Authors note: Thanks for the great reviews guys! Sorry I made you wait a while for the romance. I think that neither would have given in that easily. Both characters are pretty stubborn and have plenty plenty relationship and trust issues.

Although if I was Juliet I would have jumped his bones at the first sign of weakness, but thats just me :-D

Chapter 15 – Luckily

He returned home one day after what was surely the longest shift of his life, to find Juliet serving dinner to Miles and Jin. He was welcomed with a warm smile and when he collapsed into a chair he was rewarded by his dinner being placed in front of him and an affectionate hair tousle.

Miles had raided the Dharma's alcohol supply and so there was plenty of wine to go around, so the conversation flowed freely.

They laughed and joked and made fun of each other, and it took a while for him to realise he was drunk.

He looked at the empty wine bottles on the kitchen counter and rolled his eyes, no wonder he was drunk. He let himself relax and lean back and just listen to the conversation.

He loved her laugh.

It was a rare thing to hear, and it made him smile. Under the haze of the alcohol she made him feel warm and fuzzy. He shook his head to stop from staring. Now he was pretty well gone, he was internally arguing with himself about going to bed when Miles pulled out the whiskey.

One wouldn't hurt would it?

After a few the last thing he can remember until he woke up is laughing at her trying to tell a funny story but getting it muddled and giggling.

* * *

When he woke up it was too bright, and too hot, and something was tickling his nose.

His head pounded and his mouth was as dry and a nun's crotch.

He breathed in deeply and couldn't move because of a weight on his arm, he tried to move what was tickling him, it was hair, Juliet's hair.

He wasn't scared, either he was still hammered or he was happy about this.

He pulled he close and kissed her bare shoulder to rouse her, he looked at the perfect skin as she slowly woke up, he saw the confusion and greeted her with 'morning sunshine'

She looked horrified.

She shuffled away from him and clutched the covers to protect her modesty.

He had no idea why this made him so damn angry.

'Problem sweetheart?' he growled

She couldn't come out with a coherent answer and held her head and winced, so he stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

A few hours later she was sat at the table nursing a cup of coffee. When he walked in she tentatively pushed a second cup towards him.

'We gonna talk bout this now?' He questioned while sitting down.

He wasn't sure what he thought of the answer, he wasn't sure why he just knew he didn't like it.

'Luckily we don't remember last night so we can go on like it never happened. . . .'

~*~*~*~*~*~

She always enjoyed the company, but she was always a little put out when Miles invited himself and Jin to dinner. They always expected her to cook, and stayed really late drinking. Even if herself and James were falling asleep at the table.

It was a relief when James walked in as Miles and Jin had been quizzing her on her and James' relationship and she was beginning to get annoyed.

They enjoyed dinner, laughing and chatting. They could feel a bit more at ease with just the four or them, didn't have to be careful about letting anything slip.

When she was putting the plates in the sink she saw how many bottles of wine they had got through, no wonder she was a bit wobbly and relaxed.

She loved his smile.

When she looked at him throughout the night he would turn its full power on her, she had a physical reaction to it, which was magnified by the alcohol.

She shook her head to try and clear some cobwebs and think straight, maybe she go to bed.

Miles had poured her a whiskey, it wouldn't hurt. It would be rude not to join in on the toast. Although she had no idea what they were loudly toasting.

After the toast the last thing she remembers is looking at James while they were both laughing.

* * *

She felt something on her shoulder and started to stir.

He room was too bright, it hurt her eyes and her head.

She hurt all over and it was too hot, the heat was radiating from something, no, someone pressed up against her.

'Morning sunshine'

Son of a . . . it was him.

This was wrong, it was going to end badly.

She moved away from him, trying to form a sentence through the alcohol haze and the pain in her head.

He stormed naked out of the room and she threw herself back down.

A minute later he flew back in the room, slammed a glass of water and two aspirins down and glared at her.

'What?' he barked

When she requested he put some pants on he marched out slamming the door again.

A few hours later she had managed to get showered and dressed and was nursing a luke warm coffee. He strode in, not looking half as rough as she felt.

He was angry with her.

Had she thrown herself at him? She had ruined it this time.

When she suggested they forget it he surprised her by getting up and speaking gently into her ear, his breath made her shiver and come out in goosebumps. Never mind the butterflies, at least he couldn't see those.

His whisper was not angry, but tender.

'Luckily, I can remember everything' . . . .