Ok forgive the massive delay in the next chapter it was beyond my control I
assure you!(anyone else have this much trouble uploading chapters but me?)
So this is NOT the last chapter (the next one should be) and it sets things
up for the last bit. Forgive me! Sorry if it sucks!lol
Julie awoke to a strange forgotten sensation the following day: peace! She opened her eyes, smiled then sighed with happiness.
"Happy birthday to me." She sang softly.
She laid there awhile listening to the various noises, then pulled herself from bed. She slipped her feet in the slippers and walked into the sitting room using her fingers for a brush. Upon seeing no one she walked out her room and headed down stairs. She hit the last step when Alex's voice reached her.
"Hope you're very pleased with yourself Julie." He said with an angry glare.
"Why yes I am Alex, so sweet of you to ask." She smirked and patted him on the face and walked on by, leaving him fuming.
She walked into the kitchen getting a chorus of smiles, then flashed a brilliant one herself seeing her grandfather back.
"Happy birthday." He smiled as she jogged over and hugged him. "And well done." He added.
"Thanks." She laughed.
"Your seat madam." Dean said pulling back the chair.
"Why thank you kind sir." She laughed and sat down.
Once seated she was met with a plate of blueberry pancakes with all the side dishes. Soon the table was busy with everyone laughing and eating.
"You know Alex was not a happy boy this morning." Meg giggled.
"Yes I know, I ran into him on my way here." Julie smirked.
"Bet that was fun." Fulton said with his mouth half full, earning him an ewww look from Julie.
"Well at least he didn't see the paper and get to spoil it, so I get the honors of showing you." Daniel said walking behind her and lowering the paper before her eyes. She was greeted with a picture of Mitchell smiling in happier times, but the headline was simple and to the point: BUSTED!
"Oh yes, forget gifts, cake or a party that is gift enough for me." Julie smiled happily.
"Well I know you promised a massive party but I thought just a small little gathering on the back lawn would be nice." Meg said looking up from her coffee.
"That sounds like heaven." Julie nodded.
"What no drunken blast?" Fulton asked.
"Not much of a drinker to be honest, I like a little champagne here and there." Julie shrugged.
"Party pooper." He muttered mouth full of food again.
"Manners please." She smirked then giggled when he gave her a highly confused look.
"Anything you really want food wise?" Daniel asked.
"Not really, just snack things would be cool. I want it simple and easy on everyone, so we can all just concentrate on having fun." She smiled.
"I'll get on that." Meg leaped up from the table coffee in hand.
"She never stops dose she?" Dean smiled.
"Never." Daniel and Julie said and laughed.
"So spill the story short cake, how did all this happen?" Her grandfather said smiling.
"Without Meg here?" She asked.
"Stop stalling already and spill it!" Daniel said impatiently.
"Ok ok. Look here's the deal." She began. "I have a certain contact and that contact let me know that they had been watching the shipping lines in this country and Australia for some time. Codec Inc was the one that kept getting their attention."
She paused taking a sip of coffee enjoying the annoyance on their faces; she placed her cup down then continued.
"So they sent a team out to focus on them alone, my contact asked to be included on common grounds."
"Whoa wait, what common grounds?" Daniel asked stopping her.
"And what contact?" Dean added.
"Patience boys." Her grandfather shook his head, and Julie smiled.
"Thank you grampie." She beamed then kept on with the story. "The who on the contact I'll tell later, the common ground is a connection to Mitchell. So my calling this person at the perfect time helped aid the investigation. So we shared information about things, then after you went to Houston and found the painting they had enough to nail him."
"But if they'd been watching him and the shipping then they'd have hundreds of things to nail him with, since they've been shipping stuff back and forth for months!" Fulton added.
"You would think that, but as it turned out all the evidence disappeared from the ships before the agents could get in there. They had people on board even when they were loaded in Australia they saw the stuff. The problem was they needed to have the stuff on American soil to do anything about it, and it always seemed to poof into air when it got here." Julie sighed.
"Then how did I find it?" Daniel asked.
"Like many people can outsmart the mob?" Julie giggled.
"Yes," Daniel said with an accent rubbing his chin. "You have a point."
"Watched goodfellas one too many times with that accent." Dean smirked.
"As I was saying," Julie shook her head. "They never could find anything till the painting which we have of course, or did. So I told them about it was shown to my contact that used my helping them out as a reason to let me have a hand in taking him down. End of story." Julie grinned devilishly.
"No way I want a name." Dean looked at her.
"And trust me you will get one, just not yet." She answered.
"Why not?" Daniel demanded.
"I have to make sure everything is set and ok, I don't want to blow this thing." Julie said getting up intent on getting more coffee.
"Makes sense I guess." Dean muttered.
"I'm gonna go get dressed, I shall return." Julie said walking out coffee in hand.
She made the stairs and quickly heard the loud thud of footsteps behind her.
"Don't trip and fall bash boy." She called out.
"That obvious it was me?" Dean asked reaching only two steps behind her.
"No one stomps up the stairs quite like you do." She laughed glancing just behind her.
He flashed her a devastating smile, which caused her to smirk and turn around.
"Got to you with my smile that time did I?" He asked smiling.
"What of it?" She said after a minute.
"Oh nothing." He taunted.
"All right Dean." She said turning around. "I realize that we need to talk about some things, but it's becoming vary obvious what's going on now isn't it?"
He stopped and looked a bit surprised.
"Don't tell me the great Dean Portman is lost for words?" She taunted. "And at a time like this! My my, what will Fulton say? Better yet what will my beloved Romeo say?"
"Jules." He said giving her a warning look, to which she smiled and kept walking along. "And where are you going?" He called out jogging forward.
"To get dressed, you should get those ears checked dear your hearing is obviously lacking." She laughed.
"You just can't stop yourself can you?" He asked walking beside her now.
"No honestly I can't, but look at it this way. I've spent the greater part of my life growing up in a locker room with guys. So it stands to reason my quick wit and sarcasm would be outstanding." She grinned.
"You know I never thought of that, you really have spent most of your life around a bunch of hockey playing freaks." He shook his head in thought, "I'm sorry." He added.
"Sorry?" She said turning around just after they entered her room.
"Yeah, I mean sorry you've had to put up with the way we act in there." He shrugged.
"I'm used to it you know, and you have no reason to be sorry the Ducks have been the best to be around. Even in the locker room, I like being one of the guys in there. But it's also nice you realize I'm still a girl too, well off the ice anyway." She smiled and so did he.
"So I guess we should talk?" He said feeling nervous.
"Only if you want to, no need to rush." She smirked.
"Ok what is that!?" He said staring.
"What is what?" Se asked.
"Stop playing innocent, that little smirk! What's that all about, and no smartass response!" He said quickly, resisting the urge to plant his hands on his hips.
"Simple, you've already said how you feel about me, so I'll just return the favor. I love you too." She smirked leaving him standing there dumb founded.
"Ok now that you know what the shock feels like I'm going to get dressed and I'll see you later." She giggled loving the look on his face. She walked across into her bedroom then to the closet shutting the door to dig into a rack behind it.
"Jules?" She heard him say from the other side.
"Yes?" She asked.
"You mean that?" He asked barely above a whisper.
She smirked, "Yes I did."
He was silent for a few minutes, so she guessed he'd left.
"I'll see you at the party ok?" He said and tapped the door a couple of times then left.
"Well that was easier then I thought." She smiled then started thinking, and thinking way too much.
"Gezz did I just mess up?" She asked herself, "I don't want to rush into anything and risk hurting him any." She groaned then shook her head after a few minutes then set off to another rack.
Meanwhile Dean was walking back down the stairs with purpose. He walked around looking; he finally found who he was looking for outside.
"Could I ask you something?" He said walking up.
"Sure." Meg smiled. "Wait!" She said when he hesitated, then broke into a huge smile. "Just too cute!" She squealed then leaped up hugging him. He stood there in shock again then laughed and hugged her back.
"It's about time, gezz you two are trying to kill me!" She shook her head looking up at him.
"Well we're not exactly together, I mean she knows how I feel and she did just drop the bomb on me like I did to her. It's just." He stopped a moment to think.
"It's just you think you rushed her into it?" Meg finished for him.
"Yeah I mean, she's just got rid of Mitchell, she's lost her father been threw pure hell for weeks and then I drop this bomb on her midway threw it. Like I'm expecting her to add me to her list of problems. Do I make any sense?" He asked.
"You remind me of Daniel, and if you tell him about this I'll hurt you and believe me I can." She warned quickly.
"Not a word will I say." He said crossing his heart seriously then smiled.
"Ok then, well Daniel has no clue I know this but I overheard him talking to Julie's dad one day. He was saying a lot of things like you are, not exact words but he was really confused." She said motioning to the steps.
"Over you?" He asked sitting down beside her.
"Yes over me. You'd think it would have been smooth sailing with us getting together right? But it wasn't I was scared to death so was he, it was just one big crazy situation." She smiled looking off a bit thinking.
"So how did you solve it?" He asked.
"By listening." She answered smiling over at him.
"Listening?" He asked confused.
"To what's going on in your head and heart. You have to let things just happen, live in that exact moment and take things as they come. You can't make something happen you just have to let it grow. And believe me you two have crammed months of growing together time into a matter of weeks, weather you've noticed it or not." Meg smiled.
"So just forget this knot in my stomach when she's around and just let it be?" He inquired.
"Exactly, she's still the same girl she's always been. That's still Julie don't forget, and you're still Dean." She smiled.
"Yeah but it's like we just don't precisely slick or something." He said perplexed.
"That's simple to explain! You two have a classic tug of war going on, that is a staple of many great movies! For example, one of my favorites and Julie's too, Mask of Zorro. They liked one another picked back and forth till finally in her true hour of need there he was, right by her side doing what he could. Even if it meant causing problems for himself, suddenly everything clicked and they lived happily ever after. That's you and Jules exactly, see simple!" She laughed.
"Never seen the movie, but it's that simple?" He laughed.
"Yeah it's that simple. You master just being yourselves and being true, and everything will be perfect, and maybe watch the movie." She smiled standing up. "All good?"
"Yeah, I think so." He flashed a huge smile. "Thanks Meg."
"Anytime, now come with me I can't move the tables." She laughed at the face he made and headed back to work with him in toe.
Julie awoke to a strange forgotten sensation the following day: peace! She opened her eyes, smiled then sighed with happiness.
"Happy birthday to me." She sang softly.
She laid there awhile listening to the various noises, then pulled herself from bed. She slipped her feet in the slippers and walked into the sitting room using her fingers for a brush. Upon seeing no one she walked out her room and headed down stairs. She hit the last step when Alex's voice reached her.
"Hope you're very pleased with yourself Julie." He said with an angry glare.
"Why yes I am Alex, so sweet of you to ask." She smirked and patted him on the face and walked on by, leaving him fuming.
She walked into the kitchen getting a chorus of smiles, then flashed a brilliant one herself seeing her grandfather back.
"Happy birthday." He smiled as she jogged over and hugged him. "And well done." He added.
"Thanks." She laughed.
"Your seat madam." Dean said pulling back the chair.
"Why thank you kind sir." She laughed and sat down.
Once seated she was met with a plate of blueberry pancakes with all the side dishes. Soon the table was busy with everyone laughing and eating.
"You know Alex was not a happy boy this morning." Meg giggled.
"Yes I know, I ran into him on my way here." Julie smirked.
"Bet that was fun." Fulton said with his mouth half full, earning him an ewww look from Julie.
"Well at least he didn't see the paper and get to spoil it, so I get the honors of showing you." Daniel said walking behind her and lowering the paper before her eyes. She was greeted with a picture of Mitchell smiling in happier times, but the headline was simple and to the point: BUSTED!
"Oh yes, forget gifts, cake or a party that is gift enough for me." Julie smiled happily.
"Well I know you promised a massive party but I thought just a small little gathering on the back lawn would be nice." Meg said looking up from her coffee.
"That sounds like heaven." Julie nodded.
"What no drunken blast?" Fulton asked.
"Not much of a drinker to be honest, I like a little champagne here and there." Julie shrugged.
"Party pooper." He muttered mouth full of food again.
"Manners please." She smirked then giggled when he gave her a highly confused look.
"Anything you really want food wise?" Daniel asked.
"Not really, just snack things would be cool. I want it simple and easy on everyone, so we can all just concentrate on having fun." She smiled.
"I'll get on that." Meg leaped up from the table coffee in hand.
"She never stops dose she?" Dean smiled.
"Never." Daniel and Julie said and laughed.
"So spill the story short cake, how did all this happen?" Her grandfather said smiling.
"Without Meg here?" She asked.
"Stop stalling already and spill it!" Daniel said impatiently.
"Ok ok. Look here's the deal." She began. "I have a certain contact and that contact let me know that they had been watching the shipping lines in this country and Australia for some time. Codec Inc was the one that kept getting their attention."
She paused taking a sip of coffee enjoying the annoyance on their faces; she placed her cup down then continued.
"So they sent a team out to focus on them alone, my contact asked to be included on common grounds."
"Whoa wait, what common grounds?" Daniel asked stopping her.
"And what contact?" Dean added.
"Patience boys." Her grandfather shook his head, and Julie smiled.
"Thank you grampie." She beamed then kept on with the story. "The who on the contact I'll tell later, the common ground is a connection to Mitchell. So my calling this person at the perfect time helped aid the investigation. So we shared information about things, then after you went to Houston and found the painting they had enough to nail him."
"But if they'd been watching him and the shipping then they'd have hundreds of things to nail him with, since they've been shipping stuff back and forth for months!" Fulton added.
"You would think that, but as it turned out all the evidence disappeared from the ships before the agents could get in there. They had people on board even when they were loaded in Australia they saw the stuff. The problem was they needed to have the stuff on American soil to do anything about it, and it always seemed to poof into air when it got here." Julie sighed.
"Then how did I find it?" Daniel asked.
"Like many people can outsmart the mob?" Julie giggled.
"Yes," Daniel said with an accent rubbing his chin. "You have a point."
"Watched goodfellas one too many times with that accent." Dean smirked.
"As I was saying," Julie shook her head. "They never could find anything till the painting which we have of course, or did. So I told them about it was shown to my contact that used my helping them out as a reason to let me have a hand in taking him down. End of story." Julie grinned devilishly.
"No way I want a name." Dean looked at her.
"And trust me you will get one, just not yet." She answered.
"Why not?" Daniel demanded.
"I have to make sure everything is set and ok, I don't want to blow this thing." Julie said getting up intent on getting more coffee.
"Makes sense I guess." Dean muttered.
"I'm gonna go get dressed, I shall return." Julie said walking out coffee in hand.
She made the stairs and quickly heard the loud thud of footsteps behind her.
"Don't trip and fall bash boy." She called out.
"That obvious it was me?" Dean asked reaching only two steps behind her.
"No one stomps up the stairs quite like you do." She laughed glancing just behind her.
He flashed her a devastating smile, which caused her to smirk and turn around.
"Got to you with my smile that time did I?" He asked smiling.
"What of it?" She said after a minute.
"Oh nothing." He taunted.
"All right Dean." She said turning around. "I realize that we need to talk about some things, but it's becoming vary obvious what's going on now isn't it?"
He stopped and looked a bit surprised.
"Don't tell me the great Dean Portman is lost for words?" She taunted. "And at a time like this! My my, what will Fulton say? Better yet what will my beloved Romeo say?"
"Jules." He said giving her a warning look, to which she smiled and kept walking along. "And where are you going?" He called out jogging forward.
"To get dressed, you should get those ears checked dear your hearing is obviously lacking." She laughed.
"You just can't stop yourself can you?" He asked walking beside her now.
"No honestly I can't, but look at it this way. I've spent the greater part of my life growing up in a locker room with guys. So it stands to reason my quick wit and sarcasm would be outstanding." She grinned.
"You know I never thought of that, you really have spent most of your life around a bunch of hockey playing freaks." He shook his head in thought, "I'm sorry." He added.
"Sorry?" She said turning around just after they entered her room.
"Yeah, I mean sorry you've had to put up with the way we act in there." He shrugged.
"I'm used to it you know, and you have no reason to be sorry the Ducks have been the best to be around. Even in the locker room, I like being one of the guys in there. But it's also nice you realize I'm still a girl too, well off the ice anyway." She smiled and so did he.
"So I guess we should talk?" He said feeling nervous.
"Only if you want to, no need to rush." She smirked.
"Ok what is that!?" He said staring.
"What is what?" Se asked.
"Stop playing innocent, that little smirk! What's that all about, and no smartass response!" He said quickly, resisting the urge to plant his hands on his hips.
"Simple, you've already said how you feel about me, so I'll just return the favor. I love you too." She smirked leaving him standing there dumb founded.
"Ok now that you know what the shock feels like I'm going to get dressed and I'll see you later." She giggled loving the look on his face. She walked across into her bedroom then to the closet shutting the door to dig into a rack behind it.
"Jules?" She heard him say from the other side.
"Yes?" She asked.
"You mean that?" He asked barely above a whisper.
She smirked, "Yes I did."
He was silent for a few minutes, so she guessed he'd left.
"I'll see you at the party ok?" He said and tapped the door a couple of times then left.
"Well that was easier then I thought." She smiled then started thinking, and thinking way too much.
"Gezz did I just mess up?" She asked herself, "I don't want to rush into anything and risk hurting him any." She groaned then shook her head after a few minutes then set off to another rack.
Meanwhile Dean was walking back down the stairs with purpose. He walked around looking; he finally found who he was looking for outside.
"Could I ask you something?" He said walking up.
"Sure." Meg smiled. "Wait!" She said when he hesitated, then broke into a huge smile. "Just too cute!" She squealed then leaped up hugging him. He stood there in shock again then laughed and hugged her back.
"It's about time, gezz you two are trying to kill me!" She shook her head looking up at him.
"Well we're not exactly together, I mean she knows how I feel and she did just drop the bomb on me like I did to her. It's just." He stopped a moment to think.
"It's just you think you rushed her into it?" Meg finished for him.
"Yeah I mean, she's just got rid of Mitchell, she's lost her father been threw pure hell for weeks and then I drop this bomb on her midway threw it. Like I'm expecting her to add me to her list of problems. Do I make any sense?" He asked.
"You remind me of Daniel, and if you tell him about this I'll hurt you and believe me I can." She warned quickly.
"Not a word will I say." He said crossing his heart seriously then smiled.
"Ok then, well Daniel has no clue I know this but I overheard him talking to Julie's dad one day. He was saying a lot of things like you are, not exact words but he was really confused." She said motioning to the steps.
"Over you?" He asked sitting down beside her.
"Yes over me. You'd think it would have been smooth sailing with us getting together right? But it wasn't I was scared to death so was he, it was just one big crazy situation." She smiled looking off a bit thinking.
"So how did you solve it?" He asked.
"By listening." She answered smiling over at him.
"Listening?" He asked confused.
"To what's going on in your head and heart. You have to let things just happen, live in that exact moment and take things as they come. You can't make something happen you just have to let it grow. And believe me you two have crammed months of growing together time into a matter of weeks, weather you've noticed it or not." Meg smiled.
"So just forget this knot in my stomach when she's around and just let it be?" He inquired.
"Exactly, she's still the same girl she's always been. That's still Julie don't forget, and you're still Dean." She smiled.
"Yeah but it's like we just don't precisely slick or something." He said perplexed.
"That's simple to explain! You two have a classic tug of war going on, that is a staple of many great movies! For example, one of my favorites and Julie's too, Mask of Zorro. They liked one another picked back and forth till finally in her true hour of need there he was, right by her side doing what he could. Even if it meant causing problems for himself, suddenly everything clicked and they lived happily ever after. That's you and Jules exactly, see simple!" She laughed.
"Never seen the movie, but it's that simple?" He laughed.
"Yeah it's that simple. You master just being yourselves and being true, and everything will be perfect, and maybe watch the movie." She smiled standing up. "All good?"
"Yeah, I think so." He flashed a huge smile. "Thanks Meg."
"Anytime, now come with me I can't move the tables." She laughed at the face he made and headed back to work with him in toe.
