Groovy Kind of Love

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With his voice hoarse from yelling at the cardboard cut out of Steve and Bree, Nick stumbles over to the photo booth. It seems sheltered, safe from the watching eyes of everyone living their perfect, happy lives.
   His heart feels like someone fell and knocked it out of his chest. Nick thought he would welcome the absence of pain, but the numbness is even worse. So his only course of action is to do what Nick Miller does best; drinking to forget. He drinks away Caroline and her boyfriend, he drinks away the thoughts of him never having a wedding like this, he drinks away the voice in his head telling him he'll never find happiness, nor does he deserve it.
   Then Nick, swaying on his feet, banishes the girls currently in the photo booth, and pulls the red curtain shut. He slumps down on the bench, his head in his hands, and squeezes his eyes shut. Nick tells himself all he wants is to be alone, and that will solve all his problems. But in the back of Nick's mind, he knows that's not what he really wants.
   "What's happening with Nick?" Jess' voice breaks through Nick's drunken haze.
   "You can see by looking at these pictures that he's experiencing a variety of different emotions." Schmidt shows Jess a handful of photo booth pictures. "This one is... Well, that's actually his butt. He just keeps saying 'Jess'".
   "Jess, the fact is that I was a mean person and I'm sorry, okay?" Nick yells from inside the photo booth. Jess takes a deep breath, gives a small nod, and pulls back the curtain.
   "Hi, Nicholas." She peaks her head in.
   "Hey Jess, I live in a photo booth now." Nick informs her, and gestures to the beige walls.
   "Oh, is that so?" Jess steps in and pulls the curtain shut behind her.
   "Yep, come on in, come on in." Nick's limbs feel like they're swaddled in cotton, but he still feels a tingle when Jess' thigh presses against his. His ears are buzzing, but Jess' voice pierces through the fog.
   "Hey. She has a boyfriend. She shouldn't have been flirting with you all night." Nick nods, that makes sense.
   "You can't be her backup plan. You have to let each other go." Nick turns his head slightly and looks into Jess' eyes. Even in his drunken state, he knows what she's saying is true. And, pressed next to her in a cramped photo booth, he knows there's no place he'd rather be.
   "So now, you have to make a decision. 'Am I gonna stay locked in a photo booth for the next hour, or am I gonna get out there, take my shoes off, and and dance my face off?'" Jess giggles softly, and then stands up and leaves the photo booth. Nick thought he wanted nothing more than to stay in this photo booth forever, but all of the sudden dancing sounds like the best option.
   "Yo, look at him." Winston motions to Nick, and Jess and Schmidt turn around. Nick is sitting next to Caroline, speaking intently.
   "...I can't do this anymore. I have to let you go Caroline, for real..."
"When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do, is take a look at you. Then I'm not so blue."
"Come on, Jess." Nick beckons Jess over, and she follows him to the dance floor.
"When you're close to me, I can feel your heart beat. I can hear you breathing in my ear."
   Nick rolls up his sleeves, looks at Jess, and then starts pressing his fingers together in a beak motion. His limbs feel like they are drawn to Jess like a magnet, heavy but still agile enough to do some signature Nick Miller dance moves. The world is still slightly spinning, but when Jess laughs, he feels stable again. Soon enough, Jess joins him in the dance, and they flap their arms, grinning hugely at each other.
"Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me, got a groovy kind of love?"

   Nick sits on a bench in a hospital waiting room, Winston pacing frantically up and down the hall. Jess sits beside him, wearing a stunning wedding dress and a black eyepatch. Nick reaches into the pocket of his fancy suit pants and pulls out a coin. He smiles at it, and the journey it signifies. Him and Jess have been through so much, some of it crazy enough that he never thought he would be sitting next to her, on their wedding day. But here they are. He puts the coin back in his pocket, and turns to Jess.
   "I might not have realized it, but I have been waiting to marry you since the day you walked into my life. And I don't think I can wait any longer. Jess, do you want to have the weirdest wedding of all time?" Nick lets out a breath, and gazes at Jess with love painted all over his face.
   "To you? That's all I want Miller." Jess smiles adoringly back at him.
                                    ***
   As the first notes of their song play, Ruth saunters towards where Schmidt and Nick are standing next to the priest. Schmidt grins as Ruth pulls off the petals of the flowery bouquet she is holding, and throws them on the ground with a flourish. Cece follows behind Ruth, gently ushering her forward.
"When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do, is take a look at you. Then I'm not so blue."
   When Cece reaches where Schmidt and Nick are standing, she gives Nick a knowing smile, tilting her head slightly as if to communicate, "I knew all along this moment would come."
"When you're close to me, I can feel your heartbeat. I can hear you breathing near my ear."
   Winston comes rushing down the hallway, pushing a wheelchair containing a very pregnant Aly. She's in a hospital gown, and holding her stomach. "Oh no, I'm wearing white to a wedding!" Aly exclaims, and Nick smiles.
"Wouldn't you agree? Baby you and me, got a groovy kind of love."
   Jess emerges from around the corner, and slowly walks down the spotless hospital hallway, her parents at her side. Nick gazes at her, overcome with emotion. Cece smiles hugely at her best friend walking down the aisle. Schmidt places a hand on Cece's shoulder, and they share a meaningful look. Winston also has a proud smile on his face, and he looks at Aly, and then at her belly, with hope and joy in his eyes.
   Nick's heart feels so full he wouldn't be surprised if it burst out of his chest. He looks at Jess, and his smile continues to stretch across his face. In her eyes, Nick sees the rest of his life, and he feels like he's floating on air.
   Jess smiles at her mom and dad, and walks towards Nick. The presence of her friends, family, and the hospital staff fade, and all that's left, is her and Nick. Jess gazes into his eyes, and sees the rest of her life in front of her.
   "Hey," Nick says softly, staring into her eyes.
   "Hey," Jess says back, smiling at Nick.
   "We doing this Jessica Day?"
   "We're doing this Nick Miller."
   "It's about damn time," Nick says with a chuckle, eyes never leaving Jess.
   "Friends, we've been invited here today to share with Nick and Jess in a very important moment in their lives." The priest states, and the crowd smiles with anticipation. "Jess, do you take Nick?"
   "I do," Jess says, unable to stop smiling at Nick.
   "Nick, do you take Jess?"
   "I do," Nick states, a look of pure ecstasy on his face. 
"When I kiss your lips, ooh I start to shiver. Can't control the quivering inside."
   "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
"Wouldn't you agree? Baby you and me, got a groovy kind of love."
  "It's you and me now," Jess grins, and they lean in for the kiss. Jess wraps her arms around Nick's neck, and everyone cheers and claps happily. Nick and Jess look at each other, joy radiating from their smiles. Then Jess takes Nick's hand and raises it in a victory cheer, laughing.
 
   "Jess, are you almost ready?" Nick calls, putting a bouquet of flowers in a vase for a finishing touch.
   "Just give my a few more minutes, this stupid curling iron isn't hot enough yet." Jess calls back. Nick adjusts his tie and rolls up his sleeves, pauses, and then rolls them back down again. He decides to rearrange the silverware, but then hears a sound behind him. Nick turns, and his mouth falls open slightly. Jess is standing there, in a dark purple flowing dress. Her hair is perfectly tousled, and a dainty, silver heart hangs from a chain on her neck.
   "Wow, quite a presentation," Jess admires Nick's setup, and smiles at him. Jess' voice startles Nick out of his trance, and he walks towards her.
   "May I have this dance, m'lady?" Nick asks in a posh accent, and holds out a hand to Jess. She slips her hand inside his, and follows him to the living room, where the furniture has been cleared out to make the perfect dance floor.
   Nick takes his phone out of his pocket and messes around with it for a few seconds. Soon enough, the first piano notes of the music starts to play out of the speaker that's set up. Nick steps closer to Jess, and then starts pressing his fingers together in a beak motion.
   "When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do, is take a look at you. Then I'm not so blue."
   Jess follows suit, and then starts to flap her arms like wings, giggling.
   Then Nick surprises her, and steps even closer, slipping an arm around her waist. She hesitantly places a hand on his shoulder, and he clasps her other hand.
   "When you're close to me, I can feel your heart beat. I can hear you breathing in my ear."
   Jess rests her head on Nick's shoulder, swaying to the music. Nick gently rocks back and forth, his hand still firmly placed on Jess' waist.
   "When I'm in your arms, nothing seems to matter. My whole world could shatter, I don't care."
   Jess lifts her head up and presses her lips to Nick's, still in his arms.
   "When I kiss your lips, ooh, I start to shiver. Can't control the quivering inside."
   "I love you Nick Miller."
   "I love you Jessica Day."
   "Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me, got a groovy kind of love?"

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