A.N. I am so happy with everyone's positive feedback with this story. It means more than you know. The last 2 chapters I wrote I was eventually happy with them. This one I couldn't get it to work at all. So its a bit weak in my opinion. Feedback is greatly appreciated, good, bad or indifferent.
Disclaimer - I don't own the rights to Rookie Blue.
The Day after The Night Before.
Noelle had a really restless sleep that night. All what John had divulged to her was whizzing around in her brain. All the same thoughts she had the night before were playing in her head again.
"What am I going to do?" Noelle spoke to herself. She turned over in her bed and looked at the clock on her nightstand saw that it was 8 am. Right I don't have to get up for another hour or so. So let me please get a bit more sleep, please brain.
Noelle had just managed to get over to sleep when her phone rang about an hour later. She looked at the number on the display she didn't recognize it.
"Hello" Noelle got out in a sleepy tone.
"Noelle, its John" the other voice on the end of the phone said.
Noelle sat straight up in bed.
"Hi John." She managed to say trying to get her game head on.
"Did I wake you, Noelle?"
"Yeah, you did but I was going to be getting up soon any way" in frustration because she had a great hour sleep without a thought of him.
"I am not going to keep you to long. Last night you asked me to call you about lunch today. Is that still on?" John hoped that it was.
"Yeah, its still on. Where and when?"
"I am thinking of DeLucianos on Wellington St. I remember you used to love that place. How about 1 is that ok for you?"
"Yeah 1 is fine. I still love DeLucianos." Noelle was shocked that after all this time he still remembered her favourite restaurant.
"I will see you then." John ended his part of the conversation with.
"See you then." Noelle snapped her phone shut.
Noelle got up out of bed and went for a shower. While Noelle was in the shower she said a little prayer "God, I don't know what to do. So please give me the guidance that I need to handle this situation."
Noelle got out of the shower and got herself dressed. She really didn't know what she was going to do when she met up with John in a few hours time. To take her mind off the whole situation she busied herself with the chores that she needed to do. Time marched on before she knew it, it was 12.15pm and she knew that she was going to have to go.
Noelle made her way to her car, she was nervous really nervous. Once in the car on the way to the restaurant, her stomach had butterflies in it, just like when she met up with John for their first date. Noelle made it to the parking lot of the restaurant and parked her car. She was early so sat in the car trying to compose herself. Time to bite the bullet, Noelle. You can't make this decision sitting in your car. The voice in her head said. Eventually Noelle got out of her car and made her way into the restaurant.
A little dark haired waitress made her way to Noelle and asked "How may I help you?"
"I am meeting a "friend" for lunch, I am wondering if he is here already?" Noelle inquired.
"What is his name?" the waitress asked.
"John Morgan." Noelle replied.
"He's not here yet but I can show you to your table." The waitress took Noelle to the table, which was in one of the booths. Noelle sat down on the black leather seat in the booth. Something seemed familiar to Noelle about this booth. Finally the penny dropped. This is the booth that John and I sat in on our first date. Did he request this booth or is it just coincidence?
The waitress came over and asked if Noelle would like a drink. Noelle definitely needed a drink; she ordered a scotch to calm her nerves. The waitress came back with the scotch. Noelle took a large gulp of her drink.
A few minutes later, John arrived. The same waitress asked, "How can I help you sir?"
"I am meeting a friend for lunch. I am wondering if she is here yet. The table is booked under the name of Morgan."
"She is here sir, come with me." John followed the waitress to the booth.
Noelle looked up and saw John and said "I thought you weren't going to make it."
"Sorry, I was in a meeting at I.A. and it finished late. I got here as quick as I could." John apologized
"It's okay"
John sat down and the waitress asked him for his drinks order "I'll have a club soda." The waitress walked away " I can't have anything stronger as I have to get back to work at some point today. Glad you made it Noelle, I didn't think YOU would have come."
"I told you I would be here, once I say I am going to do something, I stick to it." She snapped.
"Yeah, that is one thing I remembered about you Noelle, you always kept your promises." John recalled.
There was a moment of awkward silence, as neither knew what to say to each other and who was going to go first. Eventually the silence was broke when John spoke.
"Noelle, I know I laid a lot on to you last night. I hope in time you will be able to forgive me and maybe we can be friends."
"We will see about that. It was a lot of information that you gave me. I don't know what I am feeling at the moment. I may take time for us to be friends." Noelle said while looking deep into her glass of scotch.
"You're here now and that is a start." John said happily.
"Yeah, I was nervous about coming for lunch. It felt like I was meeting you that day we had our first date." Noelle remembered.
"You aren't the only one that is nervous." John shakily admitted.
The waitress came across and took their order. Noelle ordered Rigatoni Ala Vodka and John went for Spaghetti Polpette.
"I have a few questions for you if you are willing to answer them?"
"Shoot, I will answer them to the best of my ability." John replied.
"Why would the staff sgt not tell me of all people your partner and then girlfriend that you were going UC?" was Noelle's first question.
"I don't know why he didn't tell you. Nobody and I mean nobody from the 15 knew I was going UC. You know what it is like when you go UC especially when its for I.A. Coppers hate I.A. with a passion and I know it now more than ever as I am in charge of that department. Plus they would probably think I was being a snitch going UC against one of our own." John replied to Noelle's question.
"I am going to ask you again. Why didn't you try and get in contact with me after the op was over? or When you returned to Toronto? It has been known UC cops manage to let loved ones know they were ok. Why couldn't you?" hoped to get a straight answer this time.
"Like I told you last night that I wanted you to let you know that I was safe and still loved you. I even tried to get my handler to pass you some letters from me. He wouldn't take them. I couldn't use the phone because it could be traced to you. So I thought the best way to deal with it, is to cut all communication. Which actually broke me inside. You were my world Noelle. I still have feelings for you that have never gone" John admitted. "When I returned to Toronto I lost my nerve because I was worried about how you would react. I cared too much to put you through seeing me again."
"How do you think staying out of my life would help?" Noelle getting more annoyed
"To be honest I have no idea. I sounded the best form of action at the time. I was a stupid man hopelessly in love with you wanted what was best for you."
"If you are in love with someone then you don't hurt them. I know I wouldn't have hurt you like, you did to me." Noelle retorted.
"I know that when I look back on it now, it was stupid and hearing it coming from your mouth. I know that you wouldn't have hurt me. So what I did was reprehensible." John said sheepishly.
Then eventually their food came and in relatively comfortable silence they ate the food. Noelle would occasionally look at John and her heart beat fast and her stomach would flutter, he looked as good as she remembered he did. Some men age better just like a good bottle of wine. He was one of them. Noelle could feel herself melting and everything that she was bottling up slowly releasing. Why does he make me go weak at the knees?
Noelle decided to bring up the fact that this was the same booth that they had their first date in. "Do you realize this is the same booth that we had our first date in?"
"Yeah, I knew this was the booth that we had our first date in because when I called to book it, I asked the for this booth." John admitted.
"Really? Why?" Noelle was shocked at John's admission
"This is going to make me sound so soft but I don't care" John said with a wicked glint in his eye that made Noelle blush "I wanted you to know that there has been nobody in this world apart from my mom been as important to me as you. So I asked them for this booth. Even after all these years I still love you Noelle."
Noelle began to get really hot and flustered at that admission. I was pissed off at him last night and now he has got me blushing like a little schoolgirl. He still loves me. I still love him too even after all these years.
"John, I still have feelings for you. Seeing you last night was a mixture of emotions. It's hard to put a finger on all of them. One of them was relief that you were alive. Another was anger after all the pain you put me through." Noelle eventually admitted. "I was sitting last night at home thinking of ways to get you back. Then a thought of something my mom said to me sitting here that you should forgive the people that hurt you as you can only hurt yourself more, revenge is never the answer. She was right and it has served me well over these years. So John, I don't why I am saying this but I forgive you as your life was in danger and you were protecting those closest to you." Noelle sighed.
"Noelle, you don't know how much that means to hear that you forgive me after all these years and what I put you through." John said feeling relief wash over him and he smiled.
"I am not saying that we can be friends straight away but we can take it slowly." Noelle replied still being cautious of her own heart.
"Noelle, I will take it at your pace. I will respect anything that you decide. I have waited all these years. I can wait as long as it takes." John smiled thinking that he had won the jackpot on the lottery.
After that John's phone rang. Noelle looked at him daring him to answer it. John took it out of his pocket and looked at the number.
"Noelle, I am so sorry I have got to take this. It's a CI that I am working on an ongoing investigation." John hated that his phone had gone off.
"Yeah, sure. I know what its like when I'm working a case and a CI calls."
John stood up and walked away from the booth. He was busy talking to the other person on the phone. Noelle just was in amazement that John was back in her life but she didn't know in what form yet. She finished her lunch and scotch by the time that John returned.
"Noelle, I am so, so sorry but I really have to go. My CI has just given me some really good information that could blow this case right open." John regrettably admitted; he didn't want to leave Noelle at all.
"Go, sort out your case. You have my number give me a call then we can meet up and discuss this matter more." Noelle conceded that she wanted to see John again.
"Yeah, sure. Why not tomorrow after your shift? You early, lates or Night?"
"Early"
"Why don't we meet up early afternoon? I am on early too. If you want we can ask Sam and his girlfriend Andy to come along with us. So you have some moral support if needed. I'll call Sam later."
"Yeah, tomorrow after shift would be good. I think Sam and Andy coming along is a good idea." Noelle conceded.
"See you tomorrow. Noelle, I am really looking forward to it already. Don't worry about the bill. I will take care of it when I leave."
"See you tomorrow." Noelle smiled and stood up and gave John a hug.
John walked away from the table and took care of the bill.
Noelle just looked at him. He's still got it looking at his butt. WAIT, WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED THERE? I am now going on a double date with John, Sam and Andy.