Author's Note: So, we're getting near the end. I know, sad...but since I've decided the end isn't the end yet, exactly. These stories will be wrapped up. Entirely. New ones in the same world are going to sprout up. Anyway.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 52: Facing Up

Julie stood at the sink washing her hands when Bonnie walked out of a stall. Julie looked at her. Bonnie looked in the mirror and fixed her hair.

"Claire told me what happened," Bonnie said softly. Julie looked at her. "I'm very sorry, about your parents."

"Thank you," Julie said quietly. "I'm sorry about how things worked out. And about the wedding. I'm extremely embarrassed about my behavior." Bonnie looked at her. "Anyway, I should get back out there."

"Julie," Bonnie said as she started walking away. "I did really love him."

"I know," Julie nodded. "That's why I was sort of OK with it." Bonnie smiled and Julie walked outside to where Tammy was standing. "I just had a super awkward conversation with Bonnie."

"Yeah, well, I'm hiding from Dave," Tammy sighed, "I couldn't even convince Steve to come. You weren't even a good enough inducement." Julie sighed. "I really screwed everything up, didn't I?"

"Kind of," Julie said, taking another drink off of the bar. Tammy took it. "Hey!"

"You've had enough." Tammy scolded. Julie pouted. "I know you don't get out much anymore, but trust me." Julie sighed. "What are you still doing here anyway? Shouldn't you and Jimmy be having crazy monkey sex in his apartment by now?"

"We'll get there," Julie said. "Plus we have all day tomorrow." She smiled. "I love him so much Tammy, I hope you and Steve can be as happy as me and Jimmy." Tammy looked at her.

"Yeah, I do too," she said.

"Maybe tonight," Julie said. Tammy looked at her. "Look," she nodded towards the door. Tammy smiled and jogged over.

"Hi," Steve said.

"Hi," she smiled. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too," he said. "I realized, fairly soon after you left that I cannot allow for my insecurities about Dave to control our relationship."

"You realized that?" She said and crossed her arms.

"Or Cat did, what difference does it make?" He smirked. She laughed and he kissed her. "You look so beautiful."

"Thank you," she smiled and kissed him. "Come have a drink with me and Julie."

"She's still here?" Steve said. "I thought your brother would have her naked by now."

"That's a lovely image," she nodded. "I think they're drinking all of the liquor in the party first."

"I think we should join them then," he offered her arm. She giggled and took it.

David unpacked his things in the extra bedroom of the small house he and Patrick had moved into. Lisa stood in the doorway and looked at him.

"Mom," he said, she looked at him. "I'm gonna be OK here." She nodded.

"I know," she sighed, "I'm just thinking about how much I'm going to miss you kiddo." He nodded and hugged her.

"I'll miss you too," he said. "But I'm coming home for Christmas and that's only in a few weeks." She nodded.

"Yeah," Lisa whispered. "I know, I just," she sighed and got herself together. "You know that you can come home at the drop of a hat right?" She said. "I mean it, call or whatever, if you want to come home, Kevin or I will get on a plane and come get you, or we'll just get you on a plane."

"Mom, I know," he said. "I'll be fine, I wanted to do this." She nodded and hugged him again.

"Lee?" Patrick walked in. "Your cab's here."

"Right," she whispered. "OK, I love you." She kissed both of David's cheeks.

"I love you too," he said. "You'll miss your plane." They hugged each other tightly.

"You're sure you don't want me to stay another night?" Lisa said. "I can, I can totally change my plane."

"Lee," Patrick said. "We're good."

"I wasn't talking to you," she said. "Davey?"

"I'm good Mom." David said. "Really, go home, Liz is probably driving Dad out of his mind already." She laughed and wiped her eyes, "don't cry Mommy. This is gonna be good."

"I know Baby," she whispered. "I'll call you when I land. I love you."

"I love you too." He said and she stood up and walked out, she and Patrick smiled at each other. David went back to unpacking and Patrick stood in awkward silence. "So, do I call you Dad now?" David finally asked. Patrick laughed.

"That's always been your call." Patrick said. "I'm cool Patrick or Dad, whatever you want." David nodded. "David, I'm really glad you decided to come with me."

"I'm glad too," David said. "I hate that Mom's so upset though." Patrick smiled.

"Yeah," Patrick nodded. "I don't like seeing her like that." David looked at him.

"Why'd you leave?" David asked. Patrick looked at him. "The first time when Mom was pregnant. Why didn't you marry her, like you said you would?"

"Because, as I'm sure Kevin and Dean have both told you," Patrick laughed, "I am an idiot. But I like to think now that I did your mom a favor. I was never any good for her. The only good thing I ever did for her was give her you." David nodded. "So do you want to order a pizza or something?"

"Sure," David nodded.

Julie giggled snuggling up to Jimmy in bed after they'd made love. He smiled and kissed her hair. He hugged her close.

"I missed you," Julie said.

"Mm, I missed you too baby," he whispered. "Let's never go this long ever again."

"Oh God, agreed," she laughed. He smiled and started running his fingers through her hair. "Jimmy?" She whispered.

"Mm," he grunted softly into her hair.

"Do you remember when we were sixteen, at my birthday party?" She said.

"Sure," he whispered. "I remember all of it. I gave you your garnet necklace, and then we slept together upstairs." She smiled. "I didn't think it was possible for anyone to be more in love." She laughed. "I proved myself wrong. Because I've spent every minute since then falling deeper and deeper in love with you."

"I don't think it works that way," she said. He looked at her. "Once I was in, I was in, for life." He smiled. "Maybe other people are in love in degrees, but not me. It's only ever been you."

"What about Steve?" He teased.

"Mm, poor Steve," she whispered and leaned her head against his chest and falling asleep. "Don't tell him I wasn't ever in love with him. He likes thinking that I was." Jimmy laughed. They lay quietly for a minute. "Jimmy?"

"Mm?" He said again.

"Are you asleep?" She asked.

"Nope," he said. "Can't fall asleep."

"Me neither," she whispered. "Know why?"

"You miss Stephie?" He said. She laughed.

"Yeah," she murmured, "do you?"

"Yup," he said, getting up and walking out to the couch, he took one of the cushions off and positioned it between them. "Better?" He said snuggling to her and the pillow.

"Mm hm," she said. "I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered and kissed her.

Tammy and Steve wandered quietly downtown together. He took her hand and she smiled.

"Do you know where we are?" He asked, stopping on a street corner.

"Somewhere that before Giuliani we would have gotten mugged?" She teased. He laughed and kissed her.

"This is where I kissed you the first time," he said. She looked at him. "Do you remember now?"

"I was really angry," she laughed. He smiled. "You were hitting on some girl and I was jealous, and I was mad that I was jealous." He laughed and he kissed her. "It took thinking you didn't want me for me to realize I was falling for you."

"I started falling for you when you called me," he whispered. She frowned. "You called me, when Jaime got sick, and basically told me to get my head out of my ass." She laughed. "I thought about you after that." She kissed him. "I love you so much." She smiled and kissed him.

"I love you too," she said. "I know it's been a hard few months but I really, really want us to get back to where we were." He nodded.

"I do too," he kissed her. "You've been a lot more in this, lately." She smiled. "Care to share why?"

"I guess I just decided I needed to see the amazing future I had instead of the one I thought I would have at sixteen," she said. "I'm tired of putting everything on hold for dreams that when I thought about them, I didn't even really want anymore." He looked at her. "Until I was eighteen, until you really, I was so sure I wanted Fulton and this whole life he and I had planned." He looked at her. "I mean, really," she laughed. "Could you see me married to a cop?" He laughed.

"With your neurosis?" He kissed her. "No way. Married to a publicist however," he stopped. She looked at him as he knelt down. "Tammy, will you marry me?"

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