Title: Sharing

Disclaimer: I own nothing, obviously, because if I did Cody Longo would have been bumped to series regular.

Note: GASP! LCTD is writing something that isn't Kaylicky-centered! Either the world is ending or I've officially lost my mind,. This is just a little experiment that popped into my head. It'll probably be my least popular story and Nicky may seem out of character (but I mean, who wouldn't be screwed up growing up with Kelly Parker), but enjoy regardless.

Sharing

Kelly Parker has never been one to play nice with other kids and that includes sharing.

She's been friends with Nicky Russo for years. Well, they aren't actually "friends" by the conventional definition. They've just known each other practically all their lives. Regardless of whether you live in Orange County or the Upper East Side or Colorado, it's a universal fact that the wealthy congregate. They've always sat at close tables during benefits and galas. They've always snuck off and used this time to learn each other's favorite color, their middle names and how they like to be kiss.

One of Kelly's most crushing and reoccurring memories is of them lying in bed together, naked and not touching. She'd reach out to him, run her hand over his arm and he'd pull away. There was no basking in the afterglow, no cuddling, no falling asleep in each other's arms like clichés and movies. He'd just make one excuse or another, get dressed and leave.

Kelly Parker isn't someone to be stepped on and it makes her furious to know Nicky Russo thinks he has the privilege to. In the end, though, he's right. He's the only one that can.

Kelly knows that he's ashamed of her. Nicky Russo is from the Rock and Kelly Parker is from Denver Elite. After Marty's latest mistake, they are practically the Montague and the Capulet. Kelly likes to think of herself as Juliet and Nicky as her Romeo, but then, with a bitter laugh, she remembers that Romeo was in love with Juliet and as Nicky constantly reminds her, he is not in love with her.

What they're doing is just human nature. It's just something that helps them when the stress and the pressure becomes too much. It's the perfect outlet. She trusts him with every fiber of her being. He trusts her with everything except his heart.

Kelly always told herself not to get attached.

It's a little too late for that.

…

Kelly stands out in the Rock parking lot. She's sure to park her car around the corner because her car in enemy territory would bring the place to DEFCON 1. She waits by Nicky's car, pulling her coat tighter around her slim body. Sometimes Kelly wishes he didn't have blinders on when it comes to gymnastics. She's dedicated to the sport too. It's required to reach the level of success she has, but with Nicky, she knows he puts gymnastics above her and she's long accepted that.

What isn't acceptable is how he comes out of the Rock, laughing and talking quietly with Payson Keeler of all people.

Kelly makes a scrunched up face because as good as they may look together, Nicky Russo and Payson Keeler do not make a good couple. For one, they're basically the same person with different sex organs. They're too compatible with their mentality towards all things gymnastics and work ethic. She's too innocent. If Payson Keeler knew some of the things Kelly and Nicky did behind the locked door of her bedroom, Payson's reaction would be that of a nun at a strip club.

Her eyes nearly double in size when she thanks him for cortisone. Nicky leans in like he's about to hug her (gross) or kiss her (grosser), but Payson doesn't even notice, spins right around and walks away. When all the reserved parking for the Rock's best girls are empty, Kelly makes her presence known.

Nicky scoff-laughs. "Why are you here? And dressed like Carmen San Diego?"

"Why is Payson Keeler thanking you for cortisone?"

Nicky looks from side to side in a panic. "Would you keep it down?" It doesn't look like there's anyone around, but there always is. He opens the passenger side door of his car for her and Kelly gets in. It's only after he gets in himself that he explains how he forged his dad's signature and Payson paid him for it. That's all.

"Do you know how much trouble you could get into for that?" Kelly asks. "Like actual jail time! You're way too pretty for prison."

"That's why no one's ever going to find out."

"Not if she's just going to bring it up out in the open like that. Why are you putting your career, your whole life on the line to help Payson Keeler?" She waits for him to break his heart. She can tell it's on its way when he won't even make eye contact with her. "What are you going to do when she bats her eyes and wants more? Your dad is bound to notice."

"He won't and it was a one time thing," he says. "I can trust you to keep this a secret, right?"

"Of course," she says, gently laying her hand on his. "You know I use everyone else's secrets against them for my own personal gain, but you've always been an exception to that. Maybe I drove all the way here because I really wanted to see you."

Nicky stares hard at her and Kelly's eyelashes flutter before his face noticeably softens. "And you had to dress like an international superthief to do it?"

"Shut up! You know I look hot."

Nicky laughs and moves his eyes to their now tangled fingers. He's always known not to trust Kelly Parker. She's given him so many reasons to just stop giving her chances and be done with it, done with her and all her bullshit. Then again, how do you simply cut someone out of your life when they're a big part of how you became the way you are?

The answer is simple. You can't.

"So are you coming over or what?" Nicky asks. He notices the way she lights up and Nicky knows it's a mistake, but he simply can't help himself when it comes to her.

She smirks. "I thought you'd never ask."

Later that night, when she's yanking off his shirt and he's struggling with the buckle of his belt, Nicky tells her that this is the last time. Kelly only laughs because she really does love the way he lies.

…

When Payson falls at Nationals, Kelly finds his face. Nicky looks like all his dreams have shattered and it may be sick and it may be twisted, but Kelly feels satisfied. She knows how people operate and Payson Keeler is nothing more than a downward spiral. Nicky can try to reach her, to pull her back, but he'll fail. Payson is too strong to let someone other than herself save her.

Kelly feels her heart race and her eyes widen as they rush Payson off to the hospital, but she still feels satisfied because Nicky is as good as hers again and other than winning, he's all that matters.

…

"Hey. You've reached Kelly Parker's phone. Duh. I'm probably in the gym right now, working for the gold, so leave a message and if you're worth my time then I'll get back to you. Okay? Buh-bye."

Beep.

"Hey, Parks. I know this is probably the worst way to tell you, but I don't know when I'll be in Denver next. Look, I know you're busy and so am I so I don't want to waste either of our time anymore. I can't keep doing what we're doing. It isn't working for me. Gymnastics is all I have time for in my life right now and I need to concentrate on that. I'm sorry, but it's the right thing to do."

When Kelly Parker saw that she had a voicemail after a hard day in the gym, she didn't expect that. She just scowls and throws her phone across the room. It slams into the wall and rattles her trophy case.

Kelly has never felt so defeated. Not even placing below Kaylie Cruz at Nationals hurt this much.

…

In the time they spend apart, him doing God Knows What in Boulder and her training her ass off in Denver, Kelly doesn't run to him once. She thinks about it, especially when she's in Boulder training with the national team. They don't talk once while she's there. Every time she scrolls through her cell phone's address book, she pauses to look at his name. She has a whole box of shit that's his in the back of her closet she has to look at every morning she gets dressed and every night when she gets undressed to crawl into her bed, alone.

If she's being honest with herself, Kelly misses him. She misses being with him, but she does not make this known to him. She does not beg or plea. If Nicky wants to indulge in Payson Keeler or whatever other Rock girl that's caught his attention this week, then she'll let him. She won't argue or bother him.

Deep inside, Kelly knows he'll be back. It's only a matter of time.

…

The next time she sees him, it's Nicky sitting on the hood of her car outside Denver Elite. He's in a thick coat and nervously drumming his fingers. Slowly, guardedly, Kelly walks up to him. Her light brown hair is twirled up in her signature twin buns and she's wearing her national team jacket. Kelly to her jacket is like Superman to his cape. She's glad she's wearing it, especially for this confrontation.

"Nice hair," Nicky shouts playfully.

"Cut the crap," she demands. "What are you doing here?"

"Way to be blunt, Parks," he rasps. Kelly shivers at the rough sound of his voice. She's almost forgotten what it sounded like since they've been apart for so long. "I've always liked Denver."

"Uh-huh. Quit prolonging the inevitable," she hisses.

"Big words," he teases.

"Well, I did grow up with you, walking dork dictionary," she replies. The words aren't delivered as venomously as she hoped. There's just something about Nicky Russo that she just can't seem to stay upset with him for very long. "Seriously, Nick. What's up?"

"I lost myself a little bit over there," he explains, suddenly solemn. "There's too much drama in Boulder. I just needed an out. I figured Denver. Great gym, great city…great people."

Kelly blankly stares at him. "If you're screwing with me right now I will bite you, Russo."

He chuckles. "No. I spent the entire day in the Denver Elite office filling out paperwork and whatnot. It's official."

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Since when has Kelly Parker ever cared about what I want?" he asks. "Invasion of the body snatchers, perhaps? Do you have the really Kelly Parker tied up somewhere? In the trunk maybe?"

Ignoring him, Kelly asks, "So Payson rejected you, huh?"

His face darkens as he pulls away and Kelly just takes it as a yes.

"Forget her, Nick," Kelly says, swiftly sliding closer towards him. She lets her hand fall to his arm and she fists the thick material of his coat just to make sure he's really there. "I would never reject you. I would never turn you away."

Licking his lips, Nicky sighs, "I've missed this."

Kelly pretends he said 'I missed you.'

…

Nicky doesn't talk about what happened in Boulder, what made him choose to come to Denver and Kelly doesn't push it.

She does see these subtle hints here and there that he isn't the same Nicky that used to spent consecutive nights in her bed. For instance, the one time he raises his voice to her is in defense of Kaylie Cruz. Kelly and the girls had been doing their daily bitching and obviously, the precious National Champion is a good conversational topic. Then Nicky just pulls her aside and explodes.

After he walks away, Kelly's convinced she doesn't want to hear what happened in Boulder, what changed her Nick, not ever.

…

Groaning, Kelly wakes up in Nicky's bed, wearing one of his old t-shirts. She can hear the shower running and she stretches out across the bed. Her hair is loose and crazy, a jungle of twisted and tangled tresses hovering around her head. She can't help, but grin and tries to busy herself until Nicky gets back. Her eyes find a stack of magazines on his bedside table, one in particular drawing her attention.

Kelly laughs and shouts, "Russo, you read Seventeen Magazine?"

Curious, Kelly pulls it out from underneath the issues of Sports Illustrated and gymnastics magazines. She freezes when she sees who's on the cover and the little sticker near the bottom where the name of the subscriber is printed. It's addressed to Kaylie Cruz and the beautiful, slim dark-haired girl is on the cover, smiling brightly with an obvious fan tousling her tresses. Kelly knows looking through it would only piss her off, but then again, look what she's doing with Nicky. Kelly Parker is a glutton for suffering.

She starts flipping through the magazine, bypassing all the editorial crap about make-up secrets and ads for acne cream. Towards the center of the magazine is where she finds the spread. It's Kaylie Cruz in a beautiful white gown and Nicky Russo, looking handsome in a black and white tuxedo. The article is some crap about prom, which is ironic because they're gymnasts and none of them have ever even gone to a real school or had real relationships.

That's when she stumbles upon the letter neatly tucked into the spine of the magazine.

Dear Nicky,

I thought I'd send you a copy of the issue seeing as I can't see the Great Nicky Russo walking into a drug store and purchasing an issue of Seventeen Magazine himself. MJ dropped off about a zillion. You can have mine. I think the pictures actually came out pretty great. The photographers worked some magic considering how much hate we had for each other. It sucks that we just started getting along after the shoot. Just imagine what could have been if we were actually having fun with it.

Look, I know things got a little…awkward towards the end and I don't want you to think I'm choosing my friendship with Payson over you. It isn't like that. Honest. It does suck that it isn't till after you left that I realized how much I value my friendship with you and how grateful I am you helped me train. The Rock isn't the same without you. I just hope Denver is everything you wanted it to be.

Sincerely,

Kaylie

P.S. I really meant what I said about the butterflies

"Why are you going through my things?"

Kelly looks up and sees Nicky standing in the doorway, rubbing a towel through his dark hair. She doesn't think she's ever seen him so angry. He marches into the room and snaps the magazine away from her. He then reaches for the letter, but Kelly pulls away before he can touch it. Nicky glares to show he's serious and his eyes roll up to the ceiling, looking more annoyed than anything.

"I didn't know you and Kaylie Cruz were so close," Kelly practically sneers. "So what's she talking about? Butterflies?"

"That's none of your business," Nicky says, finally grabbing a hold of the letter. He pulls gently, sure not to rip it, but Kelly doesn't let go. Nicky gives her a pointed look and soon she lets up. Scowling in his bed, Kelly watches with irritation how careful Nicky is as he folds up the letter and slides it into the magazine. He then brings it over to the bookshelf, putting it on the top shelf where Kelly can't reach.

"Nice, Nick," she scoffs.

"Don't touch my things, Kelly," he warns.

"So I'm confused. I thought Payson was the one you wanted to marry after the Olympics, buy your stupid white-picket fence and have your little gymnastic protégé children with?" she asks. "How exactly does Kaylie Cruz fit into that equation?"

Nicky walks back over to her and leans in close to whisper, "None of your business."

"No judgment here, Nick," she says innocently, waving her hands. "I'm just saying it's very Carter Anderson of you. God, that place is so dramatic. They should make some reality TV show or something about the Rock."

"Exactly. That's why I'm here," Nicky says, sitting on the edge of his bed beside her. Kelly notices how he skillfully avoids where the conversation was going. "Denver is like detox. Everything is just easier here. Simple."

"Funny," she purrs, leaning in close to him. "I thought you came here for me."

"I came here to train, because I need to focus."

Kelly's facial expression slides into annoyance, but then settles on a pout. Sarcastically, she sneers, "How romantic, Nick."

"Not trying to be," Nicky says.

"What? Don't believe in love?" Kelly asks.

"Love is like religion. It sparks controversy so I avoid talking about it," he explains. "Now I've got to meet my father for lunch." He looks at her expectantly and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Are you kicking me out?" she asks, lifting her dark brows.

"Well, you've just proved that I sure as hell can't leave you in here by yourself."

"I was just wondering why you had an issue of Seventeen Magazine. Then I realized it's documentation of your little fling or whatever with Kaylie Cruz, which by the way, Nicky, eww," she says. "At least Payson had the same drive and work ethic as you so I got that, but lucky little Kaylie Cruz? Tell me you didn't fall for that."

"I didn't fall for that," Nicky says irritably, hoping the fact that Kelly's getting her way will make her drop it. "To fall for that would mean she'd give me a chance and she didn't."

Kelly sees how sad Nicky is, but it's like she can't control her mouth and she murmurs, "Wow, Kaylie Cruz actually has a brain. Who knew?"

…

Kelly's stirred by Nicky's husky laughter and the feeling of his hot breath against her bare skin. She groans and turns over so that she's facing him. She knows that he's looking around her bedroom walls, entertained by the fact that it looks like a twelve-year-old girl lives here, what with all the Jonas Brothers posters plastered on the walls.

"I've never met someone so in love with the Jonas Brothers," he whispers.

"Can it," Kelly says, slapping his arm. She rubs the sleep out of her eyes and curls up closer towards him. "Can you blame me? Joe Jonas is goofy and hot and Nick Jonas is talented and hot. Hotness isn't something to be ignored."

"Isn't there a third one?"

"Yeah, but he isn't very hot or talented and married," Kelly says, giving a shrug.

Nicky laughs. There's something in the way he looks over at her in this rare moment where he's yet to run away. It makes her heart soar. It makes her, for a second or two, think that they might have something beyond her bedroom doors. They keep coming back to each other and that has to mean something. She isn't just a passing infatuation, but one of the few stable things in his life. Kelly intends to keep things that way.

"Jeez, is it three in the morning already?" he asks. Kelly feels her heart sink because she knows what comes next. This isn't this first time. He's about to bolt.

"Yeah," she says softly. "If someone didn't show up late then maybe it wouldn't be 3AM already."

"Kelly," he groans tiredly. "I don't want to fight tonight."

"I'm not trying to fighting," she says, frustrated. "I'm just pointing something out."

"You know, I didn't want to start doing this again because I knew you were going to get like this," Nicky says. He grimaces and sits up, just about to get out of bed.

Jerking the sheets up to her chest, Kelly nearly screams, "Like what?"

"Clingy. Controlling," he replies, grabbing for his jeans on the ground. "I mean, we ended it for a reason."

"We ended it?" she repeats, fury building. "You left me a stupid voicemail!"

"I'm not your boyfriend, Kelly." His words hit her hard like a cheap blow to the face. He continues to get dressed and Kelly just sits still. She can't bring herself to even breathe.

"I know," Kelly says stiffly, as much as it hurts to admit it, she does. "I know."

"I should go," Nicky says softly.

"Nick, seriously, don't be a prick."

"I'll see you in the morning at practice," he says, pressing a chaste kiss to the side of her face before leaving.

It's a relationship lived in moments. One moment they're happy and joking; the next he's out the door.

…

"Looks like your little Boulder girlfriend has been busy."

"What do you mean?"

"Her and Austin Tucker are totally a thing," Kelly says, sitting down beside him during a lunch break. "I had a national team practice yesterday and Austin Tucker, womanizer extreme, is training there. No joke."

"So? Kaylie wouldn't—"

Kelly laughs loudly. She didn't even mention Kaylie. Nicky did. Verbal slip number one.

"So she is your Boulder girlfriend?"

"God, Kelly, do we have to have this conversation ever day?" Nicky asks, annoyed. "I haven't even seen her since the night before I moved to Denver. Would you give it a rest?"

"But you've been texting her, haven't you?"

"Have you been reading my text messages?"

Verbal slip number two.

"No, you jackass," she replies, throwing her fork at him.

Ignoring her, Nicky asks, "So you were saying about Tucker?"

"They were totally making out in the parking lot," Kelly replies. Nicky doesn't look very convinced and Kelly sighs. "Okay so they weren't eating each other's face off. More like little pecks. Okay, so they kissed twice and it was nothing her grandma would be ashamed of. How do you get me to tell the truth like that?"

"Practice," Nicky replies. Kelly frowns, seeing how the light in his eyes has dimmed and how his voice comes out weak.

"Don't tell me you still like her or whatever," Kelly groans. "She's annoying and everyone loves her and she can never do anything wrong. Nick, the one time where you and me weren't at each other's throats was when we were making fun of Kaylie Cruz. Don't you remember how great things used to be?"

"Not anymore, Parks. Kaylie's cool." Nicky nods. "You just don't know her like I do."

"Yeah, and apparently you don't know her like Austin Tucker is getting to know her," she says suggestively. "Did you even get to first base? Chances are, if you haven't then she's forgotten all about you, Nick. It's the sad truth. Kaylie Cruz likes to lie to herself and think she's better than everyone else, but in the end, she's just like every other girl. If a hottie like Austin Tucker is actively pursuing her then there's only so long until she forgets all about you and helps herself to some Austin Tucker lovin'."

Nicky goes quiet and Kelly tries not to smile too wide. She knows he's thinking over her words and she's glad she stole his phone while he was using the restroom and deleted his newest text message from Kaylie. Kelly has to force herself not to roll her eyes, recalling how Nicky titled her "Princess" in his cell phone's contacts list. Barf.

"You know, Parks, it's not nice to say things to get in people's heads," Nicky says tightly.

"But you know I'm right, don't you, Nick?" she whispers, all low and alluring.

"Whatever."

"So you'll be over at around midnight, right?" she asks, more confident than hopeful.

Reflecting on her words, Nicky gives a big sigh. "Like clockwork."

…

Her car pulls up in front of her empty house and he's waiting.

Kelly sighs a little because she's happy to see Nicky come to her for once and not the other way around, but she's completely exhausted. Her body aches and all she wants to do is sleep. She knows sleep won't come, though, because watching Marty lose his job has certainly taken a toll on her. He's the one person in the gymnastics world that she actually trusts and doesn't mind his input. Now that he's out, Kelly doesn't know what is going to happen.

"Welcome home," Nicky greets her. He pulls open the door to the backseat of her car and takes her gym bag, slinging the strap over his shoulder. Kelly smiles weakly as they make their way to her front door.

"What are you doing here?" Kelly asks, genuinely curious.

He shrugs. "I just wanted to see you."

That's a red flag if she's ever seen one.

Kelly sighs and leans back against her front door. "What do you want?"

Nicky chuckles. "So I have to want something to hang out with you?"

"Generally, yes," Kelly replies briskly. "Usually, it's sex."

"No," he disagrees, laughing. "Usually when you come to me, it's sex."

"Right, because you never come to me. You never initiate it. It's always me crawling to you like some pathetic pet," Kelly points out. "So I'll ask you again. What do you want, Nick?"

Nicky just frowns. Kelly knows he isn't quiet because he's trying to formulate some explanation. He's quiet because he knows that there is no answer.

"Bad day at the Rock?" he asks softly.

"You have no idea," she sighs.

"Did something happen with Kaylie?"

And that's when it all clicks into place and Kelly knows why he's here. God forbid Nicky Russo really cares about her wellbeing. She isn't stupid. Kelly knows that he's just desperate for any scrap of Kaylie Cruz's life he can get his hands on, but he's too afraid to actually be in her life. Kelly feels her blood boiling and she wouldn't be surprised if Nicky could feel it radiating off of her. Then again, when it comes to Kelly Parker, apparently, Nicky Russo feels nothing.

She just can't understand this. Kelly has always been there for this boy. When they were spoiled little rich kids with absent parents, she understood. When he broke into the gymnastics business, she knew exactly what he was going through. She even put up with all his shit between hooking up. Now he has the audacity to pull this on her?

"Why Kaylie?" Kelly snaps. "Why'd you ask me about her? Why not Lauren or Emily or anyone else for that matter?"

"Because I could care less about what Lauren Tanner's up to and I've never had a real conversation with Emily Kmetko ever," Nicky replies. "Calm down, Parks. I'm just curious because she's supposed to be leading the national team and I'd imagine you and the other girls didn't make that very easy on her."

"Yes, we may have made things hard on her and she deserves to be tested. It comes with the title. God. I'd even rather answer to Keeler than that dumb little a—"

Kelly stops herself from actually saying it – that dumb little anorexic bitch.

Kelly gulps at the memory, the brief conversation she had with the national champion while getting chalked up. Kelly had almost felt sick at what Kaylie was doing to herself. Kelly has seen Anorexia eat girls alive and it seems the pressure is devouring their fearless leader from the inside out. It's stupid, but it isn't Kelly's place to tell Kaylie how to live. At least, that's what Kelly keeps telling herself.

"What's wrong?" Nicky asks.

Kelly said she'd keep Kaylie's secret and this might be the first time she actually does.

"Marty got fired," she says, almost inaudibly. If there's anything Nicky knows about her, it's how high an esteem Kelly holds Marty to. After all, he's the only person that can possibly tame the ever-difficult Kelly Parker.

Nicky rubs his hand over his face, looking somewhat guilty, and that's when Kelly puts on a show. She wraps her arms around herself and looks into the porch light, hoping for a tear or two. She gets this sick little thrill when Nicky pulls her into a hug and she tries to fight him just for show at first, but then ends up with her arms tight around him.

"That sucks about Marty," he breathes into her hair.

"I don't want to talk about it right now. I don't even want to think about it," Kelly says. She runs her fingertip down his hard chest. She looks up into his eyes and she can feel hers glaze with the hint of tears. "Make me forget, Nick."

Kelly can see the hesitation in his eyes and she only whimpers, snuggling closer to him. She feels his lips against her neck, the gentlest of kisses, and she sighs, letting her eyes fall closed. As wrong and heartless as it may seem, Kelly can't help, but find this moment, him and her together, perfect.

Even though a life may hang in the balance, Kaylie's life, so does Kelly's happiness. She knows that if she tells him, not only is she breaking her promise, but she's also pushing Nicky away. She knows that he'll run right back to Kaylie Cruz, to save her and be with her. Then there will be no more hot nights in her bedroom or his, no more stress relief exercises, no more mind game conversations, no more fighting and no more making up, no more Nick and Parks.

As his tongue traces the column of her neck and she tugs on his hair, Kelly can't help, but keep her mouth shut and keep the secrets to herself. Kelly Parker chooses herself because she knows no one else ever will and that includes the boy currently holding her tight.

Kelly Parker has never been one to play nice with other kids, especially when it comes to sharing him.

Fini