Part One: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Sharp stings litter my upper back, the pain intensifying second by second as the clock ticks by. I stare at the red design in the mirror and my feelings of satisfaction and happiness outweigh the burning sensations.

"How does it feel, Dar?"

I look up at Winona with a smile on my face, trying to erase her worry. Even though she and Simone were all for my spur of the moment idea, and even though Winnie got her boyfriend, Quinten, to call in a favor from his tattoo artist friend, Winnie still had second thoughts. Quinten is Win's serious boyfriend and they've been going out for at least nine months. Simone and I met him once when he came to pick Win up from the academy one afternoon. Quinten is Puerto Rican with brazen wheat grass green eyes, lots of thick black curly hair, and a lot of tattoos. Everything ranging from his face to his pinky toe, had some type of ink on it. Not my type personally, but Winnie is head over heels in love. And hey, if she's happy, I'm happy.

Anyway, due to her stressed anxiety, it was almost as if Win was the one getting a needle pressed into her skin. I don't hold it against her though, because that's just how she is. Simone on the other hand couldn't wait to get to the parlor and she said she would get one too if she knew what she wanted.

I look in the mirror again at the permanent ink on my skin, and I have no regrets.

I went with red ink because I wanted something different, and I knew it would look good with my skin tone. I don't care what those people say on Twitter, red ink tattoos look good. I got it on my back because it's unique and it is also very easy to hide. As for the dragon... Roxy loved them. No one but Harry and I know that. She had her tough exterior, and that was one of few personal things that she genuinely loved. On her twenty first birthday, we went to the Golden Dragon Museum in Australia. She was absolutely elated that day, and it still is one of my favorite memories.

Me wanting to get a tattoo seems kind of random, and it kind of is. I just wanted to do something rebellious in nature. Something just for me, and something with significance.

I'm still sitting in the chair, watching calmly as Jamie, the tattoo artist, spreads a cool gel over the tender skin and then proceeds to put a large bandage over it. Jamie is a pretty laid back guy. He's a gorgeous Latino man who looks at least nineteen. His orange-brown eyes are encased in thick black lashes, with equally thick eyebrows above that. His dyed ash blonde hair is in curls sporadically arranged on his head, the brown roots just barley peeking through. His interesting eyes flick up to me once he's done with the wrapping.

"Are you ready for the next part?"

I was kind of skeptical about getting a piercing, but it's something I've always been curious about so I decided to take the plunge. Plus it can't be worse than getting a tattoo.

Oh boy was I wrong.

I have a high pain tolerance, but that was like a hot poker being shoved through my nose.

Winnie winced along with me as I got it, and Simone just looked excited. She was familiar to this pain since she got her nose pierced almost three years ago. What I didn't expect her to do was get another one as soon as mine was done. Simone was happy to pay for it with the credit card her parents gave her free reign over, and I could only shake my head. She's definitely spoiled, but thankfully, it doesn't make her the stereotypical 'rich girl'. Simone is tough, speaks her mind, and is a fierce friend. We all haven't known each other for long but I know that these are my forever friends.

What surprised me even more is that somehow, Simone convinced Win to get a nose piercing too! Something about how this is our physical friendship bracelet and that we will remember this for the years to come.

Astonished, I watched as Winnie held very still while Jamie carefully pierced her nose. For all of the flinching she did while Simone and I got things done, I was surprised yet again to see that she kept very calm and didn't even shed a tear.

When Jamie was done, he told Win that Quinten already had her covered.

Winnie immediately called him up, gushed over him, and told him how much she loved him. Prime gag material, but I know that if I had a boyfriend who was sweet like that, I'd be acting the same way.

A quick flashback, like a bolt of lightning, sears across my mind and I see Ash's face. The familiar dull throb of pain echos in my heart, and I quickly replace that thought with another.

But I can't help but wonder, would Ash like my tattoo?

"Daria?" Startled, I look up and everyone is looking at me like they've been waiting for me to say something. Shoot, I was spacing out again. I try to play it off like I wasn't just hopelessly thinking about my ex, so I grin.

"Hey, do you guys want to get drunk?"

: A condition in which the colored part of the eye (iris) is multicolored. Heterochromia iridum may be part of a genetic condition. It may also be a growth (iris nevus) or occur after an eye injury. In rare instances it may be seen with other disorders.

This is what Google told me. This is what I looked up after my daughter opened her eyes.

One green eye and one brown eye.

Beautiful, but concerning.

I tried to stay calm as I called Samira back in to see Adira's eyes.

I tried not to cry at her expression. I tried not to cry as Samira took her away and I was left alone again. The emptiness in my arms more prominent than before. I wanted to hold her longer, I wanted to bond with her. But her health and well being comes before my own wants.

A doctor came in and told me that Adira most likely has complete heterochromia and that they were running tests. He assured me that it should be harmless, but that they're just checking.

That's how I found myself still sitting in this chair, on Google looking at the worst possible outcomes of this.

I need to be prepared in case things get bad because with the luck I've had lately, things always go badly.

Someone knocks once on the door, then it opens. My heart slams against my rib cage, until I see the familiar blue curls. I sink back against the chair and watch expressionless as Niko walks in.

He closes the door behind him and walks over to me. "Ellie, Samira told me what's going on. I am so sorry, how are you doing?"

That's a dumb question.

But Niko didn't do anything to me, so I try not to lash out at him for trying to help me.

"I just wish I could've held her for longer. I wish for once that nothing would go wrong." Niko squats down next to my chair so that we're face to face. "How do you know that you won't be able to? The day is not over yet, and things could very well turn around Ellie. You must stay positive, especially when things like this happen."

I sigh and take in Niko's words. I look at him, feeling grateful that he's here to help me. It's kind of his job as a therapist, but it feels like Niko is going above and beyond the confines and professionalism of his job. I smile a little and hug him to me, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Niko."

Niko hugs me back, his thick arms snaking around my waist. "Of course Ellie, anytime."

I'm not sure when the air around us changed, but I'm all of a sudden hyper aware of the thin robe and my bare nipples rubbing against the silk fabric. I'm aware of being pressed so tightly against Niko, and how his body feels against mine. Our past harmless flirting suddenly feels as if it just might not be so harmless.

Maybe it's the hormones, or the loneliness, or the still fresh sting of betrayal, that fuels what I do next.

I pull back enough to look at Niko, our breaths mingling. The air between us charged and electric.

It's not the same. You know this connection is nowhere near what you had with Harry.

That subconscious thought strokes against my barely contained rage, and I surge forward, my lips slotting with Niko's.

Zaps.

As our lips dance together, I feel little zaps of electricity. Niko hesitates for a second, then he groans and pulls out my ponytail before carding his fingers through my hair, making me exhale sharply in return.

My nipples harden against his chest, and I feel my face heat up at the action. His hot, sweet tongue laps at my lower lip and I open my mouth in response.

The kiss is carnal, hot, and wet. There is only raw desperation and lust swirling in and around us, nothing more nothing less.

Niko tastes like a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone on a hot day.

Moans spill out of me, my hormones igniting my arousal all at once. My panties are getting damp, and I desperately need friction. Niko takes control and flips us around and sits us down on the chair, with me in his lap. Our kiss doesn't break for one second.

It's like the sexual side of me has been blocked for months, and now that it has been awakened, it's running wildly. I run my hands through his soft blue curls, exhaling into his mouth. My skin jerks in surprise when I feel the cool silver of his earrings, and this just reminds me of how good Niko looks today. My arms are around his neck but I free one of them, take my hand, and gently wrap my fingers around his neck. The skin is slightly raised from the large tattoo, and I am more curious than ever to find out about it. I hear the man's slight intake of breath and he nips at my bottom lip, making me moan low in my throat.

Niko's hands move from my hair down to my body, and I feel them ghost over my breasts. I push into his hands, needing some kind of touch.

"Ellie? Are you okay, can I come in?"

It's as if a bucket of ice water has been poured down my back.

Samira's voice outside of the door has reality crashing down on me and I hurriedly pull away from Niko in shock.

The man's clear blue eyes are hooded and he watches me hungrily. I feel the wetness in my panties increase.

I almost fall back into the lust until another knock on the door clears my head.

"Uhm, I'm fine! Just a minute!"

Niko stands up and helps me to stand up as well. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and my cheeks turn even redder.

To put it bluntly, I look like I've been fucked.

My wavy hair is all over the place, one side of my robe has slipped down exposing my bare shoulder and just the top of my breast, and my lips are slightly swollen and red.

I try to fix my appearance up as much as I can. Niko holds out my hair tie, smirking. I snatch it from him and tie the mess up in a haphazard bun. I start to go to the door, but I notice something on Niko.

Walking up to him, I reach up and gently wipe my gloss from his lips. He watches me, no longer smirking, a softer emotion in his eyes.

"You're beautiful."

I don't know how to respond to that, so I just kiss his cheek and then go to open the door.

Samira's standing there, with Adira. Guilt slams into me as I think about what I was just doing. Samira looks from me to behind me, where Niko is standing, looking a bit suspicious. I have to steer her concern away from this.

"Oh! Are the tests done?" My voice is too bright and unnaturally enthusiastic. It must work though because Samira smiles and wheels Adira's incubator in. "Yes, we should know the results soon. But, you can still hold her while you wait."

Excitement rushes through me, and I momentarily forget what just happened. I sit back in the chair and wait as Samira gets Adira ready again.

Niko stands there a bit awkwardly for a minute, before putting a hand on my shoulder.

Goosebumps rise on my skin as I remember just how those hands felt on my skin.

"I'll let you have this moment, okay? Don't worry, I know she'll be fine. I'll be back later."

I look up at him gratefully. We share a look, and then he's gone.

Samira hums as she removes some of the wires from Adira, and she's bringing her back over to me. Adira is still bright eyed and alert, which makes my heart swell in happiness. I hold her horizontally this time, making sure to support her head and keep her stable.

My sweet Addie peers up at me, watching my every move.

"Ellie, I'll let you have some time. But before I go, could I say something?"

I look up at Samira, my anxiety spiking. I try to keep the smile on my face. "Sure, Mira."

"Just be careful with Nikolas, okay? When he loves, he loves hard and if you're not ready for that... just consider yourself and your own feelings before starting something with him, okay?"

I'm stunned at her words, not expecting her to say something like that at all. It's not like that, I want to say. It's not about feelings at all. But remembering the look in Niko's eyes, stops the words from coming out.

So, I just nod and put on a smile. "Okay, thanks Mira." She winks and then she's gone too.

Now that I'm alone, my mind wants to pour over the series of events that just took place, but I don't. Right now, this time is for my daughter and I.

I look back down at Adira to find her still watching me. I softly coo at her, noticing that her eyelashes have started to grow. And as I look into her eyes, I can see them more clearly than before.

Adira's left eye is brown and identical to my own... and my mother's as well. It is a deep chocolate color with tones of gold shining through them. Her right eye is green and exactly identical to her father's. A prominent and bright emerald green.

Looking into the reflection of our love makes me feel incredibly happy, but also incredibly sad at the same time.

As I hold my daughter in my arms, and carry the other in my womb, a deep feeling of loss settles into my bones.

* * *

Adira Styles is just fine.

After an hour of holding her, the doctor from before came in and gave her a clean bill of health. Well, at least for her eyes. I should have been satisfied with that, and I was, but I couldn't help myself and asked when I would be able to take her home.

The doctor let me down as gently as he could and basically said that it wasn't time yet.

He explained that she needed to be up to at least seven pounds before I could bring her home. At the moment, she's only four pounds. That's only three pounds away, but it feels like a hundred.

After he left, I spent another thirty minutes with her until she cutely yawned. I called Samira back in and we got her situated back into the incubator. I tried not to cry as she was rolled away, but that never seems to work for me.

I redressed in the deafening silence, wondering what to do with myself now.

I didn't have to wonder for long.

Niko knocked on the door and opened it before I could say anything. I kind of froze up, unsure of how to act around him now, but the expression on his face quickly melted that social awkwardness away.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you mind if we go to pick up Killian from my mother's house? She- this sounds bad, but she kind of forgot that she was watching him and left him alone. Killian just called me."

I grab my purse. "Oh my gosh, of course I don't mind! Let's go."

As we're speed walking, speed waddling for me, I say goodbye to Samira as we pass. I don't miss the look of concern that passes across her face, but I just ignore it. We're out of the hospital in record time and are in Niko's car. Despite the urgency of the situation, Niko helps me into his car which makes me slightly blush.

On the road, Niko is trying to obey the speed limit, but his foot pushes down on the accelerator more often than what is the normal.

Twenty minutes of tense silence goes by and soon, we're driving through a cute little neighborhood. Houses line the street on each side, a quaint and cottage type of style. Funnily enough, they remind me of gingerbread houses. This is the kind of neighborhood where a child would expect their grandparents to live. We pull up in front of a house similar to the others, a one story brown stone home with a thriving flower garden in front. There's two dark oak picnic tables on the side of the house next to a grill, and I can picture Niko and his family having gatherings here.

Niko barley puts the car in park before he's out and bounding towards the front door. He must have a key, because he only briefly pauses before entering through the front door.

I'm not sure what to do with myself, so I just stay put in the car. I feel awkward, being thrust into this situation, especially with what just happened between us. Sitting here in the silence is making me sharply face reality and exactly what I did. Embarrassment creeps up on me as I think about how I practically jumped Niko. I feel disgusted with myself that I have stooped to Harry's level. Did I do all of that just to get back at Harry?

No. When I really think about it, in that moment I wasn't thinking about Harry at all... at least not during the physical parts. But... if I am being truly honest and looking into the ugliest parts of myself, I know that part of me felt turned on by being wanted. Part of me realizes that Harry is with a skinny blonde, and I am so far from that, so someone as good looking as Niko taking a sexual interest in me... yeah. But that was only part of it, it seems that my feelings are sporadic and really complicated.

I would get out of the car, but I don't want to intrude. Yes I'm here, but none of this is my business and I would be overstepping my boundaries if I did anything. Kissing/heavy petting is one thing, getting involved with his child is a whole other line that I'm sure I don't want to cross. So instead of just sitting there and getting even further into my head, I get out my phone and check my messages.