Getting Older

**Getting Older** is the seventy-fifth chapter of Push to the Limit and the four hundred and fiftieth chapter of the series overall.

Julie celebrates her twenty-seventh birthday with, Sam finds himself attracted to someone, and Cleo juggles two men.

## Plot

Julie wakes up on her birthday in a hotel room in Houston, Texas. This was the first place where she and Caleb kissed so it's a bit depressing to think about the fact that that was about eight months ago, in addition to it being a year since she and Ryder broke up, but at the same time, she's happy she's thriving and headed for the Latin Grammy's now. Kitty and Santana are there with her, the former ready to spend the day with Vince Carter, and congratulate her on her success, while Julie is just prepared to get the day over with. It's her first birthday she'll go without a 'Happy Birthday' from Alex in ten years and it hits her how weird that's going to be.

Sam shows up at Rhythmix's house, trying to talk to Kayli, but Riley is the only one there. She tells him that the girls have gone off to do a few more promo stops but they said they'd be back in the weekend. Sam is really frustrated and tells her he's screwed up, so Riley pries but Sam won't tell her what happened. Riley says they were supposed to hang out on Wednesday night to celebrate her birthday but Kayli just went straight to her room and locked herself in there, refusing to talk to anyone. Sam is surprised that the day they kissed was Kayli's birthday, since she didn't mention anything, but Riley just tells him that she'll let him know when Kayli gets back or checks in if he wants. Sam thanks her and leaves, realizing just how badly he screwed up with the girl.

Bree is trying to get everything ready to have a party for Julie at Adonis on Saturday, planning it with Marley and Dean's help. She wants it to be perfect given Julie's break up but knows that it won't be perfect if she doesn't find a way to get Alex back to apologize to her and hear her apology and at the very least go back to being friends. The only problem is that Alex is almost impossible for anyone to reach, but he knows one person who he still answers calls from.

Luke and Cleo have finished having sex in her apartment when he says he forgot to ask how her date with Rory went and Cleo admits that it went very well and they've seen each other trice since then. He asks if she has the real dates with Rory and then sex with him but Cleo says there's sex on both occasions. Luke is amused by this and asks her if the sex with Rory is really good enough to go back again and she says surprisingly yes. He is gentle and then intense. She wonders why she's telling Luke about this and Luke says he loves talking about people's sex lives, even if one of those people's shares a sex life with him, too. They have sex again.

Kitty arrives at Vince's house and asks how Taylor's mom, who is recovering from surgery, is doing. He briefly answers, nervously taking her to the room where he thinks she'll enjoy spending the night in. She says she wasn't planning on staying, as she has a hotel room with Julie and Santana, but Vince tells her the girls probably won't be back home until very late and she shouldn't be disrupted like that when she needs to be getting rest. As he avoids eye contact with her, Kitty realizes that this is the first time they've been alone since she told him about the pregnancy.

Amity is hanging out with Christopher, Tyler, and Morgan in her apartment. Tyler and Morgan reveal that they have set their wedding date to January 27. Amity is surprised, since they had said they wanted to wait, but Tyler says that the more they thought about it, the more they realized they couldn't wait to get married. Amity and Christopher congratulate them and then Morgan says that they owe it to Amity because if it wasn't for her they might've never met and for that reason and many more they would like her to be the maid of honor. Amity accepts and they are about to celebrate when Bree interrupts to ask for help tracking down Alex. Amity tells her that she has tried sending him a few texts to check in on him but they haven't talked in over a week. Bree groans, suggesting that they try again, but Amity says there is one person who might be able to talk to him if he won't listen to anyone else.

Kitty is reading a book left by Taylor for her when Vince comes to invite her to eat with him. Taylor has left a lot of food for her to eat so they sit down but Vince is acting weird again. Kitty finally dares to ask him about it and he confesses that he feels like a terrible husband to Taylor and might be a terrible dad to he and Kitty's daughter as a result, too. Kitty apologizes to him, implying that she should've gotten an abortion, and Vince tells her he has never blamed her for anything and did not wish she had gotten one. After he says that Taylor is also excited to have a baby, Kitty gets a bit possessive and resents the wording, telling him that the baby is not Taylor's just because she's the one he's married to. He tries to explain that he didn't mean it like that but Kitty feels insecure about the kid one day comparing parents and preferring her perfect step mother and says she would like to finish the meal alone in her bedroom. Vince allows her to excuse herself, feeling terrible about what he has said.

Marley and Dean are still in Bree's house and Marley says she will miss living there. Dean asks if she's really going to move out and she says she will as soon as the baby comes; she's already found a great place that's close enough to the hospital without being too far from Ryder's place. Dean doesn't say anything so she adds that it's a little closer to Julie's than Bree's house is and Dean smiles but tells her that he also plans on finding his own place, too. He needs to do a couple more gigs at Adonis and hope that despite the bad pay he can get a good chunk of money and afford his own place. Marley tells him that maybe he should get a job. Dean tells her music is his job but Marley says that everyone has been working multiple jobs while they were trying to make it. Julie was a songwriter and had enough money to work as a full-time musician from the couple of songs that did get cut early in her career but still was partially supported by her father until her music started to sell. Amity worked as a photographer until the release of her first album brought in some money. Way back in the day, John worked at an animal shelter and Sam worked at school for little pay as well as at an auto shop. The more they struggled before fame, the more jobs they had, and given that he owns pretty much nothing, perhaps a job or maybe even two to establish independence from Julie once and for all would help. Dean tells her that he wouldn't know where to work and she says they all got started somewhere and she can put in a good work with the place she had her first real job in. Dean thanks her, saying he didn't think when he met her that she'd be the person that she is. Marley says she's glad to know she isn't as bland and predictable as people think she is. Dean says she's not at all and gives her a kiss.

Bree and Amity arrive at the apartment where Tabitha is staying at. Tabitha tells them she's humiliated to be back in Ohio but once again she has run out of money and refuses to ask either her parents--who will just push her into marrying some rich guy--or her brother for money. Bree says they aren't there for her issues but for Alex's. Amity pleads to Tabitha, saying that even if she never liked her for Alex, there must've been some sort of mutual respect between them and that all she wants is for them to get Alex back to where he's loved and help him out a little. Tabitha says that if Alex isn't answering, it means he is out finding himself and is truly happy where he is. However, when Bree tells her that he's been drinking excessively and had an awful fall out with Julie, Tabitha is concerned enough to promise that she will give him a call and try to get him to come home, but she does not promise that she will be able to accomplish anything.

Cleo is heading out of her house when Rory arrives with a basket of home-baked treats and stuffed animals, telling her that even if she wants to go fast he wants to still treat her to all the things a woman deserves from her gentleman lover. As he begins to kiss her, Cleo stops him and feels the need to tell him that she is seeing someone else. She expects him to be heartbroken but despite his disappointment he claims to have already known, as he heard Luke shouting it all around his diner in Travis's face. However, he really like her and says he can give a polygamous relationship a try. She asks if he's sure, telling him that if it ever feels wrong he has to tell her in order for this to work. Rory agrees and she thanks him for the gifts and his understanding with sex.

Julie and Santana prepare to perform backstage at the Latin Grammy's. Julie is shaken up and doesn't want to go on stage anymore but Santana reminds her that this will be the night of their big announcement about signing together and the new label basically being sent out for the world to know about officially; they both need this. However, Julie feels like her life is always going to be a mess and she's never going to be able to get what she wants. Santana asks her if she's forgetting that she has incredible friends who go to ends of the world for her and that above all she has her career, her fans, and the best gift of all, her two daughters. So she needs to stop letting guys who probably don't deserve her love anyway bring her down and get out and give the performance of a lifetime with her. Julie takes a deep breath, tells her she's right, and thanks her. They set up to perform.

Vince apologizes to Kitty for what he said, explaining that Taylor wants to be a part of the baby's support system, not her replacement mother. He adds that he has talked to her about Kitty a lot and Taylor has the utmost respect for her despite how they got to be where they are. Kitty resents how perfect Taylor seems to be but is glad that she's like that and not a complete witch her daughter will have to put up with. Vince is glad that the baby is a girl, saying she'll have a lot of great female role models to look up to, primarily her wonderful mother. After he says he loves her despite only knowing her from a 3D ultrasound, Kitty lets him touch her stomach, telling him she's been kicking a lot lately. Vince touches her stomach hesitantly but then gets more comfortable, especially when he feels a kick. He gets very emotional in that moment and tries to distract from it by bringing up baby names, asking if Kitty has thought of anything. Kitty says she's tried but every time she makes a list she ends up finding reasons to hate all of them. They start to brainstorm together.

When Julie gets to her hotel after the Latin Grammy's, she is feeling so great and empowered. until she gets online and sees that Tracy and Alex have randomly released a song together and she wonders if that was the reason they were together or if they are actually dating.

Tracy and Alex are on TV, performing "I Love You" from the comfort of a small studio in New York, and are shocked that he is so close when they all expected him to still be in a foreign country. Julie watches with Bree, Kitty, Amity, Santana and Marley and they discuss what is going on. Bree is shocked that this is what's happening with them and decides that she won't wait on Tabitha to convince him on anything. She steps outside and gives Alex another call, surprised that he answers right away. After she scolds him for leaving the country with Tracy, Alex tells her that he only ran into her there so they hung out and hooked up for a bit while working on the song they just released. They spent so much time together because this was a very quickly produced piece of work that couldn't wait. He adds that he was there to see someone else. When Bree doesn't know who he's talking about, Alex tells her it's the one person they know who's been traveling Europe, leaving Bree shocked. She asks if this means there's no hope for him returning to make up with Julie and Alex says that his visit was just a one-time thing and he's getting back to Lima soon, but that when it comes to Julie, he doesn't see how they could ever turn back time after too many mistakes so quickly. They're headed for a toxic relationship. Bree doesn't agree that would happen to them but decides to let it go and promises not to tell anyone about their phone call or what he has told her in it.

Cleo meets with Sarah and Lyric completely exhausted. They ask her if she's been out partying and she tells them she's hardly been out at all. She is with Luke in her place all the time and then the moment he leaves Rory has some sort of signal that tells him to show up and they're at it for hours after that. The girls tease and mock her about it, with Lyric warning that it'll be tough to juggle both of these relationships. Cleo says that it's fine because both guys are aware of each other but Lyric says that she meant it would be difficult on her mind to keep both affairs separate, and exhausting by the looks of it. Cleo assures her that she will be fine and gets a text from Luke, who wants to meet with her for a quick one. The girls laugh as Cleo leaves.

Julie continues to be flooded by rumors that Alex and Tracy are dating and she tries not to be bitter, despite calling them the worst couple to ever exist. Meanwhile, she is being hounded by the media and fans over reports of her break up with Caleb, especially when he is seen out and about with another short brunette who she knows is Haley. She's upset that after losing Caleb, she still doesn't get Alex. Marley tells her she'll soon find a guy who makes her day brighter and Kitty accuses her of being in love. After much prying from the girl, Marley reveals that she is seeing Dean. While all the girls are happy, Julie wishes she could be as happy as all the girls around her and find her own love.

Sam stops by to see Julie and she assumes it's to check in on her due to the rumors, telling him immediately that she's doing fine. Sam is glad to hear that, though he didn't know about Tracy and Alex, or about Caleb and Haley, until then, and decides not to bother her with his own issues. He asks if she needs anything from him and though she says no at first, she shares that her label is hounding her about the fact that her album is very incomplete and doesn't seem to have a single hit song on there. She has been trying to get a few collaborations in there with big artists but her label won't put out the money until she has more songs in her catalog and that she can't afford it herself. Sam tells her that when they wrote together it always seemed so easy to just whip out great songs with great potential and he himself has been struggling to write on his own, too. Julie looks at him and asks if he's thinking what she's thinking. He says it depends on what she's thinking so Julie suggests that they collaborate with each other. She says that if she can show the label a great song with the great Sam Evans, which given their history will be a huge deal, maybe they'll lay off her and give her the coins to get other big names in the studio with her. Sam is hesitant at first but agrees.

After having sex with Luke, Cleo goes out to find Rory in her living room, waiting for her to have sex. She asks him what he's doing there, given that Luke is still there, but Rory says it's ok with him just as long as he gets to be with her. She finds this weird, especially when Luke comes out and tells her that he is ready for more. He is not at all surprised to find Rory there and she asks what is going on, to which the guys respond that they are here for their dose of tapping her ass. She is shocked by this, especially as they start to sing "We Tapped That Ass." After their performance, she wakes up and realizes that it was all a dream. Luke is asleep next to her and then goes to the living room to call Lyric and tell her she was right about it taking a toll on her. She does not want to be just a piece of ass to either of these guys and the truth is that while she's enjoyed being with them, the one she wants is still Stefan.

As Julie and Sam end their songwriting for the day, taking a break to hang out with their girls, Sam decides to tell Julie about Kayli and seek her advice. Julie is surprised about what happened, especially when Sam admits that he did hesitate for about a split second about pulling away, and tells him not to pursue anything with Kayli, as she is too young.

When Kayli returns from her trip, she calls up Sam a bit eager to have heard that he was looking for her. Sam, however, remembers what Julie says and rejects her, telling Kayli that she's too young for him and that maybe they shouldn't work together just in case this thing gets more inappropriate. After saying that he's a man who shouldn't be giving false hope to a young girl, he hangs up and Kayli is both hurt and ticked off to be patronized like that.

Sarah bumps into Kayli at the label and brings up Sam, telling her she saw them together and must admit she is impressed. Kayli seems dodgy so Sarah asks her if it's fizzled out that quickly, ridiculing her until Kayli says that someone must've told him that she was too young for him because now he won't even just hang out. Sarah tells her that it's obvious who that was and while Kayli doesn't have a clue, Sarah insists that it had to be Julie. Who else would care who Sam dates other than the mother of his children? Kayli is angry, saying even if they do have kids together she has no right to get involved, and Sarah eggs on this frustration, agreeing with everything she says. Sarah says if she were in that position, she would do something to get back at Julie. Kayli isn't sure, thinking Sam should be the target of her rage, but Sarah asks why not both of them.

When Sam sees Kayli at the party, all dressed up and voluptuous in a more mature look as Marilyn Monroe, he is speechless. Kayli is angry at him, suddenly giving her his attention again now. She goes to her girls and convinces them to get up and perform a song. They remind her that they haven't rehearsed anything but she tells them they should be able to remember the choreography from tour.

Bree is searching around for the James Dean to the party, where Julie has come dressed as Audrey Hepburn and everyone else is an Old Hollywood figure, but there's no Alex to be found. She is disappointed that he didn't decide to come by at all but decides that regardless, she and the others will do what they can to help her have the time of her life, especially because Crystal Army, Travis, Rhythmix, Amity and Jake all leaving early to attend the American Music Awards that are held the next day.

Rhythmix perform Grown and Kayli spites Sam for only being interested in her when she seemed more grown. She is very sexy during the performance, something that Sam can't deny, while everyone else is concerned that Kayli is overdoing it. After the performance, however, when Sam and Kayli talk, he tells her that he couldn't have been interested in her when she was a kid because that was wrong but now he does see that she's a woman and it still feels weird, given the age gap. Kayli tells him to let it be clear that she is not a little girl anymore, not at all, and the two kiss for a second time before she walks away, this time leaving him wanting more.

Julie, Santana, Bree, Stefan, Kitty, Riley, Dean, Marley and Ryder watch the AMAs from Bree's living room. They watch as their friends are crowned winners for various awards and while most of them are proud to see all the Lima Losers becoming Lima Winners, Julie is focused on the fact that Alex actually showed up to perform with his band mates but refused to come stop by and wish her a happy birthday. It really is dead between them. As everything seems terrible, Bree's water breaks and she announces that she is going into labor.

## Songs

### Billboard 200

* "Black Roses" - Juliet Vasquez
	+ Number 8
	+ Last Week: 11
	+ Peak Position: 1
	+ Weeks on Chart: 35
* "Who I've Been" - Crystal Army
	+ Number 20
	+ Last Week: 15
	+ Peak Position: 1
	+ Weeks on Chart: 46
* "Don't Look Back" - Travis Hilton
	+ Number 22
	+ Last Week: 20
	+ Peak Position: 1
	+ Weeks on Chart: 20
* "No Pressure" - Jake P.
	+ Number 55
	+ Last Week: 44
	+ Peak Position: 6
	+ Weeks on Chart: 10
* "Generation Love" - Sarah Linley
	+ Number 104
	+ Last Week: 79
	+ Peak Position: 25
	+ Weeks on Chart: 5
* "Stand Down" - Rhythmix
	+ Number 110
	+ Last Week: 80
	+ Peak Position: 4
	+ Weeks on Chart: 33
* "Amity Hills" - Amity Hills
	+ Number 173
	+ Last Week: 190
	+ Peak Position: 3
	+ Weeks on Chart: 36

### Billboard Hot 100

* "Airplanes" - Travis Hilton featuring Juliet Vasquez
	+ Number 3
	+ Last Week: 3
	+ Peak Position: 2
	+ Weeks on Chart: 9
* "Chains" - Nick Jonas
	+ Number 17
	+ Last Week: 14
	+ Peak Position: 8
	+ Weeks on Chart: 13
* "Heartbeat Song" - Santana Lopez
	+ Number 21
	+ Last Week: 37
	+ Peak Position: 21 (NEW)
	+ Weeks on Chart: 8
* "Hair" - Rhythmix featuring Sean Paul
	+ Number 23
	+ Last Week: 25
	+ Peak Position: 23 (NEW)
	+ Weeks on Chart: 7
* "Leavin'" - Jake P.
	+ Number 25
	+ Last Week: 30
	+ Peak Position: 25 (NEW)
	+ Weeks on Chart: 4
* "Jet Black Heart" - Crystal Army
	+ Number 26
	+ Last Week: 22
	+ Peak Position: 5
	+ Weeks on Chart: 14
* "Ride" - Travis Hilton
	+ Number 27
	+ Last Week: 20
	+ Peak Position: 5
	+ Weeks on Chart: 34
* "Me and My Broken Heart" - Jake P.
	+ Number 31
	+ Last Week: 31
	+ Peak Position: 14
	+ Weeks on Chart: 16
* "Here" - Amity Hills
	+ Number 32
	+ Last Week: 33
	+ Peak Position: 5
	+ Weeks on Chart: 32
* "I Got The Boy" - Sarah Linley
	+ Number 69
	+ Last Week: 71
	+ Peak Position: 69 (NEW)
	+ Weeks on Chart: 11

## Trivia

* The chapter takes place between Thursday, November 16, 2023 and Sunday, November 19, 2023.
* Charlotte Montgomery is implied to be born at the end of this chapter in the early hours of Monday, November 20, 2023.