"Can you hurry up? We're going to be late."

Nadine looked up in shock as Nikolas growled his demand. Things had been perfect between them only a few hours before, but now that he was home, she suddenly felt like they were back in that early part of their relationship when everything had still been undefined. She smoothed her hand over her perfectly straight blonde hair nervously as she grabbed her clutch off the vanity in her room. Not for the first time since he had arrived home, she silently chastised herself for falling asleep with Spencer when she put him down for his afternoon nap. She hadn't meant to, but after playing games with the rambunctious toddler for a few hours, the exhaustion had quickly caught up with her.

She still wasn't used to that much physical activity after the fire, but the fact that she was recovering from life-threatening injuries seemed to escape Nikolas. "I'm sorry," she apologized again, her voice soft and meek. He didn't even bother to acknowledge her as she followed him down the stairs obediently like a small child. When they reached the landing, she grabbed his wrist and forced him to turn and look at her. "I said I'm sorry, Nikolas. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I'm sure your brother will understand if we're a few minutes late."

"That's not the point, Nadine" he informed her in a cold voice. She visibly winced at the disconnected way he said her name. His tone was dripping with distain and disapproval. "I rushed around all afternoon because it was so important to you that we have dinner with Elizabeth and Lucky. I would have been perfectly happy staying home with you tonight, but you insisted that we go out. I just would have appreciated if you could have had enough respect to at least be on time for the plans you made for us."

Confusion watched over her delicate features as she looked up at him, still trying to figure out what she had done that was so horribly wrong. Nadine had been late before, but Nikolas had never reacted like this. "I just got tired," she explained. "Look, I know you're angry, I get that. That doesn't give you the right to speak to me this way. You can't punish me every time I do something that you don't approve of, Nikolas. I'm not your employee or your son. I am the woman that you claimed to love. Please, you need to treat me like an equal."

Suddenly, it was Nikolas that felt like a reprimanded child who had been reminded exactly what his place was. He reached down and grabbed her hand to pull her into a hug. "I'm sorry," he murmured as he held her close to him. "There was just somewhere that I wanted to take you before dinner. I was disappointed when you weren't ready and instead of dealing with that maturely, I took it out on you. I know that I can be selfish sometimes, but I am really trying to get used to it. It's hard when you're used to getting everything that you want."

Running her hands over his back, she leaned back slightly to meet his eye line. "You can still have everything you want, you just need to figure out a better way to approach it," she suggested. "I feel like we keep having the same fight over and over again. I'm sorry that I disrupted your plans, but we have all night. We can go wherever you wanted to take me after dinner."

"Really?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow at her. She was an absolute vision in the slate silk dress she had picked out the day before with Leyla, an angel on earth if there ever was one. Her hair framed her face and just grazed the top of her bare shoulders. He could smell the sweet aroma of the mint shampoo she had started using. "Even after all this, you would go somewhere with me?"

"I'd follow you anywhere, Cassadine," she promised with a kiss. Nikolas quickly lost himself in her, in the promise, in the relief filling his body, in the completeness he felt every time he was with her. "No more fighting tonight, you got me? I want to have a romantic double date with my favorite prince and then come home so that he can savage me like the bad boy that hides underneath all that polite charm."

Twenty minutes of heavy petting in the backseat of a chauffeured town car later, Nikolas straightened his tie before helping Nadine step onto the red carpet leading up to the Metrocourt lobby. Her cheeks were tinged with the slight pink of a natural blush, almost letting everyone know exactly what they had been doing on the ride over from Spoon Island. Tucking her hand into Nikolas' arm, she tried to avoid the gaping stares cast her way as the Cassadine Prince led her into the grand dining room. He didn't seem to notice all the looks, and if he did, it didn't faze him. Instead, his smiling face was fixated on his brother and close friend. "Sorry we are late," Nikolas apologized as he let go of Nadine to kiss Elizabeth's cheek. Lucky leaned forward to do the same to Nadine before hugging his brother. Nadine embraced her friend briefly before sitting down in the chair Nikolas had pulled out for her. "I hope that we didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Not at all," Elizabeth assured him warmly, glancing quickly between her two friends. Between the unusually mussed way Nikolas' hair had fallen and Nadine's slightly smeared lipstick, she could guess what had been keeping them. "We've just been here a few minutes. Lucky had an emergency call before we left his house, so I was actually afraid that we were going to make you wait."

Lucky looked up at his ex-wife with feigned horror as she outed him. "I believe that I wasn't the only one running late, Ms. Spencer," he teased. "In fact, my watch showed that it was ten past when you finally made it to my cottage. What was it that you told me? I believe that shoes were mentioned. You never know which shoes to wear."

Nikolas laughed knowingly as he grinned at his closest female friend. "He does have a point there, Liz. Remember that time we all went to dinner in the city? We almost missed our train because you couldn't figure out if you should wear the black heels or the red ones. Lucky and I got so mad at you, but Em just kept insisting that we couldn't rush a woman's right to fashion."

The three old friends laughed fondly at the memory, creating a clear line between history and the present. While Nadine had grown used to it on some level, it still felt strange at times to hear stories told that would never include her. She didn't begrudge them their memories or the time they had spent with Emily. It was just hard to not be a little jealous of the life Nikolas had lived before her. Sensing her discomfort, Lucky looked up at the blonde nurse and smiled kindly. "We will have to go into New York sometime for dinner. Elizabeth and I haven't been there together in ages," he told her. "There are a million places there that I would love to try."

"Maybe we could make a weekend of it some time with the kids," Nikolas considered. With a team of nannies and other hired help, he could make any vacation possible in a matter of minutes. "I've been meaning to take Spencer to spend some time there, but things have just been so crazy this past year. There is this ballroom there that I have always wanted to go to for dinner. I would really love to take you there."

Given all the history that was between Nikolas, Elizabeth and Lucky, Nadine liked that there were still things that he wanted to do that they hadn't experienced yet. She loved that they would have the chance to create memories of their own, stories they would remember years later and hopefully even tell their children. "I'd really like that," she retorted, reaching under the table for his hand. "So, Elizabeth, how did Spencer do with Cam today at school?"

The rest of dinner was spent recounting the humorous stories of the two little boys at preschool, Lucky's latest case, the run-of-the-mill gossip swirling around the hospital, updates about Lulu's health, the latest whereabouts of Luke Spencer and some business transaction that Nikolas was working on in Switzerland. When the foursome politely declined dessert and the bill was paid, they headed out into the chilly night together. The sky overhead was a thick blanket of black velvet, stars strategically placed to give off just the romantic glow.

"I'm not ready to go home," Elizabeth confided as she pulled her wrap around her shivering body. Lucky slipped his arm around her shoulders in an effort to warm her up. "I love Cam and Jake, but this is the first grown-up time Mommy has gotten outside of the hospital in weeks. I intend to take advantage of it just a little longer."

"Why don't we take a walk along the docks?" Nikolas suggested, instantly concocting a plan in his head. He hadn't been able to give Nadine her gift before dinner like he had wanted, but somehow, doing it at the docks seemed like an even better option. He reached for Nadine's hand, which felt like ice in his palm. Slipping off his jacket, he wrapped it around her shoulders before leading her down the well-lit path toward the harbor.

Lucky and Elizabeth walked a few feet ahead of Nikolas and Nadine, their steps perfectly in sync. "I know that this isn't terribly original given everything that happens here, but the piers really are my favorite place in Port Charles," he decided aloud. "Think of all the history that has happened on these old wooden planks. Life has began and ended here. Hearts came together and were torn apart. People have fallen in and out of love on that bench over there. It's the perfect place for a first kiss, a secret rendezvous, a bitter break-up, an angry fight. The harbor has seen it all."

For just a moment, each of the four friends was lost in their own memories of the piers. Nikolas could see images of stolen kisses with Courtney, hopeless devotion with Emily and new beginnings with Nadine. Elizabeth remembered chasing her children along the edge of the dock, falling in love with Lucky for the first time, trying to figure out everything with Jason and then reconnecting to Lucky unexpectedly all over again. Lucky was filled with thoughts of all the promises he had made to Elizabeth here, all the angry tears he had cried here when he had destroyed their life together for drugs and the renewed hope he felt the day when she asked him to stay Jake's father. Nadine was taken back to the first intimate conversations of her friendship with Nikolas, the awkward moments of trying to deny their feelings for each other and the relief of finally being together. They all had history here.

"These docks remind me of the ones that were on the lake back home in Texas," Nadine remembered as she slid her feet out of her heels and lightly tiptoed toward the edge of the pier. She gazed carefully at the water below before sliding to sit down. Her skirt bunched around her as she allowed her toes to skim the top of the glassy surface. It was absolutely freezing, but she didn't mind. "My sister and I lived there. We would make forts underneath the docks to hideout from the boys in the neighborhood. Later, we used to take them there to hide from our parents."

"You must miss your sister," Elizabeth commiserated as she sat down next to her friend. She hadn't been close to Sarah in years, if ever, but she still missed not having her around nearly every single day. It was almost as if Sarah and Steven had magically disappeared from her life altogether sometimes. "I know what it's like not to have your family around. I mean, I have Grams, but it's not the same as if my siblings were here." Reaching over, Elizabeth gave her a friend a side hug. "If you ever feel like that, I just want you to remember that we're your family now."

Nadine felt silly when a lone tear spilled from the corner of her pale azure eyes. Nikolas and Lucky stood a few steps behind them, exchanging smiles as they watched the women talk. They knew that this moment was important. In many ways, it symbolized a shift in their relationship. It was an official sign that Nadine had been accepted into their fold. They had always liked her and were glad that she was with Nikolas, but Elizabeth acknowledging her as family was significant for the close-knit group.

Lucky cleared his throat and bent down at Liz's side. "What do you say that we go get some of that ice cream you love from that shop over on Robertson? I passed by it today and saw that they had a new flavor."

An excited grin lit her face as she accepted his hand and stood up. "Do you want to join us?" she offered to Nikolas and Nadine. When they both silently shook her head, she simply shrugged and pulled Lucky toward the street. "Oh, well, more for us! Thanks for dinner, you guys. We'll have to do it again."

"Good night!" Nadine called to their retreating backs, quietly laughing to herself as she watched as Elizabeth comically pulled Lucky after her. Their voices filled the air for a few moments but soon faded as they drifted further away. When they were alone again and it was quiet, Nadine leaned back on her palms and looked for Nikolas. "Come sit with me."

He looked at the ground skeptically for a moment, wondering if there was anything on that would get stains out of his suit. Finally, he decided to throw caution to the wind, and took a seat next to her. "Why don't you look in my left coat pocket?" She looked at him questioningly before sliding her hand in to pull out one of the boxes. Nadine turned the slim package over in her palm a few times before returning her gaze to him. "Open it."

"Okay," she agreed hesitantly. She noticed the text on the white paper encasing the box and carefully pealed it away. Nikolas took the document from her and held it in his hand while she opened the package. Inside, she was amused to find the diamond duck necklace. "This is adorable."

"It's like your bracelet," he pointed out. She gently lifted the delicate chain from the box and offered it to him so that he could put in on her. Once the pendant was clasped firmly around her graceful neck, Nadine couldn't stop fingering the necklace. It was one of the most beautiful and thoughtful gifts she had ever received. "I always thought that your bracelet was adorable. It was one of the first things about you that I fell in love with. I knew that you had to have this."

"Well, I love it," she declared happily before rewarding him with a soft, open-mouthed kiss. Their brief interlude was a surprising mix of tender passion and white-hot soul. "And in case I haven't told you tonight, I love you."

Nikolas tucked hair behind her ear and whispered, "I love you, too." He loved how much she had loved her gift and couldn't wait to give her the second part of it, "Why don't you check the other pocket? I think there is something else for you."

A girlish giggle escaped past her lips as she pulled out the other box. It was wrapped in the same paper as the other package, and once again, Nikolas quickly picked it up when she sat it aside on the dock. When she opened the lid, she felt her breath catch in her throat. Nikolas lifted the bracelet carefully and turned it over to reveal the clasp. "I wanted to give you something symbolic of our new family," he explained as she traced the initials. This time, more than a single tear spilled down her cheeks. He brushed them away before kissing along the path the salty droplets had taken over her fair skin. "I'll take it that you like it."

"This is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever given me," she professed tearfully before clutching the bracelet to her heart. "Thank you, Nikolas. I don't just mean for the gifts either. As much as I love the jewelry, which is more than you could know, it means even more to hear you call the three of us a family. I love you and Spencer so much. Thank you for letting me be apart of your family."

He wasn't even given a chance to reply because before he could respond, Nadine was in his lap, slowly pressing his back toward the docks as she devoured him with sweetly sinful kisses. She was relentless in her attach, swallowing his breath and taking it as her own. She was hungry to show him how much this meant, how much it made her feel. From the first moment when she had realized that she had loved Nikolas, Nadine had hoped for this moment. All of that dreaming hadn't even begun to prepare her for how amazing the reality of it felt.

After a few minutes, Nikolas had to push her away and catch his breath. If they had kept it up too much later, he was afraid that he would forget his polite upbringing and take her right there in public. When they had managed to disentangle themselves, he elected to reveal the final part of his gift to her. "There's just one more thing," he confessed before handing her the two legal documents that had served as wrapping paper. "Read this."

Her eyes scanned the pages quickly as she read over the contracts. Nadine's eyes widened in disbelief as her jaw fell open. "You bought my apartment building."

"I did."

"You're my new landlord?"

"I am."

"But why?"

Turning to her, Nikolas took both her hands in his and stared deeply into her blue eyes. He had lived with quite a few women over the years, but asking them had never felt like this. Only with Emily had he actually believed in forever, but the back of his mind had always suspected that their time together was only temporary. With Nadine, all of that doubt was gone. He truly believed in their forever and happily ever after. "I want you to move in with me."

"Wow," she gasped. She had been hoping for this moment but had never dared to think that it might actually happen. "You know that you didn't have to buy my apartment building to get me to live with you. You could have just asked."

"I could," he concurred, "but that's not the only reason I wanted to buy it. I wanted you to have somewhere that you could always go to if you needed to clear your head. I wanted you to have a place of your own. And if you just happen to invite me there sometimes to make some noise, all the better."

Nadine blushed deeply as she swatted him playfully. "Okay, I get why you wanted to keep my apartment but why the entire building?"

"Well, I thought that it could be our first project together," he suggested. "I know that we worked on the clinic together, but that wasn't really about you and me. I was thinking that we could remodel the apartments and then lease them to low-income families like we serve at the clinic. They could pay based on their income, and then we could put their rent into a fund to use for the same families. We could offer scholarships for the kids, throw parties for the building, do whatever you wanted. You could keep your space upstairs and we could rent out the rest. What do you think?"

"I think it's an amazing and generous thing to do. I would love to work on it with you."

"What about the living together part?"

"That too."

"So we're going to live together?" he asked, his eyes dancing with joy and satisfaction. He had always known that she was going to say yes, but hearing the words from her mouth made it real. "We're going to live together."

"I'm not sure, Cassadine," she deadpanned, letting her voice trail off to conjure just the slightest hint of doubt in his mind, "but I'm pretty sure that we already do."