Closet Case AUTHOR: Rosie Email: rosiiii@aol.com RATING: R CONTEXT: This is a stand alone Nick & LuLu fanfic - enjoy! *(This is not a continuation of my romantic series featuring Nick Fallin and Louisa Archer. The fan fictions, "Mother Knows Best," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Finally," "After the Glow," “Green-Eyed Nick,” and "The Apology," can be found at NickFallin.com under my name "Rosie.”) DISCLAIMER: Some of the characters portrayed herein are taken from "The Guardian" – CBS TV Series. The characters mentioned in this story are their property. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. WARNING: R rating & heavy romantic mush alert. Anti-Archers are forewarned. __________________________________ LuLu felt the blood rush to her head, as Kim confirmed her suspicions. That two-night stand, the one Kim had rammed into in the LSOP parking lot, was indeed Nick Fallin. LuLu felt warm, queasy even. That had been less than two weeks ago, when she found out. Yet now, with Kim sitting directly across from her, those same feelings began churning in her belly all over again. What the hell was the matter with her? Kim was a friend, and so was Nick, the fact that they were seeing each other shouldn't be like a punch in the solar plexus, especially since she had a fiance. But as the emotion washed over her again like a wave, she reluctantly gave name to the turbulent feeling coursing through her mind and body. Jealousy. Kim had arrived to go over the follow-up to the custody hearing, and LuLu found herself enduring the raunchy tales of the couple’s occasional afternoon exploits. Nick, thankfully, hadn't arrived at the office yet, and LuLu while mortified, was also more than a bit intrigued, hence her not nipping the conversation in the bud earlier. She had had just about enough however, and was more than ready to good-naturedly tell Kim to shut her trap, when the phone rang saving the day. Kim whispered her thanks and mouthed good-bye as LuLu held the phone listening to the caller, it was the district court clerk re-scheduling her 3pm Shelter hearing. LuLu smiled, and waved Kim out the door, breathing a sigh of relief. She wondered what Nick would think if he knew Kim had been blistering her ears specifically detailing his prowess. LuLu's pent-up gurgled laughter burst out uncontrollably. Peter Sullivan, the clerk on the other end of the line, wondered what was so hilarious about a re-scheduling. Having just walked through the stairwell door at LSOP, Nick heard LuLu's peals of laughter, and wondered what had set her off. She had the best laugh in the world, and he found himself lured like a moth to flame, heading into her office. He could use a good laugh after having just met Kim in the elevator on the way up -- their awkwardness was palpable. They had had a bit of small-talk, and soon, with his customary, "I'll call you," he ditched, and was off like a shot, deliberately hitting the wrong floor just to cut it short and climbing up the last two remaining flights. Nick was never one to suffer needlessly in social situations when he could avoid it. It was so easy with LuLu, he thought to himself. They conversed about all manner of things. In fact, within the first week of their meeting, while out at the Incline after work, he found himself compared to a Chatty Cathy doll by a stunned and amused Jake Straka. Jake had observed his nemesis and what he thought was his heretofore anti-social friend Nick Fallin, running off at the mouth, and crinkling his eyes at the pretty and petite young attorney Louisa Archer. To Jake, it was very obvious that the young woman exasperated Nick no end, but he seemed eager to engage her, baiting her into arguments at times and taking delight in her sharp mind and equally sharp tongue. Nick reminded him of an 8 year old who ran around the playground yanking the ponytail of the girl he had a crush on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick, poked his head inside her office door, and LuLu inhaled in shock. He loved catching her off-guard. She wondered, if she had conjured him up. "Hey!" LuLu said, a broad smile still on her face. "Hi yourself - what's funny?" Nick said intrigued. Gaining composure, and taking a deep breath, LuLu, still smiling visualized one particular tidbit of Kim's and blushed, "Oh! It's just a...er...joke, that Peter -- you know Peter, at the courthouse -- just told me," she cleared her throat a bit nervously. "Really," Nick said skeptically, "let's hear it," he walked into her office, eyebrows raised. "No, no, I couldn't. You know how I can massacre a joke -- it would just be a sacrilege," LuLu hemmed and hawed. Nick looked at her oddly, something was up, he thought. "So…uh, Kim was here just a few minutes ago." LuLu had no idea why she would bring up her least favorite subject, but she found herself usually saying things she hadn't planned on when in the presence of one Nick Fallin, that, and she was curious about the two of them. "Yeah, I know...I ran into her on the elevator," he looked at the floor quickly and then back up at LuLu. LuLu smiled slowly, "But Nicholas..." she intoned, "you came up the stairwell," she looked at him oddly. When Nick ducked his head, and began smoothing the hair on his nape, she laughed knowingly, he had gotten off to avoid Kim, she'd wager. It was his modus operandi, she had seen him do it a couple times with Alvin. "Are you and Kim working out okay?" she said, with what Nick saw as a little self-satisfied smirk. She had his number...he wasn't surprised. "You know, you're just a little too smug for your own good," Nick remarked. "What?!" LuLu said in mock outrage, looking up from her planner, "I didn't say anything." Nick found himself getting a bit steamed by her attitude. She kept herself on the shelf for that lame doctor-wannabe in Columbus, and then had the nerve to judge what he did away from the job? His ongoing resentment at LuLu's inaccessability began to surface and he wanted to get a little of his own back. "What I do away from here is my business," Nick said sternly. Perfect eyebrows, arched hautily in the air, "I'm sorry Nicholas," she said not a bit recalcitrant, "I didn't mean to intrude -- I really don't see why you're getting so ticked," trying to pretend after the fact, that the smirk had never happened. If Nick could have he would have licked his chops. She'd done herself in with her little inquiry about Kim, and he went after her like a dog with a porkchop. He wasn't even offended, and truth be told - he had no problem with her fretting over who he was seeing. He liked it...a lot. He also liked the verbal sparring match that had inevitably incurred. Trying to keep a straight face, "I just think it would be best if we didn't comment on each other's personal lives." LuLu was indignant, why that arrogant ass! Okay, the gloves were off. "Look, Fallin, I could care less about what you do 'away from here,' but you need to tell your girlfriend to keep her mouth shut, if you value your privacy." --------------------------------------------- Hmmm…so Kim had mentioned seeing him last Friday, he thought -- had it sparked LuLu’s interest? Nick grew hopeful. Kim was the farthest thing from a "girlfriend," but he decided not to clarify that for LuLu, he thought devilishly. "What are you talking about?" he deadpanned. LuLu took it down a notch, as it wouldn't do to act upset -- athough he had gotten her blood racing, as per his usual, "Nick...we're friends you know -- Kim and I...and friends...well, friends talk," she shrugged. "What's that supposed to mean?" He looked vaguely worried. "It means just what I said, Kim has a loose tongue," LuLu choked at the unintentional pun. Nick pretended to act nonchalant, crossing his arms over his chest (a sure sign to LuLu that he wasn't), and with a slight frown, inquired, "So do you mind telling me what she said?" "Yes Nick," LuLu picked up her files preparing to make her exit, and walked over to where he stood. She looked up, all at once sweet and seemingly sincere, and with a mesmerizing imploring look on her beautiful face, "I most certainly do mind...because as you said, it really isn't any of my business." Damn, Nick thought, he had been played again. "Besides, I really wouldn't want to embarrass you," LuLu added in mock sympathy. "That's cute LuLu, real cute," as if anything of a sexual nature could embarrass Nick Fallin. His sexual prowess was nothing to be ashamed of, and he didn't mind Kim flapping her gums one little bit, particularly with LuLu. Maybe she'd finally catch on to what she was missing, he thought with a twinkle. He looked down at her intently, and finished, "but, uh...it's not possible." "Oh really," LuLu, peeved at his good humor gave him a look, as if to say, 'that's what you think,' but instead remarked dismissively, "How nice for you Nick." Arrrggh. Nick was beyond curious now. He knew she was deliberately needling him, and didn't want to take the bait. But he couldn't resist, he said the one thing guaranteed to irk all hell out of her, "Kim can blab away, as long as I get no complaints, I'm satisfied - as are all my...er...friends, so whatever she had to tell you is fine with me." Nick should have known by the entrancing over-solicitous look she gave him, that she was going in for the kill. He was toast, he just didn't know the manner of his demise. She softened her voice, and her eyes got real wide. "That's so nice to hear Nick. I admire your confidence, that's just a great attitude to have." LuLu turned to leave. Standing in the doorway, looking back over her shoulder, she gave him a piteous yet reassuringly look, "...and by the way Nick, I agreed with Kim. It's really not about the size of the boat anyway," she left the office, giggling behind her files at his stunned expression. --------------------------------- Nick stood there with his jaw dropped for at least 5 seconds, then abruptly snapped out of it. Why that little viper! He started to go after her, then remembered where he was, and made an attempt to be cool. His face was beet red, he could feel it. Louisa was a smart ass, and he had to acknowledge that she had nailed him. That was indeed a good one, but it was also pure bullshit, Nick harumphed silently, his male ego asserting itself. Whatever Kim had been yapping her gums about, he knew it wasn't that, he thought confidently. Grabbing his briefcase off the floor, he walked towards her in the bullpen where she stood talking to Barbara. LuLu felt his approach from behind and braced herself. He bent down to her level as he passed, and in an almost-whisper close to her ear, remarked, "I owe you one LuLu, I owe you a *big* one," and winked at her. Barbara heard LuLu's gasp, and regarded her high color and sparkling brown eyes. She thought to herself that those two would implode if they didn't get a room soon. -------------------------------------------- It was after 6pm, and Nick and LuLu had walked in the door arguing. He was hot on her heels as she briskly walked into the broom closet. Nick firmly shut the door behind them. They both were handling a sensitive case, the wife of a man jailed on suspected credit card fraud, had refused to surrender her eldest son to the authorities, who believed the boy had been enlisted in the fraud scheme by his Dad. As his appointed guardians, LSOP was caught between a rock and a hard place. LuLu had seen Nick interacting with the prosecutor on the case, a guy he loathed, and sensed trouble. This was the same prosecuting attorney who had tried to put Nick away for a few years to make an example of him. LuLu had questioned Nick's objectivity, suggesting he let her deal with the prosecutor from now on, but the thought of LuLu and that prick Michaels negotiating and working closely together made Nick see red. Subsequently, he had blown up in the car on the way back. Barbara heard their elevated voices out in the bullpen, and had a diabolically delicious thought occur to her. Walking by the broom closet door she hit the button on the knob, grabbed her coat and left -- laughing uproariously as the elevator descended. "Look Nick, we can discuss this tomorrow, it was just a suggestion since you seemed a bit upset after talking with him okay?" LuLu smiled, extending the proverbial olive branch. "Fine, fine!" Nick said a little too fervently, "I just objected to you thinking I was unable to handle this professionally." "I know you can Nick, I don't doubt that for a minute. I just thought you'd prefer not too," LuLu had grabbed her coat, slung her briefcase over her shoulder, and walking towards the door she said, "If your fine with it, so am I." “Good.” Nick nodded. LuLu grabbed the knob and turned, and was jarred a bit when the door didn't pull open as expected, "What?!" LuLu pulled at the knob, pulled again, and then turned it a little frantically, "Oh God, it's locked!" -------------------------------------- "Quit kidding around LuLu," Nick said. "No! I'm serious!" she entreated, looking to him for help. "Here - watch out," Nick brushed her aside, turned and pulled at the knob. "Son of a bitch -- did you push the lock in?!" he was looking at her like she was a sandwich shy of a picnic. "Of course not! Why on earth would I do a dumb thing like that? I've never locked this door, ever! I thought I'd need a key to do it," she insisted. Nick sighed, "Well then -- looks like we've got a practical joker in our midst." He decided to swallow his pride, and call out to whomever was left in the office, "Hey! We need a little help in here please - we're locked in!" He waited and listened for an approach, but to no avail. "Oh look, Nick -- it's 7:30! I think everyone's left - what do we do?" LuLu fretted. "Can you call Barbara? Get her to come back over here, and let us out," he suggested. "Great idea! She should be home by now," LuLu's eyes lit up, and then just as quickly dimmed, "Oh no." "What now?!" Nick said exasperated. LuLu pointed to the phone cord, and Nick following it with his eyes, saw that it ran underneath the door. The phone was on the other end, but outside. "What on earth did you do that for?" he said accusingly. LuLu frowned back at him, "Barbara's phone is being repaired, so I gave her mine before we left - don't bite my head off!" Nick impatiently looked around, "Where's your cell phone?" LuLu looked sheepishly at him, "Charging," she said, then sighed forlornly, "in my car." "Ahhh! There's a great place for it!" Nick threw his hands up, and began to rub the back of his head. She had had just about enough of his superior attitude, "Where's your cell phone Fallin?!" Nick, looked sideways, "It's uh...in my coat pocket," he said with a disgusted sigh. "Great place for it," she mimicked. "You know, you walk around with that thing like it's a 5th limb most of the time, and yet this is the one time you don't have it?!" They looked at each other, breathing accelerated, blue eyes and brown shooting sparks. Both of them simultaneously took a deep breath. Nick unbuttoned his suit coat and loosened his tie, walking over and collapsing on the love seat in the tiny office. He laid his head back on the cushion. "What are you doing?" LuLu inquired, confused and still poised by the door like she was going somewhere. "What does it look like? We're in for the night LuLu, get used to it...and I'd suggest you toss the coat, you're gonna get warm," Nick's blue eyes gleamed at her, smiling. -------------------------------------------- "Now, about that 'boat,' comment," Nick said suddenly, as LuLu was hanging up her coat. She looked at him, alarmed. Nick chuckled, "Take it easy, I just wanted to know if you were pulling my...er leg, with that one." "Men," LuLu shot him a semi-disgusted look, "Is it really that important to you?" Nick shrugged, and gave her a 'not even,' look -- but LuLu knew better. Exasperated, LuLu through her car keys on her desk, "I was kidding, okay...sheesh." 'Hah - I knew it," Nick nodded satisfyingly. LuLu rolled her eyes heavenward, and walked over to the windowsill to perch on the ledge. Nick covertly watched her dark gray skirt rise several inches above the knee, exposing a slim thigh. She was a picture sitting there, Nick thought - her dark hair waving around her face, her flawless skin mostly free of make-up, and full red lips parted slightly as she gazed out the window. "Nick?" she asked softly, "Did you…um...have plans tonight? Because...I...I mean if you did, I'm really sorry about all of this," she said genuinely. "No, no plans...why?" he inquired, fascinated at her mood change, and watching her moisten her lips nervously. LuLu looked over at him, "I..I just thought you and Kim-- " she shrugged her shoulders and didn't continue. She could have sworn she saw the hint of a smile on his face, briefly. She sighed, more than a bit forlornly, "I thought…you...you may have had a date or something...it is Friday night after all...and here you are stuck with me." "Better you than Alvin," Nick said seriously. LuLu laughed, her eyes twinkling at him, and her dimpled smile making his stomach flip flop. "Besides," he added, shaking his head, "it's not like that with Kim and me." "What do you mean? Not like what?" she looked at him curiously. "I mean, we're not dating," he said simply. Puzzled, LuLu just looked at Nick. "I'm serious, we've never even gone to dinner," trying to sink the point home. "Well, what are you --?" Louisa started, then stopped -- narrowing her eyes in understanding. It finally occurred to her what he was saying. Theirs was mostly a sexual relationship. She rolled her eyes, and clicked her tongue, in obvious disapproval. Nick laughed, "What? We're adults LuLu...grown-ups -- we're not hurting anyone, it's consensual and satisfies a mutual physical need, no strings and most of all, no big deal...and that's exactly how I want it," Nick offered by way of explanation. It occurred to him that he didn't owe the prudish little Miss any explanations whatsoever, but that hadn't stopped him from wanting to give her one nonetheless. "You sound like you do when you're in court...you don't have to make a case to me Nicholas," she remarked softly, and turned her head away from him to gaze again out the window. "Maybe it's because I feel like you're judging me," Nick replied. LuLu stayed silent. "So...uh...what do you do on Friday nights? That boyfriend of yours is about 150 miles from here...don't you get lonely?" Nick looked at her intently, with a hint of a teasing smile. She recognized that look on his face, he was trying to get a rise out of her. "Not lonely enough to do what you do," LuLu remarked haughtily. "What do I do?!" Nick chuckled at her demeanor. Lord, she was fun to tease. "Have sex with people you don't know," she said pointedly. ------------------------------------------ Nick was speechless. She was too much. "I didn't have sex because I was lonely, I had sex because I was hor--" "Oh! Alright already!" LuLu interjected, sputtering. "I had just gotten out of jail you know," he said, surprised as hell to hear himself making excuses. "Oh, what crap! You were in there one week!" She huffed. Nick laughed, "It was damned stressful LuLu!" If Nick didn't know any better, watching her beautiful eyes shoot sparks he might think she was jealous. "Can we just...drop it please?" she said, looking all at once entreating and pissed off at the same time. "Okay," he barely restrained a smile. Looking out of the window once more, LuLu suddenly yelped and hopped off the sill, frantically unlocking the window. "What?! Jesus!" Nick jumped up startled. "I see Barbara on the street!" LuLu said urgently, simultaneously lifting the window and quickly leaning all the way out at the waist. "Barbara! Barbara!" she yelled. Like a shot, Nick was across the room and behind her at the window clasping her waist as she had practically thrown herself through the window. She bent over even farther yelling. His heart was in his mouth, at her precarious position, "Dammit LuLu! Not so far - are you crazy!" "But wait -- I think I can get her attention - do you see her?!" LuLu said excitedly. Nick leaned over atop LuLu, saw Barbara in front of the Incline, then watched her turn towards the parking lot. They both watched her walk further down the street with a couple friends, "Uh-oh...no such luck LuLu," he saw her shoulders slump. "Noooo...damn," she sighed. Feeling Nick's strong hands still clasped low around her waist, she swallowed nervously and slowly straightened -- her shiny hair softly brushing his chin. They both stood there quietly for a minute. Nick hadn't let her go. The heat from his hands and the gentle firm pressure he exerted, made her heart race. As she reached up on tiptoe to close the window, Nick helped, bringing it down. He moved in closer, flipping the locks. LuLu was sweetly caged in his arms, and his blood felt like molasses in his veins. She felt Nick place his cheek against her hair, and once more his hands clasped her waist. LuLu leaned back against his chest, closing her eyes, and putting her hands over his. She softly whispered his name. Nick leaned down to her bent head, inhaling the faint jasmine of her hair, nuzzling her nape and softly whispering her name in turn. LuLu gently bit her lip, perhaps to stifle the soft moan building in her throat. She tilted her head to give him access to the sweet swan-like length of her neck, and Nick eagerly planted tender kisses up one side and down again. LuLu felt tears come to her eyes it was so good, she shuddered in his arms. She had to know, "Nicholas, ah…what you said before? Is…being with me like...this 'no big deal' too?" Alluding to his comments about Kim. He reared back a little in surprise, vaguely shocked that she could even think that. "God, no! LuLu...I...you...you're very important to me," his piercing blue eyes assured her, in ways he couldn't say...yet. He softly kissed her ear, "LuLu, please.” The hands on her waist slowly turned her around and gently pressed her into him. Nick felt her arms slowly steal around his neck, and as she reached up to bring his lips down to hers, his heart soared. Gently backing her up towards the big mahogany desk with one arm still around her, he cleared the blotter and files with one sweep of a long arm, and lifted her on top so they'd be level. What they were doing suddenly broke through her consciousness, he could see it in her eyes. Nick was tempted to keep up the onslaught so as not to give her a chance to waver, but at that moment she leaned her head into his chest and he didn't have the heart. He'd respect whatever she chose to do. He felt her slender arms encircle his waist, and her head on his chest. She embraced him tightly then, and Nick groaned her name this time. With one arm bracing himself over the desk, he encircled her with the other and felt her arch into him. Her shapely legs entwined about his hips and pulled him towards her center, where she gently undulated once against him. Nick's expression seemed almost pained, he gasped and moaned her name, clasping her head with one hand, and gently nipping her bottom lip, feeling her jump slightly in her arms. Caressing her lips open-mouthed he sipped gently at them now, breathlessly saying her name. They were clothed, yet melded in such a way they couldn't bear to separate. Nick was aroused to the point of painful pleasure, and neither one could think clearly anymore. Things were fast rushing to their natural explosive conclusion…. Then they heard a knock at the door. Barbara’s boisterous sing-song voice rang out, “Okay you two -- you made up yet?!” ________________________________________ The End ;-)