Show: The Guardian
Title: Family
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
A/N: Wow! I actually got some reviews. Thanks a lot and keep them coming please.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Nick idly twirled his pasta around his fork, the soft golden light of the candles casting dancing shadows across his face. He had been silent for most of the meal, allowing Amelia the upper hand in their conversation but, now, he seemed to have completely zoned out, lost in his own thoughts.
Amelia herself trailed off, taking advantage of his inattentiveness to stare at the clear masculine beauty of the man sitting across from her. Neatly cut curly golden blonde hair, smooth tanned skin, beautiful intense blue eyes, impossibly long and dense eyelashes and a sinful mouth – neither too thick nor thin, just right.
Her gaze swept down his strong golden throat, where his pulse throbbed strongly against the collar of his light blue shirt. Down past his broad chest, cursing the table between them for blocking the rest of him – trim waist, long legs, *big* feet. She blushed. She was like a hormonal teenager!
Yet she could not stop her wandering eye – across the linen tablecloth where his elbows sat, up the smooth navy jacket to his beautiful hands, with their long slender fingers and neatly cut nails. Hands she found herself fantasizing about roving her naked skin – she was amazed at how she had never noticed how beautiful his hands were before.
Her gaze swept back to his face and she noticed the slight furrow between his brows. Whatever Nick was thinking about didn't appear to be very pleasant. She cleared her throat. Nick's eyes snapped up and he immediately knew that he had missed something. More like *everything*.
"What was that?" he asked, finally laying his fork down and abandoning any pretense of eating.
Amelia cocked an eyebrow. "I didn't say anything." She paused and set down her own fork. "What's on your mind Nick?" she asked, sitting back.
The furrow deepened but he didn't bother to deny it. He paused, and heaved a heavy sigh. "Have you ever had one of those days when you just feel like screaming at the world?"
Amelia smirked. "In my former line of work – practically every other day. Nothing can get you worked up more than a bunch of overzealous know-it-all college kids."
Nicholas smiled mirthfully. "But you liked it," he pointed out.
Amelia frowned but, "Yes, I did," she admitted.
"I don't."
"What, you don't like the overzealous know-it-all college kids?"
The smile was more genuine this time if a little forced. "This world – *my* world," he clarified.
"What about it?" she asked taking a deep sip of her wine.
Nick's blue eyes found hers, swirling like fathomless green pools in the candlelight. Concern swam along with genuine interest as she looked at him from behind the rim of her glass. Usually so close-mouthed with people, Nick found his tongue loosening as the night drew on. He found himself recounting his day: court at nine where he defended yet another corporate CEO from a sexual harassment case, and got him off while, less than three hours later, yet another innocent child was railroaded by the same system that dismissed the harassment case on a mere technicality.
He was a man straddling two totally different worlds. He had thought he was able to handle them both accordingly: his job at Fallin and Associates was his life, his top priority; his community service at CLSP was just what it was – a service to be rendered then moved on from. But there were days like these when he was disgusted with what he did for the corporate world, and his heart bled for the defenseless. But he would have to choose. He could not straddle the line forever. Amelia told him as such.
"You have to choose, Nick," she advised.
They had consumed far too much wine and too little food and Nick thought he had heard wrong. "What?"
"Choose, Nick. Choose what world you want to live in."
"What the hell do you mean? Fallin and Associates is my world. I'm a corporate lawyer, Amelia. It's what I do."
Amelia paused, chewing on his words thoughtfully. "It's what you *did*, Nick," she finally replied. "But things have changed, haven't they? You've seen the dark, cold cruel world on your own time and not from a conference room for once. You have to decide whether when your time is up at CLSP if you want to continue or, if you want to continue to sell your soul for the corporate world."
Amelia had never been so melodramatic… he knew she would not try to sway him with poetic words… she would always be straight with him. She had always been, even when he was a kid – it was one of the many things that endeared her to him. He took another sip of his wine, his mind was foggy but he mulled over her words the best he could. The obvious and most logical answer would be to stay at Fallin and Associates where there was security and surety and he most certainly would *not* be selling his soul and his ethics to the corporate giants. But the idealistic part of him – the part of him that had driven him on so many occasions to put his head on the chopping block for CLSP – screamed at him to continue what he had started – on a path to self-discovery, of peace.
Nick shook his head and roughly wiped his face. "I dunno, Amelia. I just don't know. I can't think right now."
"Then don't. It'll come to you, Nick. I know you'll do what you think is right in the end."
**'what you think is right'. Not, 'what is right'** "Thanks," he replied, a slight half-smile on his face.
"You're welcome," she replied, her gaze colliding with his.
The air sizzled between them. Amelia could feel the heat pooling low in her stomach as she looked across at him. They didn't say anything for long moments but they didn't look away either. It became a battle of wills of sort, each wondering who would look away first. Amelia could feel a flush crawling up her neck to her face, and she dropped her gaze first, clearing her throat awkwardly.
The noise shattered the moment, and Nick looked away, a sly little smile on his face. He recognized that look in her eyes. He had unnerved her. If he were any other man, he would have taken full advantage of the knowledge that she was attracted to him. But he wouldn't. This was not just any woman. This was *Amelia*.
As Nick turned away for her to signal for the waiter lurking in the corner, she earnestly tried not to notice that his pulse was throbbing more erratically than before. She smirked. She had unnerved him as well. It was nice to know she hadn't lost her touch.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The ride back to her hotel was silent and uneventful. Nick kept his full attention on the road, and Amelia dozed lightly in the seat, a combination of her illness and too much wine tiring her out. As they sped along the freeway, Nick tried his hardest not to notice how innocent she looked in her sleep, her sinfully long and decadent lashes forming crescents on the tops of her cheeks. Unwillingly, his gaze dropped to her mouth, and he couldn't stop himself from wondering what it would be like to kiss her, to touch her. He jerked his gaze away and back to the road, narrowly avoiding running into the back of a cruising minivan.
Amelia sighed and turned on her side to face the door, the little sound sending fire to his stomach, and leaving him with a disarming view of her long back and backside. Nick swallowed heavily and, away from his gaze, Amelia grinned devilishly.
When Nick finally pulled the car up outside the hotel lobby, he gently shook her awake and Amelia, who had fallen asleep truthfully about five minutes ago, snapped open her eyes reluctantly.
"We're here," he announced.
Amelia nodded and sat up, straightening her clothes as best she could.
"Do you want me to come up with you?" he asked.
Amelia paused. The words were uttered in complete innocence, she knew, but she could see the innuendo in them. He was probably only inquiring about her safety considering she was sleepy and more than a little tipsy. She was tempted to say 'yes' just so she could stay in his company a little longer, but she shook her head, knowing that if she had accepted, she would probably wind up doing something to embarrass them both. "No. I'm fine," she replied, turning her head to face him.
"What time is your flight tomorrow?" he asked, regretting that she would have to leave.
"I'm taking the seven o'clock shuttle to JFK."
He nodded his head and just then, a valet knocked on the window. Nick rolled down the window, "Yes?" he asked.
"Are you coming or going, sir?" he asked with infinite politeness. "You can't stay here, sir."
Nick nodded his head and rolled the window back up when the valet stepped away. "Have a safe flight," he wished her.
"Thank you," she replied softly. Before she lost her nerve she leaned across and kissed his cheek, lingering a little longer than necessary, taking the time to memorise how his skin felt, and how good he smelt before she pulled away. "I'll call you when I get to New York," she announced, reaching for the door handle and fumbling in her haste.
Nick nodded his head and smiled as she got out and turned to face him. She returned his smile as she looked at him, while with every fibre of her being she just wanted to jump back in and tell him to drive. Preferably back to his apartment. She shut the door a little more forcibly than necessary and gathering her coat around her, headed toward the lobby.
Nick stayed there watching her a little longer, wishing he'd had the guts to tell the valet to park the damn car and follow her to her room. But of course he didn't. And cursing himself for what an honourable bastard he could be at the most inopportune times, hit the gas and drove out of the lobby before the valet could beg him to move again.
TBC…
A/N: Sorry about the delay. I had a lot on my plate (2 other fics to update). Fanfiction.net also seemed to be having a problem with their server as well. Anyways, please R&R and I apologise if it's shorter than usual.
Title: Family
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
A/N: Wow! I actually got some reviews. Thanks a lot and keep them coming please.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Nick idly twirled his pasta around his fork, the soft golden light of the candles casting dancing shadows across his face. He had been silent for most of the meal, allowing Amelia the upper hand in their conversation but, now, he seemed to have completely zoned out, lost in his own thoughts.
Amelia herself trailed off, taking advantage of his inattentiveness to stare at the clear masculine beauty of the man sitting across from her. Neatly cut curly golden blonde hair, smooth tanned skin, beautiful intense blue eyes, impossibly long and dense eyelashes and a sinful mouth – neither too thick nor thin, just right.
Her gaze swept down his strong golden throat, where his pulse throbbed strongly against the collar of his light blue shirt. Down past his broad chest, cursing the table between them for blocking the rest of him – trim waist, long legs, *big* feet. She blushed. She was like a hormonal teenager!
Yet she could not stop her wandering eye – across the linen tablecloth where his elbows sat, up the smooth navy jacket to his beautiful hands, with their long slender fingers and neatly cut nails. Hands she found herself fantasizing about roving her naked skin – she was amazed at how she had never noticed how beautiful his hands were before.
Her gaze swept back to his face and she noticed the slight furrow between his brows. Whatever Nick was thinking about didn't appear to be very pleasant. She cleared her throat. Nick's eyes snapped up and he immediately knew that he had missed something. More like *everything*.
"What was that?" he asked, finally laying his fork down and abandoning any pretense of eating.
Amelia cocked an eyebrow. "I didn't say anything." She paused and set down her own fork. "What's on your mind Nick?" she asked, sitting back.
The furrow deepened but he didn't bother to deny it. He paused, and heaved a heavy sigh. "Have you ever had one of those days when you just feel like screaming at the world?"
Amelia smirked. "In my former line of work – practically every other day. Nothing can get you worked up more than a bunch of overzealous know-it-all college kids."
Nicholas smiled mirthfully. "But you liked it," he pointed out.
Amelia frowned but, "Yes, I did," she admitted.
"I don't."
"What, you don't like the overzealous know-it-all college kids?"
The smile was more genuine this time if a little forced. "This world – *my* world," he clarified.
"What about it?" she asked taking a deep sip of her wine.
Nick's blue eyes found hers, swirling like fathomless green pools in the candlelight. Concern swam along with genuine interest as she looked at him from behind the rim of her glass. Usually so close-mouthed with people, Nick found his tongue loosening as the night drew on. He found himself recounting his day: court at nine where he defended yet another corporate CEO from a sexual harassment case, and got him off while, less than three hours later, yet another innocent child was railroaded by the same system that dismissed the harassment case on a mere technicality.
He was a man straddling two totally different worlds. He had thought he was able to handle them both accordingly: his job at Fallin and Associates was his life, his top priority; his community service at CLSP was just what it was – a service to be rendered then moved on from. But there were days like these when he was disgusted with what he did for the corporate world, and his heart bled for the defenseless. But he would have to choose. He could not straddle the line forever. Amelia told him as such.
"You have to choose, Nick," she advised.
They had consumed far too much wine and too little food and Nick thought he had heard wrong. "What?"
"Choose, Nick. Choose what world you want to live in."
"What the hell do you mean? Fallin and Associates is my world. I'm a corporate lawyer, Amelia. It's what I do."
Amelia paused, chewing on his words thoughtfully. "It's what you *did*, Nick," she finally replied. "But things have changed, haven't they? You've seen the dark, cold cruel world on your own time and not from a conference room for once. You have to decide whether when your time is up at CLSP if you want to continue or, if you want to continue to sell your soul for the corporate world."
Amelia had never been so melodramatic… he knew she would not try to sway him with poetic words… she would always be straight with him. She had always been, even when he was a kid – it was one of the many things that endeared her to him. He took another sip of his wine, his mind was foggy but he mulled over her words the best he could. The obvious and most logical answer would be to stay at Fallin and Associates where there was security and surety and he most certainly would *not* be selling his soul and his ethics to the corporate giants. But the idealistic part of him – the part of him that had driven him on so many occasions to put his head on the chopping block for CLSP – screamed at him to continue what he had started – on a path to self-discovery, of peace.
Nick shook his head and roughly wiped his face. "I dunno, Amelia. I just don't know. I can't think right now."
"Then don't. It'll come to you, Nick. I know you'll do what you think is right in the end."
**'what you think is right'. Not, 'what is right'** "Thanks," he replied, a slight half-smile on his face.
"You're welcome," she replied, her gaze colliding with his.
The air sizzled between them. Amelia could feel the heat pooling low in her stomach as she looked across at him. They didn't say anything for long moments but they didn't look away either. It became a battle of wills of sort, each wondering who would look away first. Amelia could feel a flush crawling up her neck to her face, and she dropped her gaze first, clearing her throat awkwardly.
The noise shattered the moment, and Nick looked away, a sly little smile on his face. He recognized that look in her eyes. He had unnerved her. If he were any other man, he would have taken full advantage of the knowledge that she was attracted to him. But he wouldn't. This was not just any woman. This was *Amelia*.
As Nick turned away for her to signal for the waiter lurking in the corner, she earnestly tried not to notice that his pulse was throbbing more erratically than before. She smirked. She had unnerved him as well. It was nice to know she hadn't lost her touch.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The ride back to her hotel was silent and uneventful. Nick kept his full attention on the road, and Amelia dozed lightly in the seat, a combination of her illness and too much wine tiring her out. As they sped along the freeway, Nick tried his hardest not to notice how innocent she looked in her sleep, her sinfully long and decadent lashes forming crescents on the tops of her cheeks. Unwillingly, his gaze dropped to her mouth, and he couldn't stop himself from wondering what it would be like to kiss her, to touch her. He jerked his gaze away and back to the road, narrowly avoiding running into the back of a cruising minivan.
Amelia sighed and turned on her side to face the door, the little sound sending fire to his stomach, and leaving him with a disarming view of her long back and backside. Nick swallowed heavily and, away from his gaze, Amelia grinned devilishly.
When Nick finally pulled the car up outside the hotel lobby, he gently shook her awake and Amelia, who had fallen asleep truthfully about five minutes ago, snapped open her eyes reluctantly.
"We're here," he announced.
Amelia nodded and sat up, straightening her clothes as best she could.
"Do you want me to come up with you?" he asked.
Amelia paused. The words were uttered in complete innocence, she knew, but she could see the innuendo in them. He was probably only inquiring about her safety considering she was sleepy and more than a little tipsy. She was tempted to say 'yes' just so she could stay in his company a little longer, but she shook her head, knowing that if she had accepted, she would probably wind up doing something to embarrass them both. "No. I'm fine," she replied, turning her head to face him.
"What time is your flight tomorrow?" he asked, regretting that she would have to leave.
"I'm taking the seven o'clock shuttle to JFK."
He nodded his head and just then, a valet knocked on the window. Nick rolled down the window, "Yes?" he asked.
"Are you coming or going, sir?" he asked with infinite politeness. "You can't stay here, sir."
Nick nodded his head and rolled the window back up when the valet stepped away. "Have a safe flight," he wished her.
"Thank you," she replied softly. Before she lost her nerve she leaned across and kissed his cheek, lingering a little longer than necessary, taking the time to memorise how his skin felt, and how good he smelt before she pulled away. "I'll call you when I get to New York," she announced, reaching for the door handle and fumbling in her haste.
Nick nodded his head and smiled as she got out and turned to face him. She returned his smile as she looked at him, while with every fibre of her being she just wanted to jump back in and tell him to drive. Preferably back to his apartment. She shut the door a little more forcibly than necessary and gathering her coat around her, headed toward the lobby.
Nick stayed there watching her a little longer, wishing he'd had the guts to tell the valet to park the damn car and follow her to her room. But of course he didn't. And cursing himself for what an honourable bastard he could be at the most inopportune times, hit the gas and drove out of the lobby before the valet could beg him to move again.
TBC…
A/N: Sorry about the delay. I had a lot on my plate (2 other fics to update). Fanfiction.net also seemed to be having a problem with their server as well. Anyways, please R&R and I apologise if it's shorter than usual.