PART 51
(Nicole's POV)
You sat there listening to Seto tell you how he found out about you. He explained how Lexie had found him just before he took off and how worried she seemed. Listening to this you decided to make a quick stop to see Lex and John to tell them you were alright. Soon enough, you pulled in front of the restaurant. You told Seto and Mokuba to stay in the car while you told your friends how you were. It being after lunch time in Paris, you knew the place wouldn't be packed. You walked through the door only to be clutched by a surprising someone. You at first almost acted on instinct and about beat up the person but you restrained yourself once you heard their voice.
"Nicole I was so worried. Are you alright? What happened? Did he hurt you? How did you escape?" your mother interrogated. You pulled her death grip on you and looked at her.
"Mom, take a chill pill. Now let's see, yes. How did you know? Who? And again how did you know?" you partly answered. Then you looked over only to see your friends walking out from the back room shocked.
"Hi" You spoke waving. Lexie was the first to move (run actually). She hugged you so hard it hurt.
"Yes, nice to see you too Lexie, just please let go of me." She released you.
"How did you get away?" she asked. You gave her an you-know look.
"Well, you should know you were the one who sent him after me" Your mother now looked confused.
"You didn't get to explain it all did you?" you asked. She nodded her head no.
"We just found her and were explaining it, but no need now right." she spoke.
"Actually yes, how far did you get?" you asked motioning them to the back of the restaurant where you all could sit.
"The goons" she answered. You took in a deep breath and had you mom sit.
"Mother look, something did happen, and it's not who you think. Dad didn't do this. Believe me on this. I don't remember much since I was knocked out for most of the time, but I was explained later on. I was taken captive and luckily enough, was captive in Duelist Kingdom. Lexie told someone of me being taken and he saved me. I'm here now because of his help, now, there's something we need to discuss...." suddenly the bell above the door ring symbolizing someone entering. You looked up to see Seto walking into the doorway.
Your mother quickly grabbed you and pulled you to the floor with your backs against the counter, so Seto couldn't see the two of you. She hadn't been explained the whole story, so you somewhat understood her action.
"Mom" you gasped standing back to your feet. You looked over to see Seto looking quite puzzled. "Seto, come over here."
"I was beginning to wonder what took so long. We still have to talk with..." He walked up and saw your mother stand up beside you.
"Well hello Miss Commons."
Your mother looked from you to him in total shock.
"How did he-" She asked.
"Mom, take a chill pill seriously. You were asking how I got out of my little situation," You pointed at Seto, "Who else could do it? Now we need to discuss something mom."
"What are you talking about Nicole?" your mom asked.
"Mom, explain this to me. How long did it take dad to find us in Domino, and how long did it take Maxamillion Pegasus to find me here? Now think compare the two. Where do I belong mom?" You looked her strait in the eye.
"Nicole you can't be thinking-" she began.
"Mom, I'm not thinking, I'm doing. You may not think so, but I'm safer in Domino City. No one knows you're here, so you could stay here. I just can't stand the moving anymore mom." you told her
"Nicole, If you left where would you stay" she pointed out. You were stuck, you didn't know where you would go.
"We could easily find her an apartment, or if necessary. She would live in my home where there's plenty of spare bedrooms." Seto spoke up.
You were stunned about the living in his house part and gave him a look of pure surprise. He said it as if he had been thinking about it for awhile. You got over your initial surprise and looked at your mother.
"See mom, I can live in Domino and be safer then I would be here. Don't you agree?" you spoke. Your mother looked at you quite stunned.
"Nicole-"
"Mom, I can't live like this anymore. I'm almost 17 and I've lived how many places. I'll answer that, too many to count. I just wanna call one place home, and you said it your self. Domino seemed to be that place. Now, have I stated my case?" you questioned.
"Nicole I don't want to do this, but if you must you may move back to Domino, but I'm not coming back. I'll stay here." she told you.
You felt ecstatic about going, but at the same time saddened of her not coming.
"Mom!" you whispered.
You couldn't control your emotions anymore. You threw your arms around your mother and continuously whispered 'thank you'. She hugged you back grasping you tightly. After awhile, you let go and turned to your friends.
"I guess this is goodbye. I'm going back home, but I can always visit with my mom being here." you told them.
"Well, you gotta pack up right?" John spoke first.
"Yeah, I guess" you answered.
"Well, we can help you pack and see you leave. And to think I thought you were single and had a chance with you." he sighed.
"I heard that" Seto pointed out from the door.
"Don't worry Seto. Go on I'll meet you in the car." He left and you followed stopping at the door looking back, "But just to ease your mind John. Technically, I was and technically you did.
"We'll meet you there" John spoke up grabbing his keys.
"How do you know where I live?" you asked turning to your friend.
"Well, let's see," John started to tease, "When I first met you, you were stepping out of your apartment building, or at least that's what I thought up seeing how you said you just moved here. Then I checked the list of tenants, and there was only one Bennett family on the list" He answered smiling.
"Is that how it really was Sherlock?" Lexie disagreed, "Last I remember, you got her address from her application when we went to find her mother" You looked at Lexie and just laughed as you left.
You told the driver the address and sat back next to Seto.
"What took you two so long" Mokuba asked.
"With our luck, my mom was in there, and we talked to her."
"So?" Mokuba pressed,
"Like I said I had spoken to my mother, and I'm coming home!"
Mokuba's eyes went wide and he practically pounced you with a hug. You hugged back feeling just as happy. He quickly let go and looked at you and Seto.
"So by 'home' you mean Domino right?" he asked.
"Yes. I'd rather call no other place home wouldn't you agree?."
Mokuba smiled and nodded.
"I just can't believe what all has happened. This past week" you sighed thinking about all the things you have gone through.
"Well, what's next" Mokuba asked.
"We're getting Nicole's stuff and leaving back for Domino" Seto answered him, "By the way, Nicole, who was that guy, John was it?" You just stared and laughed.
"I told you not to worry, but if you have to know, he was someone I met on my first day here. Not to mention he worked at the café with me the one day I was there." You summed up.
The car stopped and you stepped out and walked up to the apartment. Your mother and the others were close behind. You and your friends walked to your room and grabbed your stuff. There wasn't really much to pack due to you really never having the time to unpack. Seto pretty much stayed in the main room as you quickly packed.
"Well, that's the last of it" you sighed looking at the total of four bags.
"Well, let's take these downstairs." Your mother spoke entering the room.
Everyone but you and Seto grabbed a bag and left for the car. You told them to wait down there and you would be down shortly. The four left and Seto walked into the room.
"Well that's it. The next thing is going to Domino and finding a place to stay. I don't know how that's going to go." you sighed.
"What? You don't know where to go? Like I said, you can stay with me for as long as you lik." He spoke up walking to where he stood in front of you.
"About that. Why did you even come up with it in the first place? I mean, after how we left off and all." you trailed off.
"That's because, you're one of a kind, and I made the mistake in realizing that too late. I was given the chance to take that mistake back and I took it. It's just before you left I.." without saying any more, his lips met yours. It was somewhat different from the other times he had done this. He seemed to pile all emotions he felt into this sorrow, lonleyness, and guilt all in one. He broke and looked strait at you. "I don't ever want to loose you." he whispered bringing you into an embrace.
(Seto's POV)
You stood there with Nicole in your arms. What you said was completely true. You had been thinking about that dream you had before she left. You never wanted that to happen. You would do anything before having harm come to her. It was hard to say it aloud, but you did have strong feelings her, and you always would. She felt so right in your arms and you never wanted that to change. Luckily enough, she was coming back with you.
"Seto, don't worry. I'll be right here. Forever." she whispered placing her face in your chest. You could feel her breathe as you stood there. You held her tighter as you kissed the top of her head feeling all your worries about her fly away.
"Nicole?" you began as you wanted to tell her the three words that told how you really felt.
"Hn?" she responded. You brought her at almost arms length and tilted her chin with your hand looking right into her soft brown eyes.
"Nicole I-" You were suddenly interrupted by someone yelling from downstairs. The moment was broken and you both could tell. She just looked down at the floor speaking.
"We need to go"
You loosened your hold and took her hand. The two of you walked out of the apartment. The last thing you saw was a set of flowers that caught your eye when you first entered. The flowers seemed to be a set of about half a dozen blue roses. You just thought for some reason, those flowers were so familiar. You soon enough made it to the car waiting for the two of you and stepped in.
You quickly drove to the airport and loaded the jet after Nicole gave her final good byes to her mother and friends. She came and loaded right after the good byes and sat right near you. She looked over to the other side of the room to be taken by the sight.
"Seto, look over there. Mokuba looks so cute when he's sleeping" she whispered looking at Mokuba who had just fallen asleep on the sofa.
"He's gonna get cold" you whispered in her ear.
She nodded getting up and grabbing the blanket she had used before covering your brother up. She looked so natural with your brother and kids in general. She gently ran her hand over his raven hair giving him a kiss goodnight. He had a lot today, and he needed a little rest. You just stared upon her in amazement. You slowly got up and began to walk behind her.
(Nicole's POV)
You began to stand back up on your feet only to be startled with the sudden jerking of the plane. You had forgotten about the plane taking off and lost your balance falling backward. You felt yourself being caught by someone, but they lost their balance as well with your weight. Somehow you managed to turn yourself around right before landing on top of the person who caught you with an 'umph'.
You opened your eyes to be staring at the only other person on the plane. You just stared into his soft sapphire eyes without a sound. You could feel the rising and descending of his chest as you lay on top of him. Without realizing it, your faces had only became closer and closer with each passing moment. In a matter of moments, you felt the soft touch of his lips on your own. You forgot all in the world and the only people that existed were the two of you. You continued to take in the feeling of his lips as it deepened. He intertwined his fingers running them through your hair. You were now completely lost in this moment. You were so lost nether of you noticed when he moved so that now he was the one on top. You didn't notice until the kiss had been broken and you felt a weight in your chest. You sat there for what seemed so short but had to be forever only to have the silence broken by someone giggling.
Your eyes opened in shock realizing it was not the two of you. Seto noticed this too and quickly got off turning to where the small laughter came from. You both sat up shocked to see Mokuba awake and laughing his butt off at the two of you. You both turned your looks at each other most likely thinking the same thing, 'how much of that did he see?'
"You should see the looks on your faces" Mokuba managed to say in between his clusters of laughter. All you could do is look down feeling your cheeks warm to their highest.
"It's not what you think Mokuba" Seto began. Mokuba just busted out laughing again. "Look, Nicole fell and I ended up falling with her. That's all." He finished up trying his best not to blush himself.
You both stood up on your feet and stared at Mokuba.
"Just admit it Seto you kissed her. I may not have seen it but your faces tell it all." he giggled.
You silently gave a sigh of relief that he hadn't seen what you thought he saw, but there still was the fact that how he saw the two of you.
"Mokuba, your brother's telling the truth, I kind of fell, and he tried to catch me I guess, but he lost his balance as well and we kind of ended up like we were." you explained trying not to let your embarrassed red face reveal itself to the 11 year old.
"Yeah right Nikki." he then began to sing, "Seto and Nikki sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G..." He was stopped by Seto placing a finger over his mouth.
"I would stop that if I were you Mokuba" He sternly spoke.
"Oh alright" Mokuba sighed. He giggled and ran off humming that little song.
Your cheeks now went blood red with embarrassment. Even though he left the room you couldn't help but feel this way. You just touched your lips and began to think to yourself 'what just happened?' You had kissed him before, but it was never like that. Then you thought about your face when you heard Mokuba. You just giggled yourself imagining the sight. You then felt Seto place his two hands on your upper arms as he leaned to your ear whispering.
"Now what's so funny?" You turned to face him and looked up to see his face that looked down upon you.
"I was just thinking about the face I must have made when I heard Mokie. It had to be funny. I mean you, yours was priceless." You explained. He just gave one of his smirks and sat down pulling you beside him. You happily nestled right up to him and got comfortable.
"Nicole?" Seto asked looking at you.
"Hm?" you answered looking up to him.
"Were things ever... over between you and I?" He spoke looking at you deeply.
You looked down biting your lip. Now that you thought about it things were over between the two of you. Could that ever be mended? You nodded you head yes, but whispered to him looking back to him.
"They were, but I don't want them to be anymore..." He then looked at you again.
"I don't want them to be either, that's why I wanted to know if you would take this back" He asked taking a small jewelry box from one of his pockets. You opened it to reveal the necklace he gave you the one night he asked you the first time. You felt tears come to your eyes. "Nicole, do you think we could maybe start over with all this" He asked slipping the necklace around your neck.
"Of course. Of course we can." You whispered looking straight into his soft blue eyes.
He began to kiss you again. This time it lasted a little while longer. He deepened it as he wrapped his arms at your sides pulling you as close as possible. Once again it was interrupted. Not by a giggle but a click and a flash. You then realized what had happened. You both looked back to see no other then Mokuba and he had little camera. You gasped realizing what he did and saw. Your face went blood red in embarrassment. Mokuba just began to giggle.
"Mokuba..." Seto began speaking slowly and sternly. From the look on his face, Mokuba knew he was in trouble.
"Uh-Oh... buh bye" and he darted off.
Seto quickly went after the 11 year old leaving you there with your face as red as it had ever been. After a few minutes Seto came back in as beat as ever. He was way out of breath. You didn't even notice him come in.
"That's it... I give up.... That kid is too fast" He managed to bring out between breaths. You looked up with a blank expression and pointed in the direction Mokuba was.
"He just...." you started.
"He
just what?"
"He just saw... Me........and
you.....just...." you tried to speak , but you were still too
embarrassed to speak.
"What kiss you?" Seto finished walking to you and squatting down so he was at eye level to you. You just nodded feeling your cheeks warm up again. "What's deathly wrong with that?" he asked taking you hand in his own.
"It's just.... I'm not a very public person when it comes to these things" you muttered looking down. He tilted your face to look at him.
"Look, you're with me. That's just impossible. When it comes to my personal life, things are public. Many parts I don't want to be, but they are." He explained.
You smiled knowing it was true. He smirked back and just softly kissed you to just make you happier. Next he kissed the top of your head as he stood back up.
"Look, I have some work that needs to be done I'll be back later. Just get comfortable here until I get back." he spoke placing some of your hair behind your ear.
You nodded in acknowledgment as he stepped back. He looked at you once more before leaving for where ever he was going. You just simply sat in one of the seats by the window and watched as the world passed under you. You didn't realize, but you had begun to sing 'Mountain' by Good Charlotte. That was until you finished and you heard Mokuba right behind you.
"You sing really well" He spoke up startling you a bit.
"Thanks. I haven't really preformed in awhile. I mean I did a small performance when your brother took me out to dinner that night and it ended up being where my old friends were, but that's not a full one." You exclaimed.
All of a sudden one of the emergency lights flashed on and the pilot came over the intercom.
"I'm sorry people, but it seems we're about to hit some turbulence, and I recommend you fasten your seat belts." You and Mokuba gave each other a quick look before quickly sitting back and fastening your seat belts and bracing for the upcoming tremors......
