It Ends Now

"I started walking. I don't even know where I went. After John got me out of the restaurant, I was raging and fighting him to go back in there after Hector. Jesus, I fucking punched John. I was so pissed." He swallowed a couple of times. "I need to give him a big raise. Poor guy took the brunt of my anger."

Until he got to me. I didn't say that out loud. "So, you just walked around?"

"Yeah. I stopped somewhere. I don't even know where. I was sitting on a bench and John found me. He shoved me into the car and drove me home." He pulled back to look me in the eyes again. "I was a mess. I was cursing Hector, Rosemary, you, my parents, God, and everyone. Including myself. Hector said he wanted to ruin me, and it felt like he had. I'm sorry you had to see me that way."

I nodded, trying to understand.

"I didn't want to see you when I came home. I was afraid of confirming that what Hector had said was all true.”

"You scared me."

"God, Willow. I know. I'm so sorry. I know I scared you." He squeezed me until I could barely breathe, but I squeezed him back just as hard.

"I don't know. Maybe you should consider talking to someone about this? You keep all this stuff bottled up inside and then you eventually explode."

"I'm talking to you about it." He loosened his grip to watch my face again.

"I mean someone professional."

He let out a short laugh. "Yeah. Well, I guess I could go see a shrink. Yesterday was kind of a perfect storm of events though. I can't say I've ever been so crazy before. But if you want me to see someone, I will."

I traced his lips with my finger. "I just want you to be okay. I want us to be okay. I want you to believe and trust in me. We have a baby on the way. I don't want you to go off anymore or go do something psycho like kill Hector... even if he deserves it. I need you here. We need you here."

His lips met mine, leaving soft kisses that made my heart flutter. "I do trust you. And I'm here for you, for us, for our baby. I feel like we've had people trying to sabotage us from all sides, but it ends now. It's you and me. I won't allow anyone to jeopardize what we have anymore. Not even me."

His assurances did make me feel better, but time would tell if our problems were really over.

My eyes drooped as I grew tired again. "We are going to take a long nap, but before I fall asleep again, tell me what happened when Virgil got here."

"He basically kicked my ass."

I snorted and Nicholas' fingers trailed along my waist, tickling me.

"Don't make fun. He really did. But I deserved it. I'm going to have to give that fucker a raise too."

"What did he do?"

"He came in and smacked the back of my head. Took away the bottle of scotch. He told me about you asking him for help. Then he showed me what he and the computer guy had gotten from security tapes."

My eyes widened. "Security tapes?"

"Yes. From your two encounters with Hector. Honestly, Willow, I think as soon as I saw your face when you looked at those pictures, I believed you. I hated myself and was ashamed and lashed out. But I think deep down I knew the truth. I didn't want you to see me like that. That's why I wanted you to leave. Then Virgil confirmed it when he showed me exactly what happened. Hector set you up to hurt me. I was a fool and fell for it."

I shook my head. "That's exactly what I've been saying to myself. I was a fool for falling into his trap."

He kissed me again. "We are just two fools in love."

I pushed against his chest and laughed. "God, you are so cheesy."

"I know. I can't help it." His smile dimmed and he turned serious again. "Are we okay?"

We still had a lot to talk about. What to do about Hector. Rosemary. Julia. And I was sure something would be brought up soon about me being alone and attending classes.

But looking at him right here, right now. I knew the answer. "Yes. We're okay."

.

I smelled the flower before I felt it brushing across my nose. Nicholas' chuckles came next, and I opened my eyes to find him lying beside me, waving the petals in front of my face.

"What are you doing?"

"Watching you sleep."

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. "That wasn't watching, that was messing around and waking me up."

"Sorry. I had to get you up. We need to get going."

"Where are we going?"

He tossed the flower and pulled me close, his scruffy face tickling the skin of my neck as he peppered me with kisses. "You smell so good."

He was trying to distract me from my question. It was working. It always worked. Damn him.

I tried to squirm out of his embrace, but he turned us so I was trapped beneath him. He nudged my legs apart, slipping a thigh between, and I closed my eyes and bit my lip when his slow grinding started.

"I thought you said we had to go somewhere?"

"There's a little time," he mumbled before sucking on a spot below my ear.

I turned my head to give him more room to work, and gasped when my eyes flitted back open.

Nicholas was off of me like a shot, hovering above in alarm, his hands roaming and checking for injuries. "What? What happened? Did I hurt you?"

I would have laughed, but I was too stunned. I sat up quickly, my mouth gaping at what I saw.

There were flowers everywhere. Vases in every shape and size, filled with hundreds—or maybe thousands—of flowers, covered most of the floor, table, and dresser space in the room.

"What is all this?"

"I wanted you to see something cheerful when you woke up."

I finally turned back toward him, having heard the smile in his voice. "Are these 'I'm sorry' flowers?"

He shook his head. "No, these are 'beginning of your birthday weekend' flowers."

"Birthday weekend?"

He smirked and leaned back over. "Yes, my dear."

I let him kiss me, even if Mr. Cocky had appeared again. He did get me flowers after all.

"What does this birthday weekend entail? Because you know I'm supposed to go out with Courtney and Lory on Saturday."

He hummed, his lips pressing more insistently on mine. My body was telling me to pull him down and have my way with him, but my mind was still wondering what plans he had for us.

I sat back with a smile, watching his lip form a slight pout. "Tell me what's going on," I said, shaking my head at his antics.

"You'll get to see Courtney and Lory this weekend. It just won't be here. They were willing accomplices in keeping this a surprise from you." He tilted his head and gave me another goofy grin. I decided to let him play his games and surprise me.

I turned my head back to take in all the flowers. "They're beautiful. Thank you, Nicholas." I snuck a look at him, catching him watching me. "I love the colors."

"They made me think of you."

I wasn't sure why white, yellow, and orange would remind him of me. I raised my eyebrow in question.

He pulled me back into his arms. "White reminded me that the most amazing woman in the world married me," he murmured in my ear. His hand started rubbing my stomach. "And the warm colors are for the sunshine you are bringing into my life and my babies. You are the most important thing in the world, Willow. You are everything."

He had a way of making me melt.

.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded my head at Nicholas, trying to keep my lunch down. We were in a helicopter flying out of Quentin. The view was spectacular, but it wasn't the smoothest ride in the world. I concentrated more on not puking than watching the city beneath us.

He rubbed my arms and hands, keeping up a constant stream of conversation, although I only really paid attention to about half of it. His touch and the sound of his voice helped my nausea ease up about an hour into the flight.

"How much longer is it?"

He looked down at his watch. "Not too much longer. Maybe another twenty or thirty minutes."

"Where is it that we're going?"

He smiled and finally told me.