Chapter Thirty: Come What May




Never knew I could feel like this. Like I've never seen the sky before. Want to vanish inside your kiss. Every day I love you more and more. Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing? ...Seasons may change, winter to spring. But I love you until the end of time…(**)




Alyssa stood in front of the vanity mirror applying her eyeliner while Nick sat on the edge of the bed putting on his watch. He looked up and over at Alyssa and smiled a little at her extreme concentration. He couldn’t tell if it was out of fear of stabbing her eye with the crayon-like black pencil, or if it was out of her normal perfectionism. What he could tell was how a thrill ran up his spine everytime he watched her. He got up and walked over to her and checked his hair in the mirror. He’d let it go darker just for the hell of it lately and was pleased with how it looked. Made him look more mature, definitely not the same old popstar that’s for sure.




She looked over at him as she set her eyeliner down and applied some light shimmery powder to her eyes, then some chap stick and she was ready to go.




“I love that you don’t wear much makeup.” He remarked nuzzling her neck.




She grinned and gave him a look, “Glad to hear that I’m low maintenance.”




“I know quite a change from pretty much every woman I’ve ever dated besides Sue.”




“I miss her she was cool.”




“Yeah she was, just the right girl at the wrong time you know?”




Alyssa nodded and replied, “I know you weren’t ready for a real woman yet, you were used to either Mandy or a bitchy version of her.”




“Hey!” He shot back, “That’s not fair.”




She giggled at him and retorted, “Well you said it yourself you like girlie girls, so I’m really against type for you.”




“And apparently it’s working so it shows how much I know about my so-called ‘type’.”




A couple of hours later…




Alyssa and Nick walked into the club smiling when AJ almost ran up to them happy they could make it to his birthday bash. “I’m so glad you two are here!” He exclaimed giving them a hug.




She giggled a little and pulled back, “Well honey why wouldn’t we be here you’ve been dating Kellie for a while now. And well we are friends remember?” She chided with a grin showing that she was only joking.




AJ smiled and laughed a little as Kellie came up by his side linking arms with him. “Alyssa being sarcastic again?”




He grinned and kissed her cheek, “As always…”




“Must have gotten laid earlier today, she’s usually more sarcastic when she does.” Kellie remarked with a snarky grin.




Alyssa blushed and Nick smirked and tightened his arm around her waist.




The two couples walked over and sat at the booth that had been designated for them. Alyssa looked around the club noticing the decorations were very AJ, all gothic styled décor just for his party. “So who made all the decoration designs?” She asked as she kept looking around the room.




Kellie beamed at the question. “I did! Alex is a huge fan of gothic architecture so I ran with the idea.”




“Oh yeah I have the coolest girlfriend ever!” AJ exclaimed with a cheesy grin.




“She’s very perceptive like that.” Alyssa added as her eyes roamed to the entrance just as Aaron walked in holding hands with Kaci….AJ’s ex-girlfriend Kaci. Alyssa’s eyes widened and she said, “I’ll be right back.” She left the table and hurried over to where the new couple was. “What are you doing here?” She asked Kaci calmly.




Kaci sighed and replied, “Alex and I are still friends.”




Alyssa smiled a little, “Why don’t you go say hello then while I have a word with Aaron.” She suggested as Kaci turned and walked over to greet AJ. When she was out of earshot Alyssa turned to Aaron and said “What the fuck are you doing?”




Aaron rolled his eyes at her, “What I can’t bring my girlfriend to a party?”




“Aaron! Damnit the only reason you’re with her is to get back at Alex for dating Kel am I right?”




He looked at her with a glance then over her shoulder seeing AJ kiss Kellie’s neck while she giggled and grinned the same grin she would get when he’d do that to her. “She doesn’t care about me anymore…”




“Because you broke her heart Aaron, she loved you very much, but nooooo you had to pull the I’m gonna sabotage myself routine. And don’t start about not doing that, I’ve seen Nick do it a million times, I know what it looks like.”




“What the fuck am I supposed to do? Keep pining away for her when she’s obviously moved on?” He shot back with a defiant glare.




“But fucking with AJ’s ex? That’s a fucked up think to do Aaron.”




He sighed and brushed passed her going over to AJ, Kellie and Kaci. He got a smug smirk and wrapped his arm around Kaci’s waist and looked over to Kellie who looked cool, calm and collected, but with one glance to her eyes, he could see the pain in them. As much as it pained him to see her get hurt he couldn’t deny he’d gotten some sort of sick satisfaction from it.




Kellie sighed a little and slipped her arm through AJ’s and smiled, AJ had made her a lot happier than she’d been in a while. Sometimes she even thought that he could make her happier than Aaron had. “Hey Aaron, long time no see.”




“Likewise…” He said with a smirk. “This is my girlfriend Kaci.”




Kellie nodded, “Yes I remember Kaci.” She said with an almost gleeful smile. “I’m so happy you two could make it to Alex’s party.” She added lacing her fingers with AJ’s. She knew that something like this might happen, was completely prepared for it, and was remarkably surprised and a little happy that she hadn’t felt as much pain from it as she had expected.




Nick came walking up and that moment and glanced between the two couples chuckling to himself. ‘Well at least they’re dating in they’re own age brackets now’. He shrugged a little and went back over sitting with Alyssa holding her hand under the table like they always did when they were out with friends.




A few hours later…




Alyssa giggled as they got back in the house at Nick’s joke. “Nick that’s just mean…”




“I know but it’s true, they are at least dating people in their own age demographic or whatever.”




“I know but Kel was so happy with Aaron.”




Nick huffed and plopped on the couch pulling her on top of him to sit across his legs. “Not everyone can have what we have.”




She gave him an odd look, “And that would be?”




“Let me rephrase that, not everyone will find their soul mate by accident you know?”




“Who says you’re my soul mate?” She shot back with a playful grin.




“I say so, because there’s no other explanation for what we have, look at what we went through the past two years…I know I’ve said it before and so have you, normal couples do not survive this kind of shit.”




“I know, it’s a bit strange how we’ve able to overcome it. But yeah, ugh I so don’t want to pack for the trip to Martha’s Vineyard.”




“Yeah but you’ll get to see your family…Aunt Ginny, Marc, the kids…E…”




“You get to call her E now?”




Nick chuckled a little at her, “Yeah she said it was fine, besides I’m practically family. At least I don’t call her Nana to this day.”




“Hey now she’s my Nana…”




He grabbed and her sides making her shriek from his tickling. She pushed away from him and half crawled to the other side of the couch a little out of breath. He smirked and caught her leg reaching to the underside of her knee rubbing his fingertips over the skin lightly making her shiver and groan. “Ha! I knew that was a weak spot!” He remarked with a triumphant grin.




She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them as she felt his lips brush across her forehead. A smile crept over her face as his Adam’s apple was exactly level with her mouth. With a devilish idea she leaned up and grazed her teeth along his throat. He shuddered and pulled back slightly looking down at her, “What?” She asked with an innocent grin.




“You’re going to be the death of me aren’t you?” He asked with a lopsided grin.




“I’m bit tipsy and frisky what can I say?” She shot back as she sunk lower into the sofa.




Later that week…




“So it’s January on Martha’s Vineyard, dude it’s going to be freezing.” Kellie remarked as they walked down Robertson Avenue.




“I know but everything is inside so it’s going to be nice and warm.”




“But still, it’s going to be snowing outside, do you realize we’re in the worst winter California’s seen in at least a decade? I can only imagine how cold it is in the Northeast!”




Alyssa laughed a little, “It’ll be totally fine the hall Nana rented for it is perfect size for everyone. Besides not everyone is going to be there…” She said getting a sober look on her face.




“Aw honey, it’s okay your dad will be there in spirit!” Kellie added trying to comfort her.




“It’s not the same though…” She said with an exasperated sigh. “He was so looking forward to this reunion before he died, and he’s going to miss it.”




Kellie sighed a little and thought a moment, “The Jamie I knew wouldn’t miss this for the world.” ‘Especially what’s going to happen at it’ she thought slyly to herself.




“What’s that look for?” Alyssa asked.




“What look?” Kellie replied quickly.




“You’ve got this look that says ‘I’ve got a secret’, care to share?”




Kellie shrugged, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Oh look shoes!” She replied changing the subject quickly.




Alyssa shook her head at the obvious change in subject. She hated secrets being kept from her, made her feel like she was being intentionally left out. But she figured that the secret was probably about AJ so she decided to stay quiet and let Kellie come to her. She knew Kellie well enough that you couldn’t press her for information, she would come to her in her own time and come forth with all the details.




Meanwhile…




“Hello?” Elettra said as she answered the phone.




Nick grinned hearing her voice, “Hey E…its Nick…”




She smiled into the phone and replied, “Oh my future grandson-in-law, how are you honey?”




“Good, just getting ready to fly out tomorrow.”




“Tomorrow? The reunion is the day after tomorrow.” She answered back..




Nick rolled his eyes a little and chuckled, “I know that, but we wanted to spend an extra day with everyone.”




Elettra looked over seeing Ginny standing there a question in her eyes as to who Elettra was talking to. She held up her hand pointing to her engagement ring making Ginny smile and giggle as well as reach out for the phone. “Hold on hon let me give you to Virginia.”




“Hey lover boy…” Ginny’s all too familiar voice cooed through the phone.




“Hey Gin and Tonic, what’s going on?” He retorted back.




Ginny giggled at the nickname that Alyssa had given to her years ago. “So are you’re flying out tomorrow?”




“Yep first thing in the morning, I’ll probably sleep on the flight.”




“Don’t keep my niece up all night now, she does need some rest, and I don’t want her too sore when she’s running around with the kids.” Ginny joked.




Nick laughed, “I promise to be good, but I can’t promise about her behavior.”




Ginny laughed out loud at his admission, “It’s okay honey, I’ll just have Marc whoop you.”




“Anyways can you put E back on I have a favor to ask of her.”




Ginny grinned and agreed as she handed the phone back to Elettra, “Yes Nick?”




“You still speak Italian right?”




“Yes I do, any reason why you needed to know that?”




“I need you to teach me how to say something to Ali, I know she’s fluent, and I think she’ll love it.”




“Ok what it is?”




“How do you say, ‘will you marry me’ in Italian?” He asked hearing Elettra’s breathing stop momentarily. “E? Don’t die on me, breathe okay?”




“I’m fine, just my husband had asked me to marry him in Italian, because it’s the language our parents spoke, the language we spoke, since we didn’t have very good English skills.”




“So will you teach it to me?”




“Of course I will, anything for my grandchildren.”




“Thanks E, she’s going to so love you forever
for this.”




“Well I hope she loves you forever for it as well, considering what you’re asking her.”




Nick took a deep breath and sighed slightly in response.




“Scared?”




“Nervous as hell, is more like it, I mean what if she says no?”




Elettra rolled her eyes, “You know she’ll say yes, she has to, she loves you so much honey. And hasn’t she been bugging you about settling down?”




“She only did that once, and we talked about it and she was fine.”




“Still she wants this as much as you do, it’s good you waited this long to ask her…” Elettra began to explain.




“What do you mean?” Nick interjected with his voice full of concern.




Elettra grinned as she took a sip of her hot tea, “Dear, it’s because you’re both ready for it, however once you’re settled don’t let each other get too comfortable, that’s just a recipe for disaster.”




“I know, and I promise I’ll do everything I can so that won’t happen, even if it does, we’ll work through it.”




The next day…




Alyssa settled back into the cushy first class airplane chair. “You spoil me you know that.”




“Why is that?” Nick asked pushing pause on his iPod.




She grinned a little and replied, “Because before you, I’d never flown first class.”




He chuckled a little and leaned over giving her a kiss just as the Flight Attendant came over, “Are you two newlyweds?” She asked as they broke the kiss.




“Oh no…” Alyssa replied quickly, “No we’re not married.”




“Oh…” The pretty brunette stewardess said with a little surprise. “Well if you two need anything, just ask.” She added recovering quickly and walked around the rest of the first class cabin.




Alyssa smiled a little and turned to Nick, “Why does everyone assume we’re married?”




“Maybe because we act like a newlywed couple?” He suggested with a sideways glance. Her earlier dismissal of a suspected marriage irked him more than he liked. He looked around hoping that her statements wouldn’t set the tone for the rest of the trip. He stuck his hand into his hoodie pocket feeling the black velvet encased box and rubbed his fingers on it while he offered his silent prayer.




Alyssa looked over at Nick and saw the pensive expression cross his brow. “Baby what’s wrong?”




He shook his head lightly and looked over, “Nothing just thinking about things.”




“Like?”




“Like what you just said, about us settling down…”




“Yeah and?”




“Would it be sooo bad if I wanted to settle down with you?”




Alyssa thought a moment, “Well no, it wouldn’t be at all, just didn’t think we were even at that point.”




“What if we are?”




“Then that’s fine with me, I’m just taking things as they come right now, everything has been great with us lately so honestly I could care less either way.” She replied with cool grin.




He gave her a look considering her for a moment. “Okay I’ll remember that then.”





“Well you’re the one that said you wanted to not care when we settled down, I’m just following your advice.”




“Hello and good morning everyone this your captain speaking, we’ll be taking off here shortly. It is currently 48 degrees outside here in Los Angeles and we’ll be landing at about 11:45AM in Martha’s Vineyard. I will be checking back in when we are ready to land, have a pleasant flight and thank you for choosing US Airways.” The Captain said just as the plane began to taxi out of the terminal and head to the runway.




Once the plan was near the runway Nick closed his eyes and held on to the armrest making his knuckles white.




Alyssa turned a little and her expression softened she took his hand in hers and leaned up to his ear, “I love you.” He grinned a little keeping his eyes closed and squeezed her hand slightly. She laced her fingers with his and continued, “Breathe lover, it’s almost over.” She felt him relax as the plane started climbing into the air. Take-off and landing was honestly the worst for him, the rest of the flight he’d be completely fine, but when before take-off and landing he’d be a wreck. She hated flying herself but got used to it over the years of traveling with him. It almost made her laugh, after so many years of jet-setting around the globe you’d think he’d be completely fine with flying, but he still freaked out everytime.




Once fully in the air at cruising altitude he slouched into the chair and opened his eyes looking at Alyssa. “Thank you, for trying to calm me down.”




She gave him a short kiss and smiled, “Anytime.”




Later that day…




Nick and Alyssa got off the plane and grabbed their bags. As they walked down and out of the terminal and past security Alyssa squealed and took off running dropping her bags half way as she saw Maggie running to her. Maggie jumped into Alyssa’s arms giving her a hug, Connor, Patrick, Kate and Kaylee not far behind.




Nick caught up to them carrying the four bags. Marc smiled and gave him a hug and took Alyssa’s bags from him. “Hey man…” Nick said as he grinned at Marc.




“How’ve you been?”




“Good…” Nick replied looking over at Alyssa, “Really good.”




Ginny giggled and gave him a hug, “So glad to have you here.”




Alyssa glanced back and forth between the kids and the warm reception Nick received from Marc and Ginny. “Uncle Marc!” She said excitedly.




“Hey sugar-bean!” He said giving her a hug.




That night…




Alyssa looked over at Nick as she unpacked their bags in the guesthouse. She was a bit shocked when Marc and Ginny had offered up the house to them. Essentially it was an old shack that Marc had renovated into a small two bedroom house right out on the water with a dock and everything. “I can’t believe they let us stay together and alone of all things.”




“Well they know we’re together, probably are just accepting that we tend to like privacy, especially with how loud you can be.”




Alyssa gave him a look, “How loud I can be? Might I remind you that you can be pretty loud too.”




“How am I loud? I growl and that’s it.”




“Not when I go down on you, you usually are dying to scream.”




“Ok so sue me I love your tongue ring.”




She grinned and purposely ran her tongue ring over her lips. “If you’re good you just might get some tonight.”




He shivered slightly from the rush of goosebumps that rose up all over his skin. Recovering slightly and wanting a little payback he pulled her to him and pressed his mouth to hers. She groaned and opened her mouth sweeping out her tongue to lightly trace his lips before he opened his mouth bringing her tongue into his mouth to play with his.




She slipped her hands into his back pockets and pulled him closer to her. Just as he slipped his hands up the back of her shirt there was a knock at the door. Alyssa broke the kiss and they both froze momentarily. “Maybe if we’re quiet they’ll just go away.”




He grinned and pulled her back into the kiss bringing his hands to her front and drug his hands up to the top button and began unbuttoning her blouse while she untucked his sweater and shirt and began unbuttoning and unzipping his pants.




“NICK STOP FUCKING MY SISTER!” Olivia yelled through the door making Elettra laugh heartily.




Nick and Alyssa broke apart and Alyssa when to the door holding her shirt closed she flung the door open giving Olivia a glare but softened her look when she saw Elettra standing there as well.




She welcomed Elettra and Olivia into the house as Nick finished buttoning his pants making Olivia snicker. “Nick Christ can’t you keep it in your pants?” Olivia remarked with a snide grin.




Alyssa snorted at her sister as she buttoned her shirt. “Well you do know the rumors are all true right?” She said with a wink at Nick who rolled his eyes.




At that moment Elettra spoke up, “Nick I need your help with something over at my house, would you mind coming over to help me?”




Nick nodded knowing exactly what Elettra was referring to.




“I’ll go too.” Alyssa added.




“NO!” Olivia practically yelled, “No, I wanted to talk to you about something, I think you and Nick an unlatch from each other for a little bit don’t you think?”




Alyssa smirked and Nick walked over giving her a quick kiss, “I’ll be back in a little while.” He said as he led Elettra out of the house.




Nick walked over to her house on the property and they went inside. “So Nick sit down, and I’ll teach you what you want to know.”




Meanwhile back in the other house Alyssa looked at her sister with part annoyance and part curiosity. “So are you going to tell me why you interrupted me?”




“Angela and I have decided to do invitro fertilization.”




Alyssa’s face lit up at the news of having a little niece or another nephew running around. “That’s awesome who’s going to be the father, who’s going to carry the baby?”




“It’ll be Angela’s egg and I’m carrying the baby, so that we’re both genetically the mom. And originally her and I had decided to ask Nick way back when we had no idea about you two. But we don’t know now who we want as the father. I was actually thinking of asking AJ.”




“Really? Alex a daddy? That could be interesting.”




Olivia grinned, “I know but he’s got some pretty good genes and all, and Angie and I adore him personally. We think he’ll make a great dad if he wants to be involved.”




“Well talk with him and Kellie, she may or may not be happy with the idea.”




“True, but then again she may love the idea.”




Late that night…




Nick came walking back into the house that was eerily quiet. Trying to be as quiet as possible he moved throughout the little house. He hadn’t expected his little language lesson with Elettra to go quite as long as it had. He shrugged off his coat and shoes and socks as he made his way to the bedroom.




He walked in seeing the low light from the lamps in the room illuminated on Alyssa who laid on top of the covers in a short burgundy silk and lace nightie. Apparently she’d fallen asleep waiting for him to return. He grinned at her effort and carefully lifted her body slightly to bring the covers around her keeping her warm.




“Mmm Nick…” She moaned slightly in her slumber and rolled to her side.




He sighed a little and walked around the room stripping down to his boxers. With a quick glance at Alyssa’s sleeping form he took the black ring box out of the pants pocket and opened it setting it on the dresser. He grabbed his digital camera and snapped a quick picture of it. When he was satisfied with the picture he shut off the camera and put both the camera and the ring box safely away so that Alyssa wouldn’t find them in the morning.




After shutting off all the lights he climbed into bed pulling Alyssa’s body against his. Feeling the bed dip she shifted and turned waking up slightly. “Hey you’re back.”




“Yeah, E needed me a little longer than expected.”




She sighed and snuggled closer into his chest. “Okay, I’m just glad you’re back, I love you.” She whispered with her voice hoarse and full of sleep.




He grinned and whispered back, “I love you too, go back to sleep sugar.”




The next day…




Alyssa ran around the large hall chasing after her cousins and laughing at their antics as they narrowly escaped capture in a relentless game of tag.




Nick snapped picture after picture with his digital camera while e sat nearby over at the family table that had been designated for Alyssa’s immediate family. At that moment Elettra came walking over and sat down next to him, “What’s wrong? You seem very nervous.” She asked noting his rapidly bouncing leg.





“Sorry E…just scared you know…what if she says no?”




Elettra gave him a soft look and hugged him “Darlin’ she loves you, and she won’t say no I promise.”




“Thanks E, seriously for all your help last night.”




“Well you’re welcome honey, she deserves this and so do you.” Elettra grinned as she saw Alyssa make her way over to the table she got up and whispered, “I guess it’s now or never…”




Alyssa grinned and came over sitting on Nick’s lap resting her head on his shoulder. “Man they wear me out.”




He chuckled a bit and put his camera on the view picture mode. “You can tell how much fun they were having though take a look at these…”




Alyssa sat up to where she draped her legs across his lap. “Okay.” She said giving him an odd look for a moment and took the camera. She smiled as she began looking through the pictures, giggling at some and oohing and awing at others. When she came to the end of the pictures she stopped on the last one, a single picture of a diamond ring in a black box. Just as she was about to ask Nick what the picture was about he leaned in and said as he reached into the jacket pocket pulling out the ring. “Vorresti sposarmi?’




“What?” Alyssa said in shock turning her eyes up to him, stopping when she saw the ring clutched between his thumb and index fingers. Her breathing grew shallow as she met his eyes.




“Vorresti sposarmi?” He reiterated with a slight grin.




She gave him a shocked look, because honestly she was truly taken aback not just by the question but also by his clear pronunciation of her family’s language. Alyssa glanced between him and the ring completely speechless.




“Now would be a good time to say something…” He said getting slightly nervous.




Alyssa looked up to his eyes and smiled, “Are you sure?”




He grinned again and nodded, “Yes, Ali, will you marry me?”




“Yes!” She exclaimed with a large smile.




Nick let out a huge sigh of relief and slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into a kiss. A moment later Alyssa stood up staring at the ring and how it fit perfectly on her left hand.




He smiled and went over stopping the band as Mary, Olivia and Lori all came running over to see her ring, knowing exactly what had just happened. Nick grabbed the mic and announced, “This little lady over here just said she’d marry me!”




Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Lori held up Alyssa’s left hand triumphantly while Nick came walking back over hearing the entire hall erupt in applause. Alyssa smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him slowly. For once she couldn’t think of another time or place where she felt happier, felt more like home. She kept her eyes closed after she broke the kiss and took a deep breath before looking up at her fiancé adoringly not quite believing what had occurred moments before. But ready to begin this completely new chapter in their life together right where they both belong….together.




The end for now….