Two Days Later

She had short brown hair, curvy hips and a smile on her face. A smile that hid worry. She fixed the scarf on her neck as she walked down the all too familiar dock. Its been three years since she was last here and those memories were still fresh in her mind. She sighed and picked up her bag and made her way past the all too familiar boats. She prayed no one would notice that she had finally arrived. She just wanted to go to the Bella Amore and lock herself in a stateroom until they left to go fishing. "Nicole!" Nicole sighed, but when she looked up she couldn't help, but smile.

"Hey good looking." She said as she climbed up onto the Time Bandit. Once on, she hugged Andy. "I've missed you." She looked up at him and he smiled at her.

"Look at you. All grown up." Nicole smiled more.

"Its been too long Andy." She said.

"Is that Little Nikki?" Nicole turned around and saw Jonathan. She broke away from Andy and hugged Jonathan. "Its been way to long Nicole." He stepped back and looked at her. "Look at you all grown up. You're still pretty as ever." Nicole blushed and giggled.

"Thanks Jonny boy. It was nice seeing you two. I'll see you around" She said as she hopped back onto the dock and walked towards the Bella Amore. She finally arrived to the boat and her breath caught in her throat. Docked next t the Bella Amore was the Northwestern. Nicole quickly climbed onto the Bella Amore and ran inside to the galley.

"Welcome home kid!" Mario said as he hugged his oldest daughter. "How was your flight?" Nicole nodded.

"It went smoothly. When are we gonna cast off?" Nicole asked. Mario smiled.

"Not for awhile. Anxious to get out of here?" Mario asked and Nicole nodded. "Well I'll let you get settled in." Mario showed Nicole the stateroom she would be in.

"Thanks Dad." Nicole said as she hugged her dad and went to get acquainted with her new room. Mario smiled and went up to the wheelhouse.

"Hey Mario you in here?" Mario looked up and saw Sig Hansen.

"I'm up here. How are things?" Mario asked his good friend.

"Pretty good. Where is Nicole?" Mario pointed at the stairs and Sig went down them to the galley and was greeted by a beautiful voice.

"I love you. I loved you all along and I miss you. Far away from far to long." Sig then saw Nicole. Her hair was short now and she had curvy hips. She spun around and smiled, but jumped and screamed when she saw Sig. "Holy shit Sig. You scared me." she said as she hugged him.

"Nicole to see you again." Sig took step back and looked at her. "God you're beautiful." Nicole blushed at Sig's comment and smiled at him.

"Thanks Sig. What have you been up to?" Nicole asked.

"Captaining the Northwestern." Sig looked at her and frowned. "Really though how are you?" He asked her seriously. Nicole looked at him and fixed her scarf on her neck.

"I'm fine Sig. I'm just glad I'm here now. I can finally do what I wanna do now." Nicole said as she smiled. Sig smiled back and hugged her again.

"You wanna come say hi to everyone on my boat? They are all anxious to see you." Nicole smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Lets go." Nicole turned around. "Dad I'm going to the Northwestern for awhile!"

"Alright Nicole! Have fun!" She heard her dad yell. Sig grabbed her arm and dragged her to the Northwestern.

Matt was working with Edgar on deck and when he stood up and looked over at the dock and saw someone with Sig. "Who's that?" Matt asked. Edgar looked up and a smile crept onto his face when he saw who it was.

"Nicole!" Edgar yelled as he jumped off the deck to go hug her.

"Wow I can't believe it. She's so beautiful." Matt said. Norman nodded in agreement. Nick looked over and saw Nicole. He was thankful that Jake was inside doing other things, but he knew once Nicole came on deck Jake would eventually see her and he just hoped everything would be alright between the two.

"I missed this boat so much!" Nicole yelled as she hopped onto the boat. "Its been forever." Nicole chuckled.

"So nice to see your pretty face Nicole." Matt said as he hugged her. Nicole hugged him back. After Matt let go Norman hugged her.

"Hey Norman." She said.

"I miss you." Norman said to her. Nicole smiled at him.

"I missed you too Norman." He let go of her and she saw Nick. She started to feel a little uncomfortable when her Nick made eye contact. She knew that Nick knew what happened between her and Jake, but this was the first time she ever was around him after the incident

"I bet you are starving Nicole." Edgar said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the galley.

"Well I am hungry and what not." she said as they reached the galley. Edgar looked at her.

"You got one more person to say hello to." Edgar said.

"Oh and who would that be?" Nicole asked as she fixed her scarf again.

"You keep doing that." Edgar said.

"Doing what?" Nicole asked.

"Fixing your scarf." Edgar said. Nicole bit her lip.

"So who do I still have to meet?" She said trying to get off the subject. Edgar smiled.

"Junior!" Edgar yelled. "Come meet Nicole!" A few seconds later Nicole came face to face with Jake. When Jake saw her he froze. It been three long years since he last saw Nicole. She looked into her eyes and he had to tell himself to breath. He felt his heart race when he saw her and he felt like how he did when he met her for the first time.

It's like the first time I saw you, you do me that way
What should I say?
See you here standin', and I am afraid I might get in the way
I never thought I would see you again
How have you been?
Do you remember I mean everything?

Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd - Dave Matthews Band