Sorry, guest, this one is even shorter. It's either I post it now or it'll be a couple days before the next update.

The three of them watched a 'movie' that evening entitled, The Princess Bride. Judging by their frequent laughter, they enjoyed it a great deal. Murdoch was simply confused the whole time (he paid attention) because he found it very difficult to follow what he considered a very fast paced and nonsensical plot. There was simply no way the 'giant' could have climbed four hundred vertical feet with three people on his back with nothing more than his arm strength! The irritating 'genius' was incorrect about everything else - Murdoch was ashamed at how much pleasure he took in the man's death - this was the inconceivable part!

When the giant rodents and fire swamp made an appearance, Murdoch gave up all attempt at allaying his sense of disbelief and instead focused on the likely technology and techniques necessary to create such a work and the vast number of film rolls that entailed as well. This task occupied him for the remainder of the film. Once it was over he said goodnight to his sister and then went with his mother to the house this William had apparently bought for her to stay in while Susannah underwent her radical treatment.

The modern, high-end house was situated close to the medical facility and as such overlooked the Pacific Ocean. Its continuous movements and subsequent characteristic sounds reminded him a great deal of Nova Scotia and consequently his time growing up there. Mostly he tried to remember the quiet moments when it was just the two of them and she was doing her best to explain his latest question. He was forever asking questions when she was around and forever holding his tongue when his father was. Needless to say, when Harry was home (and not on a two week fishing expenditure), he was always drunk and had no patience for him, for anyone really.

As he reminisced, Murdoch sat in an odd looking and uncomfortable chair facing large windows, watching the inky black and distant waves crash and fall. It was here that his mother interrupted his reverie. She was dressed in what he assumed were her pyjamas. They were rather free flowing and he was glad for it. It would not do to picture his mother in similar attire to Julia.

"I was just about to turn in for the night, but then I realized something."

Murdoch gulped, fearing she finally knew he wasn't her son. "Oh? And what would that be, mom?"

"I noticed it was unusually peaceful to be in your presence." He raised one of his ridiculous eyebrows for response. Mary gave him a pointed look and his pulse pounded. "You've turned off your phone and forgotten again, haven't you?"

"Ah, yes, I believe you are correct," he said, half sheepishly, half relieved.

She chuckled softly. "I don't need to remind you what happened the last time."

"No, you do not."

"Well, you might want to play catch up before turning in yourself, but it's up to you, of course." They smiled at one another and then she retired for the day.

Sighing, Murdoch decided to attend to his duties now rather than later. As soon as the smartphone was on, he learned that he missed fifty-eight calls, almost all of which were from George and Anna. A few were from his lawyers, and unknowns, one was from Jasper, but none were from Julia. He rubbed his forehead in agitation and then with another sigh proceeded to listen to his 'voice' mail. Here it was mostly George yelling about his 'idiotic' disappearance at a time like this. Anna simply wanted him to get in touch with her so that she knew he was alive...and so that she could connect him to other people involved with work and the deal that fell through. Jasper desired to know if he had gotten a good night's rest.

The beginnings of a headache were coming on but he nonetheless took the plunge and called George first.

"There you are! I've been trying to reach you for ages! Please tell me Morris was just shitting with me? You're not actually in Vancouver right now, are you?!"

Murdoch told him that he was.

"What the hell, Will!? Have you gone loco? There's a shit storm raining down on us from all sides and I'm in no position to adequately deal with it in person! And Jackson is a joke, you can't expect him to handle this properly! He'd probably blow everything up to Kingdom Come!"

This went on for some time. When there was a break in the tirade, he apologized for his absence and said he'd head back first thing tomorrow and then quickly hung up. Almost immediately the phone vibrated angrily like a wasp about to strike. He didn't pick up. A few poorly constructed and highly rude texts later, (that's not very nice, George, he thought) George finally stopped trying to reach him, at which point he called Anna, but she didn't respond so he left a clumsy message. For all he knew Julia didn't even know he was out of town, and therefore hesitated to call her and wake her up, making her even madder at him than she already was. In the end he chickened out and went to bed.

Murdoch said his farewells, doing his best to maintain control over his emotions this time, promising to visit again as soon as possible, and once more found himself on his private jet. He spent the return trip going through more of the digital journal but also poorly dealing with work related stuff and of course the ever incensed George.

Once more he hesitated calling Julia, but this time he found some courage and dialed.

After the third ring she picked up. There was background chatter, rustling of papers and click clacking of keyboards. He assumed she was at the station house. "George has been looking for you. Anna too."

She didn't sound angry or warm...just indifferent. Somehow he thought that was worse.

"Yes, I know."

During the proceeding awkward silence, he heard her get up from her chair and close a door, cutting out all the other noise.

A sigh. "Listen, Will, I didn't know you had all that work crap going on...mostly because you didn't tell me." There had been a slight accusatory edge to her voice. "How long have you been thinking of ditching the AI program? 'Cause that's news to me...and half the country. I thought it was supposed to be your life's work?"

In a halting manner he answered her. "I was mistaken, Julia. For many years I thought I was following the correct path...but then I suddenly knew that I had been led astray...by egotism...and hubris. It is unwise to...play God, Julia, no matter the capacity. To do so could have...unseen and terrible consequences on humanity."

Another silence. "Okay then...didn't think it was that bad. Thought it'd be kinda cool actually." Crickets. "Anyway, I might be willing to cut you some slack and overlook your strange behaviour- the keyword here being might – if you explain to me what this thing is I found in your safe."

He supposed he should have been outraged that she would disregard his privacy like that but all he could think to say was, "Uh..."

"I'll give you a hint. It's 'small' and in a little silver case."

Silver case? he thought with a jolt.

"You weren't supposed to see that yet," he replied after he regained some composure.

"You left me little choice. You wouldn't talk to me and when you didn't even come home last night..." here he finally heard some emotion in her voice, "I felt compelled to snoop. So, what the hell is it?" she asked again.

Murdoch was confused. "An engagement ring of course."

"Yeah, thanks, Mr. Obvious, I figured out that much for myself." He could practically hear the eye rolls. "What I'm wondering is, why the hell did you think I would like it?"

He of course had no idea what it looked like so it made it difficult to respond, except vaguely.

"What do you dislike exactly? I thought it was...pretty."

"Yeah, real pretty, Will," she said sarcastically. "Why wouldn't I love a diamond the size of my fist surrounded by a dozen freaking rubies?" He thought she was probably exaggerating but he wasn't positive. "Even if I could get past the ridiculousness of it, you know how much I hate my sister! The last thing I want is to be reminded of her every time I look at my own goddamned hand!"

Either this William was even more absentminded and clueless about jewelry than he was...or the ring had not been meant for Julia's eyes!

Oh dear, he groaned internally, rubbing his forehead in consternation.

Just like that she seemed to make the same connection. "Oh God," she said quietly. Oh shit. You didn't buy this for me? Did you? Did you?" Murdoch had no idea what to say, he was certain she was correct in her assessment. She sighed deeply and when she continued talking it was in a drained, monotone manner. "I can't keep doing this, Will. It's too exhausting. I can't compete with a ghost."

"You're not, Julia. I'm fully invested in this relationship."

"Are you?" she replied with a little heat. "You have her painting prominently displayed in your living room. Every time you host a cocktail party, everyone sees it. I see it everyday. Now there's this thing. You've barely ever mentioned the word marriage with me, like it's some kind of taboo topic, but you bought this thing while she was still married to one of your friends - at least I hope you bought it then and not after. And now you've held on to it like some sort of sick memento, as if you think she'll come back to you one day. I don't call that all in."

Murdoch frantically searched for a way to defend future William's actions but he came up empty handed.

"Say something." *

"I don't know what to say."

"Well that says it all," her voice finally betrayed her and cracked, "doesn't it?"

A wave of Deja Vu swept over him and he felt the tears coming on. He desperately wanted to take her in his arms but they were still hundreds of kilometres apart. He settled for gripping the phone tightly. "Julia, please know that I speak truly when I say...that I love you and always will."

Even though she wasn't his Julia, he still got a thrill out of finally speaking those words to her.

"That may be so...but you love her more...and always will."

"No, Julia, I-"

Without another word she disconnected. (At least that's what he thought at the time, really the call had been lost).

Once more his world reeled and an intense ringing in his ears blocked out all else, as if he were shell shocked, as if a piece of his heart had literally just been blown out. Like a soldier with post traumatic stress disorder, his brain was on a loop, reliving his past trauma, stuck in a personal hell, watching the train leave for Buffalo over and over while he called after her.

Murdoch would have likely stayed in this pitiable state for much longer than he did, but there was a sudden lurch which pulled him out of it. Slowly sounds became intelligible. The pilot was telling them they were heading into a storm.

Indeed we are, he thought grimly, indeed we are.

* I'm giving up on youuuu :p Sorry, defence mechanism. It's how I deal with sad stuff.