Chapter Thirty Six

She could see his smile, hear his laugh, feel his lips. His touch was still on her body, he'd branded her his. His voice echoed through her mind, he'd helped her so much. She remembered how he helped her with the fight between her and Kris and Michelle.

"Alecia..."

She looked up from the chair she was sitting in and he was there. "N-Nick..."

"There's my girl. Come here sweetie." He opened his arms.

She stood and looked at him, he was perfect. He smiled at her.

"Alecia, it's me..."

She walked slowly over to him and she could feel the warmth radiating from him. She went to step into his arms and he started to fade.

"Nick...Nick!!!"

"I'm sorry Alecia..."

"No! No wait!! Don't leave me!!! I need you!!"

"I'm so sorry..." He was gone.

"Nick!!! Noooooooo!!"

Alecia jumped on the couch she was lying on, her heart pounding. She looked to find that there was a coat covering her. She didn't remember lying down, she guessed one of the guys must have done it the night before. It was all a blur, after she'd witnessed Nick's heart stopping, she had been in a daze. She sat up, that dream was so real. She could still feel him, everything about him. He'd come to her and when she went to him, he'd left her. She didn't want to think that it'd meant something. She stood and got off the couch and started down the hall, but stopped. AJ, Brian, Kevin and Howie were all crying and hugging each other. Her heart was racing and she felt her legs getting heavy as she started walking down the hall to his room. She passed by them and stopped. She wanted to say something, but they were huddled together, so sad, so quiet. She swallowed hard and blinked as a few tears fell. She turned and walked a little ways down and stopped in front of the door. She wiped her hands on her pants, grabbed the knob and opened the door, walking in. She looked over at the bed and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. It was empty, never touched. She tried to breathe but she couldn't, she couldn't think. She leaned back heavily against the door and closed her eyes. The room was spinning, he was dead. It was all over, if only she'd gotten someone when he'd woken. She turned her head to the side, she could still hear him, feel him. No one had told her. She slid down against the door, wrapping her arms around her stomach and buried her face in her lap crying.

That voice, that voice. She swore she could hear him calling to her.

"Alecia..." He whispered.

She cried harder. It was too much.

"Alecia...it's me." His voice came again.

She had to get out. She stood and turned towards the door.

"Alecia...baby wait. Don't leave, turn around and look at me."

She pressed her head against the door, helpless to do anything but cry. It was torture, if she could only make the voice go away.

"Please...Please baby, turn around and look at me."

She felt herself turn around, still leaning against the door.

"Open your eyes...and look at me."

Alecia slowly turned her head and opened her eyes. He was standing there, by the window smiling at her. The sunlight hit his hair, making it shine over the large bandage that was wrapped around his head.

"There's my girl...come here sweetie." He whispered.

She couldn't take anymore and she broke down, squeezing her eyes shut. "Just...just stop...it...it's not you...you're dead."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "I am?"

"I watched you die...I saw your heart stop...it's my fault...my fault." She cried.

"No baby, it's no one's fault. And I'm not dead."

"I should've gotten help, done more. You'd still be alive...my fault!" She sobbed.

"Open your eyes Alecia. Open them now."

Slowly she opened them again and brought her hand to her mouth, her body shaking from her sobs.

"I'm not dead." He opened his arms. "Come here baby...please." He pleaded.

She stepped away from the door and started to walk over to him. It couldn't be true, it couldn't be real. He was dead. She'd get there and he'd fade, just like in her dream. Her legs were so heavy she could barely walk. She stopped in front of him and looked into his eyes. She closed her eyes as he reached out and she was ready for the touch that wouldn't come, but then something she didn't expect happened. She could feel his hands on her. Her eyes flew open and he was still there.

"I'm not dead Alecia...I'm very much alive." He murmured.

She slowly reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was real. "N-Nick...you're...alive...alive...I can touch you..."

Nick smiled and sighed heavily. Alecia looked at him to see his eyes were glossy.

"Oh...N-Nick..." She whimpered as he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"God, I never thought I'd hold you again." He whispered, as a tear ran down his face.

"I'm s-sorry...s-so s-sorry..." She stuttered and held him tighter.

"Shh...shh..baby no...it's not your fault." He soothed. He walked them over to the bed and sat. Alecia pulled away and looked at him.

"You're...here...you're really here." She brought her hands up to his face. He covered her hands with his.

"Yeah, I was kind of scared myself. But I'm leaving today. They're letting me go. I just have to take it easy."

Alecia nodded and bit her lip, looking at him.

"You're so beautiful, and everything about you..." Nick sighed and shook his head. What could he say, how could he tell her how happy he was that she was there.

Alecia cupped his face in her hands and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, resting her head on his. Nick pulled away slightly and it was him this time that cupped her face and brought his lips down to hers and kissed her gently. The sweetness of the gesture made the tears that were threatening fall down her cheeks and she pulled away with a moan and was once again back into his arms. She pulled away again. "Nick, I...I heard the song. The song you wanted to sing to me. I listened to it last night."

"I know."

"You do?"

"I could hear you, I just couldn't say anything. Finally at the end I was able to move a little and speak."

"Oh."

"I promise, I will sing to you."

Alecia smiled. "I'd better go so you can get ready."

Nick nodded. "I'll see you soon then."

Alecia nodded. "Ok, see you. I'm...I'm glad you're ok."

"Thanks. And thank you for coming to see me."

"Friends do that for each other." And with that she got up and left.

"Nick you need help with that man?"

"No Brian I'm fine. Just relax ok. I'm almost done." Nick replied, stuffing clothes into his bag.

"Ok well call if you need anything." Brian announced before walking out the room as AJ came in.

"Hey man how's it going?" AJ asked.

"If one more person comes in asking how I am!"

"Hey! We care! Chill man!"

"I know, sorry. I just can't help it."

"You don't know how lucky you are to be here. I mean if Alecia hadn't found you and pulled you out of..."

"What? What did you say?"

"I said that if Alecia hadn't pulled you out of the pool we would've lost you man."

"Alecia...saved me?"

"Yeah, she was in the pool area looking for something and she saw you floating in the water and she pulled you out and started doing mouth to mouth. From what the doctor said it saved you from having brain damage." AJ explained.

Nick slumped down on the bed. "She...she never told me." He whispered.

"Yeah, she blamed herself, saying she never should've told you that she was leaving. And then when you..." AJ shook his head before continuing. "She blamed herself for that too. Saying she should've gotten someone, she wore herself out worrying and she just burned out." AJ finished.

"I had no idea. AJ where is she?"

"You don't know? She left today, she went back to her apartment complex."

Nick jumped up and bolted out the room. It was now or never.

Chapter Thirty Seven
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