The Witching Hour

I know, I promised you a multi-chapter. But the idea I have in this cynical ol' head of mine is way angsty, very angsty, so I'm going to give you wonderful people this in exchange. The multi-chapter is in progress, but alas, school ruins lives and it may be awhile! I wrote this the night the Halloween episode aired, kind of deserted it, but now I've decided to clean it up and let you guys have a read! So, yes, it's based off the ending of 'Halloween' and all of its Haunted House, frozen pea hug goodness. Voila! Just a short, sweet little one shot that will hopefully warm all of your hearts from this horrid winter chill!

'"The Haunted House, the fluffing, the coyote, the, the…" Her sentence was broken but she spoke the words as if they were finally making sense.'Jess confronts Nick about his actions on Halloween, and finally realises exactly what she had been missing all along. Nick/Jess.

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"'Tis now the very witching time of night." - William Shakespeare, Hamlet.

She appeared at his door late Halloween night, eyes ringed red and cheeks blotchy from crying. Nick opened the door angrily at first, furious at being awoken from his sleep, ready with a mouth full of insults to throw at the person knocking on his door at this ungodly hour, sure that it would be Schmidt again, ranting about the latest person that had apparently been exploiting his mango shower chutney. Upon opening the door, it took a moment for Nick's sleep-slurred vision to correct itself to Jess' familiar dark curls and blue eyes; when his expression suddenly softened and the insults died on his lips.

"Jess, I-"

"Why did you come in the Haunted House, Nick?" Nick regarded her silently for a while, her abrupt question taking him off guard. He was ready for a comforting talk that he often shared with her, perhaps sitting up for the rest of the night with her watching god damn Dirty Dancing like he did every time she got sad. He moaned and whinged about it, but hey, what could he say? He was a sucker for Patrick Swayze's pendulum hips. (Or, maybe he was a sucker for pretty blue eyes.)

However, taking in her expectant expression and knowing blue eyes, there was something slightly unnerving about the way she was looking at him. There was something about her gaze that bothered him, there was a clandestine sparkle in her eyes and a smug grin painted on her pretty lips; it was like she knew something he didn't.

"You hate Haunted Houses! You told me! So why would you come in, Nick? Why? Were you lying to me, huh Nick? Nick?" Jess pressed on, her face getting closer and closer to his.

"Hell, Jess! I changed my mind okay! I wanted to go in the damn house and be chased by the damn scary clowns…" Nick mumbled, averting his gaze. She groaned in frustration and raised her eyebrows.

"You're lying, Nick! Turn around I bet your back is sweating!"

"Jess, it's late and you're shouting and you know Schmidt gets mad if his beauty regime isn't upheld…" Nick mumbled, trying to shut the door oh so subtly in her face. Upon noticing this, she stook her foot out and wedged herself in between the door and it's frame, crossing her arms defiantly across her frame.

"Fine! We'll take it to your room because there's no way I'm letting you worm out of this one, mister!" Jess retorted indignantly, ducking under Nick's arm that rested on the door frame to enter his room. He'd barely had time to push the door gently shut, before she was coming at him again, arms wind milling in erratic movements and hair flying around her head like it had a life of its own. Like a hurricane, Nick thought. A hurricane that smells like cookies leaves a trail of glitter instead of rubble.

"You make me so mad, Nick! You ruin everything! You're such a ruining ruiner! I just can't stand even being around you anymore!" Jess roared, flailing her arms around her head madly, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "I was happy with Sam. It was strange but it was okay! If you just gave it ti-"

"No, Jess!" Nick bellowed back, taking a step towards her. "You were not happy with Sam. Emotional fluffer, remember? You're not a girl that just has sex and shrugs it off like it's not a big deal!" Jess huffed indignantly.

"You don't know that! I-I could be…"

"You've seen them, Jess." His voice was softer now. "The girls Schmidt brings home. They have a black coffee and a cigarette for breakfast. Their wardrobe consists of pantsuits. They're not you." Her resolve softened for a moment, as she considered his words. Then she bristled, like a cat that had its tail trapped in a door, all waving arms and stormy eyes once again.

"You don't know me, Nick. Sometimes I just can't stand the sight of you!" Tears sprung to her eyes suddenly and she hastily blinked them away, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"Then maybe you should leave!" Nick bellowed back, stooping low to put his gaze right in front of hers, daring her to look away.

"Well maybe I will!" She screamed back, whirling away to the door, before preceding to pull it instead of pushing, effectively ruining her dramatic exit, before finally storming out of the room with the door slamming shut behind her with a huge, echoing bang.

Nick stood silently, gaze locked on the door, feeling blood pound in his ears. His hands clenched and unclenched as he played the scene that had just took place in front of him; Jess' angry eyes and vicious words and cold gaze. He ran his hand down his face, sighing heavily. He hadn't meant to hurt her. Hell, he never meant to hurt her. The truth was that he had confused himself, with the whole Haunted House ordeal. 'They're like relationships…' Yet, he'd done it, for her. With a head spinning with questions and eyes burning with fatigue, he turned towards his bed, running a hand down his face wearily, just as his door slammed open once more.

She stood in the doorframe, the rectangular square of light behind her blurring her figure slightly at the edges like a watercolour, and casting a shadow across her pretty face. Nick squinted to get a better look at her, and noticed that the anger that had only just possessed her features had been replaced by a strange, almost whimsical expression; her blue eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape. Before he could even say anything, she charged up to him with fire in her eyes, cupping his face between her hands and gazing directly into his eyes.

"The Haunted House, the fluffing, the coyote, the, the…" Her sentence was broken but she spoke the words as if they were finally making sense. Nick raised his hand to wipe away a tear that was rolling down her cheek.

"It's you Nick. It's always been you."

Then she slammed her lips down on his, and it's like the world turned upside down. He groaned and pulled her close, twining his fingers through her thick locks, feeling them slide through his calloused hands like scraps of satin. Nick swallowed her sighs and memorised the way her smooth curves felt underneath his palms; wanting to hold onto this perfect moment forever. His mind reeled from the taste of her, soft peppermint and oaky tea and freshness like daisies as her teeth clashed with his, her sighs of contentment making him want to swallow her whole.

They broke apart, and she smiled at him, lips like red ribbons.

"Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm kind of crazy about you."

Huge thank you to all you beautiful people that reviewed 'Nine', it really meant a lot! Merci beaucoup, and keep your eyes peeled for the beginning of my multi-chapter!