DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but Julianna. All others belong to Mark VII and NBC Universal. Happy reading.
When the valet brought his Rover around, he held the door for Julianna and helped her inside.
"Thank you," she said.
"For what," he asked.
"For not giving up. For not hating me for what happened. For not badgering me," she said.
They parked in Johnny's parking space and he opened her door and led her up to his apartment.
He unlocked the door and let Julianna inside first. He'd left a small lamp on by his sofa and Julianna saw the Native American influences in his decor. She walked around the apartment and found his bedroom. She peeked inside and smiled when she saw the dream catcher on the wall. Johnny's Aunt Ruby had helped her make one for him. Julianna had given it to Johnny one day as a surprise and he'd loved it. He'd hung it in his room above his bed when he was on the reservation. To find he still held onto a piece of their past confirmed everything she should have never doubted. Johnny was her soul mate. He was the perfect man for her.
She found him coming out of his kitchen with cups of what she could assume were coffee.
He handed her a cup and she sat down on his sofa.
"You have a cute little place," Julianna said.
"Well, I don't need much. I'm rarely here anyway. I'm either at the Station or at Roy's. I sometimes come home, sleep, shower and head out again," Johnny said.
"I noticed you kept the dream catcher," she said.
"Well, you did give it to me. I actually took it down and put it in my closet when you left, but I didn't sleep well. I put it back up and right away I was sleeping better. Guess I couldn't cut you out either," he said.
"As much as I've tried, I still love you. I'll always love you. I threw myself into my studies because I wanted to be a doctor and I thought it would fill the gaps in my life. I love being a doctor but I was missing something. I thought it was my family. And I guess, in some ways I was, but the missing piece was you," she said.
"Jules, I've been in love with you since that first day in high school. I've never stopped. I've tried. I've tried to move on with other women. I've realized, you're it for me," Johnny said.
"So maybe we should stop fighting with each other and work on being together," Julianna said, setting her cup on the coffee table.
Johnny did the same. "That sounds like a good idea, doctor," Johnny said.
He tilted his head and leaned into Julianna. She tipped her chin up and closed her eyes, their lips meeting.
Johnny pulled away and looked at Julianna. "Are you staying the night," he asked.
"Why Mr. Gage, what do you take me for," she asked, feigning shock.
"An incredible woman. One that makes me feel like the luckiest man in the world," he said, kissing her.
"Wow, that Gage charm hasn't dulled in the least, has it," she said, kissing him back.
She got off the couch and headed down the hall. She stood in the door way and turned back to Johnny. "Are you coming," she asked.
Johnny nearly jumped off the couch and followed her. He found her standing in front of the bed, holding her hair up.
Johnny took that as a cue to unzip the dress. He grasped the zipper and followed it's path all the way down until it stopped in the small of her back. He took his hand away and Julianna let her long hair fall back across her shoulders and back.
Johnny touched the silky strands, running his fingers threw it, letting the tendrils caress his palm lightly.
Julianna turned around and faced him.
He had taken off his jacket and it was across the top of the dresser. She undid his tie and pulled it across the back of his neck. She then slowly unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his arms and let it fall to the floor.
Johnny pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders, the dress sliding to the floor in a wave. She helped relieve him of his undershirt and grabbed him by the waist of his pants and pulled him to her.
She kissed him as she slowly undid his belt. He undid her bra as he pushed her down on the bed.
Neither said a word. They both knew what they wanted and they were going to take their time.
They fell asleep, exhausted and euphoric from their escapades. Julianna awoke and couldn't believe she was actually in Johnny's apartment, in his bed. She felt his arms tighten around her waist and she smiled.
"You weren't thinking of leaving me here all alone, were you," he asked, eyes closed, but the crooked smile still in place.
"Nope, just making sure I'm really here, with you," she said.
Julianna turned over and was met with a kiss. "Believe it. And, if I have anything to say about it, this is where you're going to stay. Although I think I need a bigger place," he said.
"Don't go moving me in already," she said. "We're not even dating." She smiled.
"Yet. Roy's talking about getting a house. Maybe I should follow his lead," he said.
"Johnny, I don't care where you live, OK," she said.
"I know, I just want to prove I can take care of you," he said.
"I know you can," she said.
"Fine, I want to prove to your brother and my friends that I can take care of you," Johnny said.
Julianna kissed him. "As long as I'm happy, Mike doesn't care. He's good like that," Julianna said.
"Well, I want to give you a house. I want to be able to provide for you. And you know someone is going to make a crack about you being a doctor," Johnny said.
"It's nothing I haven't heard before, so don't worry about it," she said.
They spent another few hours in bed before Johnny's ringing phone demanded his attention.
"Hello," he said, clearly annoyed that he had to get out of bed.
"Johnny, is Juli with you," Mike asked.
"Um...yeah. She's right here. You want to talk to her," he asked.
"No, just wanted to make sure she was there and nothing happened to her. Don't forget you have duty tomorrow and she works tomorrow," Mike said.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Johnny said.
"Bye," Mike said, hanging up the phone.
"Was that Mike," Julianna asked.
"Yeah. He just wanted to make sure you were here. Guess he wanted to make sure you were safe," Johnny said.
"Or confirm what everyone's calling and asking him. 'Did Juli spend the night with Johnny?' You know everyone, including Roy, has been calling to ask. Mike's the only one that can get away with calling you and asking without you or I thinking it was odd," Julianna said.
"Well, we have an entire afternoon to ourselves. What do you want to do," he asked.
"Would you think it odd if I said go back to my house and spend time by the pool? I'd love to go to the beach, but I kind of want some privacy," Julianna said.
"You do realize that the entire shift is going to be at your house," Johnny said, wrapping his arms around her.
"Yeah, but they should see we can get along without fighting," Julianna said.
"OK. Let me grab my stuff and shower and we'll head to your house," Johnny said.
"Sounds like a plan," she said, following him into the bathroom.
"You coming with," he asked, as he took her in his arms again.
"Of course," she said.
The couple arrived at Julianna and Mike's an hour and a half later and weren't surprised to find most of a-shift gathered in the backyard.
Johnny slipped upstairs with Julianna to change and went downstairs quickly. He went through the sliding glass door and was met with greetings from his friends.
"Where's Juli," Mike asked.
"Changing," Johnny said, sitting down next to Roy and Joanne.
Just then, Julianna came out the door in her bathing suit under a sun dress.
"Hi, everyone," she said, taking a seat next to her brother.
"Juli, go sit with the boy," Mike said.
Julianna got up and went and sat on Johnny's lap.
"Now, that this is FINALLY out in the open. How was the ball," Roy asked.
"Wonderful," Johnny and Julianna said together, causing Julianna to blush.
"Does this mean you guys will stop fighting, now," Chet asked.
"Probably not," Mike answered.
"What are you talking about," Julianna asked.
"You two live for conflict. Besides, I know you. You argue with me just for the sake of arguing," Mike said.
"That is true. She's been arguing since high school," Johnny said, earning him a punch in the arm from Julianna.
"And your punch hasn't lost any of it's power, either," Johnny said, rubbing his arm.
Everyone laughed and decided to get into a game of water volleyball.
As the sun began to set, everyone, except for Johnny, was packing up to head home.
He sat on the swing with Julianna, enjoying the sunset.
"You should probably go so you can have some time before your shift," Julianna said.
"I guess. I suppose I'll have to do with seeing you at the hospital," Johnny said, pouting.
"Yeah, but if you're a good little paramedic, I might pay you a visit later," she said.
They shared a kiss and Johnny pulled himself away, reluctantly.
Julianna waved at him from the porch and headed upstairs when he got out of her sight.