This fic is an AU where Nick and Amanda meet when they are much younger (in 1999 as you've probably guessed).
I don't own the SVU characters.
Nick finally found the box. He's been going through his mother's storage for a while trying to find that thing. He found old books, toys and clothes, his mother sure didn't like throwing things away. But finally he reached the box with old photographs. Cesaria always told him it's important to keep old photos so when you grow old and your brain won't remember – your eyes will remind you. He didn't feel like arguing, even though back then he was pretty sure he would never want to look at these photographs. Apparently she was right. Because here he was, all those years later, trying to find a single photo.
He took out the box and sat on the chair. He still needed to go through everything inside it. Nick smiled seeing his younger self with his college buddies. Some where taken in the dorms, some at a park or a field. He had good friends then. Shame they lost contact. But that's how life worked, you meet people, you spend time with them, they become a big part of you but at some point you go in different directions. You become someone else in a way.
Looking back Nick knew he was no longer the guy he was in college, not the same guy he was after college, when he first joined the NYPD. Back then he stayed in contact with his friends and they talked to each other on the phone. They even met a few times, even though they were living in different states.
Nick's fingers grazed the photo he'd been looking for. It was a Polaroid photograph. There was something exciting about taking pictures then, before everyone had a camera on their phone. He didn't even know someone had taken it until she handed it to him.
The quality was pretty bad now, some parts were yellow but he could still see the people in it. He was standing next to her. He had a smile on his face, his right palm was rested against the small of her back and she was standing on her toes, whispering something into his ear, keeping her hands in her back pockets. For the life of him Nick couldn't remember what she said to him. It looked so simple, like nothing complicated was ever going to happen. Two people next to each other, so young, so…where they hopeful? Probably. He was trying to do a good job in the police department and she was still in college. So they had to have been hopeful, with everything ahead of them.
Nick placed the box back in it's place. He took the photograph with him, not wanting to let go of it.
Things got messed up even though he tried to do the right thing, be the kind of man he wanted and thought he should be…he wasn't that man now.
Nick took another look at the photo. If only there was a way for him to talk to the man in that photograph, warn him. Everything could have been different. He would have been somewhere else, so would she.
But there are no time machines, no way to change the past. All Nick had was the present, the future…probably. Maybe he could tell himself not to mess things up again. Maybe this time things will be different. They had to be, he had to try.
"You found what you've been looking for?" Cesaria walked into the room.
"Yeah, thanks mom" Nick walked to her and smiled.
"Good thing I didn't throw them away"
"You're always right ma" he gave her a quick kiss.
"Why don't you stay for dinner?" she offered.
"Thanks, but not tonight" Nick smiled "I have something to do"
Summer of 1999
"Come on Nicky, don't be like this" Donnie handed Nick the beer "we're here to have fun"
"I'm sorry Donnie, I had no idea you've been suffering all this time" Nick took a sip of the beer and chuckled. He was just done with the police academy and in a few days was going to meet his first partner. Well, not exactly partner, more like a mentor, someone who was going to teach him the ropes.
"I can see the pain in his eyes" Toby laughed "but he has a point Nick, we all know you're about to become probably the best police officer in New York City. But we agreed to have this fun long weekend in Florida, with all these…" he looked around, checking out the crowd "lovely college students who are on vacation and…as the song goes…only want to have fun"
"He's right man" Donnie took the beer from Nick and drank some of it "you can't leave yet, we still want to watch the show, meet a couple of girls…nothing has to happen…we're just having some good time. Something you didn't have much at college"
"Give me that" Nick took the bottle back but just held it in his hands "I had plenty of fun back then, but we have to grow up at some point"
"And why can't that point happen tomorrow?" Toby shrugged "you're a good guy, no one's asking you to do anything crazy or illegal" he sneered.
"Toby's right Nicky, we're going to listen to some music, talk to some ladies, maybe a bit more than talk…" he rolled his eyes when Nick looked away with a grin "Mr. no one night stands… "
"There are some things you don't know" Nick turned back to his friends.
"Alright man" Toby tapped his shoulder "let's just enjoy this time we have…we all live so far away and it's not like we'll see one another more, with careers, families…"
"Something you wanna tell us Toby?" Donnie asked.
"Nah, I'm still single, but someday we will wake up and these days will be far gone"
"Nicky, this guy is crazier than you" Donnie chuckled "how did we became friends, couldn't I've found myself some cool buddies?"
"Have you looked in the mirror ever? Who'd want to be friends with your ugly ass?" Toby teased.
"What does that say about you?"
"Very funny Donnie, I thought we were trying to convince Nick here to stay up"
"Okay, okay, I'll stay for the performance with you" Nick agreed. He loved these guys and this little vacation in Florida was fun. Ever since graduation each was going to a different direction and the last few days were great. But he was getting tired of staying up late every single night, drinking a little too much, seeing Donnie and Toby trying to get it on with a different college girl every evening. It was actually a lot like the time they'd spent there. He wasn't that old yet.
"And I want you to hit on someone…that's the deal" Donnie smiled "not like you've got something to lose"
"Yeah man, show us you got game"
"What's this obsession with this?" Nick asked "you guys have a problem"
"I have a feeling ever since you and that girlfriend of yours broke up three years ago you didn't get any"
"That's a long time man" Toby looked genuinely sad for his friend.
"It's not like that and don't even ask, you know I won't tell"
"Yeah, we know it's always a secret with you" Toby and Donnie exchanged a look "do whatever you want man"
"Don't be offended. I tell you what, I'll talk to someone if this is what you want. But there won't be any future, whatever happens"
"Let's go, I want to catch a good seat" Donnie said and they all walked to the direction of the show. It was a band called 'The Dancing Kites'. Neither heard of them but it was the only thing that wasn't too far from their motel.
It was summer and a lot of college kids decided to spend their vacation there. It hasn't been that long since Nick was a college student. Was he really so far away from them? Not like he was much older. But he felt like he was at a completely different point in his life. Then again, just like those kids, he's been feeling like everything was ahead of him, the future was wide open.
"Ok…" Toby scanned the crowd "I don't want to be rude, but I don't believe you're actually going to talk to a girl" he could tell Nick wanted to protest so he moved closer to him and lowered his voice a bit "so Donnie and I will choose someone and if you don't talk to her you're gonna have to pay our share of the motel"
"Is this some kind of bet?" Nick asked.
"No one's betting, but if you don't do your part then…" he shrugged "you have to pay"
"I wouldn't argue with this guy Nicky" Donnie jumped in "you know he's gonna end up running some huge company or something, you want to stay his friend"
"Ok" Nick raised his hands in surrender "you win, go play matchmaker"
"Maybe we should turn it into a bet, like if she doesn't talk to you…" Donnie started.
"Don't push it" Nick warned.
Toby and Donnie chuckled, they decided to give him a challenge but let go of the bet idea. The guys looked around, scanning the crowd that's been gathering to watch the performance, they knew Nick well enough to know it probably wouldn't lead anywhere, he'd talk to the girl and politely say goodbye. They wanted him to loosen up a little, that's all.
"Come on guys, this is pathetic" Nick walked over to them after a couple of minutes, he realized they were just dragging things "I'm just gonna go talk to…" he looked around for a second and gestured at someone "her"
Toby and Donnie looked at each other and laughed "she's out of your league Nicky" Donnie smacked his back.
Nick looked at the young woman, her blonde hair was down, she was wearing shorts and a blue t shirt, holding a beer bottle and laughing with who seemed to be a friend of hers.
Maybe Donnie was right about her being out of his league, but looking around Nick didn't feel like talking to anyone else. There was something about her, about the way she laughed, that made him want to be around her. It was weird, here he was staring at this girl he didn't know a thing about but kinda wanted to.
"Alright Nicky, go ahead. We'll enjoy the show" Donnie looked at Toby "and I'm not talking about the music"
"Funny" Nick chuckled but took a few steps towards her.
"They are going to suck" Amanda took a sip of the bottle "with a name like The Dancing Kites you know we're in for a treat"
"They might surprise you" Alice shrugged "think about it, maybe we're about to watch a great band and we'll tell our grandkids about this night"
"You think your grandkids would be impressed with this story?"
"They will be all 'grandma, you're the coolest'"
Amanda gave her a questioning look "is there something you wanna tell me? Cause as far as I know, you're not even twenty and it's gonna be a while till you have grandkids"
"That's besides the point, they will still think I'm cool" Alice took a sip of her drink "they better be"
"Are we going to keep on talking about your future grandkids? Cause I'd rather listen to those kite guys"
"You're gonna hear both…you want me to tell you their names?" Alice laughed but let it go.
"Excuse me" the girls heard a voice and turned around to see a guy standing there.
"Yeah?" Amanda asked, she noticed the little smile on Alice's face.
"Hey" Alice said, she could tell he was interested in Amanda and grinned at her "I'm Alice and this is Amanda"
"I'm Nick, it's nice to meet you" he extended his hand to Alice who quickly let go of it and then to Amanda. Her hand shake was firm and he smiled at her before letting go.
"I'm gonna go get myself a drink" Alice let them know "save me seat…or don't" she winked and walked away.
"Looks like I've been deserted" Amanda looked at her friend as she disappeared in the crowd.
"I'm here" Nick was good at taking things slow, not this flirting part. His girlfriends were always classmates, girls he'd known for a while and he felt comfortable around.
"That's very nice of you" she raised her bottle.
"I am a nice guy" he shrugged.
"And you expect me to believe you, just like that?" Amanda smiled, but she could tell he wasn't a jerk. There was something about the way he spoke, the way he tried too hard. The way he tried to hide the fact he's been trying too hard. This guy…Nick, he really seemed like a nice guy.
"So where are you from?" Nick asked.
"Atlanta, and you?"
"I'm from New York" he replied.
"New York? Why are you here then? You're a fan of these kites?" she chuckled.
"Spending a few days with old friends. You're here for a vacation too?"
"Yeah, before we go back to school"
"So you two go to college in Atlanta?"
"We do"
"You've got what, a year left?" Nick asked.
"Why'd you think that?"
"I see you here with this beer I'm guessing you can't be much older than twenty one…"
"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not twenty yet….but thanks for saying I look older" she moved a tad closer "underage drinking, you ain't a cop, are you?"
Nick chuckled, he decided not to tell her he was a part of the NYPD, it didn't really matter.
"Knock yourself out" he smiled and she took a sip of the beer, she almost emptied it and offered the remains to Nick.
"Thanks" he finished the beer and held on to the bottle "so…" he wasn't sure what to say, he liked standing there next to her but the silence was kind of awkward.
"The show's starting" Amanda noticed people were moving closer to the stage, the band took it's place and started playing "you should go if you and your buddies want to see better, I'm gonna wait for Alice"
Nick turned his head to the direction where Toby and Donnie were standing, they nodded at him and kept on talking to one another "I'll wait here if you don't mind"
"You'd rather watch the show with me?" she smiled.
"I have a feeling I'm not gonna have much fun watching the show, unless I'm watching the show with you…if you don't mind"
"I don't" she shrugged "but I don't know how much fun we're gonna have listening to these guys. I have a feeling they suck"
"You're probably right, but at least we're gonna laugh about it and I think we can leave if it's that bad" he wondered it she'd want to go away with him, he wanted to spend more time with her. Nick was drawn to her, he wasn't sure why. Yes, she was beautiful. Her eyes were a bright shade of blue and her smile made them even brighter, lighting up her entire face.
But something about the way she stood, the way she spoke…he didn't want to leave.
"It's starting" she said and her voice brought him back from his thoughts.
The band started playing, they were four guys, two were playing guitar, one was playing the keyboard and one was a drummer. The moment the music poured out of the instruments the guitar players started jumping all over the stage eliciting clapping from the crowd. Some were calling their names, some were just screaming. Soon they started singing and even though the front man had a nice voice, the lyrics were pretty stupid.
"Alice is going to be disappointed" Amanda chuckled and Nick gave her a puzzled look "she was planning on telling her grandkids about seeing this show"
"Grandkids? She looked too young to have those…" he joked.
"So you think she looks young, ha?" Amanda laughed.
She saw Alice walking back to them "you were right, they suck" she said once she stood next to Amanda and Nick "I have to tell you something" she grabbed Amanda's arm and pulled her away, not before mouthing 'just a sec' to Nick.
"What?" Amanda asked.
"I'm gonna head back to the room, I want to talk to Ben and this band is not worth it" she looked at Nick and then back at Amanda "I'm not going to wait up for you, unless you want me to"
"Alice…" Amanda didn't really have anything to say, she had no idea what she wanted to do. She wasn't planning on anything. Damn it, she didn't know the guy, he seemed like a good one, but it's not like she was very good with good things. But hell, it was summer vacation, not like he was going to propose.
"Amanda…" Alice gave her a serious look and walked back to where Nick was standing and Amanda followed.
While the girls were talking Toby and Donnie went over to Nick to say goodbye as well. They weren't enjoying the show and decided to find something else to do.
"We're not gonna go back to the room Nicky, we are leaving it for you" Donnie smiled "and won't be back till morning…and don't say a freaking word"
"I won't" Nick saw that Amanda and Alice were coming back and he didn't want them to hear this part of the conversation "you can go if you want to"
"Bye man" Toby said and they left.
"It was nice to meet you Nick" Alice said "but I must go…have fun you two"
"It was nice to meet you too Alice" Nick shook her hand and she waved at them before leaving.
Amanda and Nick looked at each other "looks like we're alone now" Nick said.
"We've got real good friends, don't we?" Amanda chuckled.
"They are not so bad" he said and they listened to the band, laughing once in a while.
"Maybe we can walk away" Nick tried to sound casual.
"And miss this? I'm not an expert in poetry but the lyrics…what did he just sing? When you're in by bed you're under my sheets?" Nick nodded and Amanda continued "maybe we should get away, before they ruin music for me"
"Are you hungry?" he hoped she'd say yes.
"I could eat" Amanda tilted her head to the right, as if she was thinking about it "how about Chinese?"
"I love Chinese, and there's a pretty decent place not too far from the beach" he suggested.
"Cool, lead the way"
Nick realized he was still holding the beer bottle she gave him earlier and looked around for a trash bin. He couldn't find one so he walked towards the restaurant with it.
"I must admit I really like Chinese so I persuaded my friends to go there more than just a couple of times" he spotted a bin not too far "just a sec" he showed her the bottle and Amanda smiled. He rushed to throw it away. When he turned to her Amanda was looking away, it seemed like there was something on her mind, the way she was staring into the distance. She looked so beautiful, the light wind was playing with her hair and she tried to move a few strands behind her ear. Suddenly Nick wanted to be the one to do that, to touch that golden hair of hers. It was weird, he didn't even know her. Why was his heart beating faster looking at her?
Nick shook his head, literally trying to shake the thought away.
"Ready?" he walked back to her and she raised her eyes to him.
"Yeah, let's go, I'm hungrier than I thought"