William walked to the sofa and collapsed on it as soon as they got back home.
"I think I ate too much." he groaned when Julia joined him in the living room.
"You think? William you ate more for lunch that you normally eat in two or three days." Julia scolded him
"But it was so good, and she kept filling my plate." William protested.
"It's a good thing you don't live there then, you would end up really fat." Julia laughed.
"You should ask Margaret for her pudding recipe, it was … wonderful."
"If I didn't know you better, I would say you are drunk William." Julia said, sitting down next to him.
"Did you have a good time?" he asked, turning his head to look at her.
"Of course I had a good time. Christmal meal with the Brackenreids is always very nice, even more so now that we don't have to hide any more. You remember the year when Margaret almost walked in on us on the porch to give you your jacket." she laughed at the memory.
"That was embarrassing." William said.
" Do you think she really believed you when you told her that you were showing me the different types of trees in their garden?" she asked, laughing hard when she remembered her husband's face at the time.
"Maybe … she was nice enough not to come too close, leaving the jacket on the banister rail. If she had seen where my hand was, she would certainly not have believed it." William answered, smiling.
"It's a good thing we don't have to hide anymore." Julia said, sliding closer to her husband.
"Yes, that's nice." he smiled. "It's going to be really, really nice when I am able to kiss you into the new century at the Police Ball next week." he said, kissing her softly.
"I hope you will do better than that." Julia laughed. "I bought a new dress for the occasion, and it deserves more than this kiss. Maybe you should try again." she teased.
"They say practice makes perfect." William said, pulling Julia on top of him.
"Sir, can I ask you a question?" George asked as William walked past his desk.
"Of course George, what is it?"
"I … well, I wanted to ask Doctor Grace to accompany me to the Ball tomorrow."
"Alright... That's not a question George." William said.
"Well, do you think I should ask her? I mean, she is a doctor and I am a simple constable so ..."
"So you should ask her George, it's the only way to know. You have nothing to lose here. And I speak from experience when I say that being a constable is not always an obstacle to have a lady doctor to go out with you." William said, smiling. "Now, I'm on my way to the asylum."
When he arrived there, William bumped into a woman who was carrying so many books she couldn't see where she was going and sent them flying to the ground.
"Oh, I'm sorry I … Julia? What are you doing here?" William asked as he picked her books up.
"I came to borrow some books from Doctor Roberts about psychology. This field is absolutely fascinating!"
"I know, you haven't stopped talking about it for the last month." William laughed.
"Well, that's because there is a lot of things to discover. What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I came to see a man who stopped a shooting this morning."
"Why is he here at the asylum?"
"Oh, he claims he is from the future."
"How fascinating!"
"Would … would you like to come with me? I need to go see Doctor Roberts."
"Yes, that would be nice. And you can carry my books." Julia said, smiling, kissing him on the cheek before transfering all the books into his arms.
"It would be my pleasure." William groaned.
When they walked out of the asylum, they decided to stop at their house to drop off Julia's books. They were ready to go back out, someone knocked at the door. Julia opened and was faced by a huge flower bouquet. A man appeared above the flowers, a man she did not want to see.
"Doctor Garland, what are you doing here?" she asked coldly.
"I saw you get in and ..."
"Are you following me?" she asked, getting angry.
"Julia, what is going … what are you doing here?" William asked, placing himself between the door and Julia. "Are you looking for trouble?"
"No, I just came to ask Doctor Ogden if she would accompany me to a party tonight to celebrate the new century."
Willam and Julia looked at each other, too stunned to say anything.
"Don't you like the flowers?"
"Of course Doctor Garland, they're very nice."
"Why don't you come in, Doctor?" William proposed, squeezing Julia's hand when he saw the look on her face. "Please, make yourself comfortable in the living room. Julia, would you bring us all some tea?"
"What are you doing William?" she whispered.
"Can you … entertain him for a while? I need to telephone the station, get someone to arrest him."
"Oh, alright."
Half an hour later, George and the Inspector were at the door, Darcy Garland in handcuffs.
"Sir! Doctor Ogden!" George called them from the other side of the dance floor.
William and Julia walked to him.
"You look wonderful Doctor."
"Thank you George." she said, throwing a knowing look at her husband. "I really appreciate the compliment. But I must warn you, I have been forbidden to dance with you tonight."
"Why? By who?"
"My dear husband, right here." she answered. "He seems to think my dress is too ... alluring."
"Well, I must admit … it looks really good on you Doctor." George said, blushing.
"Go find something to drink George." William almost ordered.
"William, that was rude!" Julia reprimanded.
"I didn't like the way he was looking at you." he simply said.
"Come on William, it's George!" Julia laughed. "And I thought you liked the dress?" she teased, pressing herself against him.
"Oh I do. I love it. What bothers me is that every other man in this rooms seems to have the same reaction I had, and I don't like it."
"I seem to only recall a "wow" being pronounced and eyes opening wide." Julia said, kissing him softly on the lips.
"That's because you were not in my head." William whispered in her ear.
"Stop that William." she warned.
"Why? You've been torturing me since the moment you put that dress on." he said, putting his hand on the small of her back.
"Oh look, Emily has come after all!" Julia exclaimed, walking to meet her.
William laughed. He knew she would not have been able to resist him. He took two glasses of champagne from a waiter and followed his wife.
"Here you go ladies." William said, handing a glass to each of them.
"Thank you Detective. Have you seen George? I mean, Constable Crabtree?" Emily asked.
"Yes, he was over there... Oh here he is talking to the Inspector." Julia said, pointing to the bar where the two of them were sitting.
"Excuse me." Emily said, wlaking away form them, a shy smile on her face.
"Alright, now I can see it." William said.
"Better late than never." Julia laughed. "Now, what are you waiting for to ask your wife to dance?"
He didn't need to be asked twice. He took Julia's glass from her hand, put it on a nearby table and took her hand to lead her on the dance floor. They probably danced too close to each other for society's rules but it felt right, and that was all that mattered.
"You never told me what you saw when you went to the future ." Julia said.
"I saw you of course, what else could I have seen?" William asked, smiling before kissing her. "You are my future Julia, I never doubted it. Even Doctor Roberts and his hypnotic suggestions comfirmed it."
They stopped dancing when they heard the fireworks. Everybody moved to the windows and balconies to admite the view but the Murdochs satyed on the now deserted dance floor.
"Happy New Year Mrs Murdoch." William said, kissing her softly.
"Happy New Century Mr Murdoch." Julia said, kissing him back passionately.
When they separated, some people applauded, making both of them blush deeply.
"Maybe we should go home." William suggested, keeping Julia against him.
"Best idea you ever had." she answered, kissing him.