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Nicholas looked across at his twin and their mentor. They were talking animatedly with each other, and did not seem to notice his presence. He was tired of acting like a wall-flower on a red-brick wall. He cleared his throat loudly. The two of them looked at him simultaneously in surprise. "What's wrong Nick?" his twin asked. He was about to answer when he saw the amusement flicker in her eyes. Why you little brat! You knew exactly what you were doing. He narrowed his eyes, then laughed at her hurt expression. "Nykki, you're priceless!" Nicholas winked at Christopher. "I think we've unleashed a monster upon an unsuspecting world!" It was Nykki's turn to look indignant. "Not fair, that's two against one!" Christopher prudently changed the subject. "Nick, how are your studies going?" "The only one who is giving me problems is Hupperman - he insists on going through every word in the textbook at least three times before he starts to explain. It's not that difficult actually, it's the way he teaches that makes people despair! Chris, can't you do me a favor? Tell Hupperman that I know my Constitutional Law already - after all, I have Nykki around to teach me." "You're not getting out of it that easily. I had to sit through all his lessons even though I spent a whole year in college on that section of law. Just pretend to be interested and Hupperman will be happy." Nicholas made a face. "You can say all that, your course is over. I've still got two more days before Hupperman will even consider letting me off!" The other two laughed at his dire voice. "What time is Dad coming tomorrow?" Nicholas asked. "Around ten-ish, I think. Do you have any lessons then?" Nykki replied. "I don't think so…" Nicholas flipped through the pages of his organizer. "I was supposed to another session with Finch, but I convinced him that I didn't need it. I've to return by two, the Director is personally giving me a lesson on interaction." "We'll make it. Dad's bringing us out for lunch, then he's got to rush back to the D.A.'s office. They seemed to have come up against a problem… I don't know what it is, I was hoping that Dad would let me go with him." "You can ask him tomorrow, when he comes. I heard that O'Malley will be leaving the hospital in two days' time - he won't be able to get back into active duty for a while though." Nicholas dropped his fork on the plate and stretched. "I'm full! And totally exhausted. I'm going back now… don't wake me up if you come back late. I'm going to get my beauty sleep. Ciao!" Nicholas bundled up his books and meandered his way through the tables and chairs. "Pig!" Nykki called out after him.
Christopher and Nykki were standing outside her door. "Thank you for the interesting evening - I find watching a pizza-eating competition very enlightening." She couldn't keep her straight face any longer. "Did you see Bickerstaff's face when we started minutely examining the slice of pizza, and sprouting all that nonsense about bacteria and microscopic organisms living in the pepperoni?" She burst out laughing, and Christopher joined in. "Yeah I'll never forget the way he pushed over his chair and rushed to the men's room… he'll never eat pizza again!" "We're incorrigible, aren't we?" Nykki asked, trying to still her laughter. "Yes, we definitely are," Christopher agreed. "And we're also two hundred dollars richer!" Fresh gales of laughter burst out from them as they saw Bickerstaff stagger past them. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon then?" she asked. "No, I'll be going with you to the house. I want to see how it looks like." Nykki looked at him suspiciously. "Oh well, suit yourself. Goodnight then." She turned to open the door. She was about to go in when Christopher reached past her for the door-knob, and pulled the door shut again. "What? No goodnight kiss?" he said with mock ferocity. "Oh Chris, not again. Remember the last time?" She was referring to the time he had barged into her room and refused to leave until she had kissed him. "This time, I'm not drunk." "I didn't think you were the last time. Would you stop looking at me like that?" she asked in exasperation as he stared at her. "Okay," he replied softly. His eyes shifted; they scanned her face with painstaking slowness, feature by feature. Then he raised his hand. One fingertip touched her cheek and glided lightly from the cheekbone to the corner of her mouth, along the curve of her jaw up to her ear, where his other fingers joined it to twine through her hair, cupping the back of her head. She was not conscious of other movement, his or hers, until their lips met. He withdrew as delicately as he advanced, with a wide satisfied grin. "You really enjoy doing that, don't you?" The look in her eyes could have pulverized rock. "Yes," he answered without remorse. "Goodnight, love."
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