A/N: Here is another short one-shot, this one set during "Coach". I'm just trying to find my way back into the writing groove before trying another ambitious multi-chap.
It was a pretty funny idea, the idea that he had any other option. He had no other option. Nick took another glance at the sleeping peacefully woman beside him.
He had to believe her.
Nick's mind was not allowing him to fall asleep, even though he was feeling the effects of his night of drinking with the boys. It was hitting him with full force, the realization that this thing he had going with Jess…err…his girlfriend, Jess, was so very fragile. All it took was Coach making one appearance in the loft, the next thing you know a large muscular devilishly handsome stranger is naked in his girlfriend's bed. All Nick could do was think about how it had come to this.
Of course, Nick knew that he was largely to blame. For crying out loud, he never once in all the years of knowing Jess had said anything so remotely incendiary like he did tonight. A couple stupid things out of his mouth, one fight later, and it all had almost come crashing down. There was no way a man like him could expect to hold a woman like her down if he kept acting this way.
Sneaking another peak at her, he flashed back to the insistent tone of her voice, begging him to understand that she would never do something to hurt him like Spencer hurt her. He remembered how relieved she looked when he didn't doubt her for more than a few seconds. He remembered after depositing the stranger in the elevator, kissing her like he had almost lost her for good. He would never forget that infectious laugh when after walking back into the apartment, he promised to burn her sheets and covers. Wisely, he agreed that bleaching would suffice, but only if she showed him the proper amount. He was thankful there was no argument about sleeping in his bed tonight either.
Nick forced his eyes shut once more, trying to push down the now overwhelming fear, fear of what he would do if he actually lost this woman. Fear of how low he would go once he couldn't be with her. The problem was, there was no way he would ever be able to fully rid himself of that fear. If Walt taught him anything, it's that nothing in life is certain. No matter how much she reassured him, he would always have that deep fear that the best thing to ever happen to him in his life would end.
Yeah, he had no other option.
He had to believe her.
