I Can Still Be Your Superman

“Hey Cam, sorry about not being able to call you back earlier. I was stuck in meetings all day. Um... I hope you’re having a great show and I’ll talk to you later.” I said to Cameron’s voicemail sighing and hung up.

“You okay?” Uncle John asked, glancing at me sideways as we walked to our cars in the studio parking lot. Since I was at Nick’s before our meetings, I drove both Nick and I to the studio this morning.

I nodded. “Yeah, just tired.”

Uncle John huffed a laugh. “I bet you are. That’s what you get for sneaking out at three in the morning.” He said and turned to look at Nick who was slowly walking behind us, his eyes just barely open. “Next time, wait until morning to work on a project. I know you get in your groves, but both of you need sleep.”

Nick just nodded silently in response.

“I promise I won’t make a habit out of it.” I said, letting out a yawn. I was exhausted. I honestly was surprised I was able to get Nick and I to the studio in one piece; while Nick slept in the passenger’s seat, so nothing was really keeping me awake. I had a feeling the trip home was going to be very similar.

We stopped at the trunk of my car and waited for Nick to catch up to us. “You better not, or else next time there will be consequences.” Uncle John said, sighing. “Drive carefully. I’ll see you at home.”

I nodded and waved to him as he walked away towards wherever he parked. I sighed and got in, Nick following suit a few minutes later. Silently, I drove to Nick’s house as carefully as I could as I willed my eyes to stay open a little longer.

We finally got to his apartment building relatively unscathed and I parked my car in the visitor’s lot. When Nick didn’t move, I looked over at him to see his eyes closed and his chest slowly rising and falling. He was asleep. Even though he desperately needed sleep and all I wanted to do was join him, I shook his shoulder gently. “Nick, come one. We have to go upstairs.” I told him.

His eyes opened lazily before shutting again.

Sighing, I got out of the car and walked over to his side. I began shaking him again and took of his seat belt. “Come on Nick, don’t you want to go to sleep in a bed?”

He nodded slightly in response and tried to get out of the car. He was unsteady on his feet and his eyes were still half closed.

I shut the car door and locked it, placing my arm around his waist and pulled his around my neck. “Come on, I’ll help you get upstairs.”

“No, you - you don’t have to. I can do it.” He said sleepily, his words slurring together.

“No you can’t. Let’s go.” I said and pulled him with me towards the building. He did comply and moved his feet in a walking fashion, but he kept most of his weight on me and his eyes half closed.

Once we got inside, I didn’t even bother checking in at the security desk, telling the night guard I was only helping Nick upstairs (though he eyed us suspiciously as we walked toward the elevator much like he did at three this morning). The ride in the elevator helped me regain some of my strength as I leaned against the wall. Even though Nick wasn’t heavy, carrying most of his weight from the car was tiring. Adding that to my already complete exhaustion, I was surprised both of us didn’t just collapse on the floor of the elevator.

Eventually, the elevator doors opened and I dragged Nick towards his apartment door. I pulled his keys out of his satchel (after much questioning and mumbled responses) and unlocked the door. Shutting it behind us, I quickly walked Nick to his room.

“Do you want to get changed or anything?” I asked, looking around the room for pajamas.

He shook his head ‘no’ as he sat on the edge of his bed, pulling his shoes off slowly and tossing them into the corner of the room along with his satchel.

I nodded and helped him into bed, pulling the blanket down over him as his eyes already began to flutter shut. “Night Nick. I’ll talk to you in the morning.” I said softly and turned to walk out of the room.

His hand suddenly gripped around my wrist, making me turn back towards him. “Stay,” He said softly. “I know you’re tired too.”

I laughed lightly. “I know, but I should go home and sleep in my own bed.”

He nodded slightly and let go of my wrist. “I still consider the other bedroom yours.” He said hazily and opened his eyes as widely as he could to look at me. “Thank you.” He said, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

I smiled back in return, “Any time.” His eyes fluttered back shut and I took a deep breath, turning back towards the door. That’s when I saw it sitting on is bedside table. My eyes widened and I reached out to it, my hand shaking. My fingers hit the cool metal and I lifted it up, bringing it closer. “You kept it.” I said softly to no one as my fingers traced the metal work and the letters on the front delicately - ‘Tour Eiffel’. Memories from Disney came flooding back to me in a wave, I almost collapsed. I quickly put down the model Eiffel Tower and ran out of the apartment.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to do everything in between. Why did he keep that and why the hell was it on his bedside table? Why would he want to be the last thing he saw before he went to sleep and the first thing when he woke up?

I got into my car as fast as I could and drove away. No matter how hard I tried to push the memories from that day back, they kept resurfacing.

“I have to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.” Nick said, kissing my cheek lightly before walking to the back of the gift shop towards the bathrooms. I quickly walked to the cashier’s station and grabbed one of the small Eiffel Tower models they had sitting near the register.

“Bonjour, did you find everything you needed?” The cashier asked perkily in a French accent (that I couldn’t tell if it was real or not) as she scanned the barcode of the model.

I smiled brightly in response and kept checking for Nick over my shoulder. I didn’t want him to know I was buying him anything, something had to be a surprise. “Yes, thank you.”

“That’ll be fifteen ninety-eight.” She told me and I handed her a twenty. “Do I know you? You look very familiar.” She asked as she counted out my change.

My attention snapped back towards her. “No, I don’t think so. This is my first time here.” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. If she realizes who I am, this whole thing would be over and I couldn’t have that.

“No, that’s not it. You look familiar though, like I’ve seen you on TV or something.”

A blush began to spread across my cheeks even though I willed it not to. “I’ve never been on TV. Not that I know of anyway.” I said, laughing nervously and grabbed my changed and my bag, shoving both into my purse.

She laughed in response. “My apologies. Have a good day.”

I nodded. “You too.” I said and practically ran back to where Nick left me.

“Hey,” He said only a minute or two later, grabbing my hand immediately. “What’s wrong?” He asked, noticing my nervous expression.

I shook my head. “Nothing. We should get out here though, the cashier almost recognized me and that means she might definitely notice you.”

He nodded and led me out of the small gift shop quickly. We started walking towards the next country, but Nick stopped, pulling me with him. “Do you know what I just realized?”

I turned to look at him and saw his eyes shining as he looked down at me. I smiled. “No, what?”

“The cashier almost recognized you.”

“Yeah, I told you that. That’s not really a realization.” I said laughingly.

He shook his head, but a smile danced on his lips. “No, I mean she almost recognized you. That means your wig idea worked. She thought you looked familiar, but the wig distracted her enough to not put the pieces together. We may actually pull this off.”

“See! And you thought this was a bad idea.” I said and stuck my tongue out at him.

“Oh shush. But that means I can do something I’ve been waiting to do since we got here.” He said, a sly expression creeping across his face.

“And what would that be?”

He smirked and grabbed my face between his hands softly before placing his lips on mine.

“That fucking picture.” I hissed under my breath and I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white. Even though the cashier was fooled by the wigs, the person following us wasn’t and took pictures to prove it. Pictures that helped ruin my relationship with Nick. Why would Nick want to be reminded of that every day? I could barely handle the memory now.

I sighed violently and pulled into the driveway in the front of the house. Walking inside as quickly as I could, I slipped off my shoes and ran to my bedroom. Trying to push the memory away, I collapsed onto my bed for a much needed night of sleep.