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Author's Chapter Notes:
Woo another chapter! I'm working on chapter 16 at the moment and hope to get to chapter 20 this week which would be awesome! anyways let me know what you think and thank you for all your reviews so far!
Chapter Ten: Beauty and the Geek

Nick pulled his sweater over his head and looked in the mirror seeing Alyssa zip the pleated cheer skirt and sprayed on her perfume. He grabbed his bottle of hair gel and comb. “Babe?” He asked quietly.

Alyssa turned and saw him, “Whatcha need?”

“Help me with my hair?” He asked innocently.

“You can’t do it yourself?” She asked with a skeptical smirk. A moment later she took the bottle from him motioning for him to sit on the bed in front of the mirror. She clicked open the bottle squirting some gel onto her hand and began smoothing it through his hair with her hands at first. “I hate hair gel it’s always sticky.”

Nick snickered in response. “Sounds like something else.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes and laughed hard at him. “You’re sick Nickolas.”

“You’re the one who swallows it.” He retorted making her wrinkle her nose.

“Now that you put it that way…” She said with a slightly disgusted look. Her face broke out a moment later in a large grin making them both laugh at the ludicrousness to their conversation. He sighed a little as she washed off her hands in the bathroom then came back and took the comb and began parting his hair. “Dear God hold still!” Alyssa shrieked as Nick squirmed in front of her as she continued to comb gel through his hair. He looked at her and laughed.

“You try holding still, you look hot.” He said referring to her cheer outfit. She shimmied her hips slightly making him groan in disappointment.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and looked at him chuckling a little. The long sleeve button down shirt, sweater-vest and tie to match and glasses with tape in the middle seemed to personify the nerd look he was trying to achieve for her costume birthday party. “So you think I’m hot huh?” She giggled as she turned and finished applying her makeup.

“Hell yeah, and did you have to go with two French braids? You’re killing me here.”

Alyssa laughed and slipped on the white sneakers she had picked out. “Blame my sister, this was her cheer outfit hence why it’s a lil loose in the bust on me.” She joked referring to how her sister was larger than she was. “And she did my hair.”

“Damn her. Figures she’d put you in something that’d drive me nuts.”

Just then Olivia walked in holding a black eyeliner pen and decked out in a Nine Inch Nails tank top, long sleeve mesh top over that and her hair crinkled. “Help, I cannot do this properly.”

“Do what?” Nick asked noting how the sisters seemed to switch high school personas for the evening. Alyssa giggled and had her sister sit on the bed next to Nick.

“Olivia you were the one that taught me how to apply makeup this is quite the role reversal.” She retorted as she took the pen and began meticulously outlining Olivia’s eyes heavily with the black liner. Alyssa leaned in making sure to accurately apply the same amount to both eyes. Nick took a breath not exactly comfortable intruding on the moment between the sisters. He stood up making the bed shift and Alyssa poke Olivia in the eye.

“Motherfucker!” Olivia shrieked in surprise.

Alyssa laughed, “Nick you asshat!”

Nick got a sheepish look on his face, “Sorry!”

Alyssa held a tissue to Olivia’s eye hoping to catch any tears that had formed. Alyssa finished her eye makeup. Nick smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her waist rubbing his fingers lightly over her bare abdomen.

“Crazy you two have been together for three years already” Olivia remarked.

Alyssa giggled as Nick kissed her neck. “Yeah sometimes it seems like it hasn’t been that long and others it seems like forever.”

“Yeah she’s a terror to live with you know?” Nick remarked making Olivia giggle and Alyssa roll her eyes at him.

“Oh I know I remember her as a 2-year-old in diapers well when she wouldn’t tear them off and run through the house naked.”

Alyssa’s face flushed and Nick chuckled, “An exhibitionist even back then eh?”

“Oh hush, at least I wasn’t convinced I’d be the next Tiffany so you could marry Jordan Knight.” Alyssa retorted.

Olivia’s eyes grew wide. “Oh dear God I can’t believe you remember my NKOTB phase.”

“As much as I remember that Clark wanted to be a Ninja Turtle.” Nick listened to the two of them smiling at the closeness between the two of them. He loved that Alyssa always remained close with her siblings, especially Olivia. Even closer since her attack back in July. They spent everyday on the phone talking for over an hour lately. Especially since Alyssa started talking more in general. It amazed him how she’d gone from barely saying a word to being relatively at ease again. He knew her problems weren’t solved in fact were far from it. But he also knew that she was a lot happier, and healthier than she had been in a long time. He liked to believe that he’d caused that change in her but he wasn’t sure he was. Maybe she didn’t really need him as he wished that she did. Maybe she just needed someone to keep her on track and that really was his role lately. He didn’t know either way but he knew that he had something to do with her turn around and either way it made him more confident in their relationship all the time.

A few minutes later Kellie came walking in her outfit were that of a pregnant teen. Alyssa had thought it was a little ridiculous since you could totally tell it was a pillow. Lori followed in behind her not fully in her costume yet. “Nick can you help AJ with his football pads? He’s hopeless I swear!” She remarked laughing a little.

He nodded and headed out of the room to help his friend out. Alyssa giggled a little at the exchange, “I can’t believe you Olivia, you come up with the best party themes.” She added.

“Yeah well I’ve always wanted to try on the Goth look for a change and I figured this could be my chance. Besides to see my woman as the school slut? Hilarious!”

“How’d you come up with the idea of being opposite of what everyone was or would have been in high school?” Kellie asked taking a seat on the bed resting a hand on the pillow.

“It was simple really.” Olivia replied

“Really getting into character there huh Kel?” Alyssa chided jokingly a second later.

Everyone chuckled and Kellie flushed red for a moment, “Well just preparing for the next few months.” She said without even thinking.

All of a sudden the laughing in the room ceased to the point where you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at Kellie whose hand had flown to her mouth shocked at herself. “Wait what did you just say?” Alyssa asked a little shocked at the unexpected reply.

“Yeah are you pregnant?” Olivia added.

Kellie’s face grew white then she got a guilty expression the moment she looked at Alyssa. She definitely hadn’t that to be the way she’d tell her best friends, that she was indeed pregnant. She knew she hadn’t wanted Alyssa to find out that way, especially after the tragedy from some months before. “Ali I’m sorry I…”

Alyssa shook her head trying to shake the thoughts of envy and pain from her mind. “No it’s alright but you didn’t answer our question are you?”

“Yes, Alex and I just found out. I’m 3 months along he’s telling Nick right now. I just didn’t plan on telling you yet or so bluntly. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be I’m happy for you.” She stated trying to convince herself more than Kellie or anyone else in the room. She knew she should be ultimately happy for Kellie and truly she was happy for her. She just wished that what had happened months before hadn’t that way she wouldn’t feel so alone or so left out than ever before. Olivia and Angela were adopting since invitro didn’t pan out, Lori had Jamie, and now Kellie was going to have a little one of her own. And where did she fit in all of this? She hugged Kellie giving her kind words of encouragement but at the same time she still couldn’t help the pang in her heart and the sharp gnawing of guilt.

Meanwhile…

“So man what did you need help with?” Nick asked as he walked into the main room of the rather large suite.

“Stupid shoulder pads!” He said in frustration.

Nick laughed at him, “Dude just go without the pads for now. It won’t be any problem I mean it’s not like we’re going anywhere.”

“Yeah but the jersey is huge without the pads man.”

Nick rolled his eyes, “Because you have no shoulders shorty.”

“Heyyy not nice! You kiss your fiancé with that mouth?”

“I do a lot more than just kiss her.” He retorted wiggling his eyebrows a little.

AJ wrinkled his nose at him in disgust, “Dude TM-fucking-I.”

Nick snorted at him, “So is that all you needed me for?”

AJ looked around nervously he knew what he wanted to say, but he just wasn’t sure if Nick was ready to hear it yet. That was the one thing that held him and Kellie back from telling them as soon as they found out. The fact that they’d been through so much he didn’t want to add to their pain with their happy news. He knew though that Nick and Alyssa were always more than polite and wouldn’t dare say anything out of turn and would definitely be supportive, but at the same time he didn’t want them to feel guilt or any pain whatsoever. “Well uhh….”

Nick gave him a look, “Come on just out with it.”

“I uhh quit smoking.”

Nick’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “Holy shit I never thought I’d see the day when that would happen, Kellie’s influence I’m assuming.”

“Partially yeah…” He stated nodding a little. It was true Kellie had influenced him to quit except for the fact it was that she was pregnant that truly sealed the deal on his becoming a non-smoker.

Nick arched an eyebrow looking at him from the side. “Partially?”

AJ took a deep breath, “Yeah partially because well she’s pregnant.”

Nick’s breath caught in his throat taking him aback. “I uhh wow that’s really great Alex I’m happy for you.”

“You are? You’re not like freaking out?”

Nick sighed and shook his head ‘no’, “It’s fine man, no worries. Is Kellie going to tell Alyssa?”

“Yeah her intent was to tell her soon.”

Nick closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head, “Great her birthday is off to a great start then. She’s not gonna take it well that I know for sure. She’ll be nice to Kellie about it but shit she’s not gonna deal well.”

“Is she not over the whole Noah thing?”

Nick shook his head again. “No. She’s not going to get over it Alex, our child died okay? She can’t just get over it. She’s trying to move on but you know it’s hard.”

“Maybe she needs some extra help? I mean just being with you all the time may make her repress her feelings. It happened to me when I was with Sarah fresh out of rehab.”

“She’s not an addict.” He replied sharply, he knew deep down that AJ was right. But at the same time he just didn’t want to fully admit it. He’d been feeling so much pain from their loss just as much if not more so than Alyssa. He was happy for AJ but he felt a little jealous at the same time. Why couldn’t they go back to that? When they first found out they were pregnant? They could do things differently get a different outcome and be a happy little family like he’d always wanted with her and still deeply wanted.

“Uh dude yeah she is, she’s a cutter who relapsed, even for one time she still relapsed. And believe me she needs more than just you right now. She needs professional help if she’s ever going to fully come out of it.” AJ reasoned.

“You make a good point. Thing is getting her to see that too.”

“Well just talk to her.”

Nick saw all the girls except for Alyssa come out of the bedroom where they had been getting ready. He wondered where she was. “Yeah I plan to. I’ll be back.” He walked over to Kellie, “I’m guessing congratulations are in order.” He stated simply.

She looked at him and gave a surprised grin. “Thank you, if you’re looking for her, she’s in the bathroom she said she needed a moment.”

“Did you tell her?”

“Yeah…” Kellie said looking down. “I know she’s upset, I hope she doesn’t think I did it out of spite, this was quite a surprise for us.”

“No she knows it’s not out of spite. It’s just still hard for her and I, for both of us. But we want you and Alex to be happy and healthy. And for your little one to be healthy too. Let me go talk to her she’ll be fine.” Kellie nodded as Nick headed over into the bedroom to the closed bathroom door. He heard her sniffling and sighed before lightly rapping on the door.

“Go away…” He heard her through the door.

“Ali…it’s me let me in.” He said softly.

A few moments passed and Alyssa unlocked the door but didn’t open it fully. Nick opened the door seeing her sitting across from the door on the floor her knees pulled up to her chest, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Nick closed the door and joined her on the floor pulling his arms around her. She sobbed a little and then sighed stopping herself. “She’s pregnant.”

“I know, AJ told me. Are you mad at her?”

“No, I’m just jealous of how lucky she is. I wish we could start this over, go back to when we first found out we were pregnant. We were so happy then. And now look at us. We’re happy yeah but we’ve been through so much pain and it’s all my fault.”

“It is not your fault.”

“Yes it is. If I had just slowed down…”

“Stop it. I’m not going to put up with this or join in on your little pity party you’ve got going on for yourself. You have an entire hotel suite full of people who love you and don’t blame you for anything here to celebrate your birthday and our anniversary so come on let’s dry your eyes and fix your makeup. You have a party to get to.”

Alyssa looked at him and grinned weakly. “Why are you so good to me?”

He leaned his forehead onto hers, “Because you’re my girl and I love you.”

She gave him a sweet but short kiss and returned the sentiment before getting up and fixing her smeared makeup. After a few moments they emerged from the bedroom to see all their friends’ faces smiling back at them Alyssa grinned and went over to Kellie hugging her. “I am really happy for you, take care of this little one.”

“You know I will.” She said with a smile, “You’re my best friend Al, I’m sorry you had to find out that way.”

Alyssa gave her a sympathetic grin. “Don’t worry honey I’m not mad at you at all. I’m really excited for you and Alex, it’s a blessing to get pregnant so cherish every moment no matter how sick you feel.”

“I’ll remember that…” She replied giving Alyssa another hug.

Later on…

“Happy birthday!” Brian remarked giving Alyssa a hug. He was decked out in skinny girl jeans, his nails painted black, a sex pistols tee shirt and his hair spiked. She giggled and watched everyone around the room. Lori was dressed as a wallflower, oversized overalls, pink floral shirt and pink and white converse to match. Clark was decked out in long jean shorts and a flannel over shirt with a grey muscle shirt and Doc Martens on his feet. She giggled seeing his grunge attire and hugged him as well.

Alyssa made her rounds around the hotel suite hugging everyone. She sat with Nick momentarily sharing an overstuffed armchair just happy to be in such close contact with each other.

“This is for you.” Kellie announced handing her a bag. Alyssa opened it with a grin seeing a gorgeous watch inlayed with amethyst. “It has amethyst in it for healing and growth.”

Alyssa smiled and hugged her laughing at squishing the pillow between them. “Thank you so much Kel it's so thoughtful of you.”

“I saw it and immediately thought of you, it’s simple and not too girly.”

“I love it thank you sweets.”

Leighanne got up a moment later handing Alyssa a small box. “Brian and I thought you might like this.”

Alyssa shot them a glance and opened the box seeing a pair of opal and white gold earrings. “Wow what’s with the jewelry this time around?” She giggled, “It’s awesome I love getting things with my birthstone.”

Next, Howie and Leigh handed her an envelope, she smiled and tore it open seeing a complete spa weekend for her and Nick at the Palms in Las Vegas. “Wow this is awesome thank you!”

“We figured we’d also give you an anniversary gift too so that kinda fit.” Howie explained.

Nick smiled, “Thanks man.”

Alyssa smiled through all the other presents not really knowing what else to do. Since Kellie’s earlier accidental admission she’d been feeling less than perfect about everything. She knew what Nick said was true. That she couldn’t be mad at Kellie or be anything but ecstatic for her best friend. But she couldn’t help it there was still just a little bit of jealousy within her. Not because she was having a baby, that was part of it, but just how happy and at ease she seemed to be with the idea. She wished and hoped that someday she’d find that level of happiness again.

Nick handed her a thin box. She gave him a look and he grinned at her. “Just open it.”

Alyssa ripped off the bright wrapping paper and opened the brown box unveiling a brand new laptop. Her eyes widened and she smiled at him. “Nick! You didn’t have to do this!” She exclaimed.

“Yes I did, you were driving me nuts using mine all the time sooooo I bought you one.”

She laughed and smacked his arm. “I was not driving you nuts.”

“Oh yeah you were I was just waiting until your birthday to give you this though. I didn’t wanna ruin the surprise considering you hate it when I buy you something expensive without it being a special occasion.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes, “Geek.”

He laughed and gave her a kiss to her temple. He knew that even though she wasn’t near where she needed to be for their relationship and her feelings about their loss. He knew that there was definitely room for progress.












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Chapter End Notes:
Triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii lol thanks sweets for all your help in betaing for me. And the shameless plug hehe. You're awesome hon!