Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews as always. I appreciate the love for the chapter. This one is busy, just a warning. A lot going on and the much anticipated...KITTY AND JULIAN CONVERSATION! I put a lot into it, I know its long, but I hope you guys can stick it out!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 12: What's the Deal?

"Hey man," Ryan got out of his car at a gas station where Dom was filling up. "Putting off dinner with the family?"

"What are you up to tonight?" Dom laughed. "Dee's still under house arrest right?"

"Hitting Lilly's party with the team," he shrugged, "One of the defensemen has a thing with her, and it beats sitting around hoping Adam gives Deena her phone back tonight."

"She asked me to go," Dom said, Ryan looked at him, "Lilly, she asked me to go to the party."

"You're not going to are you?" Ryan asked, Dom shrugged, "Dude, you stand up her family for Lilly, Theresa will kill you."

"Kill me how bad?" He asked. "I really don't want to do that dinner."

"If it were anyone else, probably just normal kill you," Ryan said, "But, Lilly's a different story. Especially since she wants you and Re knows that. When it comes to Lilly, those girls are so insecure."

"Why?" Dom asked, "I'm not into Lilly, by the way."

"Deena and Lilly have hated each other forever, it just is that way. But with Re, its different." Ryan shook his head, "They were really good friends when we were freshmen, and until last year they were OK. But once all this Kitty stuff started happening, I don't know, Theresa changed a lot. She was all about taking care of her family, making sure things were OK," He shook his head, "And all those assholes, asking her out every minute, thinking that if they deflowered Kitty Portman's little sister they'd have some sort of prize. There was one, this senior who she actually liked a lot. The problem was, Lilly liked him too, and well, it didn't take her long to convince him that there was no way he was getting anywhere with Re. Next thing you know, he's down on a couch at a party and Lilly is down on him."

"Shit," Dom shook his head. "Got it, so stay away from the party."

"Blow off dinner if you want," Ryan shrugged, "But don't go to the party, unless, you go to dinner first and can get Re away from Danny long enough to go to the party."

"You seem like an expert," Dom laughed.

"Eighteen years with Dee, and four with Re," Ryan smiled, "I should be. See you later man."

"So since he's not here do we get to talk about him?" Marie smiled giddily shooting a glance at Theresa, who then slammed her drink down on the table.

"Marie," Julie shot her a look, trying not to laugh, "You know that's rude."

"That's how it always worked with Julian," she shrugged. "And Theresa was the worst."

"You guys used to talk about Julian?" Kitty asked.

"Oh, all the time," Danny laughed, "Just not when you were around. So Marie," he smiled at her, "We will discuss Dominic tomorrow on the drive home."

"I'd really rather you guys didn't talk about him at all thank you," Theresa said. "I don't want you being all judgy with him like we used to be with Julian."

"What did you used to say about Julian?" Kitty said looking around. Danny and Marie were in full on giggles. "Seriously?"

"We used to just pick him apart," Theresa said, "You know, his shirt made his face look washed out, he shouldn't have worn those pants."

"Wow, Danny, your picking apart seems very gay," Kitty laughed.

"No, those were mine," Theresa said.

"Yeah, mine were more, along the lines of, he didn't puck handle well this time," Danny shrugged.

"And you two?" Kitty pointed and Reid and Fulton, both of whom were so busy shoving bread in their mouths they hadn't at all participated in the conversation.

"Uh," Reid said and looked at his twin, "Fult?"

"Julian was small and weak," Fulton said, "And uh, we" they looked over and saw Thersa scowling, "We really like Dom."

"A lot," Reid nodded in her direction, "He's awesome."

"He's late," Dean mumbled. Theresa looked down. She wasn't happy at that moment. Where was he? He had been right behind them.

"I'm sure he's on his way," Lexi gave her a reassuring nod. She smiled weakly. "I mean, when Darryl went up to Boston to meet my Dad, he was like three hours late."

"Yeah then he threw you out of his apartment," Danny mumbled, "Obviously we want the same kind of guy for Re." She looked over at him and sighed. "Just an observation."

"I remember when I met your grandpa Lex," Julie smiled, trying to break the tension, "I was scared out of my mind. I thought for sure he wouldn't like me."

"Gramps is pretty scary," Lexi laughed, "I think I've seen him smile like three times. He does like you though, Mrs. Portman, Mom cried once because he said something about how Dad should have married you."

"Really?" Julie laughed. "He remembered me?"

"'That pretty blonde who you dated at Eden Hall,'" Lexi nodded. "He was piss ass drunk, but it was bad."

"Daddy, maybe we should order," Theresa sighed, "I mean, maybe he wasn't feeling well. I should go call him," she stood up, and turned around. She smiled as she looked at the door and walked over.

"I'm sorry baby," he whispered and kissed her, "I needed gas."

"I was worried," she said, "Also, my family is crazy, and I need you." He laughed. "Come on."

"I can't stay Re," he smiled, "At the gas station I ran into Ryan, he was heading to Lilly's, but he didn't want to go alone, so we're gonna meet up at school."

"Isn't he going with the team?" She said confused.

"I know, but he asked me," he shrugged.

"OK," she nodded, and kissed him. "I'll see you later? Come by tonight."

"Sure thing," he said. "Tell them I'm sorry OK?" He kissed her again. "Bye."

"So?" Dean looked at her, as she sat down.

"He's going back to school," she lied, "I was right, he wasn't feeling well."

"What was it really?" Danny asked Theresa as they drove back to school. The twins had opted for spending the night at the hotel, so it was just like before. "He wasn't sick Re."

"He went to Lilly's party," Theresa said quietly.

"God, I'll kill him," he mumbled.

"He was just hanging out with Ryan, it's not a big deal," she said, "I mean, Ryan has been really lonely, since Deena's house arrest."

"That's bullshit, Ryan has a whole team of friends to go with," He shook his head. "Why this guy Re?"

"Why not this guy?" she retorted, "You don't know him."

"And you do?" He said. "You met him a month ago!"

"I know he cares about me," she argued back, "He told me he loves me Danny."

"Oh yeah," he nodded, "I'm sure he did. When'd you start sleeping with him?"

"If that was any of your business," she said, "which it isn't, I haven't. And I don't plan to, not for a while."

"Does he know that?" Danny looked at her. She looked down at the ground. "Thought so."

"At least I have someone Danny," she defended herself. "At least I haven't spent eight years moping around, waiting for someone to notice me. Wake up Daniel! She's single, there's no one in your way anymore, and she still doesn't want you!"

"Ouch, Re," he said quietly. "I'm just looking out for you, I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm concerned, especially since he blew us off, for Lilly's party." He shook his head. "That doesn't strike you as weird?"

"I trust him," she said, "He's given me no reason not to."

"Except blowing off your family to hang out with Lilly Powell," Danny shrugged. "Look, it just makes me nervous, I'm not trying to freak out on you. No one wants to see you get hurt by this punk." He sighed. "There's this girl in one of my classes, she asked me out for coffee."

"Are you going to go?" Theresa asked.

"I went," he said, "it went further than it should have Re. I can't get her out of my head!"

"Did you sleep with her?" she asked. He shook his head. "Then how did it go too far?"

"I didn't even like her, but I'm going to go out with her again," he explained. "We went back to her room, it just, it doesn't feel right. You always said I should date, see other people. I don't want to see other people. Because when I'm with other women, all I think about is her."

Lexi sighed moving from the hotel bar to the main lobby towards the elevator. She hadn't felt this way in years. The confused knot in the bottom of her stomach was something that came from one person and one person only. And when she looked up from her purse, where she was searching for her phone, there he was. Tall, blonde and perfect, smiling down at her.

"What do you want?" She whispered.

"I only came here today for one reason Lex," he smiled, putting a hand to her face. "I came for you."

"Andy," she backed away, "Leave."

"Do you miss me at all baby?" He whispered. She shook her head and moved past him. "I'm in love with you. I have been for years. I just, I couldn't deal with my feelings."

"That's too bad," she said turning around, "Because I don't want anything to do with you."

"You don't mean that," he took her waist, she couldn't bring herself to move away, "I see it, Lexi, I know."

"You broke my heart." She said, "But I have a life now. I have people who care about me, someone who loves me."

"Danny?" He laughed. She looked him straight in the eye, "He's not the guy for you." He kissed her, trying to show her what he was feeling

"Neither are you," She pulled away. "I've always wanted to hear you say you loved me, especially once I was over you." She smiled. "There's something I've wanted to say to you."

"What?" He said quietly.

"I guess, I'll always sort of love you," she said cruelly, "But baby," she smiled, "it's been over for a long time, you've got to move on. You blew it," she walked up to him, and moved her hands over his chest, "you're never going to have me again." She kissed him this time. "This is good bye, Andy, for real this time." She walked away.

"You're making a mistake," he said. "You think he's just gonna wait around forever until you get your shit together? You think that you'll find someone else, who can make you feel like I made you feel? Christ Lex, we were eighteen and it was the best sex of my life. That has to mean something."

"It means that I'm a great fuck," she smiled whipping around. "I've already found better. You're not going to get me. I'm not that insecure little girl who needed you so bad anymore. Your little mind games aren't going to get me."

"I'm not playing games," he said, "I'm serious."

"OK," she nodded. "Fine, you're serious. Give me a phone call sometime, or write me, whatever. Show me you're serious Andy, find a way."

"I can think of a way," he came close to her again and kissed her deeply, one arm around her waist, the other moving through her red curls.

"Any way but that," she whispered, moving away from him. She turned around. "Danny," she sighed. He shook his head and kept moving. "Danny," she stopped him, "It's not what it looks like, we were just talking."

"Right yeah," Danny nodded, "that's what it used to be like? You two would talk, then you'd hang out right? I get it now."

"No," she said, "no, I'm not going to sleep with him. And it's not your business anyway. But he told me he loves me Danny. I've waited six years for that. So I'm going to give him a chance, to show me that he's serious."

"How does a guy show he's serious Lex?" Danny sighed, "Does he talk to you on the phone for hours every day? Is he your best friend for four years?"

"He starts by telling me how he feels," she snapped. "By being upfront with me." She turned around and walked away.

"He didn't show," Kitty shook her head, holding her phone close to her ear. "She said he was sick. He wasn't sick."

"Kitty," Julian smiled, "I'm sure he was just scared. Your family is scary. They're loud and intimidating. And if I didn't love you so much I would have trouble putting up with them."

"I guess," she sighed. "So, two more weeks?"

"I hate it," he said, "I hate that we're finally together again and we never see each other."

"It's just until everything dies down," she sighed, "And I can move in with Lexi quietly, without it totally disrupting her life. There are only two photographers left on my parent's lawn, so that's good." Julian laughed. "Mmm, I missed that sound."

"I found something today," he said softly, "Something that I thought we should discuss."

"What?" She said confused.

"I found your ring," he smiled. "God, it looks even smaller now, baby. I always wanted to get you a better one, and I definitely can now."

"Don't you dare!" She shrieked. "That's my ring Julian Adam Banks, and I want it."

"You threw it at my head," he laughed. "And it didn't do much, because it's tiny."

"Fine," she sighed, "But I want to keep the setting, you want to buy a bigger stone, go for it. But you don't need to."

"Remember when we bought it?" He laughed.

"You had spent like two weeks straight working," she laughed, "And had Andy drive you everywhere,"

"To save gas money," he laughed. "And then there it was, the tiniest diamond known to man, and I could barely afford that."

"I loved that ring Julian," she smiled, "Because it was our first step. It was the first step of doing it on our own. It was so much more than an engagement ring. It showed that we could do this, we were ready for it,"

"So what happened?" He said, "We never talked about it Kitty."

"I got scared," she sighed. "I was out of my mind. All I could think about was my mother, if that makes any sense."

"Of course it makes sense," Julian sighed, "But you know, my grandpa bought her ring." Kitty laughed.

"I didn't know that," she said. "So where are we on the ring?"

"We keep the ring," he said.

"No new diamond?" She asked.

"No new diamond." He laughed, "But for our fist anniversary, I'm buying you a giant freaking right hand ring."

"I have no problem with that," Kitty smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too," Julian said, "Good night."

"Night." She said and hung up.

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