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Chapter 45: Promises, Promises

Julie and Tammy had been having a great night, with a lot of laughing and talking. Tammy was perfectly content, if a little bit inebriated. It was when Julie's blackberry went off that she got worried.

"Sorry," Julie said. "It's Steve." Tammy nodded. "Hey." She said picking it up. "Is everything alright?"

"Uh, Steph had a nightmare," he said. "She wants you." Julie sighed, she could hear Stephanie throwing a fit in the background screaming for Julie and her mother. "I'm sorry."

"No it's fine," Julie said. "I'll be right there." Tammy looked at her. "Steph has these nightmares, and she's asking for me. It'll only take like ten minutes to get her calmed down, there's no reason to call it a night."

"Julie, I can't go there," Tammy shook her head. Julie sighed. "I can't, I mean, come on."

"You said that you two called a truce in Minnesota," Julie pointed out. "I wouldn't ask, but it's for Steph."

"Oh, that's playing dirty," Tammy frowned. Julie shrugged. "Fine, let's go." She sighed and they hailed a cab. Once they got to the apartment they walked in. Steph was sitting on the couch still screaming and sobbing.

"Stephie," Julie sighed and picked her up. "Honey." The screams subsided first, changing to just sobbing and wheezing. "Oh God, sweetie, talk to me."

"They went away," she said.

"Who, honey?" Julie asked. Steve and Tammy watched in awe.

"Everyone," the little girl shuddered. "We were all in a big room, and then Mommy and Daddy went away, and then you and Jimmy, and then Steve and Taylor and Brett, and Mikey and even Aaron." She sobbed. "And that's why I couldn't stop being scared, because usually in that one Aaron stays."

"Oh sweetheart," Julie said. "I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere OK?"

"Will you lay with me until I fall back asleep?" Steph whispered.

"Of course," Julie said. "We'll be right back."

"Sure," Steve said. They walked back into the extra bedroom. "Happy Birthday." He smiled at Tammy.

"Thanks," she said softly. "That was something else." He nodded. She sat down on the couch. He sat down with her.

"Sorry about this," he sighed, "I tried to get her to calm down for like a half hour."

"It's OK," she shrugged.

"It gives me the opportunity to give you your birthday present though," he said. She looked at him. "The necklace is new." She touched her neck.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I knew from Kelly, the Vanderbilts are big into jewelry."

"Even though you're not really?" He said. She blushed. "Anyway," he said and stood up, walking back into his bedroom.

"Steve you really didn't have to get me anything," she said as he handed her a box.

"I bought it months ago," he shrugged. She unwrapped the careful white paper and then opened the box.

"Oh!" She said softly. It was a small antique music box, which when you wound it up played "The Waltz of The Snowflakes" from The Nutcracker and had two mechanical skaters zooming around the top. "It's beautiful." She said.

"I saw it and it reminded me of you," he said softly. "With the spinning, and I remember you told me you won your first competition with that waltz so." She nodded and wiped her eyes. "Oh baby, don't cry."

"I can't help it," she said. "This is like the best present ever." She kissed him pressing herself close. "I can't believe you remember that story." She kissed him again.

"If you're waiting for me to stop you, I'm not going to," he winked. She giggled. They kissed again. He weaved his hands into her hair. She squeaked pressing even closer to him.

"Uh, guys," Julie said walking out. They pulled apart. "Should we have kept it just to champagne tonight? I thought the martinis might have been a bad plan." Tammy giggled. "Steve-o, um I think I'd better stay in for the rest of the night, in case you know Steph."

"Why don't I get changed," Steve said, "and we'll uh, go get a drink?" Tammy kissed him. "Or we'll go now and get Tammy some coffee."

"I don't think we should go anywhere," Tammy said, plopping on the couch. "It's my birthday, and Jimmy's going to be back at two, and it's 1:45 now. So let's just hang out and then watch a movie. The four of us."

"We haven't been the four of us in almost a year and a half," Julie raised her eyebrows. "And I'm still getting you some coffee."

Kyla giggled as Dean tickled her side she rolled over and straddled him, still pulling the sheet with her. They kissed.

"I love being in bed with you," she said. She kissed him again.

"Just being in bed," he teased.

"Well, the sex is OK," she shrugged. "But the in bed stuff is beyond compare." They kissed and rolled over eachother again.

"See, I've heard the sex is life changing before," he said. She looked up at him.

"Well, that explains the confidence," she laughed. They kissed some more. "I really do have to go, I have to find a dress for next weekend."

"OK," he said rolling off of her. "Look hot, this is my ex girlfriend getting married."

"I always look hot," she smiled and kissed him. He smiled as she walked out. He sat quietly for a minute. His cell phone rang.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey," he sat up hearing the voice on the other end.

"Hi, Lena," he said softly. "You're calling me."

"Yeah," she said. "Um, I know it's weird, it's just Brad and I are trying this new thing. We're friends with our exes."

"Oh," he said. "Sure, that's cool." He suddenly got a horrible flash of Lena finding out from Brad that he was sleeping with Kyla. "So then, you must have heard,"

"That Guy and Gabrielle got married, yeah," she sighed. "Yeah."

"Gabrielle," he said. "He and Gabrielle are being friends."

"Of course," she laughed. "Brad doesn't have another ex girlfriend, except that huge whore he dated in middle school." He sucked in his breath. "Anyway, I'm going to be in Boston picking up my veil next weekend and I thought we could get coffee or lunch or something else friendly."

"As much as I would love to be friendly," he said. "I have to go be friends with my other ex, her and Fulton's wedding is next weekend."

"Oh," she said, "alright then. Maybe some other time."

"Sure," he said, "talk to you later." He hung up. "Weird." He shook his head. But if it meant keeping her from losing it a "friendly" cup of coffee with Lena every year or two was not the worst thing in the world.

"Hey kid," Tanya wandered into David's room. He smiled at her. He was packing up. She started folding some clothes that were on a pile on her bed. "I'm moving soon too you know?"

"Yeah," he said. "Fult got stationed in Boston, he told me." She nodded. "At least you'll be near Dean."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'll miss you though," she mussed his hair.

"I'll miss you too," he said. "You're still my favorite." She smiled.

"Yeah, you're mine too," she said. "Look, kid, are you sure about this whole moving to Colorado thing?"

"God," he groaned, "yes! All you people talk about is getting out of the neighborhood, and me and Patrick are doing it."

"Yeah, we don't mean ten year olds," she smirked. "So you're not going to try to talk me out of marry Fulton and try to talk me into marrying Dean instead?"

"Nah," David shrugged, "I gave up on that one when I was six." She laughed. "I'm going to go home for the summers though." She nodded and he hugged her again. "Thanks for always being my favorite person."

"Thanks for picking me Davey," she whispered. "Someday I wanna have a kid just like you." He smiled.

Tammy woke up the next morning and rolled over scratching her head. She looked around and then pulled the covers up.

"Good morning sunshine," Steve smirked walking in and handing her a cup of coffee.

"Oh my God," she said. "Oh my God, we had sex, didn't we?"

"No," he said. "There was kissing and groping and you getting mostly naked and talking about that time in the art room, which I assume was with Fulton and not me, but I'll let it slide." She pulled the covers over her head and whimpered. "You haven't been that drunk in a really long time."

"I know," she groaned.

"You were like Ellie drunk," he said. She pulled out from the covers and glared at him. "No, you were like, Julie that time we visited her sorority drunk."

"You've made your point," she said. "You gave me a music box." He nodded. "Dave gave me diamonds. I hate diamonds."

"Yeah," he said. "I know." She closed her eyes. "Drink your coffee, there's no pressure here." She nodded. "Remember, I said in Minnesota before the whole blow up, I want to get back to having fun with you." They kissed.

"Right," she said. "Fun," she said. "No sex."

"But sex is fun," he said. She laughed.

"Steve," she said. "I can't get back together."

"I know," he said. They kissed softly for a few moments.

"I have to go," she said. "I'm meeting Dave at the gallery."

"I know," he said. "I have to get to work anyway." She nodded and kissed him again. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said. "I'll call you."

"Or just show up drunk on my doorstep," he shrugged. She glared at him. "Right, I'll go to work." She nodded. "Bye."

"Bye," she said. He walked out. "Steve," she said and he turned around. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he said. "Me too."

"I like it here," Stephanie said. Julie and Jimmy both laughed as she bounced on the bed. "Are we going to move here when you open your restaurant and Jimmy's done with doctor school?"

"No," Julie said. "We're staying in Bangor and I'm not opening my restaurant anytime soon. Stop jumping on the bed."

"Taylor said you're not opening it because you're scared," Stephanie said matter of factly.

"Uh huh," Julie nodded. "What else does Taylor say?"

"That Jimmy should just get you pregnant so that you'll marry him," Stephanie said. Julie laughed. "Then she said I wasn't 'sposed to hear that."

"I figured." Julie nodded.

"I think she's right though," Stephanie shrugged. "You and Jimmy should get married and I would like a baby."

"Would you?" Julie said sitting down with her and tickling her, she squealed. "You and Aaron can have a baby then because me and Jimmy aren't going to."

"Julie, that's silly!" Stephanie giggled, "Aaron and I can't have a baby, we're not grown ups and we don't Mommy and Daddy love each other."

"Oh right," Julie laughed.

"You and Jimmy Mommy and Daddy love each other though." She smiled. "So you should have a baby."

"Well, your logic is there," Julie laughed. "But we're not having a baby for a while, and it's not appropriate for us to have a wedding so soon after Daddy and Mommy are gone."

"Anna Peabody said that her Mommy said that you and Jimmy living together and not being married wasn't 'propriate." Stephanie whispered. Julie sighed.

"Yeah," Julie said. "People are going to talk, but you just have ignore them." Stephanie nodded. "Alright, are you ready to go?"

"Yup," Stephanie said. "Can we at least come stay here sometimes? This is Jimmy's apartment right?"

"Yes," Jimmy said walking in, "it's my apartment and we'll come stay anytime you want." Stephanie smiled and ran over and hugged him. "I brought back real New York bagels, go have breakfast."

"OK," Stephanie bounced out. Julie looked at Jimmy.

"Maybe we should get married," she said.

"I thought you wanted to wait," he said.

"But that was before I found out that Stephanie's classmates listen when they talk," Julie sighed.

"Oh," he nodded. "Yeah, that. Does it really bother you?"

"Jimmy, you don't understand," she shook her head. "The only family gossip you had to deal with was of the pity variety." He nodded. "I mean, now that I'm seeing the people who went to school with Dad and Jaime all the time, I still get the 'oh, sweetheart, it must have been so hard growing up!' When I was little, I had to hit a boy once who repeated his mom calling Jaime a reckless little slut."

"Whoa," he said.

"I don't want Stephanie and Mike to ever have to deal with that kind of thing," she said.

"Trust me," Jimmy said. "The pity will overshadow that, and it's not easier." Julie nodded and kissed him. "We will get married someday, but I want to marry you right, in a church, all dressed up and beautiful, so much of your life has to be compromised now, and I won't let that be." She smiled. "So," he reached into his pocket, "Julie Gaffney, will you promise yourself to me?" He pulled out her promise ring.

"I will," she whispered and kissed him.

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