Author's Note: Thanks as always for reviewing, keep them coming! Also I own nothing!

Chapter 24: Why do you ask?

Julie smiled and walked up to Peter's desk. Their relationship had progressed quickly over the past few months. They were still in the "just having fun" stage, but now they were in the "just having fun with each other" level of it. It was a level that Julie was finding she liked.

"Hey you," he smiled.

"Hey," she said as he stood up and kissed her. "You left this," she handed him a shopping bag. He opened it and laughed.

"You brought my underwear to the office?" He laughed. She kissed him.

"I also made crab cakes," she said. "Come by my office for lunch?"

"You've got it," he nodded and they kissed again. "She's free."

"Right," she sighed, "thanks." She walked into Jaime's office. "Hi Mom," she said brightly.

"Please don't be sarcastic with me today Julie," Jaime frowned. Julie sighed.

"You called me," Julie said. "What's up?"

"Are you going to New York next week?" Jaime asked.

"Of course I am," Julie said. "Even if we didn't own RDC I'd be going to support Tammy."

"Are you bringing anyone?" Jaime asked.

"Casey and I are going together," Julie shrugged. "We're going to sit with Emma and Larson to promote Tell Me About The Girl."

"You're not bringing Peter?" Jaime said, frowning. Julie smiled slightly. Was Jaime actually concerned about her love life? "Because it wouldn't look great for the company, you know, you two being there together."

"Jaime," Julie said, she was hardening immediately. "I'm not the public face of RDC. Besides which, it doesn't matter who I'm dating. I will bring my boyfriend if I want to." She marched out. Peter looked at her. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "everything OK?"

"Super," she said, "see you," she kissed him.

Dean sat on the couch flipped through the channels. He sighed hearing a knock on the door. He went and opened it.

"Hi," Lisa said, she had Baby Dean on her hip.

"Hi Lee," he said with a groan and let her in.

"Unca Dean!" The baby shouted. Dean laughed and took him from his mom.

"So where've you been?" She asked. He sighed. "After the wedding you disappeared." He shrugged. "Is an Elena induced hiding?"

"No," he shook his head. "Things with Lena are really over. We needed to see each other and talk about it a little, but it's not about her." She nodded. "I'm surprised you don't already know about it."

"Why I already know about it?" She frowned.

"Forget it," he said. "Do you want me to babysit? Do you have errands or something? I haven't hung out with him in a while." She scowled at him. "Lee, I'm fine. I have other friends besides you and Kev and Tanya and Fult, I've been hanging out with them."

"Who are these other friends?" She said. "I've never met them."

"Lisa!" He said.

"Dean!" She said back. "What is going on?"

"Forget it," he shook his head, "it's not important." She frowned at him again.

"This is about Tanya isn't it?" She said. He looked at her. "The wedding?"

"Look it doesn't matter, OK?" He shrugged at her. She sighed and sat down.

"Dean, if you still have feelings for Tanya," she said. "You should tell her. Trust me, it won't help anyone for you to keep quiet."

"Lisa, I did tell her," he whispered. She looked at him. "It doesn't matter, not to her. She put us behind her a long time ago. I just have to try now, and apparently I have to be the best man when she marries someone else."

"Oh Dean!" She hugged him. "I had no idea. Come over for dinner."

"You get more like Mom every day," he shook his head and laughed. "I don't need to be fed until I explode." She laughed. "I'll be OK, I'm a big boy."

"Big boy!" Baby Dean repeated. The two siblings laughed.

"I would like to hang out with my nephews and my niece more," he said.

"We would all like to spend more time with David," Lisa rolled her eyes, "but he is obsessed with this moving in Patrick thing." Dean looked at her. "We're not going to let him, but he is getting to the point where if he wants to I won't be able to stop him."

"Well," Dean said. "Maybe you'll luck out and Ol Patty Boy will take off again before David hits puberty."

"Don't tempt fate," Lisa laughed. "Come on Baby," she lifted Dean off of the couch. "Dinner invitation stands, OK?"

"OK," he nodded.

Tammy sat at her desk, looking at the Polaroid's of the models for the show, trying to figure out what order they should be going in

"Hey," Jimmy said leaning against the door.

"Hey," she smiled. "What are you doing down here?"

"I had the afternoon free," he shrugged, "I figured I'd bring you takeout."

"Oh, new favorite brother award," she nodded taking the sandwich he was holding. He laughed and sat down taking one. "How are you doing?"

"Um, better," he said.

"Listen," she said. "I'm really sorry it didn't work out. Bonnie and I weren't exactly best friends, but I want you to be happy."

"I know." He nodded. "Listen um, where am I sitting at this fashion show?" She looked at him.

"Front row, with the rest of the family and Steve why?" She asked.

"And Julie?" He asked.

"Other side front row, with Casey and the kids who are playing Marie and Caleb in Tell Me About the Girl." She said carefully. He nodded.

"So not together," he said. She shook her head.

"Mm mm, why?" She asked and took a bite of her sandwich. Then it hit her. "Jimmy! No!" He sighed.

"Tammy, look, I just think that," he started.

"You walked away from her," Tammy said. "You broke her heart a year ago, and then you had your chance to get her back at the wedding. She's moving on with her life."

"She's renting an apartment in Newport," he said, "and continuing to work for her mother. She's not moving on."

"She's dating someone," Tammy said softly.

"Paulo?" He said. "That's not dating, that's mutual masturbation."

"Not Paulo, his name is Peter, he's Jaime's assistant," Tammy said. He nodded. "Jimmy, I'm serious, I love you both, and I really wanted you two to get back together, but if even I've given it up." He nodded.

"So how are you and Steve doing?" He asked. "Better?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I think we're past the worst now." He nodded. "Fulton's getting married."

"I know," he said. "Tommy told me." She nodded. "You doing OK with that?"

"It's kind of surreal," she said. "I feel worse for Portman." Jimmy raised his eyebrows. "He's gonna be the best man, Jimmy, that sucks. I'm probably never going to see Fulton again."

"True," he nodded. "That does kind of suck. How's Janet doing with the whole getting fired thing?"

"She's pretty pissed," she shook her head. "She's taking it out on Dave more than anyone else though." He nodded. "Jimmy, are you sure you're OK?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I know that it's going to be good."

"Good news is that being single is really good for your internship and residency," she shrugged. He looked at her. "You can go anywhere now, and you have lots of sex, like Carter or the doctors on Grey's Anatomy."

"You really think that I'm going to go to my residency and be John Carter?" He laughed.

"I think you would be extremely effective as John Carter," she nodded. "You've got family money, you're tall, and skinny but in a super cute way, and, well, you don't have any drug addictions, but I think Ellie's counts." He laughed.

Elena smiled looking through books of flowers with Kat and Claire one day. Connie was skipping around giggling about being a flower girl again and would she get another brand new dress from Aunt Kelly?

"Connie," Claire said calming her down. "Sweetheart, go find Daddy, and ask him to make you lunch."

"OK Mommy," Connie said. "I'm glad you're visiting Grandma!" Connie said and kissed her.

"Thank you Angel!" Kat said. "Elena where is Bradley?"

"He's in New York," Elena said quietly.

"Logan needed him to negotiate some contracts there," Claire said apologetically. "I've been so busy with Scott's new book, and helping out Elena,"

"Of course," Kat nodded. She noticed an unsatisfied look in Elena's eyes.

"We're going to the ballet tonight though," Elena said. "I'm meeting him down there." She nodded. Claire frowned. She remembered when she and Logan first got engaged and Kat had spoken to both of them about getting themselves lost in this lifestyle. They'd worked very hard to make sure it didn't happen and had had Connie to help.

"Well," Kat said. "I think we can manage without him. I thought orchids might be nice for the altar." Elena nodded.

Brad wandered from the train station towards Lincoln Center to pick up the tickets he and Elena had reserved for the night. He stopped to get a cup of coffee.

"Brad Vanderbilt?" He stopped hearing a familiar voice and laugh. He turned around. "Oh my God!"

"Gabrielle!" He said. She laughed again. He smiled. She looked amazing, her dark hair slicked back in a ponytail and her green eyes alive with her particularly amazing laugh. "Wow, I," he laughed, "I heard you were in Australia."

"I was," she said, "but I'm um, dancing with The New York City Ballet now."

"That's great," he said. "I'm actually going tonight, with Elena."

"You and Elena?" She said. He nodded. "You're together."

"We're engaged," he said.

"Wow," she said. "That's great." He nodded.

"What about you and Guy?" He said. She giggled. "You're still together, then?"

"Sort of," she ran her left hand through her hair. He stopped and noticed the glint. "We got married a few months ago."

"You got married," he said. She nodded. "That's," he stopped, "I would have thought I would have heard about it."

"Oh we eloped," she shuddered. "My parents were furious, but it was worth it to do things our way. When are you getting married?"

"February," he said. "It's been a while coming though."

"Well it's good to see you," she said and hugged him. "Maybe the four of us can get a drink or something after the show."

"Sure," he said.

"How's Four Winds?" She asked. "And The Musketeer? I sailed almost every day in Sydney, I thought about you all the time."

"Um, I put The Musketeer away awhile ago, I haven't raced in like four summers, um but Four Winds is still great. I'm actually working on plans for a new boat for Elena and my honeymoon." He said.

"That sounds amazing," she smiled. "I should get going," she pulled out a pen and wrote on a cup sleeve. "This is where Guy and I meeting after tonight. I'd love to see you." He nodded.

Connie smiled quietly cradling baby Gordon against her chest. Charlie smiled and looked at her as he walked in.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she whispered as he sat down and kissed her. "Do you want to hold him?"

"No," he said, "you two look comfy." She smiled. "He's perfect isn't he?"

"I think he might be," she said. "I think he looks kind of like your mom."

"Yeah," he nodded. "When do you want him baptized?"

"As soon as Guy can get out here," she said. "He'll be a good godfather." Charlie nodded. "I know you wanted it to be Coach." He laughed.

"Well, we named him after Coach," he said softly. "I think that's enough." She laughed. "Connie, I know this was hard for you."

"It wasn't," she shook her head. "I thought it would be. I'm just glad that we'll get to see him grow up. I kind of wish his sister could too." Charlie kissed her.

"I know," he said. "I wish she could too."

Julie smiled contently in Peter's bed that night as he nuzzled her after they made love.

"Hey," she said and he kissed her.

"What?" He whispered.

"Do you want to come to New York with me next week?" She whispered. He looked at her and rolled onto his back. "What's wrong?" She frowned.

"That's what you were fighting with Jaime about before," he said. She looked at him.

"And?" She laughed and kissed him.

"So," he said. "You weren't planning on asking me to go with you?"

"Well, only cause I'd be working," she said, "but I think it might be fun, I have this great room at the Palace Hotel, king sized bed."

"Are you only with me because it pisses off Jaime?" He asked.

"No," she said. "I like being with you, you make me laugh," she kissed him, "we have fun, and you're very sexy."

"Why didn't you ask me before?" He said. She sighed.

"I guess I was trying to be sensitive to Jimmy," she said. He nodded. "But I don't think he'll mind."

"I think that's a really good instinct," he said. "Plus, fashion show's not really my kind of thing." She nodded. "Not that the prospect of a king sized hotel bed and you doesn't interest me, believe me it does." She laughed.

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