A/N: This was just an idea I had. It originally came to me when I was re-reading Vane's book and it mentioned that Cherise had to leave early from work because Nick was taking her to dinner or something to that effect.

This is going to be three different memories that this OC (Macy) has of Nick. It's going to show him in 'before', 'during' and 'after'. The before is before his mother died and he was still a squire. The during is the time he's in now where things are so crazy for him right now. The after will be when things are better for him.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is Macy. All else belongs to Ms. Kenyon.

Todd sat across from her looking absolutely impeccable. Yes, that was defiantly the word to describe him.

Impeccable.

Every thing was perfect. His hair was perfect. His clothes were perfect. His hands were even perfect. Not a blemish or scar on him any where, and his nails were better manicured than her own!

Macy wanted to slam her face into the table.

Instead she clenched her jaw as she watched Todd watching the waitress's back end as she walked away.

Unbelievable.

Thankfully it was almost over. Just bring back his stupid black credit card, you little…her thoughts scattered as she heard a deep, male voice accented with Cajun heritage.

"I didn't except to see you two here."

Her head snapped up.

Nick.

Wow. Didn't he look gorgeous?

Oh, and he wasn't dressed in his usual uniform of tattered jeans and tacky Hawaiian shirt. Nope. He was dressed to kill, in a suit that was made for him.

"Nick." Todd greeted him with that 'I'm better than you' way of his. "What are you doing here?"

"It my mom's birthday and I brought her here for dinner".

Macy then noticed the woman on Nick's arm. No wonder where Nick got his looks from. The woman was a knock out.

Todd opened his mouth to say something, but rather than risk his being rude, because that was what Todd was really good at, she smiled big and extended her hand to the woman. "Hi, I'm Macy La Bauve. This is Todd," she said with a wave in her date's direction. Yea, she had left out the last name on purpose. He wouldn't be using it tonight to show off his social status. "Nick has spoken often about you."

Nick smiled, and he had a proud look in his eyes as he looked back his mother.

The woman gave a big, warm smile of her own and accepted Macy's hand for a very lady-like hand shake. "Cherise Gautier. It's very nice to meet you also. Do you go to Tulane too?"

"I do. Nick and I have two classes together this semester, but we've had others together before." Macy answered. "I don't think I could have passed Professor Alexander's class without him."

Cherise's smile turned even brighter.

Todd let out a soft snort and rolled his eyes. "Yea."

Cherise must have heard it because her smile faltered as she looked at Todd.

Macy kicked Todd as hard as she could under the table. She felt justified when she heard him yelp, and felt the table shake because he had jumped. 'Serves him right,' she thought. It was one thing to act like a jerk to someone, it was interiorly different to act like one in front of their mother.

So what if she had mostly done it because she had just been subjected to the worst night of her life? He deserved it.

She had a very satisfied grin on her face when she looked back up. Nick's brilliant blue eyes were glaring daggers at Todd. If looks could kill, her date would have been six feet under. Cherise was giving Todd a concerned look. Not like he deserved the worry.

"So it's your birthday?" Macy asked, feeling much better about the disastrous date she was stuck in.

Cherise looked back at her and smiled again. "Yes. I told Nicky he didn't have to bring me here. It's not like I haven't had plenty of birthdays before, and I still have a few more to go."

Macy laughed. "They're all special, and you need to enjoy them."

"That's what I've been trying to tell her," Nick said, turning his attention back to them.

That was when the waitress came back with the check book containing Todd's credit card, who had been angrily glaring at Macy. He snatched the little black book out of the waitress's hands, and retrieved his plastic, before rising from his seat without a word and walking away. Macy narrowed her eyes on him; he was not going to embarrass her by leaving her stranded.

She turned to Nick's mother as she all but jumped from her seat. "I'm so glad to have met you. Nick's always telling me how great you are, and now I definitely can see why he says it."

"Why thank you. It was really good to meet you too."

"I'll see you on Monday." She told Nick as she rushed to catch up with her fleeing date. She faintly heard Nick laugh, as she exited the restaurant.

"Could you please hurry up?" Todd all but snarled, when he saw her.

"I will take all the damn time I want." Macy snapped at him.

Todd gawked at her, before he snarled at her. "Fine. Whatever. Hope you enjoy finding a ride home." Todd said as a valet opened the driver's door. He left her standing there on the side walk.

Her night just kept getting better and better.

She didn't have enough money on her for a cab, and she didn't have her car with her since it had been Todd who had driven. She tried calling six different people on her cell phone but no one answered. No one. It was Saturday night; where was everyone?

She stomped her foot in frustration. She'd have to walk home, in the ridicules dress she was wearing, and the even more ridiculous heels that she had on. That prospect made her so frustrated that she was close to tears. If it weren't for the fact that she was so angry at Todd she probably would have been crying.

She stomped her foot again.

"I called you a cab."

She turned around to see an amused Nick behind her. She blushed at being caught acting so childishly.

"Thanks, but I'm going to be walking. I didn't bring enough money with me." She said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it. I'll cover it." He reached in to his pocket as a cab pulled up by the curve behind her.

She started to protest.

"No. I owe you for kicking the jerk for me." He smiled as he held out some folded up money.

"I did that more for me." She said not reaching for the money.

"Whatever. Take the money. If you want you can pay me back later."

"I will pay you back Monday, I promise. I will. Thank you so much." She really was thank full too, as she accepted the loan.

Saying their goodbyes and another thank you Macy got in the cab.

As she rode home she wondered what a date with Nick would be like, and hoped that she'd find out eventually. Although she had the sneaking suspicion that he had a thing for Marguerite…

A/N: Okay, what do you think of this start? Review and give me some feed back.