"Mr. Collins in room 324 needs to have his IV changed out, Mrs. Holbrook in 347 needs to have her meds administered and little Sam in 319 needs to go down to be moved downstairs so that he can have another scan done on his wrist first thing tomorrow." Nadine blew a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail out of her face as she scribbled down her orders on a notepad. Epiphany looked at her harshly and slowly repeated the hurried list before continuing. "When that is taken care of, these charts need to be put back in order before you head over to pediatrics to make your usual rounds. I know that you weren't supposed to work tonight, Nurse Crowell, but you agreed to fill in for Nurse Mir. You better pick it up."
Faking a smile, Nadine tucked a pair of clipboards under her arm before heading down the hallway toward the first patient's room. Since Leyla was sick and Nadine owed her more than a few favors, she had agreed to take her friend's shifts so that Epiphany wouldn't go completely ballistic. Had she known that it would have consisted of her working 36 straight hours without any sleep, Nadine might have tried to work out another compromise with another nurse. However, as she was passing the midway point for her day-and-a-half shift, she hoped that she was getting her second wind. She'd missed a day here and there since she had gotten wrapped up with Nikolas last spring, and her bank accounts were starting to see the effects of her crush. Now that they were finally in a good place, she knew that she needed to refocus more attention on her career and put in time at the hospital.
Nadine felt slightly guilty for being happy when she found Mr. Collins asleep in his room. It was just after eleven at night, and she loved this time at the hospital most of all. Everything was quiet in the usually bustling corridors, the only sounds coming from the beeping machines and the occasional hum of a passing cart. Lifting the IV easily from the sleeping man's arm, she allowed herself to drift only slightly while she completed her assigned task. She really wasn't used to working too many nights anymore, not since she had a year under her belt and had spent most of the last twelve months burning the midnight oil. She hadn't really cared before when she worked. As long as she had a few hours to run to the market and get sleep, she was a fairly happy person. Now that she was Nikolas though, she liked to be at the hospital when he was. It was nice to pass him in the hallway when he was headed to a board meeting. She loved the way he would grab her hand and pull her back to him when she walked by. She also appreciated having a regular schedule so that she could spend evenings with him and Spencer having dinner or watching movies out at Wyndamere. Even their time at the clinic was in sync, allowing her to spend more time with him than she had anyone in a very long time.
"There you go, Mr. Collins," she whispered as she taped the plastic tubing back to his wrist. The man stirred slightly in his sleep and mumbled incoherently as Nadine made notations on his chart. She closed the door behind him and slid the clipboard into the slot on the wall before heading down to the other end of the hall to check on Mrs. Holbrook. Checking the meds cart waiting at the nurse's station, she was disappointed to see that the patient's medications were missing. Trying to stay positive in the midst of feeling completely exhausted was becoming more difficult by the moment. Nadine slipped into the nearby supply closet and climbed up on the ladder to retrieve the antibiotics from the top shelf. So wrapped up in finding the right bottle, she didn't even hear the door open and shut behind her. When she turned around, she was surprised by what she saw. "What are you doing here?"
Nikolas smiled at her mysteriously before stepping forward to help her off the ladder. Nadine sat the bottle down on the shelf behind her and reached out to hug Nikolas. His arms felt so warm and comforting around her. "I haven't seen you all week, so I thought I would surprise you," he answered before she leaned up to kiss him quickly on the lips. "I've been lurking for the past fifteen minutes to try to get you in a dark corner alone. Epiphany seems to be everywhere tonight. When I saw you slip in here, I thought I'd take my chances."
Giggling to herself, Nadine couldn't help but be amused by the thought of a Cassadine heir and General Hospital board member being intimidated by the domineering head nurse. Epiphany was definitely someone to be reckoned with, and few people dared to cross her. Nadine had even seen Sonny Corinthos back down to the woman and that was no small feat. "If she catches you in here with me, we're both going to be on report. I don't know that I can risk another write-up after that whole fiasco with Spinelli's surgery," she half-joked. Still, despite what little concern she actually did have, Nadine wrapped her arms around his sturdy torso and allowed herself one long, deep kiss with Nikolas. He reacted immediately, backing her up against the shelf roughly until he had total control over her body. His hands traveled beneath the hem of her scrubs top and tickled the soft skin on her lower back. Nadine was just about to submit herself completely to the moment when she remembered where she was and what she was supposed to be doing. Reaching up, she pushed him back forcibly and started to smooth her clothes. "Nikolas, I'm still on duty, and as much as I like you standing up for me, I really don't want you to use your place on the board to keep me from getting in trouble again. I need to get back to work before someone catches me."
Nikolas knew that he could protest and argue with her, but he liked the fact that she was so dedicated to her job and the patients at General Hospital. "Alright, I will make you a deal then," he offered. "I will kiss you one final time and leave you alone if you will promise to have dinner with me when you finally get your break. We haven't gotten to spend any real time alone for the past few days, so I just want us to have one little meal so that you can get through the rest of your shift. What do you say?"
The answer to his question came with another long kiss, this one as Nadine stood on her tiptoes and pressed her body fully to his. Nikolas smashed his mouth down on hers and devoured the sweet taste of her vanilla mint lip gloss. They were still in that early phase where every kiss was exciting, enough to stir up a flurry of butterflies in the pit of your stomach. Every chance she got, Nadine was finding a way to just touch him – whether it was holding his hand while they were in the car, kissing him as he dropped her off at her apartment or leaning her head on his shoulder while they sat on his sofa. She looked forward to even hearing his voice, repeatedly listening to his latest sweet voicemail when she got a spare minute at the hospital.
"I need to go take care of a few things before I can take my break. Why don't you meet me down at the nurse's station in a half-hour?" she answered before leaning up to brush another quick kiss over his lips. He smiled against her mouth and pulled her face back to him. "Cassadine, I really have to go…"
"I love it when you call me that," he grunted in a rough voice, dragging his fingertips lazily through her ponytail to free her hair from its elastic. She grimaced at him half-heartedly as she pulled her hair back into a messy bun. He could tell that as much as she liked the attention, she really needed to get back to work. "Alright, you go finish up your rounds and I will meet you in exactly thirty minutes. Don't be late because I have a surprise for you."
Her face lit up like a little girl's at the mention of a surprise. He was always doing that, finding little ways to make her day special. While most women would become accustomed to such things by now, she was always pleasantly shocked whenever he did anything kind for her. She never wanted to get used to having him in her life. The minute she took him for granted was the minute she would have changed who she was. "I can't wait," she commented before smoothing down her hair again. "Do I look presentable?"
"Absolutely beautiful," he complimented her as he tugged down the shoulder of her shirt. Nadine smiled at him one last time before slipping out of the closet. Just as she was about to shut the door, she remembered the meds she had left sitting on the shelf. She slid back inside undetected and crossed the small space to retrieve the clear plastic cup. Nikolas grinned at her cockily as he handed over the pills, his fingers brushing over her hand lightly enough to send chills up her arms. "Twenty-nine minutes."
With a bright smile on her face, Nadine set to completely the rest of Epiphany's assignments in record time. She stopped by to give Mrs. Holbrook the meds and even managed a few minutes of small talk with the older woman. Then, she headed down to the other end of the corridor with a pair of orderlies to oversee Sam's move downstairs. Once the little boy was settled into his new room, Nadine practically skipped back upstairs to reorganize the patient charts. After they were alphabetized and lined up according to the hospital's system, she transferred written notes from her rounds onto the computerized records system. Just as she was finishing up on the final chart, a small knock broke her concentration. Glancing up over the edge of the monitor, she flashed a quick smile at Nikolas before hitting save on the keyboard. Picking up the phone, she dialed a page to Epiphany to let her know that she was temporarily off duty before nearly running from behind the desk to hug him again.
"Fastest half-hour of my life," she smiled as he kissed the tip of her nose. Sliding her hand in his, Nadine couldn't help but feel proud as he escorted her off the third floor and onto the elevator. She liked to be seen with him. Not because of whom he was or what he could do for her but because of the way he looked at her. No one had ever looked at her the way that Nikolas was looking at her now. Anyone who saw them together knew that they were living in their own lover's haze. When they finally reached the top floor, Nikolas leaned forward to open the door ahead of her before placing his hands over her eyes. "C'mon, Cassadine, let me see!"
Chuckling at her imploring tone, Nikolas guided her to the middle of the roof. He slowly removed his hands to reveal the rooftop picnic he had planned for her. Somewhere in the distance bells tolled, indicating that it was the stroke of midnight. Nadine gaped with an open mouth at the immaculate spread he had arranged on the same blanket they'd used for their first picnic on Spoon Island. "Surprise!" he whispered into her ear before kissing her lobe softly. He offered her a tray lined with chocolate-covered strawberries, baked brie and squares of smoked salmon. She indulged in her sweet tooth and nibbled happily at a strawberry while he poured them each a flute of sparkling cider. "I wanted to get champagne, but I know how the hospital frowns upon alcohol consumption on the premises."
The two of them sat down near each other in the middle of the blanket. The sky was a perfect blanket of velvety black, stars strategically placed to provide just the right romantic glow. A single candle was lit in the middle of the blanket. "This might just be the best surprise yet," she smiled as he lifted a bite of salmon to her frosted lips. Opening her mouth, she relished the smoky flavor as it slid down her throat.
He reached behind him and pulled open the large wicker basket to reveal a small bouquet of wild flowers. "Spencer helped me pick those this afternoon. They're from the patch of trees just behind the stables. I remember how much you like freesia," he told her as she buried her nose in the fragrant blooms. "I know you've been working really hard this week, and I just wanted to do something special for you. Between being here and at the clinic, you should know that your work is appreciated."
"Oh, really?" she proposed cheekily as she turned to him and locked her arms around his neck. "Is that the only thing that you appreciate about me, Mr. Cassadine, my work?" Nikolas was slightly dazed at her proximity and the sultry way she was speaking to him. He stared at her lips intently, watching the shapes her mouth formed with each syllable. He had never been captivated by anyone's mouth so completely before. Even the way she teased him was sexy.
Tension had been building between them for the past week now, and if she didn't have to go back to work, he would likely act on it right there on the top of the roof. Instead, he opted to gather her in his arms and turn their bodies so that he had pinned her beneath him. Hovering over her body, he gazed into her eyes and traced the pads of his thumbs over her ivory skin. "I appreciate how your eyes light up when you are really excited to tell me something. I appreciate this low, guttural way you say my name when you're frustrated. I appreciate the little notes you leave on my desk at the clinic when you know I'm having a bad day. I appreciate when you lean across the seat to kiss me at a red light. I appreciate a lot of things about you, Nadine, but what I appreciate most is the fact that you have never once given up on me or on us."
For once, there were no words. There was nothing she wanted to say. She just wanted to be, to feel, to love. Wrapping her leg around his waist, she lowered him fully onto her body and kissed him. It wasn't hard and fast like their first kiss. It wasn't slow and tender like their second. It wasn't determined and heated like the one earlier in the supply closet. It wasn't sweet and soulful like the one when he apologized to her in the clearing. It was all of these and none of these at the same time. It was like every kiss before it and like nothing that had ever happened between them. And just when Nadine didn't think it could get any better, Nikolas whispered three little words she had been both dreading and wanting to hear. "Dance with me."
Nadine tried not to be nervous as he helped her to her feet. Holding her hand, he guided her to a dark corner of the rooftop where they could see the harbor just over the edge. "There's no music," she protested softly, her voice almost lost in the dark night sky. Nikolas shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. Pulling back the flap of his black blazer, he revealed a tiny black iPod. Tucking one bud into his ear, he offered her the other one before messing with the controls. Once he had found the song he wanted, he hid the player back into his pocket so that both hands were free to hold her. Rather than clasping her hands for a formal waltz, he wrapped them around her waist as hers drifted to his neck.
With her cheek pressed against his chest, she could hear the steady beat of his heart. They swayed rhythmically in time to the soulful musings of Otis Redding's "These Arms of Mine. They didn't kiss, they didn't say a word, they didn't even look each other. They just held onto each other tightly and enjoyed this very private, very intimate moment. In the middle of the rooftop in the middle of the city of Port Charles in the middle of the night, Nikolas Cassadine fell completely in love with Nadine Crowell. And just when he thought it couldn't be any perfect, Nadine turned them around so that they were beneath a light pole, giving them their very own private spotlight. They had finally stepped out of the darkness and into the light.