Journey Series: Ellick

Can You, Can I Wait?

Nick POV

The cab pulled up in front of Nick's house. They both got out. "Hold the cab please," he heard Ellie say. "Sooo..." she drawled, "this is your place." "Well," he chuckled, "not all of it obviously, but yes, this is the location of my humble abode." Ellie prodded teasingly, "When do I get to see inside?" Nick faltered slightly. As much as he wanted this... and here Ellie was, right in front of him, he wasn't ready. "Ellie, I-" "It's okay Nick." His eyes widened. "I know." He again let the minutes slip by. Finally, he said, "Damn, Ellie, how do you always know? It's scary." She laughed. He inhaled sharply. He didn't want a day to go by where he didn't hear that sound. He closed the space between them and hugged her tightly. "Ellie I'm not ready yet," he said. "I know," she repeated. "Can you wait for me?" It felt like an eternity before she answered. "Yes."

Ellie POV

The cab pulled up in front of Nick's house. They both got out. "Hold the cab please," she said. She tried not to gawk at the exterior of the sharp, clean, modern set of complexes. "Sooo..." she drawled casually, "this is your place." "Well," he chuckled, "not all of it obviously, but yes, this is the location of my humble abode." The Torres relish. A good sign, she thought. "When do I get to see inside," she inquired, only slightly suggestively. That's when she saw it. What "it" was, she could not tell you. Only that something about him ever so slightly hesitated. He's not ready. He needs time to become whole, she thought. "Ellie, I-" he began. As was becoming her custom, she intercepted him by saying, "It's okay Nick." She watched as his eyes grew wide. "I know," she finished. He, as was becoming his custom, let the minutes slip by. In true Torres fashion, he broke the silence with, "Damn, Ellie, how do you always know? It's scary." She laughed. Before she had even realized that he had moved, he closed the space between them and hugged her tightly. "Ellie I'm not ready yet," he said. "I know," she repeated. "Can you wait for me," he asked. Can I wait? Even though Ellie wasn't quite sure yet how she felt about Torres, it wasn't a question she didn't already have the answer to though. So after a moment, a true measure of 90 seconds, she said, "Yes."

It happened quickly. Ellie had said yes. Nick pulled out of the hug first, not really wanting to let go, but knowing that the cab driver wouldn't wait forever. "I should go," she said, just as he said, "You probably need to go." She laughed again. Music to his ears. It happened so quickly. Torres leaned slightly and placed a kiss on her lips. It was soft and sweet, and short. Not passionate by any means. But it was wholesome. They both knew that somehow, it resembled their promise to each other. Ellie spoke first. "Good night Nick." "Night, Ellie." She got into the cab and left. He walked up the many steps to reach his apartment. But the promise was still resonating on each of them, and the light of the future shown out of their eyes like stars.