This chapter is for all you awesome reviewers, especially Camila; knowing this story made you smile on a tough day really made my life. I'd always planned on finishing this story, no matter how long it took. Every follow, favorite and review reminded me I still had work to do. I'm pretty sure there is at least one more chapter after this, even if it takes a little while longer to finish it.

And, well, if you're just joining us now...congrats, you didn't wait seven years for this chapter! :D

Juliet tilted her head back, closed her eyes and smiled at the heat of the sun on her face. A soft breeze lifted her curly hair from her shoulders and caressed her skin. Nobody stayed in the office past two o'clock on Fridays. It had taken her a few weeks to get used to that culture of relaxation, but now she'd fully embraced it. A new two-piece bathing suit, a fluffy beach blanket, a shift in attitude and a big bottle of wine for her and Rachel; there was just one thing missing in her newfound paradise.

"...I miss him so much." she said.

Rachel, laying beside Juliet on their over-sized blanket, turned to look at her sister. Juliet was reclined, propped up on her elbows, looking better than she had in her twenties. Her hair had gotten lighter and her skin was tanned from spending so much time in the sun. Those were doctor's orders for Rachel, and Rachel insisted on applying those orders to Juliet lest she get depressed about that one missing thing.

"You guys should plan a visit." Rachel suggested.

"Here or there?"

"Here, obviously. They already know what Los Angeles looks like."

"They?" Juliet grinned, glancing at Rachel.

"I hate you." Rachel said lightly.

"They're basically conjoined twins. I'm sure Miles would come out for a visit if he was invited."

Rachel sighed. She and Miles had taken up their flirting again, ever since the air had been cleared between Juliet and James. They were cautious, keeping it friendly on one hand, even telling each other about the awkward dates they'd been on - Rachel with Richard, and Miles with Shannon. Neither of those pairings clicked like Rachel and Miles did. Whenever they got close to admitting it, one or the other would make a joke about hooking up the next time they saw each other.

Before Rachel could make up an excuse about Miles being too busy to visit, Juliet's phone buzzed inside her beach bag.

"Oh look, James could feel you missing him." Rachel teased, glad to have the distraction.

Juliet grinned and rolled over onto her stomach. She reached into her bag to answer as quickly as possible, feeling the warmth of the sun inside of her when she saw the caller ID.

"Hey." she said happily.

"Hey yourself." James replied, smiling to himself.

"So, I have some news to share." said Juliet.

"Good or bad?"

"It depends. Richard offered me a permanent position today."

"That's good, baby." James assured her. "That's real good."

"He gave me a week to think it over."

"Do you really need to? I thought you loved it out there."

"I do," said Juliet. "I love the research, and Rachel is doing so well." Juliet glanced over at her sister, and Rachel smiled back. "It's just..."

"We can talk it through later, if you want to think about it a little more?"

"That would be good." Juliet sighed gratefully. "Rachel and I are at the beach now."

"Well, I wouldn't want to ruin your fun in the sun."

"Are you still at work?" Juliet asked.

"Nah, I skipped out early." James said casually.

Juliet's brow furrowed though her smile remained. That was very un-James-like. He was always working late to get the job done. He was usually in a department meeting at this time on Fridays, unless she'd completely lost track of the day. Was Mittelos making her soft?

"Even asked the boss for some time off." he added.

Juliet pushed up from the blanket and took a step onto the hot sand. She stretched from head to toe, getting a little rush to the head.

"Has hell frozen over?" Juliet joked. "Did he fire you, or did you quit?"

She heard James take a deep breath.

"I asked him for a recommendation." he said, matter-of-fact. "For a transfer."

In the back of her mind, Juliet thought it was funny that she could hear the same beach and traffic sounds through the phone that she was hearing around her.

"To a different department?" Juliet asked, still trying to make sense of what her boyfriend was telling her.

"No, it's a little more drastic than that."

"James...?" Juliet pleaded softly. She sensed he wasn't joking as she'd first thought. He was trying to tell her something important.

"You know..." James drawled. "If I'd known you'd look that good in a bikini...I would'a taken you to the beaches back in California every weekend."

Juliet's heart skipped a beat. She glanced down at Rachel, who sported a suspiciously smug expression.

Across the beach, James watched Juliet begin to look around. Watching her stretch had almost been too much for him, but he had to let her figure it out.

"Where...?" he heard her through the phone, which she wasn't even holding to her head anymore. James chuckled and let his own phone fall away from his ear. When she finally spied him, standing where the pavement met the sand in a Lakers jersey and board shorts, he waved and watched her put her hands on her hips in a scolding way. She put the phone back up to her ear and waited for him to do the same.

"James." she declared, just his name, but it was enough to get her point across.

He grinned. He could see her bright smile even from far away.

"Did I forget to mention I'd be stopping by?" he asked in an innocent tone.

"Get over here so I can jump into your arms."

She tried to wait for him there on her blanket, but James was walking through sand and the wait quickly became unbearable. Juliet broke into a jog to meet him halfway.

Rachel shielded her eyes from the sun as she watched their reunion. Miles was trailing a ways behind, giving them room. He was also giving himself room too, since the public display of affection might make him puke - or turn out to be contagious - if he got too close. Rachel had known about their trip to Miami. She'd been texting Miles covertly all day to let them know where they'd be. The subterfuge had all been worth it to see Juliet's reaction, but Rachel wasn't sure what she was going to say to Miles now that they were face to face.

James caught Juliet mid-leap, the momentum causing them both to do a little half-spin. They squeezed extra tight, and any fears James had about uprooting his life and backtracking on his entire career were pushed to the furthest corner of his mind. This was the hug for which he'd have given anything.

Miles scratched the back of his head and avoided looking, chuckling as he caught Rachel's eye. He took his time getting to the blanket.

"Come on, you're missing it." Rachel teased, as Miles took a place on the blanket next to her.

"Yeah, they'll never hug or kiss ever again." His comment was sarcastic but he took a peek back anyway.

Juliet peppered James' face with kisses, stopping only to plant a long kiss on his lips. He lowered her down on the sand, and she made up the difference by lifting herself onto her toes, pressing their lips back together. James cupped her face in his hands, giving in to more kisses until she was ready to pull back and look at him. Even then, she didn't pull back very far. Their foreheads were touching, or their noses, between kisses.

"I missed you too." James murmured, stealing more soft kisses from her lips.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

Her smile brightened as she wrapped her arms around his neck again. "Well, you did." Juliet reached up to stroke his hair. "Did you really quit your job?"

"Not quite. But I'm ready to, if you tell me you're staying here."

From where Miles and Rachel sat, it looked like James had given Juliet the exciting news. She was kissing him like he had.

"Makes me all tingly." Miles joked, scrunching up his shoulders and rubbing his stomach.

James and Juliet eventually joined them near the blanket, barely able to tear their eyes or hands away from each other even while they caught up with Rachel and Miles. After a while they decided to go out into the water together. James ditched his jersey and let Juliet pull him by the hand. Out in the water it was more hugging, kissing and cuddling as they let the waves rock them back and forth.

James ran his hands along Juliet's waist and back, her skin slippery smooth in the water. With her arms around his shoulders, Juliet doubted she'd ever be able to let go again.

"So you're going to move here and live with me?" she asked. Her tone was playfully skeptical, and she was really searching his deep blue eyes for the truth.

"That's the idea."

"And you decided this before I was officially offered the position at Mittelos?"

"Ahh." James made a dismissive sound, flashing his dimples with a grin. "The offer was just a formality. You had the position already."

Juliet beamed back at him. "I haven't said yes yet."

"I know. But you should. Miami looks good on you."

Juliet tightened her arms, tilted her head and kissed his lips. "It's going to look good on you too."

She felt his hands slide down her back, gliding over her hips and pulling her thighs up around his waist. Hugging him close, she locked her ankles together and asked him what he was going to do about his own career. James kissed her neck, too preoccupied with the way her soft body felt in his arms to answer right away.

"They need cops in Miami, don't they?" he murmured, mirroring her heart-melting smile as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

"So." said Miles, turning away from the James and Juliet show. "How are you feeling?"

Rachel gave it some thought. "Healthy." she said.

"You're still so skinny, though."

"Yeeeah..." Rachel said, not sounding too pleased about it. "They have me on this crazy diet. Lots of papaya juice smoothies."

"No chemo or anything?"

"Nope. It's all done with this giant magnet. Well, not just a magnet. It's a machine they've got. Electro-magnetic...something or other. Is it bad that I don't actually know what they're doing to me?"

"As long as you feel good, it doesn't matter."

"I feel a-fucking-mazing. I don't even feel sick anymore. I don't just have good days, it's like I'm perfectly healthy and nothing was ever wrong."

"Magnets and papaya juice. Who knew?"

"Right?" Rachel smiled. "It's experimental, so they're trying to keep it under wraps. Classified, top secret stuff. They've shown me all the x-rays and scans though. It all looks good." She took a deep breath, and even though she could smell the salty water and savory food being grilled down the beach, the air was sweet to her. "So how's life been for you, Miles? Haven't seen you in a while."

"For me? Aside from taking care of this mope-ster?" Miles made a dismissive sound, frowning noncommittally. "You know I don't have a life aside from that."

"He was pretty unhappy, huh?"

"If you wanna understate it, yeah. He was fine the first few weeks. They were calling each other every night, it seemed like it'd be fine. Then one day he got all cranky -"

"Was that the day after Juliet fell asleep before calling him? Because she was working late?"

Miles came as close to laughing as he ever did, smiling and chuckling as he recalled the night in question. "Yeah, exactly. Did it seem like the end of days over here too?"

Rachel laughed. "Yes."

"He was getting really rough with a suspect the next day."

"Seriously?" Rachel looked at Miles, alarmed.

"It wasn't that bad, but I could see the old James coming out. Like James-in-police-academy James, before he chilled out. But he realized right away and took a step back. As a parent, I was very proud."

Rachel smiled, glad to hear it had only been a minor incident. "I think they just got freaked out, being so far away. The routine was disrupted."

Miles and Rachel both looked out at the water. James and Juliet were farther out, only their shoulders and heads visible above the waves. Their arms were wrapped around each other completely. The waves would move them but they wouldn't let go, so they moved together.

"Some couples just need to be close." Rachel remarked.

"All. The time." Miles added slowly, as if it bothered him. Rachel knew the truth. They both knew what it was like, what it meant to need someone that close.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Rachel asked casually. It had been a few months. She had no expectations. Hopes, maybe. But no expectations...

"Me?" said Miles, unable to hide his surprise completely. "I'm too picky to find someone willing to date me."

"Are you a love 'em and leave 'em type?"

"Nah, they leave me. We do it a few times and then they move across the country or something."

"What kind of careless bitch would do that to a sweet boy like you?"

"She wasn't a careless bitch. She just had some other stuff she had to deal with."

Rachel's stomach felt funny. It was a mix of nervousness and hope, and the simultaneous disappointment that she had something to lose, something that could make her feel bad if she messed it up or let it slip away.

"Miles."

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something serious?"

He hesitated, throwing a glance her way. "Shoot."

Rachel watched the people in the water, avoiding looking at Miles while she spoke sincerely.

"You made me feel...special, at a time when I was really falling apart and wasting away and contemplating some really dark thoughts. You know...I have friends that tried to help me, but there's something about good sex that makes you feel supported in a totally different way."

Miles smiled and looked at Rachel. "The sex was good?"

"If I say yes, are you gonna brag about it?"

Miles threw his head back melodramatically. "I have so little in this life. Let me have this."

Rachel chuckled and rolled her eyes, wondering if she'd gotten too mushy before their last remarks. But when she glanced back at Miles, she saw he'd rolled onto his side so he could look at her, not a trace of sarcasm in his expression.

"It was good." he told her straight up. "And I've been too chicken shit to tell you how much I like you, 'cause you were sick, and then you moved away. But then you got better. So then I was waiting for you to say you'll eventually move back to LA, or even that you miss me or something, so then I could say it back and we could go back to how it was before you left."

"I thought we only hooked up because I was leaving."

"Maybe we did. But...then, it sort of felt like we became best friends. Sort of. You know."

Rachel stole another glance. "Is that why you told me about your date with Shannon?"

A smile overtook Miles' face. He knew a jealous taunt when he heard one.

"Is that why you went out with Dick Alpert?" he shot back, which made her laugh too.

"Ohhh, Miles. What am I going to do with you?"

"I could think of a few things..."

They both played innocent when James and Juliet came back to the beach to dry off and get half-dressed. The blondes mentioned something about heading back to Juliet's place, not even bothering to make an excuse. They knew what it looked like, and if the happy couple hadn't been so distracted by their own reunion, they might have noticed Miles and Rachel getting closer again too. Since James and Juliet only had one thing on their mind, they didn't notice Miles watching them walk swiftly to Juliet's car, or how he waited until they were gone to turn back around and lean in for a kiss from Rachel.

Juliet parked hastily, not bothering to check if the car was straight in its space. They both exited the car with purpose, and Juliet took James by the hand as she stalked toward her apartment. James kept pace with her and smiled knowingly at how much of a rush they were both in. When she got to her door, she fumbled with the keys, cursing under her breath when the key didn't slip in right away.

James came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning down to murmur in her ear.

"That ain't gonna be a problem for me…"

Juliet bit her bottom lip and chuckled. "Shit…" she said harshly, when the key wouldn't turn.

One of her neighbors from a few doors down came out of his apartment, and waved when he saw Juliet.

"Good afternoon!" the guy called out genially. James didn't even look up. Juliet smiled distractedly, trying not to giggle too much at the way James kissed her neck, and she waved back half-heartedly. Her neighbor could see she was clearly busy, and he did not stop by to say hello. Juliet thanked him silently in her head, and made a plan to buy him a big 'thanks for leaving us alone' gift basket. If they ever left the apartment again.

James hands were on her hips, squeezing and rubbing the fabric of her beach cover-up. Juliet moaned with relief when the lock came open and she was able to open the door. Once inside, she threw her bags on the floor and turned to jump up on James immediately. She wrapped her legs around his waist before the door was even closed, and James slammed it shut with his back as he caught her. They both moaned in relief, James squeezing her ass hard as she writhed against him.

"I missed you so much," Juliet told him between kisses. "I can't believe you're here…"

"Wasn't the same without you." James grunted as he carried her toward the bed.

They licked the ocean salt off each other's skin, clutching at each other like they couldn't get close enough. When they reached the bed, Juliet's legs slid down from around James' waist, and they stood kissing as he pulled her beach cover-up up over head.

"You've been working out." James observed as he tossed the sheer fabric to the side.

"So have you." said Juliet, feeling up his arms as his hands slid down to her waist.

"I had a lot of pent up energy to deal with." James said gruffly, picking her up by the waist and placing her on the bed in front of him. He climbed on top of her, nudging her jawline gently with his nose so he could kiss her collar bone and lick her neck.

She smiled, but the smile faltered when she felt his hand slipping into the bottoms of her bikini. She nodded, desperate. "Touch me there," she said, digging her heels into the bed and rolling her pelvis against his palm.

"I missed this." said James, his mouth right next to Juliet's ear. "I missed you." His finger tips probed deeper, finding familiar curves that were already slick and ready for him.

Juliet grabbed his face with both hands and kissed his mouth. She pushed up with her hips, making James roll onto his back so she could climb on top of him. His hand slipped out from between her legs and he grabbed her hips, squeezing the flesh on her thighs, both of them breathing harder as she ground mercilessly against him.

On her hands and knees above him, feeling his entire hard length, Juliet pulled her head back only far enough to look into his eyes and make sure he was really there with her. She moaned unselfconsciously. The way he looked at her, the way he ran a hand through her wavy hair while the other slipped back into her bikini bottom to give her ass a hard squeeze, she almost came right then. Her breasts swayed near his face as she rode him, and he lifted his head from the pillows to take one nipple into his mouth, sucking the water from her bathing suit. Juliet quickly untied the top and pulled it away from her body to give him full access. His tongue met the bare skin of her breasts and he growled hungrily, lavishing them both with attention. Like revving an engine, it made her hips move faster, the warmth between her legs soaking through her suit and his shorts.

With one more harsh suck on her nipple, James flipped her onto her back again. He pulled her bikini bottom down as she turned over. She tugged at the string at his waist, and they both shoved his shorts past his hips. After that Juliet relinquished all control, laying her hands next to her head and spreading her legs. James reached down between them and lined himself up to her entrance. It was tight, but soaking wet, and when he eased himself in he pushed in all the way.

He covered her, filled her, looking into her eyes as he stretched her. She gasped his name, hips pinned by his hips. She spread her legs wider and he thrust against her, both working to get him as deep as he could go.

Juliet moaned. "Stay there." she pleaded.

"I'm not going anywhere." James promised.

She needed friction but she wasn't willing to let him go. So he rocked against her, hips grinding, pressing her against the bed, pushing deep moans from inside her chest.

"James-"

"I love you..."

His gruff whisper was cut off when he pushed his lips against hers. He felt her start to shake, orgasm pulsing through her as her lips parted to let his tongue inside. She moaned into his mouth, giving him a feedback loop of pleasure.

When her shaking and moaning began to slow, the motion of his hips sped up. He pulled out a little further each time, thrusting back in faster and faster until the bed frame was creaking. The soft skin on her thighs stroked his waist. Her hands found his lower back, fingernails raking up and down. She kept moaning. Every time she said his name, a wave of heat coursed through him. All those early morning crunches he'd done in her absence were paying off, his thrusting so relentless Juliet had to take one of her hands and press it against the board above her head.

They were loud; in the midst of his pre-orgasm daze, he thought of Juliet's college story about having sex so loud that her neighbors called the police.

You don't need to call the cops, James thought, squeezing every muscle in his body to ram himself as deep as he could go. I'm already here.

Juliet had both hands against the headboard, feeling the vibrations every time it hit the wall. Knowing he was so close, she drew her knees apart, trying to make more room for him. Her moaning continued as he came, with love and relief and complete satisfaction.