R got bored of the hospital rapidly. I wondered if it was because with new strength flooding back into his veins he wanted to see what he could do now, or if it were just that he missed his plane and the way he'd lived his life. We got permission from his doctor to go out into the hospital gardens for an hour - I should have known that with those big blue eyes that R would try to charm me with the most winning set of puppy-dog eyes you'd ever set eyes on. Nora visited again, and sitting with R on one side, his face lifted to the breeze, and Nora enthusing over how attractive she thought R's doctor was felt like the most natural place in the world.

"That makes you look like a hungry zombie again." Nora poked fun at R, never happy unless she was teasing someone. I smacked at her. "Nora! Leave him alone!"

She laughed. "I was just kidding, you know. You look a lot... not better, because you didn't look bad when you were a Corpse... but you are nicer now."

R looked a little started, but he cleared his throat. "Th-thanks Nora." He looked around the dusty little yard, then his attention returned. "Actually Nora, I need to thank you f-for something else. Standing up to J-Julie's... father for me."

He wouldn't have done that before... reached out, offered thanks. It filled me with happiness to see two of the most important people in my life getting along.

"Don't mention it, R. I already owed you one, you saved my best friend. I'd be bored without her." I swatted aside Nora's friendly punch with the ease of practice. "Still, you came through for us, Nora." I pointed out. "Thanks."

"It was mainly for me. I wouldn't have met Hottie Doctor Karl if I hadn't. Do you guys think he has a girlfriend? He wasn't wearing a ring."

Yep. Nora never changed - which she proved as she left by way of hopping over the fence, after remidning me about my class and mentioning the kids missed me.

"You teach kids?" R turned his head towards me, the bemused expression at Nora's way of exiting the hospital giving way to curiousity. It was a good look for him, though by this stage I was probably more than a bit biased.

"Yeah, second grade, although normal classes only run in the mornings now. They get taught basic survival skills and stuff useful to salvage teams in the afternoon, by some of the trained soldiers. I love the kids at that age, they're all still so hopeful and honest and full of life, they haven't learned that life isn't one big adventure yet. I joined the salvage team for the holidays, to... well, to keep an eye on Perry."

It felt right to talk about him now - his memory the unspoken link between us. Not that I didn't miss him, but as R had changed from he and I meeting, so had I. The Julie who had met and fallen in love with Perry at fifteen was different from today's Julie, who had fallen for R.

"Julie, when I... when I k...illed him, I got some of his memories. Sometimes, it was almost like he was still with me, looking out for me - or y-you, more likely. This probably sounds crazy." R looked extremely uncomfortable talking about Perry. I held his hand a little more tightly to let him know he didn't have to apologize anymore.

"After what we went through together R, nothing sounds crazy. I don't blame you, you know that, right? There's been a theory about Corpses gaining memories that way for a few years now, although nobody knew for sure." Nora and I had thought it sounded crazy when we first talked over that particular theory. Funny how perceptions changed with time and experience. "I know that isn't why you saved me in the lab, either. I saw you staring at me before you ever attacked anyone. I thought at the time I must have looked like somebody you used to know when you were Living."

"No, that was just you." It came out so clearly it made my heart skip over a beat. "You started ch-anging me right away, the first moment I s-saw you. Perry helped me... it wasn't like..." He stopped, struggling now - I gave him time, not prompting him, letting him undergo the still unfamiliar task of putting his thoughts to spoken words. "When I... got his memories, it wasn't like I turned into him, o-or everything he felt, I felt. But when I understood how he... felt... about you... and everything you'd done for him, it began to aff-ect me. Open up my heart again."

So Perry, true to form, had continued even after dying to do what was right by me.

"Without Perry though, I couldn't have done it. He t-taught me as much as you. I felt like he'd br...ough you to me. I even thought I heard him talking to me, when I came into the c-city to find you. He was showing m, me the way. And- he t-told me not to blame myself, because he was 'ready to go'." R hung his head. But he hadn't told me anything that I didn't already know. Nora had said as much to me as well, and I knew that Perry's life and R's were connected. Perry had died so that R could keep hold of some of that former bright thread that had once shone through Perry's life.

"He was." I told R, thinking about Kevin's saying Perry wanted the most dangerous of the salvages, the one nobody else would take. "I could see it in him. He gave up right after his dad died. I tried so many times to help him, and get through to him, but nothing worked. That's why I went on the salvage, and convinced Nora to come as well. I knew that if it came down to it, he would stop fighting. I thought that I-"

That you could save him. That you could fight for him.

Keep him safe.

R looked grief-stricken and his lips parted, but I held up a hand to stop him before he spoke. "No R, no more saying sorry. Thinking about Perry does make me sad, and I miss him a lot. But I don't wish that things were different. Dying was what Perry wanted, and Living was what you wanted. It's like... it was meant to play out like this. I'm happy I knew Perry, and that I was with him. But I'm happy that I met you too, and that I'm with you now. My past, and my future."

R let out a shaky breath. "You... you r-really want t-to, be w-with me?" He looked more scared of my answer than of an entire Boney hoard. I didn't hesitate as I picked up his hand to kiss the back of it. I didn't have to hesitate.

"Yes, R, I absolutely want to be with you. But will you promise me something?"

His response came just as rapidly. No hesitation either. "Anything."

"You're going to go through a lot, and we've only taken tiny steps today. I want you to promise that you'll always talk to me, like you did today - even if you think it's something that will be hard for me to hear, or it's embarrassing, or you think it's too silly. Because that's what Perry stopped doing, he shut down, and wouldn't talk to me or anyone else, and I knew I was losing him. I don't want to go through that again. I want to be there for you."

He ducked his head a little so he was on eye level with me. "I promise. I'll n-never stop trying, for you."

He needed a kiss for that. Once I started I didn't want to let him go... for somebody who's first kiss had occurred a matter of days ago he was awfully good at it.

"Our hour is up. I'd better get you back inside before one of those mean nurses comes hunting you down." I sighed, standing and holding my hands out to pull him up. He was heavier than I expected. Off-balance, he dipped his head to me, just not to look into my eyes this time. That kiss was even sweeter. I couldn't remember him reaching out to me physically before now, at least not so wholly. I did recall the time on his plane when he'd place his hand first on his heart, then on mine.

Having R kiss me was like tasting the cure itself. Maybe we were. I couldn't help but get carried away. It was impossible when R was kissing me to remember that he was meant to be taking it easy, that we were new to one another. The long lines of his body matched up with mine so perfectly despite our height difference. His hair was so soft under my hands, running through his hair and along his neck, feeling the rapid pulse under my fingertips. I could feel R's confidence growing each time I kissed him. It was so difficult not to kiss him over and over, dammit.

He pulled back first, and seeing his face wide-eyed and short of breath made me grin.

"Sneaky kiss, Shrugger. Better tone it down a bit though, or we're going to wind up with an audience. Besides, you're not in any condition for anything that should take place behind closed doors anyway. Come on, inside." I put my arm around his waist. Compliant for now at least - he went along with me, leaning in towards me even though I fully suspected he could walk straight, and probably without my help.

With R safely back in bed in his dreary little room, I picked up a packet of potato crisps Nora had brought in. R tried his puppy-dog look again, but I didn't mind overmuch when he ate half the pack. He was eating, and that was worth any number of rarely-tasted snack foods. Dad came to see us as well, reducing R to a nervous wreck. Which was fully understandably since he had, after all, shot R last time they'd met. After Dad slipped in a very subtle reminder about me going back to work next week, he got around to letting slip why he'd really come.

"I'm leading out Squad Three tomorrow morning, and we're headed to the outskirts, so I'll be gone just over a fortnight. I've come to escort you home tonight, leave your friend to get some rest now."

He spoke with the assurance that his orders would be followed without question. I however, was not one of his soldiers. The worry that flashed over R's face was enough to assure me that I'd made the right choice. "No, I'm staying here until R is discharged." I told Dad, simply and matter-of-factly.

"Julie, don't be-"

"I said no, Dad. I'm sorry, but R needs me, and you're only going to spend half the night going over your plans anyway." I got up to say goodbye to him. He had only himself to blame for my stubborn streak. It was his, too. "Have a safe trip, okay? We'll see you when you get back."

The sooner he accepted that R and I were a package deal, the better.

"All right." He would have grumbled, if he ever grumbled. On his way out the door, he mentioned finding R a place to stay with the Rossos. R asked me if that was Kevin's family.

"Yeah, he and his father are Dad's right-hand men. They're nice people, even if Kevin can be an uptight idiot sometimes. Don't worry about staying with them though. The moment you're allowed out of here, I'm taking you back to my place where I can keep an eye on you." I tried to smooth his ever-unruly hair.

"Really?" Damn, hopeful looked beautiful on R.

"Really. Mrs Rosso is a sweetheart, I'll warn her not to bother making up a bed for you. She and her husband would never tell on us, and Kevin will keep his mouth shut because I'll sic Nora onto him otherwise."

On second thought... Kev might not come out alive in that scenario.

"You... r-really want me there?" R looked almost as nervous as when Dad had been in the room. I remembered the way he'd sat guard each night I slept on his plane, the way I'd waited at his bedside the past few days. I sat down on his bed. "Of course, R. I've gotten kinda used to having you around, and it'd be especially weird to spend a night apart. That's why I asked you to stay in the bedroom that night in the suburbs."

"M would make a j-joke about me staying overnight." The small delights of R and an in-joke that would only make sense to us, the way a stranger wouldn't understand a joke about Nora's string of boyfriends.

"Yeah, he probably would. Good thing you're so much more mature than him, huh?" He laughed with me.

New favourite sound.

I pressed in closer to hug him gently, careful of his bandages. His body felt a little stiff, tension in his arms and torso. I hastened to reassure him.

"I could listen to you laughing forever. But seriously, R, don't worry. That's not an invitation to jump into bed with me as soon as you're able. We don't need to rush anything physical, it'll take time. Both of us."

"Time." R agreed with me, looking as if he was on the fence in between impatience and relief. "I - I'm glad I'll b-be staying with you. Don't wa-nt another new place."

I tucked myself more comfortably against his body, letting an arm cross his middle, and was almost ready to doze off when he softly spoke. "Hey Julie?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."

When we woke up it was to a nurse who scolded us soundly and delivered a lecture on hosptial beds not being intended for more than one person. She did have a carbtien bar for R though, which reminded me of my own hunger. Guess it would have been too much to expect that Crabby Nurse was going to provide me a meal as well.

"R, I'm going to go freshen up and maybe see about finding something to eat myself. I'll be back soon okay?"

The nurse almost growled at me. "Good. "It isn't even visiting hours. You, start eating that carbtien." She ordered imperiously, and I lifted my middle finger at her ample rear end. R burst into laughter and tried to turn it into a coughing fit, making me laugh silently as I shot out the door.

The hospital cafeteria was a pretty sad affair but I did manage to scavenge something slightly edible to go with a packet of powered carbtien.

They're probably growing the stuff outside.

Without carbtien the whole city would be shanking one another for anything remotely edible.

Yeah well, it still tastes like a mangled shoe.

There was a tiny TV set mounted on the wall, and surprise surprise, Dad was onscreen. Must have been per-recorded since I knew he would have left to lead out his team by now. I secretly think he might have liked to be an actor, before the world fell apart. He certainly liked the attention well enough. But for once, his message didn't depress me. He was talking about expanding the city, after putting out a call-to-arms for volunteers to sweep the surrounding areas, clearing out the remaining Boneys and rescuing more of the former-Dead. There were programs being put in place for survivors to re-unite with their friends and family who'd been infected.

A pair of nurses eating an equally unappetizing meal at the table beside mine - apparently this small kitchen served as cafeteria to staff, patient and visitor alike - were discussing Dad's broadcast. "Shane says they're talking about getting rid of the wall."

"Really? How soon?"

"Not right away, they have to make sure it's safe first, that there's enough of us to defend against any of those awful Boneys."

Of all the news that I'd heard, that gave me the most hope. I left for R's room feeling uplifted, a smile on my face. On my way I met Karl, looking as tired as ever - had he gone home overnight and returned or just kept working? I made a mental note to see if Nora could do a few training shifts here. This place was severely understaffed and Nora would be a hell of a lot more compassionate a nurse than Madame Crankypants back in R's room.

"Julie, your young friend is recovering wonderfully. I honestly didn't expect it, given what his body has gone through, but he's healing up well."

"When can he come home?" I wanted him out of this cramped little hospital. Karl smiled at my eager tone. "As soon as I've a free moment I'll come and give him a last check, but I'd say he'll be fine to leave today, if you keep him nice and quiet."

I couldn't wait to give R the news, trying to picture his expression. It was difficult - I wasn't used to the expanding range of emotion he had begun to display.

After Karl have R the all-clear, we headed out to walk home. I didn't really mind, though I worried about R and hovered, supporting him with a hand under his shoulderblade. He seemed much more at ease than I was, at least until a passing pair of young men glared suspiciously at him, nudging one another and muttering about the 'Corpse' in our midst. R must have heard it too, since his posture drooped. "Don't listen to those asshats, R." I told him. "Narrow-minded idiots like that are always going to have a problem with people they think are different to them - weather because they're a different skin colour or they're gay or they worship a different god. Come on, let's sit down here and rest for a bit."

He sat obligingly down beside me on a stack of boxes beside one of the cow's enclosures. I leaned back against a building and let my gaze wander, keeping my sense of hearing focused on R and his slightly heavier than normal breathing. The Wall was one of the first things I spotted.

"I hate that wall. I know it's kept us safe, but it also kept us trapped. Stuck in its shadow, everyone got grimmer, somehow. Do you think it'll really be able to come down someday, R?"

He got a look of concentration as if he could actual see into the future. It wouldn't have bothered me if he said he could, I would have believed him. "Yes. We won't always need it." He decided. I smiled, then curled up against his side. He was more comfortable than the building, warm to touch now - from the afternoon sun or because he was getting normal body heat back? The urge to be in physical contact with him never seemed to let up anymore. I remembered going through a similiar stage with Perry when our relationship was new, except that had been tempered with the awkwardness of getting to know one another. It wasn't the same with R. We'd been through too much to be uncomfortable with one another.

R's head lolled, cheek resting on the top of my head. The sun was probably making him sleepy - it was me - but I kept my eyes open, not quite alert when the first few people paused close by. When a half-dozen more joined them I startled back to full consciousness, and R jumped beside me. There had to be almost twenty people staring at us with a mix of expressions - confused, hostile, wary, outright afraid.

"Excuse me - are you the one who used to be-" A woman began to ask as he stood up, and I moved across to stand just in front of R, eying the crowd. "He used to be a Corpse, yes. But we've just come from the hospital, and he's Cured now."

At my forceful words, the crowd began to murmur, turn to one another restlessly. R stiffened up behind me, drew closer so that he bumped against my shoulder. When I turned to look at him it took only a glance to know that he was scared, the unsettled crowd infecting him with thier own doubts. It was my world he'd come into to get me, my world that seemed unfamiliar to him now. R needed me to show him that it was his world, too. He held out his hand, reaching out to me. Alongside the nerves, I saw something else in his expression. Need. It was just as obvious, now, as his worry. He'd reached the same conclusion that I had. He needed me.

The crowd, staring at our joined hands, gradually fell silent. Completely silent, staring down at our joined hands - not one of them had anything to say. When I took a step towards them, leading R, they moved back, then parted. I guided R through, feeling my own heart beat harder, even though I hadn't been scared myself.

"Sorry R." I told him once we were safely by the crowd, my house just a block ahead. "I should have known that people would be curious. They shouldn't have been so overwhelming about it, though. People have been stuck behind this wall so long, they've... well. Not everyone tries as hard as they should."

"Hey Julie?"

"Yeah?"

"When it happens, we'll watch the wall come down together."

My heart melted a little. How could anybody resist? I hugged him, and he hugged me back, and we promised.

Inside, the house overlarge and quiet with Dad gone, I left R on the couch and fetched us some of the leftover soup Nora and I had made. He watched me try it first, then picked up his own spoon dubiously, sniffing the soup before he put it in his mouth, almost making me inhale mine as I laughed at his expression.

"Be-tter than carbtien." He admitted, and took a second spoonful. He didn't eat much, and I could tell by the freuqnency of his blinking that he was sleepy. I took his bowl, returning to the kitchen to save the leftovers again. When I came back, his head had slumped against the couch back and his eyes were closed. I really should have woken him to move him to an actual bed, but he looked comfortable and so, so peaceful. I sat beside him, checking that his breathing was even, that the patch of bandage on his shoulder showed no signs of bleeding. It was dusk and the temperature was dropping, so I pulled a blanket over us both and just sat, the serenity of the moment stealing over me. I'd be asleep myself soon and probably wake with a sore neck from sleeping cramped on the couch, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

Better enjoy the peace while it lasts.

You know what? I will.

A/N Well! This has been an awfully fun story to write considering my original focus was going to stay on R. I'm so glad now I did write this one, I feel much between equipped for the future now. I hope you guys all enjoyed my version of Julie, I hope I did her justice in your eyes. You've encouraged me, brainstormed with me, left me review after review to boost my spirits, and I thank you. Big kudos to Bones and Brigid who reviewed every single chapter without fail, Jusea who is always honest and refreshing, and Aynessa who always finds the positive points - and everyone else who has taken time out to leave me their thoughts.

Vid, my dear friend, you haven't stopped being an inspiration, if you're still reading I'm sure you spotted that in this chap :)

Okay guys, the first chapter of Next to Me, set after the movie, is up now. Set your filters to 'M' rating if you can't see it and please join me for the next chapter of Julie and R's lives. I have so many ideas and so many pieces written already, I'm excited for this one!