**Author's Note: This chapter has, relatively mild, M rated content. This is a really big chapter in the story, so...ENJOY.**
Flat Call- A situation where one might be expected to raise.
Saturday morning
Nick waited until he heard the water turn on in the shower. He listened for a few moments and then made his way to his suitcase laying open on the bed. Reaching down into the bottom corner, he pulled out the small black velvet box that had consumed his thoughts over the last few days. He opened it and stared at the ring glistening against the red velvet interior. His heart ached to give this to Jess, he just hadn't figured out how. He didn't realize how long he had been standing there until he heard Jess from the bathroom doorway.
"Hey, Nick? I can't reach the showerhead and it's angled funny."
He quickly tossed the box back in his suitcase without looking and ran to the bathroom. Nick couldn't stop smiling when he walked in to see her standing there with her hands on her hips, fully naked. "Mmmm..." He leaned over to kiss her, pulling her waist to him.
She returned the kiss and then quickly pulled back, slapping his chest. "NO. We have to get ready!"
He rolled his eyes, letting out a little laugh. "Fine." He opened the glass door, getting hit by a mist of water. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath as he reached up. He motioned for her to step into the shower. She stepped in and smiled at him, before turning around and reaching up to wet her hair. He paused for a moment, taking in the gorgeous woman in front of him, before he adjusted the shower head. Jess opened her eyes as he started to close the door. She tilted her head and gave him one of those looks she always seemed to save for him. "Thank you, Nick."
He stepped back from the shower and turned around, resting his hands on the edge of the sink and taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes and went through countless different phrases in his head on how he could propose.
Jessica Day, I've loved you for as long as I can remember. Will you marry me? No. No, she'd want something more romantic and meaningful.
"Did you say something?" Jess peaked her head out of the open shower door. "I'm sorry, it's SO loud in here."
SHIT. Did he just say that out loud? He stuttered. "Wh...what? I uh, what did you say?" He raised his head and caught her eye in the partially fogged up mirror.
She shook her head as the glass door bounced shut. "Nevermind!"
He held his breath for a moment, before releasing it in a loud sigh. Thankfully, she hadn't heard anything. He laughed to himself that he must have been talking out loud. This entire process was driving him to do some crazy things, including being a terrible liar. He just hoped that Jess hadn't noticed his strange behavior over the past few days. He was lost in his thoughts again, when he heard the water shut off and warm hands find their way around his waist.
Nick could feel her wet hair dripping on the back of his t-shirt as she hugged her towel-wrapped body tightly against him.
"Sorry I couldn't hear you. I don't know why, but it's so loud in there." She let out a laugh. "Must be this bathroom being the size of our entire loft!"
He smiled and turned towards her, grabbing her around the waist and lifting her up on the marble counter. She threw her head back and giggled, her eyes sparkling. He smiled at her, raising his eyebrows.
"You're beautiful, ya know that?"
She slapped his chest before giving him a kiss. Turning on her best Judy Garland voice, she replied, "You're not so bad yourself."
They both erupted into laughter as he stepped between her legs. As he watched her intently, his breathing became labored and he slowly ran his hands along her thighs. He watched her gasp at his touch, and her eyes darken. When he reached her knees, he gently coaxed them against his own body, and she wrapped them around his waist. She moaned into his kiss, pressing herself against his erection, which was even with her as she scooted to the edge of the counter.
Slowly, he pulled the towel down her back and it fell to the counter. Trailing his hands down her sides and along her hip bones, her eyes closed as his fingers began to tease her opening. Leaning her head back, he dipped his lips to the soft skin of her collarbone still damp from her shower. A small gasp escaped her lips as he plunged one, then two fingers deep inside her. Clawing her hands around his back, she leaned forward into his kisses and caresses to push his pants and boxers down in one frantic motion.
She gasped for air. "Nick, don't stop..." Grabbing him firmly in her hand, she slid forward on the counter and pulled his hand away from her, desperate to feel him inside her. With one deep breath, he thrust into her. She leaned her hands back on the counter for leverage as he grabbed her hips to pull her even closer. She pressed into him as hard as she could with a loud yelp. Her breathing changed into short gasps, matching the motion of their bodies.
"Look at me." He voice was gruff and demanding. He reached up with one hand, tangling it in her wet curls and tugged sharply. His voice begged her, "I need you to look at me." Her eyes flew open as she gasped for air, eyes locking momentarily with his. A devious smile crept across her face and she grabbed the sides of his shirt to once again force him into her. A loud grunt escaped from the back of his throat as he began to thrust into her with increasing speed.
As their rhythm neared it's peak, Jess let out another loud gasp and her body began to shake. Her words came out in a string of incoherent sounds as her body pulsated with the intensity of her body's response to his. Nick finally groaned loudly and felt his knees weaken as he collapsed against the counter with one final thrust. He laid against her body before hearing the soft moan from Jess' relaxed but flushed face as he slowly pulled out of her. She sunk backwards on the counter, her head making a soft thud against the mirror.
"Ow!" She lifted her hand as her mouth turned into a frown.
Nick glanced up when he hear her head hit the mirror and stood up to reach out and grab her head in his hands. Neither one could stop laughing as he cradled her head in his palms, his fingers gently rubbing the sore spot.
He kissed her forehead. "God Jess, are you okay?!"
She bit her lip, staring into his eyes and giggling. "Leave it to me to injure myself during sex...again. I'm such an idiot!"
He laughed before pressing a soft kiss to her lips and helped her sit up. He ran his fingers through her hair, now a wet, tangled mess. "You're perfect, Jess."
Snaking her arms around his neck, she kissed him passionately, her breathing still labored. "I'm going to miss this." He raised his eyebrows in confusion, while she continued. "Just us. Here."
He nodded, standing up and pulling her to the edge of the counter so he could wrap his arms around her waist. "Me too."
Reaching behind her, she pulled the towel up and around her back, tucking it in again at her chest. He bent down to pull up his pants and just shook his head as she ran her fingers through her wet hair, trying to smooth out the knots. Staring into his eyes, she thought carefully about what she wanted to say next, finally deciding to throw caution to the wind and be direct.
"Nick..." She bit her lip nervously, glancing up at him for a quick moment and then back down at his chest. "Do you remember when we went home to Chicago? For Christmas?"
Nick nodded slowly, a questioning look on his face.
She continued, taking a deep breath. "Well, what if we revisited that discussion. You know, like we said we would." She held her breath nervously.
He scrunched up his face. "I'm sorry, I don't..." He thought for a moment, the realization of what she was saying slowly evident across his face. He swallowed hard, his voice quiet. "You mean...finding a place. You and me..."
She looked up into his eyes, a hopeful smile spreading across her lips. She nodded slowly. "We said we'd talk about it this summer and...well, I want to know how you feel now." Her voice increased in excitement, her eyes dancing in the brights lights above them. "We could do it. I'm sure we could, and...and it could be a great first step to..." She caught herself, afraid to continue and her voice stopping abruptly.
He froze for a moment, the gravity of the last few days weighing so heavily on his mind. His thoughts began to spin out of control, thinking of Clyde and the bar and the loan application that was still up in the air. Most importantly, he thought to the ring just a few feet away, and the proposal that still hadn't become a reality. He didn't realized how long he had been standing there frozen in his own thoughts, until he felt Jess go limp in his arms, her hands dropping to her sides as she slid herself off the counter, pushing past him.
"Jess wait!" He snapped out of his thoughts and grabbed her arm, just as she was about to step past him. He turned her around to see the fallen expression on her face and the tears in her eyes.
Her voice broke and she just nodded sadly. "No, I...I get it Nick. It's still too soon for you. It's okay, really." She turned away again, pulling her arm from his grasp and walked briskly into the bedroom. She felt an emptiness in her gut, and pain in her chest. She had stepped so far past her comfort zone in bringing all of this up again, and the disappointment in his reaction was crushing her.
"Jess, you don't under..."
She whipped around, raising her voice. "It's fine. Just..." Her shoulders slumped forward as she raised her hand to wave him off. "forget it."
He swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. He rushed forward and grabbed her again, spinning her forcefully this time and pulling her into his arms. At first she tried to squirm away from his grasp, but he just tightened his arms around her. She began to cry into his shoulder as she finally gave into the embrace, collapsing against his chest.
"Jess, I love you so much. I'm sorry, you just..." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. "You just took me by surprise, that's all."
He felt her nod her head against his shoulder and she turned her face into his neck. "I just want to be with you so much. Only you, and..."
He pulled her back to look into her eyes. "I want that too, Jess. It's just..." He took a deep breath, a sadness in his eyes once again. "I don't know if I can afford to do that right now. I wish I could but..."
Her eyes spoke volumes as she looked into his. So understanding, yet so devastated by his words. She forced a small smile through her tears. "I guess I knew that, it's just... I'm...I'm sorry I even brought it up again."
"No, I..."
"Really Nick, it's fine." She smiled weakly and stepped back, her arms crossing in front of her chest, realizing how cold she had just become. He quickly turned to reach for her robe hanging on a hook on the wall behind her head. Draping it over her shoulders she slid her arms into the soft material. She tied it tightly around her waist as he began to run his palms up and down her arms.
"Jessica, I want so many things for us, if you just..."
She nodded. "Give it more time, right?"
"I just..."
"More time..." She nodded once more, turning on her heels towards the bedroom. He watched her walk through the bedroom and out into the living area. Following hesitantly behind her, he ran he hands through his hair and leaned against the door frame. Jess sat down on the couch, in the spot they had slept last night and stared out at the fountains. He saw her wipe the tears from her eyes and lean back against the couch.
He stared at her, wanting so much to make everything amazing for her. To do all the things that she wanted. That HE wanted. Why couldn't he give her what she deserved?
In his failed attempt to give her everything, he had given her nothing at all. He turned around again, walking slowly back into the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, he collapsed onto his elbows on the counter. Running his fingers through his hair, he felt like time was running out and that his future with Jess might be over before it could even begin.
Cece stepped out of the bathroom with her hair twisted up in a towel, wrapped in a fluffy white robe. She came into the seating area in their suite to find Schmidt sitting at the table staring out the window. Frowning, she made her way towards him and sat on the thin wooden arm of the chair.
"What's up babe?" Running her fingers through is hair, he turned to her and gave her a quick smile.
"Just enjoying our view. This suite is some prize real estate, right?"
She rolled her eyes and slid off the arm, leaning her forearms on the table in front of him to grab his hands. "It's a fantastic room, Schmidt."
He began to nervously twitch his leg under the table and she ran her fingers across his wrists until he looked up at her. "Perfect weather for a wedding day..."
"It is,..." She sighed loudly. "Schmidt, you better tell me what's going on in that head of yours."
"What!?" He scoffed and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Nothing's going ON, it's our wedding day."
"Okay." She managed a smile and pulled her hands away, cupping his face and giving him a long kiss. "I'm going to need the room to get ready, do you have everything you need?"
He nodded. "Yep. Beautiful bride, a fabulous tux, pristine shoes, my man Winston with your ring...I'm good."
She stood up and stepped backwards, giving him room to push the chair out to stand up. He flashed her a quick smile and reached out for her waist, pulling her close. "So, next time I see you..." A grin started to creep across his face.
She finally relaxed into his grasp and wrapped her arms around his waist to look at him. "We'll finally be married."
He leaned in to kiss her. "Finally."
They smiled intensely at each other for a moment, before Schmidt's hands dropped to his sides and he glanced back and forth around her. Lost in thought he walked away from her to pick up a garment bag and small duffel bag. She followed him in silence to the door where he turned around quickly to say goodbye.
"I love you, Cece." He gave her a long kiss, before staring at her with a very serious look in his eye. Dropping his gaze, he turned around and quickly grabbed for the handle to the door. She ran her fingers across his shoulders blades as he stepped out of the room.
"I love you too, Schmidt."
After sitting by the window for almost ten minutes, Jess decided to shake off all of the doubts and sadness she was feeling and focus on her best friend's wedding day. Jumping up off the couch, she rubbed her hands on the sides of her face aggressively to shake the weariness from her eyes. Bounding back into the bedroom, she saw Nick leaning over the counter. She stepped beside him and ran her hand across his shoulders.
"Hey."
He lifted his head to meet her gaze in the mirror. "Jess, I..."
She shook her head and smiled, leaning her elbows down onto the counter next to him. She spoke to him in the mirror. "Look, Nick, I'm really sorry. I ..." He started to say something, but she just glared at him and he closed his mouth for her to continue. "I didn't mean to push all this on you. I love you and I want to be with you, and sometimes that just...I wasn't being fair and I'm sorry."
He stood up, grabbing her hands and turning her towards him. "You know that it has nothing to do with not wanting all that, right? Because I do."
She reached up and touched his cheek with her hand, a genuine smile across her lips. "I know." She tilted her head, a sly smile on her face. "Let's get ready for this wedding, okay?"
He leaned in a gave her a quick kiss. "You got it, Day."
She nodded emphatically and giggled her way out of the room. He sighed in relief and smiled, turning toward the sink once again to get ready to shave.
It would all work out, he had plenty of time to still figure it out. If he couldn't give her everything she deserved, the least he could do was give her one amazing proposal.
"Hey, Nick?" She called into the bathroom while she stood above their luggage with her hands on her hips. "You haven't seen the case with my glasses have you?"
"I think it's in my suitcase." Nick started to dump out his shaving kit when he glanced in the mirror and saw Jess standing over the bed, digging in his suitcase. It took him a moment to register what was about to happen.
Jess rooted through Nick's clothes when her hand hit something hard. Thinking that it was her glasses case, she wrapped her fingers around the object and lifted it out.
At that very moment, Nick realized his mistake and ran out of the bathroom shouting. "JESS, DON'T" How could he have been so stupid? He ran over to her and grabbed her shoulders to pull her back. "Stay out of there!"
She stumbled backwards muttering. "Nick, what are you doing?..." Nick froze as Jess turned around with her ring box in her hand, an excited look on her face. "Is this Cece's ring?!"
"Just give me the box Jess, please."
He reached out to grab it away from her, but she just smiled deviously and snatched it away. She darted past him toward the end of the bed. "I just want to see it Nick. She's my best friend! She won't even know I peeked!"
Before he could even respond, she was opening the small box. Her expression fell when she saw the ring, a frown coming across her face.
"Jess, what's wrong?" She looked so upset. Why didn't she like it? Any confidence he had been feeling about the one thing he thought he had done right, suddenly washed away. He tried to hide his disappointment.
"Nothing." She shook her head sadly, glancing at Nick then back at the ring. "It's just..."
He stepped closer to her. "You don't think she'll like it?" Maybe he could continue this for a little longer until he figured out what to do. He knew Winston had Cece's actual ring, so Jess would never know. But why did she look so upset?
"Yes. I...This is so incredibly beautiful." She breathed in sharply, then swallowed hard, her eyes still sad. She ran her finger over the stone slowly, her voice quiet. "It's just like I always imagined an engagement ring to look like" She slowly shook her head and tried to smile, raising her eyes to his. "I just...I didn't think Schmidt would pick something like this."
Nick took a deep breath. He could do this. This isn't how he planned to propose, but it was too late for second guesses. He reached out for her waist.
"Jessica listen, I..."
Suddenly there was a loud, pounding knock on the door. "NICK. JESS. LET ME IN!"