| Chapter 4 Tracy, Gideon, and Jade were sitting in the bedroom watching Nick sleep. Tara had taken Lyn out into the living room after the guys had left. They had been talking about Nick's training and what kind of changes it would mean for them as a couple. Nick stirred in the bed and Tracy looked down at him. She placed her hand on his shoulder, seeing what he was dreaming. She pulled her hand away, "The dreams are starting," she said concerned. Jade and Gideon looked at her, shocked. "Already?" Jade asked. "It's much to soon," Gideon said. "We knew this might happen," Tracy said, "The power of his abilities is just to much to keep him hidden." "We need to do something, he's not ready for this yet," Jade said. "If we stay with him, they won't dare show up," Gideon said. Nick jerked awake, sitting up and looking around the room. "You guys still here?" he asked, calming himself down. "Yes, and it looks like we're gonna be staying a while," Tracy said. "Why's that?" Nick asked. "Do you remember what you were just dreaming?" Jade asked. Nick thought for a moment, "No, not really. I feel uneasy, but I can't remember any details of it." "Nick, the first sign that your temptation is near, are dreams," Gideon said. "You're starting to have them," Tracy added. Nick looked from one to the other, a look of fear and shock in his face, "It's to soon isn't it?" "It is, but your abilities are giving you away," Jade said. "Giving me away? How?" Nick asked, confused. "Nick, when we are first brought back, we are shielded from them for a time. In that time we are trained, and as our control and abilities grow, they start to sense us. Since your abilities are so strong, they've already sensed you," Tracy explained. Nick was shaking now with fear, "Guys I know I'm not ready yet." Jade put her hand on his arm, calming him down, "Don't worry. We will stay with you, they won't approach you with us here." Nick nodded his head, feeling somewhat relieved. "Um, Tara said that there would be a time when you guys would have to leave. Is that true?" Nick asked. "Yes, eventually we will have to leave you," Jade said. "Will you tell me before you go?" he asked. "If we can, yes," Gideon said, smiling at him. Nick laughed a little, "That's reassuring." "It's all we can promise," Tracy said. "I understand," Nick said. "I was wondering, has there ever been anyone that has fallen, and then come back?" Nick asked. He watched as the three exchanged serious glances. "Nick, it is very difficult for that to happen," Jade said. "When one of us falls, we lose our sense of who we are. Our hearts are consumed with darkness, and any love we had for others is lost," Tracy said. "But has anyone done it? Has anyone come back from it?" Nick asked again. "Only one that I know of," Gideon said. "Only one? Who was it? Do you guys know?" Nick asked, curious, and somewhat shocked. All three looked down, not wanting to meet Nick's curious eyes. It suddenly dawned on Nick why they were being so evasive. "It was Tara wasn't it?" he asked. Tracy looked up at him, "Yes it was." "How? Why? ...." Nick started. "You will have to talk to her about this," Gideon said. "It took us a long time to bring her back. We almost didn't," Jade said. "Nick, don't make us have to decide on wether to bring you back or not," Tracy said. "I'll do my best," Nick said, "You guys might wanna disappear for a while. Our tour manager is coming down the hall with the guys." All three smiled at him, then left his sight. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Stephen, I'm sure he's fine," Brian said, for the tenth time. "I just want to make sure. Can't have him sick for the entire run can we?" Stephen said. Brian rolled his eyes and he approached his door. Stephen had been with them for several years, and he was the constant worrier. He was a mousy man, with light brown hair, and hazel eyes. He wasn't much older than Kevin, but he was very good at his job. And taking care of the guys while they were on the road was part of his job, a part he took very seriously. Brian opened the door, seeing Tara and Lyn sitting on the couch talking. "Hey, you're back," Tara said, smiling. "Yeah, Stephen wants to check on Nick," Brian said. "Last I looked he was sleeping," Lyn said. "Which room?" Stephen asked. The girls got up and led him into the bedroom. Nick was laying in bed with his eyes closed. When they walked in, he opened them, looking over at Stephen. "Hey man," Nick said, in a weak, hoarse voice. "Hey, I wanted to see how you were feeling," Stephen said. "Better. At least I'm not puking anymore," Nick said. "Well that's good. Do I need to call in a doc to see you?" Stephen asked. "No, I'll be fine," Nick said, sitting up in bed, holding his stomach. "You sure? You don't look to good," Stephen asked. "Positive. I'll be good as new in the morning," Nick said, smiling at him. "Alright, but if you change your mind give me a call, OK?" Stephen said. "OK," Nick said, watching as Stephen left the room. Nick waited until he could feel Stephen on the elevator before he stopped his act. Brian and Lyn watched in amazement as the color came back to Nicks face, and his voice returned to normal. "So you guys have fun at the radio station?" he asked. "Um, yeah I guess. How'd you do that?" Brian asked. "Do what?" Nick asked. "Make yourself look sick like that," Lyn said. "Oh, I just thought about it, and it worked. I really don't know," Nick said. "Man, that's amazing," Brian said. "Now we're not gonna know if you really are sick, or just faking for the attention," Lyn said, smiling at him. "Oh, I'll know," Tara said. "Party pooper," Nick teased. They all laughed. "We're all gonna order in tonight and eat in here," Brian said. "Good, I'm starving," Nick said. "I'll get the menu," Brian said, turning to leave the room. "Um, Lyn could you order for me? I need to talk to Tara about some things," Nick asked. "Sure," she said. "Bri, you know what I want?" Tara asked. He nodded his head, "Yeah, I'll take care of it." They watched as the two left the room, closing the door. Tara looked at Nick, "So what you want to talk about?" "Tara, Tracy said I was starting to have the dreams," he said. She looked at him a little startled, "Already?" He nodded his head, "They said they would stay with me for a while, but I'm not ready for this. I know it." "Nick, you will be. Don't defeat yourself before it even starts, OK?" Tara said. "Can I ask you something personal?" Nick asked. "I guess," she said. "What happened when you fell?" he asked. Tara stared at him in silence for a few moments. Nick knew he probably shouldn't have asked, but he needed to know. "Did they tell you?" Tara asked. "No, I guessed," he said. Tara looked down as Nick took her hand. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'm just really scared about all this, and I thought that maybe if I knew what happened to you, and how you came back, that it would help," he said. Tara looked up at him, tears in her eyes, "Nick, understand that this is really hard for me to talk about, OK?" He nodded his head, "OK." "The specific temptation really doesn't matter, because it's different for each one of us. But, I chose the easy way out. I didn't want to fight anymore. I was tired, and I felt like God had abandoned me, so I gave in. I wasn't with them long when Tracy found me and took me with her. I fought her so hard. It took four or five of them to keep me pinned down, while several more tried to talk some sense into me. Finally I realized what I'd done. I was the one that walked away from God, not the other way around. I asked for forgiveness, and was allowed back. It wasn't until I was allowed to help Brian that I fully regained what it was I'd lost. I think that God knew that Brian would help me just as much as I would be able to help him, that's why he sent me to him. I was still questioning myself and God's love when I found Brian. I was angry, mostly at myself for being so weak, but Brian helped me though it," she said. "Does Brian know any of this?" Nick asked. "No he doesn't. It would be hard to explain to him, and there really is no need to. The only reason I'm telling you is so you won't make the same mistake I did. No matter how hopeless and alone you feel, you have to remember that He is always with you. If you lose that, they win," she said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian opened the door, seeing the other guys standing outside. "Hey, you guys are early," Brian said, letting them in. "We're starving, when's the food getting here?" A.J. asked. "Shouldn't be to long now," Lyn said from the couch. "Where's the dynamic duo?" Kevin asked, not seeing them. "Talking," Brian said, pointing to the bedroom. "Oh, they are gonna eat with us aren't they?" Howie asked. "Yeah," Lyn said. Kevin's cell phone rang and he pulled it out, seeing his home number on the caller ID. "Hello," he said. "Hey honey, how was your first day?" Kristin asked. "It was pretty good. How's the child?" Kevin asked, laughing. "That's why I'm calling. Is Tara or Nick there?" she asked. "Yeah, what's going on?" he asked. "Well I can't figure out what she wants, and she won't stop whining," Kristin said, exasperated. Kevin laughed, "Hang on. I'll see if I can get one of them on." Kevin walked over to the door of the bedroom and raised his hand to knock. Just then the door opened and he was face to face with Nick. "Here man, talk to Kris and find out what's wrong with Angel," Kevin said, shoving the phone in Nick's hand. "Um, OK," Nick said, taking it. "Hey Kris, what's up?" he said. "Nick, thank God. Please listen to her and tell me what she's whining about," Kristin said. Nick laughed, "OK, hold the phone where she can hear me." Kristin held the phone up to Angel's face. "Wait hang on, not so fast," Nick said. "OK, I know you miss me, but you know we can't bring you with us. We'll be in rehearsals soon and you can come then, OK?" Nick said. Angel whined and barked at him. "She doesn't? Well, I'll tell her OK? You promise to be good until I see you again?" Nick said. Angel whined. "Kris?" Nick asked. Kristin pulled the phone back up to her ear, "Yeah?" "OK, this is a long list. She wants to sleep in bed with you. She's not used to sleeping by herself anymore, and she's lonely," Nick said. Kristin looked down at Angel, "Um, I guess, OK. What else?" "She doesn't like the food you gave her," Nick said. "I dropped what Brian left here all over the floor, so I gave her some of what we had left when we kept Tyke and Litty," she confessed. "Well, go get her some more in the morning," Nick said, "And she wants to play with her red ball, not the blue one." She laughed, "She can tell the color?" "No, but they're different to her and she likes the red one better," Nick explained. "OK, anything else?" she asked. "No, I think that's got it," Nick said. "OK, thanks. Now put my hubby back on please," Kristin said. "OK, bye," Nick said, handing the phone back to Kevin and sitting down on the couch. "Problems with our child?" Brian asked, smiling. "Yeah, she's a picky little thing," Nick said, "And spoiled." Everyone laughed. "Oh, she said to tell you hi," Nick said, looking at Brian. "Good, I was beginning to think she'd forgotten me," he said. "Where's that food at?" A.J. asked. Just then a knock came at the door, "Room Service!" "Thank God," Howie said, rushing to beat A.J. to the door. Chapter 5 |