It was almost four in the morning and Kayla could barely keep her eyes open, Nick's flight was supposed to have arrived an hour ago, but as usual there were delays.  He wouldn't let her go pick him up at the airport, so she sat at his house impatiently awaiting his arrival with baited breath, anxious to see him after his time in Europe.  Many a night had been spent thinking about everything she'd say and do when he came back, worrying if he'd thought about her as much as she thought about him, or if his return would mean the beginning of the end for them.    He hadn't been gone for very long, but she really did  miss him, she missed his voice, his touch, even his wild mood swings.  Upon her return from Canada, Kayla had decided to quit the job she had working for Nick, she wasn't comfortable working for someone she was seeing, too many problems could arise.  When she finally told him, he hadn't taken the news very well, Nick didn't seem to care that it was a conflict of interest for them to be seeing each other and for her to be working for him, he just freaked out.  But he got over it eventually, realizing her point after another long night in Europe.  He had told her he was just afraid he wouldn't see her as much, and of course Kayla assured him that wouldn't happen.    She still took care of his house while he was away (at least for this trip) but Andy had taken over all the technical, organizational and financial business, and she definitely felt more at ease with everything, her new job, her new life.

Kayla went to the freshly stocked fridge and pulled out a can of Pepsi, hoping the caffeine would kick in and she'd get a second wind.  She didn't want to fall asleep because she knew he wouldn't wake her when he got home, he'd let her sleep and she didn't want to sleep away the first time he'd been home in two months.   Kayla looked at the clock as she sat down un-pausing the movie she had been watching.  4:23 am.  She rubbed her tired eyes and took off  her glasses, the strain from watching tv was making them hurt, she wasn't going to last very much longer.

    "I'll just shut my eyes for a few minutes." she said to herself, pulling her feet up onto the couch and letting her eyelids snap shut.  She awoke to a banging sound and shot awake, her eyes slowly pulling open as she squinted to see the time on the VCR.  5:57am.  Shit, she thought, before realizing that something had woken her up.  The tv was off and the lights were extinguished and a blanket now covered her pajama clad  body on the couch.  Kayla sat up and looked around, finally seeing the shadowy figure making his was through the kitchen, the sun had still not risen.    She was at a loss for words, Hi just didn't seem like the right thing to say.  She stood up and walked towards him.  Slowly.  Quietly.   She wasn't sure how to act.  Everything she was feeling told her to hold him and kiss him and tell him how much she had missed him, but another part held her feet firmly planted on the floor.  She decided to listen to her brain, hanging back to see how he would react to her first, then she'd know if she could return it or not.   He was bent over looking into the fridge, the light making him glow in the middle of the kitchen.  After much hesitation, she set her hand lightly on the one that held open the fridge door, his body jumping in fright.  She smiled as she watched him try to put his heart back into his chest.

    "I'm sorry I woke you up." He said apologetically, his eyes growing wide in realization that she stood before him and a sigh coming from his lips, like her presence before him had knocked the breath from his lungs.  Kayla melted into his arms as he practically swallowed her with an embrace, leaving the refrigerator door wide open.  "Oh god I missed you." He said like it were the sound of his breath escaping his lips, in one continuous sigh.  His hand stroked her head and the sudden onslaught of emotion had Kayla on the verge of tears, tears she desperately fought.  It was a battle she lost as he kissed from her forehead down to her lips.

    "Are you gonna say anything." He said with a smile, his hand resting on her cheek.

    "I can't." She barely choked out.  "I don't know what to say."  He pulled her tight again, her body lifting  an inch or so off the floor with the strength of his hug.

    "Sorry I woke you up." He reiterated, tracing the shape of her face with his fingers, wiping away any moisture that a teardrop may have left.

    "I'm glad you did." She told him, unable to take her eyes from his.  "I'm glad you're home."

    "I am too."  He sighed, giving her one more kiss.  He could see the exhaustion on her face, and he knew she had waited up for him as long as she could, so after kicking the refigerator door shut he led her up to his room, a room he already knew was clean and fresh, probably something she'd done.    He crawled into the bed with her, kissing every portion of her face that his lips could reach before holding her tight to his body, willing her to fall back asleep.  He sat silently in the dark, lightly stroking her head,  The absolute joy he had felt when he had realized she stood in front of him still swam through his body, he hadn't realized how much he wanted to see her until he saw her looking at him.

     Europe hadn't been fun, Nick had still been reeling from the admission he made to Kayla before he left, that she was who he thought about now, when they were forced to go over there for three weeks; and leaving the first person he'd cared about since Jenna was hard.  Even though it was only for such a short time.   He'd spent as much time as he could working and sleeping while he was away, willing the other guys to spend just a few more minutes signing autographs, or getting their pictures taken, and doing anything and everything he could do so he wouldn't be able to sit and think of how much he missed her for even a moment.   The only time he had allowed himself to fall into missing her was when he scratched out the song late one night in a Dublin hotel room, when everyone else had gone out to some Irish pub on their last night in Ireland.   He hadn't even bothered to make a copy before he jotted down a quick note on the outside of the paper and mailed it to her immediately, a nights full of thought just needing to find their way to her as quickly as possible.  He knew exactly who was calling and why when the phone rang late one night in yet another hotel room, and he had been more than relieved to hear how much she had loved every word of it, he could hear the joy in her voice as he promised her that maybe someday he'd sing it for her.

Nick stared down at her sleeping face, wondering if she realized how much he had missed her, and how glad he was to be home.  He hadn't felt that feeling in a long time, wanting to be somewhere with someone.  He'd missed it.   Nick took another look at her as he carefully slid out of the bed and her embrace, eager to return to the kitchen and get something real to eat, the jet lag and time difference had him wide awake.

    "Don't go." She said in a hazy voice as he got out of the bed, he had thought she was sleeping.

    "I just wanted to let you sleep." He said in a whisper of a voice, sitting back down beside her as she opened her eyes.

    "I don't want to sleep."

    "But you're exhausted Kay, I can see it all over your face.  Go to sleep, we can catch up later."

    "I can sleep anytime." She said, sitting up in the bed. "I'm not tired, I just thought you were."

    "Liar." He said, succumbing to her request and walking back down into the kitchen with her.   She went to sit on the couch as he went back to the fridge looking for something to eat.  Nick returned with a hand full of cookies and sat next to her on the couch, smiling to himself when he looked over at her peacefully sleeping body.  He pulled the blanket he had covered her with once already from the floor and draped it over her, she moved slightly and ended up cuddled into him.   Nick wrapped an arm around her and turned on the television, watching random morning cartoons, glancing over at her sleeping face every so often, and brushing his fingers along the soft brown hair that fell onto her cheek.  He hadn't been so glad to be home in a long time.
 

    Kayla awoke with the sun bright in her eyes, glancing at the clock she noticed it was almost noon, and looking around the house she wondered if Nick had returned the night before or if she had dreamt it.  By the mess in the kitchen, in his room and in the bathroom, she knew it hadn't been a dream, Nick was back.

    She hunted the house in every room possible, finally his whereabouts dawned on her.  Kayla walked towards the back door and looked out across his property and onto his boat.  He was there.  She quickly went into the bedroom and slipped on a pair of his shorts, pulling the string on them tight so they wouldn't fall down and leaving on the tank top she had been wearing, before walking out into the bright Florida sun, down to the water where his boat sat, the fact that November was as warm as it was still amazed her, even after living here for ten years.   Nick didn't see or hear  her step aboard the boat, Kayla stood silently and watched him sitting on the edge of the deck, his legs hanging over the side and his arms resting on the metal frame, staring out into the water, his chin on his hands.

    Kayla felt the same feelings she had felt the night before, apprehension about making the first move.  She was always more comfortable with him taking that leap first, he had initiated the relationship and although she was comfortable with what they had and how she felt for him, his feelings were not always as clear to her.

    "How long are you gonna stand there before you say hello." Nick said suddenly, still staring out into the water.  Kayla let her breath out of her lungs.

    "How was Europe?" She asked sitting down next to him.

    "Good.  A lot of interviews, the same old questions, I'm glad we're done."

    "Have you slept yet?" She asked maternally.

    "No."

    "Aren't you tired?"

    "Yes and No." He said slyly.  She knew he could feel the same timid nervousness that she was feeling, like they didn't know where to begin, or what to say.  "If I sleep now I'll never get back on US time." Kayla nodded in understanding.

    "I have something for you." Nick proclaimed jumping up from his seat on the boat's deck.  "But you can't have it until tonight."

    "That's not fair.  You can't do that.  It's like saying 'I have a secret, but I'm not telling!'"

    "That's exactly what I'm saying." He smiled.

    "Fine.  I have something for you too!" She said playfully sticking her tongue out.  "and you can't have it, 'til I get what you got me!"

    "I can wait." He said calmly, noticing Kayla's annoyed demeanor.

    "You hungry?" She said changing the subject.

    "Always."

    "Good, me too.  C'mon I'll make ya something." She said grabbing his hand and pulling him in the direction of the house.

    "Wait!" He said pulling her to a stop.  "Can I do something first?"

    "Sure, I'll just go start making something.  Come when you're done!"  Kayla started towards the house, again being pulled to a stop by Nick.

    "No, you're part of the something."  Kayla looked at him curiously until he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tight.  He alternated the deep kiss with short pecks all over her face and neck, always returning to her lips, tasting her like he'd never done it before.

    "There.  All done." He said placing one more kiss on her lips and grinning at her like a cheshire cat as he left her standing on the boat alone, her breath still caught in her throat, and a stunned look on her face.
 

        Kayla had assumed Nick's first day back would be spent sleeping and lounging about his house, she didn't expect that he want to spend it chattering to her, but he did.  All day long he talked and talked and talked, telling her nothing in particular, but just saying anything that was on his mind.  He asked her about the new job she had taken since quitting the one she had with him, he asked what she had done while he was gone, and now all throughout supper he was nothing but chatter.  He barely kept his mouth shut long enough to chew the lasagna she had made, like he had to make up for all the talk he had missed when he was gone.  Kayla could barely keep up.

    "...so then this reporter starts freaking out in german or something and all we could do was sit there and watch him, cause we have no idea what he's saying or why he's freaking out!"  He proclaimed taking a deep breath.  "Ugh, I'm stuffed."

    "Well you ate enough of it!" She laughed.

    "I haven't had a home cooked meal in months, I'm allowed to pig out."

    "True enough." Kayla said picking up their plates and setting them in the sink.

    "So, you ready for your present?"

    "Finally!  Yes!" She said like an excited child, bounding back to Nick.

    "Go sit down in the living room and I'll be right out." He said going towards the pile of luggage he had yet to unpack near the door.    "Turn your head!"  He yelled as she watched him.  Kayla sighed and turned around, staring out the window into the black night sky.

    "Okay, close your eyes." Nick said when she finally heard the rummaging stop.  Kayla shut her eyes and waited for his instruction.

    "Let me explain this first before I give it to you." He said, she could feel him sit down next to her.  "We went a lot of places on the European junket. We were in Sweden, England, um, Ireland, Germany, France and  Spain.  Ya know, it wasn't like the press we did here and in Canada, and Australia, we just toured to all these different countries, we didn't get to stay anywhere for a long time."

    "Nick I know, remember I gave you the itinerary!" She sighed.

    "Just listen." He said.  "and keep your eyes shut."

    "They are!" She whined.

    "Anyway, we did a lot more sight-seeing this time because the guys had their families with them, so I basically spent a lot of time alone.  I was looking for something to get you over there, but all that tourist-y stuff sucks.  I mean little eiffel tower statues and irish leprechauns.  I really was having a hard time finding anything."

    "Nick, you didn't have to get me a present!"

    "QUIET!" He said again, placing a finger on her lips.  "But one night in Germany, I think we were in Munich or somewhere near there.  The guys convinced me to come out with them, for some tour they were going on, and I actually went for once."

    "Why do I have to keep my eyes shut for a story?"

    "Kayla, would you let me finish."

    "Fine!" She sighed.

    "We were going to some castle, and I was really bored, I'd much rather have stayed in the hotel and watched a german movie than be going to some castle at night in the winter, so I just shut my eyes and waited to get there.  Everyone started sighing and making these awed sounds so I look out the window of the car and there was this huge castle all lit up and glowing with like spotlights or something.  Especially with the snow that was everywhere, it just made it look like Cinderella's palace or something.  Although we found out that it wasn't Cinderella's castle, it was the castle that the one in the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty was modeled after and the replica at Disney World too."  He paused a moment, waiting for her to interrupt, but she didn't, so he continued.  "Anyway, it was awesome, I've never seen anything like it before.  So when we were leaving we stopped at a gift shop and I finally saw something that I thought would be perfect for you"

Kayla's eyes were still firmly shut as she heard the tinkling of music notes, a tune she recognized, but couldn't quite place.

    "Okay, open your eyes."  he said.   Kayla opened her eyes slowly and found the source of the music.  In Nick hands was a beautiful water globe, inside was the amazing castle he had talked about, small lights were lit up within it's tiny windows and she couldn't do anything but smile at how beautiful it looked.  Then he shook it, glittery snow dancing inside, sparkling with the light.  She knew why he had waited until it was dark to give it to her.

    "So whaddya think?" He asked, she couldn't take her eyes off of  it.

    "I can't believe you saw the real thing." She said with a voice full of amazement.  "What song is it playing?"

    "Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty."  Kayla was mesmerized, she couldn't tear her eyes from the sparkling snow that fell within the confines of the  globe, the castle inside seemed majestic even in it's replicated stature.  "Do you like it?" Kayla looked up at him, hearing the worry in his voice.

    "I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."  She said with a sigh.  Finally when the music stopped the lights slowly went out and Nick reached over to turn on a lamp, breaking the trance effect it had on her.  "I love it, thank you Nick!" She said leaning over to give him a hug, once he had set it down on the table in front of them.  As much as she wanted to wind the globe back up and listen to it's song again, she wanted to give Nick his present as well.

    "Okay now time for your present!" She said bounding up and going to get a box she had stashed in the downstairs bedroom.

    "Why'd you get me something anyway?" He yelled from his seat on the couch.

    "Just because." She said, turning on the lights as she came back in the room sitting back down next to him.

    "What's this?" Nick asked as she set a small wrapped box on the table in front of him.

    "Open it and see!" She said, Nick picked up the box and shook it before attempting to open it.  He unwrapped the heavily taped package, scowling at Kayla who covered every seam with tape to make getting the present as difficult as possible.  Once he finally got through the layers of tape and wrapping paper he opened the box and rifled through the tissue paper inside, pulling out an oddly shaped talisman, about the size of a CD.

    "What is it?" He asked, turning it over and around, trying to find some sense of what it could be.

    "It's supposed to be a symbol of Euterpe."

    "What's a u-ter-pee?"

    "It's not a what, it's a who.  She's the muse of music and lyric poetry, ya know in greek mythology."

    "Where'd you get it?" He asked, still looking at the curious thing.

    "Greece."

    "When were you in greece?"

    "The summer before I went to college, but I didn't get it then." She said, watching the way he felt over the carvings, spinning it in his hands.  "I met people when I was there, and I asked them to send it to me.  I thought you could hang it downstairs for when you write and stuff.

    "It's kind of ugly." He said, just trying to get a rise out of her.

    "Shut up dipshit, it's a muse, it's supposed to help you be creative!"

    "I was kidding." He smiled, kissing the bridge of her nose, "I love it.  It's cool, thank you."

    "Hope it's inspiring."

    "I'm feeling kind of inspired right now!" He said holding the talisman to his head, like an old Johnny Carson sketch.

     "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to follow uturdpee's orders."

    "Euterpe." She corrected, laughing at Nick's sad display of humor.  He ran about the living room, turning off all the lights.  "Nick what are you doing?"

    "Just what my muse says to do!" He said, banging into a chair with a loud crash.  Kayla laughed from her seat on the couch, hearing his sad 'ouch' from the floor.  Finally he found his way in the dark back to the couch, flopping down beside her rubbing his leg.

    "Did your muse tell you to do that?" She asked.

    "No, but she told me to do this!" He said letting the talisman fall onto the cushions of the couch, and his body lean over top of her, kissing her with the same intensity he had shown this morning.

    "Now, why would the muse of music tell you to do that?" Kayla asked, her lips still touching his.

    "Maybe she's not the muse of music.  Maybe she's someone else." He grinned slyly, Kayla pushed Nick back from her and moved over to straddle his legs, her hands resting on his jaw, their noses pressed against each other.

    "So who is she?" Kayla still played along, kissing along the slight stubble on his jaw, up towards his ear.

    "She told me her name was Afro-something." He said, barely able to continue the idle chatter they kept up, his hands roaming her back.

    "Aphrodite?"

    "That was it." He sighed.

    "So what exactly did she tell you to do?"  Kayla said, her hot breath in his ear making him shiver.

    "Stuff."

    "What kind of stuff?" Kayla asked, still playing with his ear, she could feel the effect it was having on him.  Each time he spoke, it was like he didn't have enough breath to say the whole sentence, spurting it out like one big word.

    "She told me not to tell."

    "Do you know who Aphrodite is?" Kayla asked, playing the game he had started better.  She was most definitely winning.

    "Goddess of love."

    "Not just that." She said pulling her lips from his earlobe.  "She was the goddess of beauty....desire..." between each word she kissed closer and closer to his mouth, leaning her body as close to his as she could get it, Kayla could almost feel his heart beating.  "...passion...and sexual rapture."

Kayla smiled with Nick's intake of breath, perhaps surprised at how forward she was being, but regardless the game was forgotten as she reached his mouth again, his words un-utterable.  He rose from the couch, lifting her up and allowing her feet to hit the floor.  Kayla and Nick walked through his house, through winding hallways and up stairs, the kiss they had begun never ending.  She walked backwards the whole way, Nick's hands wrapped around her, guiding her direction,   She tripped on the plush carpeting of his bedroom floor as they entered and went tumbling backwards.   She landed gently, Nick slowing her fall with his arm, and kneeling over top of her as she was rested on the carpet.  His hands and lips roamed her body, exploring her, memorizing her, wanting her.

    "Is this okay Kayla? We'll stop if you want." She responded with a feather light kiss to his lips.  A kiss that told him everything he wanted to know, tempting him to just stay on the floor, but he didn't.  Nick backed off of her and helped her get up, quickly returning her to his arms and mouth.   A slow, clothes shedding walk was made the short distance to the large bed, and she felt herself pause and hesitate again as his shirt was pulled over his head, and her hands found their way to the button of his pants, but the hesitation was only momentary, she wasn't questioning this anymore, she wasn't questioning him as they slowly lowered their way to the soft comfort of the bed and of each other.
 

    "Thank you." Nick said in a whisper he didn't intend for her sleeping ears to hear, hours after their evening had begun so innocently with supper, and moments since they had exhausted themselves to the brink of sleep.

    "Why? Has it been that long?" She said with a slight laugh as she turned over to look at him, his face turning a shade of red with embarrassment.

    "No...that's not what I meant."

    "So what are you thanking me for?"

    "Thanks for being someone I want to wake up to in the morning, that's all."  He said with such innocence, his lips tracing an ever familiar kiss from her forehead to her lips.

    "Anytime" She sighed with a smile, quietness returning to the room as their breathing evened out.

    "Nick?" Kayla said, her voice barely higher than a whisper.

    "Yeah?" He said, his eyes still closed.

    "I love you."

    "I know." He replied, pulling her close just to feel her body near his again, sleep overcoming him quickly, his mind, body and heart spent.
 
 
 

Chapter 8

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Just for a little education, yeah that castle does exsit and it is the one Sleeping Beauty's was based on Click Here to have a look at it. It's beautiful, and it's called Neuschwanstein and is in Germany near Munich.