Author's note: This a Nashville story takes place in the first half of Season 3.
*****
Emily had been warned that Juliette Barnes was impossible to please. That she went through assistance like toothbrushes, wearing them down until they were shadows of their former selves. Most of all she had been warned that Juliette was an evil bitch who sooner or later would turn on her and emotionally cut her to pieces.
At least, she had been warned when she first got the job, mostly by all of Juliette's previous assistance. Now when everybody wasn't ignoring her they were giving her weird looks, obviously amazed that she stuck around even as Juliette made mistake after mistake and her name was driven through the mud.
She knew what they all thought, that she must be crazy to stick around, and maybe she was. But Juliette's manager Glenn Goodman had pulled her aside her first day on the job and practically begged her to give Juliette a chance, and later that day she had caught the girl crying, and for some reason Emily had been compelled ever since to do anything in her power to keep Juliette happy and safe.
She was never sure why, until Juliette stuck her tongue down her throat, and Emily found she enjoyed it way, way too much.
Then Juliette broke the kiss and began freaking out, "Oh God Emily, I'm so sorry."
That was a better reaction than Emily was expecting, but as she really cared about the other girl she had to push her luck, "I'm, I'm sorry, I have to ask, have you been drinking?"
"I wish!" Juliette exclaimed with a half-hearted laugh, "I'm just so God damn horny all the time. Oh God, when will this nightmare end?"
About six months, Emily thought, wisely keeping that to herself as she instead pointed out, "At least nothing really bad happen this time."
Juliette glared at her, "I kissed Jeff Fordham. I would have fucked him again too if you hadn't stumbled across us, then as a reward for stopping me from making another big mistake I yelled at you and kissed you. That sounds pretty bad to me."
Without thinking Emily said, "It didn't bother me."
There was a long pause, Emily trying not to sweat as Juliette stared long and hard at her, and then realisation hit, "Oh my God, you like me!"
"What?" Emily frowned.
"You like me like me!" Juliette exclaimed, "God, this makes perfect sense. I always wondered why you stuck around this long."
"It's not like that." Emily protested.
"Isn't it?" Juliette frowned.
There was a long pause and then Emily confessed, "Ok, it's possible I might have a tiny crush on you, but I swear I wasn't even aware of it until just now, and-"
"Emily!" Juliette interrupted, "Come with me."
The next thing Emily knew she was being dragged through the backstage area, trying not to freak out. Honestly she could afford to lose this job as there had been several offers from ass-holes who had handed her a card and told her to call them WHEN Juliette fired her because they were impressed that she managed to handle such a 'psychotic brat' for so long.
The thing was, she didn't want another job. She wanted to keep this job so she could stay close to Juliette and try and help her, although Emily had only just realised what a dangerous proposition that was. Still regardless of her own feelings she really did want to try and help, which was why she was going to be brave and tell Juliette whatever she wanted to hear to secure her job.
Once they were alone in Juliette's dressing room Emily took a deep breath and asked, "So, am I fired?"
Juliette stared at her for a long time, and then she said, "Fuck me."
Emily blinked, "What?"
"Fuck me." Juliette said, stepping forward, "I'm so horny right now I can barely think. These pregnancy hormones are driving me crazy and I need to fuck someone, anyone. And you want to fuck me. So, have at it."
"Juliette, I-." Emily started.
"You signed a confidentiality agreement." Juliette interrupted, "That means no matter what happens you can't blab about this to anyone, and I've fucked a lot of more horrible and ugly looking people than you. So please, just fuck me."
After a long pause Emily asked, "What about Avery?"
"What about him?" Juliette scoffed, before lowering her head and adding in a solemn voice, "You, you know he barely looks at me, and he definitely hasn't touched me since the break-up."
"That doesn't mean we should have sex." Emily said softly.