#fvnicstarter

Even though he’d worked the early shift, once the verdict had come in, there had been an all hands on deck call just in case.  And based on what was happening in the city right now, that had been a good call.  He’d tried to text Mel and encourage her to stay at the Capulet Estate but by the time he’d thought of it, the cellular towers seemed to have gone down as well. Still every person he came across, urging to get home and safe, he looked for Mel.  For Posey.  He couldn’t help but hope that they were safe together at the Capulet Estate.  Although he realized Posey could have been with her Montague Dominant as well, Anton.  And he even found himself searching for Georgie’s face in the crowds, but given her feelings about crowds and being out on the weekend now when things were busier, the Dominant hoped she was back at the Romano Estate safe.  “What are you doing out here?” Nic asked as he came across someone else again. 

Nic had never been to a Noble feast like this before.   His own family was not particularly large and even when he’d claimed Greta, their combined families made for a cramped modest home at the holidays, but in a cozy sort of way.  He worried he was under dressed for the occasion, and he had also worried he would over dress for the occasion.  Still, after catching a glimpse of the host without a tie as well, the Dominant felt a bit better.  With a gin and seven in his hand, Nic wandered the night’s appointed gathering area of the Estate.  Although he and Mel had been to several events together in the last handful of months, he wondered if anyone would wonder why he was there this evening.

“This all feels a bit surreal,” Nic admitted as someone approached him.  “The Estate is really quite beautiful.”

Once he was out of the building and was able to take a few minutes, gather his wits and check on things, Nic knew he needed to do his job, just like Doctor Drew was doing his, and Alice was doing hers.  He pulled out his phone and turned on the recorder, slipping it into his pocket. Thankfully, the EMT’s had a notepad and pen he could borrow as he started making his rounds, taking to people.  

“Excuse me, Officer Nic Ricci with the Watch.  Can you tell me where you were inside  and if you saw or heard anything strange before the alarms?”  

After his shift at the station, Nic made his way to the fair to work his first shift at the dunk tank. Arriving at where they’d set up, the Dominant stripped off his sweatshirt, socks and sneakers, leaving him in a pair of board shorts, as he applied sunscreen just in case.  Thankfully the sun was out and the wind was next to non existent.  Still he knew the water wouldn’t be warm and Nic hoped someone would be kind enough to bring him a hot coffee or a spiked cider at the end of his turn in the tank.  Climbing up onto the seat, the Dominant got comfortable.  “C’mon and put your arm on the line.  I don’t really want to take this plunge but it’s for a good cause.  You just gotta do your part first,” he called out.

Nic strolled down mainstreet downtown Verona Sunday afternoon.  It was calm, quiet, both things which made Nic’s shift seem a little longer than necessary, and if he was honest, it felt off kilter.  The Dominant wondered if this is how it would feel all summer, everyone waiting, breath baited, to see if the Montagues and Capulets could pull their heads out of their asses long enough to fulfill the Prince’s decree.  And when they didn’t, which Nic still thought was the most reality bases outcome, what the Prince would actually do.  He reached for the door to the cafe, pulling it, at the same time as someone from the inside pushed it.  “Whoah, sorry about that.  Good thing you’ve got good reaction skills or I might be wearing your coffee right now.”

Nic ordered a tequila from the bar and slammed it back, turning and taking in the beautifully fall themed decorations in the ballroom and all the beautiful people.  There was something special about being here tonight, but still the officer felt a lot like a fish out of water, even with his own beautiful date.  This was much more different than just a claim, and the status of the families,and even within the families, seemed almost evident on looking around.  “How many of these dresses do you think will ever get worn again?” he asked as someone approached him.