Duet, pt. 7<bR><bR>

Kevin sighed, "So much for the emergency, this really could have waited..." The production engineer looked apologetic, "Sorry Kevin, I guess I overreacted."  Kevin put his hands up to forestall any further apologies and went to call Rachel.  He didn't see Ellie come in to the room looking for him, "What happened?  Did he say where he was going?"  He listened intently to Rachel, "No, it's not your fault, it's not as if you could have stopped him physically.  I don't know Rae...with everything that's been going on...and Nick realizing that he cares about Ellie I'm really worr..."<bR><bR>
 He heard the sharp intake of breath behind him and whirled around, the phone still in his hand, "Oh shit...baby I gotta go right now.  Ellie's here..."  Kevin hung up and walked over to Ellie, "You heard..."  She looked up at him, "Is it true?  Does he have feelings for me?" she asked, unconsciously holding her breath as she waited for his answer.  Kevin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Ellie I..." She interrupted him again, "Please Kevin, I need to know the truth, I'm tired of people hiding things from me..."  Kevin sat down heavily on the couch, "Yes.  Yes, he has feelings for you.  He told me himself."  Ellie's eyes lit up, "But?"  "But what El?  Nick isn't ready to act on those feelings.  You've seen that for yourself." Ellie sat down next to Kevin, "So what are you telling me?  Are you saying I should forget about my feelings for him and his feelings for me?"  I realize that Laura's only been dead a year but SHE'S dead and he's not. He's alive and I'm here.  I was prepared to walk away from him before I heard what you said, now there's no way I'm leaving, not knowing I have a chance with him."  Kevin shook his head, "Ellie, you don't get it, Nick may have feelings for you but it's tearing him up inside...he feels like he's betraying Laura by having feelings for you."  Ellie looked at him, "Then what do I do Kevin?  Sit back and wait for him to change his mind?  I can't do that!"<bR><bR>

*Nick's house*<bR><bR>

Nick walked around as if he was sleepwalking, touching things, straightening up, barely aware of what he was doing.  The doorbell rang and he walked over to the door, pulling it open to see Brian standing there, a worried look on his face.  Nick said nothing, turning his back and walking back into the living room, Brian hot on his heels.  "Nick!" Brian yelled in frustration, "How long are you gonna make me pay for this?  How many times do I have to apologize?"  Nick stopped and turned back to face him, "I'm not still angry Bri...really I'm not...it's just that sometimes I feel like Kev's the only one who really understands.  Howie too, coz of Caroline..." Brian sighed, "I want to understand...but you won't talk to me so how can I?"  Nick shrugged, "I'm gonna go take a shower, stay or go...I don't much care."  Brian stared after him in shock, not sure what to make of Nick's response.  His cell phone rang and he grabbed it impatiently, "Yeah?  Oh, yeah Rae, he's here...I don't know yet.  Yeah, I'll call you later.  Bye."<bR><bR>


Nick came downstairs 15 minutes later, still looking pale and exhausted. "I'm gonna go out Bri..."  Brian looked at him, "No you're not...you're gonna stay right here and we're gonna talk this out."  Nick shook his head, "Now's not the time...I don't have the energy to do this right now."  Brian stood in front of the door, "Tough Nick, I want to talk about this now, before it gets worse. You're my best..." he was interrupted by the doorbell.  Nick pushed past him and pulled the door open, his jaw dropping in shock at the sight of Ellie standing on his doorstep.  Brian looked from Nick's face to Ellie's and back, "Okay, I think I better leave now...Nick, we ARE going to have this conversation sooner or later.  Ellie, good to see you again."  Brian walked out and heard Ellie shut the door behind him, "Now what?" he asked himself outloud.<bR><bR>

Nick looked at Ellie, "Why are you here?"  Ellie looked down at the carpet, not wanting Nick to see how shocked she was at how bad he looked, "I couldn't stay away...I...uh...I talked to Kevin..." she said, watching his face pale even more at her words.<bR><bR>

Duet, Pt. 8<bR><bR>

"I can't believe this...I can't believe Kevin would tell you..." Nick stammered, his heart sinking.  Ellie sighed, "He didn't mean to, I overheard him on the phone.  He practically begged me not to do anything about it but I can't do that.  I can't walk away knowing that you care about me too."  Nick paced around the living room, not looking at her. "Nick?  Say something please..."  He turned to look at her and she gasped at the look on his face, "What do you want me to say?  I am not looking to get into a relationship with you or with anyone right now.  My WIFE died a year ago Ellie..."  She interrupted him, "Yes she did, SHE died Nick.  You didn't!  If she really loved you she wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life alone mourning her."  Nick angrily strode over until he was standing right in front of her, his face just inches from her's, "IF she really loved me??  You have no right to question that.  I want you to leave."  El felt the tears that she'd been fighting back begin to burn at the back of her eyes, "I'm sorry..." she whispered, "It hurts to think of you caring about someone else that much okay?  It hurts that you loved her enough to marry her even though she was dying."  Nick's shoulders slumped and he sank to the carpet, the fight suddenly going out of him, "I loved her...I still love her...I'd give anything to have her back with me...I can't lie about that..."  Ellie knelt down next to him, longing to be in his arms, "I don't want you to lie Nick...I just want you to realize that you didn't die with her."  Nick looked at her, his face tear-stained, "I wish I had..."<bR><bR>  


*Kevin's house*<bR><bR>

Brian looked over at his cousin, "Why do I get the feeling there's something going on that you haven't told me about?"  Kevin looked over at him, "Bri, maybe you should let it go ok?  It's been a rough 24 hours, I'm exhausted, I'm worried about Nick and I don't want to get into everything with you right now."  Brian stood up, "Okay, that's it!!  It's bad enough that Nick pushes me away when I can see that he needs help.  Now you're acting like YOU'RE the only one who's worried about Nick?  Why the fuck do you think I'm here?  AJ and Howie are worried sick too.  What's going on Kev?  Why did Ellie show up at Nick's a little while ago?"  Kevin's head jerked up, "She did?  Damn, I asked her to let it go..."  Brian wanted to grab his cousin and shake him hard, "Let WHAT go????  Dammit Kev tell me what's going on."  Kevin ran his hands through his hair, "Nick admitted to me last night that he has feelings for Ellie...happy now?"  Brian's jaw dropped and he stared at his cousin, "And Ellie knows this?"  "Yeah, she overheard me talking to Rae on the phone.  She pretty much flipped out, said there was no way she was walking away from him knowing that.  I asked her not to head over there, glad to see she took my advice" Kevin added bitterly.<bR><bR>

*Nick's house*<bR><bR>

"Don't you dare say that!" Ellie yelled at him, "Don't you ever say that!!" Nick looked at her, his blue eyes widening at her outburst.  Ellie looked at him, "You have to stop it Nick, you're gonna make yourself sick...or is that what you want?  To give up on living so you'll get sick again?"  Nick shook his head, "No...no, I just don't want it to hurt anymore, that's all..." he whispered.  Looking into his eyes Ellie felt like her heart was going to burst and she moved closer to him, taking his hands in hers, "Nick...it won't always hurt this much...I promise..."  She was so close to him, his scent almost intoxicating as she breathed it in, and on impulse, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his before he could stop her.  For the briefest instant Nick responded, and then he pushed her away, scrambling to his feet, "Ellie, don't!"  "Why?  So you can ignore your feelings for me?"  Nick shook his head, "Please go."  And then he was gone, taking the steps two-at-a-time as he headed upstairs, leaving El standing alone in the middle of his living room.<bR><bR>


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