A/N: This is a multi-chapter fic that will span three months in LA and New Orleans. It will be updated approximately every week, and will alternate city/characters each week. I hope you all enjoy it – I have missed writing. -LadyKarinsky **UPDATE** Due to real life happening and hurting, this story has turned into a oneshot indefinitely. No one is sadder than I.
A Tale of Two Cities
Prologue
Nick tossed a few last minute items in his gym bag – toothbrush, deodorant, and his napkin stack, which is literally a stack of napkins, because who knows when you'll need a napkin, right? Standing over his bed, he took a quick scan of his room, taking stock of anything else he may have forgotten. His eyes fell upon his crystal studded photo. Walking over to the other side of his bed, he picked up the photo and studied it for a moment. A half smile crossed his face, chiding himself for looking so ridiculous. The violet crystals lining the bottom almost looked like rock candy, they were so shiny. He went to put it down and a thought crossed his mind. It would be just like Big Photo to scam the little guy into paying extra for amethyst borders that turned out to be nothing more than hardened sugar crystals. Letting the thought percolate a little more than he should have, he slowly brought the photo towards his mouth and stuck out his tongue.
"What are you doing?" Jess asked, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.
Startled, Nick dropped the photo, the crystals (or were they?) breaking into pieces all over the floor. "Agh, Dammit – um, nothing, I was dusting."
"With your tongue?" She asked, stepping slowly into his room.
"Yes." He stated matter-of-factly. "What do you dust with, a cloth? That's so 90s." Nick attempted to change the subject, and crouched down to pick up the broken rocks. "What's up, Jess?"
"I just wanted to check in, see if you were still planning on going … and ..." Jess's words trailed off as she saw the stuffed gym bag on his bed.
Nick stood up and put the broken bits on his desk. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
Jess shrugged and looked away from him, concentrating her stare on her navy flats. "I don't – I mean, I thought you might be freaking out or something, so.."
"No! Look Jess, I heard what you said before, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I kinda agree with ya!" Nick stood on the opposite side of the bed of Jess, his hands motioning to the bag sitting between them. "I mean, yeah, if this had a been a year ago – hell, 6 months ago, I'd probably be hiding in a booth at the bar knocking back whiskey and drunk dialing Reagan, but I feel like … this is just the next step. Works going great, I'm not broke. I even started doing breathing exercises while Schmidt talks about the tea selection at Starbucks so I don't smack him." Nick finished with a chuckle. "And I gotta say, it's all thanks to you Jess."
Jess shuffled her feet and finally looked up at him. She saw him smiling, with a confidence there she was sure she'd never seen. "Me?" she said quietly.
"Yeah. Jess, after we broke up, I never thought I could get back to this place, where the possibility of a future with someone felt real – but I think me and Reagan can work!"
Jess felt her stomach drop. "Well," she began, clearing her throat, "glad to be of service."
Nick gave her a point and winked. "World's best wing woman!"
Jess gave him finger guns in return. "Yep, glad this all worked out. I'm gonna go now, all those wedding gift thank you cards aren't gonna write themselves, so..." Jess turned to leave, but turned back. "Hey Nick?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm... gonna miss you."
Nick looked at her for a moment, and under what felt like scrutiny, Jess almost felt as if she'd been found out. But Nick just nodded, and with a turtle face, said "Yeah, I'm gonna miss you too, Jess."
"NICK?" Schmidt's voice boomed from the living room.
"In here, pal!" Nick yelled. Schmidt poked his head into Nick's room. "Come on, if we're gonna get Frappuccinos on the way to the airport, we gotta go now!"
Nick threw his bag over his shoulder. "I don't want those girly slushy things! Can't we just get Blizzards? At least they have chunks and stuff!"
"And how am I supposed to eat it while I'm driving?" Schmidt asked. "And if being delicately crafted means girly, well then put some lipstick on me and call me Sally!"
"Um, Sally, don't you wear lip balm ?" Jess asked out, Nick chuckling.
"How did you – CECE!" Schmidt sighed. "Marital betrayal notwithstanding, my lip needs are none of your concern!"
"You really wear lip balm?" Nick asked. What flavor?"
"Never mind that, Nick, are you ready to go?"
Nicked clapped his hands together. "Yup, let's do this!"
Jess followed the guys to the living room, where Winston and Aly were cuddling on the couch. "Hey, you leaving?" Winston asked.
"Yeah, Reagan's texted, she's already at the airport." Nick said, checking his phone. "Schmiddty, come on!"
Schmidt was doing some heavy petting with Cece in the kitchen. "I'll miss you Bae." he said
"Not as much as I'll miss you Bae." Cece replied, holding his hand til he was at arms length.
Nick groaned. "I must actually be happy, because this isn't grossing me out as much as it should."
Schmidt breezed past him and out the door. "Orange Mocha Frappuccinos, here we come!"
"OK, I'm definitely not getting that!" Nick yelled at him. "See you guys in three months!"
Slamming the door behind him, he left Jess looking at the door. Pulling at her fingers, Jess stood in that spot, her eyes never leaving the door, waiting for him to panic and come back, to say he couldn't do it, that it was too much, it was too soon, all the things she'd come to expect as normal from Nick Miller.
She stood there, hoping for a freak out, for a moonwalk, anything to get him to come back through that door.
She stood there, willing him to realize he still loved her. Even as she felt Cece's arm around her, leading her away from the spot where she'd rooted herself, her eyes stayed put, watching the doorknob for any perceptible movement until it was at last out of sight. And in that moment, for the first time in five years, Jess felt the distance growing between them.