| Chapter 23 "Hello?" "Lyn, it's me," Nick said, "It's not to early is it?" "Well, it's about four in the morning," she said sleepily, "Is something wrong?" "I just need to talk to you," he said. "What about?" she asked, concerned. "Well, Brian made it home, and he brought someone with him," Nick said. "Oh, who?" she asked. "Some girl. Her name is Aleisha," Nick said, disgusted. "You don't sound to enthused," Lyn said. "I'm not. Something's not right with her, but I just can't figure it out," he said. "Like what?" Lyn asked. "Well, for one thing, everyone but me absolutely adores her. Brian is head over heals for her, it's just...I don't know. Tara hasn't even been gone a whole month yet, and he comes home with this girl....," Nick started. "Nick, is this about Brian, or about you?" Lyn asked. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I mean, if everyone one else likes her, is it just because it's so soon after Tara died? Why don't you like her?" she asked. "I can't put words to it, it's more like a feeling," Nick said, "Every time she gets close to me my hearing aid goes completely nuts. And she looks at me, like...like she's trying to figure me out or something. It just gives me the creeps." "Has she done anything to make you not like her?" Lyn asked. "No, actually she's gone out of her way to be nice to me," Nick said. "Then what's the problem? She sounds like a nice girl," Lyn said. "Lyn, please not you too," he said, "Everyone here won't hear a bad word about her. It's like I'm the only one that can see something's not right." "Nick, honey, I don't know what to tell you. If you don't like her, then just don't hang around her," Lyn said. "That's kinda hard to do. She's always with Brian, they do everything together," Nick said. "So he's in love with her?" Lyn asked. "I dunno, more like in lust I think," he said. "Oh?" "Yeah, they are always kissing and whispering to each other, it makes me wanna puke," Nick said. "Well, it is Brian's life. Best friend or not, you can't pick who he falls for," Lyn said. "Yeah, guess not," Nick said. "Honey, Ted told me about your conversation the other day," Lyn said. Nick sighed, "I just couldn't tell you....I really don't wanna have it done." "I know you don't, but you have to," she said. "I know," Nick said. "When are you coming home?" she asked. Nick sat there thinking. "Nick?" "I...I want to talk to Brian today, if I can get him alone. After that I'll decide," he said. "You're really worried about this aren't you?" she asked. "Yeah I am. And I talked to Tracy today. Lyn something bad is gonna happen, but she doesn't know what or to who," Nick said, "I need to stay until I think things are OK. I'd never forgive myself if I left and something happened." Lyn sighed, "OK. But be careful, I don't want something happening to you either." "Well, that makes two of us," Nick said, smiling. Lyn laughed, "Call me when you can." "I will. I love you," he said. "I love you too, bye," she said, then hung up. Nick put his cell phone on the dresser and walked over to the bed. It was still early, maybe he could sleep a little more. At least he hadn't screamed when he woke up from his dream that morning. Angel was laying on the bed, watching him. Nick lay down, reaching over and petting her. "Why do you like me so much?" he asked. Angel crawled closer to him and whined. Nick laughed, "I wish I knew what you were saying." Angel put her paw on Nick's cheek and stared at him. Nick reached up and moved her foot, "That's heavy." Angel licked his face, then lay her head down. Nick smiled as he stroked her head, "At least you're on my side." Angel groaned. Nick closed his eyes, glad that Angel was there with him. Sleep soon overtook them both. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A.J. got up and wondered downstairs. He usually didn't get up this early, but he couldn't sleep. He missed Sarah, and thought about going home in the next few days. He walked into the kitchen, looking for something to snack on, when he heard music coming from down the hall. He followed it into the exercise room. Aleisha was there, dancing. A.J. stood in the door, watching. She had I'm A Slave For You blaring out of the speakers. "Damn," A.J. whispered, as he watched her belly dance. He'd never seen anything so seductive in all his life. His brain kept telling him to turn around and leave, but he didn't. He stood there, mouth open, leaning against the door. Aleisha turned around, and saw him staring at her. She smiled, but didn't stop. Instead motioning for him to come in. A.J. walked into the room, and stood in front of her. "You're up early," she said. "Uh huh," he managed. She stopped and looked at him, "Are you OK?" A.J. snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in, "Uh, yeah, I'm fine." Aleisha laughed, "OK, you looked a little funny there." "Yeah, uh, sorry. I'm gonna go and...um, do something," A.J. said, backing out of the room, and walking back down the hall. "Cold shower, cold shower, yeah, OK, cold shower," he muttered to himself as he headed upstairs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian was laying in bed staring at the walls. The wedding pictures were still up, and it seemed like Tara was staring back at him. He got up and walked over to them. He ran his hand over them, reminiscing. "What are you doing?" Aleisha asked, as she walked in the room. Brian looked over at her, "I'm thinking about taking these down." "Why?" she asked. He smiled, "Well, I feel like she's staring at me." "Oh, I see," she said. Brian pulled the pictures off the wall and slid them under the bed. "There we go," he said. "Where you been?" he asked, "I woke up and you weren't here." "Oh, I couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs and exercised for a while," Aleisha said. "Really?" he asked. "Yeah, well, danced mostly. I'm not one for weight lifting or anything like that," she said. Brian laughed, "I really didn't picture you as a weight lifter." "Ha Ha, very funny," she said, gently poking him. "Is anyone else up yet?" he asked. "Well, A.J. was, but I think he went back up to his room," she said. "What about Nick?" She shook her head, "Nope." He smiled at her as he took her hand and lead her to the bed, sitting down. "I'm so glad you're here," he said. She smiled, "I am too." Brian could see something in her eyes, "What?" "I..I didn't want to say anything, but I don't think Nick likes me to much," she said, looking down. "Well, he just has to get used to you. He was really close with Tara, and I'm sure that we kinda caught him off guard," Brian said. "I guess," she said. "I could talk to him if you want me to," Brian suggested. "Bri, you don't have to do that. It's not that big of a deal," she said. "No, I want to. He's my best friend, you guys gotta get along," he said smiling. "OK, if you want," she said, looking up at him. Brian pulled her to him, getting lost in her eyes. "I love you," he said. Aleisha's's face filled with happiness, "I love you too." Brian leaned in and kissed her. She breathed into the kiss, and gently ran her hands up his chest. Brian grabbed her hands, slowly pushing her down to the bed. He crawled on top of her, still holding her hands, and kissed his way up her neck, to her mouth. He could feel her moan aginst his lips. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. She raised up and started kissing his neck, wrapping her arm around it, and pulling him back down. Aleisha gently rolled them over, straddling him. She bent down and began kissing his chest. Brian jumped a little at the sensation, it was pleasure and pain mixed together, but he wanted it just the same. Suddenly Nick's screams filled the air, and Brian sat up, moving her off him, and ran out of the room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "NO!" Nick screamed, as Brian ran into his room. He was still asleep, thrashing in the bed. "Nick! Nick wake up!" Brian yelled, trying to catch Nick's hands and hold them down. A.J. came into the room, and ran to the other side of the bed, trying to help Brian. "Nick!" Brian yelled. Nick opened his eyes, wide with fear, and tried to get away from Brian. "Nick, it's me," he said. Nick stared at him, blinking his eyes, trying to calm down. "You had another nightmare," Brian said. Nick sat up, running a shaky hand through his hair, "Sorry." "Damn man, I thought you were dying or something," A.J. said. Nick looked up at him, "I was." "Nick, we gotta talk with someone about this. Get some help, medicine, something," Brian said. Nick shook his head, "There's nothing that can help this." "How do you know? Have you tried?" Brian asked. Nick just looked away from him. A.J. looked at Brian confused. Aleisha stuck her head in the door, "Everything OK?" Brian nodded at her. "I'm gonna go make some breakfast," she said, heading down the hall. Angel walked around A.J. and jumped up on the bed. She had vacated her spot when Nick started screaming, and now wanted it back. Brian looked at her, then at Nick, "Is she sleeping with you?" Nick nodded. Brian reached over and patted her on the head. A.J. got up and headed for the door, "If everything is OK, I'm gonna go call Sarah." "Yeah, go ahead," Brian said. A.J. left the room. Nick looked at Brian, "I need to talk to you, alone." Brian looked around, "We are alone." Nick got up and shut the door, locking it. "Um, why are you locking the door?" Brian asked. "Cause I don't want what I have to say to be heard by anyone but you," he said. "OK," Brian said. Nick sat down on the bed, trying to gather his thoughts. Brian sat patiently waiting. "Bri, something is gonna happen," Nick started. "Like what?" Brian asked. Nick shook his head, "I don't know. Tracy said it though, I believe her." Brian looked indifferent, "Nick, I don't think.." "No you don't," Nick interrupted him, "You don't at all." "What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Brian asked, defensively. "It means, what the hell are you doing with that girl?" Nick said. "That's none of your business," Brian said. "Yeah Brian, it is my business. I can't stand what she's doing to you, and everyone else for that matter," Nick said. "What do you mean what she's doing to me? She's not doing anything to me that I don't want her to," Brian said. Nick sat there staring at him, "Brian, she's controlling you. Can't you see that?" Brian laughed, "I don't know what you're talking about." "Bri, you agree with everything she says. You've gotten her everything she's asked for, and everyone else is doing it too," Nick said. Brian shook his head, "I don't see what that has to do with anything." Nick sighed heavily, wondering if he was doing the right thing by talking to Brian. "Brian, you're my best friend, I don't want to see you get hurt," he said. "And I feel the same way about you, but Aleisha's not going to hurt me," Brian said. "Bri, what do you really know about her?" Nick asked. Brian stared at him, "I know enough." "So you know nothing," Nick said. Brian glared at him, "Are we done yet?" "No, I have one more question," Nick said, "Why won't you pray?" Brian stood up, heading to the door. Nick jumped in front of him, blocking his escape. "Answer the question," Nick said. "Nick, I told you before, I don't believe in that now. I can't," Brian said. "Brian, don't you understand that I need you to? I'm scared as hell about having this surgery, and Tracy's telling me something's gonna happen. Don't you see that I need that reassurance from you that you'll pray for me?" Nick asked, pleading. Brian stared at him, tears in his eyes. "Brian, I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for you guys praying for me," Nick said. "Nick, I..." Brian started. "Brian please. It was because of you that I found God. Because of your faith through the years that I realized I was missing something. It hurts like hell to know that you've lost that. Please Brian, just think about it. I need to know before I have this surgery that you'll pray for me," Nick said, tears streaming down his face. Angel jumped down off the bed and walked over to Brian, leaning against his leg and whining. "See, even the damn wolf thinks you should," Nick said. Brian shook his head, "Nick, it's not that simple..." "Of course it is. You just start praying Brian. How hard is that? You've done it a million times in your life, what's one more?" Nick said. They stared at each other, at an impasse. "Brian, just because Tara's gone, it doesn't mean that God did it. And it doesn't mean everything you believed in is false," Nick said. Brian had a shocked, hurt look on his face. He started to say something, then stopped. Instead, he pushed past Nick, unlocked the door, and ran out of the room. Nick looked down at Angel, wiping the tears from his face, "I tried." Angel looked up at him, and let out a sad groan. Chapter 24 |