Breakeven

[TelephotoMarigold]

Story Title: Breakeven
Type of story: One Shot
Main Characters: Geoff and Nicole
BTTB rating: G
Genre: Drama, Romance
Does story include spoilers: No
Summary: It is 8 years since Geoff Campbell left Summer Bay and now he was back with one thing on his mind seeing Nicole again.

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just prayin' to a god that I don't believe in
Cos I got time while she got freedom
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't break even


Geoffrey Campbell ran along the beach. He had his IPOD on and was listening to a song by the group 'The Script.' It came to the next song on the album and his breath caught in his throat. This song took him back to the summer he was 18 and he and Nicole Franklin had broken up. He starred out at the sea as he listened. It had been his fault. He had been so wrapped up in his faith that he hadn’t seen how she had changed for him. He remembered the last scene at her door and the look on her face. He wondered what she was doing now. Yes, he had wanted to break up but as the song said, he got time she got freedom. He stretched before resuming his run.

Her best days will be some of my worst
She finally met a man that's gonna put her first
While I'm wide awake she's no trouble sleeping
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven... even... no


She had moved on from him, throwing herself into new relationships and new situations on a downward spiral into depression. He could see it but he couldn’t help her, they had lost someone and it made it all worse. For a time he thought they could have had something back. They had shared those intense looks and even some magical kisses. But then he found her with Aden and she seemed happy so he moved away.
If he were honest with himself he ran away, rather than see her happy with someone other than him.
He thought of her all the time, he had to admit, no matter whom he was with or where he was she drifted into his thoughts and he always, sooner or later compared his current girlfriend to her. And then a week or so later he would find a reason to end the relationship. He would lie awake then and think of her, the curve of lips as she smiled the taste of her kisses. The way her sapphire blue eyes would light up when she smiled at him. He would think of her then so far away from him and fast asleep in someone’s arms and he would toss and turn restlessly until the sheets were tangled around his legs.



What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you,
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up that you're ok
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces

He stopped running and looked back out to sea. Time. It had taken him years to forget this place, Summer Bay. Minutes to decide that he needed to come back and put the ghosts back in their place. But he knew he was lying to himself within seconds of walking in through the door of the beach house. He was here to see her because he needed to know. He had to see for himself if she was ok even though he didn’t really want her to be. He wanted her to look at him the way she always had and smile at him but then a shimmer of tears would appear in her eyes and he would take her in his arms and hold her. That is what he wanted but he suspected she would barely remember him and that would be worse. He suddenly felt like he couldn’t breath and took a gasping breath inhaling the clean salt tinged air into his lungs. He took another breath and then turned and scanned the horizon. He felt so out of control. Like pieces of him were scattered on the foaming waves in front of him.

They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
Cos she's moved on while I'm still grieving
And when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven even... no


He thought again to that time, Belle had gone and there felt like nothing was left for him. He was disconnected from Annie, his beloved sister and even from Summer Bay itself. When he came back, when he had finally moved through the grieving he looked for Nic, for Princess Nicole Franklin, needing her and needing to help her. To even just be with her but she was with Aden by then and moved on. Now, he could admit that the finality of losing her that last time had broken his heart.


Oh you got his heart and my heart and none of the pain
You took your suitcase, I took the blame.
Now I'm try'na make sense of what little remains ooh
Cos you left me with no love and no love to my name.


He listened to the last verse again. No, there hadn’t been a suitcase. But he felt the blame and was trying to make sense of it all. He knew that he loved Nicole Franklin with the teenage passion he felt then and the whole of his heart now and when a heart breaks it didn’t break even. He pulled the headphones out of his ears and turned around.

Now:

“Hello.” She said softly. “I was trying to get your attention for the last five minutes.”
“Nic.” He gasped.
“Yes it’s me.” She grinned at him. “I heard you were back Geoff Campbell, I hope you were planing to come and see me.” She added.
He nodded.
“I was actually just thinking about you.” He confessed.
“Oh god I hope not, you looked very sad.” She blurted.
He grinned hoping that his old habit of blushing around her had disappeared.
“I was actually.” He said. “I was wondering how you and Aden were?”
She grinned at him.
“We were over almost before we started. You should know that.”
“I’m sorry.” He said.
“Yes, well that was a few years ago.” She smiled and turning she sat down on the sand.
He moved to sit near her.
“It was huh? Where have I been all this time.”
She shrugged scooping up sand in her hand.
“I don’t know you forgot to send me a postcard.” She murmured.
“I’m sorry Nic, I should probably have written.
She shook her head.
“Annie kept me posted.” She offered.
He took a look at her.
“What have you been up to all these years?” He felt compelled to ask her.
“Nothing significant.” She grinned. “I run a shop in Yabbie Creek and I have the children.”
He flinched at the mention of Children and made a mental note to kick Annie and Irene for not warning him Who had gotten his Nicole pregnant he wondered and almost groaned as a mental image of her and some tall good looking man popped into his head.
“Children?” he asked.
She nodded, smiling at him.
“I foster Danni and her brother, Grant.” She told him.
“Oh.” He gasped.
“Yes I know Nicole Franklin doing something like that but well, the biological clock was ticking." She grinned at him.
“Hardly that Nic you are only 26.” He said.
She looked at him.
“Yes but I was single and well anyway, you should meet them while you are here.”
He smiled slowly.
“I’m not visiting Nic.” He said quickly and bravely looked into her eyes. “I’ve come home.”
She smiled and her eyes lit up.
“Good. We’ve missed you.” She told him, encompassing the whole Bay when she just wanted to say that she had missed him.
He nodded.
“I need to go get a shower and finish my run. Are you available for a drink later?” he asked boldly.
She nodded.
“I can’t stay out long, maybe a half hour.” She said.
“Surf club?” he asked. “Seven?”
She nodded again, before standing up and moving away from him.
He watched her go a thoughtful look on his face.

Later:


Nicole raced home and grabbed the shower before Danni came home. She ran into her bedroom and rifled through her wardrobe for a killer outfit. Nervously she came across a simple green dress and laid it on the bed while she pulled out the sexiest underwear she had. Not to seduce him of course she told herself and a blush spread along her high cheekbones but so she could feel at her best.
She pulled on the underwear and spritzed with her favourite perfume before adding the dress over the top. Slipping her feet into high heels she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. She left a note for Danni to get a pizza for tea with the money on the counter. Grant was away on a school trip.
She walked out of the house and along to the surf club. Within minutes she felt like an old mummy when her feet were killing her from the unaccustomed shoes. She went into the surf club and up to the counter.
“Strike me you got a date?” Alf asked her when he saw her taking in the dress and high heels and the make up.
Nic blushed and then blushed even more as Geoff walked in and Alf grinned at her.
“Hey.” She said.
Geoff walked over to her and smiled.
“Have you ordered a drink yet?” he asked her.
She shook her head.
“Alf can we get two white wines?” he asked but looked to her for confirmation.
She nodded and Alf opened a chilled white and poured it into two tall glasses.
Geoff put his hand on her back and leaned close.
“Shall we move over there?” he asked casting a glance at the sofa.
She nodded, unable to talk. His hand felt warm against her skin even through the fabric of the dress.
He led her away and she was struck by the role reversal, here she was nervous and he seemed to be in his element as thought he dated all the time. Her breath hissed in between her teeth as she though of him on dates, plural.
“So Geoff, what have you been up to?” she asked once they had made themselves comfortable.
He grinned.
“You mean the stuff I didn’t put in my letters to Annie.” He murmured
She nodded.
“Nothing to report I’m still the same boring Geoff Campbell I always was.”
She shook her head.
“Sorry, but you were never boring you were passionate and also simplistic.” She said. “But not in a bad way.” She added with a smile.
He chuckled.
He reached for his glass at the same time she did and their knees knocked together. An electric charge seemed to go through the pair of them as she felt the undercurrents spark into mutual attraction.
“Are you seeing anyone?” he asked quickly. “Not that I have any right to know.”
She smiled at him.
“No. There has been no one for a long time I’ve been waiting.” She told him.
“Waiting?” he asked feeling his heart pounding.
“For you to come home and get me.” She said finally.
He groaned and pulled her into his arms. He felt lik he had wasted the last few years when he could have come home long ago.
She looked up into his face and kissed him.

Ever after:

Geoff carried the last suitcase into the bedroom of Summer Bay house. They were moving house needing the extra room. He turned and looked over at Nic and smiled.
“Thank you Mr Muscles.” She smiled at him.
“Uh huh.” He said lying on the still unmade bed and fanning himself. “That is the last one isn’t it?” he asked her.
She grinned and went over to him and pressed a kiss to his lips.
“Yes it is. Now come on Danni and grant are downstairs and are no doubt up to something.”
She grinned.
They walked slowly down the stairs in their new house hand in hand.
“Geoff.” Grant muttered. “Tell Danni to stop it.”
“I would if I knew what she had to stop.” He told his new foster son.
“I’m just trying to get him to his share.” Danni defended.
Nic grinned.
“I don’t want to hear you arguing I want peace and calm please.” Nic said and rested a hand on her pregnant bump.
“Well at least you didn’t say quiet.” Danni muttered and put the radio on.
She went back to unwrapping the plates and stacking them nest to the sink for washing before they were put away.
An old song by the script came on and Nic started humming it.
He smiled at her.
“Are you happy Mrs Campbell?” Geoff asked his wife.
Nic grinned.
“You better believe it my husband.” she told him.

And when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven even... no
But it can be repaired with love

Lyrics from Breakeven by The Script

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