Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2001 20:15:53 -0800
From: mistress_n9@juno.com
Subject: Concertina Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not know the celebrities mentioned in this piece of
fiction. If you are under the legal age to view this material in your
area, please exit or go to www.aol.com

I LOVE email. I love to know how I'm doing, what will catch the readers'
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one to judge. My replies to fanmail are original as well as warm. Feel
free to drop a line anytime. I'm at Mistress_N9@juno.com

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thank David the Nifty Archivist for his honest opinions about what I
send in. Hats off to all of you.

Concertina
Chapter 8

Nick pounded on the door. He tried to wring the water out of his hair.
He knocked again. "ROBIN! Open up!" he shouted. "Please!"

The door slowly slit open. Half of Robin's face appeared. "Yes? May I
help you?" he asked.

"Can you let me explain before you cut me off and wall up in your ice
world?" Nick panted. He had no idea the condo parking lots were that
wide. "And not out here where I'm freezing my ass off?"

"Fine." Robin closed the door and reopened it, allowing Nick to step
inside. Nick looked at the asian man. He wore a black muscle shirt with
khaki cargo pants. "You said you were going to explain yourself."

Nick took a good look at the apartment. It was well furnished with a few
awards and many books. A laptop sat open on the coffee table. A book
sat open next to a notepad. Most of everything was black oriented. He
looked at the pictures on the mantle. Various paper cranes sat proudly,
some whose edges were beginning to yellow.

"You came all the way to gawk at my living room?" asked Robin. "I'm not
dumb." He crossed his arms and leaned against the door. Nick could hear
traces of heavy rock blasting through the headphones that were abandoned.
"Hello? You said you were gonna do something? I'd like to hear it before
I retire."

"I was planning a special dinner just for two of us. It was supposed to
be a surprise." Nick ran a hand through his wet hair. "Damn, how can I
put it to words? It was supposed to be just for me and you. Like a real
date." Nick nervously chewed his lip. "It's just...

"I really do like you, Robin. Hell, I love you with all my heart but I
keep saying the wrong things. You're everything that I want and so much
more. When you left so suddenly, it ripped me up inside. I'm still
spinning from that effect. You saved me from harm. You nurtured me,
comforted me, everything. You have a very big and loving heart, Robin.
You can love. I can show you. And we'll go as slow or as fast as you
want. Just please...let me love you."

A long pause of silence passed between them. Robin stares somewhere else
to take his mind into concideration. Here, a man had held his heart in
his hands, offering it just to him.

"Forget it, I came for nothing." Nick sighed. He leaned close to Robin's
face and placed a gentle kiss. His lips barely brushed Robin's.

Whe Nick drew back, Robin whispered, "Don't go. I don't want to be left
alone again."

Nick turned and wrapped his long arms around Robin. "Oh Robin, I would
NEVER leave you. Don't you get that? I'm never gonna leave you alone. I
love you too much." He pressed his lips against Robin's and nearly let
out a cry of surprise when he felt Robin respond. Nick's tongue flickered
out and gently traced Robin's lips. Robin sighed into the kiss. He opened
his mouth a little for Nick's tongue.

When they pulled apart, they smiled and leaned on each other. "Still
have that dinner planned?"

"But it as supposed to be a surprise."

"Ok, I'll act surprised." Robin replied. "I love you."

"Oh you have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." Nick
kissed him again.

*~A Few Nights Later~*
Nick was dressed in his best tuxedo as well as Robin. Only difference
was that Robin wore a blindfold. "Are we there yet?" he asked.

"Almost." Nick led him through the resturaunt and into a special balcony
booth. He did a quick check for everything to be alright. "Ok, you can
take off the blindfold now."

Robin ripped off the blindfold and gasped at the majesty of the balcony.
A champange sat in the center of the table in an ice bucket. The only
light was the moon and a few candles that gave a soft, warm glow around
the room. Tears sprang to his eyes. Nick smiled and took Robin's hand.

"May I?" He led him to one of the chairs then sat in the other. He opened
the champange and poured some for each of them. He held his glass up.
"To us. And our love."

"To us." Robin clinked their glasses together. "I can't believe you'd
do all of this for me. Thank you, Nick. Thank you for coming through,
waiting, and teaching me to love."

"I did nothing. All you had to do was accept my love." Nick replied. "And
you said you can't love."

Robin blushed. Dinner arrived and they ate with great conversation. When
Robin was finishing up his dessert, he caught Nick staring at him. "Nick,
you're staring at me."

"Why wouldn't I? You look so beautiful in this light. Well, you look
beautiful in any light but still...I like it." Nick replied. "Come on,
our date isn't over yet."

"Do I have to be blindfolded again?" Robin asked.

"No, this time, I want to see your face." Nick grabbed his hand and led
him out of the resturaunt and into his prowler.

They drove down the road when Robin finally placed his head on Nick's
shoulder. "You go through too much trouble for me."

"That's because I really want this night to be special." Nick replied.
"And you're very special to me." Nick said sincerely. "I haven't felt
this way about anyone in a long, long time. You were there when things
got kinda crazy for me. You held me when anyone else would've left. I
don't need more time to know that you'll always be there for me. And
that is exactly what I need."

Robin blushed. "Um, Nick? You know those novels that I write?" Nick
nodded. "Have you read any of them?" No. "The main characters describe
what I like in a man and you fit all of their descriptions."

Nick smiled. "Really?"

"Really." Robin smiled. "Everything I want and more." Robin nuzzled into
Nick's shoulder. "Much more."

"Sounds like you saved me just in time that night, doesn't it?" asked
Nick.

Robin smiled. "It isn't much. I saw someone in distress so I only did
what my heart told me to."

"See? There you go! You said it yourself, your heart isn't frozen over."
Nick laughed as they pulled into the hotel parking lot. "Come on..." He
held out his hand and led Robin upstairs. When they got to his room,
Nick went behind Robin and encircled his arms around the other man.
"Go ahead. Open the door." Nick whispered in his ear.

Robin gulped from the soft chuckle that followed. The door swung open.
Robin gasped from the sight. "Of course. Rose petals scattered all over
the floor. Candlelight."

"And music." Nick picked up a remote and clicked for the stereo to begin
playing a song. "I believe you'd recognize this one?"

Robin smiled through his tears of happiness. "You Are Not Alone by
Micheal Jackson. How did you know to pick this song?"

"Because it's how I feel. Now, may I have this dance?" he asked. He held
his hand out to Robin. The 23-year-old smiled and leaned into Nick's
embrace. "You are not alone...I am here with you..." Robin leaned his
head onto Nick's shoulder as Nick's angel voice continued to sing along.

Robin closed his eyes and sighed happily.

"One more thing." Nick took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "These
are unstable future plans. But you acheived the one that made the most
sence."

Robin smiled at the piece of paper. "Number 9) Fall in love again." He
kissed Nick's lips as they danced the evening away...

THE END.

E-MAIL: Mistress_N9@juno.com