Chapter 10: Nicole's POV
A/N: Hello! Here's yet another chapter of this story. Please read and review. I hope you'll enjoy it! A special thanks goes out to white rose01 who has beta-read this chapter and pointed out the mistakes.
I also want to say thank you for the ones who reviewed:
Gismo – Thanks! Here is Nicole's chapter. It will kind of flow over into chapter 11 where we get Grandma's POV. But you'll find that out soon enough. winks Enjoy!
White rose01 – Thank you! Not only for the review but also for showing me the mistakes I made! More will be coming your way… sometime. :)
Claudette – Thank you for the review. I agree. Brains doesn't get enough attention. If you hear from him it's only so he can give some idea on a rescue, but you hardly ever hear from him on a more personal base. As for your question on the number of chapters still to come, I've got it plotted, not written out. Plotted the story counts 14 chapters. However, knowing my muse's tendencies to add some more to the mix, it could change. But that should be it approximately. Enjoy this chapter.
Kitkat tictac – Wow, thanks for the compliment. hand kitkat tictac a tissue to wipe away tears But, no, it's not based on real experiences. Luckily! ;) I hope you'll like this chapter as well.
Math girl – Thanks. Sorry, no amazing last minute rescues. And I wanted Nicole's point of view as well, so I couldn't really let her stay with John. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well!
Nicole walked into the bedroom. John's bedroom. Their bedroom. A room full of memories. Some good. Some bad. Most of them great. She stood still in the middle of the room, looking around her. It was as if John was still there. The objects, the smell, the way certain things were lying around and others were neatly put away.
The atmosphere, the tension. If she closed her eyes she could almost feel his presence, yet at the same time she felt an emptiness slowly taking over her heart.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Slowly she walked towards the window. In front of the window they had placed a couch, since they both loved looking out at night, seeing the dark heavens with the stars and constellations. How often had they sat here, just enjoying each other's company?
Flashback:
John leaned back on the couch. He had just finished writing down some notes on a star he had recently discovered, and now he was up to some relaxation time. The door opened and closed again, and John could hear the familiar rhythm of his wife's footsteps approaching him. Then a smiling face appeared from above, upside-down, and blue eyes looked at him lovingly.
"Hi." The face said.
"Hi to you too." John answered, placing a small kiss on the lips in front of him. Nicole giggled, then disappeared momentarily from John's sight, only to reappear as she sat down next to him.
"Did you finish your notes?" She asked, snuggling up to him. She was still dressed in her pyjamas, which was not strange, considering it was early in the morning.
"Yeah. I did. Good thing too as it's getting too light now to see the star properly."
Indeed, the stars were fading, and dawn was approaching rapidly.
John sighed contently. That moment he was the happiest man in the world. He had finished the work he wanted to have done and he was holding the love of his life as they were witnessing the warm, yellow-orange ball rise from the sea.
Nicole rested her head on his shoulder, taking in the scent of her beloved husband. She too felt as if nothing could ever be more perfect than right that moment.
End of flashback
But instead of the warmth of John's body and the light of the sun, coldness met her skin, bringing her back to the hard reality as she sat on the couch…alone.
Perfect it had been. And perfect it would never be again. Even if the whole setting would be the same, the key-part would not be there.
Desperate thoughts invaded Nicole's mind. How would she ever be able to live without him? How could she live knowing she would never smell his scent again, never feel his body next to hers as they were lying in bed, never see his smile or hear his laughter. Never again would those blue eyes look at her full of passion and love…
Suddenly she felt the bile rise in her throat and she made a dash for the bathroom. She knelt in front of the toilet and quickly lost the small amount of food she had managed to get inside. Tears streamed down her face as she thought back to the times when she had been ill, hunched over the toilet and John had sat behind her, supporting her, keeping her hair from her face and whispering comforting words.
It was as if a dam had burst. She couldn't hold back the tears and neither did she try anymore. The whole façade, all the strength, all the resolve. It all disappeared. The walls she had carefully built in the short time she was given came crumbling down. And all that was left was her heart shattered to pieces.
The blonde-haired woman cried uncontrollably, leaning against the wall, sitting on the cold tile floor of the bathroom.
She didn't notice the old woman standing in the door opening, watching her with sad eyes.
A/N: Well, that's the end of this chapter, but as I've mentioned to Gismo, this chapter kind of flows over into the next, which will be longer. Please review!