A/N: IT'S RINGER DAY! I love Tuesdays! Anyway, this story will have four chapters because I can't leave you guys with a cliff hanger. No one likes cliff hangers. I have a few other story ideas for Ringer, but I think I won't start writing them until the end of the month, since that's when the hiatus begins. I need something to keep me busy during this hiatus. So it will just be this story and the color drabble until the 29th. And thanks for the reviews guys! I am happy you guys liked it. I lost my footing for a few hours, but regained it in the middle of the night, when I was sleeping. Damn plot bunnies!

Three Autumns

Chapter Two: The Second Autumn

An uncontrollable sob escaped from Juliet. The tears she had been keeping inside during this whole visit just began running down her cheeks. She thought maybe she would cry during this visit, but she didn't think she would lose it like this. She had no idea that he wanted to propose. She had never seen it coming, but then again proposals were suppose to be surprises. She had never realized until this moment how much he loved her.

She looked up and met the little old ladies blue eyes. Those eyes were full of sympathy, which Juliet didn't believe she deserved. However, the sympathy could have been for Carpenter and the pain he suffered because of her.

"He still has the ring," The silence was between herself and the little old lady was broken. Her voice was flat at first,but then it became filled with amusement. "He keeps it hidden in his underwear drawer." Juliet tried to stifle a giggle, but couldn't, it seemed like something Carpenter would do.

Her face fell as the giggle died. She wondered why he had kept the ring all this time. Did he have a hard time parting with it? Did he plan on using it to propose to someone else? The last thought made her cringe. She didn't think he would do that though. The ring had been meant for her and she knew he had envisioned it on her finger when he picked it out.

"What should I do?" Juliet asked in a weak voice. The little old lady offered her a smile before she responded. "I think you should go home, Juliet."

Juliet nodded her head. The little old lady was right. She had to go home and fix things, not only with Carpenter, but her family as well. She had also hurt them by staying away for so long.

"Thank you." Juliet said as she grabbed a twenty out of her purse and handed it to the woman. She had really helped her out, made her see that this had been a foolish endeavor.

"Your welcome Juliet," She stood up and showed Juliet to the door. "Now go home and right what has been wronged."

Juliet walked to her car with a renewed bounce in her step. She would do as the old gypsy lady said. She just hoped Carpenter still meant he said the night she had dumped him.

Carpenter sat on the Martin's white sofa and watched Bridget Martin play with her young son. The scene made him smile, but on the inside it made his heart ache. His mind wandered back to the night Juliet had broken up with him. He often wondered how things would be now if she hadn't broken up with him and he was able to propose to her.

Knowing her, she would have probably said "Yes." However, she would have wanted to wait until she had finished college and he would have waited those four long years. Now, he was lucky if he heard her voice over the phone while Andrew pleaded with her to come home for a visit.

He knew he wasn't the only one who missed her. Juliet had not come home from school since the day she left. He knew this broke Andrew's and Bridget's hearts. Andrew wanted to see his little girl and Bridget wanted to take the time to bond with Juliet, as herself, not as Siobhan. And Douglas was starting to walk and talk, Juliet was missing that.

"Hello everyone," The voice of Andrew Martin broke Carpenter out of his daze. "How are you all today?"

"We are all doing fine sweetheart," Bridget stood up and gave her husband a kiss. "Though Carpenter seemed to be in a daze before you walked in."

A smile lit up Carpenter's face, he had always loved how perceptive Bridget was. Couldn't get anything past her. "I was just watching you play with Douglas." He responded softly.

"Well maybe you will have that one day with Rachel." Andrew said as he poured him a glass of brandy.

Carpenter was engaged to a daughter of one of Andrew's clients. Andrew had set it up when it became clear that Juliet wasn't coming back. Plus, he knew Andrew was sick of him mopping over his daughter.

"You can't do this to yourself," Andrew had said after he had witnessed Carpenter's grief for a few months. At first Andrew came off a little harsh, but Carpenter knew he was right. Juliet had walked away from everything they had. It broke his heart, but he decided to walk away too.

The wedding was a week away.

Suddenly, Andrew's phone began to ring. Andrew picked it up and his eyes grew in shock, it was Juliet. "Hello, sweetheart," Andrew said as he answered the phone. "This was a surprise. I was just going to call you."

Well she had beat him to it. "Hello Daddy, I have some news," Juliet said as she spoke into her phone and packed her things. She had just been to the counseling office and all her credits were being transferred to a college closer to home. "I am coming home for good daddy."

Andrew nearly dropped the phone in shock, but he was really happy. "Your coming home?" He felt like he hadn't heard her right, but she confirmed she was. Andrew was so happy his little girl was coming home.

"Do you have anything to tell me, Daddy?" Juliet asked remembering what the psychic had said.

"Of course I do, but that can wait until you get home," Andrew responded. "When will you be home?"

"In a few days," Juliet answered her father's question. "I will call you later daddy. I have so much to do." With that Andrew and Juliet said their goodbyes.

"What's going on?" Bridget asked her husband. She was curious, but Carpenter figured she already knew what Andrew was going to say. He had a feeling he knew too.

"Juliet is coming home!" Andrew excitedly responded. Bridget threw her arms around her husband and hugged him tightly. Carpenter felt his heart slam into his chest at the sound of Andrew's words. He was shocked.

"Wow." Was the only word Carpenter was able to get out. Bridget and Andrew looked at him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Bridget asked. Her eyes were filled with worry. He hated when she looked at him like that.

"Yeah I will," he said with a sigh. "I have Rachel and I am happy she is coming home." He meant it when he said that. He knew they had missed her so much and he knew deep down he had too.

"We should plan a party!" Bridget spoke up as Carpenter's cell phone rang, it was Rachel.

"Where are you?" Carpenter flinched as she screamed into the phone.

"At the Martin's," Carpenter said calmly into the phone. "Why?"

"You were suppose to meet me for cake tasting ten minutes ago," She had lowered her voice, but he could tell she was still upset with him. "You know what I will just choose a flavor without you!" She screamed at him before she hung up the phone at him.

This is how she had been lately. She just screamed at him, it seemed like he couldn't do anything right. He figured the wedding planning was stressing her out. He hoped things had returned to the way they were when they had first started. She had been so understanding and loving. She had helped him push Juliet into the past.

"Are things okay?" Bridget asked as Carpenter hung up the phone.

"She's upset because I forgot about the cake tasting." Carpenter responded and Andrew laughed.

"You can't forget things like that," Andrew said as he slapped the younger man on the back. "I forgot something involving the wedding and my ex-wife went ballistic on me."

A red flag suddenly raised in Carpenter's head. He hoped to God Rachel didn't turn out like Andrew's ex, Catherine. She was an awful wife and mother. The only reason Juliet turned out the way she did was because of Andrew's parenting. It wasn't the greatest at times, but Juliet had turned out pretty decent.

As Carpenter bid a farewell to the Martin family, he began to wonder if getting married to Rachel was a good idea. What if Rachel didn't change? Rachel wasn't the only one making him have second thoughts. Juliet and her impending return made his feet turn ice cold.

Why was she coming back now?

Juliet arrived in New York four days after she had made that phone call to her father. The plane landed and she couldn't wait to get off. She wanted to see who was waiting for her. The moment she exited the plane she saw her family waiting for her. She ran up to her father and threw her arms around him. She tried not to cry as she hugged him tightly. She had missed him so much.

"You are not allowed to leave anymore." Andrew told his little girl as Bridget took a picture of them hugging. She did an amazing job of balancing Douglas and working the camera.

Juliet pulled away from her father and walked over to Bridget. She gave Bridget a hug and kissed her little brother on the head. "Hey Dougy, I'm your big sister."

Juliet wiped the tears from her eyes as they made their way to a car waiting for them.

Dinner was ready for them when they got home. They sat around the table and talked for what felt like hours. Andrew and Bridget informed her she was going to be a big sister again. She congratulated them both as Douglas began to cry.

"I should put him to bed." Bridget said as she stood up from her chair. She picked up her crabby son and carried him to his room.

Juliet and Andrew stood up and walked together towards the living room, that's when something caught her eye. A wedding invitation hung on the fridge and her breath caught when she saw Carpenter's name on it.

He was getting married?

Juliet went into shock.

She was too late.

She wouldn't be able to save what they once had now.