Nick pulled at his tie as he walked into his office, he had just spent three hours in a meeting, and still, nothing was accomplished. Nick shut his door and flopped down on the sofa and made a mental note to shop for a softer sofa as he tossed his arm over his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep, he noticed a familiar floral scent as he felt a soft hand run through his hair. Nick could have sworn it was Gaby, but he knew she wasn't due back for a few more days. Nick rested his arm at his side and opened his eyes to Gaby's smiling face.
"Gabs?"
"In the flesh, a whole lot of flesh," She said with a giggle as she patted her stomach. Nick got up and hugged and kissed Gaby with such passion Gaby looked at Nick and said "Whoa." when he let her go.
"You said you weren't going to be back until Saturday."
"Yeah, I told a little fib." She said motioning with her thumb and index finger. Nick shook his head as he hugged her again.
"How did you get back here anyway?"
"I came while Leslie was out to lunch," Gaby said with a wicked grin. Nick knew that Leslie hated it when Gaby visited because half of the office would gather in Nick's office and take time out to talk with Gaby. Nick didn't know what it was, but everyone at the office loved Gaby, well everyone except for Madeline.
Nick bent down and kissed Gaby's stomach.
"Your mommy is a sneaky woman, don't learn from her."
"Don't listen to daddy he's a big stick in the mud," Gaby said as she swatted Nick away from her stomach.
"I'm kidnapping you, get your coat lets go."
"I can't just take off Gaby I have a lot of work to do." Gaby turned on her sad puppy eyes and began to pout.
"Ugh, Gaby don't do this to me." Nick pleaded as Gaby laced their fingers together as she kissed his cheek.
"Lunch, I can go for a long lunch." He said trying not to give in too much.
"And possibly not come back." She asked hopefully.
"We'll see."
"Yay, let's go I want a steak," Gaby said pulling him towards the door.
When they arrived at the restaurant a few blocks away from Nick's job, they were seated immediately, and Gaby filled Nick on things that happened during the book tour.
"So he was actually upset that you killed the villain off?" Nick asked as he pressed the ignore button on his phone as it vibrated against the table. The waiter brought out their appetizers and drinks before Gaby continued.
"Yes, I think if he could he would sue me. I know it was a big decision to kill the sniper off, but Dru has been chasing after him ever since the series began it was time to put him to rest." Gaby said as she stuffed a piece of a spring roll in her mouth.
"I agree, I remember the countless hours I spent with you as you toiled over the decision. There was so much ice cream, sooooo....much....ice cream." Nick said shaking his head trying to forget the horrible brain freeze he had gotten that night.
"Ice cream helps me think," Gaby said defensively. "Anyway I told the guy that it wasn't an easy decision, but he didn't want to hear it. It was pretty funny though. I like it when people get fired up over what I write, that means I'm doing something right."
"I agree," Nick said as he looked at his vibrating phone.
"Damn it, Ian," Nick said as he snatched the phone up and answered it. "What Ian?" Gaby watched as Nick furrowed his eyebrows and she knew something was up.
"Well then look in my computer, I swear you can be so helpless at times Ian." Nick excused himself from the table, and Gaby helped herself to Nick's french fries.
"Gaby?" A familiar voice called taking attention away from her delicious food when Gaby looked up into a pair of ocean blue eyes she cringed as she plastered on a fake smile.
"Hi Madeline," Gaby said as she stood up and tossed her napkin onto the table. "It's been too long," Gaby said as Madeline hugged her, and Gaby felt like she was about to vomit. Gaby never could stand Madeline just based on the fact that she carried herself and believed that she was the greatest thing to ever happen to the world.
"How have you been?" Gaby asked.
"I've been great but not as great as you," Madeline said as she rubbed Gaby's stomach. "Nick didn't tell me you're pregnant."
I bet he didn't.
Nick walked towards the table and once he saw Madeline talking with Gaby his smile instantly dropped.
Well, there goes the peace. Gaby watched Nick walk up to them, and Nick could have sworn he saw flames in her eyes.
"Nick you didn't tell me Madeline was visiting," Gaby said her face tight with tension as she fought to keep the smile on her face.
"Oh I'm not visiting I moved back a few months ago, Nick how could you not tell her that?" Madeline said as she hit him playfully on the arm.
"I have to get back to the office but Gaby we have to have lunch sometime and catch up."
"Sure." Madeline turned her attention to Nick who was busy praying that Gaby didn't stab him with a fork as soon as Madeline left.
"I'll see you at the meeting tonight." She said giving him a sultry grin as she walked away. Gaby stared at Nick for a few minutes before scoffing and grabbing her purse and headed towards the coat check.
"Gaby wait," Nick said as grabbed Gaby by the hand.
"Don't-" she warned.
"-Gabrielle just listen to me."
"-Nick let go of me."
"Let me take you home."
"No I can't stand to look at you let alone be trapped in a car with you, now let go." She hissed. Nick let Gaby go and went to get her coat. Nick let out an aggravated sigh as he watched her storm out of the restaurant.
**********
Gaby was so mad she could hear her blood vessels pop as she knocked on Lauryn's apartment door. When Lauryn opened the door and saw Gaby's face, she knew something was wrong.
"Uh-oh, what happened?" Lauryn asked as she let Gaby in and Gaby immediately told Lauryn everything that had happened. Gaby noticed the uneasy look on Lauryn's face and groaned as she sat back in her seat.
"You knew didn't you?"
"I did, but I just found out."
"Why didn't you tell me? I've been sitting around here looking like a complete idiot, thinking everything was okay."
"Everything is okay."
"No it's not Satan's spawn is back and I know Nick. All she had to do was blink in his direction, and he's like putty in her hands. My children are fatherless." She said with a sob.
"That's not true Gabrielle stop being so dramatic."
"I'm not being dramatic it's the truth. You don't know how crazy in love he was with Madeline. There is no telling what he did with her while I was gone." she said as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Nothing,"
"You don't know that."
"I told you he came and talked to me, and he's been trying to find a way to tell you, but he knew you would act this way."
"And he's right, Lauryn I'm scared, that woman is something else, and I know Nick can't resist her-her charms. That woman did two things I didn't think was possible?"
"Which was?"
"Get Nick to talk about marriage, and she broke up our friendship."
"No way,"
"Yes she did, when they got serious, I didn't speak to Nick for almost a year." Lauryn's jaw dropped.
"Not true, where was I when all of this was going on?"
"In Randy-land."
"Aww sweetie I'm sorry."
"I don't know what to do; I can't bear going through that again."
"You won't, Nick loves you Gaby, and he's not going to let that woman come between you. If he does, I have a grave picked out for him."
"While you're at it pick one out for Madeline," Gaby said with a slight laugh. Gaby sat back in her seat and then sat back up quickly and grabbed Lauryn's arms scaring Lauryn.
"What-What's wrong?"
"You didn't feel that?"
"Feel what?" Gaby felt the fluttering sensation again.
"I just felt it."
"I didn't feel anything." Gaby felt the sensation again, and it finally clicked.
"It's the babies, their moving!"
"Really?" Lauryn pressed her hand to Gaby's stomach and frowned after a few seconds passed.
"I don't feel anything are you sure it's not gas."
"Gas doesn't tickle," Gaby said with a laugh.
"Aww, Nick is going to flip when he finds out," Lauryn said, and Gaby just stared out into space as she tried not to think about her doomed future without Nick.