A/N: Once again you have all stunned me with your kind words, I really can't thank you enough for all the reviews and for reading. Sorry this took longer than I wanted it too, as much as I want too focus on writing this, duty calls. The link below is the house that sort of inspired this chapter so if you want to, give it a look. Hope you all like this chapter, it wasn't what I had originally intended but it seemed to work so I kept it.
.com/post/3462070942/connecticut-family-beach-house#bw
Chapter 20 – Coughing and Celebratory Road Trips
The next morning Heather woke up feeling slightly better, and at this point any sort of improvement was much appreciated. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked around her room, thoughts of the night before coming back to her. Naya showing up and taking care of her then staying to cuddle, sick or not her night had definitely gotten better. As her hand moved along her satin sheets she realized that a certain body was missing. Opening her eyes her worst fear rushed over her, that she had dreamt the whole thing. Then without missing another beat Naya walked back into the room and crawled back under the covers.
"Morning sunshine. How ya feeling?" Naya asked as she brought the back of her hand up to Heather's forehead. "Still got a bit of a fever."
"Little better." Heather smiled as she moved over and cuddled into Naya's side.
"Someone is a cuddle monster this morning. Did you want me to make you something to eat?" Heather shook her head before laying it down on Naya's shoulder.
"Thank you for staying."
Naya smiled as she gently rubbed Heather's back. "I wouldn't up and leave when you're sick. What kind of friend would that make me?" Naya laughed. "Get some more rest, I'll be right here." She felt Heather nod her head slightly. A few minutes later when she looked back down Heather was fast asleep. Reaching over she grabbed her phone and sent a text to Dianna asking her to walk Maurice when she took Arthur out.
When Heather awoke again she felt the warm body beneath her. As she opened her eyes she smiled and looked up noticing that Naya too had fallen asleep. She didn't have the energy to try and get up yet or move away so she stayed and listened to the rise and fall of Naya's chest. She glanced around her room without lifting her head and in that moment she realized that this is what she had always wanted.
Her heart had wanted Naya since the moment they met, her first day on set so many years before. It took so long for her head to figure out what her heart truly desired that she hoped it wasn't too late. In that moment she didn't want Naya to wake up because she knew reality would set in and at some point Naya would have to leave again.
Mornings have haunted her ever since Naya had left her house that fateful morning. To this day she hadn't forgiven herself for not chasing Naya's Range Rover down, even in her bare feet. She contemplated how things might have been different if she had but as she laid there now listening to the sound of Naya's breathing it suddenly didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that they had somehow found their way back to one another and for the first time Heather contemplated on whether or not Ashley had been right all along. Maybe the reason she had chosen New York was solely about Naya and not about the writing. Her heart was in New York and the only one who really knew that wasn't a person at all, it was fate.
Two Weeks Later
Naya walked into the small coffee shop at around 10 pm but instead of ordering her favourite she opted for a small green tea in hopes it would help relax her so she could get to sleep. She let out a small yawn, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she walked over to the small table to get a lid for her cup. She was so tired that she hadn't taken a moment to take a look around the café like she normally did.
"You should get some sleep you know, hate to break it to you but even you need sleep wonder woman." She felt the warm breath tickle her ear as the person whose voice she had just heard leaned around her to grab the honey.
"Believe me, I'm about to go home and crash, hopefully." She finished putting the lid on her drink before she turned around as the other person turned and walked back to their seat that was right next to the table. Naya smiled at the open lap top on the table. "I take it you're feeling better if you're up and writing?"
Heather smiled as she watched Naya lean against the table, eye lids heavy from exhaustion. "I'm feeling much better, I had this one friend come over and take care of me so it must have been the chicken soup she brought me. I just realized I never thanked her either." She looked up and gave Naya her classic smile. "Thank you, it really did mean a lot."
Naya giggled slightly. "Except you have thanked me, about ten times."
Heather shook her head, pouring the honey into her tea. "Those were text messages, they don't count. Except I think my writing caught whatever I had because I can't seem to write to save my life and I have a meeting with some execs in a week."
"Writers block?"
Heather nodded as she stared at the screen with a blank expression. "I've tried everything, going for a walk, a jog, watching movies, closing my eyes and visualizing but nothing seems to help.
"Sometimes its just your work space, when you're used to working in a certain area, you get to comfortable so your brain gets cozy and doesn't think as outside the box. At least that's what happens to me."
Thinking for minute Heather realized that Naya might be right, her brain just wasn't as into it because every time she sat down to write she started doing something else. "My apartment used to be so good for writing and now, it doesn't work and neither does this place. Maybe I'll try the library and hopefully that will turn out better."
It was Naya's turn to shake her head. "You could always write at my place if you want. Maurice is great company for writing, and I'm never there so it'd be quiet and you wouldn't be as distracted."
"I couldn't impose like that Nay."
"You aren't imposing, I'm offering, come on, it's late-ish you can finish at my place. I'll even let you open your very own bottle of wine." Heather decided that she wasn't going to argue she was just going to get up and go with the flow. If she could be close to Naya then she'd take it. "Plus if you really can't figure it out, Di and I will be around."
When Naya opened her front door, Maurice ran towards her excitedly. After rubbing against Naya's leg he realized that someone else was with her and ran over to Heather who immediately started to pet him as she always did.
"Make yourself at home, if you need anything you know where the kitchen is. I'm going to go open that bottle of wine for you and I'm going to have a beer while I catch up on my shows." Heather nodded as Naya walked down the hall and into her kitchen.
The two friends spent the night Naya falling asleep on the couch while catching up on missed shows and Heather falling asleep with her head on Naya's desk upstairs in the office. It was Maurice who unintentionally woke Naya up at about 4 am when he got up from the floor and hit her hand. Yawning as she stretched she looked around before remembering what she was doing before falling asleep. Making her way upstairs she changed into her pajamas. Just as she was about to go to bed she noticed the light on down the hall in the office. Shaking her head she opened the door to give Heather hell for staying up so late when she saw blonde hair sprawled out on the cherry wood of her desk, Heather's head in her arms.
Walking over to the blonde Naya gently rubbed her shoulders, letting out a small laugh when she sat up quickly. "What time is it?" She asked groggily as she looked around the room.
"About 4, I think its time for you to get some sleep, take the guest room, I think Maurice is already in there." Naya smiled as she moved back so that Heather could get up.
Two hours later Heather woke up when she thought she heard a scream. She sat up in bed momentarily and listened but the house was silent. She figured she was dreaming so she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. No sooner had she closed her eyes did she hear a scream. Jumping from her bed without thinking about the fact that she was only wearing a tank top and boy short underwear she ran into Naya's room. Maurice was sitting on the floor beside Naya's bed as she tossed around. Heather didn't remember Naya ever having nightmares but she did remember that she had told her once that when she was younger she used to get night terrors. Heather lightly rubbed Naya's back trying to wake her and when that didn't work she rubbed a little harder. "Nay, nay wake up." A couple seconds later Naya stirred and woke with a gasp. She was breathing heavily as her eyes took in the comfortable surroundings of her room. As she turned over she looked up into worried blue eyes. "You okay?" Heather asked as she sat down on the bed next to Naya's legs, one arm resting on the other side of Naya's legs. Her other hand reached up and brushed the hair out of Naya's face.
Naya simply nodded her head as her breathing returned to normal. They sat like that for a couple minutes, neither saying a word. "Thank you for waking me, James used to but obviously he isn't here." She let out a shaky laugh. "Thanks again." Heather nodded.
"Anytime, how long have you been having nightmares for?"
"Since I moved to New York." It was the most answer Naya could give her. "The truth was that they had come back ever since her and Heather had started fighting so many years before. She wasn't sure why but she figured that she felt so comfortable around Heather that the nightmares had subsided while she was around. Once she left L.A. and Heather they started again. It was never something serious, more of an annoyance, but it left her sleepless some nights all the same. "I'm alright now." Through the dim light she saw Heather smile and get up. Instinctively she reached for the blondes hand. Their fingers grazed causing Heather to turn around. "Stay, please." That was all it took for Heather to move around to the other side of the bed and climb under the covers.
Looking around she spotted the remote on the bedside table. She hoped that things hadn't changed and that Naya still charged her ipod in the stereo when she went to bed. As the blue light turned on across the room Heather smiled when she saw that, indeed the ipod was in its docking station. Getting up and making her way towards the light Heather quickly found what she was looking for. Making her way back to bed and under the covers she pressed play and let the soft music fill the room. Naya rolled over onto her side causing Heather to do the same. "Even though the moment passed me by, I still can't turn away. Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose get tossed along the way, letters that you never meant to send get lost and thrown away." She sang softly as she saw Naya's body relax. Not long after that they both fell back to sleep.
Over the next week Heather found herself at Naya's more often then she was home. For whatever reason Naya's office had become her writing zone and Naya's bed had become her own. If it wasn't for Zach she wasn't sure that she would have gone home at all.
It was finally the day she had been dreading, the day she met with the film execs to see if anyone was interested in buying it. She had left Naya's early that morning to go home to shower and get ready. It wasn't until she was getting dressed that she realized she had left the final copy of the script in Naya's office. Looking at her watch she figured she had enough time to run over there, grab it and make the meeting with a few minutes to spare, it would just mean that she would have to go without a coffee.
Later that afternoon Naya was lying comfortably on the couch when the door bell rang. She automatically ruled out Dianna and Lea because those two always walked right in but she wasn't expecting company. Throwing the blanket onto the back of the couch she made her way to the door. She stretched before opening and was pleasantly surprised to see Heather standing in front of her. Then it hit her. "Oh my god, how did the meeting go?"
Heather grinned from ear to ear before picking Naya up and spinning her around in the doorway. "They want to buy it, it could potentially be an actual movie!"
"That's awesome, I'm so excited for you." Naya said once Heather put her down.
"They want me to have as much control of it as I want. Which means I definitely want to find locations, it needs to be perfect and I just don't trust anyone else to do it. I can't wait to start working on that and fixing everything up. My dream is coming true and its because of you." Heather shook her head at herself. "That wasn't supposed to rhyme I'm just so happy and excited, is Di home, I need to tell her too."
Naya shook her head. "No she's away I'm dog sitting Arthur while she's gone. Actually, do you want to go somewhere and celebrate? We can bring the dogs, be there by tonight and stay til morning?"
"Really, a road trip?" Naya nodded. "We haven't been on one of those in forever."
"I know, we can call it a celebratory road trip with a little work mixed in."
"How about I meet you outside your building in an hour?" Heather nodded excitedly.
"Sounds good to me." She started to walk down the steps, getting to the sidewalk she hailed a cab.
"I'm proud of you." Naya said just before Heather got into the cab causing the girl to turn around and smile before getting in.
An hour later Heather waited just inside the lobby doors when she saw a red range rover pull up. She suspected that it was later and her suspicions turned out to be right when a second later her phone vibrated telling her she had a new message. Here. Was all it said, but that's all it needed to say as Naya walked out the doors.
"Have fun with Ms. Rivera." The doorman said to her causing her to wonder how he knew who was waiting for her inside the SUV.
"You ready?" Naya asked as Heather got in. Heather nodded in response as she set her back in the back next to Arthur and put on her seatbelt. "Ever been to Connecticut Hemo?"
"Can't say that I have."
"Well we're about to change that."
By late evening with the sun setting Naya pulled up to a long narrow driveway. Turning in Heather was excited to see where she had been taken. When they got close enough to see the house Heather's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "Naya how much is this place to rent, its incredible." She said of the three story beach house that sat in front of her. Naya just shrugged as she got out of the car and opened the backdoor for Maurice to get out while she picked up Arthur.
"Can you grab my back for me please?" Heather nodded as she got both their bags. By the time she made her way to the front door Naya already had it opened and the dogs were running around inside. "Come on in. I take it you want the grand tour?" Naya said as she closed the door and moved into the house behind Heather who was looking around wide eyed.
Heather moved through first floor before walking up the stairs. She moved through the kitchen towards the back window in the living room. The moon was rising as the light faded with the sun. The view was amazing, she had never really seen the sun set over water before and she had to admit that this was perfect. A moment later she saw Naya stand next to her out of the corner of her eye. "Seriously how much did this place cost?"
"Doesn't matter we're celebrating tonight and you deserved the vacation."
"Nay, come on, how much."
Naya laughed as she moved back and sat down on the couch. "About 1.3 but that was three years ago so with inflation who knows."
"Wait 1.3? As in million? For the weekend?"
"No, you goof. I bought this place a couple years ago, James and I vacationed here and it was for sale. I fell in love with the place and thought it was a good investment." Heather looked around and suddenly noticed the small finishing touches. The pictures on the wall, the wooden floors, it was all very Naya. "I don't normally bring anyone here, its kind of my get away place when the world seems so crazy. I can't always jump on a plane and fly home to L.A and be near the water so this is my substitute. I also thought it might be a nice place for one of the houses in your script." She said as she stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "Beer or wine?"
"Wine." Heather answered as she sat on the stool in the kitchen. "You're right it would be perfect for that."
Naya nodded as she handed Heather a glass of wine. "I thought you might think so."
"There's something I need to ask you." Heather said, wanting to get this out of the way. Naya sipped on her wine and waited for Heather to continue. "I want you to be apart of the writing process and the movie in any capacity you want to. You helped make it what it is and I really couldn't have done it without you. I know you're busy with the show and recording so whenever you have the time but if you don't want too I totally understand."
Setting her wine glass down Naya smiled at her friend. "I will help with whatever you need. I always gots time for you Hemo."
Two hours and the bottle of wine later Naya made her way upstairs. "So this is the bedroom." She said as she turned the light on causing Heather to walk straight towards the glass window before turning around and looking at the bed.
"You walk up to this view in the morning?" Naya nodded. "I'd say this place was worth every penny then."
"Make yourself comfortable and don't wake up too early to see the sunrise you're on a mini vacation remember."
As Naya started to make her way downstairs Heather stopped her. "Wait, I can't take your bedroom."
"You can and you will, the guest room isn't finished yet and I've woken up to that view before."
"If the guest room isn't done where are you sleeping?"
"The couch, and its not a big deal, I've slept on it before, it's comfy."
Heather shook her head. "We can share." She said softly. "Not like we haven't shared a bed before." Her comment made both of them laugh.
"Guess that's true." Heather smiled triumphantly knowing that she had won.
The next morning Naya wasn't in bed when Heather woke up. Looking at the clock she saw that it was only 8 o'clock and the sky was somewhat overcast. Getting out of bed she stretched her limbs out as she looked out the large window. She watched the waves crash into shore before movement on the beach caught her eye. Looking away from the water she saw Naya running around on the beach with both dogs. She had to admit that the more time she spent with Naya the more she realized that she was falling in love all over again. Except this time she wasn't so sure that Naya felt the same way. She still felt that the girl was holding back and in some ways she guessed she was too.
Shaking the thought from her mind she turned her attention back to the room. It was beautiful last night but without the alcoholic buzz it was absolutely stunning. After a few minutes and the sound of her stomach grumbling Heather decided to make her way down the spiral staircase towards the kitchen. By the time she got there she heard Naya and the dogs making their way up the steps. "Hey, how'd you sleep?" She asked happily, a radiant smile on her face.
"Good, you? No nightmares?"
Naya shook her head. "Nope no nightmares, your ugly mug must have scared them away."
"Always so charming Rivera." Naya winked at.
"I'm going to hope in the shower, help yourself to, well cereal. It's clearly been a little while since I've been here."
Heather nodded as she watched Naya walk away. After pouring herself a bowl of lucky charms she moved into the living room and sat down as she turned on the tv. It was then that a picture on the mantle caught her eye, rather it was Naya's smile in the picture that caught her eye. Setting her bowl on the table she got up and moved towards the picture. She studied it closely for a couple minutes, something about it was so familiar. Naya and Maurice sat cuddling on Naya's couch in front of a large window, except the room wasn't from Naya's house it looked eerily similar to Heather's apartment.
To be continued…
