"I know I wasn't that drunk last night."

"Shut up and scoot over."

He did as she said. "You know, this might have something to do with why you're not pregnant."

"Shut up, Kevin."

He opened his eyes, looking at Julia. Reaching out, he brushed her cheek, his brow furrowing at the expression on her face. "You okay, Jules?"

She shook her head, dislodging his touch. "Please, Kevin?"

He nodded and closed his eyes, tugging her close to him. "You want to talk about it?"

She shook her head again, snuggling against him, burying her face in the hollow of his neck. Her breath was warm on his skin, her tears burning with a sharper heat.

"Come on, Jules." He let his hand stray up into her hair, tangling in the thick strands.

She shook her head for a third time and sighed shakily. "Not yet."

"You know I'm not good at this quiet strength thing."

She laughed softly, the sound milky from her tears. "Quiet strength is what you do, Kevin."

"Yeah, sure. But I'm much better at smart-ass comments and witty repartee." He threaded his fingers through her hair, combing it slowly. "There's even been a poll."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, absolutely. It voted me devastatingly handsome, incredibly sexy and very good at witty repartee."

"Were there any other choices on this poll?"

She tilted her head and looked up at him and he leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. "Do I look crazy?"

She smiled and rested her head against him again. "You're never going to have kids."

"Not unless something untoward happens in this bed this morning."

She shoved at him with a sound between a laugh and a sob and pulled away, sitting up. "Kevin."

He rolled onto his back and then sat up. He trailed his fingers along her spine, feeling the tension holding her body tight through the thin fabric of her t-shirt. "Sorry, Jules. Witty repartee again."

"No."

"Not repartee?" He smiled slightly at her glare. "Ah. Not witty."

She relented and gave him a slight smile. "Slightly witty."

"It was really witty," he informed her, his hand settling on the nape of her neck and guiding her against his chest as he lay back against the pillows. "But not helpful." He rubbed her neck and let the silence stretch out between them for a few moments. "No, Jules. I'm never going to have kids."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"Sort of comes with the lifestyle. I mean, I could father a child. I could adopt a child, but that whole driving need to procreate? No. Besides you've met my family. Do you really want more Walkers running around?"

She was quiet for a long moment before she sighed shakily. "Yes."

"Right. Sorry. Stupid question." He let his hand slide down her back, rucking her shirt up so he could stroke his fingers on her smooth skin. "You guys are trying."

"We are." She nodded against him, her hand tightening in his t-shirt, fisting in the fabric.

"And trying is fun. I would imagine. Not that I ever tried. I sort of tried not to try the few times I did try." He laughed softly. "Does it show that I'm not good with girls?"

Julia laughed as well, snuggling closer. "You're good with me."

"Yeah, well, you're not a girl." He yelped softly as she hit him and then kissed her forehead. "You're not. You're my sister."

"In-law."

"Do you want me to try to sleep with you, Jules? Because it can only end in tears, and I know you hate to see a grown man cry."

She ran her hand down his chest, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt. "Tommy's sterile."

"Oh. Okay. Things I never needed to know about my brother." Kevin pulled away from her and sat up, leaning back against the headboard. Julia turned onto her stomach and propped her head on her hands, looking at him with wide, sad eyes. "I thought you were…trying."

"We were. We didn't…we just found out. I just found out. He knew... Didn't know how to tell me. Decided to wait until after I made the announcement to your family to tell me." She shook her head. "And I'm not…I'm not mad or upset or…"

"I imagine it was really hard on him, Jules. Tommy's…Tommy's a guy, a stereotypical guy. His sperm is supposed to be all-powerful." He reached out and stroked her cheek. "You okay?"

She nodded, even as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I want to be a mom, Kevin."

"I know you do, Jules. And you'd be a good one." He stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing. "Does Tommy know you're here?"

"Tommy never knows. He just always suspects." She managed a smile and sat up as well. "But, no. He doesn't."

"So he doesn't know you're telling me this."

"No."

"And he doesn't, by any chance, know that you're asking what I think you're asking, right? Because you're not actually asking me what I think you're asking. Right?" He shook his head. "Jules."

"Kevin, think about it. It's a chance for you to have a child. A chance for me to have a child. A chance for me and Tommy to…"

"Julia. Even if I were going to think about this, which I'm not, you can't just ask me this. Tommy has to…maybe Tommy doesn't want his brother's sperm swimming around inside his wife. Hell, I don't even have a wife, and I don't want my brother's sperm inside her."

"Tommy loves you."

"Yes, and I love Tommy. We're brothers. That doesn't mean that he wants me to be the father of his kid." Kevin got out of the bed and raked a hand through his hair. "Julia, this is something you need to talk to Tommy about. Not me. Not…not me. You need to talk to him and figure out your…what you want and…and then…maybe then, you can…Jesus, Jules."

"He won't trust anyone else. He won't…He'll never ask Justin. Never trust him to…never trust that…It has to be you, Kevin."

"No. No it doesn't. You can adopt. You can…maybe they can do…things. Jesus, Jules."

She sighed, the sound shaky and sad. "I need your help, Kevin. I need…if he asks you, I need to know you'll say yes. Say you'll say yes."

"Julia. I can't…he's my…you're…" He sat hard on the edge of the bed and shook his head. "Julia, you need to go home and you need to talk to Tommy. And you need to…You just found out last night. You're not thinking clearly. You're not thinking straight." He laughed. "Obviously, if you're here asking me."

"If he knows that you'll do it…"

"No." Kevin stood and turned, glaring at her. "You can't tell him that I know. You can't tell him that you asked me. You can't…do you want to send him through the roof? Do you want him to disown me worse than he did with Justin? You're his wife, Julia. He hates it enough that we're friends half the time." He rubbed his forehead, easing the building headache. "Julia, go home. Talk with Tommy. Just…"

She crawled across the bed, kneeling in front of him. Her eyes were wet and bright with tears. "Say you will. I won't tell Tommy. Just…just say you will. If he asks."

Kevin's hands balled into fists and he sighed quietly. "Julia, please. Please don't…" He broke off as the phone rang, stepping back from her to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hey, bro."

"Don't call me that." Kevin glanced over at Julia and shook his head. "Ever."

"My wife there?"

Kevin nodded and then swallowed. "Yeah. She is. She's in my bed."

Tommy laughed softly. "No other family on earth has our conversations. Thankfully. Ask her to pick up some coffee on the way home? We're all out."

"Will do."

"Thanks, bro."

"Really. Don't call me that." He hung up and turned back to Julia, watching her as she climbed off the bed and slipped her shoes on. "Pick up coffee?"

"I will." She wiped her eyes and managed a weak smile. "I'll see you later, Kevin."

"Yeah." He walked over and brushed her hair back and kissed her softly on the forehead. "It's gonna be okay, Jules."

"I know. We can a-adopt or…or…"

"Or…or if Tommy asks, I'll say yes."