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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sooo I'm updating yay! LOL I've been rather busy and really worn out with school so I haven't gotten as much writing done as I would have liked lately but I guess I can't really help that. I am working on chapter 23 at the moment and had to split it because of a rather ingenious idea I had. Anyways I hope you all enjoy and hope to hear from you all!

Chapter Twenty-One: Silent Night

"So you got, Clark's present right?" Alyssa asked Nick with an expectant look.

Nick rolled his eyes and grinned, "Yes I did. I'm kind of glad we're doing joint gifts this year. Makes shopping for everyone a little easier."

"Yeah I know, now to Lori's, and little Jamie's. He's really into Transformers and Elmo right now. I can't believe he'll be two in a few months." Alyssa replied as they walked hand in hand towards the toy store. She felt rather happy that they'd decided to come to Arizona a little earlier than expected and spend some time with hers and his family. Of course they were the first to arrive so really it was more like they got to spend more time with Mary without the loud clamor of both families together.

Since the night of Howie's wedding Nick and Alyssa had been spending as much time together as possible. With her traveling with him on the short radio Christmas show specials he'd been doing. They'd become infinitely closer to each other finally feeling that final comfort they'd been trying to gain through therapy. They walked into the toy store looking at all the various toys. "Okay I say we divide and conquer I'll work this end and you work that one and we'll meet in the middle?" Alyssa offered with a grin.

Nick smiled and let her go walking over to the aisle loaded with legos. He perused each aisle figuring a lot of what he saw was going to be a little too much for an almost two year old to play with. He quickly moved to where Alyssa was going to meet him waiting for her to come around. Alyssa joined him a moment later holding a couple toys, a set of duplo blocks that were like legos only large enough for a toddler to play with and some Elmo bath toys. "Find anything?" Nick asked with a grin.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and handed him the handle to the block's container. "I figure I'd get him started on building things for fun. It's never to early to start fostering creativity is it?"

He smirked and pulled her close planting a kiss on her lips. He loved that she thought so much of her nephew and wanted to spoil him with toys that would not only be fun but would round him out intellectually. He broke the kiss seeing her eyes were still closed reveling in the sudden yet completely welcome show of affection between them. She opened her eyes and smirked at him and took both toys over and made their purchases before leaving the store. "So...it's just Lori left right?"

"Yeah, I got my sister's and Angie's gifts a week ago and all the guys gifts were sent out already. Kellie's was sent with Alex's since they live together now. And your sibling's presents are already wrapped. Mom's too." She explained as they walked over to a department store. "Now what to buy my dear sister-in-law..."

"I love that you got everything under control this year. Even with working and going to school. How did you find time for all of this?"

Alyssa giggled and laced their fingers. "Shopping online does wonders. I got almost everything online. I just couldn't decide what to get Lori she's always the hardest to buy for."

"What about a charm bracelet with a C and a J on it for Clark and Jamie and things she likes?"

Alyssa looked at Nick as if he'd grown an extra head for a moment or two. "Since when do you think of things like that?" She asked astonished at his remark.

He chuckled at her brushing off her comment, "You know I have on occasion came up with gift ideas for you by myself." He scoffed as they picked out a bracelet and the charms associated with it. "So you haven't told me what you want for Christmas." He reminded giving her a sideways glance.

Alyssa shrugged, "I don't really want anything this year."

Now it was his turn to look at her as if she had two heads. "You're kidding? You always have something that you could use in mind."

She smirked and shrugged again. "I don't have anything that I really need in mind. I have everything I want, time with my family and well you so what could you get that I could possibly need?"

He smirked and leaned close to her letting his voice become low and a little raspy. "Oh I could think of a few things you might need..."

Alyssa rolled her eyes and elbowed him, "Not that you perv. Besides I think we're doing just peachy in that department thank you."

"Peachy?" He said mid-snicker. When he thought of their sex life the word peachy definitely did not come to mind.

Alyssa's face broke out in a grin and she chuckled as well. "Okay so bad choice of words but you know what I mean." She said as they continued to walk about the mall holding their few bags. "I mean it's great right?" She asked making sure that his thoughts on the subject mirrored her own.

"Better than great. Which I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to be alone at all over Christmas or is it all ‘family' time?" He asked making her turn her head for a moment.

"Is there something special that you want?"

"Just one night, you and me, alone. Think you can swing that?"

"And that's all you want for Christmas?" She asked with a grin. If just one night alone with her was all he wanted amidst all the time they'd be spending with their families then she could definitely swing that.

"As far as Christmas is concerned yes. But if you want to get me anything else then you're welcome to but I'd be happy with just, me, you and a bed." He replied giving her a once over with his eyes.

She smiled and kissed him. "Well if you're really good then maybe Santa will be extra nice." She added jokingly already forming a plan in her head.

The following evening...

"Thanks honey for helping with dinner." Mary said with a bright smile at her youngest daughter.

Alyssa smiled back as she helped load the dishwasher. "No problem Momma. I love to cook, so it's all good."

"You sound like your father when you say that." She replied as Nick handed her another dish from the sink to put in the dishwasher.

Nick smiled and sighed hearing the women chatter around him. He loved hanging out with Alyssa's family simply for the reason that no matter how tense things got in the house between sibling rivalries or if there were any fights there was always something cooking, and everyone always talked. No one ever went without saying something. Sometimes he figured that would fuel a fight more than diffuse it but they seemed to make it work even when they were at odds with each other. "Are you excited to have everyone back here for the holidays?" Nick asked jumping into the conversation for the first time.

Mary grinned, "I love the holidays, makes living here by myself bearable for the little while that everyone is here." She said keeping a smile on her face when her words made Alyssa get a sympathetic look on her face.

"Maybe next year there will be even more people to come visit this time of year." She said trying to lift her mother's spirits a little.

"Well with Angie and Olivia's baby and of course with the two of you finally tying the knot I hope so. By the way it was so nice to have your family here at Thanksgiving, Nick." She added making him grin.

"I hope Aaron wasn't too much of a pain in the ass. He tends to be."

"No he was actually rather well behaved."

Alyssa giggled a little making the two of them look at her strangely. "I threatened him."

"You what?" Nick asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"I threatened him that if he even tried to cause trouble around mom that she'd have his guts for garters...or something like that." She replied chuckling a bit. "What I didn't want to just unleash the terror that is Aaron Carter's immaturity on my own family. So I put the fear of God in him about it. And hey he obviously listened and got to know Nana and Aunt Ginny pretty well as a result."

Nick grinned and kissed her temple making Mary smile at the two of them. Alyssa excused herself a moment later to go upstairs to her room for a moment leaving the two of them in the kitchen as they finished up the dishes. "It's nice to see that you know?" Mary remarked as she closed the dishwasher.

"See what?" Nick asked thinking that he'd done something wrong.

"You two, happy again. It's a welcome sight."

Nick grinned and put his arm around his shoulders. "Believe me you don't know how happy I am that we're back."

"Oh I'm sure. Now you and Liss want to watch movies or am I keeping you two from spending some alone engaged couple time?"

Nick chuckled, "Nah, I think movies sound good, It's a Wonderful Life and Nightmare Before Christmas right?" He asked with a grin knowing that Mary usually put those two movies on every Christmas.

"Sure thing, you go and run up and get my daughter I'll put one on and we'll finish getting the tree and the house decorated." She replied making him grin and break away from her.

He loved how Mary and even Jamie always tried to include him on the little things that to the casual observer would make no never mind about but to him, it made him feel as if he really was apart of the family. He went up the stairs seeing Alyssa in her bedroom hanging up the phone with what sounded like her sister. "Hey you..." He said wrapping his hands around her hips sliding them up her waist to her ribs.

She grinned as she felt his lips lightly touch her neck. "Mmm..." She cooed softly before turning to look at him. "You're mean."

Nick got an innocent look on his face, "Who me?" He asked before grinning at her. "Come on, your mom is putting on movies and I said we'd help finish decorating the house." He said taking her hand.

"You actually want to spend time with your future mother-in-law?"

"Oh come on she's fun. Besides if genetics count for anything you're going to look amazing when you're her age." He said with a silly grin reminding her of the common conception that you could tell how a woman would age by how her mother looked.

"You realize that's just a myth right?"

"Maybe but anyways come on she's putting on your two favorite Christmas movies." He said taking her and leading her down stairs. They walked in seeing Mary standing by the box full of ornaments that the kids had made and purchased over the years. She had a faraway look on her face as she held a large ornament that was a picture frame. It was a photograph taken of the family at Christmas three years before. Alyssa came over and saw the picture of everyone in their pj's that morning. Her siblings and their significant others, her parents in the middle, herself and Nick and his siblings around them all crammed onto and around the couch in the living room. Mary smirked seeing that Nick had placed his hand on Alyssa's thigh as they had been crammed together in the corner of the couch with Leslie just above them, Aaron sitting at the top with Angel and BJ next to Angela on the other side of the couch.

"Is this dad's last Christmas?" Alyssa asked looking at the picture.

Mary nodded and the three of them grinned. Nick took the ornament from the two of them and put it up high on the tree near the angel on top. "Figured it'd be good to put it where everyone could see it." He said shrugging simply. Alyssa grinned at him and kissed him sweetly before grabbing another ornament to place on the tree.

A few hours into their project Alyssa stepped back as Nick flipped on the lights watching the tree, and the mantle light up with the multitude of little multicolored lights. Nick and Alyssa stepped back and settled on the couch together. Alyssa laid into his side wrapping an arm around his waist as he wrapped one around her shoulders and the other traced lazy designs on her bare forearm.

Mary came walking back in carrying a tray with three mugs full of eggnog. She grinned at the two of them and set down the tray making them both look up from watching their mutual favorite movie. "Thanks Mom." Alyssa said grinning leaning forward and taking two of the cups handing one to Nick.

"Welcome you two." She replied taking her seat in the recliner on the opposite end of the room. She watched their mannerisms how Nick took both mugs once they had drank a little and placed them back on the coffee table only to return to their original position.

My dearest friend...if you don't mind. I'd like to join you by your side. Where we can gaze into the stars...

Nick brought her hand up and kissed her fingertips as he laced their fingers then kissed her temple making her look up at him and grin.

And sit together, now and forever. For it's as plain as anyone can see. We're simply meant to be.

Mary yawned as the movie ended and looked over at the two of them smiling at them. "Well you two, you better get to bed soon. We've got a long day tomorrow." She reminded making them look over at her.

"What time do you need us up by?" Nick asked earnestly hoping it wasn't going to be all that early.

Mary chuckled and looked at the clock. "Well you two are going to be making the food most of the day as everyone gets here. So I'm assuming be up and dressed by seven." She said as she got up and passed them. "Night you two."

"Night." They said in unison. Once Mary left Alyssa stood up as well. Taking his hand up to her bedroom and put on the small television in her room. She tossed him the remote and grinned.

"Find something for us to watch." She semi commanded going over and getting comfortable on her bed. He chuckled and flicked through the channels finally just turning the television off. "Nothing on?"

He turned shrugged, "Not really into watching more TV tonight." He said turning to her as she raised an eye brow at him.

She grinned and moved up to the end of the bed where he had been lounging and straddled his hips. "Hmm I wonder what we should do then..." She wondered with a sly look placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Somehow I think..." He said pausing as he slid his hands from her knees up her jean clad thighs and up to her hips. "That we'll figure something out..." He added as she leaned down just as he came up, their lips meeting in a heated kiss.

Alyssa kissed down Nick's neck making him scrunch up his shoulders at the ticklish sensation of her mouth on his neck. "Liss..." He hissed at her making her giggle and silence him with a kiss. Alyssa sucked on his bottom lip as she moved to kneel above him. He moved his hands up from her waist one traveling to her neck tangling his fingers into her hair and the other up her side just under her arm. She smirked into the kiss and gently scraped her nails along his scalp.

He broke the kiss for a moment kissing along her jaw-line and down to her neck. He felt her skin break out in goose bumps and a soft moan escape her lips. He smirked against her skin bringing his hands to the hem of her tee-shirt bringing it up breaking the kiss long enough to lift it up and off of her. He pulled her by the waist attacking her collarbone with his mouth kissing along it to the hollow of her throat as she let her hands drift down his back gathering his shirt up along the way. He stopped for a moment helping her get it off of him before pushing her to lay back on the bed as he stood. She smirked at him and unbuttoned her jeans as he grabbed the material from the back of her calves and pulled them off of her throwing them to the ground.

Alyssa went to sit up just as he bent over planting a kiss to each of her bent knees. She sighed and reached for his jeans unbuttoning them just as there was a soft knock on her door. They froze for a moment hearing it again. Alyssa got up and went into the bathroom letting Nick answer it since he was a little more dressed than she was. He cracked the door open a little seeing Mary smile at him. "Sorry to bother you honey, but Alyssa left her cell phone downstairs I figured she might want to charge it." She said making him grin and open the door more and taking the phone from her.

"Thanks, Mary I'll set it up on it's charger." He replied going over to Alyssa's nightstand and hooking up the phone to the corded charger.

Mary looked in seeing the rumpled comforter and Alyssa nowhere to be found figuring she was in the bathroom. Her gaze went to Nick who turned back around to face the door. She smirked inwardly as he walked back over and leaned on the door noticing how the button on his jeans was undone, his hair mussed and his cheeks were slightly flushed. "Night honey." She said with a grin turning to leave as he moved to close the door. "Oh and Nick..." She said turning one last time before going to the master bedroom.

"Yeah?" He asked stopping for a moment.

Mary smirked at him, "Make sure she gets at least a little sleep tonight ok?" She remarked before going into her room. She saw Nick's cheeks flush red in embarrassment for a moment and chuckled at him.

"Sure..." He said before shutting the door. He shook his head the looked down at himself and chuckled. He went over to Alyssa's stereo popping in a couple CDs to play softly as Alyssa poked her head out of the bathroom.

"She gone?" Alyssa asked with an expectant look.

Nick rolled his eyes and nodded, "Yeah she requests that I at least let you get some sleep tonight." He said smiling at her as he unzipped and kicked off his jeans as she stepped out of the bathroom leaning on the door frame in just a pair of boy short underwear and her bra.

"Who needs sleep?" Alyssa retorted as she stood there crossing her ankles as she leaned on the frame.

Nick came over to her and pulled her body to his. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up against him and pivoted their bodies so he could place them both on the bed. Alyssa sighed and tangled her fingers in his hair as he began his journey kissing down the length of her torso.

The next morning...

Nick smiled at Alyssa as she busily cooked and tossed food in the large skillet pan. "Why are you cooking ahead of time?"

"Because I'd like to have lunch and dinner be rather easy since we're feeding your siblings and mine." She replied wiping her brow barely being able to stifle a yawn. Nick chuckled at her and let her set down the hot pan before handing her a steaming cup of coffee that he'd made for her.

After years of living with her he definitely knew how she liked her morning coffee. He watched her take a drink and close her eyes uttering a soft moan in delight. "Good?"

She opened her eyes and grinned, "Better than good, you make the best coffee it's like liquid sex."

Nick snicker-snorted at her and took the mug from her taking a drink tasting the coffee, caramel, dark chocolate and Irish crème he put in it. "Is that what sex is supposed to taste like?" He asked giving her a look.

Alyssa rolled her eyes. "Shut up. It's as good as last night was, how's that?"

"Good to know I'm at least good at two things." He remarked making her laugh.

She gave him a look and shook her head, "You're good at lots of things but coffee and sex are pretty close to the top." She replied making him laugh a little before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers tasting the coffee on her lips and tongue as he deepened the kiss.

He broke the kiss and smirked hearing Clark shout his hello from the foyer. "In here!" Nick shouted back. A few moments later Lori, Clark and little Jamie came in smiling. Alyssa and Nick both hugged Jamie before he ran off into the conservatory to play with his toys.

"Where's Mom?" Clark asked looking to his younger sister.

"Airport picking up Olivia, Angela and Nick's siblings." Alyssa replied as she finished getting all the ingredients together for lunch and dinner putting the lasagna in the fridge to chill and putting the chicken in a bag with marinade for lunch.

Alyssa washed her hands and tossed Nick a damp towel and they both cleaned up the kitchen. "So when did you two get here?" Lori asked with smile noticing how easily the two of them worked together remembering that this was how they'd act when they were friends and were doing things together.

"Day before yesterday." Nick answered as he tossed his towel into the laundry room hitting the basket. "We did a little shopping and hung out here with Mary..."

"Shouldn't you start to call her Mom?" Lori asked with a grin. "You know to get used to it since it's like what 6 months until you two finally get married."

Nick shrugged and handed them each a cup of coffee. "I guess but I'm just so used to calling her Mary. Do you call her Mom?" Nick asked.

"Yeah I do, she is like a mom to all of us not just her biological children."

Nick smiled, "True."

They both exchanged a smile as everyone drank their coffee. "Mmmm who made the coffee?" Lori asked.

"Nick did." Alyssa said in a sing-song voice making Lori and Clark crack up at her.

"You two had sex didn't you?" Clark asked finally succumbing to the fact that his baby sister was in fact no longer a baby but a full grown woman. Nick nearly choked on his coffee making Clark laugh at him. "It's okay man, I'm over it. I figure if I want nieces and nephews from you two then I'm going to have to at least accept the idea of you two screwing. Not that I ever want to picture it. Yuck..." He replied shuddering slightly.

Nick chuckled and shrugged, "Hey at least you don't know intimate details like I unfortunately know about you thanks to your wife and her big mouth."

Lori got a shocked look on her face, "You never had to sit in on the girl talk now did you?"

"You still don't get why I listened to the three of you blabber on about guys do you?"

"Then enlighten me oh wise one." Lori shot back with a smirk.

"First of all, it helped a lot with trying to understand women in general. And secondly, got to know what her reactions were to certain things so I knew limitations before I ever even went out with her."

Alyssa's eyes widened and she looked at him in shock, "You sneaky son of a..."

"Hey you did the same thing with hanging out with me and my friends so don't even think about getting all mad at me."

Alyssa rolled her eyes and chuckled before wrapping an arm around his waist. "Okay, okay you have me there."

"So how have you two been?" Lori asked with a grin seeing how open they were being with their relationship. Nick's arm was around Alyssa's shoulder and hers was around his waist as they both leaned onto the counter.

"We're good. Traveling has been fun as hell especially with Kellie along with. We miss you though, it's not triple trouble without you." Alyssa responded making Lori smile wider. "Been planning the wedding. Howie's wedding was definitely a lot of help there."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it's exactly what I don't want in a wedding. It was enormous, and just completely them but could you imagine Nick and I having a huge Catholic wedding with 500 guests?" Alyssa suggested with her nose wrinkled. "Don't get me wrong it completely worked for them. But I'd rather elope than do that."

Nick laughed a little, "Will a beach wedding and 100 people there work for you then?" He asked reminding her of their agreement to keep it relatively small in comparison to his band mates weddings. It allowed for their families and some of their friends and colleagues to be there with them but they certainly didn't want the entire world at such a private affair.

Alyssa smiled and nodded, "Works for me. Hell anything really works I'm just looking forward to the party." She replied making Nick nod in agreement. The front door opened again making them all walk towards it seeing Olivia and Angela come in holding their bags. Ever the gentlemen Nick and Clark went and took their bags from them and went up to Olivia's old room setting them in there. Alyssa beamed and hugged her sister. "I missed you!" Alyssa exclaimed before pulling back and giving her sister a look. Olivia smiled at her and laughed noticing that she noticed she didn't wince when she was hugged. "Your ribs healed?"

"Yeah finally..." Olivia said before a loud clamor of voices interrupted her as they approached the door.

"Aaron you asshat watch where you're going!" One voice said.

"Don't wear hooker heels then Beej ‘cause you can't walk for shit in them." Aaron said as they walked in the door with Angel behind them.

Alyssa looked at the three of them with an amused grin. Bobbie smiled and gave Alyssa a hug. "Thanks for inviting us again." She said with an appreciative nod.

"I don't even need to invite you anymore remember you're family." Alyssa replied making Aaron roll his eyes from underneath his sideways baseball cap. "Hey now I can always return your presents you know." She threatened making him chuckle and give her a hug.

Nick and Clark came down the stairs just in time to see Alyssa steal Aaron's hat and put it on herself backwards over her long hair. He chuckled and came up behind her. "Starting that rap career already?" He asked with a grin.

Alyssa laughed but played along, "Oh yeah, I was asking your brother for street cred pointers since you know when you think of Aaron Carter you think wow that ‘mofo' is hard core!" She retorted making Nick snort from laughing so hard. His cheeks flushed red and he buried his face in her shoulder still laughing from her joke.

"I hate the both of you I swear." Aaron retorted before busting up laughing as well.

Olivia wiped her eyes as she continued to laugh with everyone else at Aaron's expense. "I don't know what's funnier, the jab at Aaron's music career or the fact that you said ‘mo-fo'." She remarked as Leslie and Mike came walking in with Mary and the last of the luggage.

"Well little Monroe's have big ears!" She remarked nodding to Lori who was holding Jamie. It seemed these days that everyone had to watch what they said around him.

"What's so funny?"

"Alyssa made a joke about Aaron." Angel said holding her sides that were hurting.

Mary smiled at all of them happy to be surrounded by her close and newly extended family. Once everyone got settled in Alyssa and Nick busied themselves firing up the barbecue grill and making lunch for everyone. Jamie came up to Nick wanting to be picked up. He looked down and picked up the toddler hearing him "ooh" and "aww" at the fire in the grill. "Hey Lori I think we've got a future pyro here he thinks the fire's cool."

Jamie gave him a confused look and replied, "No, fire hot!" He said shaking his head as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Nick raised his eyebrows and laughed a little.

"He's so smart!" Alyssa exclaimed, "Hell the kid gets concepts and everything and he's like what 20 months old?"

"Yeah pretty much, we talk to him and read to him all the time." Lori explained as Nick set him down and he ran back over to his mother.

"Mommy, Unca Nick funny." He said as he climbed up into her lap.

Alyssa grinned widely at him. "I love that he calls him uncle it's really cute."

"I know he always asks to talk to you if I'm on the phone with you. I'm just loving the whole stay-at-home mom thing it's so much more exciting than work ever was for me you know?" She explained making Alyssa raise her eyebrows at her.

"That's really odd to hear you say that though. I mean you always were Ms. Workaholic."

"I know but I love spending time at home with Jamie, we play with his toys and we go to the park a lot. I mean I'd hate myself if all I did was work at home and put him in front of the television as an electronic baby sitter. And we make stuff for Clark to see when he gets home from work. Hell Clark even has a break mid-week so we can just have family time."

Alyssa shook her head and smiled, "It's so odd to see you so settled you know? It's weirder to see Kellie's belly getting bigger all the time since she's pregnant."

"Oh I know. Who would have thought that after college we'd all be in serious relationships and settling down? You and Nick getting married, Clark and I. Kel and Alex? It's weird that's for sure."

Olivia and Angela chuckled a little as Olivia helped Angela into a chair. "I'm not going to break for crying out loud Liv." Angela replied rolling her eyes as she took her seat setting her hands on her rounded tummy.

"So what made you two decide to go back to invitro?" Alyssa asked earnestly.

"Well it hadn't worked with Olivia and the whole adoption process was getting more and more frustrating. Everytime we would get close to finalizing something, it would end up falling through because of some stupid glitch. It's not easy to adopt it's not like these celebrities make it out to be. It's not like we can go to a third world country and pick out any kid like it's a pet shop or something." Angela replied rolling her eyes.

Olivia took her hand and grinned at her. "But we tried with Angela this time which was kind of sweet revenge considering I got to give her the shots for it this time around."

"Yeah my ass is still sore from that." Angela quipped back making Nick shake his head and snicker as he closed the grill and sat on the arm of Alyssa's chair listening to the story. "Don't laugh, if you two ever have to go through it, it's like a gazillion shots." She said hyperbolically.

"Well thankfully we won't." Nick replied making everyone look at Alyssa as if she were already pregnant.

"No I'm not pregnant guys relax. What he means is I've been able to get pregnant twice without really trying so we probably won't need something that drastic." She explained making Olivia get a sad look. "What?"

"Nothing I was just kind of hoping that you two might be trying again." She said shrugging.

Alyssa grinned a little at her sister for wanting her to have a family as well, "Not right now, with the tour and everything it surprises me that we get any alone time at all. But I want to wait until we get married before we even discuss trying to get pregnant." She said with a grin up at Nick.

"Yeah, granted I want a family, but its still a little soon you know?" He said before getting up and checking on the grill again.

"And there's no rush. I'm just happy right now. Which by the way Lori, Olivia, you two are a couple of my bridesmaids. I still haven't decided on maid of honor yet. I know Nick hasn't decided on anything yet either."

"Of course we'll be your bridesmaids. Who do you have in mind for maid of honor?" Lori asked.

"It's between the two of you, Leslie and Kellie. I love all four of you but I can't make a decision. Lori you had me as your maid of honor and you're one of my best friends. Ollie you're my sister for crying out loud, Kellie's the closest friend I have since we hang out 24/7 when we travel. But then there's the one whose responsible for introducing me to Nick and that would be Leslie."

"What about me?" Leslie said as she pulled up a chair joining in on the conversation.

"Just laying out my options for maid of honor. Granted whoever I decide on everyone else is an automatic bridesmaid but still. It's hard when I have you four."

"What about Angel and Beej?" Leslie asked.

"I want to put them as bridesmaids unless Nick doesn't want that many groomsmen but I have a feeling we'll need them with how many friends he has."

Lori grinned a little, "Well if it makes this any easier I abdicate my spot for maid of honor. I definitely don't want all the work load that you had when I got married."

Alyssa laughed and silently thanked her for making her decision easier. "One thought I had was just doing siblings. I'd have Olivia and Nick would pick Aaron but I don't know yet, he may choose Chris. I know I want Clark to walk me down the aisle. It's what Dad would have wanted since he can't be there to give me away." She said looking down at her hands for a moment.

Olivia grinned at her sister, "Dad'll be there you know he will." She replied making Alyssa grin.

That evening...

Alyssa yawned slightly finally feeling all the work she'd done in the morning catch up to her making her feel exhausted. Nick gave her a look from across the table asking if she was ok. She nodded and grinned before trying to stifle another yawn while everyone chattered about while eating dinner. "Do you remember the Christmas when Dad almost electrocuted himself?" Olivia asked with a grin holding onto her wine glass.

Alyssa snickered, "God I was what five?"

"Yeah and dad was so excited about putting lights on the house that he forgot how to hook them up so he wouldn't overload the circuit. Sure enough he blew the transformer down the block and could have shocked himself." Clark replied making them all crack up.

"Jamie was always trying to do things to celebrate this time of year. Remember the New Years Eve party to ring in the new millennium?" Mary asked making Nick and Alyssa exchange and knowing smirk at each other. Mary saw it and looked between the two of them, "What did I say?" She asked not knowing the story behind that night.

Alyssa shook her head and smiled a little, "Nothing Mom."

Lori snickered and then looked at Nick, "Two words, jail - bait." She said making Nick's straight face crumble in laughter.

Everyone looked at them and Olivia caught on, "First kiss? That was when it happened?" She asked making Alyssa nod in response.

"Dude she was 16!" Clark added making Nick shrug not really knowing what to say.

"Oh please it was one innocent little kiss on New Years Eve. And the next time it happened was when I was twenty, so it's not like it became a regular occurrence so chill out."

"Yeah but I bet he wanted to." Clark said giving Nick a look.

"Like you said she was 16. And besides after that she started dating Collin and how many times did you catch them making out?" He countered making Clark roll his eyes. "Can't get mad at me, I waited until she was in her twenties to do anything." He added.

"He's got you there Clark." Alyssa added. "Well speaking of New Years are you guys coming with us to Vegas? The guys are performing at Body English and I think it would be fun if you could make it." Alyssa offered making Nick grin.

"Yeah we were asked to host the New Years party there. We're performing and hosting other acts that will be there too."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Olivia said with a grin.

Alyssa yawned again this time more than just Nick noticed. "Tired much?" Lori asked making a quick glance at Nick.

"Yeah, I was up really early getting all this food ready I guess it's finally hitting me. I might take a nap before church tonight." Alyssa replied.

"Nick you're not tired?" Lori asked.

"Not yet at least. She got up an hour before I did though." He added shrugging a little as he stood along with Clark, Mike and Aaron taking everyone's dishes to the kitchen. Each of the girls chuckled a bit at how the three of them automatically volunteered to do the clean up.

"Got em all trained don't we?" Lori snickered making Alyssa giggle.

Meanwhile in the kitchen Nick manned the sink while Clark cleaned the counters and the other two just busied themselves helping. "So why do we have to clean?" Aaron said whining a little. "There's more of them than there are of us."

"It's tradition. It's been this way since I was a kid. Besides it gives the girls a chance to be alone and gives us a break from the chick talk." Clark explained. Nick nodded in agreement and handed Aaron another dish to put in the dishwasher.

"Sounds a little sexist to me. Making us do all the dishes."

Nick snickered a little and gave his brother a look. "Yeah and the fact that Alyssa and the girls were the ones who cooked so they should have to clean isn't the least bit sexist right?" He shot back.

Back in the dining room Alyssa leaned back and sighed closing her eyes for a moment. "Sis go take a nap." Olivia suggested.

"No I want to stay up with everyone." She said brushing her off.

Mary rolled her eyes and patted her daughter's knee, "Go get some rest sweetie you got up very early to make all the food for today and get everything ready for dinner tomorrow, go rest you earned it. I'm sure you didn't get much sleep last night anyways." She added making Alyssa smirk at her.

"How'd you know?"

"He answered your door shirtless, all flushed with his hair messed up. That can only be from you young lady." Mary replied making the girls all give her a knowing look smiling at her.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and smirked, "I'm engaged leave me be."

"But in the house here? In the bed you've had since you were what nine?" Olivia countered.

"And the sheet set I've had since I was about 16, so what? I love him and I happen to enjoy sex. At least it's in my own bedroom it's not like Nick and I go and fuck in your room Mom." Alyssa shot back making a face. "Seriously, sex in the room where you and Dad would get it on..." She said shuddering. "Just ew."

Mary laughed heartily at the disgusted look on Alyssa's face. "And just how do you think you got here?"

"I know it had to happen but I'd rather not think about it."

"I cannot wait until you and Nick have kids and have them be all disgusted by the thought of you two screwing." Olivia replied chuckling.

"It's logical though. I certainly expect them to be grossed out. The idea of parents having sex to their kid should sound disgusting, if not then I'd think there's something wrong with the kid."

"Hmm true. Only time I was ever grossed out by it was when Dad would make jokes about it. Like he was just purposely doing it to torture us kids. Other times I prefered to not think of it."

Alyssa giggled at the memory and how their parents were always open about loving one another but also used that openness to joke openly with their kids. She leaned her head back as she slouched in the chair feeling even more tired than before. "I think I will go take a nap." She announced mid yawn. All the girls smiled at her as she excused herself to go upstairs. About twenty minutes later Nick walked back in seeing Alyssa's seat was unoccupied.

Mary saw his confusion, "She went to take a nap." She said nodding back towards the stairs.

Nick smiled for a moment then turned to go up the stairs intending on checking in on her. He walked up the stairs and quietly crept into her room seeing her faced away from him. He kicked off his shoes and socks and crawled into bed next to her wrapping his arms around her waist making her sigh and turn toward him. "Hi..." She said with her voice hoarse and full of exhaustion.

"I came to take a nap with you. That ok?" He asked with an almost innocent look on his face.

She grinned at him and nodded as she scooted over a little giving him more room on her bed. "I'm really tired for some reason." She whispered making him grin at her. "But I need you to do something for me."

"Anything..."

"Well I have my clock set for us to get up to go to church but can you just let me sleep until everyone's gone?"

Nick cocked his head to the side giving her a suspicious look, "You don't want to go? I thought you always went."

"Yeah but I'd rather have some time...alone...with you." She said hinting to the present he'd asked for the other day.

He grinned and leaned in kissing her softly. "Of course. I'll just tell em to go on without us. I have a couple presents for you too."

"Oh really?"

"Yep, good ones. I know you told me not to get you anything but it's Christmas...I couldn't not get you something." He admitted with a lopsided grin. She smiled back at him sleepily and lightly pressed her lips to his. He put a hand at the small of her back acting on pure instinct and pulled her in close to him as he deepened the kiss their tongues dancing together. Alyssa moaned lightly into the kiss before breaking it knowing if she hadn't that neither of them would want to take a nap. Nick breathed in her scent as she snuggled into his chest getting comfortable enough to where she began to drift back to sleep.

Nick smiled to himself as he felt her body relax and her breathing become slow and regular. He continued to just lay there like that with her, tracing small circles in the patch of skin he'd discovered at the small of her back.

A few hours later...


Nick awoke to Alyssa's incessant alarm. He half turned hitting it silencing it for the moment. Alyssa shifted against his chest her hand sliding up to where her palm as over his heart as he returned to his original position and kissed the top of her head inhaling the sweet smell of her dark hair. He reluctantly broke away from her going down the stairs rubbing his eyes seeing everyone was ready to go to church.

"Gee look who decided to get out of bed." Aaron said scoffing noticing Nick's tired eyes and rumpled clothes.

"Nick you better go get ready we're leaving in 10 minutes. Is Alyssa awake?" Mary asked with an expectant look.

Nick shook his head and scratched the back of his neck. "Is it all right if we don't go? She's still out of it and I'm going to go back up to bed myself."

Mary gave him a sympathetic look and nodded, "No problem honey get some rest." She said patting his shoulder.

He said good night to the rest of them and went back up the stairs to Alyssa's room. He slid back into bed with her listening to the overwhelming silence of the room that was only interrupted but the racket down stairs. Once he heard everyone leave and the cars pull out of the drive way he turned to Alyssa's sleeping form trailing a hand from her elbow to her shoulder. She moaned softly and her eyes began to flutter. "Liss, babe wake up...everyone's gone." He whispered as she took a sharp intake of air and opened her eyes.

"God how long did we sleep?" She said rubbing her eyes and sitting up feeling a strain in her back thanks to her old bed being so drastically different than the one she was used to at home.

He grinned and rubbed her shoulder sitting up with her. "Three hours...I think..." He said glancing to the clock seeing it was 11:40pm. "Yeah about three hours."

Finally feeling awake Alyssa stood and went into the bathroom brushing her teeth as well as Nick who followed her. They chuckled at each other for both trying to get the morning breath feel out of their mouths. Nick stopped for a moment later and sat on the counter in her tiny bathroom watching her pull her hair up on her head and wash off her smeared makeup and then let her hair back down once she was done. "What?" She asked looking at him with an amused look.

"Nothing, just watching you. You're cute when you do stuff to be girly."

"Yes because washing off makeup is so girly." She replied with a grin standing between his knees. She squeezed his knee and chuckled going into her room and going into her dresser taking out two boxes and an envelope. Nick smiled and went into his suitcase taking out the three boxes that ranged in sizes for her.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"I know but I wanted to and hey you got me something." He retorted back as they both sat on the bed. He handed her, her first present. "Ladies first." He said with a grin.

She smiled at him and took the small box from him. "Now I'm sure this isn't a ring since you've already given me one." She said as she opened the small velvet box seeing two stone opal pendant. "My birthstone?"

"They're E's. I asked her for a family heirloom to give you for Christmas and she found those. I thought it was perfect."

Alyssa smiled wider and handed him his first present. "Your turn."

He tore at the envelope seeing a brochure for a weekend getaway. "Are we going somewhere?"

"We're not..." She said pausing as she watched the confusion grace his features. "It's a boys weekend for you and your friends to go to Vegas and have fun."

Nick laughed a little, "Telling me and my friends to have fun in Vegas is not always a good idea Liss."

She chuckled, "Don't worry I know you won't do anything too crazy. But I figured you would want to go to spend some time with them before the tour and then us getting married in the midst of all of that it'll be a little hard to just hang with your boys so I'm saying go, spit, scratch talk about your bitches and gamble a little." She replied as he handed her the second present.

She gave him an odd look and opened it seeing a cd case. She took it and looked at the artwork drawn on it that it was of the two of them. "I made you a dvd. It's of us, our families and such. Kind of all the moments that really stick out in my head." He said sheepishly with a grin.

She leaned over and kissed him. "Can I watch it later?"

"Yeah most definitely." He said as he took his second present from her seeing that it was rather heavy. He opened it and saw a leather bound journal that could double as a sketchbook with his signature engraved on the cover. "Wow..." He said flipping through it stopping on the first page where an envelope and picture of them lay. "What's this?"

"Something I wrote. Don't read it right now...I don't think I could handle the embarrassment." He rolled his eyes and opened it anyways despite her protests seeing that there was a poem and a short letter attached. He read the poem smiling at the imagery and symbolism she had written all the while her cheeks flushed crimson. He moved on to the letter a moment later reading it himself silently. It explained that she'd written the poem back when she was all of 19 on his solo tour for one of her prose classes and that he'd been her inspiration behind her words. He looked up and grinned at her, "I love it. Thank you."

"I figured you could use a new journal since you gave me your old one. And I thought what better way to kick it off but by giving you something that I wrote about you." She replied shrugging.

"It's perfect." He said simply. He hesitated handing her, her third present. "Can I save this until last?"

Alyssa nodded giving him a sideways glance and handed him his third present as well. He set her present aside and opened his, a large box that was light. He pulled back the tissue paper and saw the grey and blue Journey tour shirt. He gave her an odd look and turned it over seeing that it was the 1980 Departure World Tour. "I know you love Journey so I found this on ebay for like 12 bucks, it's an actual journey tour shirt from back in 1980. I figured you'd like it since you're a fan and all."

He grinned even wider, "Thank you it's great I didn't know you could find these things anymore I have all the other tour shirts but this one." He said referring to his collection that his father had given him as a kid.

"Well now your set is complete." She beamed proudly as he handed her the last present. She gave him an odd look and opened it seeing three very old looking books. She looked at the title seeing that each volume was a particular piece of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

"It's a first edition."

Alyssa's eyes widened as she looked up at him. "Where did you find this?" She asked perusing the pages.

"Remember when we went sightseeing in London? That's where. Got it at the market for like four pounds."

She breathed in heavily not believing what she saw. "Nick these are in amazing condition. Do you even realize how much these are worth?"

"No..."

"Sotheby's sold a first edition of Emma for 180,000 pounds. That's a nearly double in dollars if you think about it and a first edition of Pride and Prejudice? My God this is so amazing, thank you." She said hugging the books to herself.

He grinned. "Welcome, I didn't even know what I found until I was looking at it and saw the publication dates. So I looked it up and yeah first edition Jane Austen. I hoped you'd like it."

"I love it..." She interjected setting the books into her suitcase. She grinned at him and then came back over to him leaning over and pressing her mouth to his fervently making him groan at the sudden contact and his hands fly to her hips holding her. She broke her kiss with him and whispered. "Meet me downstairs in the music room in 10 minutes and not a minute earlier." She said before going down stairs and into the laundry room and changed her clothes.

She smirked at herself as she found the pink Victoria's Secret bag she'd hidden there and slipped into a simple lace and sheer chiffon camisole and a pair of boy short underwear to match the same burgundy color of the top. She brushed her hair out with her fingers before going into the music room and opening the lid to the baby grand piano then lit the various candles in the room her mother had put in there for Christmas decoration. Getting a wicked idea to let him see as he would walk in she then went to the piano pulling out one of her old books from under the chair. She opened it to one of her favorite songs and placed it on the sheet music holder before setting her slender fingers on the ivory keys.

Nick heard the soft playing come up stairs where he'd been waiting patiently. He got up and walked down stairs following the sound of the piano knowing she had to be playing. He was the only person that ever saw her sit at a piano anymore her own anxieties of performing in front of people had grown quite a bit since she'd stopped doing recitals for her private lesson teacher in junior high.

Once he reached the music room he stopped seeing a few candles lit one of the blankets from the couch had been laid out on floor along with some of the pillows that graced the couch and chairs creating a little nest of sorts. His eyes diverted then to the piano seeing Alyssa with her back to him playing softly and felt his heart beat increase exponentially as he took in her outfit during his approach behind her. He leaned down sweeping her hair to one side and pressing his mouth to the exposed skin making her fingers freeze in place elongated the chord she'd just played.

He bit down gently on her collarbone placing his hands loosely on her shoulders sliding them down her arms as she shivered at the feel of his teeth on her skin. She moaned softly her arms relaxing finally as her hands rested gingerly on the piano keys. "Nick...I can't play the piano if you're going to keep doing that." She remarked with a smirk.

He nipped at her pulse point and then turned her around swiveling the bench on it's wheels. "I'd rather do this..." He said leaning down again and claiming her mouth against his own. He braced himself on the piano keys behind her making her lean back slightly as a cacophony of sound came from where his hands had been placed over the keys.

At the same moment that Nick deepened the kiss exploring her mouth with painstaking slowness; Alyssa's hands went to his waist undoing his jeans and sliding her hand inside his boxers and wrapping her hand delicately around him. The simple action only served to provoke him more as his kiss became more aggressive, swirling his tongue around hers as he groaned in pleasure at the feel of her hands on him.

Feeling the strain in the muscles in his back from the awkward position of being bent over so far without much support aside from the piano he let his hands slide from the piano and take her by her elbows standing her up in on fluid motion. Alyssa broke the kiss startled by the sudden movement. She looked up into his face seeing his eyes that were drunk with lust. She felt his grip loosen on her arms as she moved one hand to tangle into his hair at the back of his head and the other moved up his chest to gently grasp his shirt collar pulling his mouth to hers fiercely.

His hands slid behind and around her back one staying between her shoulder blades and the other to the small of her back letting only his fingertips touch the lacey material of her underwear. He tightened his arms around her as they grew more passionate than before keeping their bodies pressed tightly together as if they couldn't be separated. In their reality that moment made the world extremely small, where there was nothing else but the contact between them.

Alyssa moved up to stand on the balls of her feet making them almost at eye level sliding their bodies together making a delicious jolt of what felt like electricity flow through each of them. Feeling restless, Nick moved his hand at her lower back down over her underwear and to her thigh grasping it firmly. He took her leg and wrapped it around his hip lifting her up off the ground. He turned and walked them back setting her down and motioning for her to sit on the couch.

She smirked defiantly at him with slightly swollen lips and a flushed complexion. She grabbed at his shirt taking it up and off of him. Alyssa leaned forward pressing her mouth to his chest in a chaste kiss at the middle of his chest. Moving upward to his neck she sucked a trail upward to his scruffy jaw nipping at it as he shut his eyes and moved his hands up to her shoulders. With great reluctance he pushed her back from him giving her a stern look. "Sit..." He said gruffly.

Giving in she sat on the couch towards the edge as he knelt in front of her. He placed his hands on her knees gently sliding them up to her hips and hooking his fingers underneath the lace like material. Knowing what he wanted she lifted herself up as he began to drag her panties off her hips slowly more for his own tortuous amusement than hers. He watched as he leaned back on his heels so she could lift her feet up slightly to pull them the rest of the way off of her.

As she set her feet down one of his hands grabbed her ankle and began sliding his hand up her calf and pressed his lips to her knee cap. Once his hand reached the underside of her knee he lifted is and held it in place as he began making a light trail of kisses down her inner thigh. She sighed and let a hand go to his head running her fingers through his hair just as he got to the crease where her thigh and hip met. Trying to get a little closer to her he pulled her knee over his shoulder making her slouch against the couch her breathing growing more shallow by the moment in anticipation.

Not wanting to prolong it any further he flicked out his tongue across her making her fingers tighten in his hair tugging at it as her head leaned back against the couch cushions and take a rather sharp breath. He stopped momentarily before continuing with increased pressure while the hand that held her leg over his shoulder began to softly knead at the skin on the outside of her thigh. He swirled his tongue around her clit making her shudder and moan. He smirked against her feeling her entire body shake from her shudder. Bringing his other hand up he slid his tongue inside her thrusting it gently as his thumb circled her clit getting rougher and quicker with each pass.

Alyssa arched her back and growled before looking back down at him as he moved his mouth away from her to kiss her other inner thigh. He came back to her getting rougher with her as his fingers drifted down and began thrusting in and out of her while he nipped and sucked on her. Her left hand moved down to her thigh holding on to his hand that still graced her thigh. He gripped her thigh tighter feeling the cool band of metal and diamonds that wound around her left ring finger. He moved his mouth and fingers faster on her feeling the muscles in her entire body begin to tense and quiver involuntarily. He heard her noises grow louder yet more strangled as her breath became so shallow she almost sounded like she was hyperventilating.

She felt the white hot tension in the pit of her stomach begin to reach a fevered pitch as she tugged harder on his hair. He knew she was very close and began humming slightly making her hips buck and a long strangled cry come from her mouth. She felt him keep going as she began to feel her orgasm course throughout her entire body. Her body tensed for a few moments before completely collapsing against the couch.

Nick chuckled as he kissed up her stomach over her camisole that in his haste he'd left on her. He pulled her up just enough as he sat forward onto his knees bringing his hands to cradle her face just above his own.

Still breathing heavily from her release she leaned down and kissed him aggressively sliding her hands up his triceps to his shoulders digging her nails into his shoulders. He broke the kiss looking up at the clear bright green in her eyes.

Alyssa broke apart from him for a moment crossing her arms in front of herself lifting the camisole up and off of herself. He let his eyes drag over her just taking in everything as he always did when she'd be that exposed to him. She blushed slightly before he leaned in and attacked her neck with his mouth making her arms wind around his neck and she sighed in delight. Undeterred from her plan she pushed him back and joined him on the floor reaching to his hips and began to tug at his jeans and boxer briefs.

In an effort to help her he scooted back towards the blanket and pillows as she pulled them off of him tossing them off to the side underneath the piano. Alyssa motioned for him to lay back on his elbows as she sat next to him leaning over and kissing upward on his chest to his mouth. He shifted his weight so he could bring one hand up to cradle her jaw as they kissed passionately. Smirking inwardly Alyssa began to slide her fingertips down his chest to his abdomen feeling his torso tense up in anticipation of where her hands were headed. She felt his breathing become labored but didn't falter in the kiss as her hands each began to trace a line down either side of his pelvic bone. She gently wrapped her hand around his erection making him break their heated lip-lock and breathe in sharply.

Alyssa giggled at him as she gently twisted her hand around him as she moved it up and down over his length. She watched his expression as his eyes closed momentarily and his jaw tightened trying to suppress a moan but realized his efforts were rather futile as she lightly squeezed her hand tighter around the head of his cock making him growl and move his hand back to the floor bracing himself on his elbows. She leaned in kissing along his jaw and nipping at his ear lobe. "Do you have any idea how incredibly sexy you look right now?" She whispered then sucked on his neck just below his ear.

He disregarded her question as he felt her lips move down his neck past his collarbone and begin a trail down his chest stopping momentarily to swirl her tongue around each of his nipples making him sigh and bring his hand up again burying it in her hair. He knew exactly where this was heading and as much as he wanted it to, his desire to possess her was all the stronger. "Liss...you don't...you don't need to..." He said stammering making her pause and look up meeting his eyes.

She gave him a sympathetic grin stopping her hands for a brief moment. She leaned up keeping their faces just mere inches apart. "I know I don't need to, but I like doing this for you so just enjoy it okay?"

He swallowed and nodded in response seeing her lean even closer brushing their lips just lightly together.

"Besides I like being the only one that gets to hear that growl you make when you come." She said with a completely straight face. He smirked at her loving that she was being even more bold than usual about what she liked and didn't like. It certainly was one of her sexiest qualities in his mind, that she wasn't afraid to tell him that she liked certain things.

He watched as she went back to kissing down his chest all the while her hands continued to stroke over him making his head swim with pleasure as her hair swished over his torso on her way downward. His eyes remained fixated on her as she pulled her hair off to one side over her shoulder. His breathing grew more shallow as his chest heaved for breath as he saw her mouth take in his tip while her hand stayed at the base gently squeezing and twisting as she moved it slightly up and down the length of which became smaller and smaller as her mouth took more of him in. It made him shiver just at the scene displayed before him let alone the sensation of her mouth and tongue swirling around him and her hand teasing him so completely.

Alyssa grinned inwardly hearing him moan loudly every time she'd bring her mouth back down onto him. She hollowed out her mouth creating even greater suction over his skin as she picked up her pace some of her hair falling back over her shoulder and shielding her from his eyes. With her free hand she simply pulled the few strands behind her ear not even breaking her rhythm over him for a moment.

Her simple gesture turned him on even more as her hand returned to his thigh lightly scraping her nails down to his knee. He continued to feel his orgasm building even more rapidly than before becoming unable to control the feelings coursing through him nor the sounds escaping his mouth. "Lissa..." He moaned over and over only serving to further encourage her to bring on his release just that much quicker. Her hand drifted between them and gently massaged his sack making a moan catch in his throat sounding almost strangled. His body tensed and he clenched his fists finally closing his eyes and growling loudly as his release hit him full force.

Alyssa swallowed his juices and then moved to lick around the head cleaning him up as well as easing him off his rather intense high. She smirked as she looked back up and him and moved to lay at his side kissing his chest affectionately.

He breathed heavily still trying to catch his breath that had been knocked out of him by the sheer force and intensity of his release. She giggled at him as he continued to struggle with his breathing. "You okay...?" She asked knowing that he was still coming off of his high.

He shot her a look and laid his head back letting out a long sigh. "Fuck...me that was just amazing." He said in response.

Alyssa chuckled at him again and kissed his cheek, "See I like satisfying you because of that reaction right there. Major confidence booster."

"Uh huh..." He nodded rolling to his side and pulled her in close.

She grinned up at him and she threw her legs over his hips contorting herself just so their bodies were lined up where all he had to do was thrust his hips forward and he'd be inside of her. He took the hint and kissed her lips moving his hips forward and entered her without warning. She gasped feeling him harden inside of her. She contracted her muscles around him making him groan and give her a look. She smiled sweetly at him and brought her hand up caressing the side of his face as they began a rather slow rhythm of rocking together.

Both of them were surprised at the intensity and the intimacy of their current position. Being able to look into each other's eyes on and equal level. No one on top or bottom controlling the action but just their bodies melding together, working together. The feeling of her body the way it was twisted and her legs kept together made the feeling of being inside her all the more intense and snug for him. Their hands roamed each other's bodies as they kissed passionately just enjoying the gentle motions their bodies were creating together.

Growing more and more impatient and needing something rougher than just the slow and easy movements Nick pulled away for a moment and rolled her onto her back. She grinned and spread her knees moving each on either side of his waist as he moved back into her with a bit rougher movements than before. Alyssa clung to his body moaning loudly and arching her back up as he came down on his elbows wrapping his arms around her shoulders to hold her as close as possible. She cried out as his lips tickled her neck then moved to suck on the tops of her breasts.

Just the feeling of him inside her as he kissed along her neck and chest drove her crazy and made her thrust her hips up against his wanting and needing him to move faster, and harder. She scratched his back lightly not wanting to tear at his skin hoping it would get him to move how she wanted. When it did not work she leaned up claiming his mouth against her own and rolled them over taking control over the situation. He smirked up at her brushing her hair behind her ears as she sunk down onto him closing her eyes and just reveling in the feeling alone.

His eyes roamed her face and down her body as his hands made their way to her waist. She placed her hands on his chest bracing herself as she began to rock her hips up and down then began moving in a circular motion changing every few seconds before finally settling on a figure eight motion that made her clit rub against his pelvic bone and her hair tickle along his abdomen as she bent over bracing her hands on his chest.

Alyssa opened her eyes a moment later locking her gaze with his own as she moved faster and harder making them both begin to moan simultaneously with every movement she made as his hands drifted upward to tease her nipples. Needing her to be closer to him his hands left her chest and came to her hands taking them and lacing their fingers as he brought them above his head bringing her face within inches of his own as she continued to rock against him.

They kissed fiercely both moaning into the other's mouths with every move her body made above his. Feeling the need to do something other than just kiss her he began moving his hips with hers against her movements rolling them up as she would come down making them hit together at just the right intensity that made Alyssa cry out. Nick felt her all too familiar shiver come across her body knowing that it wouldn't be much longer before she would explode against him. Her breathing became shallow as did his both of them trying desperately to hold off their inevitable orgasm for the other.

Knowing that they were both too close to even try to hold back any longer Nick put his hand between them and began rolling her clit between his fingers. Almost immediately her body tensed and began to quake as it sent her over the edge her hair flying everywhere as she threw her head back and screamed. Just the feeling of her walls convulsing around him was enough to send him over as well with a long groan. Alyssa collapsed against him her body wet with sweat and her skin was hot to the touch as was his. They laid their for a few moments their bodies still joined the only sounds in the room were their labored breathing that they both were trying to reign in.

A few moments later Alyssa finally lifted her head her looking through the hair that had fallen on her face to look up at his. She moved her hair out of the way and grinned lazily at him. "Lover..." She began her voice soft and sweet.

"Yeah?" He asked looking at her from where he was propped up with pillows.

"Merry Christmas..." She replied smiling at him both their expressions still drunk with pleasure from their encounter.

His entire body shook beneath her as he laughed at her remark. "Merry Christmas to you too sugar." He answered back between laughs. Alyssa leaned forward and placed a sweet but short kiss to his lips before resting her chin on his chest. He smiled at her as he played with her hair twirling some between his fingers as he rubbed her back with his other hand. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.

Nick looked around the room seeing all the musical instruments on the walls the various pictures and the piano next to them. He was about to say something else when they both froze hearing cars pull into the driveway. "Oh God they're back..." She said sitting up. They both scrambled cleaning up as much as possible blowing out the candles, returning the blanket to the couch along with the pillows. Nick grabbed his clothes and her camisole before they ran to the stairs and up to her room closing and locking the door just as the front door was opening. Nick and Alyssa quickly dropped everything and hopped into her bed facing each other and tried to be as quiet as possible as they heard everyone down stairs. "You got my clothes right?"

"Yeah I picked ‘em up with mine." He whispered back reassuringly as they both began to drift off to sleep the exhaustion from their physical exertions finally hitting them full force.

Meanwhile down stairs Mary looked around seeing that the house was still dark and relatively quiet. She walked into the music room where everyone had gathered none of them really all that tired. She looked noticing that the piano was open and one of Alyssa's old composition manuals on the sheet music holder. She shook her head thinking maybe that had been that way before they'd left. The next moment she looked around the room hearing everyone's conversation just taking it all in. She noticed there was an odd smell in the room almost like sandalwood. She looked to the candles she'd placed for decoration seeing the once white wicks were blackened and a pool of still very warm wax around them.

"I don't remember lighting the candles today." She said aloud during a lull in the conversation. "Or that the piano was open." She added making everyone look at her oddly.

Olivia shifted on the couch feeling something scrunched up beneath her. She pulled the object out seeing the burgundy lace boy short underwear that Alyssa had worn earlier. "Uh I think I know who had the candles lit and the piano open..." Olivia said dangling the drawers for everyone to see.

"That fucker..." Clark said shaking his head automatically knowing that it had to be Nick and Alyssa responsible for the underwear, candles and piano.

"Apparently he did..." Olivia retorted making everyone break out laughing. "I'm so teasing the hell out of her tomorrow." She said laughing.

Mary rolled her eyes and took the underwear from her daughter and putting it in the laundry room to be washed. "Now everyone I think it's time we all got some rest don't you?" She said on her way back herding everyone off to their respective rooms. She took one last look at the room and chuckled before heading off towards the stairs herself.

 

 

 

 

(**) Finale Reprise - Nightmare before christmas