Author's Note: Not alot to say. Thanks for the reviews, I hope you like this chapter. I've officially decided that there will be a third story in this series, once this one is finished, which still isn't for a while.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I sooo wish I did.

Chapter 12: Working Through It

"Gunnar," Julie emerged and swallowed, "um, we should go talk," he nodded.

"I'm sorry, I should have called," He said, "I didn't realize that you had company and,"

"It's fine," she sighed, him and his damn manners. "Let's just go down to Starbucks OK?" They walked out.

"I should check the food," Colleen said awkwardly heading over to the kitchen.

"I'll uh help you with that," Carla went with her. Charlie looked at Connie.

"One of us should talk to Portman," he said. She looked down, "Guess it's me then." He stood up and walked into the room.

"Is he gone?" Dean looked up. Charlie nodded. "She went with him," another nod. "Great."

"So, um, you slept with Tammy?" Charlie tried. "Wanna explain that one to me?"

"Not really, no," he said, "Fulton told you?"

"Only when I mentioned something about Carla having to deal with you and Julie being in some sort of crisis," Charlie shrugged, "He said it was probably related. Why'd you do it?"

"Why do Tammy and I do anything?" Dean shrugged, "It's like we have a hurt Fulton and Julie as much as possible function or something,"

"She came back for Fulton?" Charlie said confused.

"Far as I know, yeah," he nodded. "Does he still hate me?"

"You're not his favorite person," Charlie said, "To be honest I haven't seen him this mad at you since you decided not to come to Eden Hall. He'll get past it man. Hell, if Connie can forgive Guy for sleeping with Gary, I think the bonds of Duck love go deeper than even I ever imagined."

"Hope so," He laughed. "God, it was a mistake. Could have nailed any girl that night, you know, it had to be Tammy Duncan."

"Yeah, yeah," Charlie said, "Come on, I think we have to salvage the evening so Carla has a chance to charm Coach."

"Right," He laughed, "Oh, and dude, go easy on Riley, OK? He's a good guy, and he loves her."

"The things I do for the Ducks," Charlie shook his head, "Alright, I'll make nice with the Varsity."

"What were you thinking?" Julie sighed as they sat at a table at the Starbucks a few blocks away, they always used to go there. "I can't even," she stopped, as he slid his hand out onto hers. "Gunnar," she shook her head.

"Julie," he said, "I love you. I've never felt the way I feel about you about any woman before." He smiled, "I know you love me too. You're not happy with him."

"I am happy with him," she said. "I'm very happy with him."

"He's going to break your heart again," he whispered, "You know it, everyone around you knows it, Julie, listen to me," he took both of her hands, she pulled them away, "I will never hurt you. Never, do you understand me?"

"You're hurting me now," she said, "I love him, Gunnar, and he loves me. And if you love me as much as you say you do, you'll respect that."

"Has he offered you a future Julie?" He asked, "Has he ever promised you anything more than one day to the next?" She closed her eyes and exhaled. "Do you want to live your life like that? Never knowing what's going to happen, if he'll be there the next morning."

"I can't help it," she said quietly, "I love him. I'd rather live day to day like that with him, than not be with him at all." She looked down at her coffee.

"But are you happy?" Gunnar asked, taking his hand and caressing her face. She closed her eyes, his touch lit her up, it always had, but she couldn't let him see that.

"I am," she said, "He makes me happy."

"I made you happy," he said, leaning in and kissing her. For a moment she forgot herself and kissed him back.

"No," she pulled away, "no, Gunnar, please listen, it's over."

"It can't be perfect Julie," he shook his head. "That day, when I ran into you, you said that you had fought?" She nodded. "What was the fight about?"

"He slept with somebody," she explained, "When he found out about us."

"That doesn't seem like something to fight about," Gunnar said confused.

"It was who he slept with," she sighed. "Look, it isn't important."

"Was it Tammy?" He said, she closed her eyes, now remembering she had confided her Tammy insecurities to him. "It was."

"We worked through it," she said, he looked at her skeptically, "We're working through it. Gunnar," she sighed, "Please don't look at me like that."

"I'm so afraid for you," he sighed, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't get hurt," she said. "I won't."

"You ready for this?" Charlie smiled, squeezing Carla's hand, she was sitting on the bed in Colleen's room.

"Does it matter?" She laughed. He kissed her. "If he doesn't like me, will you break up with me?"

"Carla," He laughed, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not going to break up with you. And he's going to like you. Everybody likes you."

"True," she smiled, "I'm very loveable."

"Exactly," He nodded. "Now come on." He took her hand and walked her out of the room, "Coach," he smiled, "This is Carla Estevez."

"It's nice to meet you," He smiled and shook her hand she smiled. "Finally, I've heard good things."

"It's nice to meet you too," she said, "I mean, I've heard so much about you and the team from Julie and then Connie, and now Charlie," she laughed.

"I hope I live up to the hype," he laughed. "Alright, Connie," she looked over. "Your turn."

"Coach, you've met Rick before," She sighed, Rick laughed.

"Not as your boyfriend," Rick smiled, "Coach Bombay, it's nice to see you again."

"You too," he nodded. "So, Dean, where's Julie."

"She's um," Dean looked around, "She's having coffee with her ex fiancé."

"Julie was engaged?" He said, everyone quietly looked down. "To who?"

"You remember Gunnar Stahl right Coach?" Connie smiled awkwardly, she realized now that she was going to have to tell the whole story.

"So that went relatively smoothly," Gary laughed, that night as everyone had left. "I mean, the fact that Julie's not back yet worries me a little."

"I can't believe I had to tell Coach about Gunnar," Connie sighed, "He liked you though Carla, which was the point of this whole night."

"I know," she smiled.

"Can I ask you guys something?" Colleen piped up. She'd been quiet most of the night.

"Course sweetie," Gary smiled.

"Is Scooter as rich as Rick?" She said, "And also, is it weird that I like him?"

"Ha!" Gary say, "Pay up Moreau, I told you she liked him!"

"Fine," Connie went to her purse and threw a five dollar bill at Gary. "Colleen, sweetheart, Scooter is in fact richer than Rick, and it is not weird that you like him. He's kind of wonderful."

"He's old," Charlie said. Connie glared at him. "Rick's old too. But you're not twenty two."

"Thanks Conway," Connie sighed, "I appreciate that reminder."

"I know he's older," she mumbled. "Do you think Julie would mind?" All four of the others looked at her and started laughing.

Julie sat on the couch in Dean's apartment, quietly waiting for him to come back. When he walked in, her saw her.

"Julie," he said, "We were worried, what happened?" She looked at him, stood up and kissed him, pulling herself close. He rested his hands on her bottom, as she continued pushing into him. "Julie," He pulled away.

"Dean, I need to know," she whispered, "I need to know that this is going somewhere. I can't have my heart broken again."

"I'm not going to break your heart," He whispered, matching the intensity of her tone. "So what happened?"

"He," she kissed him again, "I love you. I love you so much Dean."

"What happened?" He said.

"I kissed him," she whimpered. "Actually he kissed me, but I kissed back."

"Did you slap him?" Dean smirked.

"No," she laughed. "You're not mad?"

"You're here aren't you?" He said. "Do you want to end us?"

"No," she shook her head.

"OK then," he smiled, "But is he gone?"

"Yes," she nodded. "He's definitely gone."

"Then we're fine," He said, pulling her close to him. "Julie, I told you that I'm not going anywhere this time. I can't live without you, I tried, it didn't work out well. However, Connie may not forgive you as easily, she was pretty mad at you for abandoning the dinner party that you insisted you guys have."

"I better stay here tonight," Julie nodded playfully, and kissed him. "You know for my safety."

"I think that would be an excellent idea." He smiled. "She'll be fine by tomorrow."

Reviews make me smile!