She saw that he was not doing well when she walked into his office. She put her medical bag on his working table and walked to him. He was looking out the window of his office into the street. She hugged him for behind, resting her chin on his shoulder, putting her arms around him.

"I'm sorry about your friend William." she said, squeezing him in her arms.

"Thank you Julia." he whispered, turning around to hug her properly.

He must be more troubled than she thought if he wanted to hug her like that in public. She felt him hiss when he moved his hands on her back.

"Come on, let's check out those burns." Julia said, getting out of his arms and leading him on a stool so she could take care of him.

She opened her bag and took out what she would need. Then she rolled his sleeves up, careful not to touch his skin.

"He could have killed me Julia. He had the gun in his hand and he was aiming at me."

"But he didn't. He killed the one man responsible for all this mess." she tried to reason him. "And he helped you get out of that burning barn." she added, trying not to let the tears roll down her cheeks.

She busied herself with her supplies, putting some sort of oily substance on his burns.

"I'm sorry Julia. I didn't mean to scare you … again."

"Don't be silly William. You couldn't have predicted that you would be abducted and kept in a barn by Irish nationalists. And I knew these … situations could happen when I married you."

"Still. I'm sorry for making you worry, I ..."

"Stop it William, I get it. No need to rub it in." Julia said, pressing bandages on his wounds to make him stop talking. "So, last night you said you and Eddie were trouble makers at the Jesuits..." she said, changing the subject.

"I would not call us trouble makers, really. We were just … children. And the teachers didn't think that was appropriate."

"I have to admit, I have a really hard time imagining you getting in trouble. You are always so … appropriate."

"Well, I guess their lessons finally sank in. But I was a lively boy and I liked to run around, climb on things and … well investigate I guess you could call it." he laughed.

"I wished I had met you when I was a child. I was quite a trouble maker myself. It would have been good having a mischief companion."

"I bet you were so cute as a little girl ." William said. "And you still are so cute now, as a grown, beautiful, wonderful woman." he added when he saw the questioning look in her eyes.

"Well, being cute certainly got me out of several punishments but the children I was often with were so intent on "playing grown-ups" as they called it, I was always bored out of my mind. And they were kind of mean too, saying I was not a real girl."

"You are a real girl Julia. An exceptional one. It's too bad for them but it's a good thing for me. I wish they could see you now, all wonderful and accomplished. They would feel so stupid to have made fun of you." William imagined, smiling.

"Well, that's enough for your fantasy world. Let's go home. I'll need to redress your bandages before bed."

"I prefer when you undress me."

"William! Did you get hit on the head at some point? People can hear us, the two doors are open!"

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just … Eddie's story made me realize I can't live without you. I honestly don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me William. And even if it did, you would continue to live and do what you have to do."

"I'm not sure."

"Well, let's go home and talk about something more cheerful." Julia said, getting the supplies back in her bag as William got up and put his jacket back on.

"Let me take your bag."

"You're hurting William, I can carry my own bag."

"Come on, my wrists are burnt, not my hands. I can carry your bag. As a thank you for taking care of me."

"Alritght then. Let's go home Mr. Murdoch."