law & order one shots

as a hello

part one: "different ways to say 'i love you.'"

..

she had been feeling down lately, the kind of depressed where you feel downright sick to your stomach. nick had been working on a particularly hard case down at the precinct, and she had only seen him maybe twice in the past 3 weeks.

she was laying on the couch in the apartment they had come to share in the past 18 months, with a blanket curled up to her neck and the tv playing noise in the background. she could say that she was watching it, but it was more of a disguise for her to think.

she thought about how much pressure nick was under. how maria had snatched up his life and his daughter right from under him, moved to the other side of the country and expected him to still spend time with her every other two weeks. how he wanted to keep his son he had just learned of off the streets, and how he had to save 100s of rape victims every week. how he had to make time for his girlfriend at the end of the day who had every right to up and leave him alone with his thoughts about how alone he was.

who was she to pile on more pressure? he had children, and a demanding job, he didn't have time for her.

a warm tear fell down her cheek, contrasting with the coldness she still felt with the blanket. she sat up quickly and flung it from her face. she wouldn't be caught crying over this. that would only make everything worse, and she could find a way to get over it.

suddenly there was a metallic jingling and the door open to a brightly smiling nick. it was a contagious smile, just to see him there was amazing.

"nick!" her arms shot up from her sides and he swooped her up from the couch, pulling her up into his arms and holding her closer than she had been held in about a month. she was engulfed on his smell; aftershave, a little sweat, and a sort of freshly nick smell. there was no way to describe it, but she absolutely loved it.

"hi." her voice was a sort of whiny sigh into his shoulder, more to herself than to him. their arms were melding each others bodies into one, holding onto one another for what felt like ages.

nick leaned down to her ear and pressed a kiss behind it. "i love you."  his voice was soft and genuine.

that's all it took for her wall to break down. she held onto nick even tighter and cried hard into his shoulder. he was horribly confused, but still held onto her and rubbed her back.

she pulled back afted a few minutes and wiped her eyes, laughing a little to herself. "'m sorry, nicky."

he held her tightly and pressed a kiss to er forehead, looking back down at her. "that's okay, belleza." his hand gripped hera tightly before she resumed her spot on the couch.

he walked to the kitchen and poured drinks for the both of them. when he sat with her, she curled into his lap. "do you wanna talk about it?" his free arm wrapped around her waist.

"i just... sometimes i feel like such a separate part of your life. i feel like i don't do anything. i don't cook, i barely clean, i'm not a mother of your child." she laughed a bit at the last part. "what's the point of me?" her voice was filled with a sorrow that she tried to laugh away, but never could.

"are you kidding? you have brought me the happiness that maria took when she took my daughter from me. you bring me my manhood. i can't protect zara from here, but i can protect you. i see women getting raped and attacked everyday, and to know that i am keeping you safe, keeps me alive." she blushed at his words, gripping the hand that was around her waist. she laughed weakly, tearfully, allowing nick to grip her chin between to gentle fingers and up to his face.

"you are everything i live for, mi reina, and i wouldn't trade you for the world." he pressed a sweet prolonged kiss to her forehead, continuing to hold her until she trusted his words.

..

belleza: beauty
mi reina: my queen

so, the "she" does not, and will not have a name. i will do "he" on request, but this is currently easier for me. most of these are honestly gonna be amaro lol.