Brian clapped him on the back. "Why, man? That was brilliant! She was using you, we were all wondering when you would finally realize it."

Nick carefully thought about what Brian had just said."None of you liked her, did you?"

"No." Brian said truthfully. "But you did, so we stood by in silence and watching you get used as her personal punching bag."

Nick flopped back on the bed. "I guess I was stupid, huh, Bri?"

Brian ruffled his hair. "Nah, you weren't stupid, you were in love, then you got stuck and didn't know what do to. You just needed someone to show you real love."

"Elisha." Nick breathed, with a dreamy look on his face.

"So that's where you were all day! How was it?"

"How was what?" Nick blushed furiously.

"Your day, ding a ling!" Brian tapped him in the head.

"Oh, right! Fantastic!" Nick was grinning goofily. "We roller-bladed, had a barbeque, rented a movie, we..." he stopped himself. What happened after the movie was his and Elisha's special memory, he wasn't about to share it, not even with Brian.

"We just did lots of stuff and really got to know each other." he finished lamely.

Brian hugged him. "I'm happy for you man, she sounds like a great gir...woman. Are you bringing her to the show tomorrow so we can all meet her?"

"Oh shit, I forgot to ask her!" Nick dug her number out of his pocket. "Do you mind if I call her now?"

"Go ahead, I'm leaving, I just wanted to stop in and see if you were back." Brian stuck his head back through the door. "Nice to see a smile back on your face buddy!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elisha lifted her head from the pillow. The phone? At this hour? "Hello?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I woke you up." he sounded disappointed.

"Nicky? It's okay, I'm awake!"

Nick smiled, somehow being called Nicky by her didn't sound half as grating as when Mandy called him that.

"It's over with Mandy." he said simply.

"Oh Nick, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just kind of surprised that I had the guts to do it."

"I knew you could!" she said proudly.

Nick frowned to himself at the memory. "Well, she did kind of make it easy for me." he conceded.

"Are you sure you're okay, do you want to come back here tonight so that you're not alone?"

"You read my mind!" he said eagerly. "Just let me call and let everyone know where I will be and I'll be right over!"

Just as he hung up the phone it rang.

"Hey Nick, Brian told me the news." It was Kevin. "How are you holding up, little bro?" His voice held concern for him. Kevin knew how hard it had been for Nick to break with Mandy previously.

"I'm doing okay, Kevin, really. Thanks for thinking of me."

Nick passed his plans for the evening on to Kevin and promised he would be back first thing in the morning.

"Okay Nick, don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Nick grinned. "Aw, Kev, you take all the fun out of everything!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elisha greeted him at the front door. She had to laugh when she saw him. His smile was a mile wide and his blue eyes were sparkling with joy.

"I guess I don't need to ask again if you're alright." she said, with a trace of sarcasm.

"Nope!" He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "I'm fine and right where I'm supposed to be!"

"This does feel right." she sighed. "It's like we've known each other forever!" They looked into each others eyes.

"Soulmates."

They uttered the word in unison and burst out laughing.

"You think so?" Nick asked, seriously.

"It's something. I've never been this comfortable with anyone else before, this quickly too." They walked arm in arm to the bedroom. "Are you up for the second round now?" she hinted.

Nick winked and nodded. "Oh yeah, let's go!"