AN: Been a long while since I've updated, but I've having writers block, evil and very dominate on my brain, but I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter Five
Round two
After shock

Julianne woke up slowly. It was hard for her to really wrap her head around the past few weeks. It was harder bringing herself to accept that Charlie was really gone. Julianne moved from the bed grabbing a dressing gown, she walked into the living room seeing Elizabeth sitting on an armchair smoking a cigarette while staring blankly out the window.

"You said you wasn't going to smoke in the house," Julianne said softly walking over to her sister. Elizabeth hadn't taken Charlie's death easy and it scared Julianne to think that her sister was actually there and she witnessing the whole event.

Putting the cigarette out in an ashtray made out of a saucer Elizabeth shrugged. "Charlie promised to see me become an agent," Her voice rough, her eyes not leaving the window. "Some promises are just never gonna be met."

Julianne sat on the arm of the chair, her hand brushing against Elizabeth's shoulder, "He didn't see this coming Liz, none of us did." Her voice was trying so hard to comfort her sister.

"Doesn't change the fact he's dead and…" Elizabeth clenched her fist, her eyes closing for a second. "The team didn't even get to pay their last respects."

"Liz we tried. Me, you and Ray, we did everything we could," Julianne rubbed Elizabeth's shoulder, she knew this past week was the hardest, everything felt final now that Ray was officially the leader of the team.

Getting to her feet Elizabeth looked down on Julianne. "It doesn't stop the feeling that we could have tried harder," Her hands went to her hair pulling it back.

Julianne looked over Elizabeth's clothes; she glanced back to Elizabeth's face. "Did you even bother trying to sleep last night?"

"I think right now my sleep is the least of our problems. Like when I went to the medicine cabinet, you're not taking your medication properly," Elizabeth declared sounding worried.

Getting up Julianne put her hands into the pockets of her dressing gown, she knew Elizabeth was worried, but she didn't like the tone of her voice. "I'm fine; I don't take them all the time. I'm perfectly fine." She took a step back from Elizabeth.

Rocking on her feet Elizabeth shrugged. "Whatever you say, just remember we've got dinner with Dad tonight, and he's going to notice if you're going all coo, coo narnars."

"You still use that?" Julianne shook her head going into the kitchen; she could feel that Elizabeth was following her as she turned around.

"Tonight, are you planning on telling dad about you dropping out of medical school?"

"Yeah it's not really dropping out, if you never went in the first place." She shrugged, "Plus with what I did in college, Mastered in pre medical and psychology, as well as Behavioural science. Plus with my extra credits, I graduated early."

"Oh," Julianne turned to the coffee pot starting to make herself coffee. "What else did you did at college?"

"Keg bombs," Elizabeth shrugged, "Frat parties," She could see Julianne focused on the coffee. "Jules, I just wanted everything that college had to offer, and I took on so much work, but I never regretted it."

Julianne turned around now seeing Elizabeth. "Do you ever get tired?"

"Tired of what?" Elizabeth asked feeling confused; she glanced over Julianne for a second.

"I don't know. Walking around acting like you're smarter than everyone." Julianne folded her arms looking at Elizabeth's confused expression.

"Are you pissed at me?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrow, studying over Julianne for a second feeling worried.

"No," Julianne brushed her hand into her hair; she closed her eyes taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I guess I better get ready for today, we got a lot of work to do before dinner tonight."

Watching Julianne finished making her coffee, Elizabeth walked out the kitchen looking to the ashtray picking it up. She didn't want to fight with Julianne, even if she clearly was having an episode.

Elizabeth walked into her bedroom seeing the bed that hadn't really been slept in for a while. Sitting on her bed Elizabeth placed the ashtray on her night stand, she reached for her laptop turning it on, and it wasn't long before she got a Bing letting her know she received a new email.

Rolling on her stomach Elizabeth opened the email, she read over it quickly, but she knew Lloyd always babbled in an email for a good few paragraphs before he got to the point.

There was an attachment to the email Elizabeth opened it, she smiled for a second before looking to her bedroom door, she couldn't believe Lloyd was writing a book on the events of being on the task force. Lloyd's first chapter reminded her of why she wanted to do this.

Hearing a knock Elizabeth glanced up from the screen. "Come in," She saw Julianne opening the door. "Feeling better?" She asked seeing that Julianne was dressed and looking her normal self.

"Yeah, just wanted to know if there was anything you want from the store?" Julianne asked shifting awkwardly from one foot to another.

"I'm just reading this, then I gotta get to something," Elizabeth closed the laptop getting to her feet. Elizabeth didn't really know how to act around Julianne as she nodded, "I'll be home before we leave for dinner."

"Okay, I'll see you tonight," She watched as Elizabeth picked up her coat and purse.

Julianne knew that Elizabeth was avoiding talking to her about the things she was doing towards getting her agent position, it was even worse watching her walking out the door.

"He's late, as usual." Elizabeth said watching Julianne waiting by the window. "I don't know why you expect him to be any different."

Julianne let the net curtain drop, "He phoned and said he was caught up in a meeting, he'll be here." Her voice so sure of itself, she hated all the doubt that Elizabeth had in their father.

"Well, we all can't have blind faith like you Jules," Elizabeth got to her feet; she'd showered and changed for the dinner, but felt it was a waste of time. "If he turns up, I'll be in my room."

Julianne exhaled, her hand lifting the net curtain again to watch the parking lot of the apartment complex, she knew he was going to turn up; he wasn't going to let them down again.

The whole day hadn't been the best one, Julianne felt a small smile tug at her lips seeing her father pulling into the parking lot. "Liz dad's here!" She called rushing to pick up her purse.

Walking into the living room Elizabeth stared at Julianne. "Really!" Shaking her head Elizabeth went back to her bedroom to put her shoes on picking up her purse.

"Dad!" Julianne said opening the door letting their father in, "With grocery bags." Julianne looked to the brown bags in his hands, to his face. "Why?"

"I thought I'd make you two a home cooked meal, for your new home." Jim looked from one daughter to another. "I know I said we'd go out, but I thought this would be more fun." He kept grinning.

Elizabeth side glanced to the still expression on Julianne's face, "Home cooked meal," She repeated, her hands in her pockets of her jacket. "Dad, I'm going to put something less fancy on." She headed to her bedroom leaving Julianne and Jim alone.

"She's mad," Jim exhaled, "Kitchen?" He asked holding the bags up again with a reassuring smile. "Jules…"

Julianne took a bag from Jim; she always knew that when it came to her and Elizabeth, she was the one with more compassion for their father. "Long days at the academy," She walked Jim through to the kitchen placing the bag on the table.

"Academy?" Jim said with a shocked expression, "I thought that was your thing?" He now started to take things out of the bag placing them on the counter.

Julianne bit her lip; she saw the bottle of wine picking it out placing it near the cupboard with the wine glasses. "Well she had a change of mind, declined medical school, then went right into training; she has enough credentials to make it, plus everything." Reaching for a bottle opening Julianne exhaled, "Liz is doing what Liz wants to do."

"Does she know this is upsetting you?" Jim walked over to Julianne; he brushed a hand under her chin. "You need to stand up to your sister once in a while."

Julianne took a step back. "I don't want her stop doing this, she's good at what she does, and I'm happy with what I'm doing too." Nodding her head she exhaled, "Just be nice okay, mom's already been on her case too much already."

"Ah, Adele," Jim nodded, "I guess it's not gotten around to me what Lizzie did this time." He glanced to Julianne with a smile. "But I guess Liz will fill me in when she's good and ready." Jim knew that he had more of a solid relationship with Julianne, where Elizabeth didn't really bound that much with him, or his ex-wife Adele.

Julianne nodded in agreement getting a bottle opener. "So what are you cooking us tonight?" Julianne asked opening the bottle of white, she looked over chicken and pasta, and other things she knew made both her and Elizabeth's favourite dish their dad made them when he had bad news.

Jim moved the food about. "Well I was going to wait until after dinner but…"

"But what dad?" Elizabeth stepped into the kitchen; she'd changed into sweat pants and a T-Shirt.

Elizabeth walked in closer to Julianne; Jim could see both girls watching him now. "I've been offered a promotion, more pay and fewer hours, I'll get a house, car." He kept grinning.

"Where is it?" Julianne asked. She knew this feeling, a deep sinking as her hands went to her pockets.

Jim sighed, "Wisconsin, I'm moving there in two weeks' time." He took the bottle opener and bottle of wine from Julianne before she dropped it.

"So you making this dinner, being charming and nice," Elizabeth waved a hand, "because you're moving."

"I am sorry, but it was too much to turn down," Jim placed the bottle on the counter, "and you and Jules are more than welcome to come visit me."

Julianne ran her hands into her hair. "Sure," She broke into a smile. "This is good news Dad we should celebrate." Her voice calm as she walked towards her dad hugging him lightly.

"Yes Dad, very good news." Elizabeth calmed down, she knew Julianne wouldn't be happy, but she wasn't going to make this worse for her sister, but as they now went into making dinner Elizabeth wasn't happy. She couldn't believe she made it the whole night, but tomorrow she was going to vent out in an email to Lloyd.

Lloyd kept looking over the computer screen; it had been a long time with not hearing much about Charlie's funeral. It didn't make him happier to know that it already happened, and the team wasn't even invited to attend.

He kept reading over the chapter he'd written, he knew there was still more to write, but turned to see a guard. "Lowery you have work detail." He said in a bitter tone.

"Right," Lloyd shut down the computer, he walked into the hallway to see Shea and Erica waiting for him. The whole team hadn't been the same since Charlie, Lloyd rocked on his feet before they were taken to the work van.

"I guess you two have nothing to say," Lloyd sat where he'd normally sit in the back; he glanced over Erica resting her head on the window. Shea relaxed back onto his chair watching the outside world.

Shea turned to see the look on Lloyd's face. "We just want to get this case done, get our month." He exhaled looking to the road.

"None of us are in the mood for your banter." Erica added, she turned her face slightly to see Lloyd resting his hands on the back of their seats, the last time they made this journey he was excited, but now he looked out of it. "Lloyd, I am betting you'll have your hands filled with a great case."

Lloyd shrugged. "Anyone else talk to the grief guy that came in?" He asked seeing the office was coming up soon.

"No." Shea said bluntly.

Shea turned to see Erica with a sour face and she mumbled, "I don't think we need to talk about it."

Shea nodded. "I am not talking to some prison issued shrink about anything." His tone dead, but even in that tone Lloyd knew it wasn't going to be something that would be dropped so simply.

Feeling the van coming to a stop Erica watched the door open, she got out feeling the weight of walking into the office and not seeing Charlie, seeing Ray in charge of everything.

While Julianne sat talking to the councilor, Elizabeth kept looking over everything to do with the new runners. Victor Mannior and Brody Ardell were the escaped cons, but one was left behind dead, being Pat Duffy.

Elizabeth felt this was weird being her first case after Charlie, the office was empty and Elizabeth had a feeling that Ray was in no rush into taking the space.

"Liz, before the cons turn up we need to go through some things," Ray called from the break room. He knew that taking her on would mean him having to be a mentor to her. Ray could tell Elizabeth wasn't slow to pick things up.

Elizabeth put her file down; Julianne was still talking to the councilor. So Elizabeth headed into the break room looking over Ray. "So what do we need to go over?"

"Well as you're aware, I'm watching over your work in the team, I'll be giving my reports to the academy." He placed his hands into his pockets, he could tell this was important to her now; it was also up to him to keep a non-biased view on her performance. "Also I got the report back that you passed your weapon training, so you'll be allowed a weapon in the field."

"Okay," Elizabeth watched over Ray, "but I'm feeling a big but behind this?"

Ray rested against the counter, he looked over Elizabeth. "There is no but, just when you have your weapon, you think before pulling the trigger."

Elizabeth nodded. "I know," She looked to the office, but her attention was slow to go back to Ray. "This just weird, cos I was planning on doing all this with Charlie."

"I know," Ray placed a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, "and he was looking forward to helping you be the best you can be, but now that is up to me." He caught her eyes seeing the sadness reflecting in them. "We're going to get through this."

"Yeah," Elizabeth listened to the sound of the elevator coming up; she knew it was the team. "We just need to make it through a day at a time."

Ray smiled softly, he wasn't one for smiling too much. "Yeah a day at a time."