Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Series: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Title: No Ordinary Day

Author: Carla

Pairing: Nicole/Carmen

Rating: R (I guess)

Disclaimers: I of course do neither own Popular nor any of its characters I believe the suits at Touchstone Television and The WB do. As usual series title comes from Billy Joel's excellent song of the same. Lyrics from The Hollies song King Midas in Reverse are used with out permission but much gratitude. The same goes for Donna Lewis', I Love You Always Forever.

Archiving: My stuff such as it is can be found at www.realmoftheshadow.com/carla.htm. Thank you Kim for saving my delusional flights of fancy from oblivion. All others please ask.

Feedback: Welcomed, heeded and needed. Send it directly to me at cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

A/N: Finally I am able to honor Hope Libby's earlier request for me to return to Nic and Carm. Having no idea when (or even if its mentioned) Nicole's birthday is I've decided on May 2.

No Ordinary Day

Carmen folded the paper she was writing on and put it in an envelope, which she then sealed. Turning on the radio she began to gather the ingredients she needed to make Nicole's birthday breakfast. Cracking three eggs into a glass bowl. Then adding milk, flour and nutmeg she whipped the ingredients by hand into a slightly thin batter, which she covered and put in the refrigerator. She set the oven for 375 degrees and felt inordinately proud of herself for remembering to remove the extra oven rack before it got too hot to put on the countertop. Moving over to the sink she washed and peeled two peaches, which she then diced and mixed into some plain yogurt. This too she covered and placed in the refrigerator next to the orange juice she had freshly squeezed the night before. She turned the radio on and hummed along as she wiped down the counter and washed the dishes she had used so far.

/// If you could only see me
I know exactly where I am
You wouldn't want to be me
Oh I can assure you of that ///

/// I'm not the guy to run with
`cause I'll pull you off the line
I'll break you and destroy you given time ///

/// He's King Midas with a curse
He's King Midas in reverse ///

The words of the song caught Carmen's attention and made her think of the first night that she and Nicole had talked really talked. Nicole had driven her home after her shift at the diner and they'd sat in her car in the driveway to Carmen's mother's house. Carmen remembered losing herself in Nic's voice as the other girl talked about how trapped she felt, at school and at home, by the image she had crafted for herself. Listened as Nicole relayed her hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes. Listened as the blonde tried to explain why she was the way she was, how she poisoned everything she touched she'd even laughingly called herself King Midas in reverse.

<<< I began to fall in love with her that night I think. She was so open and trusting and I could tell that it was the first time in a long time that she had reached out to anyone, even Brooke. And then she held my hand >>>

Carmen smiled at the memory of Nicole's small hand in hers' that night. Her smile grew wider as she felt Nicole's arms slip around her waist. Standing on her toes Nicole sang the words to the rest of the song.

/// I wish some one would find me
And help me gain control
Before I lose my reason and my soul ///

/// He's King Midas with a curse
He's King Midas in reverse (all he touches turns to dust) ///

"You did you know"

Carmen turned in the circle of Nicole's arms. Bending her head she rested her forehead against her lover's.

"You're up early"

"First period started thirty minutes ago so I don't know what you're talking about."

"Happy Birthday Nikki, my love." Carmen picked the slighter girl up and swung her around.

"Wheeeeeeee" Nicole laughed and clung to her lover as the room spun around. "Agaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnn"

"Happy Birthday my love."

They stopped twirling around and kissed for several minutes before oxygen became an issue.

"So what did you get me?"

"Who says I got you anything?"

"Don't make me use the pout."

"OH NO not the pout. Anything but `The Pout' please I beg of you." Carmen recoiled in mock horror. "Besides I thought I was gift enough. I seem to remember someone saying that last night."

"Yeah well now in the pure light of day and all you know…"

"You want gifts"

"It is my birthday"

"You have to find your gifts"

"All of them?"

"No just one of them." Carmen teased.

The brunette backed Nicole up against the wall and bent her head to capture the blonde's lips in a searing kiss. They swallowed each other's moans as their hands began to wander, Nicole's settling in dark tresses, holding Carmen to her breast as the taller girl suckled her through the thin cotton of the nightshirt Nic wore. Taking Nicole's hands in one of hers Carmen held the petite blonde's arm's above her head pinning her there and forcing the girl to arch her back. With her other hand she unbuttoned the nightshirt reaching in to cup the soft globes of her lover's breast before once again capturing an erect nipple between her teeth.

"Kiss me"

Releasing the nipple in her mouth with a soft wet pop Carmen kissed her way across Nicole's chest and up the slope of her neck. The gentle rasp of her tongue made Nic shiver as a soft groan escaped her lips. Using her knee the taller girl nudged apart her lovers legs so that her thigh was trapped between the other girls legs. They began grinding against each other as they kissed with an almost feral intensity breaking apart with a loud gasp as Nicole wrenched her arms down to grab the collar of Carmen's shirt. Buttons flew everywhere and at Carmen's soft mewl of surprise Nic murmured "I'll buy you a new one."

Suddenly Carmen found herself with her back to the wall as Nicole kissed a path down her torso, stopping to tongue Carmen's naval, till she was kneeling on the floor at eye level with the button fly of Carmen's jeans.

"Have I found my gift?"

"You're close, very close."

Nic looked up to see Carmen swallow convulsively, her chest heaving as she did so. Reaching up the kneeling blonde slowly undid the button fly kissing each newly exposed area of skin as she did so. Nicole stood up to kiss Carmen, with her right hand she reached into the front of Carmen's jeans to slide over satin panties already soaked through with arousal.

"Now"

"Not quite"

"You are so wet…you want this right? You want me to touch you?"

Carmen whimpered her hips shifted almost imperceptibly in a silent plea for Nicole's touch.

"Nikki I love you…Ohhhh"

Delicate fingers slid under silk to glide through slick swollen folds.

"You shaved"

"You mentioned it once or twice"

"Feels nice"

"Happy Birthday"

~~~~~

"Nikki"

"Hmm?"

"What time is it?" Nicole opened her eyes to look at the clock by her side of the bed.

"11:30"

"Shit!" Carmen sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"What's up?"

"Harold will be here any minute we have to shower and get ready."

"Ready? Ready for what?"

"Harold"

"Why is Harold coming here?"

"He has your birthday present with him."

"Oh more gifts"

"Yeah what'd you think that you were only getting one thing. I mean I may be hard up for money but not that hard up."

"Well for the record I like the presents I've gotten so far. But when did you get it done? I don't think the weed we smoked was so good that it made me not notice that."

"No it wasn't that good. I got up at the crack of dawn to do it. You had better like it" Carmen winked "I thought I was going to die in a hideous slip and fall accident doing it. And what's that smirk for?"

"Nothing" <<< Wait till it grows back >>>

"Oh no don't you `Nothing' me young lady."

"Remember how you complained about how your eyebrows itched when they were growing back in after you waxed the first time."

"Oh jeez I forgot about that. Never let it be said that I wouldn't do `anything' for you. If this isn't proof of love eternal I don't know what is." Carmen ducked as a pillow came flying at her.

"It looks sexy as hell though. Can I shower first or do you care to join me?"

"You go on ahead I'm going to put our very late breakfast in the oven."

"It's been on all this time?"

"Yeah. I sort of forgot to turn it off in the heat of the moment so to speak."

~~~~~

Thirty minutes later the doorbell rang.

"That must be Harold I'll get it" Nicole stood up to answer the door as Carmen began setting another place at the table.

"Hi Harold come in come in"

"Happy Birthday Miss Nicole." Harold handed Nicole a wrapped gift box. "That's from Ellie and me and this" he gave her an envelope "is from the staff. Petra says she will make you and Miss Carmen dinner, all your favorites, tonight or some other night if you already have plans. Just let her know."

"What do you think honey should we do that tonight?"

"Sure."

"Tell Petra we'll be there for dinner at 7:30 then. Is my mother around?"

"No Miss she had to leave for London this morning unexpectedly. But she did leave your present at the house."

"We were just getting ready for brunch would you like some Harold?" Carmen asked.

"Oh no Miss I don't want to intrude"

"Nonsense there's plenty sit down. What can I get you to drink? We have OJ, peach nectar milk and of course water. Or I can make some coffee if you prefer. Nikki peach nectar?"

"Please"

"Orange juice for me Miss"

"Carmen Harold how many times do I have to tell you?"

Carmen placed glasses on the table along with the bowl of yogurt and peaches.

"We'll start with this it's going to be a few minutes before the Dutch Baby is ready."

After the meal Nicole opened her presents. Harold and his wife gave her a book on container gardening and a package of seeds.

"Catnip? Interesting choice Harold"

The envelope contained a card, signed by all the household staff. Inside a thank you slip from the National Cancer Society showed that a donation had been made in Nicole's name in honor of her birthday. Finally she unwrapped Carmen's gift box, lifting the lid she found a small collar with a tag attached that read `I'm not supposed to be outside if found please call 927-8257.

"It's a bit small for me but…"

"Funny ha-ha. Harold could you bring up that last thing now?"

"Certainly"

Harold returned holding something behind his back.

"Close your eyes honey" Nicole closed her eyes.

"Now open them"

Nicole opened them to find Carmen holding a kitten out in front of her. The kitten was an orange tabby with a white underside and white socks, about seven weeks old with yellow eyes.

"Nicole meet Cider. We can change his name if you don't like it but I thought it kinda went with his color."

"He is so cute. Where did you get him?"

"From the Progressive Animal Welfare Society. He's been fixed and has all his shots. You can keep him here or at your mom's whichever you want."

"Here of course after all `Cider has two mommies'."

~~~~~

They had had dinner at Nicole's house, grilled chicken over penne pasta with roasted vegetables and for desert a fruit torte with fresh whipped cream. In honor of the occasion they each had a glass of wine. Then Henry, the butler, drove them home to Carmen's little apartment over the diner.

Now they lay in bed; the kitten between them playing with the cat toys they had bought that afternoon after Harold left.

"This has been the best birthday ever."

"I'm glad you liked it. I'm sorry I couldn't get you anyth…" Carmen's words were cut off as Nicole leaned over to silence her with a kiss.

"I loved it; you cut school to spend the day with me. You got up early and made breakfast. You got up even earlier and you know" Nicole blushed her gaze traveled down Carmen's body. "You got me a cat and now…" -- they kissed again – "Now you're going to read to me… The Giving Tree I think I'm in the mood for Shel Silverstein tonight."

"Okay I have one more thing for you though."

"You've been holding out on me?"

"Yep." Carmen gave Nicole the letter she had written that morning.

Nicole opened the envelope drawing out the single sheet of paper, she unfolded it and began to read.

Ten things I love about you (in no particular order):

1. Your smile and the way you light up when you're happy
2. The feel of your hand in mine. Especially when we go to the movies and it's a scary part.
3. Your need to have everything be a certain way and how you get nervous when it isn't.
4. The feel of your hair under my hands. Even better the feel of your hair on my body.
5. Your scent – woodsy with a hint of vanilla except after practice when you smell `warm' like the sun.
6. Your taste – salty and sweet. You are a feast for the palate.
7. Your body – sleek, firm small in stature large in presence.
8. The way your head fits just so on my shoulder when we sleep wrapped around each other.
9. The way you stretch when you wake up, beg for ten more minutes and spend it kissing me.
10. Your eyes – deep aqua reaching into me seeing all of me. Seeing our future in your eyes.
11. I love that you write in a journal.
12. That you read all sorts of magazines and books just because.
13. The way you like to drive fast but don't because it scares me.
14. The feel of your heat the velvet glove of you contracting when you come.
15. The way you move fluidly and sparingly. Always aware of your impact.
16. That you're a bitch sometimes but not as often as you used to be.
17. That I'm the only one who gets to see all of you without pretense.
18. The little noises you make when you get a massage.
19. The indentation in the small of your back and how ticklish you are there.
20. The way you always try to make origami birds but somehow they always turn out like some freakish mutations.

Nicole wiped aware tears, her voice was tight as she said "It's nice to know you still need my services as a math tutor. Thank you so much I'm going to keep this always. I love you so much."

"Twenty-one: The way your hands feel in my hair when we kiss."

They kissed deeply, Carmen running her tongue over Nicole's teeth as Nicole twined her hands in the hair at the nape of Carmen's neck.

"Twenty-two: The feel of your teeth when I run my tongue over them. Twenty-three: The soft spot just below your ear, the way you always giggle when I nuzzle you there."

Nicole arched her neck so that Carmen could nuzzle her giggling when she did so.

"We should go to sleep. We have school tomorrow."

"You're still going to read to me right?"

"Yes love now set the alarm."

Nicole set the clock radio, accidentally hitting the button that turned the radio on.

"Oh I love this song. Listen Nikki"

/// Feels like I'm standing in a timeless dream
Of light mists, of pale amber rose
Feels like I'm lost in a deep cloud of heavenly scent
Touching discovering you ///

/// Those days of warm rain come rushing back to me
Miles of windless summer nights
Secret moments shared with the heat of the afternoon
Out of the stillness, soft spoken words
(Say it, say it again) ///

/// I love you always forever
Near or far, closer together
Everywhere I will be with you
Everything I will do for you ///

Now Carmen sang along softly into Nicole's ear.

/// I love you always forever
Near or far, closer together
Everywhere I will be with you
Everything I will do for you ///

The cat, apparently feeling left out, meowed and began to bat at Carmen's hair. They laughed at the kitten's antics and played with him for a few moments before putting him on the floor. They turned towards each other moving closer together limbs intertwined they drifted off to sleep as the radio continued playing in the background.

/// Say you'll love and love me forever
Never stop, never whatever
Near and far and always everywhere and every(thing)
I love you always forever
Near or far, closer together
Everywhere I will be with you
Everything I will do for you ///