A/N: Muchos gracias again for reviews. I'm in a horrible cataloging class right now, so positive feedback brings happiness into my life!! Also, please go to my profile page and vote on what you think should happen next in this fic. Enjoy!

My heart is threatening to pound right out of my chest as Nick yells, asking if he can come up. He came back. He came back! I thought there was no possible way he would be talking to me for weeks, and he shows up at my apartment complex. I call down to him to come up to the roof and he nods and heads up.

As I wait for him, I can feel the blood pounding in my ears. Yet again, I feel unprepared. I've been thinking about what I'd say if he actually graced me with his presence again, but at the same time it all sounds wrong. How does someone apologize for flirting with a mutual friend? Now that Nick knows I have feelings for him, are we supposed to talk about it? What if he doesn't want to talk about it, and thinks it's a bad idea to get together?

I hear footsteps on the stairs to the roof, so I grab the wine glass I'd been sipping, tilt my head back and chug the rest of it down. Probably not the smartest idea, but somehow I know that if I'm totally sober, I won't say what I need to say. If there's a little alcohol in my veins, it helps me loosen up. How fucked up is that? I can't speak honestly unless I'm tipsy? That just sounds like a bad combination. Hopefully I can conjure up enough guts to vocalize my true feelings for Nick when he arrives.

A moment later the door to the roof opens, and Nick's figure steps out, letting the door shut behind him.

Oh. My. Lord.

Have I ever told you how heart-stoppingly beautiful this man looks when he's concerned? It makes my heart flutter every time. I had been worried Nick was still mad at me, and that we'd have an argument (which, by the way, also rates a ten on the sexiness scale), but the way he's looking at me from the door makes me want to look away because my complete enchantment must be written all over my face. The way his eyebrows furrow in distress, and his forehead creases in concern, and his mouth forms a small, straight line of worry, makes me wonder how I could ever think this man didn't care about me. The way he looks at me makes me feel like the most cared-for person on the planet.

A lot of things have been said by both of us that just aren't true. And a lot of things haven't been said that need to be. Where do we even start? Nick shoves his hands in his pockets and glances down for a moment before he meets my gaze again. He takes a few steps forward so he's standing next to me near the edge of the roof, overlooking the whole city, and lets out a long breath.

Though I know this whole thing is probably mostly my fault, I have to ask the question. "So, how was your date?"

Nick turns his head to look at me, and I can tell that was a bit of a low blow. Even so, he hurt me. But I hurt him first. He blew me off, but he never would have if I'd just been forward with my feelings like a normal person.

We're both silent for several prolonged moments, when Nick finally begins. His voice is calm, but I can tell he's still hurt and confused. "If you care about me, then why can't you just come out and say it, Sar? Flirting with Greg is supposed to clue me in?"

"I'm sorry," I immediately apologize, and we both direct our eyes out at the city, not at each other. Not just yet. I know I need to start with the apologizing, so I begin before I can talk myself out of it. It was time to be normal. "Nick, my family was never good at expressing their feelings. Not in a healthy way, anyway. I…I suck at telling people how I feel."

Nick turns to face me but I stay looking forward. I wish I could be more normal. I wish I'd had a conventional family growing up, more like Nick's. But I didn't, and this is the way I am. I'm incapable of normal communication, and because of it, Nick may not want anything to do with me. Nick's hand grasping my shoulder and turning me towards him makes me think twice about that. I try not to look at his eyes, but I can't stop myself. His eyes are dark, his pupils dilated because of the night sky, but more noticeably, intense and serious.

"Maybe, Sar, but I never told you how I felt either," he pointed out, letting the hand resting on my shoulder drop down and grasp my hand lightly. A flutter of hope makes itself known in my stomach, and I wait for him to continue. "I, uh. I guess I just assumed you weren't interested in a relationship. We just kinda had our way of doing things, and I thought you'd want your independence."

I nodded, knowing that I usually came off as highly independent, not in need of a man or any kind of romantic relationship. It's an exterior I've hidden behind for some time, but it's only because I assume I'll be rejected. Every guy I've been with has eventually gotten sick of me and my baggage, and I don't need to be rejected any more. It hurts way too much. I care about Nick so much that I never wanted him to get too close. If he did, he'd probably want to run away, and I don't think I could bear that. His thumb strokes the back of my hand, and I wonder if all along, I've had it wrong.

"I thought I was stupid to hope you'd ever want to be with me," the words roll off my tongue before I can give it another thought. "All my life, it seems the only men interested in me were egotistical jerks, creeps, assholes…so when you came into my life, I knew all you'd ever be was a friend. And we've had a great friendship over the years, Nick. When it turned physical, I thought it was too good to be true. I didn't think it would last, and when we made love, I realized that I really cared about you. Suddenly, I got so afraid that I would lose you if you found out I wanted to be more than friends, so I retracted. And the Greg thing happened, and I totally screwed things up." I look down and then back out at the city, uncomfortable, but at the same time, relieved I was finally getting all these feelings out. "I'm sorry, Nick. I understand if you're not interested any more."

Nick tugs me towards him, taking hold of my other arm so I have to look directly at him. Still, I avoid his eyes until he places a finger under my chin and tilts it up so I have to gaze into his eyes. Dark, intense, and full of love.

"Sara," he whispers, "You're the only one that I want." I hold his gaze until he closes his eyes and leans in to capture my lips with his.

A/N 2: Don't forget to vote on what should follow!