"You didn't tell me you were back!" Julie screeched accepting the hug that was being offered. All thoughts of Portman working in her building had flown out of her mind as her best male friend had returned to Chicago.
"You know me, I'm full of surprises" the blond 'muscle man' answered with a cheeky grin.
"And when did you go blond?" Julie eyed his hair suspiciously.
"When Enrique told me he had a thing for blonds" he answered simply.
"I told you you'd knock em' dead in Spain! It looks good on you though" Julie reached out and ruffled his hair.
"I know, I'm the hottest eye candy there is"
"Don't you mean 'man candy'? Julie giggled.
"My bad" he laughed.
"Anyway enough about my fabulous self what about you 'Miss Thang' how did your friend's 'wedding weekend' go?" he asked just as Julie's cell phone went off.
"Meet me for lunch at 1 and I'll tell you all about it" Julie told him giving him another hug before answering her phone.
"Julie Gaffney" she answered waving goodbye to her friend.
Portman tried his hardest not to stare at the guy who was now exiting the building but he couldn't help wonder what was it that this guy had that he didn't have, well besides Julie.
Shaking any negative thoughts out of his head he got back to work.
He was startled a few hours later when a co-worker politely informed him that it was quitting time.
Portman looked around and noticed that everyone else had packed up and were ready to head home.
He didn't say anything to anyone as he too packed up his gear and left the building. He had this sudden urge to make a date with Jack Daniels and/or Johnny Walker.
Why did everything get so damn fucked up? He cast a glance back towards the building he knew had held Julie earlier that day and set off home.
…………………………………………………………………………
"Ames are you home?" Julie called out a little tipsy. She'd met up with her friend for lunch and somehow it had turned into happy hour at the bar down the road.
"In here Jules" Amy called out.
Julie made her way to Amy's bedroom and lingered in the doorway.
"You'll NEVER guess who I saw today!" Julie said excitedly.
"Who?" Amy smirked slightly. She could tell Julie had been drinking.
"Bruce! He's back from Spain and HE'S BLOND!" Julie screamed the last part.
"Whoa there drunk girl calm down" Amy laughed sitting up.
"I'm not drunk!" Julie protested but her body thought otherwise as she slipped a little down the doorway.
"You so are and you didn't invite me!" Amy pretended to be hurt.
"Its Friday isn't it? Do you want to get drunk with me?" Julie was feeling a little wild. Hanging out with Bruce always did that to her.
"Sure" Amy agreed feeling a little adventurous. They'd only just gotten smashed the night before and suddenly they felt the need to be teenagers again.
Which was how they ended up all dressed up and heading into a liquor store three blocks away.
"Julie sshh you'll get us kicked out" Amy hissed trying to calm Julie down who was in a full blown rant about how much of an idiot she was for letting Portman go again.
"But AAAMMYYY!" Julie whined.
"SSHH!" Amy scolded wondering if getting drunk was such a good idea.
Ah fuck it, its not like we have anything better to do she decided heading towards the hard liquor section.
"I want Jim Beam!" Julie yelled from her spot in the wine aisle.
Amy grabbed a bottle of Beam white label for Julie and decided to get a bottle of Jacks and a bottle of Johnny black label. May as well get drunk on the good stuff she thought.
"Sorry" Amy said when she realised she'd just bumped into someone.
"Don't worry about it" a smooth voice that belonged to a tall, dark and handsome stranger replied.
Amy couldn't help but get the feeling that this guy was incredibly familiar but she couldn't quite place it.
Unfortunately Julie had entered the aisle and could place it straight away.
"What are you doing here?" she asked a little coldly.
"Jules" the guy turned to face Julie.
"What are you doing here?" she asked again.
"I live around the corner, what are you doing here?" he challenged.
Uh oh, big mistake Amy thought knowing Julie was going to bite back hard.
"I can go anywhere I damn well want to, I don't have to answer to you anymore" Julie spat.
"Jules, you never had to answer to me, I'm aware you're your own woman" the guy replied.
"Argh you just don't get it do you!" Julie was almost in tears as she turned around and stormed out of the shop leaving Amy staring at the guy dumbfounded.
"She always was the stubborn one" he tried grinning sheepishly.
"Portman?" Amy suddenly realised who this guy was.
"Yeah" Portman said sadly.
"I'd better go see if she's okay" Amy replied feeling a little sorry for the guy.
"Yeah" he said again.
Amy left him in the middle of the aisle.
"Ahem Miss?" the cashier interrupted Amy before she could run out of the door.
"Huh?" Amy turned around and realised that she was still holding two bottles of liquor.
"Oh" she apologised and handed the cashier a hundred dollar bill.
"Keep the change, it's the least we can do" she said referring to the noise Julie had made and her stormy exit.
"Thanks" the cashier was grateful.
Amy found Julie sitting at a bus stop around the corner.
"Sorry" Julie immediately began apologising.
"Its okay, look I brought friends" Amy joked holding up the bottles of alcohol.
"Very funny" Julie cracked a smile.
"So are you okay?" Amy asked.
"Yeah just feeling like an idiot" Julie admitted wishing she handled the situation a little better than she had.
"Wanna go home and act like the biggest idiots together?" Amy suggested.
"Sure loser" Julie laughed standing up.
"I'll give you loser you dork!" Amy started chasing Julie.
Julie shrieked and took off laughing like a schoolgirl again.
Dean emerged from the liquor store in time to see Julie shrieking past him and Amy chasing her.
At least she's laughing. He thought before making his own way home.
A/N - sorry this chapter sucks, I ran out of ideas. Next chapter will be just before Fulton's wedding.