Authors Note: Haven't said it yet, so in the interest of fairness: Disclaimer: I do not own FNL or the characters of the well loved, and very missed, television show. I also, do not own the song, Love Story, by Taylor Swift.

And here we go… A longer chapter for all you Tulie fans.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said "Stay away from Juliet"
But you were everything to me, I was begging you, please, don't go

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I swear to God, if I heard one more person whisper as I walk passed them, I was going to have to start shootin' people. It felt like I had a scarlet letter written on my forehead in big bold print. Dillon is a small town, granted, and news gets around fast. It only took one person who noticed the make out session between Tim and myself at Applebees the night before, and now it appeared as if I was the newest town slut, cheating on Matt Saracen with the recently reformed, but I guess not so much, Tim Riggins. News spread like wildfire, and now we were at the center of the Dillon gossip mill.

Gracie and I didn't get back until the wee hours of the morning, sneaking in full of hushed giggles. We talked about Tim, and the fact that he was a perfect gentleman the night before. We didn't even kiss again until he walked me back to the Landing Strip to meet up with Gracie. We just spent the night talking to each other, about any and everything, and for some moments nothing at all. It was amazing. After I babbled about Tim, Gracie expressed her guilt for spending the night with strippers while her girlfriend was sick at home. I expressed a little guilt of my own. I couldn't help it. Matt might have been cheating on me for awhile, but I was technically, still, a married woman.

I might've slept an hour or so before I rolled out of bed and left the house, trying to avoid the awkward conversation I was bound to have to have with my parents. I scribbled a quick note and left it on the counter, planning on going to Jib's Diner for breakfast. That was where the whispers picked up full speed.

"That's Coach Taylors girl. She married Saracen and now she's banging the Riggins boy…"

"Did you hear about the show Riggins and Taylor put on outside the Applebees last night…"

"I really thought that boy had changed…"

"You'd think the Coach would've raised her a little better…"

It wasn't easy keeping my mouth shut about the whole situation. I didn't care so much what they said about me, but they could keep their thoughts of Tim to themselves. This was definitely one thing I didn't miss about small town living. Everyone always knew what everyone else was up to. Always.

I sighed and held my head up high as I climbed into a booth against the front window of the dusty, old diner, so that I could watch town come to life with the new day. The waitress came and poured me a cup of coffee, and I ordered scrambled eggs and toast, enjoying the quiet of my own presence, and trying to figure out how I was going to tell my parents that I was getting divorced, moving home, and quite possibly starting something new with Tim Riggins. It was a whole hell of a lot to take in, and I definitely had some thinking to do.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

I had wanted nothing more the night before then to throw Julie back against that lawn chair and have my way with her. Her body screamed to be touched, her mouth just aching to be kissed. But as she sat there, and we carried on such a comfortable conversation between the two of us, I couldn't bring myself to even try to get her naked. What the hell was wrong with me?

Since when was I ever perfectly content talking to a girl, learning about them and telling them all about me? As I sat there with her the night before, my arms wrapped around her middle as we laughed and we talked, I could actually feel myself changing from the inside out.

She was touching something inside of me, something I have never felt be touched before, and I couldn't bring myself to ruin it by moving too fast. I just wanted to be there with her. I wanted to feel like she cared what I said, like she didn't look at me and see the town fuck up, like she was seeing someone who was actually worthy of her. I wanted to be worthy of her.

I couldn't sleep the night before. I tossed and turned, my bed feeling too empty and my brain racing with images of Julie Taylor. I had to wake up early anyway and get to the shop, so I gave up probably 2 hours after she left and just rolled out of bed. We were only open til 2 on the weekends, but we were still running, and I still had to be there, even if it meant napping in my office as everyone else worked around me. Hell, it was my place. I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I was there in case they needed me.

My stomach growled as I climbed in my truck, figured I could hit up Jibs on my way to the shop, seeing as that was the only place that was open at 7 am. Imagine my surprise when I look through the front window and see the beautiful Julie Taylor sitting in the front booth, pushing some eggs around on her plate, her head held low and thoughtful. There came that word again, brushing up against my heart and slowly breaking down the walls that I had built there so many years before. Fate.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I heard the door ring and looked up instinctively, my face breaking out in a smile when my eyes met the amused glance from Tim Riggins as he walked into the diner and over toward where I sat. I was happy to see him, but I knew our presence together would only fuel the fire of the current rumors. I let it bother me for a millisecond before the night before came back to me in full force, making me not give a damn what these people thought. I just wanted to be close to him. So I made no objection when he slid into the booth opposite me.

"You stalking me, Riggins?," I said with a full, joking smile.

"You caught me, Taylor," he said as he reached across to the small plate that held my toast and picked a piece up, taking a big bite before setting it back down.

"Thought you'd still be sleeping," I said as I picked up my coffee cup and took a drink before picking up the same piece of toast and taking a bite out of it, before handing it back to him. He smiled and took it softly, our fingers brushing slightly in the exchange. How just touching that mans fingers made my skin hot, I'll never know. But it did. I could feel the contact everywhere.

"I tried," he said softly. "But I couldn't seem to get this formerly blonde, currently striking brunette out of my head. She's got a little hold on me, I think," he said, peaking at me through his over grown hair.

"Is that right?," I asked, deciding to play along. He nodded, smiling fully at me now as he leaned against the back of the seat. "Well I'd say that is one lucky lady," I said with a wink. He reached across the table and put his hand over mine. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to stop the quick patter that was happening in my chest.

"I'm glad ya think so, Jules," he said as his thumb gently stroked my wrist. The way he said my name…Oh my God! If I could've melted into a puddle underneath that booth I would've. I could feel the eyes of the diners patrons on us, but I couldn't find it in me to care. Nope. Not one single bit. Our eyes were locked on each others, and the world around us was like nonexistent. I'm not even kidding. That is, until…

"Can I get you anything?," the older waitress said to Tim as she stood over us, finally drawing our attention away from each other and to her. I felt the blush come to my cheeks as I pulled my hand away from his and leaned back against the fluffy pleather of the booth.

"Just some coffee will do, ma'am. Thank you," he said to the lady politely, his eyes coming back to my face, his gaze so intense I could feel my breath rising a hitch every few seconds. She poured his coffee and rolled her eyes, disappearing a few seconds later.

I put my elbows on the table and rested my chin in my hands as I looked at Tim. He raised an eyebrow at me and I smiled before I shook my head slightly.

"What is it, Taylor? Think any louder and we might get even more dirty looks," he said, clearly sensing that I had something to say.

"What are we doing, Tim?," I asked.

"Uh…Having coffee?," he said raising his mug as if it was the simplest answer in the world. I kicked him softly under the table. He knew damn well what I meant. He wasn't stupid, even though he liked to pretend to be sometimes. He laughed lightly and set his mug down.

"Ow, Jules," he said with a smile on his face. "What do you want me to say? I like you. I want to get to know you better…," he said probably a little louder then he should've, because any eye that wasn't already on us had been drawn now. He looked around and lowered his voice a little, and I think I might've caught the hint of a blush in his cheeks. "I mean, I thought it was obvious," he said in his slow, Southern drawl, throwing me a charming Riggins wink.

"I'm married," I stated obviously. I saw him stiffen as he sat back, loosing his sexy grin in favor of a look of…hurt, maybe? He lowered his eyes and frowned, not saying anything. "I mean, obviously I like you, too, Tim," I said, which gratefully earned me a little grin, even though he still didn't look at me. "And yes, we're getting divorced, definitely. It's already in the works. But the fact of the matter is, we're not divorced yet. And what kind of person does that make me? Where is the line drawn between right and wrong because I'm really struggling here. I'm struggling because I do really like you. I've always felt this connection with you, even before, but it was like…never possible then, you know? And now all these years later and here you are, and I mean…It's weird right? I get back into town yesterday, and I see you and what? Are you like my boyfriend now?" Shut up, Julie. "How do I go from being Julie Saracen one day, and Tim Riggins girlfriend the next? How does that even happen in the real world?" Shut up, Julie! I'm rambling. A nervous, hurried ramble and I just can't seem to stop. He's looking at me now, at least, a little amused grin on his face as he listens to me, but doesn't make any effort to stop my further embarrassment. Jerk.

"My mind is like…spinning, Tim. I don't even know how to describe what I'm feeling because it's not like anything I felt before, and I have no idea why I'm sitting here telling you all of this, because I probably sound like a crazy woman. A completely insane, crazy woman." He laughed a little, and I couldn't help but grin in response. "Really?" I question as he shrugs. "You gonna just sit there and laugh at me, Riggins?," I say with an amused smile of my own now.

"Just waiting for you to finish, Jules." I roll my eyes and tilt my head, looking at him, a man of few words but a million unspoken thoughts. I could only imagine what was going on in that pretty little head of his after my rant.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If she only knew what was going on in this head of mine. I tried not to feel like my chest was going to explode when she called me her boyfriend. How long had it been since someone used that term in reference to me? A damn long time. Usually, words like that, confessions like the ones she had made, sent me running in the other direction. So you tell me why the only thing I wanted to do at that moment was swoop her up in my arms and kiss her until neither of us could breathe.

I knew I needed to say something, but what that something was, I had no idea. She was sitting across from me, a cute little pout on her face. I leaned forward on the table, holding my hands out to her. So looked down at my hands and hesitated, before setting her own small hands in mine. They were so soft, and I ran my thumbs over the back of them softly.

"I don't know what's going on between us, Jules," I said softly. "But being with you makes me feel…I dunno…Things," I said with a smirk, never being one to express my feelings and all that junk. "And I'm not ready to let that go just yet. I know you're still married. But I don't care. I just care about you." She smiled at me, and nodded.

If only she knew how out of character all of this way for me. I mean, I'm pretty sure that had it been any other girl, any one else, I wouldn't have even considered them had they been married. I made those mistakes before, and I had no intention on repeating them. And I have never, ever, fallen so hard for someone so fast, even if I wasn't completely admitting it out loud just yet. It was fast, it was a lot, but it didn't matter. I was all in.

"You gonna sneak out to see me tonight, Taylor?," I asked with a grin as I let our previous conversation fall to the wayside.

"I'm gonna have to do dinner with the parents and Gracie first," she answered. "I can't avoid them forever." I nodded.

"But after?" She smiled, a big full, beautiful smile and nodded.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The shop was busy for a Saturday, and as much as I wanted to just sit in my office and day dream about the beautiful Julie Taylor I had other things I had to do. Damn it. It was a little after one when Billy called me from the office. Imagine my surprise when I saw Eric Taylor standing there waiting for me. Billy raises his eyes at me, probably not having heard about Julie yet cause I sure as hell didn't tell him, and he was never really one for gossip. I shrug.

"I'll just give you two a minute," he said excusing himself as quick as humanly possible. I wipe my hands on the red rag that's hanging out of my back pocket and reach out to shake his hand. His eyes are squinted toward me in contemplation, but reluctantly he shakes my hand.

"You with my daughter this morning at Jibs? I've been hearing some things," he said glaring at me. I sigh, running a hand through my hair.

"Would you like to sit down, Sir?," I ask.

"No I wouldn't like to sit down. You want to tell me what the hell is going on between you and my daughter? And don't you dare tell me nothing, Riggins, because you and I both know you can't tell a lie to save your sorry ass for nothing."

"I really think you should be talking to Julie about this, Sir," I said trying to meet his eyes without feeling like I was going to have a heart attack. Even as old as he was, knowing he had no hold on me any more, Coach was damn intimidating.

"Well I'm here talking to you about it, and I expect a God damned answer, that's what I expect."

"With all due respect, Coach, what's going on with Julie is not my place to tell. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work. It's almost closing time." I said as I headed back toward the garage, but not before I heard him call after me.

"Stay away from my daughter, Riggins."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Authors note: So ladies? How do you think it's going? I have a few surprises coming up in the next chapters, and it's really going to pick up the pace. Don't forget to review! Your reviews are what makes me feel like I gotta get my ass to writing so I don't let you all down… ;) Thanks for reading guys. I appreciate you.