Series: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Title: Universally Accepted Truths

Author: Carla

Email: cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Rating: G

Pairing: Nicole/Carmen

Disclaimers: The usual song and dance about the series title and those characters drawn directly from the Popular universe. All original characters are mine and mine alone.

Archiving: All of my stuff such as it were may be found at www.realmoftheshadow.com/carla.htm.

Feedback: Welcomed, heeded and needed. Onlist or off doesn't matter I can be found at cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

A/N: Thanks to Allan for the (mis)quote that inspired the title for this little fic. And also thanks to Snarlsnout whose questions made me think and provide some answers hopefully.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in posession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." -- Jane Austen, as misquoted by Alan H.

~~~~~

"Morning Nic."

"Paulie."

Paul got in the car and looked at Nicole sitting in the driver's seat. She was a barely controlled bundle of energy tapping on the steering wheel keeping time with the underlying beat of the music that blared from the speakers. Paul fiddled with the volume then changed the station the soothing sounds of the local light jazz station filling the car.

"Much better. I went out with Adam and some of the other guys from the department last night."

"Had a bit to much did you?"

"Uh-huh."

"You hungry?" she pulled the car out into traffic so fast that her passenger blanched.

"Slow down. Not now I'm not. Now I'm nauseous."

"Sorry. I'm starving and I wanted to go to Jude's for breakfast."

"Okay. I'm sure I'll be able to eat something by the time we get there. So what's up you're fairly humming with energy. Let me guess you couldn't wait and asked her last night, right?"

"Wrong my friend."

"Well at the very least you have that "I-had-amazing-sex-until-all-hours-of-the-morning," look."

"I won't dignify that with an answer."

"That's answer enough. Thank you."

"Thanks for what?"

"You know."

"Ewww gross, I so didn't want to know that."

"Well what do you want from me I can't help it I'm a healthy, mostly heterosexual male. I fantasize" he shrugged his shoulders. "Shoot me why don't you."

"Bang, Bang you're dead." Nicole aimed her right hand at her passenger as if her hand were a gun. "You know what? I bet you're all talk. I bet, if you had the chance you would probably be all: "Nah, nah I was joking" you big chicken. Besides…" Nicole pulled into the parking lot at the restaurant, "you're like my brother and that's just creepy you know."

"Not according to the readers of `Family Lust' and other such fine examples of modern literature."

Nicole shot him a look of disgust as she walked past him and into the restaurant.

"Two no smoking please" Nicole said to the hostess who greeted them. "And how do you know this? Have you actually read this magazine?"

"Yeah my cousin, Brad, had a copy of it once when I was a kid but c'mon Nic you can find anything on the Internet you know that."

"Still" she gave a slight shudder, "that's not my point. My point was this: It's nice to know you think I'm attractive. It's nice to know you think my fiancée is attractive too. It's just not so nice to know that you think about us being `attractive together' you know what I mean?"

"Yeah I do. I'm sorry…"

"I mean its okay that you think that and all…I just don't want to be reminded okay?"

"Got it. No reminding you about the fantasy life."

The waitress came and they placed their orders.

"So did you say `fiancée'?"

"Uh-hum" Nicole held up her hand to show Paul the ring Carmen had placed on her finger the night before. He grabbed her hand bringing it closer to him so that he could peer at the ring on her finger. "And guess what."

"What?"

"Guess."

"She had the ring engraved: Always."

"Yeah how'd you know? Did you know she was going to ask me yesterday? Is that why we had to hit every rest stop from New York to here so that you could use the phone without me around?"

"And you said I couldn't keep a secret" Paul teased.

"Is that why you told me to change the inscription?"

"Actually no that was just a fluke. I didn't know she was going to have your ring engraved at all. Didn't find out till that last rest stop that she had it engraved even, much less with the same thing. What can I say I'm good."

"How funny. You want I should call you Kreskin from now on or what?"

"I don't think so. So did you give her your ring?"

~~~~~

The lecture hall around was slowly filling with students. Carmen sitting a few rows from the back was saving a seat for her friends, Sylvie a slightly older, rail thin black woman, and Jeff a barrel-chested giant at 6'7". Spotting them, entering the lecture hall she waved them over.

"Thanks for saving us seats Carm." They sat down one on either side of Carmen.

"No problem Syl just one question: How is it that you two live on campus and everyday I manage to get here before you. I live over on hour away what's up with that?"

"I had a friend, back home, who use to work literally across the street from where she lived. Her front door overlooked the employee entrance, in fact, and yet somehow she was never on time…Here you go Carmen, coffee for you. Sylvie: orange juice and a bagel. And last but never least Jeff: large chocolate milk, orange juice and a bagel with cream cheese."

"Morning Drea." Andrea Meier was the fourth member of their little group and Carmen's first friend on campus. It was her turn this week to pick up breakfast for the other three so that they could eat during the lecture.

"Morning C."

"Thanks Drea" Jeff reached over Carmen to snatch the paper bag holding his breakfast from Andrea's outstretched hand. "God I'm starved."

"You're a bottomless pit is what you are."

"I'm a growing boy" Jeff whined, "Tell them Sylvie."

"He's a growing boy" Sylvia deadpanned, "How much do I owe you?"

"Carmen picked up the tab today." Andrea busied herself opening her drink and the container of yogurt that she was having for breakfast. "So how was everyone's weekend?" The curly haired brunette pointedly looked at Carmen as she asked the question.

"About as subtle as a bull in a china shop there aren't you?" Carmen held up her left hand to show her friends the engagement ring Nic had given her.

"Oh my God, let me see that" Andrea yanked Carmen's hand so that she and Sylvie could get a closer look at the ring. "It's huge…now Sylvie, sweetie, I'm not saying I want something quite this big but close okay."

"Those days are long over Princess."

"I know but I was thinking the other day sure you and I didn't quite `click' as a couple but you have to admit we make a good team otherwise."

"Uh-huh"

"So what if we both hit forty and we're still single, then what?"

"Girl you're crazy. Don't go there."

"I'm just kidding Sylvie you know that." Andrea nudged the other woman, "Besides you know I'm really after your brother anyway."

While Sylvie and Andrea huddled over the ring Carmen spoke with Jeff.

"Did she like the rose?"

"She loved it, it's beautiful Jeffy thank you. How did you learn to do that anyway?"

"My grandfather taught me. I'm just glad it came out alright it's been awhile since I tried anything like that you know…a freestanding piece and all."

"Now I know why you did so well in that ice carving class."

"Most definitely."

Conversation was cut short as the professor walked in and class began. Class ended and the four friends remained seated, talking while the lecture hall emptied.

"So tomorrow night dinner at my house right?"

"Is this a couple thing `cause I'm not doing a couple thing. I hate being the single at a couple thing." Andrea's frizzy head bobbed up and down as she talked.

"You can be my date Drea Jackson's out of town again."

"Well then that settles that. Jeff and I will be there."

"Sylvie?"

"Count me in. Its all right if I bring Rashim?"

"Sure he and Javi can play together."

The foursome stood to leave Sylvie and Jeff walking ahead of Carmen and Andrea.

"So tell me exactly what she said."

"She said she loved me. She said great minds think alike. She said…"

**Flashback**

"I love you. I am so in love with you. It gets better every day…I mean that in every way you know. God I sound like a doofus. Its just…you do that to me, still. I think about you and I get this grin" the blonde shook her head, shrugged her shoulders "that I can just feel you know. Feel how big it is and I know I must look…like I don't know, like a love struck idiot. But that's okay `cause I am you know? I have been for the last five years and I can't imagine not being in love with you. I had everything planned out you know? Go to P-town next month, fancy dinner and a late night walk in the dunes. I was gonna ask you then but you beat me to the punch. I guess what I wanted to say was this; I love you. These last five and a half years have been the best of my life, because of you. Because of your love and faith in me, because you trusted me with your heart and you proved that I could trust you with mine. Because you forgave me and accepted me despite everything that happened before. I want to spend my life, build my life with you. It would be my honor to stand beside you in front of our friends our family and pledge my soul to yours' forever. So yes I'll marry you gladly."

Nicole reached into her pocket feeling the weight of the jewelry box with its ring sitting in her pocket. Taking it out she opened the little box to show Carmen the ring.

"I designed it myself. The two smaller diamonds, that's you and me separate. The center one is you and I together bigger better for each other. I had it inscribed look" Nicole held the ring out for Carmen to read the inscription.

"Always" Carmen's voice was hushed an almost whisper that Nicole barely heard above her own heartbeat.

"So I guess I'll ask anyway. Will you marry me?" Nic slipped the ring onto to her lover's finger then brushed her lips over the ring.

"Thought you'd never ask."

"I love you."

"I love you too Nikki. Always."