Just my take on a conversation they could have/would have had between learning Ethan was leaving & him asking Juliet to come with. ❤

He sees her sitting alone, knees up to her chest on the porch swing, a mug in her her hand. He takes a second before taking the seat next to her. "So…dare I ask, but — do you want to talk about it?"

She'd been abnormally quite the whole day. No jabs at his expense or even good natured banter as they drive to and from their latest client meeting.

There'd been just a series of "okays," and "alright, Magnums," as he tries to discuss whether they should even take the case.

"And then did you hear the part where she went on about the little green martian who was actually responsible?" he'd quipped.

She finally blinks and turns to him. "What exactly are you going on about?"

"Ah," he hums. "Just making sure you're actually with me."

"I admit I've been rather distracted today, I apologize. And um, thank you, for taking lead with the client this morning."

"Don't mention it."

And that'd been it.

It was nearing midnight when he spotted the kitchen light on in the main house from the window and he quickly threw on his jacket before stepping outside into the cool air, to suddenly stop in his tracks at her outside.

"And what are you doing up?" she asks, deflecting, as he expected, while she turns to look at him, punctuating her question with a sip of what he assumes is tea.

"I could ask you the same question," he muses. "Come on, spill it."

"Mmm," she says on a nod.. "I'm tempted to, right over your head."

He catches the upturned quirk of her lips and rolls his eyes. "Ha. Ha. Look, I didn't want to push earlier — and I didn't — but if you're upset —"

"I told Ethan. Everything."

Oh.

"And…did it not go well? How'd he take it?"

"He…took it quite well, actually. Much better than I anticipated."

Now he's confused. "I don't understand. Then why aren't you happy?"

"Because he's leaving, Magnum."

"Okay," he tries to keep up. "It's pretty late and I'm struggling here—"

She sighs. "He took the news of my past so well, in fact, he chose to come clean himself with something he had yet to tell me. The Doctors Without Borders trip he'd signed up for long before we started dating."

"I see."

"And he didn't say anything because he didn't know if we'd still be seeing each other, or if we'd become serious or not, but when I told him about Richard…"

"He knew he had to say something."

"Exactly."

He doesn't often find himself at a loss for words, but here, right now, he doesn't really have any idea how to make this better for her — or why there's suddenly a feeling akin to relief bubbling inside of him.

(He tells himself it's just it's due to being able to have more of his partner's time and attention — even though Ethan's been true to his word of not getting in between their working relationship. Or friendship.)

"I am really sorry, Juliet," he settles on. "I know how much you care about him…And maybe…maybe if he's The One, you can still find a way to make it work."

She places her mug down on the side table beside her and lets out a tiny laugh. "After everything that's transpired, I don't know if believe in The One anymore, Magnum. It's a lovely concept, but…"

Trailing off with a shake of her head, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and meets his eyes. "It's simply that. A concept."

He considers this. "And did you think Richard was? You know, The One, or - your soulmate or whatever?"

"I thought about it - not necessarily in those terms specifically, but yeah, the idea of him being the one I was going to spend the rest of my life with? Yes. I suppose I believed in that." She takes a breath. "Did you believe Hannah was yours? Or Abigail?"

Now it's his turn to sigh. "I…am not entirely sure. I mean, both relationships obviously felt right at the time - but clearly —"

"See, that's what I mean, Magnum. I don't buy the whole 'you'll just know,' nonsense - that feeling of knowing, deep down, that it's forever…it's impossibly, truly. People change from one moment to the next..who's to say two people are even capable of staying compatible for years, let alone a lifetime?"

"I think it's a leap of faith," he says honestly. "That, and a lot of hard work…I think it's the best any of us can do."

"Right," she whispers. "Well, thank you, for giving me space earlier today…and for pushing tonight. It helps. Having someone to talk to."

"Always."

She gives him a smile as he stands, and he offers a hand to pull her up from the swing. There's a tad too much gusto in his pull and her face ends up mere inches away from his, her body almost colliding with his.

She clears her throat.

"I think you're wrong," he says, quietly, and he feels glued to his spot in front of her, like the air is suddenly charged and he can't tell if all of this is just inside his head.

"About?"

"Soulmates."

"Magnum—"

"I don't think it's nonsense to believe they exist, and hey, maybe you can even have more than one. But I think, there's definitely a finite amount of people out there you can really be with."

She blinks down at her slippers and then up at him."And why are you telling me all this?"

"Because…he's out there for you - and whether it's Ethan, or someone else, you'll find it. And the guy that's lucky enough to be with you? He's not going to walk away so easily."

He hears more than sees her take a sharp intake of breath. "And how can you possibly be so sure?"

Finally taking a step back, he shrugs, placing his hands in his pockets to alleviate the sudden chill he feels. He takes the few steps backwards towards the guesthouse. "Because he gets to be with you."

She opens and closes her mouth to say something before a simple, "Good night, Thomas," escapes her lips.

He smiles as she turns around, picking up her empty mug and reaching for the door. One last turn of her head and a look back at him he can't quite read.

"Night, Juliet."

(He doesn't fall back asleep that night.)