PART 37<bR><bR>

It was a few moments before anybody answered, then Ellie heard AJ's familiar raspy voice, "Hello?"  "AJ...it's Ellie, may I speak to Nicky?"  AJ sighed, "He's sleeping right now El...do you want me to wake him?"  "No!  AJ don't...just let him know that I called and I'll try him later, ok?"  "Sure Ellie, I'll let him know...bye..."  "AJ wait!  Tell him..tell him that I love him..."  "I will Ellie...are you coming back soon?"  "As soon as I can...how's he doing?"  "Ok...the doc wants him to stay another week...maybe two...he wants to see some improvement in Nick's test results.  We're gonna have to head to Amsterdam without him, which really sucks."  "I'm sorry AJ...Nick must be pretty upset too."  "Yeah, he is...Ellie, I told myself I wouldn't ask you this...but I have to.  When are you coming back really?  Nicky won't say much but your not being here is really hard for him."  Ellie felt the hot tears begin to burn in her eyes, "I'll be there as soon as the concert is over...I promise."  "I'm gonna hold you to that promise Ellie..he needs you..."  "I need him too AJ...I'll be with him in a couple of days.  Is Rae gonna stay with him while the rest of you move on?"  "Yeah, she wouldn't leave him and it was the only way we could convince Jane not to get on the next plane out here."  "Good...AJ, I have to go...please give him my love."  "You know I will, later El."  Ellie leaned back against the headboard of her bed and closed her eyes, imagining the feeling of Nick's strong arms around her, his body pressed against her as they slept.  She awoke with a start to the ringing of the telephone once again.<bR><bR>

*The concert*<bR><bR>

Ellie's first set went off without a hitch, the Queen smiling and looking very appreciative.  Afterwards Ellie sat in her dressing room, her mind already on her trip back to London.  She was lost in her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door and opened it to find Michael with a younger, familiar looking man.  "Elise, this is David Palmer.  He'll be signing the Duet with you tonight to close the concert."  Ellie reacted with shock, "What?  What duet?"  Michael laughed, "Your big hit, the one that launched your career!"  Her eyes widened in amazement, "There's only one man in the entire world that I would sing this song with."  She looked apologetically at David, "And it's not you."  Looking over at Michael, her eyes narrowed, "Michael, you know full well that I had no plans to sing this tonight.  How dare you!"  "Elise, sweetheart, you have to perform this..."  "NO I DON'T.  You know very well that Nick is the ONLY person I would EVER sing that song with.  How could you do this without even asking me??  My god Michael, I'm seeing you in a different light tonight."  She picked up her things, "I'm leaving...give my apologies to the Queen!" and then she stalked out of the room.<bR><bR>

She was back at her apartment and packing her things when she heard the key in the lock.  Turning, she saw Anna enter and look over at her, "I was worried, they announced the Duet and then Michael came out and said there'd been some kind of emergency and you had to leave.  What happened?"  Ellie told her and then looked at her luggage, "I need a ride...I'm going back to London...can you get me to the airport?"  Two hours later Ellie was on a plane, comfortably seated in a nearly empty first class section.<bR><bR>

*The hospital--later*<bR><bR>

Ellie's irritation grew as she talked to the nurse, "Look, you know who I am...you know he'd want to see me."  The matron nodded, "Yes...I know who you are and I also know the poor boy's been miserable since you left...go ahead, but don't disturb him, he needs his rest."  Ellie nodded, her heart beating loudly as she neared his room.  She felt her heart break as she looked at him, his face pale and thin, his normally silky blond hair dull and tousled.  Putting her things down she walked over to the bed and sat down.  Just as she did, Nick opened his eyes and looked at her, "You came back..."  "I told you I would..."  Nick smiled sleepily, "Come to bed," he said, pulling her down and into his arms.  Both were soon asleep, Ellie lost in the sensation of being safe in Nick's embrace as he pulled her body close to his and they drifted off into a peaceful slumber.<bR><bR>

Ellie woke up several hours later to find Nick watching her sleep, "How long have you been awake?  And why didn't you wake me?"  Nick smiled, "Not too long...and because I wanted to look at you so I could reassure myself that you're real..."  Ellie stroked his cheek, "I'm real...and I'm really here.  I don't plan on going anywhere this time..."  "Not even for Michael?" Nick asked, frowning.  Ellie sat up, "Nick...I don't want to talk about Michael..."  "We have to talk about him...I can't do this Ellie...we can't sit back and wait until the next time Michael issues a command to talk about this.  We need to talk about this now."  She ran her fingers through his hair, "How did you know?"  "Howie told me...he said Michael told you that you didn't have a choice, is that true?"   Ellie looked down, afraid to answer, but Nick took her chin between his fingers and made her look at him, "Ellie?"<bR><bR>

She pulled away from him and climbed out of the bed, walking towards the window, her arms around herself as if she needed comfort.  Nick sat on the bed and watched her, waiting for her to answer.  She remained looking out the window as she spoke, "I met Michael not long after my mother passed away.  My parents died within months of each other...did I ever tell you that?  After daddy died from his heart attack Anna and I knew mum wouldn't live long, and she didn't...she was dead within 6 months.  I never thought it was possible for someone to die from a broken heart until that happened.  I'd been shopping a demo around that a friend had helped me make...I was just 16 years old, and Anna was even more devastated than I was...she had just turned 18 and had to convince the courts and everyone else that she could take care of me and of herself.  Michael heard my demo and got in touch with me...you know rules and things are different in Canada...I was able to make a lot more decisions for myself than I would have been allowed to here.  Anyway, you can't imagine what he was like...older and so smooth and he knew everything...it was such a relief to let him take over and work on getting me a recording deal and all of that stuff.  And I was attracted to him...he was so sure of himself...we started our affair not long after we met.  The age difference didn't seem to matter...I guess I was kinda looking for a father figure."  Ellie turned and looked at Nick, who was listening intently, "We were together for 6 months and then he asked me to marry him but I turned him down...the world had just started to open up to me and I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment..and I had just turned 17...Michael and I had never formalized our professional relationship so it was pretty easy to move on to someone else--remember Adam?  I'd been getting a little tired of Michael making all my decisions for me--what I should wear, what I should order at restaurants, everything.  But after I fired Adam there he was again, with his own company and this sterling reputation, and we had this shared history...as confused as I was about things between you and me it was a relief to have Michael making decisions for me again."<bR><bR>

Nick looked at her, "So you're saying I drove you to him?  This is my fault?"  Ellie shook her head, "Nicky don't...I'm trying to understand this too..."  She walked over and stood in front of him, "I love you Nick...I think I have since the first time I saw you on some TV interview.  I loved you before I ever knew you as a person, and then we met and you were everything I'd ever wanted and more...but you were still in love with someone else...and then you admitted that you had feelings for me.  You've got to admit...our relationship's been anything but smooth sailing," she laughed bitterly, "We've been 'together' a whole year and we've only made love once, that ought to tell us something.  But now I need to know...I need to know so I can move on with my life and you can move on with yours...what am I to you Nick?  Do you really love me or am I just someone who keeps you from feeling lonely when you remember what it was like to be with Laura?  Do you really need me?"<bR><bR>

Nick sat on the bed staring up into Ellie's eyes, understanding suddenly flooding through him.  He took her hands in his and pulled her down onto the bed so that she was sitting facing him, "I told you once that I never expected to feel the way that I did about Laura ever again...and that was the truth.  I was scared out of my mind when I realized that I had feelings for you...it seemed too soon, and it felt like I was being unfaithful to Laura's memory.  I can't change my past Ellie...I don't know how many more times I can say that to you...I loved my wife and if she were still alive I'd be holding her right now.  But she's not...and...Ellie, you're my present...my future.  I don't know how else to show you that I need you, that I love you, except to do this..."  Nick got up and walked to the door of the room and locked it before coming back and sitting on the bed.  He reached out and cupped her face in his hands, pulling her in for a kiss, "I love you...I need you like I need the air that I breathe..." he mumbled against her mouth before his tongue parted her lips and he began to explore her mouth.  Ellie's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him even closer.  Nick pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes, "I don't want to be without you...I don't ever want you to leave me again...I want you to feel how I feel about you...let me show you..." and then he kissed her again in a way that sent shivers up and down her spine as his hands began to remove her clothing.<bR><bR>

PART 38<bR><bR>

*Tampa Airport -- 4 months later*<bR><bR>

Ellie smiled as the plane touched down.  The last month of touring had somehow been the hardest, probably because each day seemed to stretch on longer as she counted down to when she'd see Nick again.  Fifteen minutes later she walked off the plane and smiled even more widely as she caught sight of a familiar hat in the crowd that waited to greet the arrivals.  The next moment she was swept off her feet and into Nick's arms as he swung her around in a circle before planting a soft kiss on her lips, "Hey baby...how was your flight?"  Ellie sighed happily, "Fine...but I'm much better now that we're together..."  Nick grinned and kissed her again, "I know what you mean...I've really, really, really, really missed you El."  Ellie laughed, "Me too.  How's everyone?"  "Dying to see you but I told them we wouldn't see them until tomorrow..." he wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.  Ellie's eyes widened at the smirk on his face, "You're so bad..."  Nick laughed in response, "That's not what you said to me last time!" and then he pulled her with him, "Come on, I can't wait until I get you home...I want to kiss every inch of you," he whispered, making her blush as they walked out of the airport and headed for Nick's car.<bR><bR>

*Nick's house--much later that day*<bR><bR>

Ellie lay with her head on Nick's chest, listening to his heartbeat, her fingers running lightly around his stomach, "I can't believe Rachel and Kevin are getting married next week.  Are you nervous about the wedding?"  Nick laughed, "Why would I be nervous?  Just coz Kevin and Rae will kill me if I mess up and lose the rings or something?"  Ellie raised her head and looked at him, "Okay...well, that answers that question!  You're not going to mess up...I have faith in you."  Nick smiled and kissed the top of her head, "The guys don't...Bri asked me if I wanted him to hold on to the rings until it was almost time...and AJ and Howie thought that was a great idea!!"  Ellie giggled, "They're your big brothers...they're supposed to rag on you!!"  "Fine...take their side!!" he pouted, "I thought you said you had faith in me??" Ellie snickered, "I do...but they have a point!!"  "Oh that's it!!!  You're in for it now," Nick laughed, rolling over so that he was on top of Ellie and beginning to tickle her.  Moments later she was gasping for breath as Nick continued to run his fingers up and down her ribs, "Oh...oh...Nicky stop it...stop it!!  I'm gonna pee!!"  Nick immediately stopped tickling her and then bent his head and gave her a deep, passionate kiss, "How 'bout I do this instead?" he whispered against her mouth.<bR><bR>

*Kevin and Rachel's wedding--the following week*<bR><bR>

Nick was pacing back and forth nervously.  Finally, Kevin walked over to him, "Nicky...how come you're more nervous than me?"  Nick sighed in frustration, "I don't know...I know it's not that I'm worried about losing the rings, they're right here," he said, patting the pocket of his waistcoat.  Kevin grinned at him knowingly, "I bet I know what it is...it's your first wedding with Ellie..."  Nick shook his head, "That doesn't make any sense, it must be something else..."  Kevin laughed, "The first wedding I attended with Rae I was a nervous wreck...that was the first clue I had that I was really, really serious about spending the rest of my life with her...I actually started picturing her in a wedding gown and the two of us standing in front of the minister saying our vows..." he continued, a dreamy expression on his face.  Nick stared at him, "Oh man...you are really gone aren't you?"  Kevin stuck his tongue out at him and laughed, "Just you wait Nicky...it'll happen to you too..."  Nick's eyes widened, "Oh man...really?  Even though I've been married before?"  Kevin grinned, "Yeah...besides, you didn't have a proper wedding last time!"  Nick's face took on a peculiar expression and Kevin mentally kicked himself, "I'm sorry Nicky, that was thoughtless of me..."  Nick shook his head, "It's okay..to be honest I was kinda thinking about that too...it was still pretty special though...I remember how she looked in the candlelight...I don't think she'd ever looked so beautiful."  Nick and Kevin both smiled at the memory, neither of them noticing that Ellie had walked over from the other room and had overheard Nick's last comment.  Her eyes filled with tears and she was about to walk away when Nick spoke again, "Yeah...ya know I'm probably gonna pass out when I see Ellie...Rae showed me the dresses...she's already so beautiful...I can't imagine her looking more lovely...but damn it Kev, now you got me wondering what she'd look like in a wedding dress."  Kevin laughed, "Told ya little man, she's got you by the short hairs!"  Nick rolled his eyes and was about to respond when Ellie knocked on the half open door, "You two ready?  It's time!"<bR><bR>

*After the wedding*<bR><bR>

At the reception Nick held Ellie in his arms and they danced to the sounds of Tony Bennett.  "I couldn't take my eyes off you the whole time..." he murmured against her ear, "You look incredible..."  Ellie smiled, "You look pretty good yourself..."  "Yet I can't wait to get out of these clothes...and..." his voice grew husky, "I can't wait to get you out of your clothes...I don't think I've ever seen you look so beautiful..."  Ellie froze in his arms as the words she'd heard him say to Kevin just a short while before echoed in her ears.  Nick looked at her, confusion on his face, "What?  What is it?  What's wrong?" he asked, concern clouding his blue eyes.  Ellie shook her head, "Nothing, I'm just being silly..." she smiled tremulously at him, "I kinda overheard you and Kevin talking..."  Nick's eyes widened and he led her outside to the terrace so they could talk, "Did you hear everything I said?"  Ellie nodded, "Yeah...I did...tell me about your wedding to Laura..."<bR><bR>







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