A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Hope you enjoy. Many thanks to Tia8206 for her suggestions, which I won't mention here as it'll give away what happens in this chapter.

Chapter 7. The Bet

James rolls over in bed and feels for Juliet amongst the number of pillows he has to fight his way through just to reach her. She is not there. He opens one bleary eye a shaft of sunlight peeking through the curtain blinds him.

He falls out of bed.

"James?" Juliet calls from the kitchen.

"I'm okay," he calls back, getting to his feet and staggering to the bathroom now wishing he hadn't polished off the bottle of bourbon with Miles.

Jin had had the sensible approach of going home to bed whilst you could still find it. Then he remembers the stupid bet with Miles and groans. Never again, he vows. Stupid bet, stupid mullet. How the hell did Miles come up with these ideas? It was as if the guy got his kicks out of embarrassing him. Now he'd have to find some way to get back at him. Juliet was better at coming up with ideas like that. He was clueless. Fumbling for his toothbrush and toothpaste he stares critically at his reflection in the mirror. Right now he feels all of the nearly 40 years he'd be turning in a couple of weeks. The big 4 0, how did he reach it so quickly? Where did the time go? He'd lived half his life already. Well not that he could really have called it living before the island. Now he was living, now he was unbelievably content and happy. Being in love, and loved by someone in return was the most satisfying thing.

But bad for the waistline, Miles had remarked the other day.

James hadn't noticed. The weight kind of crept up slowly but he notices now as he stands in front of the mirror in just his boxer shorts no thanks to Miles who was always taking the piss out of him about it. Hard to ignore it then when someone was always pointing it out ... bloody Miles.

Juliet walks into the bathroom.

"Hi there," she smiles, "how's the head?"

"Stuffed."

She gives him a sympathetic look taking the toothpaste out of his hand. "Hmm I could say I told you so," she begins, "but I didn't think it would do any good last night and now you have to get a mullet haircut," she pauses amused, "I'm looking forward to that," she continues a cheeky grin crossing her face.

"Yeah well laugh it up Blondie," he mutters

He could just see it now, everyone laughing at him, having a bloody mullet at 40, though he figured no one in the 70's would know what a mullet was, which made it even worse. He stares glumly back at his reflection. He was turning 40, getting fatter and would soon have some stupid haircut.

"Why are you staring at yourself?" Juliet asks with a mouthful of toothpaste.

He hesitates for a moment before glancing at her.

"You think I'm getting fat?"

"Of course not," she snorts and spat the toothpaste in the hand basin. "Least not yet," she continues rinsing her mouth with water.

What did she mean by that? He doesn't really feel reassured. She wipes her mouth and straightens up, her eyes meeting with his. He can see the amusement in them.

"Hmm but maybe you are starting to get a bit tubby," she teases, "but I don't mind the love handles," she continues and much to his chagrin pinches his side.

"Okay that's it, I'm going back to the gym," he mutters.

She laughs. "How many times have I heard that?"

"Ha, ha," he says sarcastically, "this time I'm serious."

He reaches for his t-shirt feeling awkward, self conscious.

"I didn't marry you for your looks anyway," she admits weaving her arms around him before he has a chance to slip the shirt on.

He looks down at her, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. She looks beautiful first thing in the morning, that sleepy look in her eyes. This tenderness towards her, surprises him.

"So what did ya marry me for?" he asks, his voice husky.

She smiles. "Hmm definitely for the foot massages."

And he marvels at how much he loves this person. How amazing this feeling is. Why had he waited so long to find it?

Miles rocked up straight after lunch. James was still pissed off with him.

"What you come here to gloat," he muttered from his spot on the couch, book in hand, glasses planted on his nose, legs resting on a foot cushion.

Miles sat down on the opposite couch. James at least got some satisfaction at seeing that the guy looked as bad as he felt.

"Just making sure you keep up your end of the bet," he said, a quick grin splitting his face.

James frowned.

"Yeah well it's new years day and no one is working, it'll have to wait til tomorrow," he stated, placing the book down on the couch and sitting up. The pain killers had begun to kick in now and his head was beginning to feel more normal.

"You forget that Barbara is a hair dresser," Miles said, leaning forward on the couch.

"How convenient," James remarked, dryly.

"I talked her into paying you a home visit and she's most curious about this mullet, says she hasn't heard of it before."

James wanted to wipe the smirk of Miles' face.

"I'm sure you'll be the talk of the New Year's Day party," he continued, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

That's if he went but then James remembered telling Horace that him and Juliet would go and he'd help out with cooking up the meat on the barbie. He really had no choice.

Barbara stands back to look at her handiwork.

"Is that how it's supposed to look," she frowns.

James is looking downright uncomfortable and Juliet feels a little sorry for him.

"Yeah you got it perfect," Miles grins.

"I can't believe that's considered a hairstyle," Barbara continues.

"Oh believe me it's going to be very popular soon."

Barbara just shrugs.

"The bet is done now, you had ya fun Miles," James mutters raking a hand through his hair.

Miles smile widens. "All you need now is a flannelette shirt and you'd pass for a bogan."

"Yeah, ha, ha."

James is brushing the hair of his legs looking most disgruntled.

"What's a bogan?" Barbara asks looking puzzled.

"Just an old inside joke," Miles replies.

Juliet saw Miles and Barbara out the door. James had stomped off somewhere. She finds him in the bathroom staring at his reflection in the mirror and frowning. She leans against the door frame.

"Now I just look plain ridiculous," he gestures irritably at his hair.

"It's not that bad," she returns with a smile.

His frown deepens. "Why are you smiling then?"

She goes over to him, her eyes resting on his recently chopped hair.

"I haven't seen this hair style for a long while, it brings back memories," she admits, "you know I used to think it was so cool."

He manages a smile.

"And I don't think I've ever really seen your ears," she continues, touching the cropped ends of his hair, "or you with a fringe."

She tugs on his ears.

"It's kind of cute."

"Cute," he snorts. "Just remind me never to place a bet with Miles again, the bastard."

"I did try," she murmurs, rubbing her thumb over his bottom lip.

Now she is this close she can't pull away. She sees the passion smouldering in his eyes before he captures her mouth with his. She forgets everything else, only how this feels, being in his arms, his lips exploring hers, sensual, passionate.

"We can pretend we're 16 again," he murmurs in her hair.

"I don't remember being up the duff then," she returns smiling, "I always had my head buried in a book."

He pulls her closer, gazes into her eyes brushing her hair back from her face.

"I can just picture that, you being one of those prissy goody two shoes girls, hand always up whenever the teacher asks a question, getting straight A's," he teases, rubbing a thumb across her lips, "steering clear of the bad boys like me."

He smiles looking way too damn sexy.

"I don't remember going out with any bad boys," she manages her voice sounding husky, her lips tingling, her face flushing under his interested gaze.

"There's a first time for everything Blondie."

He got a lot of interesting looks at the party, both of them for that matter, him for his hair, her for the black eye. They made quite a pair.

Amy was the first one to run up to them.

"I can't believe what you did,' she exclaims, shaking Juliet's arm, "I wished I'd been there, oh what did it feel like?"

"It felt good," Juliet smiles.

"I bet it did," Amy returns her eyes then resting on him.

The smile left her face, she looks sort of shocked, speechless.

"I'm going to get a beer," he mutters.

It really doesn't get any better. Laura strolls past him and he feels better when he notices she'd obviously came off worse for wear in the fight. Yep that was his girl, Juliet, she could kick ass. Laura glares at him before noticing his hair then she smirks in a not nice smirking way.

"Nice haircut," she says, sarcastically, in passing.

He is just glad to crack open a beer before Horace finds him. Horace looks almost as equally startled as Amy had.

"That's um a rather interesting sort of haircut."

Stupid bet, fucking Miles he fumes.

Juliet takes nine months old baby Miles from Lara and goes in search of the now adult Miles. His face pales slightly when he sees the baby version of himself.

"Oh look," she coos to the baby, "there is you're grown up self."

"Now Juliet," Miles begins backing away slightly.

"You want to go to your Uncle Miles for a cuddle," she continues and smiles wickedly at Miles.

She just wants to see him squirm for a while for making James take on that stupid bet. She holds the baby out towards him and baby Miles reaches out his little arms towards big Miles.

"Aww look at that," she says, "how cute, you know I think I really like this little version of you."

Miles is already pressed up against the wall. Baby Miles begins to cry. Juliet holds him closer to her chest and he calms down clasping a strand of her hair in his chubby hand. Holding the baby, makes her clucky, the smell of talcum powder, the softness of the fine downy hair brushing against her chin. Makes her think of her own baby she'll soon get to hold. She kisses the top of his head.

"That's not playing fair Juliet," Miles mutters, running a hand through his hair, his face still pale.

"Hmm but neither did you really play fair last night taking advantage of half pissed James."

"Yeah well he's a grown man, no excuses there," Miles states.

Juliet has to accede that he is right.

"You know nothing will happen if you hold the baby," she says more kindly.

Miles squirms uneasily. "It's just too weird."

After a couple of days it's all old news. Laura acts as if nothing had ever happened. Juliet manages to keep her professional mask in place. James' 40th birthday looms closer.

He meets Jin at the gym determined to lose some weight before his 40th.

Jin smiled when he saw him. "You ready for this?"

"I guess," he returned, a bit uncertain.

He never had really liked gyms and longed for those days back in his 20's when he could eat what he liked and get away with it.

Jin patted him on the back.

"Don't worry I'll go easy on you."

Forty minutes later and James is thinking 'what ever happened to easy?' The guy was a slave driver, his lungs were about to explode. His fingers itched to press the button that would slow down the tread mill but male pride got the better of him. If Jin could go at this speed so could he.

Sweat was pouring of him and he was beginning to feel sick. He glanced at Jin out of the corner of his eye. Jin looked like he was taking a gentle stroll in the park. James gritted his teeth. It's too much, he's gonna throw up. He pressed the stop button and just about fell off the treadmill. Bending over he rests his hands on his knees, gasping for air.

"Had enough?" Jin asked lightly trying to hide a smile but it was there, James saw it.

He can't even get words past his lips and managed to nod his head.

"It gets easier," Jin grinned. "Same time tomorrow?"

That's if he's still alive after today. He managed another nod of his head.

Juliet looks at his red flushed face as he walks through the door. She is sitting at the table writing out a 'what must get for the baby' list.

"How was the gym?"

He looks a wreck.

"Great," he mutters and she doesn't miss hearing the sarcasm in his voice.

She can hear the tap running and he eventually joins her at the table, looking a fraction more composed, a large cold glass of water in his hand.

"Okay so I'm totally unfit," he mutters, glumly.

"It'll get better, don't push yourself too hard though," she says knowing her words were going to fall on deaf ears. He was a male and he had an ego.

He sculls down most of water in the glass, glances at her a slow smile crossing his face.

"But you wait by the time my 40th comes around I'm gonna be this lean fighting machine."

It's not the first time she's heard this. She gives him a sceptical look.

"Hmm it's only three weeks away I think you're going to be pushing it."

He raises the glass to his lips, gives her a lopsided grin. "Just you wait."

Miles entered the door with a very large box. Juliet gave him a curious look.

"What's in there?" she asked.

He just smiled. "It's a surprise, so where's Jim?"

Miles placed the box on the kitchen table.

"He's at the gym," she replied, moving to the table to have a look inside the box.

"So what's that two days in a row now?"

"Three actually."

Miles pushed the cardboard flat. "No peeking," he chided.

"Okay have your way then," she said, sitting down at the chair, folding her arms over her expanding belly, slightly annoyed.

He doesn't trust her and keeps a watchful eye on her as he goes to the fridge to get a beer, as if he lives here, which he pretty much does, much to Juliet's annoyance at times. She figured that now he had a girlfriend they would see less of him.

"I'll give him till the end of week," Miles saysd as he takes a seat at the table.

"I think he'll stick it out this time till his 40th," she puts in.

Miles sits back, crosses one leg over the other, flips the tab off the beer open and looks back at her.

"You want to put a wager on it?" he asks casually before taking a swig of beer.

Juliet frowns. Last time she placed a bet with Miles she had lost and had to clean his and Jin's house for a week.

"I think cleaning house is out of the question for me now," she states.

He smiles. "You get your chocolate back if you're right."

She gives him a guarded look. "And if I'm wrong?"

A thoughtful look crosses Miles face. "I'll think of something."

She narrows her eyes. She didn't trust him.

"No bets," she says firmly

James walks through the front door, face red from exertion, he still looks just as stuffed as he did first day.

"Jin working you too hard," Miles quips.

James glares at him. He still hadn't forgiven him yet. Was still grumbling about his hair.

"What are you doing here," he growls, wiping his face with a hand towel slung over his shoulder. "To gloat some more?"

"Nah."

James eyes fell on the box. "What's that?"

"A surprise," Juliet replies over her shoulder.

He takes a seat next her, smelling of Bo, she wriggles her nose.

"What kind of surprise?"

"Call it a peace offering," Miles begins, opening the box, "and a way to have some fun around here," he continues.

Juliet sees the eagerness on his face as he pulls out some old looking video game machine.

"The Atari 2600," he exclaims triumphantly.

James is squinting at it. "I remember these," he says.

"Yeah it would have been around your time," Miles smiles, "well before my day."

James scowls for a moment before shaking his head. He leans forward in his chair to have a closer look now that he isn't wearing his glasses.

"I never had one myself," he states "only the rich kids had them," he snorts his eyes falling on her suddenly flushed face.

She quickly looks away. He shakes his head.

"Don't tell me," he begins.

"Guilty just recently divorced parents were always buying me and my sister the latest as if that made up for them screwing us around," she quickly returns.

James leans back in his chair crossing his ankle over his knee, giving her a speculative look. She tilts her chin and gives him a slightly defiant look knowing that she would be hearing about this at some stage later down the track. He had a way of storing this sort of information and using it to either harass or tease her, or even find some associated nick name to call her.

"How old were you?" Miles asks, curiously as he picks up a pile of games.

"Um about 8 or 9."

"I can remember Donkey Kong," he continues, shuffling through the games, "hey here's one for you Jim," he continues flinging the game at him.

James catches it in his hands and peers down at it, just making the words out.

"Outlaw," he reads, chucking the game on the table, "ha, ha."

Juliet was now leaning over Miles shoulder.

"Oh that's one of my favourites," she exclaims.

"Fun with numbers," Miles reads out.

James and Miles exchange a look. Juliet didn't miss it.

"So I was a nerd," she states and snatches the game out of Miles hand.

She turns her back on both of them.

"Tell me that ain't true Blondie," James smiles, bemused, "because that's just sad."

She glares over her shoulder at him noticing the glimmer of a smile curving his lips.

"You stink James," she said abruptly wriggling her nose in disgust, "go have a shower."

Juliet stumbled to the kitchen to get a glass of water. James and Miles were still at it. She couldn't believe it.

"Do you realise what the time is?" she stated, glass of water in hand.

They didn't appear to hear her.

"It's two in the morning," she continued.

Still no answer and she can feel her annoyance growing.

"James!"

He turned to look at her.

"What'd ya say Blondie," he said before returning his attention to the screen.

She stands in front of the TV screen so they had no option but to look at her.

"What are you doing Juliet, I'm just about to whip his ass," Miles protested, giving her an indignant look.

"I'll whip your ass Miles if you don't get out of here and go home," she snarled.

Both men gave her a startled look. She was hell pissed now.

"Yeah it's getting late," Miles hastily said before getting up.

James gave her a sheepish look.

"It is getting late, hadn't noticed the time," he said, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

"See you tomorrow Jim," Miles said on his way out the door, "night Juliet."

Juliet came home from work the next day to find them at it again. James and Miles playing that stupid Atari 2600 with its crappy games and she wished Miles had never brought it around. Jin is there as well.

"Not you too," she groaned.

She recognised the light in his eyes, her heart sank.

He was addicted.

"I thought you two were going to the gym," she said resenting that she would not have the house to herself for an hour or so, already missing the peace and quiet she could have had.

"Every muscle is sore, thought I'd have a day off," James replied over his shoulder, his gaze fixed on the screen.

No 'hi honey your home', no greeting kiss, no 'how was your day?'

She stomped down to the bedroom. Tried lying down but the noise coming from the lounge room made that impossible.

Dinner time came and went. She made herself a sandwich, stuff the guys. No doubt they would start thinking of food soon enough. James was bound to.

It was nearing 8.00pm and nothing. No mention of dinner, they hadn't even moved to grab a beer. Taking matters into her own hands Juliet pulled some left-over chicken out of the fridge put it on a plate and strategically sat right in front of them eating.

"Anymore of that Blondie?" James asked.

Finally his attention.

She smiled sweetly.

"That's the last of it."

"Come to think of it I'm starving," Miles exclaimed, he turned to Jin, "hey Jin we still have that left over curry."

"It's in the fridge," Jin replied his attention still taken up with the game.

"You want to get it?" Miles said.

"You get it," Jin returned.

"Cook some rice with it while you're at it," James suggested.

"Why me?" Miles complained. "I was the one who got the game."

Juliet smiled to herself, all this over some really bad graphics video game. How sad, she mused, how silly.

"I tell ya what why don't you two get dinner happening and let Juliet have a go," James continued.

"No, I don't want play," she begins.

"C'mon Jules don't be a stick in the mud, have a go, you never know you might even be okay at it."

Might be okay at it!

She frowned at him and that was all it took. She would show them.

"Okay."

"Alright that's the spirit," he grinned patting the seat next to him.

She sat down and he leaned over giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll go easy on ya."

She thrashes all of them at every game. Even in the Olympics game; pong, super pong, pong doubles, soccer and ice hockey.

Miles was glaring at James. "And you asked her to play."

She grinned. "Get over it Miles, you some mamby pamby sooky boy now."

James laughed. Miles folded his arms in annoyance.

"She won't beat us a Combat," James said, slotting the game in, "women are no good at these games."

"We are talking about Juliet here," Miles began, "I wouldn't count on it."

Miles was right. She beat them at that too and even James wasn't smiling anymore.

"Jeez Blondie," he muttered. "Is there anything you ain't good at?"

She smiles smugly and shrugs.

"Probably not."

Miles and Jin left. No one wanted to play Atari 2600 anymore. James had gone to have a shower. She can't help herself and quietly slips in 'Fun with Numbers.' It was just like old times.

"Sprung," came a voice and she just about jumped through the roof.

She spun around to see Miles grinning. She wanted to kill him!

"What are you doing here?" she demanded bringing a hand up to her heart. "You scared me."

"Sorry about that Jules, I did knock but no one answered, I just came back for the curry dish," he said, holding the dish up for to see.

She was tempted to break it over his head.

James was obviously still in the shower.

"By the way I know what your part of the bet can be," he continued quickly.

She frowned, hands on hips, still pissed off with him.

"I didn't agree to any bet."

He just smiled and knows her too well by now.

"You let me beat you at Atari," he suggested.

Juliet mulls it over and finds herself warming to the idea. James was a bit touchy about turning 40 and he'd been more self conscious of late, pointing out the grey hair which she could barely see before she had laughed at him and told him he was being vain.

"Just you wait till you turn 40," he'd grumbled, put out.

Miles is watching her, looking hopeful.

"I'll bet that Jim doesn't last another week at the gym as opposed to you betting he'll last till his 40th birthday," he said, slowly, "if you win you get all your chocolate back and if you lose you have to let me beat you at Atari, at all the Atari games."

"Okay deal," she agreed and they shake hands.

His smile widened, a chuckle escaped his throat.

"I knew you'd come around, you can't help yourself anymore than I can."

She smiled in return. Miles was going to lose this time. She just knew it and she couldn't wait to see his face and rub it in.

A/N: This was a lot of fun to write. Please review if you like and any suggestions are MOST welcome. Special thanks again Tia8206 for giving me the Atari video game idea and having Juliet beat the guys at it. I hope I did it justice. As for that disco party it's happening soon.