XxX
Nigel almost cried when Bug's eyes moved to open. Things had been so touch-and-go the past twenty-six hours and he was sure he'd lose his best friend, but here they were, arguing about crispy eel. They fell back into their typical banter with ease, and Nigel stayed until the hospital kicked him and Lily out.
Lily waved as she drove off and Nigel started up the steps, a lot on his mind. The close brush with death reminded Nigel that life waited for no one. Life was precious – just like their little morgue family was – and it was risky to waste the time it gifted you. It also brought to mind what had happened this time last year.
He shook his head, too tired to deal with such heavy topics. Another, somewhat lighter topic, came across his thoughts as he took the elevator up.
The lease had come up on his apartment a couple weeks back and he had renewed it without telling Jordan.
Everything had just happened so fast between them and, though he hated to admit it, there was a small piece of him that was scared to be all in. Another part of him knew how stupid it was to continue paying $600 a month on an apartment he never visited except to collect mail or grab a book from. Still, he had gone ahead and turned in the papers last week and now he had to find a tactful way to share the news.
Jordan was sprawled out on the bed, her face buried in the pillows, when he came in, and she groaned a greeting.
"I heard you caught the bastard and saved Woodrow's presidential brother." Nigel greeted cheekily as he hung up his jacket and bag before joining her. It had been a long, trying couple of days and they were both wiped, "Bug is out of the woods, they think he'll make a full recover with very little issue." He shared, even though he knew Dr. M probably already had. She nodded; her emotions seemingly spent.
"Hey," Jordan sat up quickly, trying to keep her mess of curls at bay, "Emmy wants us to update our info at work – address, taxes, that sort of thing – and I was wondering if you'd be alright if I put you down as my emergency contact?" She asked, worrying her lower lip.
"Hm, that's fine." Nigel sighed, his eyes closed.
Jordan turned to the window, clapping her hands together. She had been hoping for a more verbose response, or at least some sort of reaction.
"So, are you going to use me?"
"As what?" He was half asleep already.
"For your emergency contact." She began picking at a loose threat on the blanket. He made some noise that she took to mean yes, and she looked to him, "Maybe you could update your address while you're at it?"
"Jo, it's been a long night – a long week, and it isn't even half over – can we talk about this tomorrow?"
Her brow narrowed, her lips pursed, having grown tired of the run-around, "I want to talk about it not."
"Welcome to life, luv, where you don't always get what you want."
The next thing he knew, Nigel found himself on the floor, wide awake, "Was that really called for?"
"Your landlord called yesterday and said you forgot to sign the last page on your new lease." Her eyes darkened, "Why didn't you tell me you were renewing it? How could you not at least talk to me before you decided to?" She puffed up mockingly and brought out her horrendous British accent, "Oh, luv, just so you know, I decided to continue paying for an apartment I haven't slept in for six months, tea and boots and all that." He began to sputter and then stopped, looking at her evenly. She quickly looked away, knowing she was caught, "You were in the shower, I thought it might be Macy."
"Yes, yes, because Dr. Macy looks so much like Steve the Landlord on the ID!"
Her heart sank as she watched him storm out, it eased only when she saw him turn towards the kitchen instead of the front door.
"I'm sorry, I just…I don't know why you won't talk about this." She pleaded, moving to the end of the bed.
"Because!"
She stood and followed after him, "Because why?"
"Because…" He looked around and finally faced her, his eyes telling her his every fear.
He was scared this was temporal, that it would all be snatched away from him. Or that she might get bored and leave. Worse yet, maybe she was using him, maybe to make Woody jealous or for some advantage. This might be the time his heart got broken beyond repair, because he had never loved someone as much as he loved her.
Jordan was well acquainted with these kinds of thoughts because they had always kept her company in past relationships.
Nigel started back towards the bedroom but stopped, falling on the couch with his head in his hands. Finally, he looked up, his eyes distant, "I never would have thought you'd pick me." His voice was so quiet, childlike.
"So, keeping your apartment was, a safety net? A back up?" She tried not to let the hurt show even though it tinted her question. She only pushed it aside now because she, of anyone, could understand the temptation in having an escape plan ready to go.
"Did you not have one, luv?" He mused, his dark humor at the front.
She shrugged, her breaking heart in her eyes, "Not this time. I didn't need one."
He winced as if her words had burned him.
"Does this have anything to do with Sarah?" Jordan chanced, remembering the woman Nigel had thought was his soulmate. Sarah Soble's betrayal last spring had devastated him, not to mention having to part with little Maddy, and Jordan cursed herself for not being more considerate.
Nigel steepled his hands against his mouth, lost in thought. How could he explain to her what it felt like to be used like that? To have everything he thought he knew turn out to be part of some cruel scheme. He thought he had finally found his person, the place he belonged, and he had discovered how much he could love being a dad, he was even somewhat good at it. To have that all ripped away from him, there just weren't words.
Carefully, Jordan sat down and hesitantly touched his back. He yielded to her gentle hand, and she moved closer, seeking comfort.
Nigel opened his arm and she scurried in, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
"So, we're ready to make things official then?" Nigel asked after a while.
Jordan looked up at him, "I am."
"Alright." He nodded and kissed her forehead, knowing he could risk the leap if she did, "Alright."
XxX
They took the rest of the week off and spent their long weekend moving the rest of Nigel's things out of his apartment after they told Steve that he wouldn't be renewing after all. Then began the arduous process of adulting: informing his bank, setting up mail forwarding, closing accounts, and all the other fun adult things there was to do. On Saturday, Jordan pulled him along to the local mart to pick out a new bedspread and they finally ordered real Waterhouse prints to hang up.
Monday morning was a crisp spring day, and they took the bike in. The lobby was oddly quiet, and they were the only two on the elevator as it headed up.
"Ready?" Jordan asked, her heart pounding as the numbers counted down to their floor.
Nigel smiled down at her and gently squeezed her hand, "Ready, luv."
The doors opened and there was no going back now. Nigel led the way to the front desk as Emmy pulled out their messages.
"Hello, Emmy-darling." Nigel rapped his knuckles on the counter with a large smile, "Could you get me a change of address and emergency contact form? I need to update a few things." He smiled as Emmy pulled out the papers and handed them over with her ever-helpful smile.
He began reading through them as they headed inside, his arm swung around Jordan's shoulders as they made their way to the morning meeting. The small conference room was already packed so the pair took up the doorway, Nigel still had his arm around her as he began filling out the forms so Jordan could give commentary as needed.
Lily smiled brightly as she waved to them from her seat. Her and Jordan exchanged a knowing look while Macy handed out assignments.
With his glasses on the tip of his nose, Garret flipped through the remainder of his files, "Nigel, Bug, I need you to do a pickup at Corey Hill. Sounds routine. Bug, I don't want you doing any heavy lifting, leave it to Nigel, doctor's orders. Jordan, I have you scheduled for a series of autopsies today in Three. Be thorough but not conspiracy theorist level please." He handed the files off and the staff passed them down, exchanging curious glances with one another when they saw how cozy the pair was.
"That's it, let's get to work." The meeting broke up and the rumor mill did as they were told. Nothing vicious was said, of course, but there was no end to questioning how the computer geek had snatched up the resident firecracker. Most were simply curious how long it had been going on when they caught sight of the change of address form in his hand.
"Have a good day, luv." Nigel pecked her on the cheek and started towards Bug, flipping through the rough file. Sidney was one of the few who openly gawked, his face gob smacked as he looked rapidly between the pair.
"Leave it open long enough, Sid, and you might catch a few flies." Jordan quipped as she headed for her office. She hurried to change and headed out, wanting to catch the boys before they left.
"Hey, Nige?" She leaned around the doorway, glad to see they were still there.
Nigel was doing a final check to make sure they had everything they might need, "Yeah, Jo?"
"Do you want to meet up for lunch at that weird little café we found last week?"
"What am I, chopped liver?" Bug bemoaned as the small group started down the hall.
Jordan smiled as she came to her stop, "You can come too, Bug."
"I don't need your pity, woman." Bug was always gruff, but she knew she'd be reserving a table for three that day. After the events of last week, they all realized just how much they needed each other right now.
Nigel turned around, somehow managing not to trip over his long legs as he carried on backwards, "It's a date!"
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