A/N Hi everyone. Wanted to say thanks for continued support through my break. Unfortunately school will be starting very shortly. I've also been doing a little work over on fiction press. Same name if you want to check out some poetry. But I'm back.
Jess sits alone in the stall of the bathroom. If he wanted to talk to me and really be with me like last night he could easily follow me to the bathroom. It's a loft we all share it and darn it there's not even a door.
She continues to hide in the stall. Not exactly crying but mourning the lost of something she thought was real. If she cries one of the guys may hear or she'll have to leave the bathroom with smeared mascara. As Jess sits and turns over events in her head she finally hears the sound of shuffling feet headed in the direction of the bathroom.
"Took you long enough. How was your stupid phone call" a pouty Jess says standing up and pushing her way out of the green stall. However, her voice cowers away at the sight of a near naked Winston with hands over his nipples hiding as if he needed a reason to. Jess grumbles "your pogo is showing" and she wanders out of the bathroom and back to her bed where she collapses with a loud thud.
Winston stands confused in the bathroom wrapping his towel a little tighter. "Every morning" he says to himself wishing his pogo was a bit more under his control like Schmidt's monster toe nails or Jess' know it all attitude. As Winston prepares for the shower, he is again interrupted. Looking down at his vibrating phone he reads a text from Nick.
"I'm down at the bar early in the morning. Care for a few drinks and conversation about who you've been talking to lately?"
Why is he drinking already? A curious Winston ponders. Nick is a bit of a lone drinker. When he gets to be grumpy Nick he'll have some drinks on his own at whatever time of day. So why does he want me there? Deciding to meet Nick, Winston shoots him a 'I will be there' message and gets in the long awaited shower.
Walking into the bar, Winston spots Nick over by the bar yelling at the current bartender.
"I could do better. I have done better" Nick says in his grumpy old man voice promptly before ripping the bottle out of the bartenders hands and pouring his own drink. He spills a little when Winston approaches him and stands to hug him. "Hey Winnie!"
"What's up Nick" Winston says precariously as he takes residence on the bar stool adjacent to Nick.
"What's up with you? You've been disappearing late at night and smiling at your phone through the day" Nick says taking note on the previous nights.
"I'm just seeing this girl, Daisy. She's pretty fun." Winston says as he texts her. Confidence was never his strongest suit but Daisy brings a sense of courage to the man. But clearly this conversation was never directed towards Winston. "Nick man, what is going on with you. I saw Jess this morning and she looked upset and you're in a bad mood too..." Winston's tone takes on that of an accusatory voice as his mind starts to add up the obvious facts.
Jess and Nick at the bar the other night. Clearly they had fun but they were in a zone of unadulterated happiness most people never reach. As clear as day even the most distant of strangers could see two souls linking together over the width of the bar. Yes they went to the same apartment but they did not go to their different rooms. The sounds of the night made that clear to Winston. And now, seeing a depressed Jess and a drunken Nick, Winston only had one question.
"Was it good?" Ok two questions. "Sorry man. I mean, what went wrong?"
"Caroline called. Which I thought I wanted but I also thought Jess and I connected. Apparently I was wrong because Jess told me to answer when Caroline called." Nick says frowning as his brows furrow. none of this makes sense
"That's the problem right there. Girls never say what they mean. Look, Jess is strong and weird but she is still a girl. You have to talk to her"
Winston, despite his general awkwardness at his own situations, seems to be the voice of reason. Nick isn't one for stating emotions out loud but he'd be damned if he couldn't find a solution. At least figure out if she felt the same thing.
Quickly Winston and Nick make their way back to the loft. As Winston prepares himself for a day at the office Nick rushes to Jess' door to find it open and her room empty. Checking the bathroom he quickly discovers she is not home. &probably just went to work&
Taking a seat at the couch, Nick watches as Schmidt comes into the house only to head back out for work. He sees Winston off to his day working at the station. And hours pass as Nick sits alone. Everyone comes home and before Nick can even realize it, it is time for his shift at the bar. Everyone came home except Jess.
Winston hops on the couch near Nick. "Don't worry about it man. Maybe she went out with Cece or some teacher friends." Winston says in a whisper avoiding Schmidt's ears. He hopes to relax Nick to no avail.
"Yeah." Nick less than audibly mutters as he pushes himself off the couch. Just as he reaches the door he nearly falls into the person on the other side attributed to the fact that Jess was rushing into the loft. "Uh...hi"
"Hi everyone!" Jess says in a false bubbly voice making sure not to address Nick personally. Pushing past him, Jess heads towards the kitchen and grabs a bottle of water from the fridge. "Fellas get out the way because this foxy lady has got a date tonight and I have to hurry! Oh Nick weren't you heading out?" She asks in a light indifferent voice noticing him standing at the open door.
"A date?" He says his voice slightly raised. Nick clears his throat and starts again. "I mean where'd you meet this guy"
"Well my students are kind of out of hand. This one kid claims he has a car and he smokes. Anyway, he had an asthma attack and I had to sign some forms when we took him to the hospital. And I met a doctor named Sam." She says skipping off to her room for a change of clothes. Against a closed door she agrees to move on. At least for now. Because he still wants Caroline.
A/N Having trouble writing :/ Thanks again to followers. I'm thinking that when the new season starts I may do alternate endings to episodes or short continuations of what the next episode may be like. What do you think? Leave a review please and thank you.