Lambert Residence, Mauvaise Chance, Just Before Dawn on Saturday [NFB]
He was there when she got home.
He rose from the sofa as she shed her jacket, boyish smile tempered by the worry lighting his eyes. "Hi there," he said quietly. "How'd it go?"
Nat hung her jacket on the hook by the door. It was all she could do to keep from flinging herself into his arms; instead, she forced herself to cross slowly to him. A rueful smile tugged at her lips. "The cure worked, however reluctant he was to take it," she answered with a sigh. "He was so afraid the beast would get out, he was willing to die, in order to take his dark side with him. He was so busy protecting everyone else, he..." She shook her head, unable to complete the thought. It was just a little too much like this man standing before her to be really a comfortable topic of discussion.
She tried a different topic. "So what brings you here?"
"You."
Her brows arched. "Me? Did I sound that bad on the phone?"
"You sounded like you, ah, needed someone -- needed some company."
Here we go again, Nat thought, dancing around each other. Fred and Ginger would be so proud! She pinched the bridge of her nose, weighing her response carefully. Angel's condition had brought to light just how fragile life -- even an "unlife" -- could be; hunters lurked in the daylight hours, closing in on their prey even before the vampire knew who or what they were. Stakes and poisons and spells were out there, and despite all the abilities that went with being a vampire, mortals were still finding ways to kill them. She or Nick could be gone tomorrow...and they were still hiding behind the facade of friendship. After ten years, and especially after the events of the past week, Natalie decided she'd had enough. It was time to lay it all out in a way he couldn't misunderstand.
"I don't need just someone, Nick," she said, finally. She looked up at him. "I need you. All I could think about was how we've been just not saying it, not saying anything, just pretending there's nothing else there. And then he was laying there, dying, and it could have been you -- could have been any of us, Nick. We're not so sturdy we can't break. We have our weaknesses, just like the mortals do...and when we die, just like mortals do, our fate is ten times worse. Even we can't live like there's always gonna be a tomorrow."
"Nat, I'm..." Sighing, Nick brought his forehead to rest against hers, his thumb still gently stroking her cheek. He closed his eyes. "I'm not sure I can say it. All this time, and I'm not sure I can say it." After a long moment, he looked to her, lips drawn taut and his eyes searching hers.
The beast swirled within her, and Natalie forced it under her control, even as she fought to keep her fangs from descending. Now was not the time for a quick change. Still, her eyes danced with flecks of gold as she looked to him. "Then show me."
"You're sure?" His brow was furrowed, and his eyes turned as she watched. "How can you, after --"
She silenced him, brushing her lips lightly against his. He hesitated, hedging, until finally his lips slanted over hers.
There were no words again until much later in the day.