Just One Kiss

~Seven Months Later~

“Nick!” Stacy shouted, watching him walk into the terminal from his plane. Nick smiled and dropped his carry on bag and rushed up to his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her tightly and swinging her around.

“Damn I missed you,” he said finally, pulling away and looking her over. She had cut her hair, which she told him she was going to. It was now up to her shoulders with bangs that swept to the side.

“I missed you too,” Stacy replied, looking him up and down herself. He had kept up with the exercises and the diet he suggested to her, and it was showing more. He had lost more weight and seemed to be more energetic that she’s ever seen him. He had gotten his own hair cut, and she had to admit, it suited him.

They made their way to baggage claim, where Nick pulled off his suitcases with Stacy’s help.

“Welcome home to Florida,” Stacy smiled as he grabbed the last bag. Together, they carried everything to Stacy’s car and they were on their way to Nick’s house.

“It’s great to be home, even if it is just for a couple weeks.” Nick sighed, laying his head back as he watched the scenery pass by him. “Oh, before I forget, the guys and I want to have a meeting with you sometime soon.”

“About what?” Stacy asked, pulling up a driveway and stopping at a gate. She reached and pressed the number sequence, unlocking the gate and driving through.

“Just, something,” Nick smiled. “It’s not bad really, we just want to ask you something.”

“Okay,” Stacy shrugged, stopping the car in front of Nick’s house. There was a car sitting in the driveway already, and Nick recognized it as Aaron’s.

“Let’s see what Aaron’ up to now,” he muttered, getting out of the car and grabbing a few of his bags. Stacy grabbed the last one and followed him up the stairs and into the house, only to find Aaron was lounging in the living room.

“Hey bro!” Nick shouted behind Aaron, startling him and causing him to fall off the couch.

“Hey you two, didn’t know you were going to be here today.” Aaron said, standing up and facing the two.

“Yeah you did, I told you last night I was gonna be home today.” Nick laughed. “Just drop that there,” Nick told Stacy as she walked up beside him. Stacy shrugged and set the suitcase down on the ground. “Any reason you’re here?” Nick turned back to his brother, who was walking around to stand beside Stacy.

“Can’t a brother visit his other brother?” Aaron asked in reply. Nick gave Aaron a look, which caused Aaron to sigh. “Fine, I had to get away from Dad and Ginger for a while. Do you know how weird it is seeing him all love sick? I mean, you two aren’t that old, so it’s okay to see you guys like that. Someone Dad’s age though, it’s just…” Aaron left off with a shiver.

“Dude, you know I don’t care, just let me know,” Nick said, wrapping an arm around Aaron’s head. “You know what room to use, so go on up.”

“Thanks bro,” Aaron called as he ran up the stairs.

“You always say I’m close to my brothers,” Stacy teased Nick as he sat on the couch and pulled her down beside him.

“Is it weird to say that I missed you like crazy while we were apart?” Nick asked, ignoring her comment.

“Not really, I missed you too.” Stacy admitted. “Nikki and London both actually made fun of me because I was counting down the days until you were free again.”

“Really? I’m somehow flattered by that.” Nick smirked, causing Stacy to glare at him. “Oh, before I forget,” Nick said, forcing Stacy up to face him. “I was thinking, when we go back on tour, I want you to come with us.”

“I don’t have an off season Nick, I can’t…”

“I already talked to your boss about it.” Nick cut her off. “He thought it was a great idea. I don’t know why you all say he’s an ass. He seemed nice when I talked to him.”

“He is nice, what you get from us is just what’s on television.”

“Really, your boss is a great guy, and he said as long as you want to, he’ll give you the time off. Apparently you haven’t taken any extended time off since you started?” Stacy smiled sheepishly, knowing she was going to get talked to about that by someone later.

“I took a few days off to move here, but that’s about it,” Stacy shrugged.

“So, yeah, I’m thinking it’s time for you to take some time off.” Nick said. He forced Stacy to look up at him, who couldn’t help but to melt at his bright blue gaze.

“Fine, I’ll go,” she smiled. Nick smiled back at her and lowered her his head, meeting her lips with his.

“I guess I better go call McMahon and tell him,” Stacy said, standing up off the couch.

“Go use the office phone if you want to. I’m pretty sure Aaron will be down here causing mayhem here soon.”

“Okay.” She walked down the hallway and into the room she knew to be his computer room and sat down at the desk. Picking up the phone, she dialed her boss’s number.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Vince, it’s Stacy.”

“Stacy, what number are you calling from?”

“Nick’s house.” Stacy replied. “I know you talked to him, he told me about it. I was just calling to let you know I’m taking the time off to go on tour with him.”

“You are? That’s great Stacy. You need the time off. You’ve gone pretty much nonstop for three years.” Vince said. “So, how should we make this happen?”

“I don’t want things like that though,” Stacy sighed.

“I’ll schedule a meeting with creative and we can figure it out then,” Vince decided, knowing nothing was going to get decided between the two of them.

“Sounds good,” Stacy agreed.

“Well, have fun and I’ll see you in a couple days.” Vince said. “I’ll let you know then when the meeting is. We have to get this out of the way soon though.”

“If it comes down to it I’ll have to join Nick and everyone on tour a little late.”

“We’ll try to avoid that,” Vince sighed. They hung up the phones and Stacy rested her head in her hands, trying to think of a way to avoid an “injury” while still being able to take the extended leave.

A soft knock came from the door, and Nick slowly poked his head inside.

“Everything okay?” He asked, seeing she was off the phone.

“Define ‘okay,’” she mumbled in return. “I completely forgot about having to make a way for me to be away from work for an extended time.”

“What’s the most common way?” Nick asked, walking into the room fully and leaning against the desk.

“Faking an injury or getting fired, both of which I really want to try to avoid.”

“Wasn’t someone able to take time off to pursue other aspects in their life, and not only keep their fans, but have them follow him to that other career?”

“Chris Irvine, er, Jericho, did something like that. But I’m not leaving to go start a music career. I’m just going on vacation to join you guys on tour…”

“Which is going to give us a better insight on our relationship.” Nick pointed out. “I’m going to be brutally honest with you. You have fans and popularity, and it can get a little crazy; but it’s nothing compared to what the guys and I have to deal with on a day to day basis on tour. Lately things have been calming down because we were away for so long back with everything with AJ, but we still have quite a few fans, and most of them do just about anything just to get us to look at them.” Nick shivered at one memory, and laughed at another. “So, I’m thinking if you can handle my crazy life, then we’ll work out longer than about three fourths of my previous relationships.”

“So, I’ll be looking into other aspects for my life,” Stacy realized what he was saying. “You’re a genius Nick,” Stacy smiled and picked the phone back up. Nick listened as she talked with her boss, who sounded like he agreed with the idea.

“When do you start your tour?” Stacy asked Nick suddenly. Nick looked over at a calendar, and replied “Three weeks.”

“Then I’ll have to join the tour late. I’m booked in my storyline until the middle of next month, which is the next pay-per-view.”

“That’s cool, we can work around that.” Nick shrugged. Stacy turned her attention back to Vince as Nick looked around his office, smiling at some of the photos he had had hanging on the wall and the memories that went with them.

“So, that’s taken care of,” Stacy smiled, sitting back in the computer chair and looking up at Nick.

“Oh, before I forget to tell you, there is going to be one minor detail you should know. Kevin’s not going to be on the tour.”

“He’s not?” Stacy asked, her eyebrows furrowing together. “Why not?”

“He needed time off,” Nick replied. “He wanted to pursuit other things and start a family. So he wasn’t even on the album we’re about to release.”

“He wants to start a family, that’s understandable,” Stacy nodded. “Well, since you’ll talk to him before I will, tell him I said good luck.”

“I will.” Nick nodded. Stacy looked at the time on the clock on the wall, and realized it was getting a little late. “Gotta take off?” Nick asked, following her gaze.

“Unfortunately,” Stacy sighed. “I have to get back on the road with my own job so I can join you with yours.”

“You can stay here and I can drive you to the airport in the morning.” Nick suggested. “I don’t want you to leave so soon after getting here.”

“I guess I could stay the night,” Stacy smiled as Nick grabbed her hand. Nick smiled back at her and lead her into the hallway.

“Bedroom’s upstairs, first door on the right. I’m gonna lock up down here and I’ll be up in a minute,” he said. Stacy nodded and went up the stairs, finding the room Nick had told her. She sat on the edge of the bed and waited for him.

“So, right, nightclothes.”

“A large shirt will work just fine for me,” Stacy told him. He nodded and went into the closet, returning a second later with a plain black t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants.

“Just in case the shirt wasn’t long enough,” He shrugged as he handed her the clothing. Stacy nodded and went into the bathroom to change, returning to find Nick laying in bed already. She crawled in beside him and his arms instantly wrapped around her.

“Oh, I’ve been working on a little something for you.” He said suddenly. Stacy turned around as he started singing. “I got nothing, nothing left to lose. I got freedom, but most of all, you. We could be anything we want, just let go in each other’s arms, we could leave it all behind and start anew, as long as I got you.”

Stacy smiled up at him, then looked down. When she looked back up, she moved her face closer to his and left him a light butterfly kiss on his lips.

“I love you,” she whispered to him. Nick felt his heart race at her confession, and couldn’t help but to melt into his own feelings.

“I love you too,” he whispered back to her, kissing her softly again. The kiss lasted a long time, and they only broke apart to catch their breath.

“Nick, are we okay, I mean, Aaron’s….”

“In a room clear across the house. He won’t know about any of this unless he walks in, I tell him which I make sure not to tell him about my love life in that degree, or if you’re a screamer.”

“Shut up and kiss me,” Stacy laughed, drawing him close again. Nick laughed and let himself get caught up in the kiss, and much more.