| Chapter 16 Kevin, A.J., and Howie sat in the waiting room. They had taken Nick in to see Dr. Spencer, and he had sent Nick over to the hospital to have some tests run. They had been there most of the morning. Howie threw the magazine he was reading on the table and looked at Kevin, "I wonder how much longer it's gonna take." Kevin just shrugged his shoulders, looking back up at the TV. A.J. was sitting off to himself, being unusually quiet. "Alex, you wanna tell us why you're over there pouting," Kevin said, not taking his eyes off the TV screen. A.J. got up and walked over, taking a seat next to Howie, "Nick's pissed at me for calling you." "So?" Howie said. "So, I just feel bad. I think he told me that in confidence, and the next thing I do is go and tell you," A.J. said. "Alex, you did the right thing. This may be nothing at all, but then again it could be something serious. Nick shouldn't have put it off like this," Kevin said, looking at him with that fatherly expression he got sometimes. A.J. sighed, "Yeah I guess." A nurse walked in the room, "Nick Carter?" All three men stood up. "We'll be bringing him out soon. He's a little out of it. The die that we used in the last test has that side effect on some people. He'll probably sleep for quite a while," she said. "OK, when will he find out about the results?" Kevin asked. "It depends on when we can get them read. I would think by tomorrow afternoon we should have them all in. Dr. Spencer will call when he gets them," she replied. "Thank you," Kevin said, smiling at the woman. She smiled back, and left the room. "What kind of test do they use die in?" A.J. asked. Both Howie and Kevin just shrugged their shoulders as an orderly brought Nick into the room in a wheel chair. Nick was slumped down, his head resting on his hand, barely able to keep his eyes open. "I'll go get the car," Howie said, leaving the room. "Nick, you awake there buddy?" A.J. asked, looking at him. "Uh huh," Nick said sleepily. Kevin smiled at him, "Well lets get you back to Brian's." The orderly followed them out of the hospital and up to Kevin's car. A.J. and Kevin helped Nick in the back seat, putting his seat belt on him. A.J. walked around and got in on the other side, while Kevin jumped in the front. Nick was fast asleep before they got out of the parking lot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Aleisha sat watching Brian sleep. He had managed to stay awake most of the morning, but had finally tired out. Angel walked over to her, sitting down next to Aleisha and looking at her. "What do you want?" Aleisha asked. Angel just looked at her with those piercing green eyes, almost as if she was trying to figure her out. "You don't like me very much do you?" Aleisha asked. Angel let out a small growl. "I thought so," she said, "Listen, I'm not trying to take him away from you. I'm trying to help him." Angel snorted and stared at her. "You don't believe me?" Aleisha said. Angel shook her head. Aleisha stared at the animal, "You really understand what I'm saying don't you?" Angel barked. Aleisha sighed, "OK, let's make a deal. We tolerate each other for his sake, that sound fair?" Angel sat there for a moment, then whined. "OK, deal then," Aleisha said. Angel got up and padded over to Brian, laying down in the floor next to him. Aleisha watched until Angel had fallen asleep. "OK, I'm going nuts. I did not just have a conversation with a wolf," she said to herself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Jesus Christ, when did he get so heavy?" A.J. said. They were halfway up the stairs with Nick. He was barely awake, and not much help at all, going up the stairs. "Well, we are missing one person that normally would be helping," Howie said. "Guys, lets quit talking and get him the rest of the way before we drop him," Kevin said. They finally managed to get Nick into his room, and in bed. Kevin sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling Nick's shoes off. "I'm gonna go make some lunch," Howie said, going down to the kitchen. A.J. helped Kevin get Nick under the covers and pull the blanket up over him. Kevin laughed a little. "What's so funny?" A.J. asked. "This reminds me of when he was a kid. I'd have to tuck him in every night and talk to him until he fell asleep," Kevin said. A.J. smiled, "Yeah, man that just seems like yesterday." Kevin nodded. Just then Nick's cell phone rang. Kevin grabbed it off the dresser and answered it, "Nick's phone." "Well hello Nick's phone," Lyn said, laughing. "Hey Lyn," Kevin said. "Kev?" Lyn asked. "Yeah, it's me," he smiled. "Is Nick around?" she asked. Kevin looked at Nick, "Um yeah, he's asleep right now though." "Don't tell me he's reverted back to sleeping until noon again," Lyn said. "Um, no hon he hasn't," Kevin replied. "Kev, I don't like the sound in your voice. Is something wrong?" Lyn asked, getting concerned. "Well...." Kevin started. A.J. was waving at him from across the bed, "Is that Lyn?" Kevin nodded. "Don't tell her man, he'll kill us," A.J. whispered not so quietly. "Well she needs to know," Kevin whispered back. "I need to know what?" Lyn asked. Kevin grimaced, "Um Lyn, Nick really needs to tell you." "Well, wake him up and put him on the phone," she said. "We can't," Kevin said. "Kevin, just tell me what it is. You're starting to scare me. And what do you mean you can't?" Lyn said, sitting down and preparing for the worst. "OK, but you didn't hear it from me," Kevin said, watching as A.J. slapped himself in the head and walked out of the room. "Just say it Kevin," Lyn said. "We just brought Nick back from the hospital and he's pretty much out of it right now,"he said. "Hospital? What happened?" Lyn asked. "Nick's been having headaches, so I made him go and get some tests run," Kevin clarified. Lyn felt somewhat relieved, "Oh. When did he start having them?" "When he was in LA shooting. He saw a doc there, and got some prescription until he could have the tests," Kevin replied. Lyn was silent for a moment. "Lyn, you still there?" Kevin asked. "Yeah, I just don't know why he didn't say anything to me," she said, obviously hurt. "Lyn, he didn't want you to worry if it turned out to be nothing," Kevin said. "Yeah, but Kev, what if it's not nothing?" Lyn asked. "Then we'll deal with it," he said. "I'll be there tonight," Lyn said. "Lyn, are you sure? I know you were in some meetings that he didn't want you to miss," Kevin said. "They're over with. That's actually why I was calling," she said. "Oh, OK. Call me and tell me what time to pick you up," he said. "No, don't let him know I'm coming. I want to surprise him. I'll get a car at the airport and drive out, you're still at Brian's right?" she said. "Yeah, we are," Kevin said. "OK, I'll see you in a few hours then," Lyn said. "Alright, be careful," he said. "I will," Lyn said, hanging up the phone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian woke up to the smell of food cooking. His stomach was growling at him, and he sat up, seeing Aleisha stirring something in a pot, hanging over the fire. "What smells so good?" he asked. She looked back at him, "Supper." "It's already supper? I didn't think I slept that long," Brian said, somewhat surprised. "You need your rest right now," Aleisha said. "I guess," he said, swinging his legs over the edge of the cot, and hitting Angel. "Oh, sorry girl," he said, petting her head when she stood up. Angel looked at him happily, and wagged her tail. "What you been doing all day?" Brian asked. Aleisha turned around, "Angel and I have come to somewhat of an understanding." Brian raised his eyebrow, "You have? And just what would that be?" "We have agreed to tolerate each other," she said smiling. "Oh, well that's good," Brian said, running his hand through Angels fur, "I can't have my two girls not getting along now can I?" Angel looked up at him, a funny expression on her face. Brian laughed. "What you laughing at?" Aleisha asked. "I swear to God, she just rolled her eyes at me," he said, still laughing. "Somehow that wouldn't surprise me at all," Aleisha said, smiling. Aleisha dipped Brian's bowl and walked over, sitting down next to him. "Soup again," Brian whined. "Hey, it's hot, and it's food," she said. "Yeah, that's true," he said, taking the spoonful she offered him. "I'll be glad when I can do this for myself again," he said between bites. "Why's that? I thought it was every mans fantasy to have a woman at his every beck and call," Aleisha said, kidding. "Naw, not his man anyway. I just feel like such an invalid, I mean I can't even feed myself," he said. "Yeah, but you're getting stronger everyday. Pretty soon you won't even need me anymore," she said. Brian looked at her, "I don't know about that." She smiled at him, "Here, you better finish this before it gets cold." Brian stared at her for a moment longer, then finished the rest of his soup. He played with Angel while Aleisha ate. She had to laugh at him. He was kicking a rolled up sock across the room, Angel retrieving it, and dropping it at his feet. Aleisha finished and put things away, then turned and looked at Brian. "OK Dances, what do you want to do?" Brian looked at her, a confused expression on his face, "Dances?" "Yeah, you know, Dances with Wolves," she said laughing. Brian burst out laughing, "Oh shit that hurts," he said between laughs. "I guess we do look pretty funny huh?" he asked. "Yeah you do, but I find it very endearing," she said, sitting down next to him. Brian kicked the sock once more, and Angel went to retrieve it. He looked over at Aleisha, smiling, "Me na ne ton tonka?" Aleisha laughed, gently pushing Brian on his shoulder, "Smartass." "Alright Stands, you said something about doing something, like what?" Brian asked. Aleisha shook her head, still laughing, "Well we have a deck of cards." "I can't," Brian said, holding his hands up. "Oh yeah," Aleisha said, remembering he couldn't hold them. Angel brought the sock back, dropping it on Brian's foot. He kicked it again. "We could talk," she offered. "Bout what?" he asked. "I don't know, anything, everything?" Aleisha said. Brian stared into her eyes, "I dunno, I really don't feel like talking." "Then what do you feel like?" Aleisha asked. Brian just looked at her, his blue eyes shining. He reached up and gently ran his fingers over her cheek, cupping her face. She leaned in and Brian softly kissed her. Angel walked back over and jumped up, resting her front feet in Brian's lap, breaking the kiss. "Angel, get down. You'll hurt him," Aleisha said. Angel jumped down, dropping the sock at Brian's feet. He kicked it once more, looking back over at Aleisha. She smiled at him, but didn't attempt to finish what they'd started. "Aleisha, I..." Brian said. She looked at him, silencing him with her eyes. He knew she was OK with it, he didn't have to explain, so he didn't. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kevin opened the door to find Lyn standing there. "Hey, how was your trip?" he asked, hugging her. "OK," she said, walking in, "Is he up yet?" "Yeah, he got up a few minutes ago. Said he was gonna get a shower," Kevin replied, taking Lyn's bags. They walked into the living room. A.J. and Howie got up to greet her. "Lyn baby, how are ya?" A.J. asked. "Good," she said. "Good to see you," Howie said, hugging her. Lyn looked upstairs, "Which room?" "Second from the end," Kevin said. She made her way upstairs and into the room, sitting down on the bed. Nick came out of the bathroom, drying his hair with the towel. He looked up and dropped it. "Lyn? God, what are you doing here?" he asked, pulling her into a hug. "I missed you," she said, hanging on to him. "Oh baby, you don't know how bad I missed you," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back, but he could see worry in her eyes. "Is something wrong? Did your meetings go OK?" he asked. She nodded her head, "The meetings went fine." "So you got it?" Nick asked. "Yeah," she said, as he pulled her into another hug. "Oh, that's great!" he said, "So why aren't you more happy?" Lyn looked at him, "When were you going to tell me?" Nick looked at her, "Oh Christ, did Kevin call you?" "No I called, and he told me," she said, "Nick, why didn't you tell me?" "I just didn't want you to worry," he said. "Nick, you know I worry more when you keep things from me. I love you, you can tell me anything," Lyn said, a tear coming to her eyes. "Please don't cry. I know that, I just didn't think much of it after Tara...," Nick said. "When will you find out?" she asked. "Um, I think Kev said maybe tomorrow," he answered. Lyn pulled him to her, running her hand through his wet hair, "Are you scared?" "A little, but I'm sure it's nothing," he said. "I hope so," she whispered. Nick looked down at her, and gently pulled her face up, kissing her. "God I missed you," he said. She smiled, reaching up and pulling him down to her. She kissed his neck up to his earlobe, gently taking it in her mouth. "God Lyn, you know what that does to me," Nick said, breathless. "Uh huh," she said, breathing into his ear. "Is the door locked?" he asked. "Yeah," she said. "Thank God!" Nick said, picking her up and crawling up the bed with her. He laid her down, and kissed her again, "God I missed you." Chapter 17 |