A/N: Thanks as always for reviewing. I know I got this one up quick, but like I said, this part of the story has been in the works for a while. So, yeah, these chapters will come faster.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 27: Shock

Julie lay, nearly catatonic in Cal and Elyse's bed. She hadn't moved in days, she didn't even remember leaving the hospital.

"Julie," she blinked awake and saw Casey at her shoulder, "honey, wake up, you've gotta eat something sweetheart."

"Not hungry," she mumbled and rolled back over. He sighed. "Casey, just go."

"Stephanie's asking for you." He said.

"Tell her I'm sick," she whispered.

"If you don't eat you will be," he said. "Jules, she's scared and worried and Mikey's not much better. We're all here for you, but you've got to let us in."

"We're?" She said. He nodded. "Who?"

"Me, Tammy, Steve, Jimmy, Carolee, your mom, Josh," he said. "Peter couldn't,"

"He couldn't make it," she whispered. He nodded. "It's OK. I mean, my parents died, why should my boyfriend be here?" He kissed her on the forehead. "God, my parents died. My dad," she choked. "Oh Casey, what am I going to do without him? What about Steph and Mike?"

"That's uh," he sighed. "Jimmy's brother is figuring that stuff out, with the will and everything, it seems like, well, your dad and Elyse wanted them with you."

"What?" She said. "That's ridiculous! Elyse's parents, or my grandma," she said. He shrugged. "They can't live with me, Casey, I live in California! And I'm twenty five and I have no idea how to take care of two kids."

"That's sort of what Elyse's parents said," he nodded. "Which is what Rick's trying to figure out. The will was pretty air tight that it be you."

"Hey," Tammy walked in, Julie looked at her. "Oh honey!" She hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry, I love you so much."

"Thanks," Julie whispered, "I love you too."

"You feel up to getting out of bed today?" Tammy said. "If you don't we get it, and you don't have to do anything, really, Jaime and I have everything under control." Julie nodded. "Except well,"

"Casey told me about the kids," Julie whispered. "I'm processing."

"Rick's really trying to make sure that everything's OK," Tammy said. Julie nodded. "Drink this."

"What is it?" She said taking a mug.

"Just tea," Tammy said and Julie sipped it. "Anyway, I wouldn't worry."

"Did it occur to any of you that I might want to take care of Steph and Mike?" She said. Casey and Tammy immediately stopped and looked at her. "I mean, I know it's not like anyone's dream situation to have the flaky work obsessed twenty something older sister from the dad's first marriage take the kids, but I love my brother and sister."

"Julie no one's claiming that you don't love them," Tammy said. "It's just well, you have a history of shutting down in crisis, and we want to make sure that they're taken care of."

"Plus, like you said, you live in California," Casey said. Julie sighed and sipped the tea.

"I'm going to take a shower." Julie said standing up. Casey and Tammy looked at each other.

"Still no word from Peter?" Tammy said. Casey shook his head. "Jesus Christ, what an asshole!"

"How's Steve doing?" He asked. She shrugged.

"He's kind of shut down," she sighed, "I've been trying to get through to him. I just don't know. Cal was like his big brother, and now," she sighed. "We were having problems anyway, I don't think this is going to help."

Julie wandered outside and saw Jimmy playing with Stephanie in the yard. She was glad he'd stayed. Stephanie loved him so much, at least she had that even if she was an orphan now.

"Julie!" Stephanie ran over and hugged her.

"Hi Baby," Julie whispered. "Oh I love you so much."

"I was worried about you," the little girl said. Jimmy looked at her. "Are you done being sad now?"

"I'm um, not totally done," Julie said. "But the worst part is over." Stephanie nodded.

"Hey Bug," Jimmy said. "Why don't you go inside and find Taylor while I talk to your sister OK?" Stephanie nodded and ran in. "Hey." He whispered.

"Hey," she said and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're here." He held her close.

"I'm glad you're glad," he said quietly. "Julie," he said. "What are you going to do? Do you know?" She shook her head.

"No," she whispered. "I just, I don't know. I want to do what Elyse and Dad would have wanted, but I can't raise them by myself and I can't take them to California, their lives are here and they just lost their parents." He nodded.

"I know you'll do what's right Jules," he said. "But who said that you had to do it by yourself?" She looked up at him. "I love those kids, I'd,"

"Jimmy," she shook her head. "I can't do this right now, I can't have this conversation with you. I have a boyfriend."

"Yeah, where is he?" He asked. She sighed. "I'm sorry, but Julie, if he cares about you at all, he would be here, with you." She frowned.

"He's busy," she said. "He's making sure that everything at the company is running smoothly, and planning the funeral and,"

"And that would be fine," Jimmy said, "if he was just Jaime's assistant, but he's also your boyfriend and he should be here with you." She sighed.

"I think you're a little biased," she frowned.

"Hell yeah I'm biased," he said. "I love you, and I'm here!" She closed her eyes.

"Julie," Peter walked out back, "I'm sorry it took me so long," she looked up. "Hi," he said carefully.

"Peter, this is Jimmy," Julie said. He nodded. "Jimmy, Peter." She walked over and kissed him softly. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," he pushed her hair behind her ears. "You doing OK?"

"I'm hanging in there," she said. "We kind of have to talk. Jimmy, do you mind?"

"Nope," Jimmy said coldly and walked inside. Julie sighed.

"What's with him?" Peter said. She sat down on the steps. "Look, I know you must be mad, I should have come before, but with school and with you and Jaime and Casey being here, things are like falling apart at work."

"No I know all of that," she said softly. "And I've been like out of commission for the past few days anyway." He nodded and kissed her.

"So," he said. "I'm guessing this takes us out of the fun zone, huh?" She looked at him.

"I'm not going to be much fun for a while," she said. "Plus I think I have to move back here, to take care of my brother and sister." He nodded. "I really like you Peter, I mean really."

"Yeah, I really like you too," he said. "But you don't have time for guys you just really like anymore, right?"

"Something like that," she nodded. "Sorry." He kissed her.

"It's OK," he said. "It was fun." She smiled softly.

Jaime woke up in a hotel bed and stretched.

"Good morning sleepy head," Josh whispered as her arms circled around his neck and they kissed him.

"Morning," she said softly. They kissed some more.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked.

"Better," she said and sat up and started getting dressed. "I should get to the house. See if Julie will get out bed today."

"Jaim," he said as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "Are we going to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" She said.

"That we've had more sex in the past two days than in the past eighteen months," he said. She sighed.

"Josh," she said, "soon, but right now, I have to be there for my daughter." She stood up and he took her hand. "I'm glad you're here."

"Jaime, you lost a lot too," he said. She closed her eyes. "You loved Cal, it's OK."

"I did love him, Josh," she said. "But not the way you think I did. And anyway, he's gone now." He looked at her.

"You'll miss him," he said.

"Of course I'll miss him," she whispered. "That's not what I meant." She kissed him. "We will talk, I promise." He nodded.

"Hey," Tammy walked into Steve's room.

"Hey," he said. She sat down.

"How're you holding up?" She asked.

"I'm OK," he said. "I uh, I'm going to do the eulogy."

"Are you sure?" She said. He looked at her. "I mean, that's going to be really hard Steve."

"I know," he said. "But I want to. Cal deserves it." She nodded and kissed him. They kissed again and he pushed her onto her back.

"Steve," she whispered. "I don't think," he kissed her again. "Mm," she closed her eyes. "Baby, hold on."

"God, you taste good," he said. They kissed again.

"Steve, you're upset right now," she whispered, "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Tam, I've been so tense," he said, "and upset. Let's just feel something else for a little while." She blinked up at him. "Please?"

"OK," she said and lifted her skirt. He took her panties off and they kissed. "Baby," she whimpered undoing his fly. "Oh God." She groaned.

"Baby, that feels good," he said. She giggled.

"Stevie," They sat up, terrified of seeing his mother, but it was Taylor standing in the doorway wiping her eyes. "Oh my God!" She said and turned around. "Sorry!"

"It's OK," Tammy said, sitting up and pulling her underwear on. "I should um, call New York and see if," she stood up, "I'm just gonna go."

"OK," Taylor said. Steve got dressed. "So, that's um, not awkward." He laughed. "I should have called."

"No, it's fine," he shook his head. "How are you doing?"

"I just can't believe they're gone, you know?" She sighed. "I mean, Elyse was my best friend, I can't even."

"I know," Steve said. "How's Aaron?"

"He doesn't really understand, I don't think," she shook her head. "I left him at the house with Stephanie."

"Sure," he said. "Have you seen Julie?" She shook her head. "Yeah, me neither." He said. "How's the um, pregnancy?" She laughed.

"Good," she said. "How's um, things with Tammy? Clearly still hot." He laughed awkwardly.

"We're good," he said. "We had kind of a rough patch for a while, but uh, I think we're going to be OK."

"Good," she whispered.

"I bought a ring," he said. She looked at him. "I was going to ask her mom and her step dad for their blessing this week, because they were visiting us in New York, but now."

"What's different now?" She asked. He shrugged. "Stevie, if you love her."

"It's not that simple," he said. "I mean, especially, if Julie decides to stay here with the kids…"

"What you're going to move in with her?" Taylor laughed. He shrugged. "Steve! Sweetheart, Julie has Jimmy or that boyfriend from LA, or that Italian guy. You should do what makes you happy."

"Like you did?" He said. She bit her lower lip.

"My situation was different." She said softly and stood up. "I love my husband and I love my son. Just because it's not how I thought my life would turn out, doesn't mean you can pass judgment."

"Tay, I didn't mean it like that," he said and took her hand. She swallowed. "We're all upset and tired."

Tammy wandered down the street and smiled seeing Tommy standing out in front of the Gaffney's house.

"Hi!" She said and hugged him.

"Hey," he said. "How's Julie doing?"

"She's hanging in," she said. "I'm glad you're here."

"Sure," he said. "Di's inside with the kids and Julie's mom." She nodded. "Where's Steve?"

"Um, his ex girlfriend walked in on us," she said. "So I left."

"Walked in on you?" He said. She shrugged. "Ugh, Tam!" He stopped. "The ex girlfriend who always cheated on, or the ex girlfriend who he thought he got pregnant?"

"The pregnant one," Tammy said. He nodded. "How's Di?" He shrugged. "Tommy, you can talk to me about it."

"She's scared," he said. "She starts treatment in a few days. I'm scared. I love her, Tammy, I don't want to lose her." She hugged him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm hanging in there," she said. "This whole thing has just made me really wish that Steve and I could actually make some kind of commitment to each other."

"You want to marry him." Tommy said.

"I was never sure," she said. "I'm still not. I just know I love him, and I want to be with him. And I think I'm ready."

"Plus Fulton's getting married," Tommy said. She looked at him. "Tam, I know you better than anyone." She laughed. "Because your ex is, is a really shitty reason to get married."

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