Part Cinquante-quatre

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When they woke up a couple hours later, they stayed cuddled together, only moving so they were eye-to-eye. They whispered in the quiet of their post-nap bubble, Julie gently coaxing Luke to talk things through with her so they were fully on the same page about everything. They reassured each other as they shared their thoughts with forehead and cheek kisses, and a few soft chaste kisses on lips.

When then finished that discussion, Luke told her his mixed feelings about not getting a present for his mom, how it didn't feel like things with his parents would ever be better. Julie shared more about her mom, tiny details that she remembered but didn't seem important as memories to anyone but her. It wasn't exactly what either had expected of the day, but they both agreed it was really nice.

When they started to get a little hungry, they sat up, Julie turning and grabbing the bag Luke had dropped on the floor. She pulled it open to take a caramel-filled chocolate for herself, and one for Luke.

"Mmhmmm, these are so good, Luke! Where did you find this place?" Julie looked at the bag, trying to see a name.

"Actually, Bobby recommended it. He always did have a bit of a sweet tooth, even if he refused to indulge himself very often."

"Well these are amazing. How did you know the caramel is my favorite, I don't think I've ever mentioned it?"

"Christmas. Reggie had some of those variety boxes of candy, you always looked for the caramel ones," he shrugged like it was no big deal.

Julie's mouth dropped open, the way he noticed little things like that, and remembered, it was incredible. She flushed, she just loved him so much.

Clearing her throat, she caught Luke's hand and used it to pull his arm around her as she snuggled into his side, "Can we listen to this CD now? I want to hear what band you've discovered that you think I need to hear."

"Well, I do have a CD, but the music is also on my phone. Maybe that's easier than getting up to get your laptop?"

"Sure, that works for me," she nuzzled in closer, brushing a soft kiss to his jaw.

"And, um, so it's not really a band... or uh, anything like that exactly," Luke's phone was in his lap as he couldn't help but bring his hand up to rub his neck.

"Really? Then what exactly is it?" Julie was beyond intrigued now, the nervous tick of his only ratcheting up her curiosity.

"Well, just... I guess this one is a good start, based on the way we talked about so much today already..."

Luke pressed play and his voice poured out of the small phone speaker, and Julie's mouth dropped open in surprise.

I know you're guarded

I am too it's an easy thing to do

When you're just getting started

You've got scars, babe

And you try so hard to keep them out of view

'Cause you think they're alarming

In the heat of the moment

We've been getting so close, so close

But I need to say this

Just in case you don't know

I want more than just your body

Loving what my eyes see

Got me thinking maybe you could be the one

Take me deeper than the surface

Show me where the hurt is

Teach me and I'll learn it I want to keep you safe

Let me see you naked

Show your heart and

I promise I won't break it

By the chorus she was crying, trying hard to stay quiet so she wouldn't miss any of the words, "…are these the songs? From your other song journal? Oh, Luke..."

"Alex and Reggie helped, this beat is really all Alex. And Bobby helped too, we recorded it at the studio he has in his house."

She buried her face in his shoulder, making sure she was situated so the sound wasn't muffled at all.

The song faded out with just piano, Luke whispering that Reggie took care of that part.

A new song began just as Julie started to lift her head, but then pressed her face back into him, deciding just to stay quiet and listen to the amazing gift he had put together for her.

You do it for me

Sometimes you don't even know

Ya knock me off my feet

And I can't make my heart beat slower

Wanna make you believe

Wanna make you see

You do it for me

So let me do it for you

Fall into my kiss

Fall into my arms

Fall onto my lips

Fall into my heart

Cause I've fallen fast, I've fallen hard, fallen too far

I've fallen for

Your eyes, your smile, that shine that you try to hide inside

Your mind, your touch, my love

I keep falling for you

I keep falling for you

"Wait," Julie couldn't help herself, "When did you write this? When did you write any of these?"

"Mostly in bits and pieces here and there. But Julie, I've been writing this stuff practically since I met you. Definitely since we sang 'Finally Free'. You know I basically think in music, and you just- you're the music filling my head, like, most of the time."

She stared at him, eyes soft with everything he made her feel.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, and swiped at his phone, "Here, this one was specifically after you got upset and were missing your mom before the meeting with Andi."

There'll be days your heart don't wanna beat

You pray more than you breathe

And you just wanna fall to pieces

And nights, those 2 AM calls

Where dreams become walls

You just need a break

Break on me

Shatter like glass

Come apart in my hands

Take as long as it takes, girl

Break on me

Put your head on my chest

Let me help you forget

When your heart needs to break

Just break on me

Snuggling back into him, Julie shook her head, eyes shiny with more tears at the reminder of how he had held her and been there for her, "You are so talented Luke, it's just insane."

"Hey, you are the insanely talented one, Jules! I just have a lot of time to write while you're busy at school. As soon as you graduate, or really just this summer, I know I am going to be absolutely awed by whatever you come up with. Look at 'Perfect Harmony'!"

"You still had to help me fill in your parts, I couldn't remember them. But I don't really think we need to argue about this. I'll accept your belief in me, if you accept mine in you, okay?" She leaned up and kissed him, a kiss that was meant to be short, but his lips followed hers as she started to pull away. They got lost in each other for quite awhile, only breaking away to breathe, and then completely when Luke's stomach growled.

Julie giggled and brushed her nose against his, "I guess breakfast was a kinda long time ago now."

Luke pouted, but nodded, "I still have more songs, so let's go grab some food quick and come right back here, because I haven't finished having you all to myself for the day."

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After slipping down to the kitchen and putting together sandwiches and chips, they went back up to Julie's room. Fender trotted out of Ray's office and followed them upstairs. He loved Ray and Reggie, but he was ready to spend some quality cuddle time with his two absolute favorite people.

Luke laughed as Fender jumped up on the bed, coming up to bump his nose into Luke's far side and snuggle close, laying his head on Luke's thigh right up next to his stomach and watching his plate of food with big pleading eyes.

"Hey buddy, aren't you a good boy? Such a good boy!" He lay a hand on Fender's head and petted him, scratching him behind his ear the way he loved. Luke gave the puppy a small piece of deli turkey he tore from the edge of his sandwich, Fender delicately snatching it from his fingers with his teeth.

The puppy gave a soft happy rumble, neither of the dogs barked very much, although Fender did love to bark when he chased squirrels at the park.

"Do you want to watch a movie while we eat before I play anymore songs?" Luke asked Julie, smiling at the fond way she was watching him with Fender. He bit back an amused grin when Julie almost glared at him, though.

"Are you kidding? How would I even attempt to concentrate on a movie right now? And how many more songs do you have?" she waved a hand at him in an invitation to start the next song, as she picked up her sandwich and took a bite.

"A few. I do have a couple you've already heard, like the one about home you said could just stay acoustic, and the one I sang to you that night before your birthday," he scrolled a bit on his phone screen before pressing play, "This one is a little different, though. Reggie helped with the music and the beat, he turned it a little country, but I have to admit I don't hate it. I told him I would finally at least hear him out on 'Home is Where My Horse Is' and maybe we could do it as a bonus track or something, let him take lead."

Julie hummed in agreement, she was chewing a bite of her sandwich, but her eyes were gentle and approving.

You ain't even trying but everything stops when you walk in a room

Tell me how you do it

You make me want to fall just looking at you

The sound of your voice and the touch of your skin

Sending chills up my spine

The taste of your lips, the spell of your kiss

I can't deny

There's something 'bout you and all the little things that you do

Girl I can't explain it

No matter how hard I try to put my finger on it

There's just something 'bout you

Something 'bout you got me feeling something brand new

I think I'm going crazy

It's more than just your mind, it's more than just your body, baby

It's just something 'bout

Eyes wide, Julie nodded along to the beat, "Luke, how- I just- you can't just write all these love songs for me!" A blush was tinting her cheeks, and a shy glowing smile contradicted her words.

He shrugged, "Julie, its like I said, I think in music. So when I think about you, it tends to come out like this."

She set her plate aside and curled back into him, hugging his arm rather than putting it around her since he was finishing his food, "I don't have anything like this for you, but I really hope you understand that I love you the same way. My present isn't nearly as romantic."

"Just being with you is present enough, Jules."

Julie grimaced playfully at that and gently smacked his bicep, "That's just cheesy Luke!"

He put his plate on the table beside him, then scooted down in the bed. Tugging Julie with him, he tickled her sides a tiny bit, causing her to laugh slightly and grab his hands to yank them away from her. A playful second was one thing, but she truly hated being tickled and was glad she had already told him that, so he stopped willingly after just one wiggle of his fingers.

"Maybe it is cheesy, but it's not incorrect."

She put her head next to his on the pillow, pressing their foreheads together, the tips of their noses just barely brushing, "I can agree with that, mi alma."

He couldn't help himself, tilting his head to meet her lips with his. They shared a soft kiss, but were interrupted before it could intensify, Fender deciding to crawl over Luke and lick his cheek. Luke pulled away from Julie with a chuckle, one hand going up to wipe his face and then catch the puppy and snuggle him into his chest. Julie giggled, glad she had been spared from the puppy's wet tongue this time.

"Actually, what about this present for me Jules?" Luke beamed at her mischievously as he cuddled Fender under his chin, rubbing the puppy's belly.

She scrunched her nose, she had had such a difficult time thinking of something to get for him. Eventually Flynn had been the one to hit upon something that gave Julie the inspiration she needed, and Carrie was instrumental in helping get it ready in time.

Julie didn't know what she was going to do for presents for him after this, not that hers could possibly top all these songs he had written for her. Although, he probably couldn't top himself at this point, she smirked mentally.

"So?"

She got up at his curious and hopeful look and walked over to her closet to pull out a somewhat flat rectangular box. She brought it over to the bed and laid it next to him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Luke."

He sat up and let go of Fender, the puppy wobbling on the moving bed as he tried to walk over and sniff the box as Luke shifted to face it better.

"Hey now, enough of that," Luke murmured to the puppy, gently pushing him back, as he reached out to slowly lift the top off the box.

His breath caught in his throat at the one-of-a-kind gift contained inside.

Julie had created doodles and put together photos of her and Luke, a few with the band and their friends, and had them taken and transposed into stickers for his guitar case. She had also gotten a new guitar strap and decorated it, all sorts of doodles that represented important things to the two of them and to the band.

"I wasn't sure what to get, but you liked the notebook at Christmas, so I just tried to expand on that, I guess?" she was biting her lip anxiously as she waited for his reaction.

"Jules..." he lifted a hand and she instinctively linked hers with it. He pulled her forward and his other hand reached out to curve around her neck and bring her lips down to kiss them, trying to pour how much he loved her and appreciated the gift into it. She stumbled a little as she lost herself in him, her free hand going to his shoulder to hold her up.

Finally they broke apart to breathe, and he pressed a breathless kiss to her forehead, "I love it mon coeur."

Luke beamed at Julie and shifted to sit back at the top of the bed, setting Fender back next to him and the box on his lap. He gave her a cheeky nod, the way he usually called her to come sing with him, and she giggled but climbed back onto the bed to sit next to him again.

They went through the stickers and then he traced over the drawings on the guitar strap as she mentioned little things about each one, why she added it, that kind of stuff. He reverently set it back in the box when they were done and put the lid back on.

"You are incredible, boss," he slid the box onto the bedside table and looped his arm back over her shoulders, pulling her close and nuzzling his nose into her hair.

Julie turned her face into the crook of his neck and sighed happily. She said quietly, "Was that all the songs? Because I wouldn't mind replaying-"

"No."

"-them- what? There- there are more?" she leaned back from him a bit in shock.

"Yes, there are a couple more," Luke grinned at her, looking slightly sheepish.

She blinked at him, and then huffed, "Well, go ahead then. What else you got?"

He picked up his phone again and pressed play.

At the gate, come inside, I know that it's late

But I'm here, 'cause your body my motivation

Let's skip the talk

What if we found a way to get lost without fear?

Keep it all behind, we're escaping

If you told me that my fate was on your fingertips

Then I wouldn't believe it

I wouldn't believe it

Every kiss with you, it's like a prayer falls from my lips

Now I'm a believer

Yeah, I'm a believer

This is Heaven

And I don't know how this could get much better

Than you and me, here right now

This is Heaven

And every time I touch you, it gets better

I'm on my knees, I can't stop now

This is Heaven (this is Heaven, yeah, this is Heaven)

This is Heaven (this is Heaven, oh, this is Heaven)

This is

"I wrote this one a little bit about after you hugged me, and then the guys the first time. You saved us. It's also a little bit about the first time I got to kiss you, too. Maybe we didn't cross over the way we expected to, but I personally like this better."

"I do too. It would have hurt so much to lose you."

He hugged her closer when he heard the echo of pain in her voice, and she welcomed the tightening of his arms around her, turning to curl herself more comfortably into his chest.

"So Jules, this one is the last one for today. I, um, I do have some more in my notebook, but I didn't have time to record all of them. And, well, the guys said it would be crazy to give you all of them at once, which is probably true. Some just need to be for later," Luke reached for his phone again.

"I still want to see this notebook. I would have loved to her all of them, but I was just thinking that you're never going to be able to top this present. Of course, if you just repeat it with new songs, that's pretty darn good," she mock pouted at him, "I have no idea how I'm supposed to compete, though."

Luke threw his head back in laughter, "It's not a competition, Jules. I promise you could get me a- a- I don't know, a toaster? Or something? And I would still love it if it came from you."

"Well, I would certainly hope I can and will do better than that!" she scrunched her nose at him.

He kissed the tip of her nose in reply and beamed at her as he pressed play on his phone, "I have no doubt whatever you get me for any occasion will be perfect. One time it may even be a toaster if ours happens to break."

Julie was a little dazed at that, her mind drifting a bit to picture a time when it would be their toaster that may need to be replaced.

There's no words to say it

But I'll find them over time

There's no way to show it

But I'm gonna try

For the rest of my life

'Cause, you are the best part of me

The side I hope everyone sees

The air that I breathe, my missing piece

Wasn't complete before you

'Cause you are, you are

The best part of me

"I love you, Luke. All of these songs are incredible and I'm going to write some for you now, maybe one just about today, even.

"I can't wait to be blown away by that wrecking ball talent, Jules. I know yours will be better than mine."

"Agree to disagree."

"Never."

Julie sighed in exasperation and leaned up to kiss the mischievous smirk off his lips.

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A/N: The guitar strap is 100% stolen from/inspired by another fic, 'dust and snow (oh, don't let it go)' by Pawprinter on AO3. It is a beautiful fic and everyone should go check it out if you haven't already. It was from awhile ago, but it stuck in the back of my mind and I am *so grateful* because I had NO clue what I was going to do for Julie's gift to Luke until that fic popped into my head. (I also couldn't remember the name of it, but serendipitously ran across it when I was scrolling the Juke tag to reread a few favorites, thank goodness. And, bonus! Then I got to read it again!)

Songs:

'Naked' - Jake Scott

'Fallin'' - Dylan Brady

'Break on Me' - Keith Urban

'Something 'Bout You' - Sir Rosevelt

'This is Heaven' - Nick Jonas

'Best Part of Me' - Landon Austin

Also implied as part of his present:

'When I See You, I See Home' - Tyler Hilton

'Arms Open' The Script

(Yes, I am aware Nick Jonas exists in my fic universe- because Luke watches 'The Voice' with Ray, but I am totally shamelessly giving this song to Luke because I think it fits, lol.) :)