Friday Night

Author: Jacqui
 
Email: ollyjac@optusnet.com.au

Rating: PG-13

Author's Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters
portrayed are taken from the TV series "The Guardian" – others
are, well, made up.
 
Author's Note: Hi everyone, I have been lurking for months and must say how much 
I have enjoyed the fics and other posts very much. I have been working
on a little something for a while now and I decided to take the
plunge and let you guys read it. I hope you enjoy my contribution and
I must offer my thanks to Ms Iconic Soup for her editing and
suggestions which have been much appreciated.

--+--

She stood alone in the elevator, heading up to the offices of Fallin
& Associates. She was glad no one else was with her as it gave her a
little more time to go over what she needed to do without being
distracted. She had business to attend to. Unfortunately, one of the
many drawbacks associated with working in the music industry was
recognition and today she was in no mood to be recognised.

Claire had been wary of her business manager for a while and
suspected he was stealing from her but, to date, had not been able to
get any proof. Maybe she just didn't want to admit her friend of
so many years was cheating her. Not feeling confident with her
present attorney, she needed someone she could trust.

Nick Fallin and Claire had known each other since he was in law
school and she had been studying music at a nearby academy. They had
been very close for a long while but had parted company badly.
Misunderstandings and poor communication playing a huge part in the
split, something that she had regretted every day since, but they
were grown ups now and time to put the past behind them, she hoped.
She needed help and if there was one person she could trust, it was
Nick. Regardless of what had happened, she felt she could still trust
him more than anyone else she knew, yet still Claire had given
another name to make the appointment, partly as she did not want be
recognised and partly because she was afraid that Nick would refuse
to see her.

On arriving at the Fallin floor, Claire was directed to the reception
waiting area. She was nervous and hoped he wouldn't keep her
waiting too long. She glanced around anxiously, but it was not Nick
who approached her.

"Hi, I'm Jake Straka." He smiled as he held out his hand."Nick just
called in and he is running a little late back from court. He asked
me to see if I could help get things started." They shook hands and
Jake couldn't help thinking he knew this woman from somewhere.

"Hi, I'm Claire. I guess it's ok but I really wanted to
speak with Nick. We knew each other a long time ago and I just…"

"No problem. We'll just go to the conference room and see how
we go. Can I get you anything? A coffee?"

"Thanks but no. I'm ok"

"Right then. Nick should be along soon"

Claire gathered her things and followed Jake to the conference room.
She liked him. He seemed really pleasant and she had no doubt that he
would be a good lawyer. Claire knew the reputation of Fallin &
Associates would demand it, but she really needed to talk to Nick.
She wondered if he and Nick were friends but somehow doubted it. Jake
had given her the impression he had a relaxed nature. Nick on the
other hand….

They sat down and began with some preliminaries. "You know, I
hope you don't mind me saying so, but you look so familiar."

She smiled awkwardly. "I must have one of those faces."

Nick came barreling through the doors of the Fallin offices.

"Hi Gretchen, is my appointment here yet?"

"Yes Mr Fallin, she's in the conference room with Mr
Straka."

"Thank-you." Nick headed straight to the conference room,
coming to a dead halt when he saw Claire.

"Hi Nick." Claire held her gaze as she watched the emotions
that crossed his features.

"Jake, would you excuse us?"

"Now wait a minute Nick, You asked me to step in and help,
remember…"

"I know, but you need to leave *now*."

Jake balked at Nick's tone. Where did he get off speaking to him
like the office junior? He glanced from one to the other and decided
there was way more to this than met the eye. Nick was barely
containing his anger and it was obvious they must have been more than
just friends, he wondered what really happened between these two.

Nick made his way to the window, arms folded and glared out at the
view below him. He was struggling to contain his emotions but would
not speak until Jake had left. On the closing of the door he whirled
around glaring at Claire.

"I don't believe it." Nick shook his head in disbelief."And to what
do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"I'm sorry Nick. I thought you might be still angry with me
but I had to chance it. I need your help."

"My help… oh, you need my help."

Although Claire had expected Nick to still be angry with her, she was
not prepared for the distress in his voice, anger yes but not the
hurt. She struggled not to let him see her tears but could not
contain the sob that escaped her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come." Claire got up and made to leave
the room. Nick ran his hand through his hair, reached out and took
her arm.

"No…Claire. I'm sorry… sit down… please?" He looked at her with a
weariness that came from playing the same role over and over again.
He'd had one of those days and it wasn't over yet. This meeting was
the last thing he expected or needed.

Claire sat down taking a deep breath; she didn't really know
where to start. Everything she had gone over in her mind had
disappeared. Nick's reaction had rattled her more than she had wanted
to admit. She didn't say anything. The seconds ticked by.

"You hungry? I'm hungry, let's get lunch." Nick stood
and picked up his coat and briefcase and led Claire out through the
door. He deposited his briefcase in his office and re-locked the
door. Jake watched from the hallway, finally realising who she was
and wondering how on earth Nick knew her.

* * * * *

At The Incline, Nick and Claire sat in a booth in the corner. He had
insisted they eat before getting into any deep discussions.

"So… you wanted to speak to me."

"It's business really."

Nick was quick to hide the look of disappointment that briefly
crossed his features. "Ok."

Claire leaned back in her chair. "I don't know where to
start."

"There's always the beginning."

"Well, it's just…Umm... I think my business manager is
stealing from
me."

"Don't you have an attorney?"

"Sure I do, but he won't answer my questions so I am thinking
that maybe they…"

"Might be involved in whatever?"

"Yes, no. I don't know."

"Proof?"

"No. But I also tried to get some information from my accountant
and he didn't seem to know what I was talking about."

"What do you want from me?"

"I trust you Nick, in spite of everything that happened. I trust
you more than I trust anyone else. I thought maybe you could help."

Nick just sat looking at his hands. He really didn't know what to
say, so he said nothing.

"Nick, please, would you look into things for me?"

"I don't think I can."

"Oh, ok… Why not?"

"I can't help you, it would be, you know, awkward. I could
speak to my father, see if he might take your case, or maybe Jake. I
could always keep an eye on things, if you would feel more
comfortable."

"Thank you. I have been trying to get copies of my files but they
won't hand them over. On top of that, Sam is pressuring me to
sign a recording deal I don't even think I want."

"Do you have anything? Bank Statements? Investment
Portfolios?"

"Pretty much all with the lawyers."

"What about this contract?"

"Yes, that I have in my hotel room."

"Look Claire…"

"It's ok Nick, really…"

"No it isn't. I behaved badly and I'm sorry."

"When? Then or now?"

He tipped his head to one side and half-smiled at her. "Both. We
should make a move. I want to try and catch my father, and then I
have two other meetings."

Nick glanced sideways at Claire as they left the restaurant and
headed for his car. He dropped her off at her hotel and made his way
back to his office to speak to his father.

* * * * *

Nick had been in love for the first time and most probably the last
time, but they just couldn't seem to get their act together.
He'd had a few relationships since, even convincing himself he was in
love with Lulu, but he'd been kidding himself. He and Claire,
they'd been quite a combination until their careers came between them.

Well, there was no denying he'd been wrong about Claire's
choice. She'd made quite a name for herself. Both of them had done
well,but at what price? No matter how they had ended, if he found
anyone had been ripping her off, he wouldn't stop until he nailed
them.

Nick hesitated briefly before knocking on his father's door.

"Come in."

"Dad."

"Hey Nicholas, come in sit down. How's the Benson deal
going?"

"I have a meeting with him this afternoon."

"Good, good. So…"

"Dad I need to run something by you"

Burton looked up at his son. Their relationship had taken a turn for
the better since the whole Mandy thing had been sorted out. Deciding
not to take the judgeship and instead retain control of his firm had
been the right choice for the both of them. He really wanted his son
to take over, but the time still wasn't right. Burton had decided
that he would stick around for awhile yet but cut back on his hours,
letting Nick take on more of his clients. Ease him into it gradually.
Now that his community service hours were under control and their
personal relationship was the best it had ever been, Burton was
feeling more confident in Nick's abilities and less concerned he
may slip back into his old ways.

Nick sat down and began to explain the situation with Claire, ever
careful not to divulge too much personal detail about the both of
them. His father agreed Nick should not take the helm on this one as
he may be "too close" to his client. He thought Jake could
take it on and Nick to sit in if it made Claire feel more
comfortable. He remembered Claire, it was hard not to. He'd been
convinced, at the time, that she and Nick had been more than friends,
but his son would never admit it to him then and was even less likely
to now. His personal life was still not open to discussion. Damn
shame really, she seemed to be just what Nick needed. Burton couldn't
help but wonder what had happened. Suddenly she just wasn't around any
more and Nick seemed to lose his comfort zone.

Nick leant over the desk to use the phone, oblivious to his father
watching him.

"Jake? Nick. Could you meet me in the conference room?"

Nick got up to leave.

"Oh, Nick?"

"Yes?"

"Could we, maybe, have dinner some time soon?"

"Sure Dad, ok. Just name the night."

"Good…good."

Nick met with Jake briefly in the conference room, explained
Claire's concerns and gave him the details of her present lawyer. He
asked him to approach the firm and officially request her files to be
sent over to them as her new legal representatives. Where they would
go from here depended on the kind of response they got.

Just as Jake was leaving he turned to Nick.

"Nick?"

"What?"

"She is who I think she is, right?"

"I don't know Jake, who do you think she is?

Jake just smiled and left the office. Nick inhaled deeply, sat back
in the chair and hoped for a few minutes on his own before Benson
showed up.

* * * * *

Claire lay down on the couch and stared at the ceiling of her hotel
room. How many hotel rooms, in how many cities? She was really over
it and had been thinking of calling it quits for ages, causing much
tension between her and Sam. The more reluctant she was to sign the
new contract, the nastier he got. She just couldn't figure him
out. They had known each other for years and this behavior was just
not like him. He was scaring her and she didn't know how to deal with
it. That part she had kept from Nick. At least he had offered to look
at the contract. There had to be a reason Sam was pushing her so hard
to sign it.

* * * * *

While Nick was tied up with Benson, Jake spent the afternoon trying
to get through to Claire's lawyer without success. He was in the
process of drafting an official written request when Nick poked his
head in the door.

"Any luck?"

"No, just drafting the written."

"Ok. See you tomorrow."

"Off to see Claire?"

"What? No, I have to stop in at the clinic."

Nick made his way to the elevator deep in thought. Trust Jake to say
out loud what he was thinking. He hoped his meeting with Alvin
wouldn't take too long. He just might pay Claire a visit. He
could always use the contract as an excuse. He had the feeling she
wasn't telling him everything and he was determined to find out
exactly what was going on.

* * * * *

Jake finished preparing the request for the transfer of files. He
couldn't keep from grinning and was excited at the prospect of
representing Claire McCann. He had all her CDs and had seen her
perform in concert a couple of times, travelling to New York for one
of the performances. Maybe that's where Nick knew her from, after
all he'd had that other girlfriend, the actress. Did he see a pattern
here? Five years and he still didn't know all that much about the
boss's son except that maybe he had a thing for women in show
business.

With the documents ready to be dispatched by an overnight courier,
Jake was done for the day. He wished he could be a fly on the wall
and would have given anything to know what was really going on
between them.

* * * * *

Nick's meeting with Alvin took a little longer than he would have
liked and he wasted no time in heading over to Claire's hotel. He
had only been half paying attention to the discussion, with Alvin
only getting increasingly frustrated at Nick's lack of interest. He
just could not focus on the task at hand.

How had he managed to screw up the best thing that had happened to
him he could not figure out, but he was going to help her and if they
could at least be friends again he would feel a lot better. As he
neared the hotel he remembered a rather good little Chinese take-way
and decided to pick up some dinner.

* * * * *
Friday nights, Chinese food night, a long week at school. Both
studying late into the night, but Fridays were great. They had agreed
when they moved in together that Friday nights would be their at home
night, no studying, no friends, Chinese food, soft music and pj's
in front of the fire. They were the best nights and as the darkness
descended, with a little more wine they would make love until the
early hours of the morning.

Nick leaned against the wall in the hotel corridor, take-away food in
hand, remembering the last time in his life he'd been really
happy. He had been such a prick. Claire had received a chance in a
lifetime when she'd been spotted singing in a college bar and instead
of being supportive Nick had dug his heels in and given her an
ultimatum. She'd pleaded with him not to make her choose, but that as
much as she loved him she had to take the chance and see if she could
sell her songs. She had wanted him to be part of the whole thing and
he had boorishly refused.

He'd been so cocky and sure she would stay, he was devastated
when she left. He never let her know how scared he'd been of losing
her. If he had just admitted it to her and to himself, things might
have been different. He'd just needed the courage to give her a
little space, but he'd been a coward and he'd laid all the blame on
her. He should have trusted her. She was his wife, still was his wife
and despite everything, neither had attempted to take the final step
of filing for divorce. God knows what his father would think if he
knew the truth.
Some way or another he was going to make up for his stupidity, and he
may as well start now.

* * * * *
He'd introduced his father to Claire on one of his few visits to
see him on campus. He'd liked her, Nick was sure, but this hadn't
prevented him from advising or rather lecturing him about not getting
seriously involved with anyone at that stage of his life. At the time
Nick had not been able to tolerate the interference and had decided
not to tell his dad the truth about their relationship. Looking back
now, Nick could understand where his dad had been coming from. As
he'd gotten older, he'd started to realise how hard it must
have been for his father, trying to set up a business with a wife and
young child to support. It still didn't excuse him for not being
around more than he'd been, and nothing excused him from sending Nick
away after his mother died. For the longest time he'd convinced
himself he would never want to have any children, that is, until he
met Claire. All he knew for sure was that he would never send a child
of his away from him, not for any reason.

Still, he loved his father, and his father had demonstrated how much
he loved him back. Nick was glad they were finally finding some
common ground.

* * * * *

Nick knocked on the door, hoping Claire hadn't eaten yet.

"Who is it?"

"Nick."

Claire opened the door, surprised to see him. Nick held up the
Chinese food bag grinning and hoping she'd take the gesture as it
was meant. Claire took one look at the Chinese restaurant logo and
turned back into the room, leaving Nick standing in the doorway
staring at her back.

"Claire?…Come on Claire, I just thought you might be hungry.
I'm sorry I…" He walked up to her and turned her around to face him.
Claire leaned into him, sobbing.

"Nick I am so sorry, it shouldn't have been like this. I
never should have gone."

"You're right, it shouldn't have been like this, but
it's not your fault, it's mine…Come on, please, sit down, the food's
getting cold."

"I'm not really hungry."

"Well I am, so if you don't mind I am going to eat
anyway."

Nick sat down on the couch and opened up the various boxes of food
and spread them out in front of him, hoping Claire would give in and
join him. She wiped the tears away as she walked to the window
overlooking the park.

"Claire, do you have the contract?"

"What?…Oh yes, it's here, but you don't need to look
at it now."

"It's ok, I may as well have a look…seeing as you won't join me for
dinner." He raised one eyebrow as he made this last remark, his
attempt at lightening the mood having the intended effect. Claire
pulled a face at him as she handed him the recording contract. Nick
started to read through the pages, frowning as he scrutinised the
proposed agreement.

"Just as well you didn't sign this," he mumbled to himself.

"Huh? Well? What do you think? You don't look all that impressed."

"I'm not. I'd like to take this with me though, and go over it more
thoroughly."

"Sure, I'm in no hurry." Claire turned away from him and stared out
of the window. It was now or never and she might not get another
chance to get some things off her chest.

"Nick?"

"Hmmmm," he replied with a mouthful of food, not looking up
from the papers in front of him.

"You know, I never would have gone if you just asked me to
stay."

"What?" he choked.

"I only wanted to check things out, and I would have come back,
but you made me so angry, dictating terms giving me an ultimatum. I
worked hard on my music degree. You had no right to treat me like it
was less important than your law degree…You didn't ask me to
stay. If you had just told me… anything. How… how about `I love
you… I'm afraid if you go I'll never see you again', all you gave me
was an ultimatum. You wouldn't even listen to me. I just wanted a
chance to see if I could sell my songs, see if I was any good…How
could you, Nick? How could you give me no choice and then turn away
making everything my fault? I'd have been happy teaching music in
school, if you had just given me a chance. I never wanted this show
business thing, I wanted us and I… I just wanted the chance so that
`what if' didn't come back to haunt us…"

"Jesus!… I never thought…I mean… I thought you
knew."

"Knew what?"

"How much I loved you." Nick ran his hands through his hair
"Never mind… As it turns out, you were probably better off without
me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just ask anyone what a screw-up I turned out to be. You have
*no* idea."

"Why don't you tell me?" Claire asked gently, her anger
disappearing as she saw the sadness in Nick's eyes. She sat next to
him and helped herself to some food. She wasn't hungry but needed the
distraction.

"Why? So you can think even more badly of me than you already do.
No thanks, I think I'll just quit while I'm ahead."

"Nick, please? You used to trust me too, once. We used to be able
to talk about anything."

Nick stared at his half-eaten meal. This was not turning out the way
he thought it would when he'd decided to come here tonight.

"Nicky, you can still tell me anything."

He looked at her, confused by the turn of events. He'd come here
to get more information out of her than she'd seemed willing to
give, not the other way around. When she didn't press him further he
leaned back into the couch and closed his eyes. Without making a
conscious decision he began to talk. It was difficult at first, but
then the words just began to flow, the distance between them caused
by their time apart disappearing with every minute. He talked about
how he'd felt when she left, about continuing on and passing the Bar
exam, his worsening relationship with his father being a big part of
him going to work in New York. He told her about Minette and getting
caught up in the "yuppie cocaine scene". How he'd been ecstatic
when his father called and asked him to return to Pittsburgh and work
for him. After years of his father sending him away, he wanted him
back. It might have been for professional reasons, Nick had never
been sure, but at that point he didn't care. He'd been glad to come
home, the prodigal son and all that, but it hadn't turned out the way
he'd envisioned. The distance between them as impassable as ever. He
told her about his drug bust, the community service and Lulu, and
through it all she didn't say a word. He confessed how close he had
come to serving a prison sentence for the murder of his probation
officer Dale, a murder he didn't commit, how Mandy, Dale's
girlfriend, had tried to blackmail him and then overdosed in his
home. He spoke on about his father and the realisation that he had
been the one to help keep him out of jail after the drug bust, how
his dad had stood by him through that awful period after he was
arrested the second time. Then, finally, he told her about Lesley.
What a bright special child she was, the joy knowing her had brought
him even for such a short time. How he'd become her medical guardian
so that she could have the heart transplant she so desperately needed
for no other reason than because someone had to and nobody else did,
and how her death had broken his heart.

Claire had leaned back into the couch and just listened, fighting the
tears that threatened to betray her. Finally he stopped speaking and
there was nothing but silence. Just as Nick was convinced she was
appalled by the reality of the last few years, she moved forward to
place the untouched food on the table.

"Oh God," he thought, "just say something,*anything*."

But she didn't know what to say, she only knew what she wanted,
what she had always wanted and nothing else mattered. "Nick?"

"Here it comes," he thought.

"It's Friday night," she sighed, sliding her arm around
his waist and resting her head against his chest.

"So it is…" he whispered, burying his face in her hair,
holding her as if he would never let her go.
 
 
THE END