Julie and Niall brought the bags into the apartment and to the kitchen.

"Geez, where did you guys go for groceries?  The moon?"  Amanda asked.

"Sorry."  Julie said.  "I didn't mean to keep him away from you for so long."  She started unloading the bags.

"No, that's not, JJ it's fine."  Amanda walked up to her.  "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, of course."  She said.  She put things away and started unwrapping the things she needed for dinner.  "I see Niall got some beer.  Why don't you take some into the boys and sit down and have a drink with them?  I got this."

"Right."  Amanda grabbed some beers and took them into the other room.  Not because she believed a word that came out of JJ's mouth because then she could talk to Niall and Harry without JJ.  She walked in and handed them each a drink.  "Ok Niall, so what did she tell you?"  She didn't sit.  She couldn't.  She was officially worried.

"I should go see if Julie needs some help."  Harry said standing up.

"No, wait just a minute."  Niall said quietly.  "You need to hear this too.  I hate doing this behind her back, but you were right Amanda.  She's not as good as I was hoping she was."

Harry sat back down.  "Yeah, I figured."

"Oh, but it's worse than I imagined.  She's afraid he's going to find her because of pictures posted on social media.  And I saw it today, it's possible.  She's afraid to stay with Amanda if her and I are together, because of all of the attention.  So that makes..." Niall started.

"Being with me a real issue?"  Harry said.

"Yes, she's been trying the past couple of days to prove to herself she should be with you, but Harry, she's afraid that you're going to come to the conclusion that all of this isn't worth your time.  And she believes the things he said to her in that alley.  She's been so easy and so cooperative because she wants you to think she's worth it."  Niall said.

Amanda sat down and set her drink on the table.  She tried to stop her tears.  She was thinking back to the words being thrown around in that alleyway.  It hit her after a while.  "He told her that she wasn't anything other than another bitch to fuck.  That she couldn't be anything more than that."

"Why in the world would she believe anything he would say, ever?  It pisses me off.  I'm pretty sure I've proven she's more than that every day since we officially got together."  Harry said.

"Yeah, but that confrontation, took her right back to the past."  Amanda said.  "I knew there was more going on, and so did you Harry.  I also don't think a confrontation will work with her.  So as much as she should be slapped for believing what she does; we have to just accept it, and work on proving to her she's wrong.  If we confront her and push her it won't end well."

"I'm sorry Amanda, but I disagree.  She needs to know straight up its bullshit."  Harry said standing up.

"Harry."  Amanda started but he just walked away.  "Great, guess I should be prepared to pick up the pieces."

"He won't hurt her Amanda."  Niall said.

"Yeah, not on purpose."  Amanda said getting up and going towards the kitchen.

Julie stood up from putting dinner into the oven and set the timer.  She turned, and when she did she was caught off guard with Harry standing right there.  "Hey, I thought you were having a drink with Amanda and Niall.  I've got this really."  She touched his arm and went to go around him.

"No, wait."  He took her arm.  "We need to talk.  Now."

"Ok, I'm sorry."  Julie said.

"Stop.  Just stop."  Harry said to her.

"What?  Stop what?"  She looked at him confused.

"Stop being so cooperative."  He said.

"What?  I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you upset." She said surprised.

"Damn it, Julie.  Stop.  Stop acting like someone you're not.  I fell for you, being you.  What would make you think that I would want you to change?  What makes you think that would make me want to stay?"  He asked her frustrated.

"I'm, just, I don't want to be so much trouble for everyone.  Niall wasn't supposed to say anything.  But I just want you to have some downtime while you're off."  She tried to explain.  "I'm sorry."  She put her hands on his stomach.

He stepped back.  "No.  Is it true you believe that you're just someone else for me to sleep with?"  He couldn't quite put it to her the way that bastard said it but he needed to know.  "I thought we got past that a long time ago."

"I never said that.  Not even to Niall."  She said.

"Is it true?  Do you believe anything that came out of that lying bastards mouth; over what I've been telling you and showing you for how long now?"  He asked her.

"No, Harry I'm trying to prove to you...."  She started.

"I haven't asked you to try and prove anything to me!  I just want you to be you again!"  He said to her a bit angrily.

"Harry."  Amanda said.  "Maybe you should take a minute...."

"No, we need to do this.  It's time to deal with what happened in Vegas."  He said looking from Amanda back to Julie.  "It's past time."

"This isn't the way."  Amanda tried again.

"What do you people want from me?  Seriously.  Just tell me.  Because nothing is ever good enough for anyone.  I swear, no matter what I do it's wrong.  I try to keep everything to myself, so no one has to deal with it and everyone says don't do that.  I try to talk about what's going on in my head, and no one wants to hear it, or shares it with the world.  I try to be happy and show people I want them around, and now that's not good enough either.  Everyone thinks they know how I should feel, and what I should do but it's never good enough.  I'm never good enough.  Apparently Johnny was right about that.  And if you don't want to stay because I'm too nice now, then leave.  No one's asking anyone to stay if they don't want too.  If any of you can make up your fucking minds; then maybe, just maybe, I will know what to do."  She walked away and into her room.

"God damn it!"  Harry walked towards her room and went to open the door.  It was locked.  "Open the door Julie."  He didn't get a response.  He thought about saying he would break the damn door down but probably not the best thing to say after everything.

"Let me try Harry, I tried to warn you.  I have no idea why men are so obstinent."  Amanda knocked softly on the door.  "JJ, will you please open the door.  Let me talk to you."  She didn't get a response either.  "JJ, I know where the key is.  Just unlock it so I don't have to feel guilty about letting myself in."  When she still didn't get a response she sighed and went to find the key.  She moved quicker when she heard things crash and break.  She unlocked the door, and her, Niall and Harry all went in quickly.  They watched her throw some more things from her dresser across the room, and watched them hit the wall, shattering before they hit the floor.

Harry rushed over and grabbed her in his arms.  She struggled but he just held her tighter.

"Hey," Amanda said calmly.  "It's ok."

Julie struggled to get out of Harry's grip, but he wasn't budging.  She hit his chest with her fists, and then just lost it.  She cried uncontrollably and went down to her knees. 

Harry went to the floor with her.  This is what he was waiting for.  He didn't want to see it, but this emotional response is what he knew needed to happen.  "Julie I need you to know that I'm here for YOU, not for a version of you that you think you need to be.  No matter how frustrated I am with you, I WANT to be here.  I don't want you to be anything other than who you are.  I know this is a struggle for you.  It's a struggle I'm willing to take on with you, but you have to believe ME when I tell you this."

"I'm scared.  He's going to find me again and now that he knows I'm with you, I'm scared of what could happen.  I'm not strong enough for this."  She said.

"You are the strongest person I know."  Amanda said kneeling down next to them.  "We will figure out a way to deal with all of this.  You cannot give up on us because of him."

"I don't know what to do."  Julie said to them.

"Then let us help you figure it out.  Be scared if you need to be.  Cry if you need too.  Yell, scream, be unreasonable.  But don't be afraid of losing us.  Because I can promise that you won't.  Not any of us."  Niall said.

Harry stood up and helped her up.  "I need to hold you now.  I'm sorry I got angry, I shouldn't have."  He wrapped his arms around her.  "But know I'm not going anywhere and remember we went through the I only want you for sex thing."

"I know.  Deep down I know.  But right now, it's all I can think about."  She said.  She leaned against his chest.  "I warned you."

"I know."  He lifted her chin and kissed her lips.  "And no matter what we go through, we will work through it.  Together."

The next couple of hours were spent talking about things.  Getting through a lot of what Julie's fears were.  It was hard, and emotional, but it was needed.  They all needed to discuss and deal with what happened in Vegas.  It should have happened sooner, but at least it happened now.  Everyone was emotionally drained by the end of the discussion, but it seemed they were closer to where they needed to be after it.  Especially Julie.  She felt like weight had been lifted off her chest.  She should have never doubted them.  Especially Harry.  It was just so hard to move past all of it.

"Ok dinner should be done soon.  I think we all need a break from this anyway."  Julie said as she got up off the couch and went into the kitchen.

"Hey, let me help."  Amanda said walking in after her.

Julie took everything out of the oven and they got it all together onto platters and took it out to the table.  They looked over at Niall and Harry who were concentrating on the laptop.

"Um, hello.  Dinner's ready.  What are you doing?"  Julie said, walking over to them.

"Buying you plane tickets to the UK."  Harry said.

"Yeah right."  Amanda said.

"He tells the truth."  Niall said.

"It's time you guys saw our homes."  Harry said as if it was no big deal.

"Excuse me?  When were you going to ask?"  Julie said.

"We weren't."  Harry said looking up at her.  "I need this from you."

"Don't do that.  We can't just up and go to the UK.  It's going to take some planning and with work and us just taking how much time off.  We have bills to pay."  Julie said.

"We can pay them for right now."  Niall said.

"I'm starting to wonder who really got the head injury."  Julie said walking to the table.

"Not funny, JJ."  Amanda said.  "But she's right.  I would like nothing more than to travel with you guys.  But we do have bills to pay and jobs to keep."

"I don't want to hear from either of you how it's not a big deal.  How it's not that much.  I don't care how much money you have I would never ask you to pay my bills."  Julie said.  "I'm sort of insulted that you would think I would."

"Oh we know you wouldn't ask.  That's why we offered.  Listen.  If work will let you take some unpaid time off we can help get you through the month.  I understand it's a lot and things are happening quickly.  But I can't leave you like this and I have to go back home."  Harry said.

Julie looked at Amanda then back at Harry.  "I'm not saying yes.  But even if we asked for time off unpaid we couldn't do it that quickly.  We have to have a job to come back too so it would be at least a couple weeks."

Amanda smiled.  "You are saying yes.  But I agree we have to work it out with them.  So we can't go back with you right away.  When we go to work tomorrow night we will figure out when we can."

"Can we just eat dinner.  For crying out loud, I want this night to end."  Julie said sitting at the table.

"Of course you do; because you're giving me what I want, and it bothers you."  Harry said sitting next to her.

"Well you told me to stop being so nice."  Julie said.

"Not exactly what I said."  Harry said laughing.

They had a nice calm, peaceful dinner, because everything was out in the open.  After a while they said their goodnights.  The girls had to try and stay awake so they could sleep through the next day since they had to work at night.  It was an emotional night and a lot of things were discussed and dealt with.

The girls got up and went to work a little early, so that Julie could get her CT scan done.  The hospital wanted her cleared before she could work.  Everything looked like it was healing fine.  They discussed the time off with work, and even though it took a little negotiating, it eventually worked itself out.  They couldn't leave for two weeks though.  The boys were disappointed because they had to go back in a few days for press but it could have been worse.  They worked every night until the boys had to leave.  They got home the morning the boys were flying out.  They were leaving early that afternoon.  No one was looking forward to it.  They walked into a quiet apartment.  The boys must still be asleep.

Amanda walked into her room.  She saw Niall laying there in her bed asleep.  There was no better site than that.  She climbed in next to him.  She wasn't looking forward to coming home tomorrow morning to an empty bed.  She was grateful for everything they had and who he was, but she still was going to miss it.  She laid her head on his chest when he wrapped her in his arms.

"Hey Princess, how was work?"  He asked her.

"Hectic.  But I'm great now that I'm here with you."  She kissed his chin and snuggled back closer to him.

"I love waking up to you climbing in bed with me.  There's no doubt about that."  He said kissing her lips then down her neck.

"Are you getting fresh with me?"  She asked him.

"Yep."  He said as he rolled over her and looked down at her.  "You complaining?"

"Not in the least."  She said as she pulled him down to her by his shoulders, and kissed him deeply.

Julie walked into her room, and went into the bathroom to wash up.  She walked out and leaned against the bathroom door frame.  She looked at Harry asleep in her bed.  The first time he was asleep there, she remembered how she liked seeing him there.  Now there was no doubt she adored seeing him there.  It was only a couple of months ago, but it seemed like longer, as so much happened during that time.  She still was troubled a little by how feelings could run so deep, so quickly, but she was going to miss him here when she got home from work every morning, or before she went to bed when she didn't have to work.  She smiled and then went up and jumped on him.  "Hey!  You awake?"

"I am now."  He said laughing.  "You know there's other ways you could have woken me up."

"Yeah, I know but I like jumping you."  Julie laughed.

He shook his head and looked up at her.  "You're so bad."

"No, I'm good.  I'm going to miss you being in my bed when I get home from work.  It's like having a present every morning."  She said laughing.

"Yes baby, I'm you're gift."  He shook his head at her.  "I'm going to miss it too.  More than you know."

"Well I could tie you to my bed."  She took his hands and put them above his head onto the head board.  "Then you couldn't leave, and I'd be able to have my way with you constantly."

He laughed.  "Oh that sounds dreamy."  He broke his hands free, rolled her over onto her back, and pinned her arms above her head with one hand.  "I wouldn't try to escape either.  But then I couldn't do this."  He ran his free hand down her body, and then slowly raised her shirt running his hand over her bare stomach.  He smiled when she shivered.  "And you like it when I do that."

"You suck."  She said but she smiled at him.

"I might bite too."  He said as he kissed her and bit her lip.

She laughed at him.  "Oh I like it."  She closed her eyes when he kissed her passionately.  It was the first time since before that crazy night in Vegas they were able to be together.

*if you are enjoying the story please vote/comment/share. I would love to be able to respond.

*the story is complete fan fiction