Denial: 1- a statement saying that something is not true or not correct. 2-a refusal to grant something desired. 3-Refusal to place unpleasant facts.

"Five fucking years it took her five fucking years to finally talk to me?" Nikko whispered, mutely voice breaking off as Bea wrapped her arms around him. His knees fall out from under him and in turn they both fall to the floor, his head rest on her shoulder."Five fucking years wasted because she wanted to be a stubborn twat."

The shoulder of her top becomes damp and she knows all she can do is comfort him. She wraps her arms tighter around him; she whispers soothing words into his ear. He clutches onto her like man would a lifesaver. "Five fucking years and she calls me because she wants something."

"Nikko ca-" She started ready to come up with excuse for Lilly. But Nikko cut her off before she could talk continuing in his rant oblivious to his surrounding

"She kicked me out of her life; treated me like a pariah." He pulled away from her throwing his head back. "All my phone calls left unanswered. My letters returned… unopened."

"I had to find out after OUR mother's funeral the she was dead."He threw his lanky arms in the air in as if reprieving his sister. He fist pressed at his sides as if he willed them to do so. "Shit if anyone's fucked in the head it's that bitch."

"I'll make some Earl Grey, okay?" She new Nikko well enough to know her didn't want her sympathy, just her company. Even if it is just for a while, he went through an emotional purging. She stood and saunter back to her kitchen. She seized her stool and moved to her cabinet searching for Nikko's special tea, his Earl Grey.

"Can we move our lunch to a different day?" She spoke silently into the phone, while Nikko nursed a bottle of Grey Goose she'd tried to take from him a few times earlier. She paced the length of her kitchen cord entangling around her fuzzy slippers. Her mind was still reeling from the night before the sex was out of this world. He was smart, charming, and beautiful what the hell was he doing with her? He could have any on he wanted why her? She'd read about all his model girlfriends. Hell she even saw a few approach him during their dates when she'd get up to use the restroom sometimes the waitress would slip her his number when they though she wasn't watching.

Shit what if he was playing her? She didn't think her heart could take another blow like that. What if he's using her? For what she didn't know but by then the paranoia had started to fill her head. And once it started she was helpless against the onslaught. Lucas spoke suddenly as if in tuned with her mentally.

"It wasn't just sex." His voice was low and reminded her of a growl. Slightly thrown off her paranoia wagon by his bass she scrambled to put together letters.

"Woo-haat" She cleared her throat and tried yet again. "What?" Even then it didn't sound as confident as she wanted it to. She pushed a stray curl away from her eye tucking it behind her ear.

"Last night wasn't just sex. I want be in a relationship… with you."

"I do to…" she couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence afraid he'd think her stupid. Lucas waited he could feel the 'but' welling up in her throat as if it was lodged in his. He had his argument ready to rebut any excuse she may have about why they shouldn't be together.

"Bea, baby last night was more then sex. I've marked you as mine and there's no turning back without even giving us a chance." His voice rung threw the receiver the proud bass of his voice seemed to echo bouncing back even louder then before. "All I'm asking is for a chance to prove that we have something even if you won't own up to it."

"Luc, I'm just," insecure, scared, falling hopelessly for you, "not use to a relationship."

"Well Sweet, buckle up cause you're in for the ride of your life.

"This feels odd." Nikko asked. His head on her lap while she idly ran her fingers through his blond curls. "I'm normally the one who takes care of you, Amie."

"I know but now it's my turn to take care of you." Her fingers stalled in his hair and for a brief second, she watched a silent tear run down his face, gone so fast she swore she imagined it.

"Amie make me laugh, I don't like feeling shitty." He wined from her lap stealing a sip from his 'Shit happens' mug. "I'm not getting any happier with you silent, Amie"

"Remember, Senior Prom?"

"When your date stood you up?" Nikko looked up at her and gave her a look that said 'where the hell is this going.' Bea had to bit back her laughter. The question mark was clear across his face by then and it took all she had not to laugh her ass off. He looked completely lost at that moment and he scrambled to put two and two together.

"Yeah-"

"Amie, I said happy, this isn't happy."

"Yeah it is; remember what you did to him?" Nikko make that 'O' with him mouth. He watched the impish grin spread across Bea's face and couldn't help but smile.

"I put liquid heat in his jockstrap and rubbed his Football uniform with poison ivy."

"Wahoo, strut it girl!" The air was thick with laughter the strobe lights moved across the stage in delicate movements; bathing the Marilyn Monroe impersonator in a soft light, as he strutted across the stage singing happy birthday, to a large Asian man who Bea suspected to be his husband. Nikko sat beside her cheering along with the others."You own the stage; show them what you're working with!"

The loud cheers had defended her temporally leaving hearing with a low hum in her ears. Scotty the waitress had made her round giving Bea the sprite she ordered. Nikko had given up drinking away his troubles after Bea poured his Goose in the fern plant next to the bar. Damn women wouldn't let him sulk so he did the next best thing when the 'Girls' came out and plucked people randomly off of the floor and made the unlucky participant dance with them on the stage. He volunteered her. Maybe then he could have his drink. But today Nikko wasn't that lucky the bartender had given him a coke and told him, Bea demanded he be cut off. Damn women.

With a bit of a struggle the pulled her back stage and made her put a blonde wig on and a large white fur.

The crown quieted as the 'Girls' broke out into their own rendition of 'September' by Earth, Wind, and Fire. They had squished Bea in the middle and danced to the solid oldie.

They crowd went wild and Bea was struggling to keep up with the energy. The sight itself was comical and for the first time in what felt like years Nikko's body relaxed and he just let go.

The silent trickle of rain could be her outside her apartment window. They sat opposite facing each other. The silent hum of Nikko's cell cutting through the nostalgic memories they buried themselves under. Then the low somber of Nikko broke the silence.

"She has Cancer."

"What?"

"She called me because she needs some of my bone marrow."