"CAKE-EATER! What have you done?" Portman boomed in Adam's face.

Adam took a step back "I didn't do anything" he answered back unsure of whether Portman was going to pound him or believe him.

"Dean, no. it wasn't Adam. It was an accident. God I am so stupid" Julie piped up from her chair. Portman rushed over to Julie's side.

"Cat lady, what happened to you? Don't tell me you fell. I've pounded enough people to know when someone's fist has done damage and when it was a wall" he said seriously.

Adam stared at him in disbelief. Something Portman had said actually made sense? What was the world coming to? He could see that Portman was not going to let him anywhere near Julie now that he was playing her saviour so he quietly waved to Julie and let himself out.

"Dean, I'm fine, really its no big deal" Julie protested. Truth was she was a little flustered to be in such a close proximity to him again, especially after she'd seen him naked.

Portman raised an eyebrow. "Gaffney, you have a fat lip. Now someone did that to you and you're going to tell me who and then I'm going to go and give him a fat lip and a lot worse" he said his eyes never leaving her face.

Julie was touched by his concern but she didn't want him going and pounding Scooter. "No Dean, you're not going to do anything. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself" she was practically yelling at him.

Portman wasn't affected, he knew she was just acting tough. "Sure catlady" he said rolling his eyes at her. before she could say anything to him the door knocked.

"Julie" Scooter's voice was heard through the closed door "Julie let me in" he pleaded.

Julie snuck a look at Portman who was beginning to put two and two together.

"Julie, I will pound his face in if he comes in and tries to hurt you" he warned.

Julie placed her arm on Portman's arm "Thanks Dean but he wont hurt me" she said stepping forward to opening the door.

Scooter smiled at Julie and she felt her heart melt. All of the things he'd done to her earlier that morning had been momentarily forgotten. However, nice Scooter was soon replaced with nasty Scooter when he spied Portman sitting on the end of Julie's bed.

"Well lookey here, we're all nice and cozy aren't we?" he accused his eyes turning cold and his hand pressing into Julie's arm.

"What? No. there's nothing going on between me and Portman" Julie explained.

Portman felt himself become slightly disappointed, she called me Portman he noted. He loved it when she called him Dean. She was the only person who was allowed to do that, even Connie had to call him Portman, which she never did anyway. He felt this connection with Julie ever since the Goodwill Games but he'd put it down to admiration for her hockey skills and the fact that they were both new to the Team at the time.

Portman's face turned to a scowl when he saw the look Scooter was giving Julie.

"Back off Scooter, let her go" Portman warned standing up, his fists curled and his muscles tensed. If he touches Julie, he'll kill him.

"Dean, no. its okay" Julie said holding her hand up in a gesture to get him to sit back down again. She called me Dean again! He thought happily.

Unfortunately Scooter noticed it too and it gave him fresh ammo "Oh so it's Dean again is it. Its all Portman when you're trying to make me believe there's nothing going on between you two and now its all Dean. You know what Julie? To hell with you, I'm just about done with you anyway you stuck up frigid bitch" Scooter said and walked away down the hall.

Dean saw red. He flew up off the bed and launched himself towards the door but the look in Julie's eyes stopped him from following Scooter down the hall. She looked so lost, so fragile. He couldn't leave her alone like this. She had this kind of effect on him, Dean Portman has actually backed down from a fight to comfort Julie Gaffney.

Julie quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and turned away from Portman. She didn't want him to see her cry.

"Hey, don't listen to him. He has no idea what he's talking about anyway. You're not a bitch and you're definitely not frigid. I saw that smile of yours when you saw me yesterday" he joked placing his arm around Julie's shoulder.

"Oh shut up" Julie said laughing a little.

"See? There's that smile again!" Portman said pulling her into him a little closer.

"God I'm such an idiot! I honestly thought he'd come around to apologise" Julie exclaimed after a while and Portman just patted her head allowing her to cry into his chest.

They sat there like that for a long time, neither realised that they'd both missed first and second period.