Duet, Pt. 19<bR><bR>

Nick and Ellie excused themselves from the table, ignoring the worried glances they were getting from their friends.  AJ looked over at Howie, "Nice going D..."  Kevin interrupted, "Leave him alone, he didn't know...shit, they seemed so happy 10 minutes ago...now what?"<bR><bR>  

Ellie sat down on the couch in their room, "Nicky, please say something..." Nick ran his hands through his hair and looked over at her, "How long have you known?"  Ellie sighed, she'd been hoping he wouldn't ask her that, "About 6 weeks..."  Nick's eyes widened and it was clear he hadn't been expecting that answer, "6 weeks???  You've known for 6 weeks and you didn't tell me?"  "Well look at how you're reacting Nick, is it any wonder I was afraid to say something?" she shot back.  Nick shook his head, "El, if you'd told me 6 weeks ago I'd have had some time to get used to the idea...now all I've got is a couple of days..."  He walked over to the window and looked out at the traffic, <<We made love....hell, I told her I love her...doesn't that mean anything?>> he asked himself.  Ellie walked over to him and slid her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his back, "Nick...I'm so sorry...please don't let it ruin things between us...especially not after last night."  Nick leaned his head against the cool glass of the window pane, "I'm not going to...I told you that I would fight for us...I meant it when I said that."  He turned around to face her, her arms still wrapped around his waist, "How long is the tour they want you to go on?"<bR><bR>

*Kevin and Rachel's room*<bR><bR>

"You're gonna wear a whole in the rug if you keep pacing around like that," Kevin said, watching Rachel, "I swear I think you worry more about Nick than the rest of us put together..."  Rae rolled her eyes and looked at Kevin, "I can't help it...I just feel very protective about Nicky...and I'm worried about the two of them...although I thought after last night..." suddenly she clammed up, realizing she'd been about to tell Kevin too much. Kevin looked at her, "What??  What about last night??"  Rae looked down, "I really shouldn't say...Nick's gonna kill me."  Kevin walked over to her and tilted her head so he was looking right into her eyes, "If something's going on with Nicky I'd like to know what it is...I'm worried about him too."  Rae sighed, "Fine...Ellie's been kind of upset...you know Nick still hasn't told her he loves her??"  Kevin looked startled, "What?  Anybody can see that he does...Ellie really thinks he doesn't?"  "No, it's just that she'd like to hear him say it...I think if they'd been sleeping together she would have been feeling a little less insecure..."  Rae stopped talking as she realized that Kevin's jaw was lying on the carpet and his eyes were wide, "Wait, you're saying they hadn't had sex?  They've been dating six months already!!"  Rae rolled her eyes again, "Typical male...not everybody hops into bed right away you know!!  But yes, that's what I mean...like I told Ellie, I think Nick wasn't ready to take that step...you know, make that kind of commitment to their relationship.  But I guess last night something changed and he decided he was..."  Kevin looked at her, "So you're wondering what effect the bombshell Ellie dropped this morning is having on their relationship..."  Rae nodded, "See, I always tell people you're not as slow as you seem!!"<bR><bR>

*Nick and Ellie's room*<bR><bR>

Nick looked over at Ellie, "Are you almost done packing?"  She nodded, "You??"  "Yeah, I guess we should go ahead and check out..." Nick responded.  Ellie picked up her bags and headed to the door, followed closely by Nick.  He stared at her as she walked ahead of him, <<How can she leave me so easily after I told her how I feel?>> he asked himself. Shaking his head in frustration, Nick walked into the elevator, not noticing that Ellie was looking at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering how he could be so calm about her leaving.<bR><bR>

Just as the elevator doors were closing Brian appeared, sticking his hand in between the doors to force them open, "Hey guys, all set for Belgium??" he asked, oblivious to the tension between his friends.  Nick and Ellie looked at Brian like he was an idiot and he realized that something was wrong, "You two okay?"  Nick took a deep breath, "No, but it's nothing I want to discuss right now..."  Ellie rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath and Nick looked at her, "What?"  She sighed, "That's just great Nick, you won't talk to me and you won't talk to Brian.  Real healthy!!"  Brian stared at the two of them, not sure what to do.  Nick glared at Ellie, "You're not exactly in a position to comment--you had 6 weeks to talk to me about this...now you spring it on me and I'm supposed to be just fine about it??  I don't fucking think so."  "I didn't tell you because I didn't know how...I didn't want to hurt you!" Ellie yelled as Brian pressed himself back against the elevator wall and tried to act invisible.  "Well you did hurt me...you hurt me a lot!" Nick yelled back. Ellie was just about to say something in response when the elevator stopped on the second floor to let another passenger on.  Ellie took the opportunity to grab her bags and leave just before the doors closed, leaving a stunned Brian and a very angry Nick staring after her.  "Oh, so now you can leave but I can't..." Nick muttered, slamming a fist into the elevator wall as Brian and the other passenger jumped.<bR><bR>

Duet, Pt. 20<bR><bR>

Nick hit the door open button stormed out, determined to find Ellie.  Brian followed him closely, wanting to help if he could, but at the same time afraid he'd set Nick off again.   Nick turned around and looked at Brian, "What the fuck are you doing?"  Brian stopped in his tracks, "I..I thought you might need me."  Nick gave Brian an exasperated look, "Bri, I'll talk to you about this all later, right now I need to find her and stop her from doing something stupid.  Please tell everyone to go ahead to the airport...we'll meet them there."  Brian nodded and watched as his friend disappeared down the hallway.<bR><bR>

Nick ran around the corner and spotted Ellie heading for the stairs down to the lobby.  "El, wait!!!" he called, causing her to turn around, a look of surprise crossing her face when she saw him heading towards her.  Nick walked over to her, "Now you're gonna walk out on me??"  She shook her head, "No...yes...I don't know...I hadn't thought further than getting out of the elevator...and getting away from you."  Nick paled a little at her words, "Do you really want to do that?  Get away from me?" he asked softly, his fingers reaching to wipe away the tears that were once again trickling down her cheeks.  Ellie didn't reply right away and Nick could feel his heart start to beat faster and faster as he waited for her response, "El??" Suddenly Ellie made a hiccuping sound and Nick realized that she was sobbing in earnest, "Oh baby...seems like all I ever do is make you cry..." he whispered, trying to pull her into his arms.  Ellie resisted, "Don't touch me...don't think that all you have to do is put your arms around me and everything's okay.  It's not that easy any more."  Nick laughed bitterly, "Easy?  There hasn't been one easy thing about this relationship."  He ran his fingers distractedly through his hair, "Maybe neither of us wants to work this hard...I thought I did, especially after last night, but now you don't seem to want to."  Ellie looked surprised, "Me???  I'm the one who's done all the fighting for us so far remember??? Now YOU have the nerve to stand here and tell me that I don't want this relationship to work?  Fuck you Nick!"  She turned around to continue heading down the stairs and this time Nick made no move to follow her.<bR><bR>

*In the lobby*<bR><bR>

Brian looked at the others, "I can't remember the last time I saw Nick that furious about something...all I know is he wanted us to go on ahead to the airport."  "I'm not leaving...they might need us," Rae responded, "You guys can go but I'm staying right here."  Kevin sighed, "Baby, if they wanted our help Nick wouldn't have told Brian what he did...they're both over 21...we have to let them figure things out on their own."  Rae spun around and stared at him, "Excuse me??  You're just as worried as I am so don't try pretending that you're not."  "Yes, of course I am, but Nicky specifically asked for us to go on ahead and I think we should" Kevin continued.  He was finally able to convince Rae that they should go and the group piled into the van, none of them feeling at ease with the idea of leaving without their friends.<bR><bR>

*Ghent--later that night*<bR><bR>

AJ and Howie looked up at Kevin, who was putting his cell phone away for what seemed like the hundredth time.  "Still no answer?" Howie asked. Kevin shook his head, "I'm not sure Rae is going to talk to me again, she's really pissed that we left them.  I wish I knew what was going on...it's not like Nicky to not answer his phone..."  "Did Brian say anything more?" AJ asked.  Kevin shook his head again, "Not really...just that Nick was really mad about Ell not telling him about having to go home so soon.  Shit I hate this...why is it that every time they seem to get it together things get fucked up again?"  "I was asking myself that same question" they heard Nick's voice from the doorway.  The three men turned to him in surprise, all of them talking at once.   Nick didn't say anything, letting the three of them fire questions at him.  Finally he spoke, "I'm tired guys, I'm gonna go to bed.  See you in the morning."  Three sets of jaws dropped as Nick turned and walked out of the room.  Howie looked at AJ and Kevin, "What the fuck?"<bR><bR>

*Kevin and Rae's room--the next morning*<bR><bR>

Rachel looked at Kevin, "What the fuck do you mean you just let him go to bed???!!!!" she yelled, "Why didn't you wake me up the moment he got here? I don't believe you!!!"  Kevin looked at her wide-eyed, "God Rae, I hate to see what you're gonna be like when we have children if you're this protective of Nicky..you're starting to make me think of a lioness guarding her cub!"  She stared at him, "That is not funny Kev.  Yes, I am protective of Nick--because I think he needs someone to look out for him."  She turned away from Kevin and suddenly he realized that she was crying, her shoulders shaking with emotion.  Kevin walked over to her and turned her around to face him, "Rae???   Baby??  What's wrong?  What's going on???" "Kevin...when I told you that I didn't have any siblings I wasn't entirely truthful.  I had a younger brother..."<bR><bR>

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