*I found this fic I wrote in 2006 and decided to post it. Bridget and Nick were one of my favorite soap couples for awhile there and this takes place after Bridget releases Nick to run after HER FREAKING MOTHER!!!! But this is what I really hoped would have happened.*
What Should Have Been
Bridget stirred. “Morning, Bridget,” Nick said.
“Morning.”
“How did you sleep?”
“I didn’t really. I was up most of the night thinking.”
“Me too.”
“And?”
Nick sat in the chair beside the bed in which he had shared many a night with his wife. “And you are my wife and I love you.”
Bridget sat up. “I never questioned your love for me.”
Nick frowned. “Then what is it? Is it your love for me?”
“No. I love you more than ever.”
“Well then what are we doing?”
“We’re discussing our future.”
“Good let’s do that.”
Bridget wiped away a tear. She was determined to put on a brave face. She knew what she had to do. “Nick, we’re always going to be a part of each other’s lives. We’re just not going to be husband and wife.”
Nick felt a thud in his chest. “So you haven’t changed your mind.”
“Have you?”
Nick shook his head.
“Nick, I cannot go on with this marriage. Not when you won’t try to be a father to Dominick. Not when I know you are in love with my mother.”
Nick sighed. “Bridget, I’m not doing this, I want to save my marriage.”
Bridget nodded. “And I love you for that but I know when something is past saving.”
“Oh please, I mean, give us a break. We’ve been going through some hard times.”
“But we’ve been going through hard times for awhile.”
“That is not true.”
“Yes it is. I’m just seeing things from a whole different perspective. Losing Nicole and finding out that Dominick wasn’t your son made me realize that you can’t freeze life in one perfect place. It’s always going to change. If we really want to be happy, we just have to accept that. Accept things the way they are and try to go on from there.”
Nick sighed again. “And we can go on from there. I agree with you. We can have another child.”
Bridget turned her head to face the window. “That’s not the answer. No child can ever replace our little Nicole.”
“We can’t give up.”
“I’m not giving up. I don’t have to stop loving Dominick just because he’s not your son. And I can love you … and still let you go.”
“Let me go? Because I won’t be a father to Dominick?”
“I do understand why you won’t. But I think it’s a shame because I know you would be an incredible father.”
“And I want that. I want to be a father.”
“And you will be,” she said, touching his hand. “To Hope. You can raise RJ and Hope with my mother. You can go and make a life with them, starting today.”
“I made a commitment to you, Bridget.”
“But Nick, we knew you loved my mother before we ever got into this relationship. We both went into this knowing how you felt about her.”
“But we’ve dealt with that.”
“I still had concerns. And then I got pregnant.”
“We have been over this time and time again.”
“Nick, stop! Please. Listen to me. I just want you to be happy. You sacrificed your happiness so that you could make a life with me and our baby.”
“It wasn’t a sacrifice. I love you.”
“Well you love her more.”
Nick shook his head. “No. No!”
“Nick, you love her and its o –okay,” Bridget said, her voice faltering. She was beginning to lose her courage and knew she had to hurry up and finish what she had to say before her true feelings were realized. She wanted him to say she was wrong – that he didn’t love her mother but she knew that was wishful thinking. If he decided to stay, it had to be because he wanted to. She would no longer beg him to stay with her.
“Do you hear me?” Bridget said. “It’s okay. You don’t have to hide your feelings anymore. Not from me. Not from yourself. Not anymore.”
“So you are ending our marriage?” Nick asked. His mouth felt very dry all of a sudden.
“Nick, I will always, always cherish every moment we spent together. I appreciate all the support that you gave me. You made me feel like a woman again. It was exactly what I needed. And now, I am giving you what you need. A life with my mother. I want you to be with her.”
“It will never happen, Bridget. We can’t betray you.”
“It’s not a betrayal if I let you go. This isn’t a test, Nick. I’m completely serious. I just really … really want you to be happy.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Whatever you have to say, you should say it to my mother. Before the wedding.”
“What wedding?”
“My mother’s. She is marrying Ridge today.”
“Brooke’s marrying Forrester?” Nick said increudously.
“Yes, she is. Stephanie told me, and my mom left me a message. By the end of the day, she’ll be Mrs. Ridge Forrester. Unless you stop her. Nick, I – I want you to stop the wedding.”
Nick shook his head. “No I want to stay here with you.”
“This is your chance, Nick. Take it.”
Bridget reached out and touched his cheek. “Please go. There is nothing left to say.”
Nick felt tears in his eyes. “Can I change your mind?”
“No. No, you can’t. Now go. Before it’s too late.”
Nick stood. “Bridget, I –“
Bridget held up a hand. “Don’t say it.”
The words “I Love You” died on his lips. “You want me to go?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll go.” Nick kissed the top of her head. “I am so sorry things ended this way.”
“I’m not,” Bridget lied. “We are better people because of it. We had to hit this brick wall to realize that we just aren’t meant to be.”
“Goodbye, Angel.”
“Goodbye,” she said.
She watched him leave the room, then listened for the click of the door before she fell back on the bed and sobbed.
***
Nick drove across town to Brooke’s house. He got out of the car, went inside, took a deep breath, and told Brooke how he felt. Then he turned around and walked out the door, heading for home.
***
Bridget lay curled up in a ball, alternating between crying and calm. After 20 minutes the tears subsided and she stood and walked into the living room. She looked around the room, glancing at every nook and cranny that held a memory of her husband. She clutched her heart and then sat on the sofa, pulling her legs up to her chest.
Just days ago she had lost her baby – her beautiful baby girl, Nicole – and now she had lost her husband. She knew she could cry and feel sorry for herself forever but she knew she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to waste any more time regretting the past, even though her heart begged for relief.
She made herself a small breakfast of toast and cereal and went to climb in the shower. The rivulets of water felt warm as they ran down her back. She allowed herself to relax a little and took time washing her hair and body.
She turned off the shower and toweled dry. Then she walked into her bedroom.
“Nick!” Bridget cried, seeing the man she loved with all her heart, sitting on the bed, staring at her. “What are you doing here?”
She realized she was naked and grabbed a shirt from the nearest hanger and yanked it over herself. It was Nick’s and it felt soft and familiar against her body.
“I came back,” Nick answered.
“What – why?”
“I wanted to be with you.”
Bridget was shocked. “But what about my mom? Did she decide to go through with the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“So you are back here. Am I the consolation prize?” She asked, unable to keep the bitterness from her tone.
“No, you are The Prize.”
Bridget’s look confused. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I left here expecting to start my life over with your mother and realized as soon as I got into the car and drove away, that I didn’t want to go. I realized I was leaving my heart in this house, with you, and if I left you I would always regret it.”
“You can’t have any regrets, Nick.”
“But I do. My biggest regret is the way I have treated you over these past months. I was a fool.” Bridget saw that had tears in his eyes. “I wanted something that I couldn’t have – your mom. It was exotic and forbidden and I thought it equated love. But I realize that all I have ever loved is right here in this house.”
Bridget’s eyes filmed with tears. “You don’t mean that.”
“I mean it, Bridget.” He said. “I want to spend the next 50 years with you, and only you. I want a chance to make it up to you. I know I can never take away the pain I caused you but won’t you at least let me try?”
Bridget shook her head. “You don’t mean this. You are just hurting that mom decided to go through with the wedding to Ridge.”
“No, I’m not. In fact, I encouraged her to do it. I told her that I cared about her but realized what we shared – would never compare to what you and I shared. Share.”
Nick walked over to her and kissed her cheek. “Bridget, will you give me another chance? Will you give me another chance to get it right this time? Will you give me another chance to love you and appreciate you the way you deserve to be loved and appreciated?”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll take me back. You don’t have to forgive me right away. I have been a total and complete ass. You deserve so much better but I am selfish and I want to be with you.”
The tears began to roll down Bridget’s cheeks. Nick caught them with his fingers. “You’re my angel. I should have recognized that sooner and saved us all a lot of pain and heartache.”
“Are you saying that you don’t want my mother?”
“Yes. I don’t want Brooke. I want you. It took the possibility of ending our marriage to make me realize how much I really and truly love you.”
“What about the next time my mother comes running to you? What will you do then?”
“I told her that she can’t do that anymore. I told her that Ridge is her husband now and she needs to depend on him. She can’t come to me with her problems anymore.”
“Do you mean that you want me back?”
“Yes, oh god yes.” Nick began to cry as well. “I have been such a fool. How could I not realize that all I ever wanted was you?” He pulled her close and she could feel his heart hammering against hers. “Be with me Bridget. Be with me as my wife. We can renew our wedding vows – start all over.”
“Can we?” Bridget was hesitant.
“Yes. I will make a hundred mistakes but you will never again have to doubt my love for you.”
“Can you be a father to Dominick?”
“Yes. I want to be a father to him.” Nick nodded. “We will have problems but we will stand together this time. I will try my damnedest to be the man you deserve.”
“I love you, Bridget.” Nick said. “I love you and I always will.”
Bridget began to sob and threw her arms around Nick’s neck. “I – I … love you too.”
They shared an emotional hug and Nick gently eased her lips up to his. “We will have a new beginning starting right now,” he said. “Just let me prove that to you.”
“Okay,” Bridget said through the lump in her throat. Nick picked her up and carried her to the bed. He pulled back the sheets and tucked her in. Then he crawled in beside her and held her late into the evening until they both drifted to sleep.
THE END
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