Bobby walked up the stairs to his and Julie's apartment, shuffling through the mail.
Bill. Bill. Bill. Subscription. Porn. Porn. Bill. Orders for Julie. Porn.
He dug into his pocket for the keys while perusing his phone bill, opening the door by shoving it with his hip.
"Hey," he called out, dumping his backpack by the front door and closing it behind him. He put the letters down on the table and headed for the study, hovering in the doorway for a second, watching Julie.
"How was your day?" he asked, coming up behind her and massaging her shoulders gently.
Julie
"Mmm," Julie sighed, enjoying the feel of his fingers. "Same old, same old. Just putting the final touches on my next update for Joolesgaim."
She leaned her head back to look up at him.
"And how was your day today?"
Bobby
"Ah, not too bad. Had two classes, then spent a few hours in the library."
Bobby kissed the top of her head.
"I've got some stuff for dinner, I thought I'd BBQ some meat, and I bought a salad."
Julie
"Ooh, nifty," Julie replied.
Then she leaned forward, spun the chair around so that she could stand up, and wrapped her arms around Bobby's waist.
Bobby
Bobby rested his head on Julie's and patted her on the back gently.
"K, you relax, I'll get dinner started. Then I have a surprise."
Julie
"Oh, okay!" Julie replied, suprised but cheery.
She lifted up her head and gave him a kiss.
Bobby
Bobby kissed her back, then whistling, he left the room, headed for the kitchen.
"Since I'm already screwed here's a lesson to youuuuu," he sang as he unwrapped the meat to marinate it.
Julie
Julie heard Bobby singing and giggled to herself as she went back to work. Okay, working wasnt exactly relaxing, which is what Bobby had instructed her to do, but Julie didn't think she could relax until she had finished this last bit she was working on.
Bobby
"Don't need money, don't take fame, don't need a credit card to ride this train, it's strong and it's sudden, and it's cruel sometimes..."
Bobby headed outside with the food to fire up the barbeque, still singing to himself.
After awhile, the grill had heated up and the meat was cooking.
Julie
Julie glanced up at the clock, and sighed.
"Have to give the final test tomorrow," she said to herself.
She saved her work, made a few updates on the relevant web pages that would be uploaded with the patch, and started shutting down the computer.
Bobby
Bobby turned the meat one last time, then turned off the heat. He went inside and fetched the plates and salads and brought them to the table outside, where a bottle of wine was chilling on ice, and a candle sat in the middle of the table.
"Hey J?" he called out.
He went inside and grabbed the envelope from his bag and returned to the table, tucking it behind the cushion on his chair.
Julie
Julie exited the study.
"Yes, B?" Julie responded.
She spotted him out on the balcony and joined him there. Her jaw fell open at the sight.
"Oh!"
Bobby
"Hope you're hungry, I went kinda crazy with the cooking, coz I skipped over lunch today."
Bobby made a face.
"I can't believe I was too busy studying to eat. If only Rogue could see me now!"
Julie
Julie laughed.
"Well, it smells delightful," she said. "In fact, the very smell is making my mouth water."
She sat down.
Bobby
Bobby grinned.
"Glad to hear it."
He went over to the barbeque and took the meat off and put it on a plate, then brought the plate back over to the table.
Julie
"Mmm."
Julie picked up the plate in front of her and started filling it with food.
"Wow, I didn't realise how hungry I was..." she mused.
Bobby
Bobby forked some meat and salad onto his plate then picked up the wine bottle. He uncorked it and poured them both a glass.
"So how was your day?"
Julie
"Oh, the usual," Julie replied. "Made some progress on my Joolesgaim update. Fed babies. Changed diapers. Blah, blah, blah."
She ate some meat.
Bobby
"Fair enough."
Bobby ate a piece of tomato.
"So I ran around getting stuff organised today."
Julie
"Organised for what?" Julie inquired.
She stabbed another piece of meat with her fork and plopped it in her mouth.
Bobby
"Well..."
Bobby reached behind him and pulled out the envelope filled with their tickets and itinerary.
"Our world trip."
Julie
"Our world trip?" Julie repeated, blinking. "What world trip?"
Does the word 'shock' come to mind?
Bobby
"Think of it as a put off honeymoon. You've been talking about wanting to travel, and with school and your business, it didn't look possible, but I'm taking a year off next year so we can do this."
Bobby smiled and sipped at his wine.
Julie
"Oh. My. Gosh!" Julie gaped. "Oh, Bobby you're wonderful!"
She stood up and moved over to give him a hug, and kissed him thoroughly.
Bobby
Bobby kissed and hugged her back.
"I try."
He laughed and kissed her forehead.
"I thought I should give you reasons to stay with me."
Julie
"As if I'd ever leave," Julie replied.
She picked up the envelope, dinner forgotten, and starting looking through the contents. Excitement growing with every piece.
Bobby
"I figured we'd go around the States first. Just to the ones that sound kinda interesting, and we'd end up in LA so we could leave from LAX to the next destination."
Bobby grinned.
Julie
"Cool," Julie replied. "And where's the next destination?"
She located a thick wad of paper with the word "Itinerary" across the top.
Bobby
"South America," Bobby said.
He indicated the papers.
Julie
"Ooooh," Julie sighed. "Brazil!"
She flipped to the next page, and started rattling off the countries as she saw them:
"New Zealand... Australia! I've always wanted to go to Australia! Jakarta... China... India... Russia... Oooooh Egypt! Germany France, ooh la la, Italy! Spain... UK... Denmark! Hey, Friday know Princess Armelle - she's a slayer too. Canada... oh, and that's the end. This is going to be sooooo exciting!"
Julie bounced up and down in her seat.
"Are the kids coming too? Or do I need to find someone to look after them?"
Bobby
"That, dear girl, I have already worked out. I decided against us taking the kids, because let's face it, four of them are still too young, and it wouldn't be fair if we just took B'E and Tom, so I organised with Xavier's babysitters to take care of them all."
Bobby nodded.
Julie
"Plus it would also be more expensive, and we may get so busy taking care of them there'd be no time for any real sight seeing, and we'd be exhausted enough with the travelling," Julie mused in agreement. "Though... I might talk to Zac about him taking on B'E and Tom. Meg and Will always did a great job with the kids, but I think Zac might be offended if I chose them over their own father, to take care of them. Plus it'll serve him right to have to look after toddlers with Stealth."
Bobby
"Sounds good."
Bobby ate more of his steak.
"I didn't really organise what we'd do everywhere because I figured we should take it a day at a time. The only thing planned is flights, obviously, and where we are staying."
Julie
"Niftumundo," Julie replied.
Then she flipped back to the beginning.
"When are we leaving?" she asked, as she searched the page for a date.
Bobby
"This time next year, basically."
Bobby pointed to the date.
"I've talked to my professors and the dean at Uni, and I'm going to be deferring."
Julie
Julie nodded.
"Okay, cool," she said. "That gives us a year to save up, then."
She bounced up and down in her chair.
"Ooooh, this is so exciting!"
Bobby
Bobby grinned.
"Yep, I've got a huge chunk of savings, and I'm going to start working on campus as an assistant in the library, shut up, don't laugh. Gabriella and I thought it would be a good way to get extra cash - and extra credit."
Julie
Julie did have to stifle a giggle, but more at Bobby telling her not to laugh than taking a job in the library. She couldn't prevent the smile from crossing her face.
"Sounds like a plan," she said. "Hopefully Annika's any my susbscription plan will take off. Cliff and Binar are almost finished with the game, so soon. So very soon."
Bobby
"And I might talk to the Professor to see if there are any jobs going at Xavier's. Like if I could train some kidlets in the Danger Room or some such."
Bobby shrugged slightly.
"We'll manage."
Julie
"Sounds like a plan," Julie nodded. "Plus, y'know, much better to speak to the Professor than to Scott. He'd probably offer you something derogatory like sex education because he thinks you're a man whore."
Nope, Julie was not going to let that go.
Bobby
"Probably."
Bobby shrugged slightly.
"Either way, we'll get the money in time."