Disclaimer, I Do Not Own Revenge

Chapter 3: Beating Heart

After that night and the morning of, days and weeks passed without a word or even implication of whatever had happened that night. Emily was her regular "revengy" self and Nolan was his regular "techy" self and time in the Hampton's passed like it always had.

Whatever Nolan had expected to happen, nothing changed between their relationship, which both relieved him and disappointed him, and it wasn't long before he began to think of that night they'd had together as a dream, it just seemed so far away and out of reach to him now.

But that all changed when one night much like the other, Emily came to him again and caused all those feelings he'd tried to suppress, to rush back to him as he took her cold hand in his and watched her eyelids flutter shut from where he laid next to her on his bed.

But once again that moment was short-lived and it wasn't long, before her eyelids fluttered open right before daylight, revealing her chocolaty brown eyes which refused to look into his as she slipped out of his bed, cascaded down his stairs, and then left him alone in his bed, confused, lost and disappointed.

And thus a beautifully painful cycle began.

It was always during the middle of the night, around two am when Emily would gracefully slip into Nolan's bedroom, her footsteps, soft and silent. He didn't know how he did it but it was like N olancould sense her presence and so he'd always wake up seconds after she got into his room.

He would stare at her, his sea blue eyes, taking in the raw beauty of the women in front of him, with her soft blonde hair accentuated her perfectly sculpted her face, her striking brown eyes that looked into his almost tenderly and her slender body that wore the snow as white chemise so splendidly.

Every time without a doubt, she took his breath away and as she walked closer and closer to him he could always feel his heart beat quickening.

She would slip into bed beside him, close but not close enough so that they were touching, she couldn't bring herself to do that, to relinquish even a little bit of herself to him, not on her own at least, she was too used to being guarded...to being alone.

Nolan could sense that, but he could also sense her need for proximity, and so almost like a sort of compromise, he would take hold of her hand, giving her a small sense of what she wanted, what she craved for, but in a way that wouldn't startle her.

Warming her hands up, he'd watch as her eyelids, hiding the pain and hurt he knew was behind, flutter shut. He would lay there beside her feeling such warmth in his heart as he stared at the women he undoubtedly loved until she woke up an hour and a half later and left.

By the time daylight came, her armor would go back up and once again, Nolan would try to repress those feelings he felt as best as he could, which became increasingly harder the more nights she came to him.

And on the nights she didn't Nolan would lay there alone on his bed, consumed with the thoughts of Emily Thorne and waiting for her to come, hoping for it, until he fell asleep, not to be woken up by a certain blonde-haired, brown-eyed female, for as stated before it wasn't often that she came, and weeks could pass between the encounters, which made it all the more obscure.

This cycle went on through a wide length of time and gradually with each visit, a little more development was made in terms of proximity between the two. It was during the fifth time that Emily had come into his room and laid down beside him, that instead of taking her hand and inching just a little closer to her like he did the time before, instead Nolan had slowly shifted his body right next to her so that they were finally touching, and then tentatively wrapped his arms around her slender frame

He could remember how he felt so clearly, his heart had been beating so fast like it was on overdrive and his whole body felt flushed.

Emily's eyes had widened in innocent surprise and he could've sworn he heard a small gasp escape her rosy lips but she didn't pull away, in fact before closing her eyes, she had shifted her position ever so slightly, so that her head was resting on his chest.

Nolan had never forgotten what that felt like; with her in his arms he felt such warmth envelop him but also such responsibility. He couldn't explain it but with her in his arms she felt so delicate and he couldn't help but feel such a strong need to protect her... from the cruel world, the Grayson's and even herself.

Almost a month later when she had come to him again, this time without the same hesitation as before, Nolan had held her in his surprisingly steady arms once again.

All his senses were in overdrive; he could feel her soft skin against his body, smell the Japanese cherry blossom scent that lingered on her skin and hear her steady beating heart against his chest. It was a perfect moment for him and he desperately hoped she felt the same way.

Tentatively touching her soft blond curls, he weaved his fingers through it liking the feel of it between his fingers.

It was at that moment, when he laid there gazing at the most enchanting women hehad ever known, that he realized exactly what it was that he felt for her. And an hour and a half later as she opened her eyes and then left, it was at that moment that Nolan knew he couldn't do it anymore.

And so when he next saw her in the daytime and she pretended that that special moment between them never happened it tore at his heart much more than those times before and he went home that night feeling completely exhausted.

Nolan loved her; he loved the delicate Emily that showed herself to him only occasionally during the night and he loved the angel of justice Emily, the one that fearlessly took down the Grayson's day in and day out. He loved every part of her and he was beginning to understood the intricacy of just how layered she really was and he knew that loving somebody like her was not going to be easy but that didn't matter to him because it was her he loved and he knew that wouldn't change.

Nolan could feel it deep within his soul, this wasn't a simple crush, nonsensical lust or petty affection, this was real, this was indescribable...this was unyielding.

And this love was something he'd have to fight for because heaven knew Emily could be well...Emily.

I know, I know, I took a terribly long time to update this and I apologize, but it's up and ready now, so I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3 of Before Daylight. Please comment/review, it motivates me to work faster. :)