*I own Reilly…her family…her friends…I don't own any actors and I have no
affiliation with any of the (mostly fictional) places that I mention*
Chapter 4: Nurse Reilly and a New Home…well, Room
Dom looked over his magazine at Reilly sitting beside him. She was sitting cross legged in her seat, her eyes glued intently to the pages of her book…the Red Tent, it was called. "It's a woman's book," she had told him. "Well, I mean, it's kind of girl-powery in a Biblical sense." Dom had taken this explanation, and had replied that he would enjoy it. "I'm a woman's man," he told her. "I'm the most feminine-intuitive male there is." He had grinned at her, and she cocked an eyebrow: "Feminine-intuitive, huh?" He loved her facial expressions already, particularly her eyebrow-cocking…she had these great eyebrows that had a natural inquisitive arch to them…and her little nose-wrinkling. That was just cute. She'd taken her hair out of its clip and it spilled over her shoulders and down her back, shining under the little overhead light. She was still using her sunglasses like a headband, and a piece of hair had fallen loose and hung alongside her cheek, obstructing his view of her. He fought back a desire to tuck it behind her ear.
What are you doing, Dom? He reprimanded himself silently. She's a girl on a plane, an American, and a fan! But still…Dom and Reilly had talked non-stop for the first 4 and a half hours of their flight, and he already felt he had known her for years. She was a bit reserved, he could tell, but she had still been extremely friendly and talkative. He loved listening to her talk…she was so passionate about everything that she said, and she was incredibly smart and well-read. He found himself opening up to her easily, talking about everything from his family to filming LOTR, to his first love and heartbreak. He liked the way she met his eyes directly, and really listened to what he was saying. And he couldn't get enough of anything she said…she was just so refreshing…honest and interesting and relaxed, with an easy laugh and that brilliant smile…
"What?" Reilly's voice snapped him out of his mini-reverie and he met her questioning eyes. "Hm?" he responded. "You were staring," she replied, looking up at him through her long eyelashes and closing her book. "Was I?" he grinned charmingly. "I hadn't noticed, I was so captivated by the beautiful glow that surrounds you…hey!" he laughed as Reilly smacked his arm lightly. "Ok, that was pushing it…beautiful glow?" she shook her head teasingly. Smiling back, he stood up and opened the overhead compartment to retrieve a hoodie… "OW!" he yelped, as quietly as possible so as not to disturb everyone sleeping around him, as the compartment slammed down on his hand, on the bony area connecting thumb and pointer finger. "Oh!" Reilly jumped up, concern on her face, and he tried to smile, shaking his hand. "I'm fine, it's just…ow!" He sat back down biting his lip and pressing his hand against his legs with his other hand. "Here, let me see…" Reilly gently took his hand and he didn't argue. She dumped the ice that had been leftover in her cup from her earlier ginger ale into a napkin and carefully applied it to his hand, holding it in place with her own. He winced at the pressure ad she laughed softly "baby…" Dom looked hurt: "hey!" he pouted. "Aw, I'm sorry sweetie," Reilly apologized, softly stroking his wrist with her thumb. He watched her hands, the pain fading quickly. "It's ok, you're forgiven…nurse Reilly," he added, smirking. She smiled back, and turned to look out the window, still massaging his wrist.
"Look, land!" Reilly exclaimed excitedly a little while later. Turning to face Dom, she realized she was still holding his hand, even though he had abandoned the napkin and ice a while ago. Blushing slightly she let go. "Um…so are we there?" she asked. Dom laughed. "I don't know where else we'd be, love," Reilly nodded and sat still, glancing at him and then looking quickly away. Whoa, Ri, she thought to herself. Chill. What was I thinking holding his hand so long like that???? But…she had never known anyone like him. She was so comfortable around him, it was like she had known him for years. More than a few times during the trip she had checked herself before completely spilling her guts to him. She was always cautious like that, never being too quick to trust. But she just felt like she COULD trust him, like he would never hurt her. Hello, idiot! She thought to herself. You just MET him, he's an ACTOR, and you'll probably never see him again! She didn't like that thought, as she looked over at him again. He was staring dreamily into space, so cute in his khakis and navy blue hoodie. She liked him…not LIKED him liked him…ok well maybe she did a little…but she had Trist. And anyway, she was just looking for FRIENDS. She didn't like the thought of never seeing him again. He was fun, and funny, and spontaneous, and had a completely laid-back, "I-don't-give-a- fuck" attitude, though she could tell he really was sensitive and cared about things very much. He was…a lot like her.
"Oh look at this, now who's staring?" Dom grinned cheekily down at her and she could feel herself blushing again as her ears began to pop with the plane's descent. Sticking her tongue out at him she began to pack up her carry on. "Very mature, that, Nurse Reilly," he laughed. She looked up, "Oh and you're telling me about maturity?" He nodded in mock seriousness and tried, with no avail, to keep from smiling back at her. "So…" he began as they waited for the direction to disembark. "Do I get a phone number or anything out of this?" Reilly cocked her head to one side and pretended to think, "Um…well, I mean…I'm going to be so busy, will I really have time to take calls from Dominic Monaghan?" Dom pretended to pout and looked down, then over at her with puppy dog eyes. Reilly giggled and uncharacteristically hugged him spontaneously, and he gladly hugged her back. "Of course you can sweetheart! Here…take this…" she pulled her copy of the Red Tent out again, neatly printing her name and the Regent's College main number inside. "I think we have like, community floor phones that ring…I'm not sure…just ask for me, they'll find me." Dom nodded, and took the book from her, putting it carefully in his own bag. The two of them made their way off the plane and through the baggage claim together. "Well, this is where I turn off…are you all settled, do you need help finding anything…anyplace?" Dom asked her. Reilly shook her head. "I'm supposed to wait here for my roommate…uh…Tricia…and then we're going to campus together." Dom nodded, leaning over to kiss her cheek. Pulling away he tucked a stray hair away behind her ear and cupped her face with his hand. "Thanks for the medical attention, Ri," he said, then grinned cheekily. "And the free wrist massage." He winked and was off, Reilly laughing after him.
Moments later she was approached by a girl, about 5'6". With chin- length blonde hair and heavily made-up grey eyes. "Hi…Reilly? I'm Tricia." The girl said in a heavy Midwestern accent. Reilly guessed Minnesota or maybe Ohio. "Hey!" she replied excitedly. "It's so nice to meet you!" Relief flooded Tricia's pixie-like features as she realized that Reilly wasn't a total bitch. The two of them lugged their bags outside, hailed a cab with only slight difficulties, and soon found themselves looking up at their new brick residence hall. Reilly smiled brightly, and turned excitedly to Tricia. "Let's go!"
"Room 619…619…here we are!" Tricia exclaimed, fiddling with the combination lock and opening the door to their new room. "We WOULD get the 6th floor and only be allowed one elevator trip with luggage!" Reilly grumbled, dragging her bags in behind her. "Ooooh," she smiled, looking around. She'd seen far worse dorm rooms in her life. This one was very bright and roomy. The two beds formed an L-shape, one running alongside the window to the corner, and the other along the wall perpendicular to that. Two desks sat beside eachother on the far wall, the closet looked big enough, and there was a cute little table with drawers against the wall that the door was on. "Let's decorate!" Reilly suggested. For the next few hours the girls did just that, delighted to learn that they shared similar decorative (as well as clothing) styles. "Yeah too bad I'll never fit into any of you're clothes, though!" Tricia sighed, studying herself in their full-length mirror. "You're so tiny!" Reilly looked at her skeptically. "Not really," she replied. "I mean, with this ass?" Tricia rolled her eyes, indicating to a pair of Reilly's size 4 pants. "Riiiiight." Reilly shrugged. "Well, I run a lot. No one can say I don't eat…speaking of which, are you hungry?" Tricia nodded. "Starving."
The two girls changed quickly into some fresh clothes and were making their way to the elevator when…
"REILLY SCOTT? Reilly? Anyone know Reilly Scott?" A voice rang down the corridor. Reilly raised her eyebrows. "I'm Reilly!" she answered. A girl pointed down the hall. "Phone for you." Tricia looked at her quizzically and Reilly shrugged. "I have no idea…" her voice trailed off as she wondered. Could it be???
"Hello, Reilly? This is Dom…"
Chapter 4: Nurse Reilly and a New Home…well, Room
Dom looked over his magazine at Reilly sitting beside him. She was sitting cross legged in her seat, her eyes glued intently to the pages of her book…the Red Tent, it was called. "It's a woman's book," she had told him. "Well, I mean, it's kind of girl-powery in a Biblical sense." Dom had taken this explanation, and had replied that he would enjoy it. "I'm a woman's man," he told her. "I'm the most feminine-intuitive male there is." He had grinned at her, and she cocked an eyebrow: "Feminine-intuitive, huh?" He loved her facial expressions already, particularly her eyebrow-cocking…she had these great eyebrows that had a natural inquisitive arch to them…and her little nose-wrinkling. That was just cute. She'd taken her hair out of its clip and it spilled over her shoulders and down her back, shining under the little overhead light. She was still using her sunglasses like a headband, and a piece of hair had fallen loose and hung alongside her cheek, obstructing his view of her. He fought back a desire to tuck it behind her ear.
What are you doing, Dom? He reprimanded himself silently. She's a girl on a plane, an American, and a fan! But still…Dom and Reilly had talked non-stop for the first 4 and a half hours of their flight, and he already felt he had known her for years. She was a bit reserved, he could tell, but she had still been extremely friendly and talkative. He loved listening to her talk…she was so passionate about everything that she said, and she was incredibly smart and well-read. He found himself opening up to her easily, talking about everything from his family to filming LOTR, to his first love and heartbreak. He liked the way she met his eyes directly, and really listened to what he was saying. And he couldn't get enough of anything she said…she was just so refreshing…honest and interesting and relaxed, with an easy laugh and that brilliant smile…
"What?" Reilly's voice snapped him out of his mini-reverie and he met her questioning eyes. "Hm?" he responded. "You were staring," she replied, looking up at him through her long eyelashes and closing her book. "Was I?" he grinned charmingly. "I hadn't noticed, I was so captivated by the beautiful glow that surrounds you…hey!" he laughed as Reilly smacked his arm lightly. "Ok, that was pushing it…beautiful glow?" she shook her head teasingly. Smiling back, he stood up and opened the overhead compartment to retrieve a hoodie… "OW!" he yelped, as quietly as possible so as not to disturb everyone sleeping around him, as the compartment slammed down on his hand, on the bony area connecting thumb and pointer finger. "Oh!" Reilly jumped up, concern on her face, and he tried to smile, shaking his hand. "I'm fine, it's just…ow!" He sat back down biting his lip and pressing his hand against his legs with his other hand. "Here, let me see…" Reilly gently took his hand and he didn't argue. She dumped the ice that had been leftover in her cup from her earlier ginger ale into a napkin and carefully applied it to his hand, holding it in place with her own. He winced at the pressure ad she laughed softly "baby…" Dom looked hurt: "hey!" he pouted. "Aw, I'm sorry sweetie," Reilly apologized, softly stroking his wrist with her thumb. He watched her hands, the pain fading quickly. "It's ok, you're forgiven…nurse Reilly," he added, smirking. She smiled back, and turned to look out the window, still massaging his wrist.
"Look, land!" Reilly exclaimed excitedly a little while later. Turning to face Dom, she realized she was still holding his hand, even though he had abandoned the napkin and ice a while ago. Blushing slightly she let go. "Um…so are we there?" she asked. Dom laughed. "I don't know where else we'd be, love," Reilly nodded and sat still, glancing at him and then looking quickly away. Whoa, Ri, she thought to herself. Chill. What was I thinking holding his hand so long like that???? But…she had never known anyone like him. She was so comfortable around him, it was like she had known him for years. More than a few times during the trip she had checked herself before completely spilling her guts to him. She was always cautious like that, never being too quick to trust. But she just felt like she COULD trust him, like he would never hurt her. Hello, idiot! She thought to herself. You just MET him, he's an ACTOR, and you'll probably never see him again! She didn't like that thought, as she looked over at him again. He was staring dreamily into space, so cute in his khakis and navy blue hoodie. She liked him…not LIKED him liked him…ok well maybe she did a little…but she had Trist. And anyway, she was just looking for FRIENDS. She didn't like the thought of never seeing him again. He was fun, and funny, and spontaneous, and had a completely laid-back, "I-don't-give-a- fuck" attitude, though she could tell he really was sensitive and cared about things very much. He was…a lot like her.
"Oh look at this, now who's staring?" Dom grinned cheekily down at her and she could feel herself blushing again as her ears began to pop with the plane's descent. Sticking her tongue out at him she began to pack up her carry on. "Very mature, that, Nurse Reilly," he laughed. She looked up, "Oh and you're telling me about maturity?" He nodded in mock seriousness and tried, with no avail, to keep from smiling back at her. "So…" he began as they waited for the direction to disembark. "Do I get a phone number or anything out of this?" Reilly cocked her head to one side and pretended to think, "Um…well, I mean…I'm going to be so busy, will I really have time to take calls from Dominic Monaghan?" Dom pretended to pout and looked down, then over at her with puppy dog eyes. Reilly giggled and uncharacteristically hugged him spontaneously, and he gladly hugged her back. "Of course you can sweetheart! Here…take this…" she pulled her copy of the Red Tent out again, neatly printing her name and the Regent's College main number inside. "I think we have like, community floor phones that ring…I'm not sure…just ask for me, they'll find me." Dom nodded, and took the book from her, putting it carefully in his own bag. The two of them made their way off the plane and through the baggage claim together. "Well, this is where I turn off…are you all settled, do you need help finding anything…anyplace?" Dom asked her. Reilly shook her head. "I'm supposed to wait here for my roommate…uh…Tricia…and then we're going to campus together." Dom nodded, leaning over to kiss her cheek. Pulling away he tucked a stray hair away behind her ear and cupped her face with his hand. "Thanks for the medical attention, Ri," he said, then grinned cheekily. "And the free wrist massage." He winked and was off, Reilly laughing after him.
Moments later she was approached by a girl, about 5'6". With chin- length blonde hair and heavily made-up grey eyes. "Hi…Reilly? I'm Tricia." The girl said in a heavy Midwestern accent. Reilly guessed Minnesota or maybe Ohio. "Hey!" she replied excitedly. "It's so nice to meet you!" Relief flooded Tricia's pixie-like features as she realized that Reilly wasn't a total bitch. The two of them lugged their bags outside, hailed a cab with only slight difficulties, and soon found themselves looking up at their new brick residence hall. Reilly smiled brightly, and turned excitedly to Tricia. "Let's go!"
"Room 619…619…here we are!" Tricia exclaimed, fiddling with the combination lock and opening the door to their new room. "We WOULD get the 6th floor and only be allowed one elevator trip with luggage!" Reilly grumbled, dragging her bags in behind her. "Ooooh," she smiled, looking around. She'd seen far worse dorm rooms in her life. This one was very bright and roomy. The two beds formed an L-shape, one running alongside the window to the corner, and the other along the wall perpendicular to that. Two desks sat beside eachother on the far wall, the closet looked big enough, and there was a cute little table with drawers against the wall that the door was on. "Let's decorate!" Reilly suggested. For the next few hours the girls did just that, delighted to learn that they shared similar decorative (as well as clothing) styles. "Yeah too bad I'll never fit into any of you're clothes, though!" Tricia sighed, studying herself in their full-length mirror. "You're so tiny!" Reilly looked at her skeptically. "Not really," she replied. "I mean, with this ass?" Tricia rolled her eyes, indicating to a pair of Reilly's size 4 pants. "Riiiiight." Reilly shrugged. "Well, I run a lot. No one can say I don't eat…speaking of which, are you hungry?" Tricia nodded. "Starving."
The two girls changed quickly into some fresh clothes and were making their way to the elevator when…
"REILLY SCOTT? Reilly? Anyone know Reilly Scott?" A voice rang down the corridor. Reilly raised her eyebrows. "I'm Reilly!" she answered. A girl pointed down the hall. "Phone for you." Tricia looked at her quizzically and Reilly shrugged. "I have no idea…" her voice trailed off as she wondered. Could it be???
"Hello, Reilly? This is Dom…"