Chapter Title: Adjusting
Summary: What happens when people doubt the relationship you are in? You prove them wrong. Sequel to That Summer.
AN: I meant to start this last week, but things happened that I didn't plan on. So you're getting this a little late. Sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Disney does.
Julie was draped across her bed with head stuck under her pillow. She had been listening to Karen go on and on about Kenny for ten minutes. Sometimes she wished the girl would lose her voice just so she wouldn't have to hear about Kenny. There were just something's she didn't want to know about him. Karen was still going when Julie sighed in frustration. She didn't get a chance to say anything before someone knocked on the door. Kenny poked his head in when Karen said for him to come in. He looked over at Julie and gave Karen a worried look. She gave him a shy smile before shrugging her shoulders. She grabbed her purse before walking out the door.
"See ya Jules." Kenny said before shutting the door.
Julie waved her hand at his retreating form before throwing the pillow across the room. She was regretting introducing those two all ready. And it was only November. She wished Portman were there. He had a way of making Karen be quiet. He was nice about it though. That's why Julie never stopped him. Someone knocked on the door and Julie rolled herself off the bed and trudged across the room. She opened the door and gave Portman a small smile. She let him in before throwing herself back onto the bed.
"What's with you?"
"Kenny overload." She said with a groan.
"Tell her to knock it off next time."
"See, that only works when you tell her that." She said propping herself up on her elbows.
Portman sat next to her on the bed and wrapped an arm around Julie's waist pulling her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. She got lost in the smell of his cologne as he rubbed her back and shoulders. He kissed her temple as he stretched on the bed. He pulled her with him without saying a word. They knew things would take time to settle down but they didn't realize that it would take months. Things were still crazy three months later.
Portman had talked Julie into spending Thanksgiving with his family. It was better than spending the holidays by herself. Her dad would be in Germany and Jason was spending the holidays with Shannon. It hadn't taken much convincing, she liked the idea of being with his family. They might drive him crazy, but she loved them. Only one more week and then they would be in Chicago.
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Charlie listened to the message for the third time. He still couldn't believe she had called him. She sounded distant, but at least she had asked him to call her back. He dialed her number hoping she would be willing to listen to him.
"Hello?" She said after picking the phone up on the first ring.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"How have you been?"
"Not good. But Fulton said if I wanted to get through school I needed to deal with m y issues. So I am."
"Fulton told you that?"
"Yeah. Jess has been busy, so Fulton's been my voice of reason for the last few months." She said with a laugh.
"Julie is that you?" He said teasing her.
"Shut up!" She said with a laugh.
Charlie smiled when she laughed. It made him think things would go back to normal…eventually. They talked for half an hour before she said she had to go. She promised to call him later and told him that it had been good talking to him again. She had needed to laugh and he was glad that he had been able to do it. He felt better now that he had a chance to talk to her. They had even made plans to see each other when he came down for Christmas.
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Guy was locking up the shop when he heard someone down the street. He looked over his shoulder and saw someone leaning over picking up something. He walked up behind them and they looked over their shoulder when they heard his footsteps. The woman stood up and straightened her jacket before looking Guy in the eye.
"Can I help you?"
"No. I just dropped my bag. Thanks though." She said looking at her feet.
Her red hair fell across her shoulders and her brown eyes gave him a questioning look. Her bag was on the ground at her feet so Guy reached down to grab it. He handed it to her before she walked away. Guy watched her walk away wondering who she was. He had never seen her before, and he knew almost everyone in town. She turned a corner before Guy finally pulled himself from his thoughts. He walked down the street wondering who she was. Not knowing that she knew who he was.
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Connie was sitting at her desk when someone knocked on her open door. She looked over her shoulder to see Jesse standing in the hall. She turned her chair to face him before he came in. He sat on her bed waiting for her to say something.
"You know don't you?"
"Know what?"
"That I talked to Charlie."
"You did?"
"I called him first. But I got his machine. He called me back a little while ago."
"How did that go?" He asked sounding innocent.
"That don't hand me that Hall. I'm pretty sure he called you. If he didn't call you he called Fulton."
"Okay, he called me." Jesse said nodding his head.
"Uh huh." Connie said folding her arms over her chest.
"He said you sounded distant. He could tell your keeping something from him. Why didn't you tell him?"
"And have him come home because of me? I don't want that on my hands."
"You don't want him here?" Jesse asked giving her a confused look.
"Of course I want him here. But I want him here because he wants to be. Not because he feels he has to be."
"I see your point. But he'll notice when he comes home next month."
"I'll deal with it then."
"You do what you think is right. But he does need to know." He said rising from off the bed.
Connie nodded not saying anything else. Jesse gave her a hug before walking out of the room. He shut the door behind him leaving Connie to think about what needed to be done.