the occasional perk of a two-income family.

'Ah, hell.' I rolled my eyes at the unwelcome interruption.

'Charlie...' Mom sighed resignedly, putting her fork down.

'Sorry, sorry. No, sit down. I've got this.' I jumped up, leaving my dinner reluctantly. Mom had worked all day before cooking up my favourite dinner. I could at least get the stupid door for her.

I opened it up, thinking up a good line for the neighbour or salesman or religious nut I'd no doubt lurking behind it.

There was a flight of six steps up to our front porch. Adam Banks and Julie Gaffney were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, huddled together.

'Hey...' I greeted my friends, kind of confused.

Adam had his arm around Julie tightly, protecting her from the chilly evening air. His face was pinched and serious. Her eyes were swollen.

Adam sounded even more serious than usual. 'I'm so sorry to bother you guys.'

'It's fine, Adam... what's going on? Come on, come on in.' I held the door open.

He didn't move from where they stood, burying his face in Julie's hair.

I looked to Julie for answers, totally confused.

She reached up to rub Adam's neck soothingly. 'His dad kicked him out of the house,' she told me in her quiet voice.

'What? Oh, no way.' I jogged down the stairs, looking from Jules to Adam. He still hadn't moved. 'Adam? You ok, man?'

'No, I don't care.' Adam's voice came out muffled. When he lifted his head, his eyes were wet but determined. 'I don't care at all, it's just we skated all the stupid way back to school to try and get me a dorm room, and my dad already had called before we got there and told them he wouldn't give permission for me to live on campus.'

'Oh, hell.' I didn't think my stepdad was any prize, but Adam's dad was, and had always been, a total dick.

'I'm sorry to show up like this. Charlie, I've got nowhere to go.'

'Yeah, you do.' I took the big duffel bag off his arm. Shit, he looked upset. I clapped him on the back. 'Adam, relax. Come inside.' I leaned back so I could see Julie. 'Both of you. Get in here.'

They followed me up the stairs silently.

Mom was leaning into the front hall to see why I was taking so long. I leaned over to her. 'Adam's dad kicked him out,' I told her quietly. 'Can he stay with us for now?'

Mom looked at Adam, caught off guard. I could see what she was thinking. Adam Banks, the world's most perfect teenager? Why on earth would he get thrown out? 'Well, of course. Of course he can stay,' she recovered admirably. 'You kids come on in quick, it's freezing outside.'

'Thanks,' Adam replied quietly, ushering Julie in before him.

Mom gestured to the lounge room, and they took a seat together on the sofa. I noticed Julie exhaled tiredly as they sat back, closing her eyes for a second, and Adam slipped his arm back around her.

Mom and I perched on the armchairs, our dinner forgotten for now.

'I'll get you guys something to eat,' Mom offered tactfully.

'No, don't worry. Thank you. We're fine.'

I leaned on my knees curiously. So Mom got all the tact in the family. I was dying of curiosity. 'Ok, sooo... what the hell happened?'

Adam shook his head. 'Dad kicked me out, and I couldn't get a room at school, so... we came here.'

'Yeah, Banksie, I got that part. Why would he kick you out?'

Adam hesitated, looking away.

Julie raised her hand with a quick, wry smile. 'Me.'

'It wasn't you, Jul,' Adam protested. 'It would have happened eventually.'

'It's ok, Adam. It was me. We both know it.' Julie laid her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. It seemed to me like she was trying to comfort him more than herself. 'Adam's dad kind of caught us hanging out at his house, and he didn't know me, so...'

'He threw Adam out for having a friend over?' Mom was incredulous.

'No. He threw me out because I wouldn't let him kick Jules into the street. So we left, and then when we got back to school, they called him again from the office to see if he'd change his mind about the room. He wanted to speak to me.'

Adam went silent.

'That didn't go so well,' I deduced unnecessarily.

'Not really. I can't go home unless I come up with an apology and... I promise not to see Julie anymore.'

'Ah. So, we won't be getting rid of you anytime soon.'

He smiled at me a little for the first time. 'Not really.'

I looked cheerfully at Mom. 'Well, Mom, I'm thinking he'll be pretty hopeless with the housework, but look at the kid. We'll have him chopping wood for the next ten years. And slave labor is so hard to come by these days.'

My mom smiled warmly at Adam. 'You're welcome here as long as you need, Adam.'

'Thank you. I'm really sorry to turn up and impose on you like this.'

'It's no trouble. I'm glad you had somewhere to turn to. Uh...' Mom looked from Adam to Julie. 'Is this a package deal?' she asked carefully.

They both looked at her blankly, then Julie's eyes widened in realization. 'Oh. Oh, no, I'll go home. Back to the dorms, I mean.'

Mom held up her hands. 'No problem. Just checking. Look, there's no point in letting dinner get cold. Everyone up to the table, right now.'

Casey's thoughts

Adam and Julie look so tired. They're not eating much. He's worried about imposing on us, and she's worried about him. Should I call the school, maybe Orion? Should I call Phil Banks, let him know Adam's here? Honestly I'm not even sure I care to put his mind at ease. It's not right to leave your kid without a roof over his head and no concern as to where he'll end up. I'll ask Adam if he wants to call home. Imagine throwing your kid out because he had a girlfriend over. Something's not quite adding up here. Forbidding Adam to see Julie? What's so wrong with Julie? I'm going to talk to her. There's more to this then they're letting on in front of me.

After dinner

'Adam, why don't you take your things upstairs. Charlie, grab him some sheets and make up the sofa in your room for him.'

'Alright.' The two left the room. Adam glanced at Julie before he left, and she sent him a quick, reassuring wink.

Charlie's room

'Don't worry, Adam, it'll blow over in a day or two. He'll get tired of having no one to yell at and let you come home.'

'I'm not going back there.'

Adam's voice had an air of quiet finality.

Charlie hesitated, straightening the sheet on the sofa that would have to do for Adam's bed. 'You know you're welcome here, man, but... you kinda live there.'

Adam met Charlie's eyes. 'I will not live under his roof again,' he stated. 'Ever.'

'So it was pretty bad.'

'You could say that.'

'So... can I ask...'

Adam exhaled hard, finding a change of clothes from his duffel. He guessed Charlie was due an explanation, but he didn't want to share any of the details of that afternoon. 'We were up in my bedroom, not having sex, and he just walked right in and assumed that we were.'

'Oh.' Right to the point, there. 'So why would he assume...'

'Because Jules wasn't wearing much,' Adam explained shortly. He shook his head. 'You should have seen the look he gave her.'

'Oh, I've seen your Dad's looks, don't forget. He's got quite a range.'

Adam demonstrated.

'Ok, not that one. Please stop doing that. I feel like you're going to murder me.'

'He may as well have called her a filthy little slut, Charlie,' Adam muttered vehemently. He zipped the bag shut hard. 'That's exactly how he looked at her. That's how he made her feel.'

He didn't know how soon he'd forgot the shocked look on Julie's face when she'd seen Phillip's opinion of her written all over his face. The whole thing twisted in his stomach every time he thought about it.

'It didn't have to happen like it did. It was his choice. I don't care what he says, I'm not going back there.'

Charlie nodded. 'So... what're you going to do?'

'I have no idea.'

In the kitchen

'I'll do the dishes,' Julie offered, starting to stand.

'No, let's just sit for a minute.' Casey brought the jug of lemonade back to the table with her, topping up their glasses. She took her seat again, lacing her fingers under her chin and surveying Julie shrewdly.

What a pretty girl she was. She was well dressed, she seemed well brought up. Charlie had told her that Adam and Julie were like an old married couple, ditching movie nights with the team in favor of studying together.

So why on earth would Phil Banks be so set against her?

'Kind of a big day for you guys.'

Julie nodded slowly. 'Thank you so much for letting Adam stay here.'

'Well, he's a great kid.' Casey sipped her drink. 'He cares about you a lot,' she noted quietly. 'That's obvious.'

Julie smiled down at the table. 'Yeah, he is great. I kinda like him, too.'

'Ok, hon. Why don't you tell me exactly what happened today?'

Julie eyed Charlie's red-haired mother warily. 'Um... there's not much else to tell.'

'You said Adam's dad caught you guys just hanging out?' Casey asked.

'Um, yeah. Well, we went over there to study in peace...'

Casey waited patiently.

'But – I guess we didn't think anyone else was going to be home, so... we were sort of having some private time, and Adam's dad kind of walked in on us.'

'Ah.' Casey put a lot of understanding into the one syllable, and Julie's cheeks flushed.

'We weren't doing anything bad. Just cuddling. But it must have looked worse then it really was...'

'Ok. It's ok, Julie. Now, I want to ask you something personal.'

Julie bit her lip. 'Ok...'

Casey leaned forward. 'Has Mom talked to you about contraception at all?'

Julie stared blankly into Casey's warm, caring eyes. It was such a 'mom thing' to do. Have the talk about boys, and sex, and respect, and being safe. Her mother, in their weekly phone calls, had never talked to her about anything deeper then her school assignments and the boys' soccer games.

She barely even knew Casey, and she'd already surpassed her own mother in terms of concern for her.

Unexpectedly, Julie's eyes welled up and she took a long, deep breath, looking away.

'Oh, no, no.' Casey reached over, covering Julie's hand with her own. 'I don't mean to upset you, honey. I'm not accusing you guys of anything. I just think it's important for you to have all the information for when you might need it.'

'No, I'm sorry. God. It's just been a really long day.' Julie tried to smile, mortified at herself as she wiped at her eyes hard. Now she'd teared up twice in the same day, and it was such a stupid thing to cry over. 'No. Um, my mom... isn't really...'

She looked so lost, Casey was sorry she hadn't waited to raise the subject.

'Around.'

'Oh.' Shoot. Nice work, Mom of the Year, Casey mentally congratulated herself. 'Maybe... your aunt? Grandma? No one's... had a chance to talk to you...'

Julie shook her head silently, studying the wood grain of the table.

Casey nodded firmly. 'Ok. Well, then, I think it would be a good idea for you and me to go down to Family Planning and have an appointment.'

'Mom!' Charlie howled in horror from the doorway, clapping a hand over his eyes.

'What?'

'Do you have to? Really?'

Casey twisted to face her son, annoyed. 'Well, Charlie, I'd hate to see an accident happen because no one took the time to inform her!'

'Mom, it's Julie. She's smart. She's not going to get knocked up in high school like an idiot-'

Casey's eyes narrowed dangerously.

'Uh...' Charlie grimaced, retreating. 'I'll... go find Adam a towel.'

When Casey looked up from a long, well-deserved eye-roll, Adam was leaning over Julie's chair.

'I'm fine, Adam, don't worry.' Julie wiped her eyes carefully, attempting to laugh it off. He didn't need to worry about her and her overactive tear ducts on top of everything else. 'It's just been a weird day. I should probably get going.'

Adam looked up at Charlie's mother like he was facing a firing squad. Casey smiled at him. He was just the sweetest kid. 'It's fine, Adam. I'll drive her home. Don't worry, I'm not going to kick her onto the street either,' she teased gently.

'No, it's not that.' Adam swallowed hard. 'It's – I know you're already doing so much for me, and I appreciate it... but I have to ask you one more favor.'

He rested his hands on Julie's shoulders, hovering over her nervously.

'Please, can she stay with me tonight?' he blurted out. 'Just for tonight. And not... together... I just want to know she's somewhere close by.'

'Oh, Adam...' Casey bit her lip. She didn't want to be the bad guy, but she couldn't see how Adam's request was going to work.

Adam collapsed into the chair next to Julie's with a thump, resting his head on his hands. He was bone weary. The adrenaline had burned out around the same time he'd realized he'd have to go begging for a place to sleep tonight, just like his father had intended. He should have just waited until dark, when Julie could sneak him into her room, but he'd been stupid enough to go straight to the office and after all the drama that had ensued there, there was no way they wouldn't have checked up on Julie tonight.

So he'd picked up his bags again and decided to skate to Charlie's house, and Julie wouldn't let him go alone. To be honest, he hadn't even asked her to stay at school. He'd just dragged her along, the whole freezing trip to Charlie's house. The afternoon sun was long gone and her winter jacket didn't look warm enough to him. Why hadn't he just bought her a new jacket yesterday?

And now he was dreading the moment he had to say goodbye to her.

When he looked up at Casey, his eyes were tired and unfocused. 'I know it's too much to ask and I'm really sorry, I screw everything up, I just can't go back there and pretend that I don't love her and tomorrow I know he'll show up at school and we'll have to do this all again... I just kind of need her right now...'

'Adam, it's ok...' Julie shot to her feet and leant over Adam. He wouldn't look up, trying to compose himself. 'Don't worry.' She pressed a soft kiss to his temple. 'Don't worry, it'll be ok,' she reassured him quietly.

'It's not ok.' He pulled Julie onto his lap abruptly, hid his face in her loose blonde locks. 'It's not fair, you shouldn't have to put up with all this crap,' he whispered intently. 'You always have to deal with my stupid family problems.'

'It's our problem, not yours. But it'll be ok, I promise. You're just tired, it seems worse then it is,' she whispered back. If the situation was unfair on anyone, it was Adam. Julie still had a place to go, her little sanctuary at in the dorms waiting, her bed, all her little things in place.

He was the one who'd refused to see her kicked out, and had been left with nothing as a reward.

'No one thinks I deserve you anyway.'

Julie closed her eyes. God, he was going to make her cry again. He needed her to be strong right now. They'd been in relatively good spirits when they got back to school, when he was still feeling the adrenaline from finally standing up to his dad, and she'd never been more in love with him for it.

Despite the horrible events of the afternoon, they'd been riding high on the possibility that Adam would get a dorm room and he'd be living only a few minutes away from her, and they'd both fallen back down to earth when they realized Adam's father was never going to just let them be.

'Don't say that. Shhh.'

She pulled back, placed her cool hands on Adam's hot cheeks. 'I love you,' she told him, her voice low but firm and her gaze locked on his. 'No one else's opinion matters, you know that. And we're going to be ok. You just need some sleep, and then you'll come to school tomorrow and I'll be waiting there for you, first thing. Ok?' she asked softly, ran her fingers back through his hair.

It wasn't ok to Adam. He knew he was being an ungrateful brat in front of Charlie and his mom, but he just didn't want to be without Julie tonight.

'Adam.' He almost jumped when he felt a light touch on his wrist. Casey was leaning right over the table, trying to get his attention. 'Hey. Let's just all take a breath and try to relax. Look, I'm going to call the office. If they say Julie can stay over here, she can stay,' she promised intently. She didn't know where exactly she was going to keep three teenagers overnight, let alone convince whoever needed convincing at Eden Hall that Julie should be permitted an impromptu overnight absence, but she would get it done somehow.

'Thank you.' Adam's eyes closed in relief. 'I'm sorry.'

Casey nodded seriously as she got up to find the phone.

Charlie hovered in the kitchen doorway, watching his friends discreetly. They were just sitting together, no big deal, but the way they held onto each other... somehow it seemed too intimate to intrude.

Huh. Well, this was not exactly how he'd imagined his Thursday night proceeding.

He heard his mom on the phone.

'Lyndall, hi, it's Casey. Good, honey, how are you? Look, I have a couple of the kids here – that's right, Adam and Julie – how did you – oh, of course, you were there today. You spoke to Phillip?' A pause. 'Was it bad?' Another pause. 'Oh, hell.' She sounded a lot like Charlie. 'I'm sorry, but that man is such a pain in the ass.'

Casey's voice wasn't quite as discreet as usual once she got annoyed, and it carried through to the kitchen. Suddenly, Charlie, Adam and Julie were all shaking with silent laughter.

It felt good to laugh, even at something so small. Adam let his head drop back, as much in relief as anything else. When he sat up back, Julie was smiling again and Charlie was chuckling into his fist.

'Your mom is the coolest,' Adam admitted, shaking his head. 'Absolutely.'

'She is awesome,' Julie agreed, turning to grin at Charlie.

'Oh, come on...' Charlie flipped his hand at them in an aw-shucks gesture. 'Well, yeah. What can I say, Banksie?' he shrugged. 'You got the money, I got the good parent.'

'Yeah, is it too late to trade?'

'What, are you kidding me? You're broke as hell now.'

That set them off again.

'Ok.' Casey appeared next to her son in the doorway. She looked at each of the giggling teenagers and raised an incredulous eyebrow.

'How'd you go, Mom?' Charlie tried to calm down.

'Well. We're lucky I know Lyndall, and she knows me. Yes, Julie may stay the night. One night,' Casey cautioned, holding up a finger. 'And let's not start campaigning for two.'

'Thank you so much-'

'Oh, cork it, Adam.' Casey rolled her eyes in good-natured exasperation. 'Tomorrow I'm going to make you two signs to hang around your neck, one that says thank you and one for I'm sorry. It'll save your breath. Of course, that means we'll probably never hear from you again...'

Adam smiled, opened his mouth to say sorry, and stopped. 'Well... I hope it isn't too much of a pain in the ass for you,' he murmured softly. He met Julie's eyes and couldn't stop the laugh.

Due to the fact that Charlie's stepfather would be getting home around 2am, it was decided that Adam and Julie would camp out with Charlie. Julie was re-assigned to the sofa and Adam took the airbed, set up on the floor.

'You're the chaperone, Charlie,' his mom had told him seriously, pulling him aside. 'It's ok for your friends to stay over, but it's not a party. I need you to be the responsible one here.'

Fine with Charlie. He didn't see either Adam or Julie as the exhibitionist types, so chances were they could all sleep easy knowing there was no teenage impregnating happening at the end of his bed.

Although - Adam's description of the afternoon had sounded somewhat less then completely innocent.

Julie climbed into her 'bed' on the sofa, sliding between the sheet and the blanket. She'd borrowed a t-shirt and sweatpants from Charlie to sleep in. He was actually quite the gracious host. He'd kept the questioning to a minimum, considering. She was grateful for that.

Adam stretched out as much as he could manage on the thin airbed. He could have used another three inches of mattress, but he wasn't complaining. Charlie and Casey had come through big time for him. He owed them large.

'Comfy?' he asked Julie quietly.

'Mmm, it's not bad,' she murmured, hiding a smile. She doubted Adam would fit any better on the sofa then he did on the air mattress. 'You?'

'Luxurious.'

'Yeah, it looks like.'

She smiled down, touched her fingertip to her lips and reached down to pat it gently on Adam's mouth.

As they were Casey's guests, and she was obviously more then a little worried about the two of them sleeping in the same room, it seemed like the appropriate goodnight kiss.

Adam took Julie's hand and kissed her fingers softly. He folded his hand around hers and held it to his chest, settling in for the night.

Charlie jumped on his bed and turned out the lamp. 'Night, guys.'

'Night,' they chorused back softly.

Silence for a moment.

'Nooooo hanky panky, now...'

Julie giggled. She knew Charlie couldn't let the opportunity pass.

'I'll try to restrain myself,' she promised, pleased when she heard a snicker from the air mattress.

'See that you do, missy. I don't want to have to come down there.'

'Actually, neither do we,' Adam's voice reassured Charlie wryly.

During the night, Julie woke up and blinked in confusion, disoriented.

It was freezing cold. She pulled the blanket tighter around her body, but the chill seemed to creep in anyway.

She felt, rather then heard, the movement next to her.

'Are you awake?' she whispered as softly as possible, leaning over the sofa a little.

'Yeah,' came Adam's soft reply.

'Can't sleep?'

Another pause.

'This stupid damn mattress has deflated on me.'

Julie clapped a hand over her mouth to stop the giggle. She leaned over, and could just make out Adam on the floor.

He held open the edge of his sleeping bag to her invitingly.

She shouldn't do it. She really shouldn't.

Julie scrambled down and was in the sleeping bag in moments.

They reached for each other almost frantically. He drew her close, and she sighed softly as she was enveloped in his warmth, the strength in his embrace that made her feel safe and peaceful.

He kissed her, over and over.

'Do not kiss me,' she breathed.

Adam paused. 'Why?'

'Too dangerous. I can't be responsible right...'

He kissed her anyway, and she kissed him back hungrily, curling her arm around his neck.

'Now.'

Adam smiled against Julie's soft lips, lifting her slightly against him so she didn't have to feel too much of the hard floor that his back was resting on.

She was right. Completely right. It was irresponsible.

'Stay with me anyway,' he whispered.

She wasn't going anywhere.

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