Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or this world. I just like to be a part of it sometimes

Author's Notes: This takes place in between the scenes we saw during Nowhere Man ( The Duke, Nathan, and Audrey discussing her return scene, and the morning after scene).

Prompt: Nathan and Audrey's first night together after the split from Mara - whatever happened between the Rouge and the morning after scene from the show. (Courtesy of Peacockgirl and Guest)

Summary: Audrey was finally home, and so of course, her first night back was spent with Nathan.

Mixed Blessings.

As she sat on the Cape Rouge listening to Nathan and Duke talk, their voices were barely registering with her. A small joke Nathan threw Duke's way flitted through her thoughts, and she turned to them to smile. But as she sat there sipping her water, she couldn't help but think that something felt…off. She couldn't put her finger on it though. And as petty as it seemed, she was uncomfortable in the clothes Duke had given to her. Whose were they? Past girlfriends'? The woman whose jeans she currently had on was definitely taller than her, because she had to roll them up so she wouldn't trip on them. The shirt fit fairly decently, and she felt a pit in her stomach as she wondered if it was Jennifer's. They did have similar slight frames.

When Nathan asked her how she felt, it was like she couldn't put her feelings into the correct words. She felt different, but couldn't figure out why, so she answered with the first assumption that came into her mind. She was finally her. Audrey Parker. No one else. Maybe that's why she felt different. She finally didn't have multiple personalities trapped within one small body.

As she sat hugging her knees, the desire to just get out of there, just get home, was becoming overwhelming. And as they talked more about Mara, she felt…dirty - like she needed a shower to wash off the evil of the woman.

So she announced her exhaustion and need for a shower, and got up to head towards the Bronco, leaving the boys to finish up their conversation.

As she walked along the deck of the Cape Rouge, a cool breeze blew off the water, and Audrey shivered, hugging herself to keep warm. She quickened her pace so that she could make it to the Bronco faster. Nathan would be close behind, so she wouldn't have to wait long to crank the heaters. Thankfully Nathan had left the doors unlocked, so Audrey climbed in, buckled her seatbelt, leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. It felt like she hadn't slept in weeks. Her whole body felt weak, like she had the flu. All she could think about was standing under the boiling hot spray of her shower.

Nathan's hand on her own made her jump – she must have nodded off while waiting for him – but she pulled her head off the window to look at him and give a small smile. God, she owed so much to this man, and wanted nothing more than to start showing him how much she appreciated him, but even her bones felt weary, so instead, she settled for a tight squeeze of his fingers. He smiled back at her, and leaned towards her, pulling his hand out of hers so he could reach behind her head to pull her close to give her a small kiss on her forehead. He leaned his forehead against hers for a few moments before speaking. "Let's get you home."

Audrey nodded, and leaned back against the window as Nathan drove towards the Gull. When he stopped at the store for some groceries, she told him she would stay in the car, and dozed while he picked up supplies for dinner.

When they arrived home, she didn't even argue as he helped her from the truck. Normally she would never lean on someone like this, but she was so tired. So tired she didn't even think she could make it up the stairs without help. And he helped her. Of course he helped her. And as she undressed, he turned on the water for her, but left it for her to regulate the temperature. She stood naked in front of him, and she could tell by the darkening of his eyes that he wanted nothing more than to undress with her and help her wash herself clean. But, being the gentleman he was, he merely placed a palm flat on her stomach, and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss on the lips, promising that dinner would be ready when she was.

She watched him as he retreated from her small bathroom, shutting the door behind him, and sighed. The nightmare was almost over. She was back – really back. And she was herself, she was Audrey Parker. She was back with the love of her life – a man that had gone through hell once again to bring her back. Even if she had an evil twin being held in the bows of the Cape Rouge, at least she had Nathan.

The thought of Mara had Audrey shivering, so she tested the spray of water, turned it a few notches hotter, and stepped under the spray, praying that the water would warm her up.

After a blissful scalding shower, Audrey toweled herself off, and could smell something delicious wafting under the door, so she pulled on her pajamas that Nathan had dropped off for her, and walked out into the kitchen. Sure enough, dinner was ready, as promised.

When he heard the door to the bathroom open, Nathan put down the last plate on the table and looked up at Audrey. "How are you feeling?" She looked rejuvenated after her shower, but he needed to hear it from her.

Audrey smiled. "Much better."

Nathan let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, and quickly closed the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her impossibly close. "God, Audrey, I…" He couldn't even finish his thought, and instead buried his face in her hair. If he could feel it, he was pretty sure he was crying. It was such a bittersweet day. Finally, finally he had gotten her back. God, what a horrible, horrible past week it had been, but now she was back, but she wasn't her anymore. She was Audrey, but she wasn't. He couldn't feel her. His rock, his soulmate, his everything, and suddenly she was just another hollow object against him – something that was there, but if he wasn't looking, would never know it was there. Ultimately, it didn't matter. It was Audrey. His rock, his soulmate, his everything. Even if he couldn't feel her, she was the love of his life, and if he couldn't feel her ever again, that would be ok, because she was here, and she was in his arms, and she was safe.

Reluctantly he pulled back, because he knew she had to be exhausted. He couldn't even imagine what it was like to be pulled from another body, but it had to have been tiring. "Audrey." Nathan brushed a golden curl out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Sit down and have some dinner. You must be famished."

She nodded as she leaned into his palm on her cheek, and closed her eyes to savor him being there.

Nathan wanted to just pull her back into his arms and never let go, but it could wait. At least until she finished dinner.

As soon as they finished dinner and cleaned up, Audrey felt alive. It had been so long since it was just her and Nathan. Every time she had been able to break through Mara's hold on her mind and she saw Nathan, he was terrified. Terrified of the situation, terrified that he was losing her, terrified that he couldn't fix it. But he had fixed it, she was here, and even though he looked exhausted, he looked relaxed for the first time in weeks.

And all she wanted was to feel him over her – feel him in her. Desire rippled through her body, and she could feel her heart beating faster. There was no need for sleep tonight. They suddenly had time. So when Nathan reached his hand out to her from his position on the sofa, she put her hand in his, and allowed herself to be tugged towards him.

Audrey put a knee down on either side of Nathan's lap, and cradled his head in her hands, bringing his lips to hers in a fiery kiss. His hands went under her shirt, tracing up her sides before settling on her back, pulling her forward so that she was closer to his body. The feeling of his warm skin on hers made Audrey gasp, and Nathan took advantage of her open mouth to let his tongue dance with hers. Audrey pulled in a breath through her nose so she wouldn't have to break the kiss, and straightened her back as she pushed up on her knees, allowing her to change the angle of the kiss.

Nathan's hands kept travelling up her back, effectively hiking her shirt up half her body, and his thumbs brushed the undersides of her breasts. The cool air of her apartment hit her skin, causing her to shiver, breaking the moment.

Nathan pulled back from the kiss, his eyes an impossibly dark blue. Audrey couldn't even open hers as she tried to catch her breath. "Are you sure you want to do this Audrey?"

Audrey opened her eyes to lock onto Nathan's, and felt the bulge in Nathan's pants putting pressure on all the right parts of her body. "More than anything in the world."

"Thank Christ." And with that, Nathan grabbed under Audrey's ass, lifting her as he stood up, breathing her air as his own as he stumbled towards her bed.

The next morning, Nathan forced himself to wake up before Audrey. Since he couldn't feel her anymore, he was terrified that she would try to wake him up by drawing patterns across his naked skin, as she was wont to do, and he wouldn't feel it, and therefore wouldn't wake up. So he laid there in bed, running his fingers through her hair as she slept, trying not to feel the despair crawling into his mind. If he couldn't feel her anymore, that meant she was no longer immune to the Troubles. And if she wasn't immune, she was vulnerable, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to protect her like she needed. Nathan let out a massive sigh, and his rising chest roused Audrey from her sleep.

She looked up at him with those impossibly blue eyes – her blonde curls tousled from sleep and sex – and Nathan knew for a fact that even if he couldn't feel her, it didn't matter to him. He loved her for everything she was, and nothing would douse the fire he felt for her.

"Hi." Audrey's voice was heavy with sleep, but was lifted by her smile. It felt so good to wake up naked next to Nathan. Never in a million years would she get used to that feeling.

When she spoke in her breathy voice that was reserved for only him, all of Nathan's concerns left his mind, and all he could think was that Audrey was here. Naked, with him. He could imagine how warm her skin would be after being pressed up against him all night, and when he flipped her so that she was beneath him, he trailed his fingers down her sides and along her thighs that she raised to give him better access. He reached up to cradle her head, kissing her soundly. Last night had been frantic, but this morning he wanted to take it slow. As their tongues danced, Nathan thrust into her, and hearing her whimper in delight exploded his senses. He crushed his lips to hers as they began to move as one.

And then, the one sound that could crash through his subconscious no matter what, rumbled through the air. Nathan pulled back to look at Audrey and sighed. He mentally debated how bad it would be if he just ignored it, but knew the consequences would be too high if he did. Everyone knew Audrey was back – he had already spread the word – so if they both came in late (or skipped the day entirely) everyone would know what they had been up to, and that wouldn't exactly be the most professional thing to do, especially with Mara still on the loose.

Begrudgingly, he pulled out of her, and rolled over to grab his phone to see what the emergency was. As soon as he read the message, he sighed.

And so it begins.

Upcoming Prompt: a Naudrey wedding with Charlotte as Audrey's maid of honor and James as Nathan's best man. Like an all around family affair. Oh and Duke could walk her down the aisle or officiate or something. (Courtesy of Guest)