Title: Wait For Me
Author: Luckysparkle
Pairing: Jimmy/Julie
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not real, i know that, you know that.
Feedback: yes please, some creative critism would be very much appreciated
Marissa Cooper was no stranger to being the centre of attention; at a party or a fancy event, and this time was no different - to her. But to everyone else at Jimmy Cooper's leaving party this was most certainly a different experience, mainly because Marissa Cooper was currently divulging the sordid details of her parents recent affair.
As the newpsies and their rich husbands gathered around her, desperate for tomorrows gossip and watching with a mixture of horror and delight, Both members of Newport's once most powerful couple, the former Mr and Mrs Cooper, could do nothing but watch with open mouths as their eldest daughter told the tale of her disbelief when she caught them on her Dad's boat.
During the drama Jimmy chanced a quick glance at his ex-wife/lover and immediately wished he hadn't. Julie who usually had a look in her eyes that told you she would kick your ass if you insulted her, stood there looking like she would be in a lot less pain if she had just been punched in the stomach, but the look on her face was justified considering she had a lot more to lose from their secret getting out. She had a husband to consider now, a husband who she had recently slapped for not telling her about an affair he had seventeen years ago which resulted in an illegitimate daughter. Even if he wasn't in the garden at this exact moment, he was at this party and word would soon spread. What would he say as soon as he found out about the affair that she had been having while she had the nerve to chastise him about his.
He hated to see her like this. It hurt him more than she would ever know, even if he did tell her she would never believe him. She always thought that Kirsten was the love of his life, sure he loved Kirsten a lot but she would never be able to compete with Julie. He'd been married to Julie for seventeen years and they had two beautiful daughters together, Kirsten couldn't beat that, not even on her best day.
Before he knew it he was watching Julie's retreating back run out of the house, he followed her as fast as he could and as soon as he got to the end of the drive he could see the faint out line of a figure quickly hurrying down the path to the beach.
Julie sat on the quiet beach with her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin resting on her knees, it was a comfort position, one she had often sat in when she was younger, but rarely used now - except when her daughter, in a drunken rage, shared the secrets of her 'affair' with a large chunk of the community. It was hardly an affair in her opinion, yes she was cheating on her husband, but it was with someone who she loved much more than her husband - her ex-husband. 'Only In Newport' she supposed.
Suddenly she jumped as she felt a familiar hand rest on her shoulder, she looked up and saw the man she could so easily blame this whole fiasco on. She watched him with hard eyes as he sat down on the soft sand next to her. Neither of them said a word for some time, they just sat watching the waves roll up onto the sand.
It seemed painfully fitting, most of their significant moments as a couple had happened on a beach, a lot of them on this beach. On one of their first dates Jimmy had taken her to the one of most beautiful, secluded beaches in Orange County and they'd spent the night there. He'd taken her to the same beach when he proposed not so long after. Marissa had taken her first steps on the sand, tottering her way over to her mom back when she relied on her and loved her more than anyone.
A few years later they conceived Kaitlin down here, and now look where they were.
Eventually Jimmy broke the silence, "What are we going to do Jules?" he asked softly.
Her jaw clenched, after resisting answering for a few moments she couldn't hold back any longer.
"What are WE going to do? Jimmy you're leaving in a matter of hours, you aren't married, you don't have to do anything but get on your plane. I have to stay here and deal with our crazy daughter. I have to try and explain to my husband why I was sleeping with you. I have to stay here and cope with the dirty looks and endless gossip. WE don't have to do anything Jimmy, I DO." Her voice got higher pitched and angrier as she went on and by the end she could swear she had ringing in her ears.
He stopped and though about it for a second, looking somewhat guilty he answered, "No, you don't. Now that everyone knows about us, we can be together again - no complications"
He really was clueless sometimes, she rolled her eyes, "Jimmy, This changes everything. Before I would have told Caleb that things just weren't working out, I couldn't possibly trust him after finding out about Lindsay. We would have got a divorce and he would be the guilty one. Now everyone knows I've been doing it with you in bathrooms and on boats for the past couple of months, Caleb's affair doesn't seem so bad, I'm in the wrong, everyone will be 'Oh that poor old man, he tried to make her happy' and I'm the wicked witch of the story who cheated on her sweet old husband."
She could see he was starting to get angry, she recognised all the signs, balled up fists, tight jaw. She knew him too well.
"So it changes things, that doesn't mean we just give up. Jules c'mon we've got something special here. You're just too concerned with what other people think again, GOD why do you always let that bother you so much? You'll never be happy if you always plan your life around what they think about you." He looked at her waiting for an explanation.
"I have to care what they think, I'm not part of the 'Original Newport Gang' people like you and Kirsten don't have to worry about it, you're natural Newport, your families are here. You didn't have to climb to the top of the social ladder, you were born at the top. I mean you stole millions of dollars from your friends and you still get thrown a going away party. If I mess up all I'll get is a bus ticket back to Riverside and... I can't let that happen." She sighed.
"That won't happen, nobody can force you to leave. Even if they try, I won't let them" She could hear in his voice that he was planning on becoming her White Knight. But he should know by now, he would look stupid on a horse and she doesn't have the hair to be a princess. It never worked out for them when he tried.
Before Jimmy could continue, they were interrupted by Caleb calling her as he walked down to the beach, "Ju Ju, I think we need to talk"
She panicked and whispered to Jimmy, "Crap, How does he know I'm down here? Oh God you can't let him see you, quick hide"
He looked at her bemused "Hide where, Jules we're sitting on an empty beach"
She glared at him "Just...Go, over there, GO" she shooed him to a darkened patch near one of the sand dunes.
Julie got up brushing the sand of her and went quickly up to meet Caleb before he had the chance to reach the beach and possibly see Jimmy.
"There you are Ju Ju dear, I was starting to worry" He said patronizingly along with a smug grin. She could do nothing but smile awkwardly waiting for him to continue, "Is there anything you would like to tell me?"
"Depends on what you've heard" She said under her breath.
"I didn't think you'd feel like sharing, Go and get your things Ju Ju we're leaving, and when we get home we need to have a serious discussion" She watched him as he headed back to the Cohen's.
Julie bit her tongue, if he had said that to her under any other circumstances she would have told him where to shove it, but this time she thought it might be best if she just went along with it. She glanced down at where Jimmy would be hiding and knew if she left with Caleb there really would be no hope left for them and it broke her heart knowing she was abandoning him again, just when it was possible for everything to go back to how it was. Taking in a shaky breath she turned and followed Caleb.
Julie sat in the car alone waiting for Caleb to come back, they'd made their way to valet in silence. Julie trying desperately to tune out the whispers and ignore the stares, after what seemed like hours they climbed into the Aston Martin, only to have Caleb disappear with the excuse that he had left his jacket and hadn't said goodbye to 'Ki-Ki'. That had been about 10 minutes ago, and still there was no sign of him. Blessing in disguise. So Julie was left alone trying to calm her racing heart and collect her thoughts. It wasn't working, the more she thought about it the more she realized what a huge mistake she was making. Before she had time to dwell on it she caught a group of Newpsies out of the corner of her eye and they were heading her way. They stopped within hearing distance of the car and luckily they didn't see her.
She heard one of them literally squeak with glee, "Can you believe it? Julie and Jimmy, what were they thinking. He's a thief and she's married. Mind you, it hardly surprises me that she would cheat, she looks like a cheater don't you think ladies?"
"She's right, I bet Jimmy isn't the only one, that gardener seems to be at their house a lot. I wonder if he's doing more than trimming the hedges" Another woman added.
Julie sat listening to the women criticize her and Jimmy and was suddenly wracked with guilt. Usually she would have been in the centre of that gossip-fest. Now she was on the receiving end of the biting remarks it wasn't so much fun.
After listening to the women chat away for a little while longer Julie realised that the world hadn't come crashing down around her. Yes they were talking about her but it wasn't quite as bad as she had imagined. Some of it was even quite funny, a minute ago the newpsies had decided that she was so obviously pregnant with Jimmy's love child. It was ridiculous, then the truth hit her, she had just given up her last chance with Jimmy partially because of what people like that would think.
Swallowing her pride she gracefully stepped out of the car and slipped into her trademark 'Julie Cooper Bitch Face' as she walked past the group of Newpsies. Strutting past she offered a smile and 'Hey Ladies' along with a look that said 'I heard every word you just said about me... and you will pay.' Julie smirked to herself, she still had it.
Jimmy hadn't moved since he saw the love of his life walk away from him. He sat in the same spot shell shocked, she had really just picked Caleb over him. Well not so much Caleb but Caleb's money and lifestyle. He had no idea what to do, did he stop feeling sorry for himself and go and pack to leave for Hawaii as he had originally planned? Or maybe he should go after her, put up a fight?
The voice of Caleb shouting across the beach again made his decision for him, "Jimmy where are you? I know you're here somewhere."
He chose the latter. There was no way that Jimmy Cooper was about to give up HIS wife, she wasn't Caleb's wife in his eyes, to some old man who he was pretty sure didn't love her and definitely didn't understand her the way that he did. It was time for Jimmy to stop being the feeble guy he had been recently and stand up for himself. Finally getting up he took in a deep breath and boldly strode over to where Caleb as waiting for him.
"You wanted to speak to me?" He spoke with a hint of confidence that he had been lacking over the past few months.
"I hear you've been seeing my wife, what have you got to say for yourself?" Caleb sounded oddly upset, maybe he did have a little bit of heart left in the middle of all that stone.
"Look, I love Julie with all my heart, which is a whole lot more than you love her if you love her at all. She deserves so much better than you, she needs someone who will worship her and treat her like a Queen. That's not you." He tried to explain with little success.
"That's rich coming from you. You spent most of your marriage yearning for Kirsten, I bet she felt so loved. You never worshiped her, you would have left her in a second if Kirsten had asked you to. Your marriage was probably more of a lie than mine is. As for treating her like a Queen you don't think she feels like a queen in our home? I suppose you think she'd like it more living on your little boat." Caleb knew most of what he was saying was true and waited for Jimmy's reaction.
Jimmy had never thought about it like that. Of course she felt like a Queen in that mansion, even he would feel like a Queen there. As for Caleb's view on his marriage it occurred to him if that was what most people thought their marriage was, a lie. He knew it wasn't true and he prayed that Julie knew that too. But did he really come across as that bad of a husband?
"You know nothing about our marriage so don't pretend to know what our life was like." He defended their time together angrily, pointing a finger at Caleb.
Caleb knocked his arm away harshly, "I know more than you think, in case you've forgotten, I'm married to your ex-wife."
At this Jimmy forcefully shoved him in the chest, and having been shoved Caleb decided to turn it into brawl. Caleb took a swing for his nose, fortunately he turned slightly and he missed his nose but his fist connected hard with the corner of his eye instead. Jimmy let out a groan as he felt a warm trickle of blood and went for Caleb hitting him hard in the mouth.
Eventually they were rolling in the sand, fists, elbows and legs flying wildly trying to collide with any body part that wasn't already bloodied and bruised.
Julie was practically running down the path to the beach desperate to see Jimmy and apologise. She expected him to be angry and was prepared to plead with him. What she didn't anticipate was to see him throwing punches at Caleb who was giving as good as he was receiving against the stronger man - Caleb who was supposed to be saying goodbye to Kirsten.
She had no idea what to do, she was standing witnessing two grown men beat the crap out of each other. It then dawned on her that they were most probably fighting over her and though she knew it was wrong she felt extremely flattered. Deciding she needed to take action she ran over to them.
"HEY, stop it! You two, stop, now" Her cries were very little use and only caused Jimmy to look round and smile at her, revealing a set of very bloody teeth. His moments distraction meant that Caleb had the chance to hit Jimmy square in the face. Julie gasped as Jimmy looked like he would collapse unconscious at any second. Instead he quickly came round and the two continued as they were.
Julie rushed over and attempted to drag Jimmy off of Caleb, surprisingly he stopped as soon as he felt her arms around him. She helped him to stand up and then put herself between the pair to stop any more punches. Looking at them she was horrified, they had really hurt each other. Caleb had a bloody and swollen lip, along with what would be two black eyes and more bruises than she could count. Jimmy looked even worse, the cut near his eye was painfully red and had caused the side of his face to be covered in blood and sand that had stuck, his nose was bleeding but thankfully didn't look broken and he had almost as much bruising as Caleb did. She dreaded to think of the bruises and swelling that were hidden by their clothes.
"What the Hell was that?" She shouted angrily at them.
Caleb was first to speak, he was clearly in pain, "You need to choose, its me or him."
Jimmy nodded, "As much as it pains me to say it, he's right. This can't go on, you need to pick."
She was lost for words, they didn't realise that she had already chosen and that was why she had come here in the first place. "Cal, you know I care about you but I think it might be a bit difficult to have a successful relationship when I'm in love with someone else. I'm sorry" She looked at him sadly.
Caleb nodded in defeat, it looked like he always knew who she would choose given the choice. "Okay, well I'm going to go and steal some ice from Ki-Ki. I'll be out of the house all day tomorrow so you can get your stuff, we'll organize the divorce later. You pack a good punch Jimmy." with that he left the two of them alone.
She looked over at Jimmy who was grinning despite the pain it must have been causing his battered face. "You picked me."
She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow "Did you ever have any doubt?" She asked him.
He laughed slightly, "Well yeah, you did leave with him once already tonight."
She looked down upset, "That was a mistake, you forgive me?"
"Of course I do" He leant in to kiss her but she squealed and pulled away.
"Are you serious, do you not realise you have a mouth full of blood?" She asked him laughing.
"Oh sorry, my bad. Can we go so I can get cleaned up and then maybe you'll let me kiss you." he smiled at her.
"Sure c'mon lets go. You know it's good to see you in a fight and not get knocked out. The incident at cotillion was just embarrassing" She joked.
He draped his arm over her shoulders and she wrapped an arm round his waist and let him lean on her for support.
She knew that one day they'd look back on the night as just another one of their significant moments that happened on this beach.
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