Chapter 17:

Amor

When Nicoletta woke up it was the next morning. She felt fresh and alert after being able to sleep for so long. Getting up quietly so as not to wake Sands she had a shower and got dressed from her suitcase. She considered unpacking but with the amount of time they were likely to spend in the motel there was no real point. Next, she ripped some more of the sheet from the other bed. No doubt they would have to pay extra for damage. Then she soaked it in the bath with soap and, after leaving it to dry for a while, changed Sands' bandage.

Once she had done with this, and with nothing else to do and nowhere to go, she sat on the bed and watched Sands. He had slept the entire time and he was still asleep now. Honestly, she thought, if he had been attacked in his sleep he probably wouldn't have woken up. Then she felt guilty, he was a good CIA agent, one of the best she thought although she had never met any others. She had only met police. He was a nice guy, although to most intimidating. However, if you looked past the sarcasm and the psychopathic nature there was a really nice side to him. She just wished, as she had often thought before, he would let it out more often.

As she gazed at him she remembered the first time she had seen him, in the restaurant. He had been the first person who had held her gaze, who hadn't been afraid. Even Morgead hadn't been able to hold her stare for very long, about ten seconds before he broke eye contact. That was longer than anyone else but still quite short. Although at the time Sands had disturbed and worried her, now she felt happy about it. It was nice to know someone who didn't judge her and trusted her. When she had shown him that she could change he hadn't hated her then either. He had said that she was still Nickie no matter what and that it didn't matter to him. He was a really lovely guy, although she knew he would kill her for thinking it, and she hadn't met anyone as wonderful as him. He even beat Morgead and she had never though that was possible.

He wasn't that bad looking either, the bone structure in his face was nice and he had nice tanned skin. He wasn't too tall, his hair was a gorgeous dark brown, he wasn't muscular but he wasn't skinny, his lips were gorgeous and very kissable. Overall he was actually a very good-looking guy. A lot of guys could be gorgeous or fit. Not many had what Sands did, a sort of male beauty. Sands could probably have been a model if he wanted. But Sands also did something which very rarely male beauties did. He toned down his beauty with his personality. He wasn't overly obsessed with his looks. In fact he didn't appear to care at all. Nicoletta had seen plenty of guys who were overly obsessed with their looks. In New York you saw them every ten seconds, walking down the street as though they owned, checking their looks in every single reflective thing they passed. As though they were scared that their beauty might suddenly disappear. Nicoletta had no time for these idiots, but Sands wasn't like that. He was a self-assured, arrogant bastard. But he was like that because he really was that good. Nicoletta didn't really like people like that, but it was better than him showing off about something he didn't have but thought he did.

Sheldon was funny (in a sarcastic and cruel way,) good looking (in a beautiful rebel way,) reckless (in a devil-may-care way,) smart (in a cocky, know-it-all way,) loyal (in an abandon and then come back later way) and kind (in an I-don't-really-like-showing-how-nice-i-am-but-underneath-I'm-sweeter-than-candyfloss way.)

Suddenly it hit Nicoletta, like somebody running into a brick wall except the brick wall had to wait for so long for her to work it out and run that it gave up and ran to her instead. "Sheldon," "funny," "good looking," "reckless," "smart," "brave," "loyal," "kind," "his lips were gorgeous and very kissable" and "a sort of male beauty." She loved Agent Sheldon Jeffrey Sands.

Nicoletta wasn't sure whether to cheer that she had finally realised, faint in complete and utter shock, run to the bathroom and be sick in disgust or crawl under the bed and never come out again. Seeing as none of these was appealing/possible/sane. She opted with laying her head in her hands and moaning quietly. She felt like she had just plunged into a dark hole and was falling. Of all the people she could have fallen in love with, she had to pick the insane, psychopathic, cocky idiot who was meant to be helping her fight the cartel. Not to mention the fact that any other person she could seduce with her looks. Sands appeared to be immune to them. He would never love her and now she had to act as though nothing had happened, as though everything was normal. The hole she was falling into appeared to have just got deeper and darker. Well, at least things couldn't get worse.

Sands stretched and yawned beside her, "Morning Nickie." He said sleepily.

Nicoletta could almost hear the thud as her body hit rock bottom. "Well, at least things couldn't get worse," famous last words.

"Morning Sands." She said, trying to sound normal.

Sands gave her a funny look, "Something wrong sugar butt? You sound a bit high-pitched."

Nicoletta flinched, "No nothing wrong." She gabbled, "Everything's absolutely perfect. There's nothing wrong at all. It's all completely normal."

She sighed and took in a calming breath, "I think I'll go take a walk outside, it's a nice morning. Bye!"

Before Sands could stop her she had dashed for the door, thrown it open and slammed it shut behind her.

Once she was out there she leaned against in the wall. She didn't think she could do this. Whoever said that love was a wonderful thing was insane, drunk or deluded, or all three.

Sands stared at the door, "What the fuck just happened there?" he asked nobody in particular.

Ididn'tdoit121: Hey! Thanks for the review! Happy birthday, I know it's late and I'm sorry! Maybe this could be like a belated birthday present! I hope you like it! A bad feeling? Well, you never know with Sands, he's totally unpredictable. We shall see… I'll be 15 in October, just think, I'm writing and you're reading R rated fan fiction at our age. sighs what is the world coming to? Lol. Hope you like this update! RandR!

Abberlines-Opium: Nice to hear from you! Thanks for the review, I know it was short and I'm sorry, hope this makes up for it! I'm glad you thought it was great and enjoyable even though it was short! Thank you! RandR!

SpadesJade: You are definitely a great reviewer, but you scare me! In a good way! I'm glad you speak your mind, constructive criticism is gooooood! Hope this chapter makes up for the last one! Don't worry I know it's said in love! RandR please!

The lady of the Shadows: I know, Sands can't hurt her, he loves her! Then again, I doubt sands even knows what love is sooooo…..you never know. I'm glad you liked the kisses and everything, I love doing emotions for both characters, it's fun showing how each of them are feeling! But I'm not too great at it, hope you like it anyway! I love your chapters, hell I love you whole story! You have to keep updating! One OC is fine, sounds like a good idea! I love POTC so that sounds great! Luv ya! RandR! Update!

Joselyn-Greenleaf: Lazy, lazy, lazy tut tut! AHHHH! Don't hit me! Not my fault! Pheeew! Thought you would hit me, but….whats this…..JOHNNYS BOXERS! AHHHHHH! faints wakes up again YES YES! I hope you like this update! RandR! JOHNNYS BOXERS! YAY!

CaptainRaven: I thought I'd losted you! Evil parents taking your laptop, don't they know I neeeeed you to review! Bad Sands, how could he? Hopefully he'll come to his senses eventually, sighs eventually! Thanks for reviewing, you must never stop! Hope you like this update! RandR!