"Sure." Karen said. "It's alright for him to do that right. After all, I did that to him first, maybe he was just trying to test me, you know teach me a lesson on what I did. Let me know how he felt when we told him what we did. It was all a set up.." Karen telling herself and Brian.
"No, he had no right on doing that, after all, you have this whole situation with your stepfather right now. He can't hurt you like that." Brian said.
"Karen? I have to talk to you." Nick said. Brian got up to leave. "No, you stay here, you need to hear this. You two are my best friends in the whole entire world. Karen, you made me feel what love really is. All the girls I've ever dated, were just flings but YOU, you taught me what love was and what life was all about. My feeling has no words to descibe what I feel for you, it's more than love. But last night as I sat there and tried to calm you down from crying, I noticed how Brian would look at you and how you'd look at him. I hate to do this but you guys are the ones that belong together. You belonged together from the start."
"What are you trying to say Nick?" Karen asked.
"Me kissing Theresa downstairs made me realize that from the beginning, Theresa is a girl I liked at first, but I was just too involved in helping you out that I pushed her away from my mind." Nick continued. "Karen, I love you with all my heart and you'll always have a special place in my heart, but I can't love you fully knowing you and Brian love each other."
"But.." Karen started.
"No buts, I know you can't admit it, but I see it in your eyes, you guys have so much in common, you guys are perfect for each other." Nick said. "It would mean the world to me, if you and I were together, but it's better off if we just remain as friends for now. If we were truly meant to be fate will bring us back together. I'll still be there for you through thick and thin, we've shared wonderful memories and moments, but you belong with Brian." He looked at Brian. "Brian, You are my best friend, you deserve her. God let you find her on the beach that day instead of me because he knew that you two belonged together, you just didn't know it. I want you to be with her and treat her like the queen you wanted me to treat her. You've always looked out for her and you've always been there when I wasn't. You guys are two wonderful people that deserve each other." He turned back to Karen. "Downstairs, Theresa told me what you guys talked about. Would you have broken up with me for her after all she did to you?" Brian sat there stunned at what was happening.
"Well, no not really but if that was what made her hate me so much, I would've done something about it..." Karen started.
"Karen? You know I'm always there for you. That night we shared was special to me and I'll never forget it..." Nick said.
"It was special to me too." Karen looked over at Brian who was looking at the ground.
"So I guess this is it?" Nick said.
"I guess so," she gulped. She couldn't let go of the fact that Nick was dumping her to be with Theresa, but she was happy because now Theresa will be happy and she could find out the truth about Brian without having to worry about Nick.
Nick walked up to Karen and gave her a hug and one last kiss on the lips as she returned it with tears forming in her eyes. "I love you Karen." he whispered into her ear.
"I love you too and thank you." she whispered back.
"I'm going to leave you two alone." Nick sighed sadly. He left the room closing the door behind him. 'I can't believe I just did that, but it's for the best.' he thought to himself as he cherished that last kiss.
Karen sat down on her bed, starring at the ground. 'But.. Brian said he didn't love me.. I even asked him outside.' She was sad that her and Nick just broke up but she couldn't stop thinking about Brian. She looked up at Brian and caught his eye. "Now what?" she joked trying to cheer up at the situation. "I just got dumped."
"Karen? Remember what you asked me outside, if I loved you?" Brian asked.
"Yeah," she said.
"Leigh Anne told you didn't she..."
"Umm... no.. " she said trying to hide the truth.
"You're lying... I can tell.."
"You were always able to read my mind." Karen smiled.
"Well, it's true.."
"What's true? You being able to read my mind?" Karen asked.
"No, about me loving you..." Brian said turning his head away.
"It is.."
"Yes, Leigh Anne always told me that I loved you but I never wanted to believe it because I got you and Nick together. I realized it when we got hot and heavy that night. It felt so right to have you in my arms." Brian confessed.
Karen listened intently. "But..."
"I'll be right back." He ran to his room and grabbed the ID bracelet he bought her. He returned to her room and kneeled down in front of her. "Karen? I bought this for you a while ago and I meant to give it to you as a thank you for everything." He said pulling out the bracelet.
She looked at the bracelet. "It... it has my name on it." She said admiring it. "It's beautiful."
"Like you." Brian whispered.
Karen looked at him and smiled. "Can you put it on for me?" she said holding out her wrist.
As Brian put the bracelet on, he pulled her hand up to his face and kissed it gently. He looked up at her and grinned. "Karen I do love you and I hope you will love me back. I know what you and Nick had is special and that you just broke up but I just want you to know that I want you in my life. However long it takes to heal, I'll be ready to take you into my arms and love you." he said kneeling in front of her.
Karen slipped off the bed to kneel face to face with him on the floor. "Brian? I love you too." she said softly.
Brian couldn't believe his ears. "You do?"
"I've loved you the day I laid eyes on you, that day on Main Street when Nick ran after me. Once I got to know you better, I loved you even more, I just wasn't sure if you'd return those feelings." Karen confessed.
"You did?" Brian said surprised.
"Yeah, but when I figured you didn't love me back and found out you were setting me up with Nick, I fell for Nick." she explained.
"I... I'm speechless." he said.
"Don't be.. if we were truly meant to be.." Karen said.
"...fate will bring us together..." they both finished. They laughed.
"We are a lot alike eh?" Brian said.
"Yeah I guess so." Karen laughed.
"Karen? There's something I've wanted to do in a long time, do you mind?"
"No....what is -- " she said.
Brian lifted up her chin and leaned in to kiss her. Karen returned the kiss as they deepened it. Karen wrapped her arms around his neck and Brian wrapped his around her waist as they kneeled there kissing each other. As they backed away from each other Karen said. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time too and not feel guilty about it." They returned to their kissing.
Downstairs in the kitchen, Nick sat down at the table where he had left Theresa. "Theresa, we have to talk."
Theresa was all ears. "Yeah..."
"I just broke up with Karen.."
"You did? Why?" she asked surprised.
"Because I want to be with you..." he said.
She looked at him with wide eyes. "You do?"
"Yes, I was so caught up into helping Karen that I forgot the good times we've had. And those moments that gave us chills up the spine." Nick said.
"Umm.. what did Karen say about this?" she said worried.
"She understood..."
"She did?"
"Yes..." Nick said. "Her and Brian should be together. They should've been from the start..."
"What?"
"It's a long story.." Nick said not wanting to go through all the pain. "The thing now is I want to be with you.. I want us to make things work.. but I want us to move slowly. I want you to know that Karen will always be special to me and she'll have a special place in my heart," he said thinking back to when they made love.
"I understand, you guys have been through alot." Theresa agreed. "Nick, I never wanted to come between you and Karen, well actually recently I never wanted to...but I don't know what to say, you really want to be with me?" she asked. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, you.." he said. "Right now I'm tired, I'm going back to the den to get some shut eye. Will you come with me?" he asked.
"Yes I will." She smiled.
He took her hand and led her to the den. He locked the door behind him, he wanted to be left alone with her right now. He laid down on the couch and placed Theresa closely beside him. He wrapped his arms around her and slowly fell asleep. 'Now this feels right.' he thought to himself.
Theresa smiled and fell asleep in his arms. 'Finally,' she thought.
Back upstairs, Brian and Karen were laying on the floor kissing passionately. They finally got the chance to be with each other. Karen sat up, "Brian we should move slowly, Nick and I just broke up, it wouldn't be right if we did this..." she said.
"You're right, but will you stay with me tonight. I don't want you out of my sight." he said.
"I'd love that." she smiled. They both walked to her bed and laid down side by side. Karen turned to face Brian, "This feels right being with you..." she said.
"Yeah I know..." he yawned.
"Brian, do you think we'll win this case with my stepfather?"
"Are you kidding, we're going to kick his butt... I'm not losing you now, I just got you.." he grinned. He hugged Karen and instantly fell asleep.
Karen laid in his arms with droopy eyes, she took a deep breathe and smiled. "I love you.." she whispered and fell asleep.
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