This was a request, I wrote it in a day, not so happy all of it, I really don't like the ending but let me know what you guys think. :D
Dani slid onto the barstool and turned her eyes to the man next to her.
"I am a little surprised to see you here Nico." She said with a smile.
Jeanette was supposed to meet her at the bar a few hours ago but she called off, she may not show it but she was taking the pregnancy thing pretty hard and even though Dani knew Jeanette was staying away from any and all alcohol it was still hard for her to go out. She was a little shocked to see Nico sitting at the bar although from the four empty glasses next to him she assumed he'd been here for a while.
"As surprising as it may seem I do go out like a normal person sometimes." He said, not glancing at her. She smiled a bit.
"I never said you didn't." She motioned to the bartender who slid a drink down the bar to her.
"So Jeanette didn't show up?" Nico asked, turning her head to look at her. The fact that he knew why she was here when she never told him barely even registered, she was beginning to understand that Nico always knew everything.
"Jeanette is pregnant actually, but I am sure you knew that, she was too nauseous to come." Dani said, taking a sip from her drink.
"What about you, no date for Nico tonight?" Dani asked, smiling at him.
He shook his head, "No, I just needed some time to think, get out of my own head as it were." He said. Dani nodded "I could use a night like that."
"Are things really so bad for you Dr. Santino?" He asked, finishing off his drink and calling for another.
"Well, Lindsey is sometimes talking to me, sometimes not, Ray Jay has suddenly gone super vegan thanks to his girlfriend, my husband has gotten me a few thousand dollars in debt and is now burning through the kids collage funds, Matt is considering marriage and my best friend is pregnant." She took a deep breath, finished off her drink and smiled. Nico smiled back and called for the bartender to give them both a shot of something much stronger.
"Thanks." She said when the drinks arrived.
"I think we both deserve it." He said quietly.
"So why do you need some time away from your life?" Dani asked, sitting her half empty glass down. Nico smiled at her and shook his head.
"Oh come on, you can't get all that information out of me and then not give me anything in return!" Dani whined. Nico smiled at her words and was quiet for a bit.
"When I was in the SEALS, my team and I would always go out for a night together when we finished our missions, we would have a rule, get drunk and do or say whatever you want, no one would ever remember in the morning."
Dani watched him carefully, confused as to why she was being given this information. He glanced over at her and smiled.
"So you're saying we should both get extremely drunk, ask each other whatever we want and it won't matter because we won't remember any of it tomorrow." Nico shrugged.
"I think you've got a pretty good head start and that's why you're suggesting this." Dani said with a laugh.
"Where are your kids at tonight Dr. Santino?" Nico asked, starting into his glass.
"They're with Ray." She said
"So, your place or mine?"
Dani laughed, "If you're asking, your place."
Dani road with Nico back to his house, he told her he'd call Xeno and have him drop her car off at his place. The two were quiet on the ride; a million thoughts were flying through her head. First of all she was extremely excited and a little nervous to be going to Nico's home. She was a little confused as to why he was suddenly letting her in, and she had a feeling this wasn't going to be just a little chat. From the look on Nico's face she felt like he was about to let her deep inside his walls. There were emotions playing behind his eyes that she couldn't read. She could tell he was on high alert, which surprised her because she knew he'd had a lot more to drink than she had but she assumed his time in the SEALS had taught him to never let his guard down and always be on the watch.
They pulled into a dark parking lot and a large black apartment building rose up in front of them, sleek and modern looking, the walls were complete windows but she couldn't see inside them, she had a feeling the occupants could see out though, she'd find out soon.
Nico opened the door to the car and offered his arm to her. She took his hand and let him help her down then followed him inside and into a stainless steel elevator. He pressed the button for the tenth floor and once again the stood in silence. Dani glance at him a few times out of the corner of her eye but she still couldn't read his expression. When they reached the tenth floor Dani followed him down the hall. Nico opened the door and stood aside letting Dani enter first. She took in the space around her in bits. Opening up in front of her was the living room, a plush leather chair and matching sofa sat in front of a glass coffee table and electric fire place, as she thought the windows looked out onto a beautiful view of the city. She stepped further inside and saw a kitchen to her right and a hallway leading down to what she assumed was a bathroom and bedroom to her left. Nico walked in behind her and she suddenly seemed extremely aware of him and his movements. He moved into the kitchen and started pulling glasses from the cabinets.
"Make yourself at home." He said.
Dani walked into the living room, kicked off her heals and curled into the corner of the sofa. Nico joined her a few seconds later with two glasses and a bottle of warm amber colored liquid. She smiled at him as he sat down.
"So we're really doing this?" Dani asked, taking the glass as Nico filled it for her.
"Well you're here now so I have to find some way of making you forget you ever saw this place." There was a glint in his eyes and she could tell he was joking, she smiled and laughed.
"Well then let's get started." They both tipped their glasses back and let the liquid burn on the way down.
They started out with simple things, respective collage careers, psychology major for Dani, Nico joined the Navy right out of High School. Siblings, both were only children. Nico asked about Ray, he'd never really got all the details. Dani answered, told him the whole story even though it pissed her off, which she also let Nico know. Then turned around and asked him about Gabrielle which in turn pissed him off but with enough goading he let her in and answered her questions. She poured him another drink and watched the expressions float across his face as he told her the whole story, from their first romantic moment to the last time they'd ever been together. Dani listened with undivided attention. Not so much for the psychological insight into his life but just for the story. Dani was honestly a little surprised to find that Nico was quite the romantic. She asked him what had finally made him realize it was time to move on.
"Gabrielle was a snake, a viper, she sucked you in with her beauty and you'd never know you were in danger until it was too late and she'd already bitten you.
"But you loved her?" Dani asked, finishing off yet another drink.
"At one time yes, but as I told you a few months ago, I wasn't willing to compromise myself for her and I knew that if she was so inclined, she would have taken me down with Marshall." Dani nodded and poured them each another round.
"So what is this about Matt thinking of marriage?" He asked, tipping back his drink. Dani quickly gathered her thoughts together, she prided herself on how well she could hold her liquor but her head was started to feel fuzzy and her whole body felt warm and lazy.
"I don't know much, only that Jeanette said he asked for her help to pick out a ring." She said, stretching her arms above her head and trying to suppress a yawn. Nico watched her carefully, his eyes floating over the bare skin of her stomach that was revealed as she stretched her arms higher.
"And what are your thoughts on that Dr?" He asked, Dani noticed that his voice had changed slightly, dropping to a deeper level but she chose to ignore it.
"I don't know." She rubbed her hands over her face and then through her hair, sighing.
"I mean, I only just signed my divorce papers a few months ago, I just, I don't think I can make that kind of commitment right now." He nodded and poured them both another drink.
"Can we change the subject?" Dani asked.
"Your turn for a question Dr."
"You can call me Dani you know." She said, settling against his shoulder. He smiled and swallowed the liquid in the glass.
"Wait, wait so you had T.K. and Razor kidnapped?" Dani asked, a smile playing on her lips.
"No one was hurt; I took them back to the practice field, handcuffed them to the end zone and let them stew for a while." Dani laughed out loud.
"Nico you pulled a prank." She said between laughter. He gave a quick smile then shook his head.
"I was just teaching a lesson." She smiled knowingly at him then stretched again and lay down, resting her head in his lap. They were quiet for a few seconds both starring at each other, Nico was fighting the urge to run his fingers through her hair.
"What was your first impression of me?" He asked instead.
"What?"
"When you first met me, what was the first thing you thought about?" Dani could tell he was being serious.
"Well, since we're being honest." She started, smiling up at him. "At first, I thought you were a little too much 'secret service', creeping around outside my house, showing up at all hours." She smiled up at him then took his hand in hers.
"But then I got to know you a little better, and I realized that's just what makes you who you are, and it's why I," She caught herself and stopped short, she'd had far too much to drink, her brain wasn't working quite as fast as her mouth anymore.
"What was your first impression of me?" She asked quickly.
Nico was quiet for a while, she watched his face carefully, and she gave his hand a small squeeze as she held it in her own.
"Honestly?" He asked, his voice had deepened again.
"That's what we're doing right?" She was surprised to find she was whispering.
"The first time I saw you, I was a little wary of you, I'd had to work with therapists before and it always turned out horrible," She nodded, they were being honest after all.
"But then we had to go to Atlantic City, and you tried to get Terrence out of that club and I was impressed." She smiled.
"A few days later I followed you and Terrence to the cemetery in Newark, I watched you talk to him, I saw how much he respected you, in that moment, you had me." She smiled but gave him a questioning look.
"I realized you were more than just a beautiful person Dani, you were smart and you stood your ground with Terrence, you'd done the impossible with him. I realized that you were a wonderful person and it frustrates me to no end that your husband cheated on you because you deserve someone who treats you with respect and in that moment, watching you with Terrence in the graveyard I realized that if I was ever lucky enough to get the chance to be with you I would give you everything you deserve and more."
Dani's lips parted slightly in shock and she was silent for a long time. Eventually she closed her eyes and sat up, turning to face him.
"Nico," She stopped and cleared her throat.
"Nico, what are you saying?" She asked quietly.
She looked deep into his eyes, trying to read the emotions flying across his face but all she kept picking up was complete honesty, and she was a little frightened to realize that she was okay with that.
She closed her eyes for a second to try and gather her thoughts and when she opened her eyes again Nico was inches from her face. She sucked in a breath and let him close the distance between them.
He pressed his lips gently to hers and she sighed as she leaned into his touch. Nico wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap while he let his other hand run though her hair gently. Dani wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned deeper into his kiss, sighing again as his hand ran up her back to tangle with the other one in her hair.
"Nico wait." She pulled back and took a deep breath. She rested her forehead against his and took in his scent as she breathed.
"What are we doing?" She whispered.
She glanced up to look in his eyes and one by one saw his walls slam back into place.
"I am sorry Dani, I shouldn't have," He cut off and shifted his gaze away from her.
"I'll call Xeno, he can take you home, you've had far too much to drink, we both have, it'd be best if we called it a night." He shifted and sat her down on the sofa then made to stand up but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back down again.
"Nico Careles don't you dare close down on me now." She said, then took his face in her hands and turned him to face her.
"Dani,"
"Nico, be honest with me one more time, do you really feel that way about me?"
"I wouldn't have told you if I didn't." He hadn't hesitated; she knew he was telling the truth.
"I can't take you away from Matt though Dani, I understand how you feel about him,"
"No, stop, Nico, the whole reason I was planning on going out with Jeanette tonight was because I wanted to talk to her about Matt, get her advice, I don't think I can stay with Matt, If he's really going to go through with this proposal thing, It's just moving way to fast for me, I just have to step back."
"Are you sure?" Nico said after a few
"Pretty positive, now will you please kiss me again." His eyes flashed with lust and he pulled her back to him. He gently laid her back on the sofa, covering her body with his own and gently pressing his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with just as much passion as he was giving her.
"Nico?" She whispered quietly
"What happens tomorrow?" She added, letting him kiss down her jaw line.
"We'll think about it when it gets here." He whispered.
"We won't remember any of this tomorrow will we?" She asked, a note of sadness coming through in her voice.
"I don't know." His lips were on her neck now; she sighed and melted against his touch.
"I don't want to forget this." She said quietly, letting her hands run through his hair, bringing his mouth back up to hers.
"All you have to worry about is that right now, in this moment, I love you." She felt her eyes fill with tears at his words. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands.
"I love you too." He smiled and pulled her close, kissing her sweetly.
His bedroom was big and dark, the white sheets on his bed a stark contrast. She lay back on the bed and sunk luxuriously into the pillow top mattress. Nico smiled down at her, her bronze skin almost glittered in the moonlight. She reached her hand out for him and pulled him down on top of her, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close.
She slept better than she ever had before, wrapped in Nico's embrace. It was almost ten o'clock in the morning when she woke up to a cold bed. She rolled over to find Nico gone and a note lying on his pillow.
Duty calls, I'll talk to you later.
N.
She smiled to herself and glanced out the window at the coming day. For as much as she drank last night she hardly felt hung over, which was great considering she had a full day ahead of her. She ran her fingers over her lips and tasted his alcohol laced kisses again then closed her eyes and re-lived every wonderful moment of last night before starting her day.