Duet, Pt. 9<bR><bR>

Ellie called herself a cab and went outside to wait for it, not wanting to be in Nick's house any longer.  She felt numb and tired, wanting nothing more than a hot bath and some sleep.  She didn't want to think about what had just happened between her and Nick, if she did she was afraid she'd completely lose it, but her thoughts went back to that brief moment when Nick had returned her kiss.  "I know you care about me Nick," she whispered, "I know you do..."<bR><bR>  

Nick sat on his bed, his head in his hands, "God...what a mess..." he said outloud.  He walked over to the dresser and picked up a photograph of Laura from when they were first married, "Tell me what to do Laur...how do I let you go??" he whispered.  He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, his thoughts returning to her, as they so often did when he was alone.<bR><bR>  

"Nick!" Laura called from the deck.  "What do ya need Mrs. C??" he grinned up at her, he loved calling her that.   She leaned over the desk, her hair cascading down over the railing, "You Mr. C, I need you..."  Nick smiled, "I'll be right there..." He ran up the steps to the deck and picked her up, swinging her in his arms as she giggled.  Nick kissed her lips softly, deepening the kiss as she parted her lips to accept his tongue.  He sat down on the chair with Laura on his lap and began kissing down her neck as she threw her head back and moaned happily.  "I love you so much" he murmured against her skin.  "How much Nick?" she whispered, "I want you to show me.  I need you to show me..."  Nick stood up, still holding Laura in his arms and walked into the house, heading for their bedroom.<bR><bR>


Nick awoke with a jerk, realizing that the phone was ringing.  He picked it up but whoever it was had already hung up.  He lay back and groaned--dreaming about Laura was always a double-edged sword, combining the joy of seeing her again with the waking knowledge that he never would. He sat up and thought back over the last 24 hours, "God...no wonder I'm so tired..."  His thoughts turned to Ellie and he finally asked himself the question he'd been avoiding for weeks now, could he live without ever seeing her again?  The answer shocked him enough to send him running out of the house, jacket in hand.  He was at her hotel room 15 minutes later, his heart beating a mile a minute.  Ellie's eyes widened as she saw him through the peephole in the door.  She took a deep breath and pulled the door open, "Nick?  Why are you here?"  He looked at her, it was obvious that she'd been crying and he felt a strong urge to pull her into his arms.  He said nothing but walked forward so that she had no choice but to back up so he wouldn't walk right into her.<bR><bR>

"Nick?" she asked again, not sure what was happening.  Nick took her hand and pulled her over to the couch, sitting down and pulling her down next to him.  He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to talk, hoping she wouldn't interrupt him before he was finished, "Ok, I don't know what this means or where it's going but I do know that the thought of you leaving and me not seeing you again hurts and I don't want you to go" he blurted out. Ellie stared at him, "What did you say?"  Nick looked at her, "Please tell me I don't have to say that again...I'm not sure I can."  Ellie just stared at him and he sighed, "I don't want you to go...I don't know how I feel about you yet, but I do know that I feel something and, if you don't completely hate me, I...I'd like to see you again.  Ellie said nothing and Nick felt his heart sink into his stomach, "Say something..." he pleaded. She looked at him, "What changed your mind?"  Nick smiled, "I can't explain it exactly, but it was Laur...so...will you?"  Ellie closed her eyes and leaned back against the cushions, a small smile playing on her lips, but still she said nothing.  Nick muttered a curse under his breath and leaned forward so his mouth was just above hers, "You really want to make me beg don't you?" he murmured.  Ellie licked her lips slowly and with a groan Nick moved closer and covered her mouth with his in a passionate kiss that wiped all doubt from her mind.<bR><bR>


Duet, Pt. 10<bR><bR>

When they finally pulled apart she looked at Nick, "Wow," she said breathlessly.  "Yeah..." Nick responded, still breathing a little hard.  He leaned back against the cushions and closed his eyes.  "Are you all right?" Ellie asked, her hands still wrapped around his neck.  Nick opened one eye and looked at her, "Yeah...it's just...well, you're the first girl I've kissed since Laur died.  Actually, you're the first girl I've kissed since I met Laura..."  Ellie moved her arms from around his neck and snuggled closer to him, "Tell me about her...how did you meet?"  "Are you sure you want to know?" he asked.  El nodded, "I don't want her between us Nick..." He nodded and began to talk about getting sick and waking up from his first chemo to see Laura sitting beside his bed.   He told her about how much it had hurt to wake up that morning to find her gone and how that pain had been nothing compared to losing her all over again a few months later, this time permanently.  "I've been kinda dead inside since, at least that's what it feels like.  Tomorrow it'll have been a year..."  Ellie said nothing, but the tears running down her face spoke volumes.  Nick wiped away her tears with his thumb and she looked up at him, "Will you ever love me that much Nick?"  Nick's eyes widened at the longing in her voice, "I don't know El...I can't make any promises.  Can you live with that?"  She took a deep breath and nodded and he his head to kiss her again, this time just brushing her lips with his as she ran her fingers through his hair.<bR><bR>

He pulled her onto his lap and deepened the kiss, his tongue parting her lips so he could explore her mouth.  Ellie responded in kind, feeling like she couldn't get enough of him, part of her afraid that if she let him go she would lose him, the other part afraid to cling to him too tightly for fear of scaring him away.  They pulled apart and Nick rested his forehead against hers, "I should go...tomorrow...I...I don't know about tomorrow...I..."  Ellie put her finger against his lips, "Shhhh...you don't have to explain.  I'll be here if you want to see me.  If not, then we'll talk the next day, maybe figure out what to do next?"  Nick nodded and stood up, "Thank you..."  Ellie smiled at him, "I love you Nick...I'm not expecting you to say anything back...but I want you to know that."  Nick smiled and walked out, pulling the door shut after him as Ellie sank down on the couch and wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling a chill.<bR><bR>




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