"Hi!" Avalon exclaimed, holding out a box of cookies from the bakery- the kind Nick had mentioned a craving for a few days earlier. She couldn't quite understand how she was feeling today, it was sort of a jumpy, almost wound up kind of... something... that she couldn't identify, but liked. She'd been feeling that was since Nick had asked her to come over the other day, but it seemed to have intensified when she'd woken up this morning.
"No way! I love these!" Nick said, quickly opening the box and grabbing a cookie. "You like these, too?"
Avalon shrugged, "I don't know, I've never tried them.. I just remembered you saying you liked them."
Nick smiled at her, and held one of the cookies out for her to take a bite of. "You gotta try it."
Avalon took a little bite, immediately liking the sugary taste. "Ohhhh very good!"
Nick just nodded, unable to answer because of the huge bite he'd just taken.
Avalon giggled, admiring how cute his ocassional little boy actions were. She'd found that in the time she'd spent with him, she couldn't believe she'd never noticed how attractive he was. She knew part of it was seeing him now as a human, but surely, that much couldn't have escaped her as an angel, could it have?
Nick went into the kitchen, pouring and quickly drinking a glass of milk. "You ready to go out on the water?"
Avalon nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"
Nick had to smile at her excitement. It wasn't like he didn't feel the same, he'd been looking forward to her return ever since he'd watched her leaving the other day. He'd found himself thinking of her whenever she wasn't around. He kept trying to tell himself that he wasn't interested, he couldn't feel that way about her. But he knew it wasn't working. "Alright, then let's go."
Avalon followed Nick out the door, and around the pool down to the dock just a little way from his house. She stood on the dock, watching him jump into the boat, noticing immediately how this peace seemed to sweep over him, just by being so close to the water.
Nick turned around to offer his hand to Avalon to help her down into the boat, but stopped just before he actually reached up to her. He tilted his head, taking in the sight of her just standing on the dock, smiling sweetly, her long hair getting gently ruffled by the breeze, and the way she seemed to almost glow in the sunshine. He took a deep breath, 'Mom was right.. I need to move on..' He held his hand out and smiled at her as she took his hand and hopped into the boat.
~~~~~~
Avalon stood holding onto the railing, eyes closed, completely spellbound by the feeling of the wind and water spray swirling around her, teasing her skin. She could immediately see why Nick found such contentment being on the water, she felt it too. There was such tranquility in being surrounded by something so vast, that she felt it almost envied heaven.
Nick slowed the boat a little, and joined Avalon. "So, what do you think?"
"I love it!" she sighed. "It's amazing... just the way... it feels.." She couldn't quite find the right words for what she was trying to say. "Like, the wind around you.. and the tiny drops of water.. it's like a .. I don't know.. but I like it!"
Nick nodded, looking out over the water. "It's almost orgasmic." he said.
"Oh... I wouldn't know." Avalon replied, quietly.
Nick turned to her, wondering what exactly that meant- if she'd just never gotten off, or if she'd never had sex before. "So, you've, like, never..."
Avalon didn't look at him, "Never been with anyone.. I've never kissed anyone for that matter."
Nick was completely shocked. There was no way this beautiful girl standing next to him had never been kissed. "You're kidding."
Avalon shook her head, "No."
It almost made sense to him, she had that innocence in her eyes, of someone that had never really been hurt- he'd noticed that about her right away, it had made him feel safe, like he knew she would never hurt him because of it. He wasn't completely surprised that this new knowledge turned him on, having become a witness to purity it what seemed to be it's rarest form. He gently turned Avalon to look at him, suddenly feeling shy as she faced him, his eyes making direct contact with hers. "Can I kiss you?" he asked in a whisper.
Avalon nodded, her heart beating faster. She felt the same way she had the first time she'd knocked on his door- that jittery nervous feeling, but this time it was mixed with something that felt almost sweet, a tingly warmth spreading through her body, as his hand slipped around her waist, pressing into her back, pulling her close to him. Her eyes closed just as his lips brushed softly over hers. She could feel his other hand against the back of her neck, her head tilting to receive and return the tender kiss. She sighed softly as he pulled away, feeling a delightful sort of dizziness and a little weak in the knees.
Nick hugged her tightly, thinking that had felt more right than anything he could ever remember having done before.
~~~~~~
Nick walked along the waters edge, his fingers laced with Avalon's, amazed at how calm he felt. His mind, as well as his heart, seemed to be experiencing a serenity he hadn't felt in so long, the feeling had intially been unfamiliar to him. They'd been silent for awhile, and it was comfortable. He didn't feel pressure to say anything like he usually did with people, even the ones he'd always considered himself close to. Something about the way he felt when Avalon was near him seemed to defy everything he thought he knew and felt about the other people in his life.
Avalon was thankful for the silence, trying to sort through her thoughts and prayers. She knew she was entering somewhat dangerous territory. She'd been sent to earth to help ease Nick's pain, and even though she'd apparently been successful at that, so much more had happened. She felt a happiness that she'd never known before, not even in heaven. There was something about being in Nick's company that made her feel like... something she never wanted to lose, to not be able to feel. But she knew as soon as her assignment was over, the feeling would end. She'd nearly forgotten that this was supposed to be just an assignment, and that she would have to leave eventually.. something she feared was probably coming very soon, now.
~~~~~
"I really gotta go..." Avalon mumbled between Nick's short sweet kisses. She'd lost count of the number of times his lips had touched hers since they'd been standing at his door. She knew she had to leave, the longer she stayed the more she'd have to answer for later.
"I know... " Nick said, and kissed her one more time, before reluctantly opening the door for her. "See you again soon?"
"Yes. Of course." Avalon smiled, hoping she wasn't lying to him.
Nick watched her drive away, disappointed she'd had to leave, and not at all surprised that he'd wanted her to stay the night.