Author's Note: Sorry about the wait...please review, I'd appreciate it!

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Chapter 6: The Magic's Gone

"Isn't it funny that we're the same size, except I'm shorter?" Layla giggled smoothing the bridesmaid dress that Julie would now not be wearing. Julie sighed. It was true, Layla's curves fit perfectly into the dress.

"Yeah," Julie mumbled, "Hilarious." Layla looked at her.

"What's wrong exactly Julie?" Layla said. "It's Portman right?"

"Just being here, without him, you know?" Julie shrugged. "I don't know, and she's, well, she's just so my exact opposite you know."

"Julie," Layla looked at her. "You're amazing, you all are, I've always thought so." Julie smiled. "It just seems so strange to me, that you didn't manage to stay together. What happened? Because you're clearly still in love with him."

"I don't know," She said, "There was something really magic about me and Portman in the beginning," She shook her head and started running her fingers up and down a white lace veil, "The magic was gone. Around the same time the Eric was born, and Luis and Aimee got engaged, and we were finishing college. I think he was scared to be a grown up to be honest." Layla looked at her. "If he'd bothered to ask me or talk to me about it, I would have said I was scared too."

"I'm fighting against being a grown up with all my might," Layla said, turning her lithe little body to see the dress from every angle, "Of course I'm still in college, so it's less of a fight than you guys have."

"We all see you fight Lay," Julie laughed. Layla smiled, "You're good for him. Don't let him get away."

"I love Charlie," Layla said softly, "More than anything. I don't want this though, the wedding I'd like but I'm not cut out for marriage, I'm too selfish." Julie smiled, at least she admitted it.

"I want it someday," Julie whispered, "But I don't know, seeing everything Connie and Guy have gone through, especially with Eric, I think waiting a little bit isn't a horrible idea." Layla nodded. "What do you think of Adam dating Mel Rubens?"

"Oh my God, I'd be thrilled if he and Sherry didn't belong together!" Layla sighed, "I'm wearing her shoes see?" She pointed her feet. "I'm sure she's nice though."

"Hey," Connie said pulling Guy behind the rest of the group as the guys wheeled Eric, "I was thinking that maybe Eric's uncles would want to catch up with him so you and I could have some alone time." She kissed him. "What do you think?"

"I think this is our first family vacation," He said, "I think we should be together."

"OK," She looked at him, "We have a hotel room and free babysitting." He looked at her. "I want to have sex Guy, if I must spell it out for you."

"Yeah, I got that," He nodded, "I just thought we would hang out, with Eric, be a family."

"We are a family," She looked at him. "But Guy you've barely touched me since I had the baby." He kissed her. "I mean, I know, I've gained weight because of it, and taking care of him tires me out and takes up most of my time, I wish I could be one of those cool easy moms who like drops the weight and always looks put together, but I'm not." He blinked she was talking so fast, "And I guess I'm not sexy anymore, but I miss our sex life and I know it can't be what it was before Eric, and I love him, but I,"

"Connie," He said, kissing her, "I love you, and you are very sexy, and I'm sorry, it's mostly my fault that our sex life kind of sucks, it's just when I'm working, all I can think about is being with Eric, and you, but I want to be there for our kid." She smiled. "Leaving Eric with the Ducks is risky. They break things. I don't want them to break our son."

"Layla and Julie will make sure he's OK," She shrugged he looked at her, "Julie will make sure he's OK."

"Yeah," She said, "Pretty much, but Layla buys him really good presents."

"Hey," Adam ran catching them.

"Oh it's disappearing MVP," Connie said.

"Dude," Guy said, "I haven't even seen your ring yet!"

"It's like when someone gets engaged," Melissa laughed coming behind him, "You run fast," He smiled. "I'm Melissa."

"Connie," Connie smiled, "Walk with me, Julie's busy so I have to decide on my own if you're good enough for him."

"I like her already," Melissa laughed. Adam nodded and they started moving.

"How's the kid?" Adam asked.

"Best thing to ever happen to me," Guy smiled. "I highly recommend fatherhood." Adam smiled. He'd pictured kids. Mel was far too career oriented to want a family, she'd said so. Sherry would be a great mom. No, he had to get that out of his head. That was over, before it had really ever began.

"I kinda like that," Luis smiled. Aime looked up at him, while she broke off a piece of a pretzel and handed it to Eric.

"What?" She asked.

"You with a baby," He said. "What do you think?" She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe when we get out of Orlando," She shrugged. He nodded. "It would be nice though huh?"

"Yeah," He nodded, "I love you Aimee."

"I love you too," She kissed him. "We're getting married tomorrow Luis."

"Yeah, I know," He smiled. "Excited?"

"A little nervous," She laughed, "Is that silly?"

"No," He smiled, "Forever's a long time. I'm glad it's with you though."

"Hey you," Julie looked over from the bar that night at the rehearsal dinner.

"Hey," She smiled at Portman. "Where's Maya?"

"She wanted to check out Fantasmick," He shrugged, "She took a bus over." She nodded. "This is really unbelievable Jules. If it were anyone but you, I never would have thought that this could be done in a month."

"Yeah, it's pretty good huh?" She looked around. He nodded. "Portman, um, I am glad, if you're happy with Maya." He shrugged.

"I miss hearing you call me Portman," He laughed. She smiled. "It's Dean with Maya. I should apologize, for New Years," She swallowed, "It was shitty of me to bring that girl."

"It's fine," She shrugged.

"Julie," Connie ran over, "I have to pee like crazy, can you hold him?" She handed off a sleeping Eric.

"Yeah," Julie nodded, cradling him against her shoulder. "What are godmother's for?" Connie smiled and walked off. Portman looked at Julie softly cradling the small blond boy. Seeing Julie with a baby was oddly exciting to him. He smiled, imagining his own son, blond hair like hers, probably he just saw that though because it was Eric, "What are you staring at?"

"Um, nothing," He said. "I should go meet up with Maya."

"Sure," She nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding."

"OK," He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. He walked away.

"That looked like magic to me," Layla said sneaking behind Julie.

"Whatever," Julie rolled her eyes. "Tell Sherry to run things? I need to get out of here." She handed Layla the baby, "Take care of Eric."

"Sure," Layla nodded. Julie finished her drink and started to walk away. "And Julie?" She turned, "Thanks for um, you know."

"Dude," She shrugged, "You've been around for almost four years, you've earned babysitter status at least."

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