Thank you so much to everyone who has read my story, and especially to those who have reviewed, favorited, and followed. Obviously this story ignores the way the rest of Season 5 played out, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Enjoy!

Chapter Two

Jess may have found herself at the local grocery store, but her mind was at a completely different place entirely.

What just happened? She thought. Why did I freak out and run away? And did I say something about…toilet paper?

The more she replayed the conversation she had just had with Nick in her head, she allowed herself to start thinking about Nick again in a way that she had suppressed for the past 2 years. Their breakup had been so devastating to her that she didn't really allow herself to think about Nick in that way for a long time. However, talking about their first, magical kiss, and seeing the look on Nick's face when he talked about it, was starting to change everything.

She hadn't really thought about it until now, but there really was a reason she had called him and no one else that even when she was scared. Sure, he was the kind of guy who would eat raisins out of her purse or become convinced that he had met the future version of himself. But he also was the guy who would leave Schmidt's "rebranding" party to make sure she was okay after she had been fired. He was the guy who drove everyone to Candy Cane Lane and banged on doors in the middle of the night so that she could see the lights.

He still is that guy, she thought. I just haven't seen in that way for a long time…until now. Do I still love him? Maybe I never really stopped….

While Jess allowed herself to revisit her old feelings for Nick, she all of a sudden felt both nervousness but also excitement at the thought of returning back to the loft and talking with Nick again. Jess hurriedly grabbed the items that she came for, and headed straight for the check out lanes.

When Jess walked back inside the door of the loft, she noticed that Nick was no longer in kitchen. However, she saw the bowl that she had set out for his soup already in the sink, and she smiled in spite of herself. It made her happy that she had been able to do a little something for him, even such a small gesture as making him the soup that he really liked.

Feeling bolder than before due to her grocery store musings, Jess decided to look for Nick. She stuck her head in the doorway of his room, only to find Winston, Schmidt, and Cece inside and Nick nowhere to be found. Oddly enough, none of them seemed to acknowledge her presence; they all were completely engrossed in some show they were watching on a laptop. Though she could only catch a few words from the show, it definitely did not sound like English. Weird.

After taking another peek in the kitchen, living room, and even the bathroom, Jess headed toward her room feeling very puzzled at to where Nick would be. He didn't leave the loft looking for me, did he? He was definitely too sick to be wandering around downtown LA!

Just when Jess started imaging terrible thoughts about what may have happened to Nick, she opened the door to her bedroom and found none other than one Nick Miller, asleep on her bed. What in the world is he doing here? Why MY bed?

Yet, once again, Jess found herself with an involuntary smile. What happened to me? Why can't I stop smiling whenever I think of Nick?

Jess walked over to the other side of the room so she could look at his face. He appeared to be asleep, but as soon as Jess took a step in the wrong spot, a creak in the floor caused Nick to begin to stir.

"Jess, is that you?" He sleepily questioned as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

"No, it's another brunette, blue eyed woman with an adorable floral print dress who happens to be in my room." She joked with a kind smile. "Of course it's me, you dope. But the real question is, why were you sleeping in my bed?"

Nick pulled himself up to a sitting position; his hair was disheveled in a way that Jess thought was pretty darn adorable. "Everyone's watching the North Korean propaganda show in my room. Besides, I wanted to make sure I could talk to you after you ran away earlier."

Jess sighed. "Nick, look, about that, I'm really sorry for being so weird-"

"No, Jess." He interrupted. "Look, I brought up all that stuff earlier when Sam and his girlfriend were here, and I know we don't really talk about that anymore, and we probably shouldn't, so it's my fault that it got weird. So I'm sorry."

At his words, Jess started to feel panicky. Did he regret bringing it up? Did he not even like thinking about when they had been together? Just when she had started to open up her heart again to her feelings for Nick, he seemed to be shutting it down. "We probably shouldn't." He had said. What does that mean?

As usual, Nick was perfectly in tune with her emotions, as he could clearly interpret the distress upon her face.

His shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes, sighing. "Don't be upset, Jess. Please. It was stupid; let's just forget all about it." He started standing up. "Look, me being here is probably making it worse so I'll just go."

But before he could even take a step, Jess quickly grabbed his wrist. Without saying anything, she looked into his eyes and tried to read them. She did not want him to leave. She knew right then and there that she truly did still love him, and it would devastate her if he did not love her too.

Nick was also searching her eyes, trying to determine what was causing her strange behavior. "Jess, what is going on with you? Talk to me, please. If it's me, tell me what I can do to make it right."

A million thoughts ran across Jess' mind all at once. Should she tell him? And if so, how? Somewhere in the midst of all these possibilities, another single phrase that Nick had used earlier today popped into her head.

"We really were crazy in love, weren't we?" She questioned with a quiet voice.

Startled, Nick stared at her for a moment before sitting down again on the bed. Her hand was still wrapped around his wrist, neither of them choosing to change that fact.

"Yeah." He nodded solemnly, but then seemed uncomfortable. Nervous. "But we fought too much, right? He chuckled dryly. And we missed being friends with each other. I can't lose you in my life, Jess." He was back to being solemn again, now moving his hand so that he could hold hers.

It had been so long since she had felt his warm, rough hand wrapped around hers, that it gave her the confidence to say. "But has our friendship really been better since we broke up? I don't think so, Nick. I feel like there's been some barrier between us ever since we broke up and it just… it sucks." Her voice involuntarily cracked, and the way he instantly squeezed her hand also seemed like it was done unconsciously. "I know I said that we fought too much, but I'm starting to think that that doesn't matter as much anymore. I…I think maybe I still…" Jess cut herself off, daring to meet his eyes to gauge his reaction before she admitted her feelings to the fullest extent.

"Jess." Nick began, looking dumbfounded. "I don't know exactly what you are trying to say, but I do know that my head is pounding and I can barely keep my eyes open because of this ridiculous flu I've got, so even though I really really want to have this conversation with you, I think I'd better go back to sleep so that we can talk when I'm feeling a lot better."

Now that she was no longer focused on her own newly awakened feelings, Jess was able to get a good look at him, and she realized that he really did look exhausted and unwell.

"Oh, of course you should go back to sleep, Nick. I'm sorry I woke you up! I'm so so-"

"No." He stopped her, smiling with a small, crooked grin. "Don't be sorry, Jess. Definitely do not be sorry. Will you lay here with me?" The small grin because a larger, cheekier one. "I think I need a nurse to help make me feel better. Know anyone who might be interested?"

She swatted his hand away, playfully. "I think maybe I do."

The two of them both lay down on Jess' bed, not bothering to get under the blankets. Nick gently wrapped an arm around Jess' waist, and she quickly moved her hand up to join his. She gave a content sigh, feeling for the first time in a very long time, like she was home.

Thanks for reading! I'm not positive if I'm going to post any more for this story. I have an idea for another chapter, but I also have so many different ideas floating around in my head after that crazy finale! This is my first real fanfic so I welcome any advice that will improve my writing. I'd love to hear your feedback, so please review!