Juno looked up at Jamie guiltily. "No, not at all. Where are you? Are you guys in port?" She asked as Jamie reluctantly slithered off her trapped legs and let her sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed.

"Almost." Darcy said, sounding bored. "About time. It's been wretched on this tub."

Juno nodded sympathetically, though Darcy couldn’t see her. After a moment, she stopped nodding and realized she was being silly. She was the one who had been trapped and alone in a foreign country while Darcy flirted with the boys and got free drinks on the ship. She was the one with the wretched end of this deal.

One glance at Jamie, and Juno realized maybe that wasn't entirely the truth either.

"When will you be here? Darcy?" Juno asked hurriedly, the phone line becoming more and more garbled.

"I'm not sure." Darcy replied. "Viv. Viv!" Juno could hear Darcy shouting for their other friend, and then asking about their arrival time in Nairn. "Viv says we should be there in about an hour or so."

"Okay." Juno said. "I'll meet you there when you dock. I'll come onboard and find you in our room, okay? Darcy? Darcy?" Juno looked at the suddenly disconnected phone and hoped Darcy had heard her plan.

"They're here?" Jamie asked, his eyes on her as she hung up the phone and handed it back to him.

Juno nodded. "They'll be here in about an hour. I think we're docked here overnight, and then we sail on for Inverness tomorrow, so that we can catch our flight home the following morning." Juno gave a small sigh of relief. "At least I don't feel totally deserted anymore."

Jamie looked at her with a teasing smile, though his eyes were somewhat more sad. "Oh, it hasn't been all torture, has it?"

Juno grinned and shook her head no. "No. Not totally." She said, laying back against the pillows on the bed and closing her eyes. She couldn't believe her adventure of being left behind was almost over. She was exhausted when she just thought of the last two days, and she couldn't imagine relaying her whole adventure to Viv and Darcy when she finally got back onboard.

After a few moments of lying still, she heard Jamie stir beside her, then felt his weight lying down next to her on the pillow.

"So…" He said after a moment. "An hour, huh?"

"Mm hm." Juno murmured.

"There's a lot one can do in an hour." Jamie said, and Juno could hear the suggestion in his voice. Without opening her eyes, she smiled.

"Come here, Fulham."

**

An hour and twelve minutes later, Juno and Jamie climbed the gangplank of the Hebridean Shadow and fought through the throngs of people towards the stateroom Juno, Viv and Darcy were sharing.

"Wow." Jamie said, giving a low wolf whistle. "This is nice. No one you all convinced Viv to pick up the tab on this one. This is enormous."

Juno looked around and had to agree. The ship was huge and grand, and the rooms plush and stately, but she somehow felt homesick for the little hotels and pubs she and Jamie had frequented in the last few days.

In fact, she'd be lying to herself to say she was already feeling a little homesick for Jamie, even though he was right beside her.

Juno had originally suggested that Jamie simply drop her off at the dock so that she could return to the ship alone, avoiding any and all good bye scenes that might arise between them. Jamie had immediately shot down her suggestion and told her he was spending the day with her and the girls, whether she liked the idea or not.

Juno couldn't imagine what would happen when Jamie met the girls.

Juno didn't want to imagine what would happen when Jamie met the girls.

Before she had much time to think about it, they arrived at their stateroom door in tandem. Juno gave Jamie a confused smile, and he squeezed her hand quickly in reassurance before Juno knocked on the door. It was immediately thrown open and Juno was enveloped in a warm bear hug from Viv.

"Oh honey, we've been worried sick about you!" She said quickly. "Are you alright? How did you manage? You must have been…" Viv trailed off as she caught sight of Jamie standing awkwardly to the side, watching the reunion.

"Are you the porter? Because we could use another bucket of ice." Viv said in her most commanding voice, finally releasing Juno and taking a step back to look her over.

Juno cleared her throat and looked over at Jamie, apology written on her face. "Viv, this is Jamie. Jamie is my… rescuer in this whole ordeal. Jamie Fulham, this is Aviva Jones. Viv, Jamie."

Viv took a step back, glanced Jamie up and down and then turned on her megawatt smile. "Well. Hello. Sorry about the porter mix up." She said smoothly, subconsciously running a hand through her hair. "I had no idea."

Jamie smiled and shrugged. "I get confused for the help all the time. I have one of those helpful faces. Delighted to meet you, Aviva. Juno speaks highly of you."

Viv shot Juno a warning glance. "Really? Well, Juno has failed to mention you." She said smoothly.

"I haven't exactly had a lot of time to catch up with you guys." Juno said, her stomach knotting as she watched the way Viv watched Jamie.

Before Viv could reply, a voice called out from behind her. "Is that Juno?" Darcy was suddenly framed in the doorway, where she too pulled Juno into a tight hug. "Are you okay? We've been so worried!"

Viv interrupted the reunion of the two friends. "Darcy, meet Juno's… rescuer. This is Jamie. Fulham, was it?"

Jamie nodded and smiled. "Yes, Fulham." He thrust out a hand to offer to Darcy. "Pleasure to meet you, Darcy."

Darcy's eyes trailed slowly up and down Jamie's body, and Juno felt like Darcy were assessing him as though he were on parade at some strange meat market. "Jamie." She said huskily. "Thank you so much for taking care of our little Juno. She's hopeless, isn't she?"

Jamie cleared his throat. "Actually, she's quite impressive, if I do say. I was just glad I was in the right place at the right time and was able to help."

"So are we." Darcy purred. "We're just indebted to you for taking care of her."

"It was my pleasure." Jamie said with a smile, looking from Viv to Darcy and back again, feeling vaguely as though he were on the auction block. "Juno is an amazing woman."

Darcy's smile tightened imperceptibly at his words, her eyes still locked on Jamie. She loved Juno, there was no doubt, but Darcy was simply not one of those women who could lose – she had to be the most charming, the most beautiful, the most attractive to men, the most interesting. It was exhausting, but it was how she was wired.

Juno knew that, of course. Yet another reason not to bring Jamie aboard for her going away party…

Darcy looked Jamie up and down again, her eyes absorbing every detail. He was gorgeous, tall, tanned, personable, and polite. No wedding band on his finger, no obvious flaws, and a streak of 'knight in shining armor' about him.

Oh yes, Darcy thought to herself. She must get to know this sexy Scots better.

What Darcy didn't know was that Viv was thinking the same thing.

Or that Juno read both their thoughts and realized her time with Jamie Fulham was clearly over now that she was back amongst her friends.

Juno could practically feel herself melting back into the shadows.

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before . after