Broken Wings

Part Fifteen - What the hell are you doing?

Chapter Fifteen

Aaron almost lost her hand three times before he got Julia to the stairs and from there out to the street. When the cold air hit her she staggered, so he slid an arm around her and led her to his car. She slithered into the passenger seat and rolling his eyes, torn between anger and concern, he made his way around to the driver's door.

Sat beside her, he took a deep breath then turned to face her.

"What the hell, Julia?"

The woman in question was slumped against the seat, eyes half closed, a sad look on her face. She turned slowly and shrugged, "you never had a bad day?"

If he wasn't so angry, so worried...he'd have thought it was cute, the way she was trying desperately to form words without slurring, trying to appear not drunk. He remembered doing the same when he was a teenager starting to sneak out to drink. It was endearing.

"I've had millions. But that place..."

He let that hang between them for a moment, when she didn't respond he added, "I've had my phone ringing off all night..."

She laughed, false and haughtily, "you're not the only one!" She held up her phone and he could see the list of messages and missed calls.

"Why am I being dragged into a girls' fight? Can't you two deal with things without involving the world?"

That made her huff, "this isn't a girly fight. I've had a bad day, I needed time away. I have a very good friend who always wants to do right by me, what's wrong with that?"

"But you DIDN'T speak to her; she spent the night shouting at me instead!"

Tears filled up her eyes, and suddenly he regretted his outburst, he hadn't come out intending to shout at her, but he'd seen that man intimidate her...and then she put him RIGHT in his place. He nodded to concede that internal argument, she had defended herself better than he could have.

"I don't want to argue...I was just worried."

She swiped at a tear, then shrugged, "I just needed some time out, ok? I work hard, I stress out...I need to blow out sometimes, so please just leave me alone."

"Sorry."

Silence filled the car, and with a grunt he started the engine. The streets of Manhattan were quiet, and when he glanced to his right it was to see Julia slumped against the window, her eyes wide and staring at the pavement as it rolled past.

Good work, Harding.

The trip home took half that of the trip to find her, and when he pulled into the parking spot, he smiled at her.

"You ok?"

He thought she'd fall asleep on the way back, and whilst she looked tired, she hadn't.

"Fine." The word was clipped.

Groaning, he got out, then waited for her, offering her his arm, despite her rejecting it.

The elevator delivered them to their floor, and when he opened the door to the apartment, the phone was ringing. Rushing for the handset, he heard an irate Abi shouting for not contacting him. After insisting she was fine, he handed the handset to a reluctant Julia. Then headed to the kitchen to make coffee. It was three am, but he needed something...and so did she.