The Energy Never Dies
Jess stood there, chewing on her bottom lip and leaning forward on to the kitchen island, watching Nick trying to move the old TV unit out and the new TV unit in by himself. His pale grey t-shirt strained across his shoulder blades, beads of perspiration gathering above his brow which he then wiped away with a tanned, bare forearm, cursing Schmidt and Winston for leaving him to do it alone. She smiled whilst nursing the mug of tea in front of her slowly going cold as her mind wandered...
What if...
What if...she hadn't let herself get so frustrated at his lack of a plan for their future?
What if...they had talked it through and agreed to work on it instead of breaking up, because they couldn't bear to lose the most special thing they'd ever had?
What if...Nick had really surprised her after that day and made a real effort to lay down a future for them?
She'd clutch the keys in her hand tightly and leap from the van the moment it stopped, with him following behind chuckling at her enthusiasm as she skipped down the path to the steps in front of the little blue door. She would turn them in the lock and let the door swing open and they would stand for a moment in silence, surveying their new home. The blank canvas soon to be filled with all their memories of a life together. She'd slip her tiny hand into his and he would give it a little squeeze, then scoop her up into his arms and step over the threshold carrying her.
"What are you doing, you goofball?" She'd laugh and wriggle free from him.
"That's a thing, right? It's what you're meant to do!" He would frown and turtle his face at her.
"That's what people do after getting married, you ninny!" Nudging him in the ribs and giggling, she would secretly wonder how long it would be before he could do that for real, but he would catch sight of the question in her eyes and smile softly at her. A smile that would tell her 'Soon, Jess, soon...' without him ever having to open his mouth.
Eagerly carrying box after box inside, she would skip from room to room laying them down, as he took care of the bigger items. She would stop every now and then to appreciate the view of his muscles flexing and working to lift their furniture in to the new positions. Biting her bottom lip, she would catch his gaze as he passed the doorway and he would smirk because she was giving him that look. The look that said she was feeling totally twirly and would happily jump him right this second. He'd wink on his way back through and she'd grab him by the belt and pull him to her so she could kiss him hard on the mouth before allowing him to carry on. They would both collapse in fits of giggles when trying to move the mattress and becoming stuck on the turn in the staircase. Every time they'd think they were done hooting, it would take merely a glimpse of the other persons face and once again they would fill the half empty house with their shrieks of laughter as they attempted to lug the pesky thing along the landing and in to their bedroom. Upon finally making it, he would triumphantly shove the mattress to the floor as if he had beaten a beast and raise his arms in celebration. She would wrap her arms around his neck and whisper "My hero!" against his lips. He'd kiss her back, of course, and lay both arms around her as she gripped him tight. He would snake one hand down to reach under her dress and tease her soft skin the way she loved so much. Suddenly things would get very heated very quickly as the occasion and adrenaline would get them both worked up and before she would know it, he would be making love to her on the defeated mattress. Hot, passionate, sexy love that would cause them both to call out loudly and not give one damn because this would be their house and they could be as vocal as they liked without having a care. "Good work, roomie!" She'd congratulate before convincing him that they really must finish moving the boxes, that they really couldn't stay there half naked all afternoon.
When the van would finally have been unloaded, he'd lay his beer bottle on an upturned crate with his feet rested on an unopened box in front of the couch. Hair all messed up with his body tired and aching from all the heavy lifting. Sweat above his brow and t-shirt slightly damp, she would think she couldn't possibly love him more if she tried. She would flop onto the seat beside him and rest her head on his shoulder, breathing in his glorious, musky, manly scent that never failed to drive her wild even after all this time. It was heavenly. Thinking she could easily fall asleep right here against him, she'd sigh happily as he rested his arm over her thighs, tugging them towards him until they were hooked over his legs, and she'd giggle as he would trace his thumb up and down the smooth skin of her calves because he knew how it tickled.
"We did it, honey" he would say, as he kissed the top of her head "It's all ours."
She would close her eyes and run a hand over his chest, playing with the fabric as she did. Smiling against his neck, she'd murmur back
"Yeah, we did it. We got here in the end..."
...
"I fell for you and I never got up
I stay here forever 'til I turn to dust
Just take every minute make it last for life, woah
24/7, baby, 3-6-5"
...
...
...
Nick sat at the dining table, his laptop open, but not really concentrating on the screen in front of him. He was too distracted by the view of Jess baking cakes in the kitchen. Apron on and flour dusting her cheeks, blowing away a stray curl that had escaped her messy bun as she mixed and poured and scooped. She fanned herself exaggeratedly with her hands, cheeks glowing a rosy red from the increasing heat of the stove. He smiled and played with the bottle of beer set in front of him slowly going warm as his thoughts drifted...
What if...
What if...he had just built that stupid toy like Jess had asked instead of arguing about it?
What if...they hadn't let themselves get carried away in the moment of a stupid argument and made the dumbest decision of their lives?
What if...he had spent every day since then proving to her that he was in this for the long haul?
He'd come home from work and step through the door, the smell of her glorious food cooking and filling the house. Kicking his shoes off and dumping his keys on the side table, he would pad down the hall, the sound of music growing louder the nearer he got to the kitchen. Hearing her singing would make him stop still in the doorway and close his eyes, it never failed to move him somewhere deep inside every time her melodic voice swept over him. One of the million small reasons he loved her. Leaning against the door frame and folding his arms he would smile at the view of her stood in front of the oven with her back to him, stirring pots and covering pans, sampling a taste of each as she did. He'd take a moment as he always did, just to watch her. To see her move. To thank his lucky stars that she was his and he was hers. Promised forever.
He would walk up behind her quietly and wrap an arm around her tiny waist. Cuddling himself into her, he'd use the other hand to sweep back her hair, exposing the skin of her neck so he could lay his lips there and breathe in the scent of her that was always so, so inviting. Strawberries and vanilla and heart and soul.
"Hey, honey..." she'd coo in a voice like syrup over pancakes. "You're home early."
"I couldn't wait to get back to you." he would murmur as he kissed down along her neck making her shiver and back herself into him slightly, noticing his arousal making itself known against her. He'd turn her in his arms so she was facing him and smile wickedly down on her with a glint in his eye when she raised her brow.
"Nicholas, do you want this dinner to be ruined?" she would scold playfully with a nudge in his ribs, before kissing him tenderly on the lips.
"If it's ruined because I'm kissing you, then I really don't care" he'd growl against her mouth with a little laugh, because even after all these years, he couldn't help himself but want to kiss her. To touch her. To be with her.
He would deepen their kiss and she wouldn't resist him for a second, then he'd move her away from the stove, leaning them both against the counter on the opposite side of the kitchen. Allowing his hand to grip her gorgeous curves, he'd press himself to her centre causing a little sigh to escape her lips, which would only serve to get him fired up even more, but then the timer would start to beep signalling the little pan urgently needed stirring and she would slide herself away from his grip after biting his bottom lip in the most sensual way she knew how, making him complain
"Mrs Miller, you are killing me here!"
"I love it when you call me that" she'd purr - because she never got tired of hearing him say it - and would give him a little wink that screamed 'Later, tiger, later!'
Before he would be able to protest any further, the feel of two tiny pairs of arms grabbing around his lower legs would distract him.
"Daddy! Daddy!" They would yell excitedly in unison "Got you! Got you!"
"Oh no! Captured by tiny ninjas!" he'd cry in fake terror and collapse to the ground, pretending to have been knocked out by their unfathomable power, making them fall about in giggles on the floor. A little face would peer over him, her eyes concerned and small dark curls tickling his cheek. She'd gasp and say "I think we broke him..." but her little brother would poke him in the eye and make him yelp before squealing "No, Daddy ok! I fix him!"
Then they would both jump on him for big bear hugs so he would grab them in one arm each and scoop them up into his chest, thinking he might literally burst with love for these small people they had created. The ones that flipped a switch in him that he never knew existed, bought more light and love and laughter into his world that he had ever thought possible. Best of all, they were half Jess. He couldn't have wished for more.
"OK, dinner is ready..." She would call sweetly to them "everyone to the table - ninjas included!"
They would take their seats and she would serve up the tastiest home cooked meal he'd ever had.
"You need anything else?" She would ask with the cutest smile, sitting down to join them and placing a bowl of extra potatoes on the table.
"No..." he'd reply after a moment, grinning widely in to her big blue eyes and feeling his heart swell "...I have everything I need..."
...
"There's no where, there's no when
There's no start, there's no end
'Cause this love, it transcends
I found you before and I'll find you again"
