***

Nick glanced at his watch as he walked down the corridor to the elevators.  The portion of the conference that Michelle had been attending was ending and he was meeting her in the lobby.  They were going for a walk and then stopping, whenever the mood struck them, for lunch. 

Michelle approached the front desk slowly.  She had spotted Nick there the instant she had rounded the corner into the lobby.  Even at that distance she felt something was off; something was not quite right about him.  She was not sure if it was in his stance or the way he worked his fingers over his mouth while he read the messages in his hand.  Neither was how Nick normally behaved.  When he moved his hand away, she noted the subtle change of his facial hair.  This man had a neatly trimmed goatee and mustache, whereas Nick's full beard and mustache was more like a constant five o'clock shadow.  Also, unless Nick had visited the barber while she attended the conference, this man's hair was just a tad bit shorter than Nick's.  The resemblance was amazing, breathtaking, and yet, this man was not Nicholas Kokoris.  Of course, she did not have to be Sherlock Holmes to come to that conclusion.  Beside the obvious things that she had detected, there was this unexplainable feeling she had deep inside.  Just like the feeling she had when she was able to sense her own twin, Rachelle.  It was undetectable to the eye; more like a second sight capability. 

Frank turned away from the desk, looking over the messages that the clerk handed him.  Nothing important, or the desk would have sent the calls to the room.  He had asked them to hold the calls and take messages.  As he had shared with his team, only true emergencies would be put through.  He intended to devote every minute he could to his wife.  He glanced toward the hotel entrance and spotted her through the window.   One of the first messages he had read was from her dad and she had stepped outside to call and check on the kids.  Just like the other messages, this one said it was not an emergency.  He had just been letting them know he had picked the kids up from Cody's place. 

Something caught his attention and he turned to see a pretty blonde studying him closely.  She moved slowly toward his direction, the confusion leaving her face the closer she came to him as if she had made some amazing discovery that solved the mysteries of the universe.  Her violet eyes flashed with a sort of recognition.  He lifted a brow, curious to know what had her so interested in him.  "Hello," he greeted when she reached his side.

"Hello," she answered, gazing up at him.  They're even the same height, she thought.  "Pardon me, but...are you any relation to Nicholas Kokoris?"

Frank smiled.  "Yes, I am.  His cousin actually.  Frank Donovan." 

Michelle shook the hand he extended in greeting.  "Michelle Chambers.  Pleased to meet you."  She noted that even his touch seemed familiar as she released his hand.  "Nick and I tried to get a hold of you yesterday, but your service said you couldn't be reached."

He chuckled and shook his head at the irony.  "Yes, as a matter of fact, my service relayed your message."  He held up the slip of paper.  "And here we were, in the same hotel all along."

Nick exited the elevator to the sight of Michelle standing near the front desk chatting with Frank.  She seemed calm enough, as though she knew exactly whom she was talking to.  What a strange sight after witnessing Rae's reaction to Frank.  How could Michelle see what others could not?

"Hello," he greeted upon joining them.  "I see you've met Michelle, Frank."   He went to her and slid an arm around her waist.

"Seems so," he replied.  "She knew exactly who I was, to be honest.  Rather refreshing after last night."  He spied Shay snapping her phone closed and heading back inside.  "Here comes Shay."

"What timing," Michelle commented.  "Perhaps the two of you could join us?  We're just going for a walk and stopping somewhere along the way for lunch."

"Yes, please, join us," Nick urged.  They were going to be leaving for San Francisco in the morning; this would give them a little more time to catch up.

"I don't see why not.  We have no set plans," he replied, taking Shay's hand when she reached his side.  "Ashling, this is Michelle."

Shay smiled.  "Nice to meet you."  She took in the sight of Nick and Michelle standing together, their arms around each other's waists.  They looked as if they belonged together, were right for each other.  There was love there; it was evident in the way they looked at each other.  A look she knew well, one that was mirrored by her and Frank.

Michelle smiled although she was a bit confused.  "I thought Frank said your name was Shay?"

Shay laughed as the four started toward the door.  "It is.  Ashling is my middle name," she explained.  If only Michelle knew.  Fallon, Larissa...it was a wonder Frank remembered her name at all with the inauspicious beginning they shared.

As the foursome walked the streets of Chicago, Frank and Nick did a lot of catching up, while Shay and Michelle took the time to get acquainted.  By the time they sat down to lunch in a small deli, it was as if they had all been friends for years. 

"Don't take this wrong," Shay began as she eyed the three waitresses that were working the deli's tables huddled nearby, watching their table intently.  "But, you two are causing a fuss.  Those women seem to have been rendered incapable of doing their jobs."

Michelle laughed softly, taking in the sight.  She had to admit, these two identical cousins were something to behold.  "On their own, they turn heads.  Together...look out."

"Amen," Shay agreed and leaned toward Frank, kissing his cheek softly. 

Both Frank and Nick rolled their eyes in exasperation.  Both men knew that the opposite sex found them attractive, but neither ever gave it much credence.

"As Cody would say...'whatever'," Frank quipped as he cast a look toward the waitresses. 

"Yeah, right, Frank," Shay responded jokingly.  "You just love the attention."

Frank arched a brow at her.  "Yes, just like the attention we had from that woman last night.  Especially at whatever ungodly hour it was when she came banging on our door.  Oh, yes.  I just loved that." 

"Your door?" Michelle asked curiously.  "That's odd.  Someone banging at the door woke Nick up at a horrible hour this morning, too."

"Actually, it wasn't our door being knocked on," Nick confessed with a grin.

"But, you said Rae..."

Nick nodded and grinned.  "It was Rae.  When Frank came to the door, I knew she had mistaken him for me."

Michelle's face scrunched up in disbelief.  "Come on...really?  Obviously the two of you are very similar, but there are differences."  She reached up to rub the beard stubble on Nick's face.  "Just the facial hair is a dead giveaway."

"True," Shay admitted readily.  "But the restaurant was dark.  The hallway is rather dim, too."

Frank nodded.  "Shay's got a point."  He looked across the table at Nick.  "Dinner tonight should be very interesting."

"What about tonight?" Michelle wondered, glancing at Nick.  The mischievous smile on his face spoke volumes.  What was he up to?

"We're all meeting for dinner," Nick explained loosely. 

"All?  As in...the entire gang from Presidio?"

"The entire gang, Shelley," Nick answered.  Her look held a bit of disapproval, however, he could read the curiosity in her eyes.  She wanted to see Rae's reaction to the sight of him and Frank together as much as he did.  Yes, it should be very interesting.

***

Rae sat at the table with Jules, Letty, and Tom, waiting for Nick and Michelle to join them.  Jules had told her earlier that the group had wanted to get together for dinner.  She was reluctant, but had acquiesced after some prodding by Jules.  How bad could it be?  An hour or two of her life and it would be over. 

"Here's Nick now," Tom stated, motioning toward the restaurant entrance. 

Nick and Michelle looked at each other briefly before moving farther into the room.  It did not escape their attention that Rae watched them closely.  It seemed as if she could barely contain her disgust.  "Good evening," Nick greeted as he helped Michelle into her chair.

The waiter came around to fill water glasses and take drink orders.  Rae waited patiently for him to leave.  She wanted to know what the hell was going on.  Why was Nick here with Michelle, when last night he was with some other blonde who claimed to be his wife?  Before she could speak, Letty piped up.

"Ah, here comes Shay.  The gang's nearly all here."  She winked at her husband.  Earlier he had made a bet with her as to just how long it would take for the shit to hit the fan.  She had not expected Shay to come alone and wondered where Frank was.  This might prove to be even more interesting than anticipated.

Rae looked up to see the blonde that had been in Nick's room early that morning.  "Shay?" 

"That would be me," Shay acknowledged, smiling as she seated herself next to Nick.  "How is everyone tonight?" 

Michelle's eyes twinkled in amusement when Shay leaned over and kissed Nick's cheek lightly.  Rae was watching them like a hawk and this must seem very odd to her.  Michelle heard Shay whisper to Nick, "Frank had a call he had to take, he'll be here in a minute.  Sorry." 

Jules saw the look on Rae's face.  Disbelief was an understatement.  Hurt and disappointment were mixed in there as well.  Even after all this time, she was still holding on to the hope that they would one day get back together.

"I'm glad everyone could join us tonight," Nick spoke up, trying to break the ice.  He could only imagine how strange this must appear to Rae, assuming she still thought he was there with both women.

Michelle frowned.  Rae was not looking too well.  "Rae?  Are you okay?"

Rae gaped at Michelle.  Was she insane?  "No, and I do feel it necessary to tell you just what Doctor Kokoris was up to last night," she began frostily. 

Michelle flashed Nick a questioning look before turning back to Rae.  "What do you think he was up to?"

Rae interrupted.  "He was....she was..." she pointed to Shay, "they were together last night."

The entire table grew quiet, awaiting Michelle's response.  She leaned forward slightly to look at Shay and then Nick before focusing on Rae.  "Are you sure?  I seem to recall Nick being in my bed last night."  Without waiting for an answer, she turned back to Nick.  "Baby, did you invite Shay into our bed and not wake me?"

Letty had just taken a sip of wine and promptly spit it out, much to the amusement of her husband.  "Sorry...sorry!" 

Nick's eyes widened in mock horror.  "Shelley, I promise...if that were to happen, I would definitely wake you!"  His attention turned to Shay as he leaned back in his chair and put his arm around both her and Michelle.  "What do you say, Shay?"

"Nick...you're one lucky guy," Tom chimed in.

Nick chuckled and shrugged.  "Well...when you've got it..."

Rae was beside herself.  She could not believe what she was seeing.  Last night and tonight had to be the most preposterous scenarios she had ever witnessed.  "Nick...really..."

"What the hell is going on?" Frank asked as he approached the table to see his cousin's arms wrapped around both Michelle and his wife and the interfering woman from the previous night seated opposite them, quite indignant. 

Shay jumped from her chair and slid easily into the circle of Frank's arms.  "Just a little goofing is all, Tiger."

Tiger? That's what the blonde called Nick last night.  Rae's head shot up quickly and her attention turned away from Nick to see...Nick.  "What the hell?" she asked with eyes open wide in shock.

"Sorry, Rae.  Just couldn't resist," Nick admitted sheepishly as he faced her.  "Last night, that was my cousin, Frank, and his wife you interrupted.  Michelle and I were across the hall, a few doors down."  He felt bad for Rae, that she was the brunt of this cruel joke, but her obsessive and possessive nature brought it on herself. 

Rae's hand flew to cover her mouth as she looked from Nick to Frank and back again.  She had made a complete and utter fool of herself, and in front of her colleagues.  She made a feeble attempt at excusing herself before leaving the table hurriedly.

Michelle cast Nick a pleading look.  No matter what Rae had done, namely confronting Shay and Frank, possibly causing a terrible rift in their marriage, she was a human being who was hurt and confused.  "Nick...go talk to her."

Nick nodded and kissed her cheek before excusing himself and going after Rae. 

Frank held Shay's chair for her before seating himself.  "This has to be the strangest weekend I've had in awhile."  He took Shay's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Again, mon cadeau, Happy Anniversary."  Shay responded with a playful wink.

--

"Rae," Nick called out as he approached the elevators.  Rae had already entered it and pushed the button to close the door.  Hurrying, he reached a hand in to stop the doors as they began to close.  "Rae, I'm really sorry about what happened back there."

"Cut the crap, Nick," Rae snapped and punched at the button to her floor.  "You enjoyed every minute of that."

He sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall.  "Not the way you think.  Yes, some of the reactions Frank and I get because of our similarities are a bit amusing."  When she huffed and turned away from him, he continued, "But your humiliation was brought on by your own doing.  You never took the time to get a close look at Frank or you would have known it wasn't me.  Not only that, how could you think I would ever do such a thing to Michelle?"  He waited for a response, but Rae did not utter a sound.  Her only movement was to look up at the display counting the floors.  "Look, we've got to reach an understanding.  I love Michelle and that isn't going to change.  What was once between us was over before Michelle came into my life.  Stop looking for things to go back the way they were."

"Damn you, Nick.  You should have stayed in Athens," she complained irritably.  "Things were fine between us.  You just had to push."

"For you, maybe.  However, there was something seriously missing in my life," he explained honestly.  "There's nothing missing any longer.  Michelle has seen to that."

The elevator came to a halt and when the doors opened, Rae stepped out.  Nick had said what he wanted, so felt no need to follow.  Whether that was what she had wanted or not, he had no idea.  He stood in the elevator and watched her turn slowly to face him.  As the doors closed, she said, "It's wonderful that you've found what you wanted.  The sad thing, the thing that no one cares about, is that I lost what I needed."    

***

To be continued...