Nina and Ian: Reclaiming

Chapter 1: Angel Silhouette

Ian was walking by Nina's room with a plate of food when he heard a harsh cough coming from the inside. He hesitated; thinking twice if he should enter her room, but decided to see if Nina was okay when he heard another hoarse cough erecting from the room. Ian turned in the hallway, and softly knocked on Nina's door, only to get the sound of a moan as a response.

"Nina?" Ian asked worriedly. "You okay in there?"

After a couple of seconds, Ian thought maybe she drifted off to sleep, but as he was about to continue to his room, Nina weakly replied,

"I'm fine." Ian was ready to go in his room and eat his food, but a twisting feeling in his gut told him differently. He didn't want to go in, but he did. He wanted to see if she was okay, but would she be okay with it? They were exes, but shouldn't he at least be decent enough to see if she was okay?

Making up his mind with a sigh, Ian placed his hand on the doorknob, and slowly opened the door. Ian stood in the doorway, and saw the back of Nina's head as she was laying on her bed. A small lamp on her desk was the only light in the room; casting golden light against her doe hair. Ian felt a pang of hurt in his chest, for not being able to run his fingers through her hair without being Damon and her being Elena, still placed aches in his chest.

"Nina?" Ian whispered as he made his decent towards her. Ian stopped in his tracks when he saw the uneven movement of her back as she inhaled and exhaled. She was making scratchy, desperate moans as if breathing hurt.

"Nina?" Ian asked sternly this time with growing worry rising in his chest. Ian ran over to her, setting his plate down on the floor, and placing his hand on her shoulder. Nina slowly turned towards him, her eyes warily opening to reveal tear clouded eyes.

"Ian?" Nina croaked. "Yeah, it's okay. I'm here. What's wrong?" Nina swallowed and inhaled deeply.

"I think, I'm just a little sick," Nina replied weakly. Ian doubted it, seeing the beads of sweat on her forehead and the shakiness of her hands that were gripping the sheets that were around her.

"No you're not, Nina. You look like hell." Ian placed his hand on her forehead and flinched when he felt how warm she was.

"It feels like you have a fever," Ian whispered. "I should probably get someone," Before he could finish his sentence, Nina placed her hand on his, and quickly rejected. "No, I'll be fine. I'm just tired." She said, closing her eyes and scrunching her eyebrows, as if in pain.

Ian looked down at Nina's hand on his, and felt a rush of memories flooding into his mind of the seemingly endless amount of times that Nina and him had touched this way; hand on hand, lips on lips..

But he was with Nikki. He was dating someone, yet why did something wrong feel so, right? And even more, he found himself wanting to stay with her the whole night, the whole year, the rest of his life. Ian shook his head, and tried to focus on Nina's health.

"Okay, I'm going to go get some medicine, and water, okay?" Ian asked, stroking some hair that had stuck to her forehead out of her face. Nina, too stunned and weak to reply, simply nodded her head. Ian soothed her shoulder before getting up and quickly going to Nina's bathroom to find some medicine. He opened the side cabinet near the mirror to find medicines. Finally, he found same Flu medicine, and quickly ran to the set kitchen to grab a glass and fill it up with water. After turning off the facet, Ian ran back to Nina's room.

Ian found Nina resting on her back with her eyes closed when he made his way back over to her. Not wanting to talk too loud, Ian whispered, "Hey, Neens?" Nina now slowly opened her eyes and almost relaxed at seeing him standing over her. Ian crouched down next to the bed and got on his knees; handing Nina the flu pill gently. "Take this," Ian urged as Nina weakly toke the pill and plopped it into her mouth. Ian then handed her the cool glass of water, and noticing how tired she looked, Ian helped Nina sit up to drink the water. After Nina toke a couple of sips, Ian set the glass on Nina's side-table and laid her back down against the mattress.

"Nina, you sure you don't want me to go get someone?" Ian asked, not wanting Nina to get any sicker. Nina moaned, and then hoarsely replied, "I'll be fine..". Nina then closed her eyes, and after a couple seconds, Nina's breathing had evened out slightly, signaling that she was asleep. Ian sat there for a while, watching Nina's hair on the pillow and her beautiful face as she slept. He didn't know if he should leave, and let her sleep, or if he should stay in case she woke up, but either way, his sudden thought of Nikki caused Ian to decide to go to his room.

Ian got up quietly from sitting on the floor and went to turn the lamp off in the room when a soft whimper, so soft Ian almost thought he imagined it, caught him off guard. Ian turned back towards Nina to see her doe eyes staring back at him.

"Are you leaving?"Nina tiredly asked. Ian hesitated; wondering what the right thing to say was, before he simply replied, "I was going to go to bed," Nina turned away; looking down at the white sheets around her.

"Oh, okay." Nina whispered. Ian felt sympathy for her right then; she had feverish eyes and sweat beaded on her forehead, yet she seemed so strong, it amazed him. Nina looked back up at Ian after a second or two, and said, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow on set then."

Ian smiled. "See you tomorrow." Ian turned off the lamp and began to walk away when Nina quickly interjected, "Hey, Ian?" Ian turned back towards Nina with questioning blue eyes. Even in the dark, Ian could see Nina's angelic silhouette. "Yeah?"

"I just, wanted to thank you, for taking care of me." Nina declared softly. "It means a lot."

"Anytime, Nina." Ian swore he could almost see Nina smile, or was it just the dark playing tricks on him. Ian didn't know, but all he knew was that when he walked out of the room and closed Nina's door, he had a smile on his face.