🦋🎉🪁

"I can't do this. Not again" Nick breathed in deep pulling away from Elena as if scolded.

"Nick" the brunette pleaded softly, trying to catch his eyes.

"No." he shook his head. "I will not go there. I don't know what I am doing here"

As he pushed by her, she took hold of his arm. "I never wanted to do this. Those three days were the best I ever had."

"I don't believe you."

"Nick, please. It's true."

Turning sharply around, his eyes blazed at her with the same hurt darting at her.

"You broke me! You - after Maria, you were the only one that I felt I could be with. But it was all just fun -wasn't it? Taste a bit of latino co-"

A resounding sudden slap stopped him from finishing sentence as Elena struck him violently across the face. Nick felt his jaw and the full force of her ferocious vent that sprouted.

“Yes, I lied! Yes, I don’t deny it. But it was to save you! Silas threatened to kill you - and I thought this was the best way to keep you away - I couldn’t see you dead. I chose to hurt us both. Be far away from you - but keep you safe. And it turned to be the right thing - because Silas was crazy - Lucien was right to warn me. And look what had happened to him, he paid a deadly price.”

Elena’s words fell out of her mouth like vapour but landed in his guts as shrapnels. He felt his insides tear, and the blood drain from his. face.

“Go!”

“No!” Nick slammed the door shut. Regret in his voice about the unfair accusation ran deep. “I’m really sorry about what I had said. I - this is not me - I never spoke to a woman like that - I - I’m really sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too” Elena lifted her ice cold eyes at the detective, looking at him as if he was a stranger. Her eyes were a knife in his ribs, the sharp point digging deep. Where there had been love was an emptiness, but in a vulnerable sense. Elena now turned away, opening the door. staring at the wall, avoiding the detective’s gaze.“I’d like you to go now.”

Without a word, Nick opened the door, leaving the apartment. Closing the door shut behind him, Elena slid down to the floor, tears crushing out of her, flooding her knees, her heart beating painfully in her chest wanting only one thing. Wanting him back.

Days that followed, seemed to be worse than any of those she had spent away in France.

Spending all my nights, all my money going out on the town Doing anything just to get you off of my mind But when the morning comes, I'm right back where I started again Trying to forget you is just a waste of time

Baby come back, any kind of fool could see

There was something in everything about you Baby come back, you can blame it all on me I was wrong, and I just can't live without you

All day long, wearing a mask of false bravado

Trying to keep up the smile that hides a tear But as the sun goes down, I get that empty feeling again How I wish to God that you were here

*

“Just choose whatever paintings you want, Soph. I’m ok with anything. Just not the one you are holding.” Elena said to the gallerist.

“Is that him?” Sophie said putting the painting back on the table.

“Yes. I got to go. Call you later.”

“Ok. Later.” Sophie said waving to her assistant to come and help her choose what to exhibit.

Some twenty minutes later, Elena entered the 16th Precinct.

“I’d like to talk to Seargent Benson” the brunette said to detective Fin Tutuola.

Before, he could answer, Olivia came out of the interrogation room 1. Wasting no time Elena asked the detective if they could talk somewhere more private.

“Sure. What is this about?”

“Nick” Elena said in a serious manner.

“He is not here. He moved to California.” Olivia replied, her own demeanour dismissive and stern.

“Can we talk somewhere more private, please. It will not take long.” Elena demanded.

“Sure” Olivia scoffed and now gestured to Elena to follow her to interrogation room 2.

“Ok. I haven’t got much time.”

“I know that Nick is not in California. I saw him. I also figured out that he is deep cover.” Elena said.

“Right” Olivia said not moved.

“I know how things work. Even if he is in deep cover, he still gets in touch with his family through trustworthy people. And I know that you are one of those people he trusts. I also know that you don’t like me. But I don’t care. Can you please pass him a message.”

“Can you please leave.” Olivia now said.

“Tell him - dos gardenias. He will understand.Thank you. Elena said and spinning around, she looked at the seargent with soft eyes. “You may think what you want about me, but I really love him.”

*

In Upper West Side, Nick put the old record by Buena Vista Social Club on.

“What’s with you and this song?” Erin asked as she entered the living room.

“Nothing.” Nick replied switching it off.

“Hey - it’s ok. Just - you are kind of having it on repeat like all the time in the last couple of days.”

“It just - reminds me of - it doesn’t matter.”

“Come on, spill. Oh” Erin suddenly put two and two together. “It is to do with her.”

“No.”

“Nick - look -if someone listens a song on repeat - it means a shit load of something - I guess everything. If you got to go and see her, it’s ok. I will cover for you. You covered for me and Kelly.” Erin said.

“I fucked up. I don’t think she wants to see me again. Maybe she already gone back to Paris.”

“And what if she is not?” Erin tilted her head at the detective poignantly.

“What i did the other night was very unprofessional. I can’t repeat that. I can’t blow my cover. We are so close to getting the Salvatores.”

“Right.”

“Let’s get over the details of the meeting with Giuseppe.” Nick said as he sat down on the sofa.

A couple of minutes into the conversation, his burner phone buzzed. Taking it, he now read Olivia’s message.

Elena was here. She says - dos gardenias. idk why I’m doing this. ok. later.

"Dos gardenias para ti, te amo, te adoro" Elena whispered in the detective’s ear, placing a little kiss on the side. Smiling she rolled on top of him.

Nick looked at the brunette, mesmerized with her beauty, running his hands through her hair. "Que serán tu corazón y el mio."

Nick inhaled deeply. The song was more than just a song. It was a pledge of love. That's how he felt that day. He felt everything for her. And way she kissed him, he was sure, she felt the same.

He looked at the message on his burner home, and then out in the night.

The heartache he felt was like a red hot coal placed in his chest, it glowed and burnt him at the same time. It hadn't cooled. Not for a moment. Seeing her again, it had only enhanced. It throbbed and tortured him and there was no relief to be found.

He gaze wondered back to the clock. It was 2.30 a.m.

"I don't know how she got under my skin so quickly. I can't even begin to understand."

"The term femme fatale, the vamp, the encgantress, doesn't stem from books. It comes from real life. I met a few." Munch said to Nick."They have the ability to entice you with their beauty, and before you know it, you're in deep and you can't help yourself. Elena Gilbert possess that enchantment. She will burn you for a long time, if not forever."

Baby, it's 3:00 a.m. Had you on my mind And it's not the first time we've gone through this Wanting you more and more I can't help but think of what we could be

Baby, if I could tell you, if I could tell you How much I care I'm in despair Are you still there? (Just tell me) Just tell me how we can make this work How we can make this work

Taking his keys and his jacket, Nick walked out of the apartment in Upper West Side sending a message to Erin, letting her know that he was gone to see ‘Gardenia’.

*

In the Upper East Side, Elena wondered out of her bedroom, through the vast hall of her apartment to the kitchen. Taking a glass of water, she wondered into the living room. Her heart, her mind was restless. It had Nick on her mind. She wasn't sure if reaching out the way she did would work. But the way they left things wasn't letting her be. 

Flashback

a year back

Elena draped her arm over the detective's waist, nestling into his arms.

"You ok?" Nick said pressing a little kiss on her temple.

"Very. I haven't felt this good in years." Elena beamed her eyes up.

"Me, too." Nick smiled squeezing her gently to him.

She replayed every moment, every little conversation they had in those few days they were together. Especially that one beautiful day in Coney Island. It was fairy-tale like.

Flashback

"You want to ride on the Ferris Wheel, seriously? You want to go to Coney Island?" Nick looked at Elena with a cute surprised look.

"Yes. Let's go- haven't done this since- a thousand years ago." Elena scrunched her nose cutely at the detective. “Come on. It will be fun. I think that both of us needs a bit of fun.”

"Ok. Let's go."

"And you have to win me one of those stuffed animals.”

“Any other wishes?”

“Yes. Kiss me.”

The little plush unicorn sat on armchair. Taking it, Elena now pressed the toy, murmuring softly, “bring him to me.”

As if by magic, the door bell went, and she jumped startlet a bit.

“Please forgive me.” Nick said in a low deep voice. “I didn’t mean to say what I said.”

“Nick - you didn’t do anything wrong”

“Elena- I - why didn’t you tell me? You should have told me about his threat - we would have worked things out - “

“Oh, Nick- I wanted to tell you, but - I just thought that - you couldn’t do anything against him. He is too clever - was. I’m sorry - maybe I should have told you, but I just couldn’t risk it. I just couldn’t. And- when they put Silas in prison - I came looking for you, but you were gone. To California - but - not really, right? You’re undercover?!”

“I am. And - she is not my wife - not really - but you know? How? Did Liv tell you?”

“No. I figured it out - I’m not just a pretty face ” Elena cocked an eyebrow at the dreamy detective, tilting her head a little poignantly.

“No - you are more - the most beautiful woman I -“

“Stop” Elena stepped forward and put a put her fingers on his mouth. “Can you just kiss me?”

He nodded lightly, looking her deep in the eyes.

As he leant forward, cupping her face, Elena's pulse raced like that day he had met him. He brushed his lips lightly over hers. She shook, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside in an instant.

He kissed her soft and slow, moving in perfect sync. Her lips were firm against his, but his kiss remained gentle, lingering, sending shivers all over her body. Elena exhaled through her nose, not wanting to let go. His closeness, his every caress, made her entire body had been taken over by the overwhelming feeling of fire. She could now feel Nick's hands move to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her silky brown hair, lightly pulling her into him, adding more pressure to their lips, making her moan lightly into his mouth.

Pulling slightly away, catching a bit of breath, she took him by the hand, walking him to her bedroom.

He wanted to savour every moment with her, not rush. Make this reunion one to remember. He once again, cupped her face, his eyes caressing her lovingly, “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too.” Elena said hanging her hands on his arms, her lips pressing against his.

Entwined in kisses, they soon were rid of the clothing, bouncing down on the soft matress of the bed. The aroma of her perfume rose in a cloud around him. He breathed it deep into his lungs,relishing in the familiarity of it.

His hand gently glided through her hair, looking at her in ways he had never looked at a woman before. Elena's warm hazelnut eyes gleamed back at him with a smile dancing with love, want, desire.

The detective placed another peck on the corner of her lips before they moved slowly along her jaw, trailing a fiery path to her ear. He could feel her body shudder as his lips pressed against the sensitive spot under her ear, a soft guttural moan break from her throat.

“I want to take care of you - first” Elena suddenly whispered in his ear, gently pushing him off her, rolling him on the bed down.Though he protested a little cutely, she was adamant, placing her forefinger on his lips to stop talking and let her feel the full extent of her love for him.

Nick was breathless with delight as she showered him with gentle, soft kisses, each with its own flicker of warmth as her lips now travelled  the line down from his neck, to his perfect abs. Groaning with every press of her lips, he made her known that he was thrilled beyond words to be the recipient of her affection. 

Sitting up, she met his eyes, the brown liquid eyes softening with tenderness before sparking with the smoldering heat deep within him as he felt her hand encircle his cock. She caressed him gently, feeling his flesh pulse and twitch against her hand. His heart beat so loudly. It felt like it was going to explode. As she ran her tongue over the tip, he gasped loudly, jerking his hips up a bit.

“Fuck” he groaned in pleasure as she sucked him in between his mouth. The feel of her warm mouth wrapped around him was incredible. He closed his eyes, throwing his head back, as delicious jolts of pleasure shot up his spine. Wet, sucking sounds intermingled with his grunts of pure pleasure.

“Elena, I need you” he mumbled, breathing hoarsely. “I want us to come together, mi amor.”

Her own need throbbed deep inside her core, and she was more than happy to oblige him.

Struddling him she slid herself onto him, gasping loudly at the feel of him. Slowly she began to roll her hips rhythmically, up and down.

“You feel so good.” Nick murmurred let out a groan of pleasure, cupping her breasts. Stroking them gently with his palms, her aroused nipples pebbled up.

Wanting to be even closer to her, he pressed himself up. His hands tangled up in her her hair tugging her down into a devaouring kiss, both stilling for a moment. Leaving her lips, his mouth travelled down, kissing a feiry trail down her neck. She gasped and and swallowed a scream as his tongue laved at the nipple, swirling, teasing.

Beaming up at her, he began to slowly thrust from beneath and Elena renewed her movements, guided by his grip on her hips. She met his stare, her hips rolling, grinding her nub against him. Muffled moans and groans filled the room as their trembling bodies now glided feverishly against one another in this dance of fire,thrusts becoming more urgent, more heated.

His breath was coming in short, matching her own, rasping sounds. Elena gripped his arms hard, straining toward the orgasm that trembled just beyond her reach. She shifted her weight. And then, feeling his hand slide down to her nub, grinding against his thumb, she screamed her release. With one deep thrust from beneath, Nick followed her.

 As the shuddering subsided, he continued to hold her close. Elena sighed deeply as he gently lowered them onto the bed.

Beautifully spent, they laid together, breathing steady, still intertwined, quiet. Elena rested her head now on Nick's chest, making small feather- like circles with her fingers over his abs as he did the same on her lower back. 

“I know that you have to go - five more minutes?” Elena said.