A/N: I have an obsession with NatM, seriously. Songs and thier lyrics have started to inspire me too, so I think there'll be more song-inspired fics in the future .. :)

Summary: After an argument, Jedediah & Octavius spend time apart from each other but soon come to realise that one can't live without the other. *Slash & Songfic*

Disclaimer: Don't own NatM ... or the song ... or the amazing Lemar :D

It's Not That Easy

By SapphireMoonlight24

"Come on guys!"

Larry Daley, after resuming his night guard post at the Museum in New York, was back to his old, regular routine of separating the fight of General Octavius and the cowboy Jedediah. After returning from the Smithsonian, the miniatures had, finally, admitted their true feelings for one another and committed themselves to a relationship. It wasn't going well.

"I ain't leavin' till he apologises!" Jedediah yelled back in the night guard's direction.

"I have done nothing wrong, therefore there is no reason for me to apologise," the General replied, seeming strangely calm.

"You have too!" Jed pointed his gloved-hand in his lover's face, "I saw you, behind that there tree ... with that blond Commander of yours." The cowboy then folded his arms and turning away from the General.

"We did nothing of the sort! Titanius and I did were merely talking in private!" Octavius clamoured, losing his calm and relaxed mood in his own words. Maybe he had shared a gentle and innocent kiss with Titanius … but it meant nothing to him and so it should mean nothing to Jedediah.

"I beg to differ," Jed spat, causing Larry to flick his eyes upwards in a fatigued and bored manor. Both miniatures now had their backs to one another, arms folded across chests. The night guard knew reasoning wasn't going to get him anywhere, but what other option did he have?

"C'mon Jed, maybe you were wrong, huh? Maybe you didn't see Octavius with another man."

The cowboy shot Larry a glare. "I know what I saw ... and it was that, skirt-wearin' liar," Jed pointed angrily in the General's face, "kissin' that no-good blonde pig-of-a Roman!"

Octavius could feel his blood pressure rising. The words firing from Jedediah's mouth ripped through his heart. He never was an angry man, but Jedediah had turned this simple argument into an all-out war. The muscles began to tense in his left arm, forcing his hand into a fist. The angry cowboy was still shouting and spitting, waving his arms around and yelling in Octavius' face. The General brought his fist up and drove outwards to meet Jed's right cheekbone, instantly causing the cowboy to stumble backwards. Larry gasped as a look of horror was put on his face. Growling, Jedediah charged forward, hand clasped. Throwing his arms forward, his right fist greeted Octavius' left temple and immediately causing a redness around the General's eye. Crying out in pain, Octavius clutched his face as he sank to his knees. A darkening bruise was already starting to dominate Jedediah's cheek.

"Alright! That is enough!" Larry put his large hand between the two miniatures, "I think you two need to be away from each other for a while. You're not to leave your dioramas' until I say so, clear?" Both miniatures nodded as they lowered their heads. Both walked away, sighing and holding their bruises. Larry glanced back and forth as Octavius disappeared into Rome and Jed into the West. Sighing, the night guard strolled away, ready to restore order somewhere else in the Museum.

~*~

Jedediah sat on the bed in his medical facility, whilst his face wound was being sorted by his friend, William. He pressed a damp cloth to the bruise, Jedediah hissing in pain.

"Calm down, Jed. I'm almost done." The young brunette rinsed the cloth in a bowl of water beside of him and once again pressed it to the injury.

"I can't believe I punched him..." Jed whispered.

"He raised his fist to you first, remember." William reassured his friend by putting a hand on the blond's shaky shoulder.

"I-I'm fine, Will. You can get back to the rail-road now. I'-I'll be fine." Jed spluttered, waving his hands in front of his friend's face, in innocence. A gentle smile formed in the corner of Will's lips. He stood, collected the first aid kit and left the tent. Jed wandered over to the entrance and zipped it shut, making sure no one could disturb his important thoughts. He sank back into the bed shutting his eyes and raising his hand to his cheek. He felt gingerly around his bruise … the bruise caused by the man he loved.

Was it me?
Was it you?
Was it all the little things that I didn't do?
Trying to move on
But I can't
No I can't imagine being
Someone else's man

Octavius paced to and from the window in his personal quarters, his hands entwined neatly at the bottom of his back.

"Please, General. Let me have another look at your wound. It would only take a few seconds." His doctor spoke with a wise tone to his voice. Octavius stopped pacing and turned to the doctor.

"I cannot. I have to many thoughts occupying my mind. Please … leave me." The General pointed at the polished-white door on the other side of the room. The doctor simply acknowledged Octavius' orders and left, quietly shutting the door behind him. Octavius stepped over to his window, perching himself on the edge. He stated at his reflection in the glass. The purple bruising around his eye stood out on his pale face. The bruising had only gotten worse. 'I can't believe I punched him … I should have just let him keep talking. I should have kept calm. He won't want to see me again, so I suppose I should just try to forget about it … about him.' He smirked with disbelief to himself. Who was he trying to fool? Himself? Like hell could he forget about an amazing man like Jedediah just like that.

I've tried and tried a million times
To get you off my mind
It's not that easy
It's not that easy
Don't you know how hard it is for me
To smile and say goodbye
It's not that easy
It's not that easy …

Jedediah removed his hat and gloves and placed them beside him on the bed. Running his hands through his flowing blond hair, the cowboy sighed deeply. 'I don't care if I never see him again...' Suddenly, his bruise began to throb. Gritting his teeth with pain, Jed placed his icy-cold hand over it, in an attempt to reduce the swelling. It was almost if it was reminding him of Octavius … 'No! I need to forget him … he hurt me and I hurt him...' Jedediah was too wrapped in his own thoughts to notice the sparkling tears flowing down his cheeks.

It's not over
Not for me
Used to have so much faith and I still believe
You're my weakness
You're my strength
And one without the other
Just don't make no sense

Octavius lay on his neatly-made bed, one of his slender legs draped over the edge. Flashbacks of the fight dominated his mind, causing him to realise the error of his ways. "I can't forget about you Jedediah. I can't!" He didn't care if anyone heard him. Grabbing his helmet from the table, the General sprinted off to the West, desperate to find and apologise to Jedediah. He ran out of his palace, past the delicate fountain in the centre of Rome and over the bridge into the American West. As soon as he stepped foot on the sand, he knew he was trespassing. Working cowboys shot him death glares, then whispered to others, but Octavius didn't care. With his head held high, the Roman hustled down alleyways, trying to find Jedediah's medical facility.

It's not as easy for me as it is for you
Let me talk about it
It's not that easy
This ….
What am I meant to do without your love, your love?
What am I meant to do without your love?

After constant stopping and searching, Octavius finally came to a large green tent, with a dominant white plus sign on the side. 'Jedediah must be inside,' he thought. The Roman inhaled air, filling his lungs with the gas, and braced himself for the impact of Jedediah's reaction when he walked in. Shutting his eyes, he un-zipped the entrance, and stepped in. The first thing the Roman noticed was the large, black bruise on the cowboy's cheek. Octavius' stomach flipped upside down at the sight. Jedediah was sprawled across his bed, gloveless and hatless, hands in his streaming blond hair. Octavius cleared his throat to grab the cowboy's undivided attention. Jed, meanwhile, exited the dangerous world of his imagination and lazily opened his eyes, the crystal blue irises glowing as he did so. Seeing the Roman in the room gave the cowboy quite a shock.

"What d'you think you're doin' in here, you no-good cheatin' liar?!" Jedediah yelled as he rose up from the bed and placed his hat firmly down on his head. Octavius stepped closer to Jedediah.

"I have come to apologise, my love," he replied, using the calm tone of voice that he nearly always had. He stretched his arm outwards, fiddling with a piece of Jed's blond hair that was draped over his shoulder. The cowboy twisted away in temper and folded his arms.

"Its a bit late now, isn't it?! I mean if you think you can come in here and tell me you're sorry then-." The cowboy's lecture was cut off by sizzling lips crashing into his own. Octavius had decided to close the gap between them, whilst Jed was occupied with speaking his thoughts. At first, the Roman realized that Jedediah probably didn't want to kiss him after his actions the day earlier, but to his dismay, Jedediah accepted his embrace and sank deep in Octavius' arms. Both miniatures could feel their insides melt and hearts speed up and slow down … all at the same time.

What am I meant to do without your love, your love?
What am I meant to do without your love?

Jedediah finally broke away from the kiss, leaning backwards and filling his lungs with air. Octavius smiled and slipped his hand around Jed's slim waist.

"That was pretty …. amazing." Jed struggled to get the words from his throat. Octavius moved his thumb over Jed's bruise, the cowboy retaliating by scurrying his petite thumb over the Roman's bruised temple.

"I'm so sorry, Octavius. It was wrong of me to punch you like that..."

Don't you know how hard it is for me
To smile and say goodbye

The General offered no words of reply, he only pulled the cowboy onto the bed and guided the blond into his waiting arms. Both of their bruises gleaming in the candlelight. Octavius planted another kiss onto Jedediah's head, his hands gently massaging Jedediah stomach. The cowboy sighed deeply, a gentle smile outlining his mouth.

"Apology accepted, partner."

It's not that easy

They didn't care about their bruises. They were back together … and that's all that mattered.

It's not that easy .....

THE END

Jed/Octavius forever ... :D Pleaseee review and thank you for reading! -x-