| Chapter 54 Nick slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He had an oxygen mask on, and there was an IV in his hand. He looked down to see that he was wearing a hospital gown. He felt awful, and it hurt to breathe. He slowly looked around the room, coming to realize that he wasn't in a hospital. He was in someone's bedroom, but he couldn't remember who's. He was starting to get panicked when Lyn came through the door. She noticed he was awake, so she walked over to the side of the bed and sat on the edge. "How you feeling?" she asked. Nick looked up at her, knowing he'd seen her before, but not remembering when or where. "Nick, can you hear me?" she asked when he didn't answer her. "Yeah," he said weakly, "I feel awful." "You've been very sick, so you're gonna feel bad for a while," Lyn said. "Where am I?" Nick asked. "You don't remember?" Lyn asked. He shook his head no. Concern filled Lyn's eyes, "Nick, what's the last thing you do remember?" He thought for a minute, "I remember the water." "Being in the water?" Lyn asked. Nick nodded his head. "Nick, that was four days ago," she said. Fear filled Nick's eyes, and Lyn thought he was gonna cry. "It's OK, you're gonna be fine," she said trying to comfort him. Nick looked up at her, "Why can't I remember anything?" Lyn took a deep breath, "Do you remember how you got in the water?" "Yes," Nick said, looking down at his hands. "Well, I saw you go in, and I went in after you. I had to do CPR on you for quite a while before you came around, and when you did you were in shock and sick," Lyn said. "What's wrong with me?" he asked. "You've got a bad case of pneumonia, and your fever has been really high. It was up to 104.2 at one point, and we had to put you in the bathtub in ice water to get it down. It finally broke last night," Lyn said. "Who's we?" Nick asked. "Oh, my uncle, he's a doctor, and the one that's been treating you," Lyn answered. Nick looked at her for a long time, wondering just what kind of person would put their life on hold for a total stranger like she had. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember your name," he said. Lyn smiled, "You can call me Lyn." Nick looked at her confused, "That's not your name?" "Well it's my middle name, and the one I go by," she answered. "So what's your first name?" Nick asked. "I'm afraid to tell you, cause last time I did, you passed out," she said. "It's OK, I'm not gonna pass out," he said with a smile. Lyn took a deep breath, "It's Tara Lyn Jackson." Nick started coughing. Lyn reached over and got a glass of water off the nitestand and handed it to him. He finally calmed down enough to speak, "Lyn, thanks for taking care of me, and not taking me to the hospital. I hate those things." She smiled, "Yeah, I do too. I just figured it'd be best to try and keep you out if we could. I know the media would have a field day if they found out what happened." "Yeah they would, and that's exactly what I don't need right now," Nick said. Lyn looked at him for a minute, he was still very pale, and was far from being well, but he did look much better. "Nick, are you hungry?" she asked. "Maybe a little," he said. "OK, I'll go get you something, be back in a sec," she said getting up and leaving the room. Nick watched her go, then turned his attention to the windows. He could see the ocean from where he was laying. He sat up a little in the bed to get a better view. The sun was shining, and he guessed it had to be in the middle of the day. He couldn't believe he'd been there four days and had no recollection of any of it. But like Lyn said, he had been very sick, and he still felt like hell. He knew what he did was a mistake, but it seemed like the only out at the time. He felt ashamed that someone else knew what he'd done, but grateful at the same time. If it wasn't for her, he would've drowned. He owed her so much. Lyn came back in the room carrying a tray of food. She had heated up some soup, knowing he didn't need to eat anything really heavy. Nick sat up some more, and Lyn fixed the pillows behind him, then set the tray in his lap. "I hope you like vegetable soup," she said. Nick pulled the oxygen mask off, and realized just how much it was helping him breathe. Lyn sat down next to him, "Here, I'll put it back on between bites," she said taking the mask and holding it close to his face. "Thanks," Nick said as he took a bite. They worked out a system, and Nick managed to eat about half the bowl. Lyn put the mask back on his face, and he handed her the tray, and laid back down. She set the tray aside and sat down next to the bed. "Nick, there's something I need to ask you," she said. "What's that?" he asked. "Well, I went over and got some of your stuff and brought it over here, and Brian and Tara called just as I picked up your cell. Anyway, I answered it and talked to them for a minute," Lyn said. Nick looked panicked, "You didn't tell them anything did you?" "No, I told them that you were sick, and my name, but I didn't tell them where you were, or anything about what happened," she answered. Nick calmed back down, "Thank you." "Well, I told them that I would call from time to time and let them know how you were doing, and I haven't since then," she said. Nick looked at her, "How long ago was that?" "It was that first night," she answered, "Tara said she knew something was wrong, and that was why they were calling." Nick smiled, "She can always tell when something's not right." "Well anyway, do you want to call them, or do you want me to, or not at all?" Lyn asked. Nick thought for a moment, "I don't think I can talk to them right now." "It's OK, I understand, do you want me to call?" Lyn said. "Yeah, but don't tell them where we are, I can't face them right now," Nick said. "Alright, I wont," Lyn said. Nick laid his head down on the pillow trying not to go to sleep. Lyn took the tray back to the kitchen, and came back. She checked Nick's forehead to make sure the fever wasn't coming back, and noticed him fighting sleep. "Nick, you need to rest. Go ahead and sleep, I'll call Brian, and tell you what they said when you wake up," Lyn said. Nick looked at her for a minute, then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Lyn watched him sleep for a while, then got up and went into the living room. She fished Nick's cell from his bag, and turned it on. She found his phone book, and flipped through it until she found Brian's cell number. She pressed the call button and waited. "Hello," Brian said. "Um, Brian, this is Lyn," she said. "Lyn?....Oh Lyn, how's Nick?!" he asked. "He's doing better, he actually ate a little today," she said. "Great, is he were we can talk to him?" Brian asked. "No, he's asleep right now," Lyn said. "Oh," Brian said sounding disappointed. "He asked me to call and let you know how he was, but he's not ready to talk to you yet, I hope you understand," she said. "Yeah, I know he's hurting, and I feel just awful about it. The guy is my best friend, and he's hurting because of me," Brian said. Lyn couldn't figure out why Brian was telling her this, he didn't even know her. "Brian, it's not just you, or Tara, I don't think. He's got alot he's having to sort out, so don't put all this on you," she said. "Has he talked to you about it?" Brian asked. "No, not really. He just woke up not to long ago. I'm just going by what I've seen, and the feeling I get from him," Lyn said. "Lyn, can I ask you something?" Brian said. "Yeah, I guess, I'm not sure if I have an answer though," she said. "This may sound weird, but do you sense things about people and then find them to be true, or sense things before they happen?" he asked. "Brian, why are you asking me this?" she said, shocked. "I just need to know, do you?" he asked again. "Sometimes, but not always," she answered, "How'd you know?" Brian smiled, "Just a hunch." Nick started coughing, and Brian could hear it through the phone. "Lyn, is he really OK? He sounds awful," Brian said. "Trust me, he's a lot better than he was," she said walking into the bedroom and checking on him. "Listen Brian, I need to go, but I'll call again soon," Lyn said. "OK, tell him we love him, and thank you for taking care of him," Brian said. Lyn smiled, "OK, I will, and your welcome, bye." She hung the phone up and turned it off. She set it on the nitestand, and took her place in the chair next to the bed and watched as Nick slept. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tara walked into the living room, "Who was on the phone?" "It was Lyn, she called to say that Nick was doing better," Brian answered. "Oh good, did you get to talk to him?" she asked. "No, he was asleep, but I could hear him coughing, it sounded bad," he said. Tara looked at him, "Bri, what's bothering you?" He looked up at her, "She senses things like you do." "What are you talking about?" Tara asked sitting down next to him. "I asked her if she sensed things before they happened, or things about people, and she said she did sometimes," he said. "Brian alot of people have a sixth sense about things, it's not unusual," Tara said. "Yeah, but don't you think it's a little to coincidental that her name is Tara, and she has a sixth sense about things, and she's taken it upon herself to take care of him?" Brian asked. Tara stared at him, "Brian I think you're reading more into this than there really is." He thought for a moment, "Maybe I am, but what if I'm not? What if she has....connections like you do?" Tara smiled, "Then good for Nick, and if she doesn't, good for him anyway." Brian smiled, "Yeah, I guess you're right." Tara laughed, "You know I'm right, now come help me figure out what to fix to eat." They got up and walked to the kitchen together, hand in hand. Chapter 55 |