Part Eleven: Nevada –Home

She arrives at her apartment in the early hours of the morning. Sunshine runs to the door to greet her, almost like a dog, and she bends down and scratches behind his ears. His litter box is immaculate, his food and water bowls are filled, and Nicky is sleeping on her couch.

She takes in his disheveled appearance while she checks her mail. A few bills, a card from Fly and Donna, and a fat envelope from 2279 Tiger Tail Trail, Apartment 304, Bismarck, North Dakota.

Cory.

She holds the envelope close to her nose and for a moment she can almost smell him again and hear the sounds of that night and feel his kiss on her lips. She reads his letter like a woman starved, and it is at once thrilling and a little mundane, as life in Bismarck is not all that exciting. But she is glad to hear from him, and she can hear his voice in her mind and she is not feeling as lonely as she was before.

Nick stirs on the couch, mumbling and blinking a little at the rays of sun sliding through the slats in her window blinds. He sits up with a start when he wakes up and realizes he's not alone, and he breaks out a grin for her as wide as Texas.

"Sar!" He stands up, ambling over to her, pulling her in close for a hug. "I like," he tells her, pushing a strand of her new, shorter hair behind her ear.

She smiles her gap-toothed grin for him. "I want to hear everything," she tells him. "What's been going on since I left?"

He shakes his head at her. "No way," he says. "You first. I got your postcard, the one from South Dakota. What happened that I won't believe?"

She looks like the cat who's eaten the canary. "There are many things."

"All right," he says, "two can play at that game." He picks up a piece of paper on the end table by her telephone. "Who's Cory, and why did he call twice since yesterday?"

She glares at him. "Did you answer my phone?"

"No, I just wrote down who called. In case the messages got deleted. There was one call from a Donna, with a guy yelling in the background, and then this Cory twice." Nick walks into the kitchen, continuing to talk. "And then, last night, these were delivered," he comes back into the living room with a large vase of summer flowers. "Now, I didn't peek, but based on my superior investigative skills, I'd say these came from the aforementioned Cory." He smiles at her, ruefully. "This is a nice bouquet, Sara. Kind of spendy."

She can't help it. She wants to stay cool in front of him, but she melts when she sees the flowers. "Aww," she gasps, "they're beautiful." She takes out the card, and reads the note.

To the beautiful Sara Sidle –

Thanks for one of the best nights of my life, so far.

Love,

Cory

"Whoa!" Nick exclaims from his perch over her shoulder.

Sara turns on him with a glare. "Did you have to do that? Can't I have a little privacy?"

He looks suitably chastised.

"It's not like that, anyway," she tells him. "I don't have sex with strangers. We just talked. Had dinner. That sort of thing."

"Ah," he nods. "Understood." He places his hand over his heart. "I'm sorry I looked. I just…" he looks away. "I just figured you weren't going to tell me yourself."

Sara shrugs. "It's alright. I'm not really mad."

Nick smiles at her, softly. "Good," he tells her.

"Thanks for taking care of Sunshine. And for apartment sitting." She looks down at her shoes. "And for being my friend," she says.

Nick's eyes widen a little. "Hey," he says, hugging her close. "It's the least I can do," he tells her. "You're important to me. You're like family," he tells her, pushing another strand of hair behind her ear. He presses a kiss to her forehead. "We're like a big, dysfunctional family." He grins, and then turns away. "I should get out of your hair," he smiles sheepishly at her. "I'm glad you're home, Sweetheart." He picks up his backpack and places his hand on the doorknob, ready to leave.

"Nicky," she says. "Thanks again. Bro."

He smiles at her again. "You know, if you weren't like a sister to me," he stops. "You really are beautiful," he says, quickly, before shutting the door behind him.

"Thanks," she says in a loud voice. She knows he heard her.