Series: Scenes From an Italian Restaurant

Title: Bridge of Sighs

Author: Carla

Email: cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Pairing: Nicole/Carmen

Disclaimers: The usual about the series title and charachters from the show Popular. Don't own 'em yada yada own nothing actually other than an over active imagination. Any song lyrics quoted (correctly or incorrectly) are used without permission but much gratitude. All original charachters are mine and mine alone.

Feedback: Onlist or directly take your pick I read it all. cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Archiving: ask I doubt I will say no.

A/N: This takes place after the events of Blue Kiss but before Regrets for Futures Past. The girls are in their senior year of college.

"Where are we going again?"

"We're going to go pick up the ring doofus."

"So…"

Nicole and Paul were in NYC for a three day conference where their mentor was presenting a paper they had helped work on. This was the second day and the Dynamic Duo, as they were known in the math department at RPI, had decided to skip out on the afternoon workshops to spend money.

"So I'm going to ask her next month when we go to Provincetown?"

"Details please?"

"What details there are no details?"

"Where are you staying? How are you going to ask? C'mon work with me here. I know you…you've got plans so spill?"

"Oh fine but you can't say anything you big gossip, you know when you die the inscription is going to read: Here lies the mouth that roared. Shall we ever hear another."

"If that's not the pot calling the kettle black I don't know what is."

"Do you want to know or not?"

"Of course."

"Well I made a reservation at that B & B we stayed at last time we were there."

"I remember you two raving about what a beautiful place it was."

"It is. Anyway may I continue? Then a dinner cruise the second night we're there and I'll pop the question then."

"Please tell me you're not doing anything cheesy that involves hiding the ring in food or a champagne glass."

"Ewww gross!"

"Just checking. So where to?"

"Harry Winston."

"Nice."

They continued walking down the avenue talking and window-shopping till they reached their destination.

"Hello may I help you?"

"Yes we have an appointment with Madeline at 2:30."

"Certainly this way please" the salesclerk led them to a small conference room where they sat down. "Can I get you something to drink. Coffee, tea or perhaps some water?"

"Water for me please."

"Nothing for me thank you?"

"I'll be right back. Madeline will be with you shortly."

"I'm right here." A tall striking looking woman in her early forties stood in the doorway. She stepped into the room hand extended in greeting. "You must be Ms. Julian and mister…?"

"Holly. Paul Holly."

"Mr. Holly."

"Paul, please."

"Mr. Holly."

Nicole leaned over to whisper in Paul's ear "Down boy. Way out of your league."

Paul whispered back "One word: MILF."

**THWAP**

"Hey! That hurt." Paul rubbed the back of his head where Nic smacked him.

"I apologize for my friend here."

"It's quite alright. Please both of you sit down."

They sat down, Nicole and Paul opposite the saleswoman who placed a jewelry box on the glass table top.

"Is that it?"

"Yes."

"May I see?"

"It's yours' you paid for it." Nicole chuckled and reached for the small velvet box.

"It is isn't it? I'm nervous."

"It's a lovely ring I'm certain you'll approve?"

"Let's see Nic."

Paul let out a low whistle. "For the record if she says no I'm still willing to be your bitch particularly if you throw little trinkets like that my way."

"Oh please I know whose `bitch' you are."

"True besides there's no way on God's green earth that she's going to say no."

Madeline cleared her throat softly to get their attention "Two carats traditional cut for the center stone and a half carat each on the side stones, the band you'll see is to your design exactly. Now the inscription is to read 10/20/01 is that correct?"

"It hasn't been inscribed yet? I thought it was ready for pick-up today. We leave tomorrow early."

"It can be ready within the hour but we don't do inscriptions until the craftsmanship itself has met with the buyer's approval."

"It certainly meets mine" Paul mumbled.

"And you Ms. Julian does it meet with yours'?"

"It most certainly does" Nicole answered almost dazedly.

"And the inscription?"

"Hmm…I'm sorry" Nicole tore her gaze away from the ring and the daydream she had been having of putting it on Carmen's finger. "Where were we?"

"The inscription: 10/20/01 is that still what you want."

"Could you add something?"

"Within reason certainly."

"One word: Always."

"That should be fine I'll check with Raymond to be sure though." Madeline stood "I'll just be a moment if you'll excuse me?"

As the door closed Paul turned to Nicole "I think you should just stick with `Always' its simpler more elegant goes better with the ring you know?"

"You really think so?"

"I do and you know I know about these things."

Nicole pondered her friend's suggestion before nodding her head in agreement. "You're right of course."

Paul blew on his fingers then pretended to buff his nails on his shirt as he shot Nicole a superior smirk. "Thank you thank you"

"Are you sure you're straight?"

"As the day is long."

"That's not saying much."

"I'm from Alaska I think that's saying a lot."

"So you're bisexual now? When did you come to this realization?"

Paul's reply was cut short by a polite tap on the door.

"Come in."

Madeline entered and sat down. "Raymond says it's not a problem…"

"Actually I've changed my mind."

"Certainly"

"Just the one word: Always."

"That's it. You're sure or would you like some more time to think about it?"

"Positive." Nicole flashed the older woman a grin as she stood up. "About how long do you think that will take?"

"An hour or so. I could have it delivered to your hotel if you'd like; where are you staying?"

"No that's okay we'll be back to pick it up would 4:30 be okay?"

"Certainly. Perhaps you would like to look around. We have some lovely earrings that would compliment the ring perfectly or a solitaire pendant perhaps…"

"Paul?"

Paul shrugged "Whatever you want to do is fine with me."

"What do you think?"

"Why not I mean you've spent this much what's a few thousand more right? It's not like she's going to say `No' right?"

"Madeline could we have some privacy please?"

"Of course if you need anything just let me know I'll be in my office next door or anyone of the staff can help you." With that the older woman left the room, taking the ring with her. The door closed with a soft snick and Nicole turned to Paul.

"You don't have to be an ass about this you know…'cause it's not a good look on you."

"I'm sorry Nic it's just…I'm jealous is all?"

"Jealous why…what do you have to be jealo…oh, OH…oh Paulie" realization dawned and Nicole's heart broke a little for her friend. She reached out with one hand to comfort him; cupping his face in her palm she tilted his head up so that she could look him in the eye before bending down to hug him in the chair where he sat.

"I'm sorry Paulie I forgot."

"It's okay. It just really hit me is all."

"Wanna get out of here?"

"Yeah"

"How about some ice cream and a walk in Central Park?"

"Make it coffee and you're on?"

"Fine. Any ideas where there's a Starbucks around here?"

"We can ask the doorman on the way out."

Thirty minutes later they were sitting on a bench in Central Park sipping their drinks and watching the crowd.

/// Sitting on a park bench watching all the pretty girls go by ///

"What was that you just said?" Nicole asked.

"I said 'Sitting on a park bench watching all the pretty girls go by'..." Paul's voice trailed off as his gaze tracked a young lady pushing a stroller. " Jethro Tull, it just sort of popped into my head. What can I say?"

"Yes well I do see the connection…Yes indeed."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Nicole hesitantly cleared her throat and began to talk softly.

"I'm sorry about before."

"Me too."

"You know it's her lo…"

"I loved her. I thought she loved me."

"Pau…"

"I mean really" Paul snorted "How pathetic am I?"

"Don't."

"Oh c'mon Nic I mean really…I couldn't even get the girl I got pregnant to marry me. What's wrong with me?"

"There is nothing wrong with you. You are a wonderful, funny, smart good-looking guy. You have your own consulting business, make good money and know how to have a fun time spending it. You are a great catch; Ravi had her own reasons for not marrying you. At least she was honest with you before things went any further."

"Yeah I guess you're right."

"You know I am."

"Check out the rack on the one with the Lab over there."

"Nice…good eye. Hmm what about her with the little kid and the puppy."

"Oh yeah I could handle that…no problem. You and brunettes with kids Nikki, you make me laugh." Paul sipped on his drink as he continued to watch the young woman who was now chasing the child who, in turn, was chasing the puppy.

"You ever cheat on Carmen?"

"Nope. Never have."

"Oh c'mon you're going to tell me you've never…"

"Never even thought about it."

"Not even with Deana Lord, when you were tutoring her last semester. She was all over you always finding excuses to touch you and be around you, remember?"

"Okay so maybe I wondered…a lot."

"AH HAH! I knew it."

"But that's all it was `wondering' nothing else."

"So in five and a half years there's been no one else?"

"Once in the very beginning before we were officially a couple."

"So that was the last time huh?"

"Yeah. There hasn't been a need. Carmen…what she and I have…there hasn't been a need. I've never wanted to; sure I wonder and I like to look but that's it."

"That's what I want. That's what I'm jealous about."

"She's out there you'll find her I know you will."

"I hope so."

"I'm done." Nicole shook her empty cup. "What about you?"

"Same here. Shall we head back?"

"Sure. I want to look at some of those pendants she was talking about. Maybe for Christmas you know."

They made their way out of the park towards Fifth Avenue looking for a trash can as they walked.

"Has Carmen?"

"Has Carmen what?"

"Ever cheated on you."

"No not really."

"What does that mean either she has or she hasn't."

"Is it cheating if I knew before it happened? If she asked and I said okay?"

"I don't know…I guess not. When did this happen?"

"Summer after freshman year."

"Wow and here I always thought you were a wreck because she was gone for the summer and you missed her. That and all the hours we were putting in getting the business started. I never knew. Why didn't you say something?"

"I couldn't. Hell I didn't even want to think about it much less talk about it.

"So then why did you say okay?"

"Because it was what she really wanted. You know before her I was with a lot of guys…I sowed my wild oats so to speak. But before me Carmen was only ever with one other person and that was only once. She never really dated or even kissed anyone before me so when she met someone at that summer institute…well I understood that. Doesn't mean I liked it but I understood and I didn't want her to feel like she had to go behind my back. Besides it was only for the summer and she came home to me like I knew she would. And there hasn't been anyone since."

"You sure about that?"

"Positive. I trust her Paul; she'd tell me."

~~~~~

It was early evening, the sky just beginning to darken when Paul dropped Nicole off at her house. The drive from New York City had taken most of the day and Nicole was tired. She absently noted that Donna's car was not in its usual spot and smiled to herself as she opened the door to the house. She loved Javier enjoyed having him and his never ending stream of questions about how things worked and why they were the way they were but the child could also be draining and all Nic wanted to do right now was find Carmen and spend some time with her. Maybe they could soak in the hot tub and talk; spend some time catching up with each other.

She put her keys on the table in the entryway. A folded sheet of paper with her name on it in Carmen's handwriting was on the table. She read the note, dropping her suitcase as she did so.

Nicole ~

Donna and Javi went to her mom's for the night. I'm waiting for you in the pool house. I missed you.

She made her way through the darkened house, out the back door and down to the path that led to the pool house. On the first paving stone lay a rose and next to it a small envelope containing a card on which her first name was written in calligraphy.

Looking down the path Nicole saw that on each stone there was a rose and an envelope. Her scalp began to tingle in anticipation as she collected the roses and the envelopes till she was standing in front of the door. Eleven perfect roses in all, eleven cards each with a single word written in calligraphy.

Nicole Helene Julian my love, our life our future just say

Nic opened the door to the pool house. There on the table, where normally an unfinished puzzle would be, was another rose. This one though was carved out of single piece of mahogany from the base up, which had been polished and buffed to bring out the woods natural grain and color. Leaning against the base was another envelope. Putting the roses she already held down Nicole picked up the envelope and opened it. The card inside read: Yes

Carmen's voice was suddenly in Nic's ear low and husky "Look inside the rose."

Nicole looked. There nestled in the center of the wooden petals was a ring.

"Will you marry me?"

Nicole whirled around and threw her arms around Carmen who was standing behind her.

"Yes!"

They kissed deeply, tongues caressing tasting each other as if it were the first time breaking apart only because the need to breathe had become paramount.

"Yes. A thousand times yes."