The Freaks and Geeks fandom is lacking. Although, it is slightly picking up.
After watching the last episode, I was upset with the ending and how painful it was for me to watch Nick be sad and miserable without Lindsay because the only time throughout the series where we find him truly genuinely happy is when he is with her.
So this is my ode to the lovely show (and couple!) that didn't last as long as it should have. Enjoy.
"Lindsay, listen to me, I don't want any funny business this summer. You've just come back from Michigan and I don't want you frolicking along to parties and what not. You are a good girl- a Weir."
Lindsay rolled her eyes and nodded as everyone silently ate their dinner. Her father had been lecturing her for a while about staying out of trouble in the summer. Although, unbeknownst to her parents and friends, she went followed the Ungrateful Dead tour with the Dead Heads and Kim Kelly. She went back home after finishing the tours and her parents didn't seem to notice whatsoever. She answered all their questions about the University of Michigan program easily- probably a result from the Freaks. It wasn't that they were liars or anything, they just were fun to hang around with and the only way for Lindsay to do so was to lie. She had done it so many times within the past year that she couldn't tell which part was the lie and which part was the truth anymore.
"Lindsay? Lindsay are you even listening to me?"
Lindsay glanced up at her father just as the doorbell rang. Lindsay looked around and tossed her napkin on the table, "I'll get the door."
She pushed through the dining room quickly, heading for the door. Her father grumbled nonsense and continued eating harshly.
Lindsay opened the door, she smiled slightly at the site of Nick Andopolis, her ex boyfriend.
"Hey Lindsay." he spoke soft almost afraid to be heard.
"Oh hey Nick." she pushed a few hairs out of her face and tucked them behind her ear. "What are you doing here?"
He ignored her question, "you're back from U of M, how was that?"
Lindsay hesitated a bit, "I'd rather not talk about that right now." she sheepishly smiled at him, holding her left arm with her right hand.
"You- you wanna go for a walk or something?" Nick suggested pointing behind him into the dark, smiling weakly.
She turned a looked over, "wait a sec, I'll go grab my jacket." She turned on her heel and walked to her room where her jacket was laying. She tossed it on and patted her hair down, exiting the room. She popped her head into the dinning room, announcing to her parents, "Hey, I'm going out for a walk. I'll be back."
"Where you going?" her mom asked softly. Sam looked up from his plate and looked at her.
She gave a weak smile and laughed a bit, "I'll be back soon, don't worry." she turned around a headed for the door.
"Lindsay!" her father called after her but she didn't seem to hear him.
Nick stood still, resting his large frame on the side of her house. He shoved his hands in his jean jacket pockets, keeping them warm from the cold summer night.
He breathed out, watching his breath turn into a visible white smoke in the night. Smoke- he missed it. He had quit weed for sometime now, but he- along with all his friends- knew he wasn't going to last too long with out it.
He blew another puff into the sky and watched it disintegrate into the cold night. He sighed, running over his thoughts. He had come running to Lindsay's house after a thought- an idea had appeared to him. All his questions were made clear and he just needed to make sure he was right.
"Come on, let's go," Lindsay spoke softly, closing the door behind her. Her jacket was wrapped tightly around her small waist in order to keep her warm.
Nick followed behind her until they reached the sidewalk. "So, what's up?" Lindsay spoke up, causing Nick to snap out of his day dream.
"Oh, uh- nothing really," Nick stuttered. He kept his hands in his pockets he turned somewhat facing her, "You remember when we cut class together?"
Lindsay smirked, glancing up at the stars, "Yeah, how could I forget? Mr. Rosso got so mad at me. I almost had to join the mathletes cause of you." She playfully hit him softly in the arm.
Nick just laughed, "Me? What'd I do?"
Lindsay smiled and looked around, "one- you basically forced me to ditch. Two- you bailed out on me when I was in trouble. If it wasn't for you, I would have been peacefully learning."
"You know you enjoyed it," Nick teased slightly. He paused, stopping his steps, "you know I miss us all hanging out. So far this summer I've only hung out with Sarah. I miss all you guys."
Lindsay stayed quiet, stopping along with Nick. She glanced up at him. He wasn't really looking anywhere. When she didn't respond he continued, "like I've barely seen Daniel all summer, Ken is with Amy all the time, Kim has been MIA and you were at your school thing. I just miss it, ya know?"
Lindsay kept quiet and took a deep breath, "Yeah, I feel like I've been gone for ages."
He tapped her slightly on her arm, "me and the guys were gonna hang at the diner on main at 3. If you wanna come, I'll stop by and pick you up?"
Lindsay looked up and smiled him, "Like as a reunion? Sure I'll go, you aren't the only one to miss everyone."
The two gave each other a weak smile then continued walking around Lindsay's block. Nick kept quiet, he was flustered, he wanted to speak up but he wanted to coherently piece together his sentence- despite his previous plans and countless times rehearsing in front of a mirror. He bit his lip in apprehension.
They rounded back to the block, her house was in sight. The porch light was on.
He gulped, gathering as much courage as he could muster up- no more small talk. It was now or never. "Linds, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."
She smiled up at him, "sure, Nick. Yeah."
He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as he stopped in his tracks, right in front of her house. He leaned down on one of the fence posts an began to speak, "I'm sorry."
Lindsay's brows furrowed, "I- don't understand. About what?"
Nick sighed, "about everything especially cause I didn't give you enough space in the relationship. I just-" he paused, gathering his thoughts, "I just didn't want to loose you."
Lindsay laughed out of awkwardness, "Nick, Nick, it's fine! No hard feelings trust."
Exasperated, Nick threw down his hand that rest upon his brow, "It isn't fine, Lindsay- not by a long shot. Everyday I think how I messed up one of the best things that has ever happened to me, honestly. I haven't been truly happy since."
Lindsay sighed, "Look, Nick-"
He quickly cut her off, "No, just let me finish, please." for the first time this night he looked her in the eyes, she nodded at him letting him know to go on. Powered by his sudden confident boost he continued, "I just miss you and I don't say that to be the creep ex Ken and Daniel make me seem. I say it 'cause I really like you, Linds."
Lindsay kept quiet as she fiddled with her fingers; her voice was slightly above a whisper, "I- I don't know what to say, Nick. I really don't."
Nick's smile faltered, "Then let me ask you this, why exactly did you want to break up with me?"
"I don't know, Nick, I needed space. I just didn't think you would have wanted to be around me so much, you were high all the time and half the time we spent together you were focused on something else or completely focused on me. I wanted a happy medium." she spit the whole thing out in one breath, her voice reaching a higher octave as she finished up.
She took a deep breath, "When we broke up the first thing I did was cry myself to sleep, I just couldn't believe it happened. I had been debating it for a while but as soon as I saw you I knew that I didn't want to but when I figured it out, it was too late. I'm sorry."
Nick's lips turned sour as he reached out and hugged Lindsay. Softly, she returned the hug. Nick held on to her tightly, in fear of letting her go.
He stroked her back and spoke up, his voice slightly shaking, "I didn't want to let you go. I was scared you would leave me and I'd be stuck to face my dad and all my problems alone. And now with Sarah I am just avoiding all of them at least with you I knew you would be by my side as I fought them."
Lindsay gently placed her hands on his shoulders and pried herself off him a little. Due to him slightly sitting on the fence post they were almost eye level. She cautiously bit her lip and tucked a hair behind her ear. As she looked up at Nick, he began to run his hands up her back and over her shoulders until he was gently holding her face between his hands. He swiftly leaned down a bit and softly kissed her. She quickly complied and kissed back chastely.
The two parted, resting their heads on each other's forehead. Nick's smile lingered, he was about to lift her chin for another kiss but before he had the chance Lindsay spoke up, "Speaking of Sarah, how was the Disco competition?"
"I- uh, I lost. The other guy did magic, how I was I supposed to beat that?" he spoke up softly, rolling his eyes in anger. He calmed down as he added, "but I don't mind losing, disco isn't my thing."
Lindsay softly laughed, not minding the fact that Nick's hands had traveled back down to her lower back, where he was running circles with his thumbs. She casually smiled at him and he smirked back.
"Lindsay, come inside!"
The two turned abruptly, facing Jean and Harold. Nick softly let go of Lindsay and fully turned around as he waved, "Hey Mr. and Mrs. Weir."
Lindsay covered her face with the sleeves of her jacket as her mom responded, "Oh, hello Nick, how've you been?"
He laughed awkwardly, "Just fine and yourself?"
Her mom smiled, "how wonderful, I've been dandy."
Harold snapped, slightly annoyed with the conversation "Lindsay get in here."
Her face turned crimson, "I'll- uh, see you later Nick."
She walked away as he slightly whispered, "Yea, I'll see you later. Remember 3 o'clock."
She turned around and gave him a shy smile as she retreated to her parents.
Nick laughed slightly as he yelled, loud enough for the Weir's to hear, "Mr. Weir, I got the drums down so much better now." He softly drummed the air just as he would on his kit.
Lindsay closed her eyes as she whispered to her dad, "the faster you close the door, the less embarrassing he'll be."
Mr. Weir shut the door and mumbled, "Can't argue with that" as Mrs. Weir gently slapped him.
Lindsay walked off to her room and lay on her bed. She attempted to wrap her head around what happened but she couldn't. Slowly she turned over, facing her window. She squinted slightly as the light from her porch illuminated the pathway, she saw a figure walk away from her house. Almost immediately she knew who it was, a small smile formed upon her lips as she watched him approach his car and drive off, maybe the Dead Heads helped clear her head.
Nick drove away slowly momentarily forgetting Sarah. Once a few blocks away he began to yell at the top of his lungs, "Whooo!"
I really hope everyone was in character for this is my first time writing a Freaks and Geeks FanFiction. Each character is so unique with their actions and speech that it was hard for me to portray so if I wrote parts that were out of character, then... my bad. Lemme know what you think! ^_^
I hope you enjoy this quick one-shot! :)
Thank you for reading and review!
-Theater of the Mind