Underestimations.
When you've just rekindled a love affair that ended in shambles, it's beyond bliss, your own slice of utopia... but just as there's no real utopia, that feeling ends when you're unceremoniously shoved out of your own utopia, banished onto the same path as the proverbial fallen angel; by no fault of your own, the hell that you're in is a thousand times worse.
After Matt broke the news about Noelle's pregnancy, Dani was in a trance, she was sure her heart had stopped for a few beats, the force of his announcement hitting her like a ton of bricks. She just simply couldn't believe it, just when she'd thought happiness was in her grasp. Maybe she really wasn't supposed to be happy.
This time she vowed to keep it together. Her sanity depended on it. So much was wrong; Ray Jay was gone; Jeanette, who would know exactly what to do, was gone; Nico was gone and Matt was essentially gone too. No this time she wouldn't retreat; at least things with TK seemed to be improving.
She threw herself into her work, working hard at helping TK, his enthusiasm rubbing off on her and forging a closer relationship with Lindsay. There was a 'new Nico' but it wasn't the same. Nico was her friend but young Rex, seriously, was all business calling her ma'am all the time.
She had never felt more alone.
So when Nico texted her two months after the break up, inviting her for coffee if she had the time, she was both shocked and excited. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been out of the house just to see a friend, having shut down the more social aspects of her life. She'd even stopped seeing Dr Gunner, not being able to bring herself to talk about the break up yet and the complete ruins that her love life lay in. She knew it was far from healthy, tucking it away as if she was saving it for a rainy day but she just couldn't. She would deal with that later.
Dani decided to wear a cream sundress with pale pink flowers, letting her hair down. She thought the least she could do was enjoy this Saturday with Nico and get back to moping after. He'd chosen a coffee shop that she rather adored; it was near a park and had tables outside.
Dani quickly spotted Nico at a table outside, busy as usual with his phone. The familiarity of the scene warmed her and she made her way over to him. He caught sight of her before she said anything; he could always feel her near him.
"Hello Doctor," he greeted standing up to pull her chair out for her, ever the gentleman.
"Nico, I'm so happy to see you!" she said sidestepping the chair to engulf him in a warm hug. After his initial surprise had worn off, he returned the hug. She then turned to sit appraising him. He looked good, in a dark t-shirt and jeans.
The waiter came and took their orders after which there was an awkward silence, neither knowing exactly how to begin. Dani however found her words first,
"So what brings you round these parts cowboy, thought you'd left us for good?" she asked with mirth sparkling in her eyes. He chuckled and shook his head, he'd missed her and how easy it was for her to amuse him.
"Well since I left so quickly there wasn't an immediate buyer for my place, I had to come and finalise the sale," he said. She looked so good like this, her hair down but he couldn't help but notice the weariness beneath the surface.
"I thought you missed so much you just couldn't stay away... like Maria," she laughed at the lost expression he wore. "I was referring to the movie, The Sound of Music," she said but couldn't help feeling that she was losing something entirely valuable knowing this was probably the last time she'd see him... ever. She'd felt it that night he'd told her he was leaving too.
The waiter came back with their orders and since it was warm out, they decided to head out for a walk in the park as they sipped the delicious coffee. He filled her in on his new life in Dallas which was great from the sound of it.
"So Nico, can I see the place you're selling?" she asked hoping he'd show her but not really expecting him to. The man was nothing if not private and she figured that even though it was no longer his sanctum sanctorum he'd probably still be uneasy letting her take a peak.
"Still trying to get inside my head, Doctor?" he asked cocking an eyebrow to which she just smiled at him and his diversionary tactics.
"Isn't it Fort Knox up in there? I'm just curious," she said chuckling at the face he made; he looked like he'd just tasted a particularly sour vegetable. She missed having a friend to talk to and laugh with. He stood looking at her and just when she was about to say it was okay he said,
"Okay, this way," and he grabbed her hand to steer her in the right direction. Her breath caught in her throat as sparks shot from where their hands were in contact. He quickly removed his hand from hers, apologising as he failed to meet her eye. He didn't know what had come over him but he knew what he'd felt when they touched and was beginning to wonder if the whole thing was such a good idea.
"It's okay," she said slowly reaching out to hold his hand in hers.
"It's just... I heard about Matt and Noelle... I didn't want to," the words spilling out of him before he could properly form a sentence.
"Nico," she said firmly, "I'm not a fragile teacup I'm okay, let's go," and with that they set off, walking towards Nico's old place, deciding to leave the cars behind and enjoy the sun and each other's company a little while longer.
"Why'd you sell it?" she asked as the elevator door closed on them, not shocked when he pressed the button for the penthouse.
"I just saw no reason to keep it, I mean why get paid a shitload then waste it maintaining an apartment I don't use. Juliette's made it pretty clear she doesn't need me and I'm definitely not getting mixed up with Gabrielle again, in short I have no ties to this city. I honestly have no reason to keep it," he finished with a simple shrug of his shoulders. For some reason his answer stung and she turned to the side to hide the tears that suddenly pricked behind her eyelids. "When I come here, I can always stay in a hotel or maybe you'll do up the couch for me," he said nudging her shoulder with a twinkle in his eyes.
She turned to look t him and just couldn't hide her sadness any longer, attempting a weak smile for him. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and Nico wondered what the matter was.
"Dani what's wrong?" he asked knowing all along something had been amiss.
"It's just... life," she said the last word expelled on a sigh. She determined to pull herself together; the emotional breakdown she'd been staving off for months could wait just a couple more hours.
When the doors opened she was left speechless.
"I can't believe you'd sell this place," she said, "it's beautiful." She looked around taking in the open area plan of the apartment and the view, a quite breathtaking view at that.
"It is but there are other things more beautiful," he said admiring her as she walked in front of him. She chuckled.
"Nico are you checking me out?" she asked jokingly turning to face him with a smile on her face that promptly disappeared once she saw the seriousness on his face.
He moved toward her, like a predator stalking its prey, and she felt a shiver of desire run through her lighting a fire in her belly. As he advanced she retreated which was a tad difficult because she didn't know the lay of the land so to speak. The temperature in the room had skyrocketed, she was wondering what he was going to do to her. She knew he was herding her somewhere an only figured it out when she felt the glass beneath her hands. He stopped directly in front of her and that's when she saw the glint of desire in his eyes.
"Nico... I..." she gasped when his cheek made contact with hers, his warm breath tickling her bare shoulder and she gripped his arms.
"Dani, if you want me to stop just say so...," his hands moving to her waist, "and I will," he said. He'd fantasised about having her up against this glass, her body eclipsing the otherwise fantastic view of New York.
He moved his head to kiss her cheek, edging slowly towards her mouth as one of her hands travelled to the back of his neck, playing with the hair there.
When their lips finally met Dani whimpered, she was melting in his arms. Just a kiss was unravelling her and she knew that this was the end, after Nico there could be no other. She remembered that night on her porch and wondered how she could have ever believed otherwise.
She deepened the kiss; pushing her tongue into his mouth as her other hand joined the other at his neck, trying to bring him closer. He raised one hand to her cheek, holding her in place as the other dipped to the small of her back lifting and pressing her closer to him.
He began to undo the buttons at the front of her dress, reaching in to caress her stomach, then wrapping his hand around her waist. Dani was happy she'd worn the dress without a bra instead of her normal jeans and blouse when his hand closed around her breast, softly kneading it and playing with the nipple. She broke the kiss moaning at his gentle but firm touch as she lifted his t-shirt over his head.
Once it was off, she ran her hands down his chest as he looked at her bite her lip in appreciation of his well toned body. He tipped her chin upwards and couldn't help but draw her into a another kiss, her plump lips ever so slightly swollen from their kisses, as his hand lowered to her right thigh bringing it up to anchor around him. Their tongues did an intimate dance as she desperately tried unzipping him.
He lifted her other leg letting her wrap them around his waist as he held onto her hips. He pulled the fabric of her dress over her head as his jeans fell, leaving her only in her panties, her shoes having fallen off, and him in his boxers.
"Nico, I need you," she said breathlessly as he let his fingers dance along her wet folds, occasionally dipping into her shallowly and rubbing her clit. Her face was flushed as she held his face in her hands trying to communicate just how much she needed him. She was beginning to grind against his fingers, searching for a release.
She decided to grab hold of the situation, reaching into his boxers, taking a firm grip of him as she looked into his eyes. His grunt when she started stroking him music to her ears. Deciding he couldn't stand the torture he let her down so he could remove her panties kissing all the way back up from her legs as he also rid himself of his underwear.
Just as he was going to push in he asked, "what about protection?" His voice strained from the effort of holding back.
"I'm on the pill and I'm sure that's..." he swallowed whatever else she was going to say in a kiss as he slowly joined with her. His eyes rolled into the back of his head at the snug feel of her velvety walls. Dani let out a moan, breaking the kiss, at how good he felt in her. He stilled within her, giving time for her tight walls to accommodate him.
He set up a slow rhythm, steadily stoking the fire within them until it threatened to consume them both. He drew back to look at her, against the glass, against New York and was convinced she was the more breathtaking sight.
"I've wanted you up against this wall for so long Dani," he whispered to her, sending shivers down her spine, one hand moving to knead the flesh of her butt, drawing a squeal from her. Dani's sighs and moans escalated and she scrambled for purchase against the glass, she was briefly reminded of her titanic dream, they truly were fogging up the glass now.
Her arms were around her back crushing her to him, her breasts pressed flat against his chest, as they kissed. She arched her back and screamed his name as the combination of his hand on her bud and his firm thrust into her sent her over the edge. He followed so close behind her his head resting on her shoulder, before he turned with her still in his arms heading toward the couch.
She held his face between her hands, kissing him as he lowered onto the couch so that she straddled him, her legs still wobbly. He brought the cover over their cooling bodies and when they finally opened their eyes to look at each other, they both knew, this would not be the last time, could not be the last time.
As she lay against his chest, warm in his arms, a thought hit Dani and she hit Nico on the shoulder, "Nico!" and pointed outside, "the whole city just saw us!"
"No Dani, the whole city's out working or something and besides we're too high up," he answered, chuckling at her discomfort.
"Nico," she said narrowing her eyes. He couldn't tell her right then but he absolutely loved it when she got mad, she was so adorable. She was just shocked she hadn't thought about how exposed they'd been for a single second when they were engaged.
So maybe, just maybe that hell she'd dipped into was the catalyst for phoenix-like rebirth... with Nico.