Nick looked at the list in his hands for the fifth time in as many minutes. He'd been up half the night coming up with way to get them back together, some of the weirder ideas he'd scratched out. There had to be one way to get her and Michael back. Even through Rok at one time had been his best friend and Nick loved him like a brother, that was his family and he wanted them back. Nick tossed his notebook down with a sigh, and got up, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
Lis sat on the bathroom floor giving Michael a bath in the tub. "What do you think Michael?" she asked him, after telling him the whole story. He just looked up at her with Nick's eyes and laughed. "Can you be any more like your father?" she wondered out loud, wrapping him in a towel. She took him out and laid him on their bed and laid down next time, all she knew is that every decision she made had to be in his best interests.
Nick listened to the phone ring five times and was just about to hang up when he heard Brian's voice. "Hello?"
"B...Hi." Nick said, emotionless.
"Nick?" Bri said startled, recognizing the voice. Shan stopped buttoning her shirt and stared at him.
"Yeah that would be me...look I'm giving you warning, I'm going after my wife."
"Uh okay..." Bri answered, unsure what to say. "Good luck."
Nick made a face into the phone. "You're okay with it?" he asked somewhat shocked. He'd expected Bri to yell, scream and demand he stay away from Lis and Michael.
"Of course, Nick she was your wife and you two have a son I think you deserve to try to get back together." Brian said, watching Shan across the room.
"Well I'm glad to know you see things my way."
"Totally. Look I gotta run."
"Yeah, bye." Nick hung the phone up confused but shook it off.
Shan sighed into the phone. "Look I'm coming over and we're gonna do something okay?"
"Shan, look I had a rough night can't we do this later?" Lis pleaded, rubbing her temples.
"No! I want to see my best friend and I want to see her today ok? Look I'll be there in an hour. See you then." and before Lis could respond she hung up and turned around to see Bri smiling at her.
"Well?"
"I'm going over there in an hour."
He grinned. "Then you could always come back to bed."
Lis opened the front door, Michael perched on her hip. "Shan! You're early, I'm not even dressed."
Shan walked inside the house. "Lis, you are aware that you are in jeans and a tank top?"
Lis set Michael down in his car seat. "I mean to go out."
"Well go get ready. I believe I can look after this little guy." she said, tickling his feet as Michael laughed.
"Thanks. Michael be good for Aunty Shannon. Give me five and I'll be down." Lis said, passing her son to Shan.
"If you're back in five it will be a miracle." Shan called up the stairs after her. She had just sat down on the couch, holding Michael when there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it, just hurry up." Shan called, setting the baby down and heading for the door. She peeked through the peephole and sighed heavily as she opened the door. "Well well well, if it isn't Nick Carter."
Nick stared blankly at Shannon. "Shan? What are you...is Lis around?" he looked past her into the house.
"Shan who is it?" Lis asked, finishing buttoning up her shirt as she came down the stairs. Her eyes went wide upon seeing Nick. "Nick!" she said surprised. "Why are you here?"
"That's what I want to know." Shan stated, standing between the two of them.
Nick's eyes never left Lis. "I need to talk to my wife uh Lis."
Lis raised an eyebrow. "Shan let him in." Reluctantly Shan walked away. "What is it?" Lis asked, forcing herself not to look at him.
Nick smiled. "I came to ask you out on a date."
"A date?!?!" Shan yelled from down the hallway.
"A date?" Lis repeated. "I'm engaged to Brian, I don't date anymore."
Nick leaned against the wall. "Lissy..." his voice the one he used when he wanted her to do something. "Please Lissy, look even Bri said we should take a shot at us."
She sighed. "When did he say that?"
"This morning I called him. Look unless you gotta clear your schedule with him you can go."
"Nick I don't know..." she said, trying to stall.
Nick sighed. "He said so!" he whined. "Look I'll pick you up at 8 o'clock...AC can babysit since Brian's in the studio." Lis was about to object when he gave her a quick kiss. "Remember 8!!" he called as he walked out the front door.
Shan sat in the driver's seat of her car staring at Lis, so it was a good thing the light was red. "Why don't you just admit it?"
"Admit what?" Lis asked confused, coming out of her daze as the car began to move.
"You love Nick, always have and always will."
"Oh please, I'm so over him." Lis said, blatantly lying through her teeth.
Shan laughed. "Oh okay, that's why you lit up like a Christmas tree when you saw him downstairs. The only thing I don't get is you and Brian's engagement. I mean I have no problem with you making Nick sweat a little, in fact I rather enjoy that but jeez Lis you could end up hurting Bri."
Lis rolled her eyes and leaned back against her seat. Thankfully Michael started to cry so she didn't have to respond.
Everyone looked up when Nick walked into the living room. "Good you're all here." he said smiling at AC, BJ and E.
"Uh exactly where else would we be big bro?" BJ asked, shooting him a confused look.
Nick looked at the keys in his hands. "Tonight you need to be anywhere but here."
E smiled. "Going for the date idea?"
He nodded, when he saw the equally confused looks on his sibling's faces he explained. "I'm bringing Lis here tonight, so that means you guys can't be here and another thing AC I all ready told Lis you'd babysit tonight."
"Fine, perfect, whatever you need."
"Other than this to work that's it." He answered with a smile. "Well maybe a little help setting up?"
"We're in." E answered. "Besides I've heard some nice things about that one hotel downtown, I definitely won't mind ditching you for a few hours...days...whatever you need."
Nick took a last look around the beach house, everything was perfect. He had finally settled on an idea, he was going to recreate their first date. After one last look around, he took a final look in the mirror and headed out to his Durango. He was so nervous he doubted he had felt that bad on their first date.
AC followed Lis into the nursery. "So Michael will probably stay asleep for another hour or so. Bottles are in the fridge, just heat them up for a few seconds to get them warm. You know everything else I guess...I'm taking my cell." She took one last look around the nursery and went over to her son's crib. He was sound asleep, and looking more and more like Nick everyday.
"I think he's here." Aaron said, seeing Nick's Durango pull up through the window.
Lis sighed. "Can you get the door AC, I still have to get ready."
"Sure, relax Lissy." he gave her a reassuring smile and disappeared from the room.
"Right relax." she muttered heading down to her room.
Nick watched the door open and smiled when he saw Aaron standing there. "Hey bro." AC said waving Nick inside.
"Hey...she ready yet?"
"She's upstairs with Michael, when have you known Lis to be ready on time?"
Nick smiled hearing his son's name. "I forgot okay? How is he?"
"Good, sound asleep. You want to go up and see him?"
"Of course." Nick took the steps two at a time and walked into the nursery, empty except for the sleeping infant in the crib. He leaned over the crib and watched his son sleep, smiling as a feeling of happiness came over him.
She zipped up the back of the dress and took in her reflection in the mirror. Too dressed up, definitely not good. She'd throw on her ripped jeans and a sweatshirt and her old sneaker, put her hair in a pony tail and...
"Lis?" Aaron said, peeking his head in. "Wow you look amazing." he continued walking inside the room.
"Oh no!" She pouted, looking at the black dress.
He walked over. "You don't want to wow him?" he asked smiling innocently at her.
"No!! I want to...I don't know what I want to do AC...it's just so argh!" Lis flopped back on her bed. "He's here isn't he?" she asked finally.
"In the nursery."
Nick smelled her perfume before he even heard her walk into the nursery. He turned and stared at her in awe, her blonde hair was hanging loosely down her back in small waves and the black spaghetti dress clung nicely to her. He watched as the strap on her shoulder fell down her arm and without thinking he reached out and pulled it back up. "Hi beautiful." he whispered.
The second Nick touched her shoulder, she knew she was in trouble. Deep deep trouble. "Thanks."
"No problem. I'll just say g'night to Michael and we can go." he leaned over and kissed his sleeping son's forehead and quickly led Lisa from the room. Aaron was all ready downstairs settled on the couch watching one of Lis' old sports videos.
"You two going now?" he asked, seeing Lis grab her jacket.
"Yeah, I'll be home soon." Lis answered.
"AC, you're spending the night right?" Nick asked.
"Course."
"Good, then don't wait up." Nick said ushering Lis outside.
"What was that about?" Lis asked getting into the Durango.
"Being truthful." He answered as he looked her over.
She sighed and stayed quiet as they started driving through Tampa. "Where we going?" she asked.
"Beach house, I've got some stuff ready and waiting."
Nick swung the door open and pulled Lis inside. "Stay here one sec, don't move ok?" she nodded and he disappeared down the hallway. She took off her jacket and kicked off her sandals, putting them away in the closet.
Nick walked back towards her. "Ready?"
"For what?"
He wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm really sorry Lis for hitting your car today...just happy you're giving me the chance to make it up to you. Sound familiar?"
Lis covered her mouth in surprise. He was recreating their first date, except it had taken place in his small condo. "Nicky..." she said, her voice showing her surprise.
He took her arm and led her to the patio which was lit up by candles everywhere. "All for you." he whispered as he watched her look around in awe.
