Julie swore, fumbling with the record to flip it, as she cradled her baby close to her chest. She could tell her daughter was getting hungry - the little one was starting to shift against her, mouth pursing in anticipation.
"Soon little lady," she whispered, kissing her little forehead. "Just gotta get this back on..." She didn't realize it'd stop so soon, or she would have waited to go to the damn bathroom...
Seriously, this was so fussy. She had to move the needle to the right spot on the record edge or it'd fall off, or start in the middle of the stupid song...
Better sound? Whatever...
She glanced down at her daughter as the music pulsed to life around her, louder than she'd like, but the baby didn't seemed to mind.
"Daddy's little girl, huh?" she giggled, glancing over at Rowan. Something was definitely going on - a frown flickered across his face as electric guitar scratched in short bursts from the speakers she'd set up on the floor.
"I think it's working," she whispered, half to the baby, half to herself. The song picked up, the singer's smooth voice weaving with the sharp guitar bursts and some wacky beatboxing in the background for rhythm. Julie raised an eyebrow and looked down at her daughter, as she tried to bounce around with the song.
"Don't think I like this one much, what do you think?"
The little one started wobbling against her chest in earnest, and she smirked.
"Okay, okay," she giggled, dancing to the bed, "Let me get settled, and we'll see if we can't do this right this time."
Julie glanced over at Rowan again before climbing up on the bed and settling her daughter in closer. As she lifted her shirt, she tried to relax and not worry about how this one would go, but it was hard. Every attempt had been painful so far, and she wasn't sure what she was doing wrong, even though Bella had done her best to help - something she still felt weird about.
She guided her daughter to the right place, and smiled tentatively as her baby latched on and started to nurse immediately, tiny hand resting gently against Julie's chest.
The smile grew. Somehow they'd worked it out, and it felt right. With a contended sigh, Julie leaned back and watched her baby with soft eyes as she gently brushed her daughter's crown of downy hair.
The song ended abruptly and a new one began, something melodic with softly strummed guitar. Swaying slowly back and forth to the music, she stared down at the incredible little life in her arms, a soft smile playing about her lips.
I love you little lady.
"..most.. beautiful thing.." came a soft whisper beside her, almost lost in the music, "..I've ever.. seen."
The world came to a shuddering stop.
Slowly, Julie turned.
Rowan was lying against the mattress, his head turned her way, his brilliant blue eyes focused softly and completely on her. As she stared at him in shock, they dipped to the little one nursing at her chest, and rose again, damp with tears.
"Julie," he whispered, then swallowed hard, his face twisting in a grimace. "Ow.."
A wave of emotions washed over her, so many, and so opposite in nature, she didn't know what to do or say, she just stared back at him. He looked away briefly, his bleary gaze taking in the room, the speakers on the floor - which brought a smile to his face - and down to his wasted body.
He raised a thin arm, twisting it to look at the IV taped to the back of his hand, and wiggled his pale, narrow fingers. "Jesus.."
"Are you really here?" Julie asked suddenly, her pulse thrumming at her neck, "For real?"
He turned to her, his eyes confused, his mouth slightly open. He looked so incredibly ragged, her heart went out to him.
But she pulled it back. He'd done this to her too many times. Run away too many times. This was it. It didn't matter that she'd just had his child. If he couldn't be here for her, for them, after all of this, she was done.
Rowan's eyes lowered, and for a moment her heart squeezed painfully, so sure she was that he was about to fall asleep again, to retreat from what was just too hard.
But he didn't. With a big breath and a brow furrowed in determination, he slowly pulled himself up.
Julie watched him, her mouth opening, a small smile tugging at her lips. It faded quickly as she saw him from the side... how thin he'd truly become. "God... Rowan.."
He wasn't done though, and looked down at the wires stuck to his chest for a moment, before struggling to pull them off.
"Ow," he mumbled, as his shaking fingers plucked them off one by one.
Julie blinked. "Rowan? What are you-"
With an irritated noise, he pulled on his IV lines, dragging the metal stand over with a harsh screech, as he tried to shift towards her.
"Rowan, it's okay, I can-"
"Stupid.." he mumbled, and scowling, he lifted the tape from the back of his hand, winced as he pulled out the needle, and pressed the tape back down as blood bloomed underneath.
"Oh shit," she squeaked, "Don't do that!"
He slumped back against the bed then, his eyelids sinking. "It's okay," he whispered, then blinked his eyes wide. "Jesus... I'm exhausted..."
Julie's heart squeezed in answer. "You would be." Leaning forward, she cradled her daughter as she reached for him. "Just rest, it's-"
"No more resting," he sighed, and turned to face her as he pulled himself up again, smiling with tired eyes. "Julie, I'm really here. I promise..." The words fell away as his gaze drifted down, and blinking, frowning, he stretched out a hand, to gently trace along the skin of her throat and collarbone.
"Julie.."
The touch was wonderful and her skin shivered under his fingertips, but his expression made her realize what he was tracing.
The scars.
She sighed, and shrugged with a flat smile.
"No," Rowan whispered, eyes anguished as he shook his head, rejecting her reaction. Slowly, struggling against medical tethers and atrophied muscle, he drew closer.
Julie's gaze fell and blurred, and she wiped away the first hint of tears.
When his hand brushed her cheek, his fingertips cool and dry, the tears rushed out in earnest, and she finally folded against him as he circled her with a thin arm.
He held her close, simply and quietly, as she cried.
"I'm sorry," he whispered after a long silence, as his lips brushed her forehead. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here."
Julie opened her eyes, puffy and wet with tears, and nodded.
"Thank you," she said quietly, and listened to his breathing as he gently stroked their baby's head, his fingers twirling through a little curl of hair.
"God... she's beautiful..." he said softly, his voice filled with awe. "You know... I almost thought I'd dreamed this."
The song changed around them again, into something defiant, a rap with a fun beat that didn't suit the moment, and Julie frowned.
"This album is schizophrenic," she whispered against him.
Rowan laughed.
Julie blinked.
Slowly, she lifted from his shoulder and stared at him.
He smiled back, his eyes searching hers.
"What?"
But she didn't want to say. Because it was... odd, and she didn't know what it meant.
His laugh... was different.
"What?" he said again, the smile falling a little. "Is everything okay?"
Nodding, confused, and trying to cover it up, she looked around herself for the burping cloth, and quickly flipped it over her shoulder. The music only added to the awkwardness, and she suddenly found herself wishing for a remote.
Rowan sank back against the bed again. "Sorry," he sighed. "I don't have much energy." Frowning, he held his arm up again. "Why do I look like a boney?"
Julie smirked as she brought her daughter to her shoulder and gave a few gentle pats. "You were out a long time."
Rowan stared at her, and his eyes grew huge as they darted to their baby and back.
"Holy shit..." he whispered, "Nine months?!"
Julie gave a surprised laugh. "What? No!"
"But..." Rowan said a little tentatively, "You weren't... showing. You never..." He frowned. "Julie... why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" The frown grew deeper, and his eyes dipped into memory. "Wait... is that why you.."
Julie echoed his frown, as she gently guided her daughter to the other side of her chest and lifted her shirt again.
"Why I what?" she asked, as her little girl made another good latch and Julie felt a swell of pride, smiling down at her daughter.
We got this!
When she looked up, Rowan was staring.
"Rowan, why I what?"
His eyes popped up. "Uh..." Then he shook his head. "Sorry, distracted." His eyes drifted down again and he frowned. "Does that... hurt?"
Julie smirked. "It did, a little. But the last two have been great."
"Oh," he said softly, as his eyes fell again. "That's good."
"Rowan," she said in a low tone. "I'm up here."
Grinning, he looked up, then yelped, cupping himself over the sheet. "Oh shit..." Lifting the sheet he gave a low moan. "God.. they did it to me again!"
Julie raised an eyebrow, then had to hold back a laugh. "Oh. Yeah." She shook her head at him. "They had to, it's not like you were getting up to go."
"Yeah, I know" he sighed. "Just..."
She blinked, and pointed at herself. "Wait.. were you just turned on by this?"
Rowan looked down, and back again. "No..." Then he squirmed, and tried to shuffle back a little closer to his side of the bed. "Maybe.. ow..."
"Rowan!" she laughed.
He smirked at her. "Sorry, you just.. flashed me. I haven't seen your boobs for..." He raised his eyebrows. "How long was it?"
Julie sighed. "About six and a half months." Her eyes fell, and she gently stroked her daughter's cheek as her mouth tightened. "A very long time."
"Jesus," Rowan whispered, and sank back on the bed again. His eyes dipped to their little girl and he frowned. "You went through all that... alone."
Shrugging, Julie looked up, giving him a small smile. "Not totally alone. Nora was always around. Your dad too, he checked in on me all the time. Brandon did too, and he gave us a bunch of baby clothes... We're buried in baby stuff actually, though most of it's back at the apartment." She smirked. "There's very little apartment left really, it's just mountains of baby stuff now."
She looked at Rowan, but his eyes were elsewhere, his brow drawn in a frown.
"What?" she asked.
"I think I said something bad to Bran, but I can't remember what... it's kind of fuzzy."
"You didn't recognize him," she said softly. "That's what your dad said."
Rowan frowned deeper. "Shit."
Julie watched his sadness grow, and tried to think of something to say. He didn't need to dwell on that right now.
Pursing her lips, she smirked. "Also, you called me 'mom'."
Rowan looked at her in shock. "I did not."
Julie nodded, the smirk turning into a grin. "Oh yeah you did."
Flopping his head back, he groaned. "Oh god... sorry. I must have really been out of it." Raising his head again, he smirked at her, his eyes dipping to the baby. "But you are a mom now, so technically..."
"Nope!" she exclaimed, still smirking. "Not getting off that easy!"
He laughed again. A really bright sound that bubbled out of him without reservation.
Julie stared at him, and she couldn't help herself as the smile spread on her face. "Rowan..."
Grinning, he turned to look at her, his blue eyes shining. "What?"
"Your laugh," she said softly. Then felt bad, and wondered if she should have said anything at all. Would it be weird?
"What about it?" he asked, his smile slipping a little.
Dammit, I shouldn't have said anything!
"It's... different," she said, then rushed to fix what she felt she'd done. "Didn't mean that in a bad way, it's just... it's different."
The smile turned into a frown as his eyes left her to stare at the record player across the room. "Oh."
"Rowan," she said softly, and reached out for his hand. His skin was cool and a little too dry in her own. "It's the brightest sound I think I've ever heard from you. I've never heard you laugh like that before, and it just... took me by surprise. I didn't mean to upset you."
As his gaze rose to hers again, she smiled and squeezed his hand. "You sound really... happy."
His smile grew, and he squeezed her hand back, looking down at it briefly as he stroked the webbing of her thumb.
"I am, Julie."
"Yeah?" she said.
"Yeah..." His eyes grew sharp and bright, a strange mix, as he looked at the record player again. Past it, really, and she stared at him, trying to work out what he was thinking.
The song came to a close, and there was a sudden breathy count down through the speakers. Julie turned to look, confused, and the song seemed to start for real as a heartbeat rhythm pulsed around them, layered with gentle guitar strumming and piano. The man's voice weaved in then, soft, intimate... beautiful.
Julie smiled, loving it.
Then her jaw dropped.
Because Rowan was singing along.
"..your heart's against my chest... your lips pressed to my neck.. " He sang softly, perfectly in tune, but rough, through a throat that must have been terribly dry. "I'm fallin' for your eyes.. but they don't know me yet.." His eyes locked with hers and he smiled. "and with a feeling I forget..."
"I'm in love now.."
She felt her heart burst in her chest. "Oh my god.." she whispered. "Rowan?!"
He laughed again, and then coughed, violently. Grimacing, he turned away, looking for something. "There any water?"
"Oh, uh," she stammered, still stunned, "Yeah, um.." She groped for the call button, because his tray was just too far for either of them to reach.
Bella came in only moments later, brightly smiling, as usual, and quickly rushed to Rowan's bedside as her smile got, impossibly, wider.
"Rowan! You're awake!" she cried. "How wonderful!" Then her gaze fell to his hand, and the discarded wires dangling to the floor, and the smile slipped a notch. "And you've been tearing... oh dear. Tsk tsk..." She bent down to pull the wires to the monitor up off the ground and dragged the whole assembly away. "Stupid broken thing, didn't even alarm on us out there..."
Rowan and Julie exchanged a look.
"But this," Bella chirped, drawing Rowan's hand up and lightly tapping the bandage as she took his pulse, "We can't have this, and ooh, that's some lovely music isn't it..." The nurse glanced away at the speakers as her hips gently swayed to the song.
Julie giggled over their daughter as Rowan gave her another strained look. Then he glanced up at Bella, "I just wanted some water. Maybe something to eat? Maybe get this," he pointed down at himself, "out?"
Bella looked up from his hand intently, bright smile restored. "Can you walk around on your own yet?"
"Uh..." Rowan stammered, "I don't-"
"We'll be leaving it in until you can," she said smartly, and quickly brought the tray over as Rowan gave Julie a desperate look.
She tried so hard not to laugh.
"Here's some water," Bella continued, bringing the plastic cup to his hand, "try slow sips sweetie, nothing too quick, and I'll be back with something safe for you to eat. I'm afraid there'll be no steaks or pasta for your first real meal, no matter how good that might sound."
Rowan just stared at the glass in his hand. "I didn't-"
"Stephen will be so happy," Bella burbled over him, "and your Dad's been so worried, I can't wait to tell him!"
As Rowan glowered darkly and sank against the mattress, nursing the cup, Bella turned to Julie.
"How's the new mother? Have you picked a name yet?"
Julie froze, feeling suddenly very awkward. "Uh.. not yet, but-"
Bella seemed to disappear and materialize at her bedside almost instantly, and gave her daughter's head a little pat.
"Oh, that looks like it's going well, are you still having pain?"
Julie looked up at Bella, blushing. "No, I think we-"
"Wonderful," the nurse sighed, and her smile grew warmer as she gazed between Julie, the baby and Rowan. "You have a beautiful little girl you two," she said softly, and pointed sharply at Rowan, "Daddy, you need to get better real quick so you can give mommy some support, okay?"
"Okay.." Rowan mumbled in a small voice, sinking further into the bed.
Julie snorted without meaning to, then quickly clammed up as Bella turned intently to her, waggling the same finger. "And you mommy, you're the most important person in this room. You take care of yourself, and let the new daddy do what he can. Don't do everything for him, okay?"
Julie blinked, nodding rapidly, and Bella's gaze fell to her daughter.
"And you, sweet little child, you tell your parents to give you a name." Looking up at them both then with a bubbly giggle, she headed to the door. "I'll be back with some food!"
Then she left, shutting the door behind her.
"Oh my god," Julie laughed, staring back at Rowan with incredulous eyes. "What just happened?"
"That's the Bella tornado," Rowan said with a smirk. "Stephen's the only one who can work with her. I couldn't. She'd never let me finish speaking."
Julie watched as he took a contented sip of water, and the smile fell from her mouth. For some reason, she hadn't made that connection. He used to work here, so of course he'd know Bella... but...
"Oh my god," she whispered.
What would happen now?
Rowan looked at the baby and back, his eyes growing wide. "What?"
Julie glanced down at her daughter, confused for a moment, before shaking her head. "Oh no, she's fine." Looking closer, a small smile spread on her face. "In fact, she's fallen asleep." With a soft noise of affection, she gently pulled her baby up again to rest against her shoulder. The little one stirred only briefly, ice-blue eyes opening and closing again, before stilling to sleep, and Julie smiled happily as she looked at Rowan.
"Babies feel and smell amazing," she sighed.
Rowan laughed. "Yeah, they do."
At her curious look, he smiled. "I had seven years on Bran, I used to hold him all the time."
"Oh..." Julie said softly, "Wow.. I keep forgetting about that."
He shrugged, his smile turning a little sharper. "We're the same age now, it's hard to remember." He raised a hopeful eyebrow. "Can I hold her?"
Julie gave him a tentative smile. "Are you feeling strong enough? She's not light."
"She's my daughter," Rowan answered, his eyes bright. "I'll always be strong enough."
The words stirred something beautifully warm inside, and Julie's smile grew. Shimmying closer, she lowered their baby into his arms.
"Support her head.. there you go," she murmured, and then she had to stop speaking because the sight of her daughter in his arms made her want to cry.
Rowan held her effortlessly, his thin arms supporting her just right, and he leaned down to kiss her head. "Jesus.. she's beautiful."
Julie laid down alongside him, her head on his shoulder, and folded her hand around Rowan's.
"Yes she is."
All was quiet for a moment, until Rowan made a soft noise, and Julie glanced up at him.
His eyes were wet with tears.
"You kept her safe Julie..." he whispered, and a tear spilled down his cheek. "Through all of those terrible things... when I couldn't, you kept her safe."
The tears rushed to her eyes, to answer his, and she smiled.
"I'm so sorry," he mumbled, his eyes closing in pain, "I'm so sorry about all of it... I never..."
"Please," Julie whispered, and cradled his cheek as she kissed his brow. "Let that go. It's the past. Leave it there."
Their eyes met, and smiling softly, Julie leaned in to kiss him, but Rowan turned away to look down at their daughter again.
"Bella's right."
Frowning just slightly, Julie looked down as well. "About what?"
Why'd he pull away?
"She needs a name," he said softly, stroking their baby's shoulder with his thumb.
Julie sighed and gave a little smile. "Yeah. Well, I have an idea.. but I didn't want to name her until you woke up for real."
Rowan gave her a carefully neutral look.
"Diane?" he asked.
Julie almost laughed, the expression on his face made it totally clear he didn't really like the idea.
"My mom's name?" Julie said, and smirked. "Does she look like a Diane to you?"
Rowan looked down at their daughter, then back, clearly relieved. "No, she doesn't."
"How about Claire?" Julie offered, and it was her turn to look pensive, though she tried to hide it.
Rowan grinned. "She doesn't look like a Claire either, but that's nice." The grin softened to a smile, and his eyes settled on her intently. "You said you had an idea."
Julie smiled back, and felt strangely nervous all of a sudden. "Yeah," she answered, nodding. "Yeah, I was thinking..."
"Gertrude," Rowan blurted out suddenly. "No, Anastasia. Wait, Edna? Ooooh, I know - Milicent. Or, we could just, you know, mash our names together. She could be Rowlie, or Juwan, or..."
Julie didn't think her face could be any more scrunched up, and felt a rush of relief when Rowan started laughing again. The sound actually woke the baby, and their daughter's beautiful blue eyes blinked up at them both.
And as she stared down into those eyes, the color of a glacier, of the deepest coldest ice, it came out, just like that.
"Hope."
Rowan looked at Julie, his eyes filled with wonder, and a gentle smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his gaze fell to their daughter.
"It's perfect," he breathed. "I love it."
Julie grinned, her vision swimming with tears, "Yeah?"
"Yeah, I really do," he said, nodding. "Hope," he echoed softly, and pressed his finger into his daughter's palm. She closed her little fingers around his and her tiny mouth opened and closed. He laughed. "I think she likes it."
Smiling brightly, Julie pressed in against him again and sighed. Everything felt good. Felt right. Slowly, her eyes closed, as all of the stress and worry of months seemed to sink away in a moment.
As she was beginning to doze, Rowan started to sing along to the music again, softly, as he stared down at their daughter. Julie watched him, marveling at this incredible gift that she'd never known he'd had. His voice was still rough, but he held the melody, and there was something raw and vulnerable in the shape of the words that tugged at her heart.
"And all I've done for want of wit... to memory now I can't recall... so fill to me the parting glass.. good night and joy.. be with you all."
"Rowan," she whispered, as he grew silent again, and then wasn't sure how to continue.
Smiling up from Hope, his blue eyes turned to hers. "Yeah?"
"When did you..." she started to say, then stopped and tried again, "You can sing?"
He gave a little nod. "Yep."
Her eyes grew as she stared at him, waiting for more. But he didn't say anything else, and she flailed, incredulous. "Why haven't I ever heard you sing before?! You've got a great voice!"
Rowan's gaze drifted away, towards the record player. The album had just finished and the needle skated off the vinyl loudly, before the arm drew back with a plastic click.
"For the same reason I won't be working in this hospital anymore," he said with a big breath, "Or flying, at least, not until I can learn it for real."
And then he turned to her, and his eyes were bright again, intent, and a little fragile. And she realized he'd just answered the question she hadn't quite asked before.
It shocked her. It shouldn't have, but it did. She'd talked to Marcus about his big change, Sarah too, and how strange it was for them now. In fact, Marcus seemed the hardest hit of any of the other once-dead she'd talked to. He'd obviously lost something important to him, and unlike his usual habit of just burying everything in a joke, there was a kind of brittle honesty to him now that was hard to get used to. But, he was also one of the few dead who'd pushed hard to keep his old job. He was still working at the school, and struggling a little, but seemed to find something in the struggle that made him happy.
But... with Rowan... what would it mean to him? She hadn't even thought about how he might react, she'd been too focused on just waking him up. Was it a good thing? Or would he miss them too? The skills he used to have?
But as soon as he spoke, she had her answer.
"I'm free, Julie," he said, his voice trembling on the edge of an emotion that swept her up too. Squeezing his hand, she held him closer. "I'm finally just... myself," he whispered. "The singing, playing music, making music, that was always a part of me. I had a band in high school, in college too, I think I told you about that..."
She nodded. He had, but he'd related it like it was just another fact. Like, this is what he did. Not who he was. The way he sang - it was very much who he was. A revelation she hadn't expected.
"It just got... lost," he continued, gazing down at Hope. "Buried." He let out a huge sigh and looked up at her again. "But now... I'm not muddied with anyone else anymore, I'm not smothered with hundreds of others hanging over my shoulder."
His chest rose and fell with another sigh and he closed his eyes. "No more Jack, or Caleb. No more... Perry."
Julie squeezed his hand. He needed to know that wasn't important. That it didn't matter.
When his blue eyes opened again, there was something in them that surprised her. Something a little fearful.
"It's just me now, Julie."
Julie searched his eyes, smiling to counter his fear. "Why do you look so worried?" she asked. "That's wonderful!"
He nodded, "It is.. but..."
"But what?"
"I don't know... what that's going to mean for..."
She waited for more, but he didn't finish. He just looked down at their baby, at their joined hands.
"For?" she prompted, but something twisted inside as his meaning slowly dawned on her.
"Us."
"Us?" she echoed, frowning, the twist in her gut tightening.
"Yeah," he said, squeezing her hand this time.
She sought his gaze, and he finally gave it to her. "Why?" she asked.
"Because it's just me, Julie." he answered softly. "I'm... not like I was before. I'm not..."
Julie sighed. "This is about Perry isn't it."
He grew quiet.
"Isn't it?" she asked, knowing the answer.
Rowan finally nodded. "Yeah."
"Because he's absolutely gone, and you're worried that will change everything?" Julie said. "That, maybe I won't love you anymore? Or... you won't feel the same way about me?"
He shrugged, and didn't answer for a long while. "Maybe."
Julie giggled, then she stopped as her thoughts wandered to a moment before. Wait a minute... Her eyes grew wide. "Is that why you did that?"
"Did what?" Rowan asked, looking worried. "What'd I do?"
She giggled again, unable to help herself.
Rowan frowned. "This is serious, and you keep laughing."
Julie drew a hand over her mouth, but her eyes were still dancing, and a smile tugged at the corner of Rowan's mouth.
"That's why you wouldn't kiss me?" she finally asked him, laying a gentle hand on his chest.
Rowan's gaze dipped suddenly as the hint of a smile dropped, and she had her answer again.
"Oh Rowan," she sighed. "Silly."
Now he was frowning, and she felt bad for the choice of word. But he didn't understand something important.
"It's not silly Julie. Jesus, you've already said my laugh is different. The singing. That might seem like small stuff, but there's more to come." The frown grew deeper, and he pressed his head back against the bed and glared at the other end of the room. "I'm not Perry, and I'm not R anymore... and... I think that's who you fell in love with."
Julie frowned up at him. "I didn't realize how worried you were about this. I didn't mean to make light, I'm sorry."
He looked back at her. "It's okay, I just... it's always been there. I've always had this big question, and now... I'm afraid of the answer."
The words made Julie smile.
"Well.. I'm not," she said softly.
His blue eyes fixed on her again, questioning, crisp with worry. "You're not?"
She shook her head, still smiling. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because I know who I fell in love with, and he's still here, lying in front of me."
Rowan sighed and looked away. "Julie, you don't understand."
"Rowan," she said, her voice strong and warm. He slowly turned back to her and her smile grew bright as she searched his eyes, needing him to see. "I fell in love with a man who was trying so hard to be more than he was. A man struggling to find himself, and fighting to live."
His eyes widened, but not with any kind of fear. There was something open and hopeful there now.
"That man is still here. That man just clawed his way out of a coma to come back to me." Her gaze fell to their daughter, now sleeping in his arms, and she gently stroked her daughter's cheek. "To us." Smiling, she looked back up at him, raising a hand to trace a line across his brow, as if she could smooth his worries away. "So I'm not afraid, because I have my answer. You'll always be a man who fights for what's important to him. Who seeks the best of himself. That's the part of you I love, and I always will."
Rowan's gaze grew soft as she spoke, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"The fact that you've just added singing to what I love about you, holy crap," Julie giggled. "And it doesn't hurt that you're as sexy as hell."
His mouth split wide in a sudden bright laugh, and she grinned, loving that sound. Gazing down at himself then, he gave her a cockeyed look. "Even now?"
"Ah," Julie smirked, crinkling her face. "Okay... no. I mean, you're handsome, but the boney look is not doing it for me."
He laughed again, and the sound gently faded to a smile as he leaned in closer, until his beautiful eyes were all she could see. They were like oceans, deep, familiar, warm, and she felt herself drawn in.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Julie smiled back, a little surprised. He'd never said those words like that before.
When his eyes dropped to her mouth, and rose again, she knew he was about to kiss her, and the tiniest part of her wondered if there really was something to what he was saying.
Because as he drew closer, and he cradled her cheek with his cool fingertips, and those brilliant blue eyes grew soft and deeper still, he felt... different.
And for one terrifying moment, she was as scared as he had been moments before.
But then, their lips touched, and the tenderness of his mouth against hers, the soft press of his skin, and the warm rush of his breath as he tasted her and drew the kiss deeper...
... burned all of those thoughts and doubts away.
They became hunger and love, and flesh and heat, and desire so raw and powerful they would have stripped to hearts alone to take the other in whole...
...but a little voice called out.
A soft burble, that made them remember...
That one was Rowan.
The other Julie.
They were each other's answer.
And Hope needed to be changed.
;) Thanks for reading everyone, hope you enjoyed it. I love these two together. Hoping to post another even longer chapter today. Huge thanks to Chad and Amaris Magic for the lovely reviews. :)
