As Nikolas ran down the long hallway, pushing furiously past an elderly couple, the only sound he was aware of  was the painful sound of Gia's screams. He had heard them as soon as he neared her apartment. They were like small knives in his heart. He couldn't think. He was fixed on getting to her as soon as possible.

He came to apartment 10A and was not thrilled by the sight of the open door. As he entered, the yelling became worse. He didn't know what was going on, but the living room was completely wrecked. His heart was beating wildly. Panic was seizing him. He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't...

He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't see her, but he could hear her. What if someone  were in the apartment with her? What if that person were hurting her?

He couldn't stand to think of that. He suppressed his panic and started moving towards the yelling. He sidestepped the clothing that was strewn across the floor. He was careful not  step on the pieces of shattered lamp.

Something was wrong.

He stepped down the hallway to the closed bedroom door. That's were the noise seemed to be concentrated. The fact that it was the bedroom sent shrill fear through his body.  He eased the door open and peered inside. What he saw, chilled him to the bone.

Gia was simultaneously screaming and packing. She tore clothing off of hangers and stuffed them haphazardly into a floral suitcase. She stumbled across the room, bumping into things, tripping, tossing hangers. She seemed enraged and panicked.

The noise was torturous. It was incoherent. She was possessed. Nikolas entered cautiously. He was halfway across the room before she noticed him.

She stopped, a black mini-skirt and a balled-up Yankee's T-shirt falling from her hands, her delirious banter dying on her lips. 

"Gia," he said, obviously concerned. "Are you okay? What's wrong? I could hear you all the way down the hall. Are you hurt?" He moved closer, wanting to wrap her in his arms, but afraid she'd pull away. "Gia? Did you hear me?"

Gia stared at him. Her love...her life...How could she give him up? She sighed, knowing that as long as she was in Port Charles, she wouldn't be able to. "Yeah. I heard you."

Nikolas rushed forward then and took her into his arms. He kissed her temples, saying, "I was so afraid...when I heard your screams...I thought the worse-"

Gia pulled back. Being near him was making her weak. "Thanks for coming by, Nik, but I'm kind of busy."

Nikolas looked at her as if she were crazy. "Gia, why are you acting so strangely? Why are you packing? Where are you going?"

"One question at a time, Prince," Gia said, wearily falling back onto the bed. Nothing was going as planned. She was supposed to have been gone by the time he got there. After Emily left, she had wanted nothing more than to break down, but, she had promised herself a long time ago that she wouldn't collapse again. So, instead of crying, she had started to scream. It felt so good to release her rage. To be heard. To make the pictures on the walls shake. 

"All right, question number one: What the hell is going on?"

"You're a smart guy. Figure it out. I'm leaving."

Nikolas' eyes grew wide as he kneeled before her. He put his hands on her knees. He scanned the room again. He saw the mess, but he also saw all of the unlit candles scattered to and fro. He moved his hand to finger  a discarded blue nightgown that lay on the floor at his side.  He knew she hadn't forgot why he was coming over.  She had been ready, but something had happened. She was running scared.

"Why are you leaving?" he asked calmly.

"Sick and tired of seeing your ugly mug all the time."

"Gia, be serious," he reprimanded. "I want to know what's wrong. I love you."

"No you don't. Not really. How could you? I'm not good enough for you. I never will be. You need to find someone who'll treat you right. Someone like...." Gia's voice began to waver as unshed tears filled her eyes. "Someone like Emily."

Nikolas smiled, his hands reaching up to cup her face. "I don't love Emily, Gia, I love you. How many times do I have to tell you that?  I was forever stumbling around in the dark  until you came along and illuminated the way. You are my light. How could you not be good enough? I feel as if I don't deserve you."

"Don't say that! Don't ever say that!"

"Shhhhh. Why won't you tell me what's wrong? Tell me why you think you need to leave me when you promised that you never would?" He lowered his head into her lap, his arms snaking around her waist. "Don't you love me anymore?"

He sounded so much like a lost little boy at that moment that she allowed her hands to stroke his cheek. "Of course I do. I can't imagine NOT loving you. I'd do anything for you. That's why I have to go. Tonight....tonight was going to be special. At first I wanted that to hang onto before I disappeared, but I realized that if we..if we had made love,  I wouldn't be able to leave. Not you. Not ever. Oh, Nikolas, just let me go. It's for your own good."

He lifted his head from her lap. This time, the unshed tears belonged to him. Angrily, he snapped, "I AM SO sick and tired of people doing things for my own good. No one cares what *I* want."

"That's not true! I care what you want. I'd give you anything I had to give," she replied defiantly.

"Then give me you."

Gia started to tremble as Nikolas leaned up to plant a slow lingering kiss on her lips. He pulled back to see her eyes. He had to see her eyes.

Their eyes locked and Gia knew she would never deny him anything. She stood, pulling him up with her by the lapels of his shirt. She pulled his lips down to meet hers and there was a jolt that ran through the both of them. It was far more than simple electricity.

It was lightning.

She fell into the energy. There was a passion building. The slow soft kisses were firing up. They became frantic as the need surged up and became overwhelming. It was beyond all control now. Nikolas started pulling her shirt over her head, but she stepped back. His eyes looked at her questioningly.

"Are we moving too fast?"

"No," she whispered. "I want to take care of you. Will you let me?"

"Yes, that's what I want. For us to take care of each other."

She gave him a sweet smile. She slowly pulled her shirt over her head and threw it to the floor. She wasn't wearing a bra. Her hands sensuously slid down her body to unbutton her jeans. She pulled them down, stepping out of them. She was entirely nude.

Nikolas couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She twirled for him, padding across the room to fall into his arms. He kissed her cheeks and her neck. When his tongue licked her earlobe, she shuttered.

She felt warm on the inside. She pulled  his hands from her breasts and held them at his side. "My Prince, my shining Prince," she whispered. Then, with deliberate slowness, she undid the buttons of his shirt. She peeled it from his body, her hands gliding over his hard, firm  chest. He reached out to grab her again, the sight of her dissolving all of his self-control.

She spun away, only to move back . Her hands fell to his pants. She unbuttoned, unzipped, and then stuck her hands in the waistband of his tailored slacks. She slid her hands down the outside of this thighs, the pants falling away. She bent over and untied his shoe laces and slipped the shoes from his feet. He stepped out of his pants and his underwear. Nikolas pulled her up and into his arms. He guided her over to the bed.

She lay down amongst her suitcases. He pushed the baggage to the floor and joined her.

"Will you love me forever?" she asked.

" Exactly how long is forever, Gia?" he said with a wicked grin.

"Most people say it's a life time, but sometimes, one night can be forever if you're with the right person."

"The answer, in both cases, is an emphatic YES! I can't help but love you."

You're going to have to learn how to,  she thought but didn't say

Instead she pulled Nikolas down on top of her. Their kisses grew.

And, eventually, when they had both pushed themselves as far as they could go, Nikolas Casssadine and Gia Campbell melded together in a way they never had before.

Over..and Over...and Over again.

~*~  ~*~  ~*~

End of chapter Two, Please e-mail any feedback by clicking on the mailbox below :)

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