Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. Them.

This chapter takes place a month after the last one. Just thought I'd throw that in so no one would get confused.

It had taken a while to get used to Adam not being there. Peyton was taking it harder than Julie had expected. Adam called to talk to her every weekend.

Julie would be starting her new job a few days after Peyton started Kindergarten. She was surprised that she had been able to find a job close to home. She had gone in a few days ago to meet everyone and to sign paperwork and she got the feeling that she was going to love it there.

Julie couldn't handle another night of Peyton coming in her room and keeping her up all night because she wanted to talk. She was contemplating sending her to a child psychiatrist. She would have to talk to Sara about it.

"Mom?" Peyton said opening Julie's door.

"Hey sweetie. You can't sleep again?" She asked in a tired voice.

"No." Peyton said as she stood in front of Julie.

"Come on up. I'm going to heat up some milk for you. Maybe that'll help."

"Okay." Peyton answered getting situated in the middle of the bed.

That was something else. She never slept on Adam's side. Julie had asked her about it. Peyton had shrugged her shoulders in response. Her little girl was hiding something from her; and that wasn't normal.

XXXX

"Mommy I want this kind of glue." Peyton said holding up a package of glue sticks.

"Put them in the cart." Julie said checking glue of the list.

They had been shopping since early that morning. Luckily she hadn't brought Nate with them. He'd would have been tired, cranky and hungry by now. Peyton had dragged Julie to every kids clothing store in the mall. That had taken three hours. Two hours later they were almost done with her school supply list.

Her cell phone rang as Peyton put a Camp Rock folder into the cart.

"You need three hon." Julie said before pulling her phone out of her purse.

She heard Nate laughing in the back ground so she knew it was either Fulton or Sara.

"Hello?'

"Hey."

"We're almost done. I should be there in half an hour. I promise."

"Well good, because he's only got one diaper left. All of his bibs are dirty and I've had to change his outfit twice."

"Why?"

"Fulton wanted to feed him. More got on him and Fulton than in his mouth."

"Man, I wish I had been there to see that." Julie said laughing.

"I took pictures, don't worry."

Nate let out an excited squeal and laughter could be heard in the background.

"What is Fulton doing to him?"

"It's more Portman than Fulton."

"Okay, than what is Portman doing?"

"He's rolling around on the floor with him. Then Fulton will hold one of his toys in the air until Nate crawls to him. He's loving every minute of it." Sara said with a laugh.

Julie smiled as she pushed the cart to the checkout. She hoped it didn't take Sara as long as it had taken her to get pregnant. Sara was going to make a great mom. Fulton had calmed down a lot since he had met Sara five years ago. He'd be a tough dad, but he'd show his kids all the love they deserved.

XXXX

Julie watched from the sidewalk as Peyton's bus pulled away. Peyton waved as the bus turned the corner. Julie waved back before turning Nate's stroller around to head up the driveway.

"Okay, it's just you and me buddy. I need to get dressed. So you are going to play on Momma's bed." She said walking up the stairs with Nate on her hip.

"Momma." Nate said before laying his head on her shoulder.

Julie stopped in the hall and stared at her eight month old son. She let out a breathless laugh before kissing his forehead.

"That's good baby. You said Momma."

"Momma." Nate said again as he lifted his head to look at her.

Julie felt her heart swell with pride as she continued towards her room. She set Nate down in between the pillows to keep him from rolling off the bed. She was contemplating calling Adam. He needed to know that it had happened. Even they couldn't share it together he should be included.

Julie dialed his cell number while she straightened her skirt.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey Jules."

"You're not working are you?"

"I'm at my desk right now, but no I'm not. Why?"

"The baby said his first word."

"He did? That's amazing!" Adam said with a laugh.

"I know." Julie said laughing.

"What was it?"

"'Momma'. I had just gotten Peyton off to school and I said it, and he said it back to me. Not once, but twice."

"That's great." He said sounding like he honestly meant it.

There hadn't been a week that had gone by that he hadn't called to talk to Peyton. So other than telling him about Nate Julie didn't know what to say.

"Is it okay that I don't know what to say?" He asked breaking the silence.

"It is, because I don't know what to say either."

"We'll work on that, but right now I'm going to have to let you go. The Chief just tossed a folder six inches thick on my desk."

"Okay. Don't work too hard."

"I'll try not to." He said with a laugh.

They talked for a few more seconds before Julie hung up the phone. She turned to Nate and picked him up.

"Your daddy is so proud of you. Do you know that?"

Nathan answered by garbling then took hold of her necklace.

"No baby." She said pulling his hand away from her necklace.

She walked down the stairs then turned around in the foyer. The house was too big for the three of them. It held so many wonderful memories, but Julie knew it would get harder to live there since Adam wasn't coming home.

She pulled her jacket on then straightened Nate's shirt before opening the door. Today was the start of the rest of her life.