Disclaimer: I do not own these characters except Alonzo. Frequent readers should know this already

Chapter 21:When things don't work

Disappointingly, the week after Nyx and Angelique returned from their honeymoon, Nyx drowned himself in his work and Angelique barely saw him. Needless to say, she was worried and she felt it had something to do with the letter Nyx received from Bernard.

It was true. His busy work had everything to do with the letter. He received the letter the morning after he and his beautiful wife returned home. The letter contained a small congratulatory message to Angelique and the rest was for Nyx. Bernard was taking pictures of the devastation in Medina. Nyx was very upset at what he saw. Bernard sent him pictures of destroyed and charred villages, blackened and bloody corpses littering the ground, and survivors looking through the destruction for family members and friends. Nyx got a bad taste in his mouth when he saw those pictures. Bernard related stories of his time on the ship he was in. He told him that the sailors on the ship were very distrustful of him at first, but now everything was fine. He informed Nyx that the sailors took some of the orphaned children in and made them work on the ship. The sailors didn't treat the children roughly and the young ones were grateful to have a place to sleep at night. Though, Bernard said he had to comfort a young seven-year-old child who was weeping and crying for his mother.

The next message came from one of Nyx's captains suggesting that his ships make efforts to carry and store some crops for protection from the Rebels. Nyx was more that willing to start making arrangements but it would take a lot of work to get the rest of his ships to do the same.

***

It disappointed Angelique that Nyx had not really touched her after their first night of making love. For a while, she thought that was it for married couples in terms of sex. It would explain why they hadn't been intimate since that first time. That certainly didn't change the fact that she loved her husband and loved being with him when he was around.

Angelique hadn't thought of trying to seduce him. She was still too inexperienced to even try that route. For now she could only care for him. He would usually come to bed so late and exhausted and the few times he crawled into bed on a decent time of the night they never got things heated up. There was only one time when they tried to get things going.

Nyx entered their bedroom looking tired. He sat at the edge of the bed, his muscles noticeably tense.

Angelique crawled over to him, "Everything alright?"

Nyx gave out sigh, but didn't tell her anything else. Angelique brought her hands up and began rubbing his shoulders and neck, not as a seductive gesture but a caring one.

Nyx grunted, feeling the muscles in his neck and shoulders loosen a little. He reached up and gently caught her hand, turning and gently pushed her back on the bed. Angelique gasped when Nyx started suckling her neck, a hand inching up her thigh and under the hem of her nightgown. She felt a familiar heat pool in her belly. Her hands wrapped around his back, her fingers running over the ridges of his scars and the planes of his back. He pressed his body to hers and Angelique tried to reciprocate some of his ministrations, kissing his cheek and wrapping her legs about his waist.

Nyx growled lightly in frustration and pulled away, "I'm sorry…"

He rolled off of her, "I can't get going…I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Angelique said softly, still aroused but confused.

Nyx turned on his side and didn't say another word.

Angelique grew worried after that and wondered if she was doing something wrong, but she never talked to Nyx about it. Yet, she felt lost.

****

"Ah, good to see you master Nyx," Dr. Eldridge smiled when the wealthy young gentleman entered his office looking just as tired as he did the last time he saw him. He frowned inwardly at his patient's condition, but Eldridge did hear that Nyx recently had some good befall him with his marriage to the former Queen. According to rumors and other talk, they both looked well and happy. Now, nearly a month after his marriage, Nyx didn't look nearly as well as what was said.

"What can I do for you?"

"Can I talk to you about a personal problem?"

Dr. Eldridge nodded, "Sure. Have a seat. What seems to be the problem?"

Nyx took his seat as the doctor rolled up his stool to listen.

"I've been having some problems being intimate with my wife."

Eldridge nodded, "Meaning you can't get aroused."

"I feel aroused, I just can't get…it…up."

The took out his stethoscope, "Unbutton your shirt please."

Nyx complied and Dr. Eldridge placed his stethoscope in his ears and put the other end on Nyx's heart, listening to his heartbeat. "Have you had intercourse with her before?"

Nyx nodded, "Yes, once before."

Taking the stethoscope out of his ears, Eldridge sat back taking a good look at his patient, inwardly shaking his head, "To be honest, my good man, you do look a little peaky. Has anything stressful or overbearing occurred recently? Anything with work?" He leaned over inspected Nyx's eyes for any oddities.

"Yes, I guess. Things have been rough."

"I can see," he murmured leaning back and rubbing his chin, "You may have a type of erectile dysfunction."

Nyx rubbed the back of his neck feeling the frustration flood his body, "I figured so…"

"Impotence is odd for someone your age (Nyx nearly laughed at that) but when it does happen to younger men, it usually has to do with the stress of work or everyday life."

This certainly wasn't fair to their marriage. The fact that he spent most of his time working wasn't fair to his wife. His loving, caring, patient wife. It was unbelievable. Before, he could barely control his urges and now he could not even get an urge.

"What do you suggest I do?"

"Well, first of all, talk to Angelique about it. She should know what's going on. The only other thing I suggest is that you try to relax a little bit every day. I'm not trying to diminish your work, but clearly working every waking moment is not healthy either. When your stress levels go down there is a chance that you will be able to perform again. Otherwise, everything else looks fine, you just look incredibly tired. If you still are having problems after trying then come to me and we'll see if we can't find some medicine or therapy for you."

Nyx nodded and stood, "I will do so. Thank you."

Eldridge nodded, "Certainly, take care."

***

"Alonzo, J.D. may I speak with you two, please?"

J.D. and Alonzo were in the kitchen when Angelique entered looking concerned. She asked to speak to them both privately. The two big gentlemen looked at each other curiously before consenting, wondering what was the matter.

"Sure, you wanna talk in here or somewhere else?"

Angelique looked around at the surrounding kitchen, pleased with its privacy, "Here is fine."

"What's up?"

"Just to warn you both, it's about me and Nyx and…personal…dealings…but I don't know who to turn to."

"If you're talking about sex advice, I'd rather not," Alonzo responded looking a little uncomfortable. J.D. just shrugged.

"I'm worried. He won't be…intimate…with me anymore. I don't know if I'm attractive in bed or just really bad…I'm sorry, I'm just upset."

"Angie," J.D. said softly, "It can't be those things. You are very beautiful."

"Yeah, and after that one night, I find it hard that Nyx would be able to resist you. Or would want to," Alonzo said, "It's probably something else…"

To be quite honest, Alonzo and J.D. were trying very hard not to imagine their two friends in such a situation. Looking uncomfortable would just make the whole situation incredibly awkward, if it wasn't already.

"Well," J.D. said after thinking for a short moment, "He has been busy...
"Stress can lower performance levels in males…" Angelique said distantly remembering a passage in health book she read long ago.

"So I am guessing he's experiencing impotence," Alonzo paused before cringing, "That's got to suck."

J.D. and Angelique stared at him.

"Nothing hurts more to a man's pride than not being able to please a woman. The frustration is just making it worse."

"What should I do?"

"First, you should talk to him-" J.D. began.

"But don't pressure him-"

"He can't feel rushed-"

"Make sure sex doesn't become a stressful topic."

"Let him know that he can take his time to sort things out."

Angelique nodded, getting the picture.

"This is the tricky part," Alonzo added, "Get him to relax. Overworking isn't good for him. Try to get him out of the office without pressuring him."

"Nyx's a reasonable man, Angie. Talking to him will make the both of you feel better, I'm sure."

Angelique beamed at both men, "Thank you so much, guys."

Both men watched the young woman leave the kitchen, before grinning at each other.

"We should be relationship counselors…" Alonzo murmured with a smile.

***

"Rayne? Do you have a minute?"

Sitting at his desk, Rayne turned to the worn looking man that stood in the doorway of his room.

"Sure, Nyx. What is it?"

Nyx closed the door behind him and that aroused concern and suspicion.

"Are you okay? Maybe you need a lie down…" Rayne suggested once he had a good look at Nyx. He hadn't seen him this tired since before Nyx and Angelique got engaged. There was a joke about a busy marriage in here somewhere, but Rayne decided to keep his mouth shut.

Nyx waved it off, "Maybe later. Have you found anything relating to the technology the Rebels have been using?"

"Nothing new really," Rayne answered. "The scientist suspected of taking Foundation plans to the Rebels left the Foundation years ago. Even so, he wouldn't have had the funding…"

"Is it possible for you to recreate the Rebel technology?"

Rayne's eyes narrowed. What was this man thinking? "I could give it a shot."

"Would you be able to make one of those control rings?"

"I could try. Why?" Rayne was pressuring Nyx. He was sure it was for the protection of Medina, but still…

"I think it would be good to have one around. Just in case…" Nyx answered.

Rayne felt a pang of cold rush through his blood stream. Surely he couldn't…

"Nyx, is something wrong?" He asked flatly not really sure if he should refer to the "beast."

Nyx blinked, "No, I am just curious as to how it works. That way I can make the Medinans aware of it's capabilities and how to combat it if necessary."

Rayne sagged in his chair in relief, "Oh, thank goodness. Okay, I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," as Nyx turned to leave, Rayne called him.

"Nyx…"

"Yes?"
"I'd be happy to pay you rent if you need it. I know you are under strain financially…"

Nyx just smiled, "Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Rayne asked but Nyx was already out the door.

***

That night, Nyx decided to take a break from his work to flex his fingers and to tear his eyes away from ink on paper. He stood and stretched, looking down at the desk. He blinked. God, was he really drowning himself in his work?

He felt a strong sense of guilt.

He was married for crying out loud! Married to the most radiant girl to ever grace the planet. And here he was, working himself to madness when he could be spending time with her.

Nyx wondered if Angelique would want to spend time with him anymore. She was probably annoyed with his neglect.

It wouldn't hurt to take a break for a few moments. And it was doctor's orders.

He stepped out of his study, loosening the buttons of his shirt and vest to let the air reach his skin. Upon entering his room he lit a fire and plopped down in a chair, letting out a sigh and leaning back, resisting the urge to close his eyes.

He didn't even notice someone enter.

Angelique was surprised to see her husband lounging in the chair by the fire, his eyes half closed.

She smiled warmly before she pulled the folded blanket at the edge of bed and tried to place it over him.

His blue eyes snapped fully open.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Angelique apologized, pulling the blanket away.

Nyx sat up, "I wasn't trying to sleep anyway, but thank you for thinking of me."

"Always."

Nyx smiled back feeling a little less pressure upon himself. Angelique proceeded to fold the blanket and lay it on the back of the chair opposite chair of Nyx.

"I've been unfair to you," he said softly.

Angelique didn't turn around, "How so?"

"I've been neglecting you," he eased out of the chair and strode over to his wife, "I haven't been spending as much time with you as I would've liked."

"You are a busy man…"

"Yes, but at least I could try to drag myself out of that study and make myself known at dinner or something."

He sighed and gently raised a hand to touch her cheek, staring into her eyes, "And I've been shirking my husbandly duties…"

Angelique knew what he meant by that, "Do you want to discuss it?"

"I think that would be best," he answered. His wife gave a nod of her head letting him know that she was listening.

Nyx bit his lip, "I've been to the doctor to express my concerns over our latest marital issue in bed…"

"What did he say?"

Swallowing his pride, Nyx looked down, "He says I may be impotent."

It was as she thought, but it looked so painful for him to admit. Alonzo was right. Impotence could really ruin a man's pride.

Nyx's gaze was still on the floor and he ran a hand through his hair, waiting for his wife's reaction. He knew her well enough to know that she would judge him harshly for this, but still…

Angelique placed a small hand on his chest, rubbing small circles mimicking what a mother would do to an upset child's back when it was upset, "I'm glad you told me."

He raised his head to find that she was smiling.

"I was beginning to think that maybe I wasn't able to please you the first time or…"

"Don't finish that statement," he interrupted, gripping her chin gently and tilting it up so she could face him, "Don't ever think that you are not attractive to me. It's my fault and it must be terribly frustrating for you."

Angelique shook her head, "Marriage isn't just about making love…"

"True, but it's one of the perks, isn't it?" he smirked.

"Nyx, I can understand that you feel a lot of pressure from work, but it's obvious that worrying about our marital relations is not helping any. The last thing you need is stress outside of work."

She pressed her fingertips into his chest and moved forward, gently pushing him along and into the chair.

"It couldn't hurt to take a little break once a day, right?" she asked.

Nyx was staring at her in awe, he couldn't say no to her. She was only looking out for his health.

"Just once a day, just relax and we can spend time together. No sex, unless you are ready, just us," she took his hand in hers and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"You were patient with me so it's only fair that I return the favor," she whispered against his lips. She pulled away and opened the dresser for her nightgown.

"Are you going to bed tonight or are you going back to work?"

Nyx snapped out of his stunned trance. What the hell… "I guess I'll get ready for bed."

A/N: I'll end it right here. We're getting into some personal problems here. I feel bad for making Nyx have some "problems", apparently he is a mess in this story. Still more to come. Please click that button!!