Kevin and Julie returned to their room with the information.  All the way back to the room Julie felt like she was being watched.  She hoped the feeling of paranoia was only because they were investigating their fellow volunteers, their friends, and that it wasn’t because she really was being followed around.  Though Nick’s spy was somewhere and was likely watching her when she least expected it.

 Kevin shut the door and locked it after she entered the room. Julie moved closer to him and pulled him into her arms.

  “I’m sorry I accused you.” She whispered into his chest.

  “You didn’t know who you could trust.” Kevin stated though he did not sound like she was forgiven by his tone.  “Nick has always been playing with your mind, and I admit I haven’t been the easiest to trust.”

  Julie knew he was thinking about when they first met.  He gave her something to make her sick so that he could get her alone, then he acted suspiciously the first time Nick got to her and made her think that Kevin was one of the bad guys. 

 Julie pulled back and looked up at Kevin.  “I love you.” She stated pulling him closer so she could kiss him.

 “I love you too,” he replied when they broke apart.  Slowly he moved back towards the bed unbuttoning Julie’s pants as they moved.  They collapsed onto the bed, lips still pressed together.  They both tried to move a slow pace, to savor their time together but the caresses brought Julie’s body back to the memory of being with Nick and her body felt the need to be with someone.  

  Her hand found its way to Kevin’s pants, quickly undoing the button.  Kevin’s hands pulled her closer as they searched her body resting on her breasts. He started to fondle them with one hand as the other grabbed hold of her ass pulling her up so that his mouth could reach her nipples.  Julie felt his warm mouth on her skin just as she started to feel the nausea rip through her body.  She didn’t even have time to look at Kevin’s shocked face before she found herself getting off the ground near Nick.

 “What the hell!” She shouted at Nick apparently unaware that her shirt was missing and her pants were undone.

  Nick put his hand out to help her but she was to her feet before she saw it.  She smacked his hand away and continued to glare at him.    She started to shiver realizing her shit was missing she crossed her arms across her chest.  Thankfully she still had her bra but it would not help keep her warm.  Nick moved closer to her and removed the jacket he was wearing and wrapped it around her shoulders.        

  He stood rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm her up. Julie could feel his breath on her as they stood near each other.   “Cold?” Nick asked sarcastically.

 Julie only glared at him in response.

  “My person left a note stating the time I would be jumping.” He defended himself to her glare.  “It’s not my fault you were…” He stopped unable to finish his statement.  Julie thought he saw a look of hurt across his face, like he didn’t want to think of her being with Kevin.

  “I didn’t see it.” She said noticing that they were standing closer still.  Nick’s hands had slowed down on rubbing her arms and one hand was now brushing back the strands of her hair that had escaped her ponytail. 

  Julie watched Nick’s lips as he moved closer.  Her stomach started flutter with the thought that he was going to kiss her any second.   “I needed to see…”

  “Julie?” a voice from behind startled her causing her to jump away from Nick in an attempt to show nothing had been going on.

  “Kevin, how did you find us?” She asked as she turned towards him, her cheeks felt warm and she stepped closer to Kevin taking the clothing he was holding out to her. 

 “I thought you could use this,” he muttered, his eyes glaring at Nick over Julie’s shoulder.  

  “Thank you,” She took the shirt and jacket from him and attempted to hug him but he just stood there staring at the other man.   “How did you find us?” She repeated the question as she shed Nick’s jacket and put her shirt on. 

  “I found a note on the desk after you jumped giving the time and place you would be.”  Kevin answered.

  “I told you I would get word to him, I kept my end.” Nick called out from behind her. 

  “Why are we here?” Kevin looked down at Julie but his question was addressed to Nick.

  Nick moved to take his jacket from Julie who had turned to hand it back to him.  She watched as he put it on, he avoided eye contact with her and made sure to only look above her head to meet Kevin’s eyes. 

 “I wanted to know what was going on with the investigation.” Nick replied.  “I can’t stand sitting around unable to do anything while others look into something.”

  The two men stood staring at each other; Julie looked back and forth between the two and shook her head.   Julie could see the desire to attack Nick looming in Kevin’s eyes. 

  “Is that the real reason?” Kevin asked Nick.

  Nick nodded in reply, a little too quickly for Kevin’s liking and he moved to step towards the younger man but Julie put her hand to his chest to stop him.

  “Nick, we were going to go to the jump of a couple of volunteers that I suspect might be behind the changes. We were going to investigate them and if they jump away from where they are supposed to be without completing their mission or not even show up then we have more reason to investigate them back at the project.” Julie stated standing between the two men hoping that neither would take a swing at the other with her standing in the middle. 

 “I want to come along.” Nick spoke up.  Julie’s heart skipped a beat at him wanting to be with her longer.  She cursed at herself thinking like that.  It wasn’t like he was a famous singer that she wanted to meet and hang out with, this was a man who tried to kill her and ruin the lives of countless others.

 “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Kevin spoke moving his gaze away from Nick and onto Julie. 

  “Okay.” Julie spoke at the same time as Kevin and cringed when she realized that Kevin had protested and she’d agreed so easily.

  “Where are we going?” Nick asked ignoring Kevin’s remark and looking at Julie for the answer.

  Julie turned to Kevin and tried to convey she was sorry with her eyes as she held out her hand.  “Can I have the page?” she asked.  He didn’t say he had the information with him but if she knew him like she thought she did, he most likely had the page shoved in his pocket still.

  Kevin took out the page and handed it to her.  She moved over to Nick and programmed his device.  “I will go with Nick and meet you there.”  She said to Kevin as Nick took a hold of her hand.

  Kevin opened his mouth to protest but Nick cut him off by pushing the button to jump. Julie braced herself for the pain of the jump.  She was secretly glad Nick took her hand when they jumped, she felt safer jumping with the pain and nausea while someone was next to her.

 Julie gave Nick a half smile when they arrived, he was fighting it, but she could tell that the jumps were causing just as much pain to him when they jumped and for the first time she wondered if the link would kill him as well as her.  Kevin showed up a few seconds later and grabbed hold of Julie pulling her close.

  “I hate seeing you go through that. How are you?” His voice was dripping with concern for her. 

  “I’m fine.” She managed to mutter and let him wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

  “I’m okay too.” Nick spat out.

  Julie could tell that Kevin wanted to say something but he held the comment in and told them they should watch for the other two to show up.   The three spread out along the street.  Julie didn’t know much about where or when they jumped to so she tried to blend in as best she could watching for Tessa and Justin to show up.

  After several minutes Kevin wandered further down the street and Nick wandered over towards her.  “I still don’t get you two.” He muttered.

  “What?” Julie asked.

  “When I first found out that you and Kevin would end up together I was angry, but you know that part.” Nick smirked at her, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he spoke nonchalantly about how tried to get revenge against Kevin through her.   “I started to wonder if maybe I pushed you two to be together by my actions.” He shrugged.

  “What?” Julie wondered.  She loved Kevin before Nick did anything but would she have ended up with Kevin if Nick had not interfered?

  “I had a lot of time to think when I recovered and couldn’t jump on my own.” He moved closer to Julie.  “If I hadn’t asked you to get involved, if I’d dropped my revenge, if I’d dropped jumping in time, could we have ended up together?”  His voice was barely above a whisper as he asked the last question.  Julie’s knees were feeling weak as he admitted to her that he’d possibly felt something for her.

  “You don’t know what you are saying; you never cared for me in that way, I was the means to an end.” She looked away quickly before she really did collapse. 

  “There they are.” Julie pointed to a couple rounding the corner.   Julie watched as Nick kept his face averted.

 “They are here.” Kevin was instantly at Julie’s other side. She had no idea where he came from and she jumped slightly when he spoke.

 “Now to watch them.” Julie turned moved so that she was standing behind a crowd of people, Kevin and Nick joined her. 

“Who is it?” Nick asked.

 “There,” Julie carefully pointed in the direction of Tessa and Justin.

  “No, it can’t…” Nick started to talk and stopped himself quickly.

 “What is it Nick?” Julie asked reaching out to touch his hand lightly.  Feeling Kevin’s eyes on her, Julie quickly pulled her hand off of Nick’s and stood watching the two wondering what Nick was going to say.

 “It’s not them.” Nick stated adamantly walking in the opposite direction.

 Julie watched in horror as Kevin charged the other man and tackled him into the nearby alley.  She rounded the corner to find Nick slammed against the wall, pinned there by Kevin’s arm across his neck, choking him.