Nico calls Dani to arrange their New Year's eve plans for after the game. He could not have not
imagined this happening… how all of this has turned out… He has been trying to figure out a way to top
Christmas. He remembers what Maggie always says… "when in doubt… be different"… different is what
it will be.
A Couple of Days Later:
Nico stops over at Maggie's house. He walks in to find Maggie fumbling with a pasta dinner. Nico
laughs since Maggie's kryptonite is cooking. He motions for her to back up as he finishes the dinner.
Maggie goes off and grabs a bottle of wine since Nico has told her that he wants to talk.
Maggie gets out the dishes and wine glasses and sets two places at the table. Once they are settled into
dinner. Nico starts to open up. "So you are going to see Marshall in Paris?" Maggie takes a few bites of
her food before peering over her wine glass at Nico. This is going somewhere but she is not sure where.
"It is our tradition." Nico smiles at her. Her relationship with Marshall started with a spur of the
moment birthday trip to Paris. A relationship that has been on and off for 15 years and now for once… it
is her own but it is also now with a ghost… They are the only two people who know Marshall is still
alive… For better or worse… Maggie's relationship with Marshall is free of Gabrielle. It's odd… this is
the first time they are both free of Gabrielle.
Maggie looks up at Nico… she knows him… she knows him too well… She takes a sip of wine. "So what is
on your mind Neeks?" Nico gives her the look… back… the Nico look… "So can I ask you something?"
"Of course… you can ask me anything." Nico gives her a very serious look. "Thailand." Maggie gives
him a curious look over the table. She knows exactly what that word means. "Do you and Marshall
still." Maggie is surprised by the line of questioning. "Yes… from time to time." Nico drinks some of his
wine and watches Maggie's expressions carefully. "What are you driving at Nico." Maggie looks at
Nico. "Ok this conversation is going to take a bottle of wine after dinner." Nico looks up with a smile
and acknowledges what Maggie is saying.
Nico makes a fire as Maggie clears the dishes from the tables. She grabs another bottle of wine and sits
on the couch after topping off their glasses. "Nico… before we talk about Thailand… Bora Bora… Nepal…
and all of that… are you in love with Dani? I mean really in love." Nico looks Maggie right in the eyes.
"Yes… Maggie, God yes… I am in love with her." Maggie is leaning against Nico with her eyes focused
on the fire. "Is that you want to tell her about that… or you want that again? How long has been it been
since you…" Nico pulls her close. "I loved that. I want that again… God Maggie, you know what it is
like. I don't' know if I want to tell her about what happened…. How it started… but I want that with
her."
Nico is talking to Maggie about a side of him that is truly hidden from the rest of the world. Maggie is
one of the few who knows it exists. She knows how a few months changed all of them forever. The
events of that time are running wild through Maggie's head. "Nico… do you think that is something she
would really want?"
Maggie knows the implications for Nico if he tells her about the four of them. After Gabrielle and
Marshall got married… Gabrielle thought Maggie and Nico were a couple and how Nico let her think that
for so long. Maggie didn't mind since it let her be close to Marshall. . Then… those lost few months for
all of them. The things they did… the adventures in a haze of… God so much… Gabrielle and Nico…
Gabrielle and Marshall… Herself with Nico… and with Marshall… it changed them all… it led to the
wonder about who was Juliette's father…