Calligraphic

[karter]

Tittle: Calligraphic

Type of story: Short/Medium

Main characters: Nicole/Geoff, Roman and Aden.

Rating: (A) to be safe

Genre: Drama/Romance

Spoilers: Nothing after the OC.

Warnings: None

Summary: An unwanted letter arrives in the mail, Roman and Aden will have to find another way to protect Nicole, in the meantime Geoff will happily take up the job.

A/n- My other fic has given me major writers block, but i hope to update it soon, untill then, this is what i have.

Chapter 1

Roman was running late and Irene would have his hide, it was nearing Christmas and with that came the school holidays, tourists and their appetites. Long story short the diner was packed and their chef was running late, he grabbed his car keys awkwardly as he balanced his work uniform and his kit in his arms, he nudged the door open with his foot and made his way down the walk, stopping with a wobble at the mail box and leaning everything against his chest he managed to free a hand and grab the letters stuffed roughly in the box. He made it to his car and deposited his burden with a shrug before flipping through the envelopes in his hand one by one, the important ones being retained between his lips for a moment; he passed a junk offer of a two for one deal at the travel centre and stopped cold.

His mouth dropped and the letters he had been previously holding fluttered to the ground, all bar one. What in the world? He looked at the inked name on the back and the flipped again to the one on the front

His sudden rush forgotten what the hell?

----------------

“I don’t know I’m kinda glad.” Nicole grinned, kicking her feet lightly through the sand and squeezing Geoff’s hand tighter.

“Oh really?” her boyfriend replied, “I thought you would have wanted to date a football player?” he asked, as the matching pair walked across the beach an occasional wave catching up to them and soaking their ankles, Geoff had never spent so many days, doing nothing and so much all at one time, he had never had so much fun doing so little before.

Nicole shrugged, the tops of her shoulder going pink form the day in the sun, she didn’t mind it would quickly tan over, “Don’t get me wrong, it would have its perks but I reckon the downsides would have outweighed them.”

“How so?” Geoff asked curious.

Nicole grinned cheekily, “Well you know…” she teased, “football players are always busy, training, endorsing, playing and then there’s well…”

“What?”

“Groupies.” She finished.

Geoff blinked, he laughed, “I don’t think football players really get groupies, isn’t that for band members?”

Nicole shook her head with a grin, “Uh-uh,” she smiled, “My mum dated a football player, I think I know a little something about it, groupies. Constantly, and the media we would never get anytime to ourselves.”

Geoff snicked, “Which would just be plan disastrous,” he said sarcastically.

Nicole elbowed him gently in the ribs making him yelp, “Anyway,” she said airily and ignoring Geoff poking his tongue out at her continued, “it’s much more fun to date a minister.”

Geoff snorted, “Really?”

“Totally.” Nicole reassured him, “It’s like the whole doctors and nurses thing but sexier, every girl loves a guy in a uniform.”

“Even if it is a collar?”

“Definitely,” she said swatting him on the arm for emphasis, “And at least you’ll never loose the spark, imagine it, what with the whole God’s watching everything, you’d always feel like you were committing a sin.”

Geoff laughed again, shaking his head hopelessly but with an affectionate smile as they reached the beginning of the boat launch and the diner and crossed over from sand to concrete, truthfully, he was never worried about loosing the spark, not with this girl around.

-------

“You have to hide it.” Aden said seriously his arms crossed over his apron as he looked closely at Roman.

The older man shook his head, “I can’t.”

“It’s for her own good.” Aden pressed.

Roman sighed aggravated, “Aden you don’t get it, I can’t go back to lying to her, we’ve just started finally trusting each other, I don’t have to worry every time she talks to me what the ulterior motive is. I don’t want to go back to that.”

Aden ignored a shout from the customers about the meal and focused on Roman, “You want to protect her right?”

“Yes but—”

“Then sometimes you have to lie, show her that—” he gestured to the twisted envelope that was held tightly in Roman’s fingers “and you’ll hurt her for sure.”

“But what if she would want to know?” Roman asked with a frustrated roll of his shoulders.

Aden shook his head, “She doesn’t, why would she?”

“Closure?” Roman suggested.

“He’s in prison Roman. That’s as closed as its going to get.”

Roman closed his eyes for a moment, letting the air hiss from between his teeth he lifted his arm feebly and again stared at the inked letters that were haunting his existence presently.

If not claimed, return to sender: Coalbrooke Correctional Facility, 2264.

Elliot Gillen.

------------------------------

A/n- A small bit of Neighbours inspiration in there for anyone who noticed.

[karter]

Thanks very much for all the comments guys, here's the next chapter, hope you like it. This chapter is very sappy, so i apologise but at least you've been warned.

Chapter 2

Nicole entered the diner, her and Geoff slipping between tourists easily, from their angle she could see Aden leaning against a bench in the kitchen his arms crossed, he looked up as she entered and she smiled at him, when he didn’t return the gesture she frowned, either he and Belle were having another one of their drama’s or something was up.

She let go of Geoff’s hand as he went in search of a vacant table, she stepped around the counter easily and entered the kitchen to find Aden was not alone, he was standing with Roman who was looking heavily at an envelope in his hand.

“What’s up?” she asked suspiciously.

Roman met Aden’s eye and the younger man shook his head grumpily, Roman sighed, he looked at her searching her face for a moment and Nicole began to genuinely worry, Roman held out the envelop to her and with a questioning look at her father and her brother, she took it. “Elliot.” She breathed her throat suddenly tight.

“What does it say?” she asked quietly, revolving the letter in her hands and spying her own name on the front.

“I don’t know.” Roman shook his head, crossing his arms protectively, “I haven’t opened it.”

“When did it get here?”

“This morning.”

There was a tense silence between the three, the two men waiting on tenterhooks, Nicole took a breath, rolled her shoulders back aggravated and shook her head, with a scoff she tossed the letter angrily into the bin beside the door, she turned smoothly and left the kitchen, Geoff looked up surprised as he saw her retreat not caring who she knocked past on her way out, he blinked confused for a few seconds before standing up and running after her.

Aden and Roman watched him go and the former asked, “Still think that was the best idea?”

-------

“Nicole wait!” he caught up with her as she hit the sand and kept walking, out onto the darkening beach, it was deserted and the black waves crashed not far from them.

She turned to face him, “Who the hell does he think he is?!” she spat, her hair flying in the wind that was kicking off the water, “Who the hell, who the hell.” She repeated through gritted teeth and turning away from Geoff her eyes ablaze, her shoulders quaking.

“What are you talking about?” Geoff asked gently.

“Elliot!” she yelled, turning back again.

Geoff frowned concerned, “What about him?” he asked darkly.

Her fury seemed to abate at the look on his face’s he sighed heavily, “He wrote me a letter,” she said

“What did it say?” Geoff asked stepping closer to her and blocking the wind with his body.

“I didn’t open it.” Nicole said softly, looking at the ground.

Geoff wanted to ask more, so very much more, but the questions buzzing in his head were pushed aside when he saw her shoulders slump, they would talk later. He stepped forward confidently and rapped his arms around her; he ran his fingers over her hair and kissed her temple.

They ended up sitting, Nicole’s head resting against his chest, her hand rested on his thigh, her nose and eyes burnt and she wanted to cry, only when her fingers grazed a grizzly scar, still red, across his leg did she let the tears fall.

The beach continued to get darker as the sun disappeared all together but the braking of the waves seemed to lessen, he didn’t care how long he had to sit there holding her, he just wanted her to be okay again.

-------

“Maybe you should open it?” Aden asked looking at the discarded letter lying in the trash.

Roman shook his head, “I don’t think I want to know anymore then she did.”

“What could he possibly want? Maybe to say sorry?” Aden suggested.

Roman shrugged, “I don’t know.” he shook his head “I thought telling us where she was was his apology.”

“Aren’t you curious?” Aden asked seriously, “after all, Nicole’s not the only one he hurt.” He watched Roman closely.

“I am.” Roman admitted, “But mostly I’m just worried.” He finished, not taking his eyes off the envelope and all its implications.

------------

[karter]

Thanks for the comments guys, here's the next chapter, hope you like it.

Chapter 3

------------

Geoff thanked Colleen with a smile as he took two espressos from her hands and carefully balanced them over to their table, Nicole sat, her head propped up by her hand, staring unblinkingly into the kitchen.

Geoff slid her coffee over to her and took a sip of his own for luck, “You could just go get it.” He suggested

“I don’t want to.” She muttered.

“Well then maybe you could stop staring?” He offered nervously.

Nicole straightened in her chair, turning her blue eyes on him and making him squirm a little, “I wasn’t staring.”

Geoff tried not to smile, “Of course you weren’t.” he agreed softly, taking another sip of his drink. Nicole watched him do it, apparently staring—or not—at him now, he swallowed awkwardly before she stood suddenly, pushing her chair away with her foot.

“Well if you wanted me to read it that badly you should have just said so.” She said knowingly. Geoff chocked on his coffee.

Nicole rolled her eyes affectionately as she slipped into the kitchen and plucked the crumpled envelope from its place, carefully ignoring the piercing gaze of her father as he worked to feed the dozens of customers that filled the diner. She looked at the letter with a frown before making her way back over to Geoff who had recomposed himself.

She sat down uncomfortable on the edge of her chair, and re-read the names and addresses again. She sighed and licked her dry lips. Geoff watched her closely as she fitted her thumb under the edge of the seal and hesitated.

“I don’t want it to be an apology.” She said softly. “I don’t think I could handle that. A message in blood maybe, that I could handle…but I don’t want him to say sorry.”

Geoff didn’t have any reply; he just stayed silent, waiting for her to move. Almost a minute passed and she stayed stock still, her hands rigid, Geoff dusted his hands on his shorts and then asked softly, “Do you want me to open it?”

She met his eye for a moment, thought about it and then silently handed the letter over, she nodded pathetically. Gently Geoff broke the top and with ginger fingers removed the letter that was inside, he could only see a few lines of writing through the back of the page and when he turned it over he didn’t find much more.

Nicole

Come see me. Please, even if Roman tries to stop you, please, I need to talk to you, I can’t explain why, but it’s important, I need to see you. You owe me.

Elliot.

Then below it was a set of details, cell numbers, times etcetera, Geoff read it all quickly and gently and when he had finished he folded it back up and tucked it back into the envelope he looked at Nicole closely. “Nic?” he asked softly.

Her arms crossed and resting on the table she didn’t answer for a moment, before she stood up again, this time a lot more forcefully, she snatched the envelope from the table and with gritted teeth and her eyes flaming she tore straight through it and then again into smaller pieces. Her shoulders rigid she walked back to the kitchen and threw the pieces into the bin again, Roman who was still cooking watched her silently but she avoided his eye.

When she sat down next to Geoff again her arms crossed tightly, her lips pressed together, he thought about it for a few moments before setting his cup down and shifting his chair closer to hers, with a needed forcefulness he w rapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her, slowly the iron drained form her shoulders and she let her head rest comfortably on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Roman looked form his daughter to the waste paper basket at his feet, frowning in concern and curiosity, he looked at the four pieces of torn paper and decided what he would do, because Aden was right, Nicole wasn’t the only one Elliot had hurt, the ex-soldier tensed his jaw and nodded silently to himself, before tapping the bin with his foot into a corner so no one else would use it till the end of the night when he could retrieve what he needed.

After all, he had let Elliot close to his daughter before; he wasn’t going to let it happen again.

-----

[karter]

A/n- Sorry this took so long, i've broken my hand and now find myself with enough time to post it. Thanks for all your comments guys.

-----

When the guard had buzzed him, Elliot’s nerves had jangled; he hadn’t expected her to turn up so soon, again he rehearsed the words in his head, before he was tugged by the arm out into the hall.

He was so focused on his thoughts he didn’t notice he wasn’t sitting across from Nicole for a few seconds, instead Roman looked back at him through the glass, Elliot swallowed.

“Roman? What are you doing here?”

“Nicole’s not coming.” said the ex-SAS soldier his jaw set.

Elliot didn’t know what to say, he stammered before Roman cut him off again. “I wanted to thankyou.” He said quietly.

Elliot blinked, confused, “Why?” he asked.

“Because,” Roman said seriously, “if it hadn’t been for your little stunt, Nicole and I wouldn’t have what we do now. It brought us closer together better than any apology for the last seventeen years could have, so for that, I’m saying thankyou.” Roman said all this without blinking once and Elliot was a little bit unnerved.

“I—" he hesitated, “I need to speak to her Roman.” He said finally, his teeth gritting.

Roman shook his head easily, “That’s not going to happen, you’re never going to contact her again.”

Elliot opened his mouth to plead his case but Roman just continued. “I mean it Elliot, while I’m grateful for what you did I’m not stupid enough to think for even a second that that was your intention so you don’t get the credit, you are never going near my daughter again, you try to contact her in anyway and I swear that no matter how safe you are behind these bars I will find some way to make you sorry.”

Eliot swallowed, it was eerie, Roman’s face still impassive, still talking calmly like he was discussing mundane things.

Then there was metallic buzz and Roman was standing up, walking away, leaving Elliot gaping, everything he had planned to say dieing on his lips.

----

Geoff had never seen a movie with so much violence, he had expected her to be the kind of chick flick girl, but instead he was watching the screen exploded for the seventh time. “What happened then?” he queried, tilting his head.

Nicole popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth before answering lazily, “He yanked the blue wire.”

“And?” Geoff asked.

“And it was a dummy wire.” She said taking another piece of the salty food.

Geoff looked at her blankly; Nicole frowned, before tossing her popcorn at his head, “It was a decoy, a trick, a ruse, a scam, a shafting, any one you like.”

Geoff blinked at her. She threw two pieces of popcorn at him.

“Why did Elliot say you owed him?” The words were out of his mouth before he had realised his mouth was open. Nicole looked at him, not saying anything, the exposition of the movie playing in the background.

“Because he knows me.” She said.

Geoff swallowed, uncomfortable, “I don’t understand.”

Nicole shrugged, turning her eyes away from him, “He said it because he knew it would make me come, he just wanted to get me angry enough to go and see him.”

Geoff shifted in his seat on the couch, moving himself closer to her, “But it didn’t work.”

Nicole turned, a small smile on her lips, “Because he doesn’t know Roman.” She said, “And obviously he doesn’t know you or I’d be dead by now.”

She rarely, If ever, brought up the incident on the island, he didn’t either but for different reasons, but when she gave him a crooked grin and then turned back to the film he couldn’t help but smile proudly. He’d always be the naive one, but he’d been her hero once.

That was good enough.

-----

A/n- Next chapter will be the last next one.

[karter]

And here it is, the final chapter, big thanks to all those who took the time to read and review so far, couldn't have done it without you lot. Thanks a lot

Epilogue

6 years in the future.

Nicole was swamped with paper work, her phone ringing off the hook, the red lights blinking like traffic lights.

She huffed, pushing her fringe out of her eyes and tossing aside another leaflet of paper onto a stack larger then the length of her arm.

“Mrs Campbell?”

“What!” she snapped into the intercom.

“You have a visitor.”

“Does said visitor have an appointment?” she asked, the top floor of the high-rise building was flooded with people and the partners of one of the biggest law firms in Australia were out on their feet. Still Nicole’s assistant answered.

“No.”

“Well then why are you still talking?”

“Because he’s already coming up.”

Nicole sighed heavily, her head throbbing, she pinched the bridge of her nose just as the door to her office opened, not looking up she huffed, “Whoever you want to sue is just going to have to wait.”

“Nicole?”

Her blood ran cold and ever so slowly she raised her head, her throat went dry, “Elliot.”

He was standing there, just as real as ever, his hands in his coat pocket. He looked the same as ever.

“Wh-hat are you…”

He held up his hands, “I’m not here to hurt you.” He said.

“You can’t be here.” She fumbled with the phone for a moment, her mind blanking, she forgot Geoff’s number.

“I know.”

“Then leave.”

“Can’t.” he turned slightly, pushing the door gently, closing it with a click, he looked at her, “I need you."

-----

Geoff shook hands with the last of the people leaving the church, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face, it was the last day this week he would be in, another minister would be taking over for him tomorrow.

Which meant he had the night off and the rest of the weekend, he grinned already mentally prepared for the first time he would see Nicole in weeks, they’d both been busy and she’d been stressing, he was looking forward to fixing that.

He would get in his car and drive off, three days of freedom ahead of him. He couldn’t stop smiling.

----

End.

---

Its a bit of a cliffhanger but that's intentional, let me know what you think.

Comments