Disclaimer: I don't own The Mighty Ducks. I am just a writer who is doing what they love, for free.

Julie was packing Nathan's diaper bag when the doorbell rang. She heard Peyton answer the door and a soon she heard Adam's voice at the bottom of the stairs. Julie came down the stairs a few minutes later with the baby on her hip. Once he saw Adam he reached out for him. Peyton held on to Adam's right hand and he pulled her along until he was in front of Julie. He took the baby while Julie set the diaper bag and Peyton's back pack on the couch.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Okay, I've been busy with work. I'll be working extra hours for the next few weeks because we have a project coming up that is going to be huge. Three fourths of the company is working on it."

"If you need me to keep the kids for longer I'm sure that I can work around your schedule," he offered.

"If that happens I'll let you know."

He nodded before letting go of Peyton's hand. Peyton turned towards Julie and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Bye Momma," she said into Julie's shirt.

"I'll see you on Wednesday," Julie said into her hair.

She leaned down to kiss Peyton's temple before running her fingers through Nathan's hair. Adam led Peyton out the door and Julie watched them from the front porch. Adam came back to stand in front of her once the kids were strapped in.

"Did you forget something?"

"I wanted to let you know that what happened between us wasn't your fault. I don't want you blaming yourself. There wasn't anything that you could have done that would have changed things."

"How do you know if you didn't let me try?" she asked sadly.

"The only person who can help me is me. I've been diagnosed with depression," he said as he raked a hand through his hair.

"You were diagnosed by a doctor?"

"I went to see a therapist, I have another appointment on Tuesday," he explained.

"So you don't see us getting back together?"

He shook his head with an apologetic look. It was just as well, she needed to be on her own for a while. She had gotten so wrapped up in his problems that she had forgotten who she was. He walked back to the car and waved before getting in. She waved back and smiled when Peyton waved back enthusiastically. She blew Julie a kiss as the car was pulling away.

Once the car was out of sight Julie went back inside. Connie had told her that she spent too much time at home the last time they had talked. She was going to go out and take her mind off of everything.

XXXX

Julie didn't know what she wanted to do first. She could go to the movies, she could go out to dinner or she could go for a stroll down Main Street. She wasn't really hungry and she wanted to wait until the lights along Main Street were turned on. That was the best way to take it in. She stood in line outside of the movie theater debating which movie she wanted to see. It had been a while since she had gone to the movies. Adam had never liked going to the movies, he thought that if a movie was any good they could always buy it when it came out on DVD.

She decided on a movie that someone from work had told her was good. She was next in line at the concession stand when someone brushed against her. She looked over her shoulder to see Portman standing a few inches from her. If it had been anyone else she would have asked them to back off.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Spreading my wings, I haven't been to the movies in probably ten years."

"Then that bucket of popcorn and soda are on me," he said once she had placed her order.

"I'd like to add a box of Junior Mints to my order," she said to the girl behind the counter.

"I am only doing this because it's you," Portman grumbled as he pulled out his wallet.

"Hey, you offered," Julie said with a laugh.

"I offered to pay for the popcorn and soda."

"I earned those Junior Mints too," she said as she turned to look up at him.

He had never been the type to fall for the doe eyed look, but she pulled it off well.

"What movie are you seeing?" he asked as they walked towards the theaters.

"The Hunger Games, what are you seeing?"

"Well, I bought a ticket for The Avengers, but I can see that another time," he said as he followed her down the dimly lit hall.

"I don't need a chaperone. Go see your movie."

"I'd rather hang out with you," he said as they entered the theater.

"We won't be doing much talking," she reminded him.

"We can talk afterwards."

"What have you been up to? I haven't talked to you since we went out to dinner."

"I've been busy. I've been working on a case that's going to be going to trial in the next couple of weeks."

"It sounds like you and I are in the same situation. I've got an ad campaign that is sucking the life out of me. There are still three more weeks of discovery work to do before we launch the product."

"You were lucky to get out tonight then."

"I needed to take my mind off of everything. Adam told me tonight that there was no chance of us getting back together," she admitted sadly.

"He wouldn't have asked for a divorce if he felt that things could be worked out."

"He's seeing a therapist who has diagnosed his with depression."

"At least he's getting help," he reassured her.

She nodded as the lights went down and the previews started. They turned their attention to the movie and Julie was glad to have a break from thinking about all of the things that had been going wrong in her life lately.

XXXX

Portman had suggested that they grab Chinese food before walking back to his apartment. Julie paid for dinner and they talked animatedly for the ten minute walk to his apartment.

"I would kill to have an apartment here."

"There's an apartment free on the first floor," he suggested.

"It's nice to think about, but I would need at least a three bedroom apartment."

"So start looking," he said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"It's not that easy. I have two kids to think of. Peyton is in school and Nathan is in a nursery school program. I would need to find a place close to both schools," she reasoned.

"You can't like living in that house, it's too big for the three of you."

"I know," she said with a nod.

They ate in silence and once they were done he offered to put a movie on.

"I should go home," she declined.

"Now that you know where I live, don't be stranger." he said pulling her to him.

"I'll come by the next time I'm in town," she promised.

"How about we got out to dinner tomorrow night? We could go to Antebellum, that way Guy will have to pay for it," he joked.

"Sure," she said with a laugh.

He squeezed her tightly before letting go. She patted his arm affectionately as she passed him to walk out the door. He fell against the door after shutting it. He didn't know what had come over him when he had tried to pressure her to move closer to him. He wanted to protect her, he always had. Julie may have acted like she didn't need other people's help but he knew better. He could always tell when she was stressed and he had picked up on it tonight. He would make her see that just because her marriage was over that didn't mean that her life was over.

AN: I know that this chapter was on the short side but sometimes a few words are better than a long winded, drawn out chapter that doesn't have a lot to say. Let me know if you like it.