Title: Lonely No More

A/N: Well ladies, here's the next chapter. I hope that you all aren't getting bored with the slow build up - the whole friendship before something more. I'm enjoying writing this one so far, and have enjoyed hearing your thoughts and feedback. As promised, lots of Tim and Julie time in this one :D Enjoy!!!

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"You're tellin' me that you couldn't go without sex for a year if you knew, without a doubt, that you were going to get a million dollars?" Julie asked, turning her body toward Tim as she sat in his truck.

Tim chuckled, shaking his head as he drove down the road. Sometimes he swore Julie just sat around trying to come up with random stuff to talk about.

They had gotten into the habit of playing a game of sorts – what would you do for a million dollars. He had quickly learned that Julie would do a lot for a million dollars, including giving up meat for the rest of her life and running naked across the football field during a game.

He had tried to keep that image out of his head, knowing that thinking of Julie naked was taking a step into the danger zone. But damn, he would like to see it – a million dollars or not.

"A year?" Tim drawled slowly. "That's a helluva long time, Taylor."

"But a million dollars – you could have all the women you want after that."

"I could have that now." He said with a smirk.

Julie snorted, shaking her head. "Pathetic." She muttered, causing Tim to chuckle quietly.

"Come on, Jules. I mean, going without sex for that long. That'd be rough, you know what I mean?"

"No, actually I don't." Julie said quickly, turning to look out the window at the passing scenery, slightly embarrassed at bringing up the fact that she was far less experienced than Tim.

Tim glanced over at her, smiling as he sees the slight blush on her cheeks. The fact that Julie was still pretty innocent obviously bothered her.

"Hey, there's nothin' wrong with waiting to have sex." He said with a shrug.

Julie laughed shortly. "Tim, please don't pat me on the head and tell me that it's great that I'm still a virgin. I mean, that's a little ironic coming from you. No offense."

Tim grinned. "None taken."

"But I could go without sex for a year for a million dollars." She stated with a nod.

"Only if you were still a virgin." He drawled, wondering how in the hell he had ended up talking about this with none other than Julie Taylor. "If you knew how good it could be, you wouldn't be able to go without it for a whole year."

Julie sighed. "I guess I'll just have to take your word for it."

Tim frowned as he pulled up in front of the auto parts store. He hoped to God that she took his word for it. He didn't know why, but the thought of Julie sleeping with anybody left a funny taste in his mouth.

"You waitin' in the truck?" He asked, opening his door.

"Considering that it's like a hundred degrees out here, that would be a no." She replied, quickly hopping out the truck.

Smartass, he thought with a smirk. She always had something to say. Something that usually made him laugh.

The two had become almost inseparable lately. Tim was still giving her rides home from work, but he also found himself spending time with her at the pool, hanging out right beneath her lifeguard stand.

And she had begun helping him memorize plays for his new position at tailback, usually over a couple of chocolate sundaes at the Alamo Freeze.

He knew that people were talking, wondering what was going on between them. Tim didn't care. Let 'em talk.

He grinned, as the two of them walked inside the store. "I just need to pick up a new fan belt for Billy's car, then I'll take you home."

"No hurry." She said, following along behind him, her eyes scanning the shelves.

It didn't take Tim long to find what he was looking for, and the two headed to the front of the store for Tim to make his purchase.

Bag in hand, Tim made his way toward the door, holding it open as Julie passed underneath his arm, her long blond hair tickling his arm.

"Thanks." She said, walking in front of him.

He nodded, digging his keys out of his pocket, his gaze drawn to the sway of her hips incased in her short denim shorts. Tim let his eyes wander down to her tanned legs, his mind drifting to some very non-friend like thoughts.

"Hey, is that what I think it is?" She asked, coming to a sudden stop in front of him.

Surprised by her quick stop, Tim grabbed her shoulders to keep from stepping on her, noticing the soft feel of her skin underneath his callused hands.

"Huh?" He mumbled incoherently.

What in the hell was wrong with him? Checking out her legs? Noticing the softness of her skin? The next thing he knew he'd be writing damn poetry or something.

Snap out of it, Riggins, he thought to himself.

"Look at that building across the street. It's a tarot card reader." Julie said, turning to give him a huge grin.

"Yeah. So." He drawled.

Julie rolled her eyes. "So…I think we should go over there and get our fortunes told."

"No." Tim said, stepping around her and walking toward his truck.

"Tim, come on." Julie whined, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him around to face her. "I've always wanted to do it, but my parents hate that kind of stuff. I've never been because I knew my mom would kill me."

Tim looked down at her, tilting his head to the side. "She'd probably still kill you."

"But she doesn't have to know. Come on, it could be our little secret."

"You rebel, you." Tim said sarcastically, quickly receiving a slap on the chest. "Kidding, I'm kidding." He chuckled.

"Please…" She pleaded, giving him her best pouty face, her eyes twinkling all the while.

Looking down at her upturned face, he knew he couldn't say no. He was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to deny Julie much of anything.

"Alright, Taylor." He mumbled, watching her eyes light up. "But, I'm not gettin' my fortune read or whatever."

"That's fine. You can just go in there with me." She said quickly, excitement in her voice as she grabbed his hand.

Tim intertwined his fingers with hers as they headed across the street. It felt good to have her small hand in his. It felt right.

"You sure about this?" He asked hesitantly, opening the door to the small building.

"Yes, come on." She said, once again walking underneath his arm as he held open the door.

Tim walked inside, looking around the small waiting area and taking in all the bright colors and strange smells. "It smells funny." He drawled, giving Julie a look.

Julie laughed, rolling her eyes playfully.

Tim smiled. He was pretty sure Julie's laughter was something he would never get tired of hearing.

"Hello, may I help you."

Tim turned to find an exotic-looking woman walking into the room, smiling at both Tim and Julie. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun and she had on heavy make-up, making her look older than what she probably really was.

Tim knew most of the female population of Dillon, but he didn't recall ever seeing this lady before.

"Uh, yes." Julie said quickly. "I um, wanted to have my fortune told."

"Ah, yes. And you sir?" The woman asked, turning her piercing gaze toward Tim.

Tim shook his head, giving the woman an apologetic smile.

"He's just here for moral support." Julie stated, giving him a grin.

"Very well." The woman said with a smile. "Please follow me." She said, turning and walking through a long, red curtain covering a doorway.

Julie looked at Tim, arching her eyebrows slightly before the two of them followed the woman through the curtain and into a dimly lit room.

The walls of the room were covered in dark, heavy material and the smells were even stronger than they had been in the lobby. The whole atmosphere was just a little too creepy for Tim's taste.

"Please, have a seat." The lady spoke, motioning toward a small, round table.

Julie sat in one chair, with Tim taking the seat beside her. He felt Julie slide her chair a little closer to his, the warmth of her thigh pressed against his.

He grinned. The room was obviously creeping Julie out a little, too.

The woman took a seat across from them at the table, pulling out a peculiar deck of cards and placing them on the table.

"Let us begin." She said with a smile, beginning to turn over cards slowly, pausing to look closely at each one.

Tim glanced at Julie to find her leaning toward the table, her bottom lip caught between her teeth and an excited look in her eyes.

The woman began by first stating little things about Julie's personality – she was a thinker, she was impatient, she was a romantic.

"You like to be in charge. Others feel that you can be quite bossy at times." The lady stated, looking down at the cards.

Tim snickered at that comment, quickly receiving an elbow to the ribs from Julie.

"Ah, the cards show that there will be a disruption in your life that you and the one you love must overcome." The lady stated slowly, her face looking from card to card.

Tim watched the lady intently. He didn't believe a word coming out of her mouth, but he couldn't help but wonder who she was talking about when she said the one Julie loved.

"W-what kind of disruption?" Julie asked softly, still biting her lip.

Tim glanced at Julie, looking at her closely. Gone was the excitement from her eyes. Tim thought she was beginning to look a little nervous.

He reached over, lacing his long fingers with her smaller ones as he held her hand. Julie glanced toward him and gave him a small smile, appreciation evident in her eyes.

"I cannot tell. There will be hurt involved. I cannot tell if it is physical or emotional hurt. Or possibly both." The woman whispered, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the cards.

Tim gave Julie's small hand a squeeze, smiling as she squeezed back.

"But…" The lady stated a little louder. "If you and the one you love are able to overcome this disruption, you will find true happiness."

With that final statement, the woman quickly gathered the cards up and placed them back to the side before giving Julie and Tim a smile.

"That's it?" Julie asked quietly.

"Yes. That is all I could read from the cards concerning your future. Are you sure that your boyfriend would not like to have his future told?" The woman asked, glancing at Tim.

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend." Julie replied quickly. "We're just friends."

The woman smiled, glancing down at their joined hands knowingly. "Perhaps." She said softly. "Well, would your friend like to have his fortune told?"

Tim shook his head, meeting Julie's gaze. "No." He mouthed silently.

Julie grinned, shaking her head as well. "No, thank you. I think we've heard enough for today."

"Very well." The lady smiled. "Let us head back to the front and we will take care of the payment."

The three of them walked back into the lobby. Tim pulled out his wallet and handed the lady a twenty dollar bill.

"Tim, I've got money." Julie said quickly, digging through her purse.

"I got it, Jules." He drawled, placing his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her out of the building. He was ready to get out of there.

Stepping outside, he took a deep breath. He was glad to be out of that place – no darkness, no funny smells, no crazy ladies telling Julie things he wasn't sure he wanted to hear.

"Well, you didn't have to do that, but thanks." Julie said as she gave him a sweet smile. "For paying and for going in there with me."

"No worries."

The two of them made their way back across the street toward Tim's truck, walking slowly beside one another.

"I completely underestimated the creepiness factor of having your fortune told. That could be my first and last trip to one of those." She sighed.

Tim nodded slightly. He was pretty sure he never wanted to step foot in a place like that again either.

"Do you think what she said is true?" Julie asked, coming to stop beside Tim's truck, turning to look up at him.

Tim looked at her closely, seeing that she was a little bothered by the lady's words. He knew letting her go in there was a bad idea.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Probably not. I mean, if she could really tell the future, what's she doing in a run down building in Dillon?"

"Yeah, you're right." Julie said with a sigh. "I hope it's not true. For the first time in a while things are goin' pretty good. I sure don't need any disruptions in my life right now."

"Me and you both, Taylor." Tim sighed, opening Julie's door and watching as she hoisted herself into the truck. "Me and you both."