| Chapter 47 "Hello?" "Lee, it's me," Nick said. "Hey, didn't we just leave there?" she said, teasing. "Yeah, smartass you did. Listen, I need you to do something for me," Nick said, smiling. "K, what?" she asked. "I'm trying to convince the doc to let me out this afternoon. I need you to put a bug in Howie's ear, have him invite us over for dinner tonight," Nick said. "Can't tonight. Kira has a thing in town that he's going to with her," Leighanne said. Nick sighed, "Oh, well, damn. I didn't want to wait until tomorrow, but it'll probably be alright. Tell him tomorrow night, dinner, OK?" "Why do you need him to do dinner, why not just come over?" she asked. "Well, I need everyone there, and I'm not suppose to drive yet, so Brian and Leish have to be there too," Nick explained. "Nick, are you gonna spring it on her in front of everyone?" Leighanne asked. "No, God no. I'll fake a headache or something, find some reason to stay there when they're ready to leave. I need to talk to everyone, explain everything, then I can confront her," he said. "OK, I'll get him to do it tomorrow night, but Nick, are you gonna be OK in the house with her tonight?" she asked. "I won't be alone with her, Brian and Lyn will be there," he said. "Honey, Lyn moved her things over to Howie's this morning," Leighanne said. "She did? Why would she do that?" Nick asked, shocked. "I think she thought it would be easier for you two not to be in the same house," she said. "Oh," Nick said, barely in a whisper. "Nick, are you OK? I know this has to be hard on you," Leighanne asked. "I'll be alright. I just didn't know she did that," he said. Nick could hear A.J. saying something to Leighanne. "Nick, Alex want's to know what we haven't told him," she said. Nick laughed, "Well you know that's something that I can't tell him over the phone. Tell him he'll find out tomorrow night, along with everyone else." He listened as she told A.J., hearing a stream of expletives. Leighanne laughed into the phone, "I guess you got that?" "Yeah, how could I miss it," Nick said, smiling, "Listen, I'll talk to you later. Just make sure you get Howie to do that, OK." "I will. Stay safe, I'll see ya later," Leighanne said. "Bye," Nick said, hanging up the phone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian watched as Aleisha looked over the different colors. He smiled, seeing how happy she was. They had shopped all morning, and had lunch. Now they were at the Mercedes dealership, looking at new cars. Aleisha had already picked out the model she wanted, but she was having trouble picking out a color. "Bri, what about this one?" she asked, pointing to a silver one. "I like them all," he said. "Well, you are just no help at all," she teased. Aleisha looked over at the dealer, "I think the silver one will do nicely." "Yes mame. If you will both come this way, we can start the paperwork," he said, leading them into his office. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick had gotten out of bed and was pacing his room. He couldn't wait for the doc to say he could leave. He walked back over to the bed, having tired himself out. He knew that he was weak but he hadn't realized how much until he'd gotten out of bed. He was only on his feet for a few minutes, and already he was having to sit down. "God, what if I'm not strong enough?" he said. "Then He will help you," Tracy said, appearing next to him. "Tracy, do you know what she's up to?" Nick asked. "No, I wish I did. I was shocked that she let A.J. go last night, it doesn't make sense," she said. "I know, and this morning when she kissed me. Tracy, she was using her powers again. She hadn't done that since she started having feelings for me," Nick said, concerned. Tracy put her hand on his shoulder, "I know you're worried. You just have to remember that God will help you, and we will be there with you." "Yeah, but you guys can't interfere yet can you?" he asked. Tracy closed her eyes for a moment, as if she was listening to something. "Not yet, but He will tell us when the time is right," she told him. Nick looked at the floor, "Tara was here last night. She told me she would be there too." "Yes, Gideon just missed her. She seems to have gained some strength, but she still needs us to help her," she said. Nick started to say something, when Dr. Spencer walked into the room, and Tracy disappeared. "I see you are already up," the doctor said. "Yeah, I'm dying to get outta here," Nick said. "Well, let me check you out," Dr. Spencer said, starting to examine Nick. Nick breathed deeply while he listened to his lungs. Endured having his temperature taken, and watched as the doctor looked over his chart. Nick was about to ask when he was going to let him leave when Dr. Spencer looked up at him. "I'm going to keep you on some strong antibiotics for another two weeks. I want you to rest, OK. The only time I want you up, is when you're walking from the bed to the bathroom, you got me?" he said. "Yes," Nick stated, ignoring everything having to do with rest, he didn't have time. "If you even sneeze, I want you back here, understand?" Dr. Spencer said. Nick looked at him, "You've been talking to Ted haven't you?" The doctor smiled, "Yes, and you better listen to what I'm telling you. Cause, if I get an angry phone call from him, telling me that your sick again, I'll come find you myself." Nick laughed, "Don't worry, you won't." "I better not. I'll send the nurse in to take your IV out, and bring you the discharge papers," Dr. Spencer said. "Thank you," Nick said, watching as he left the room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian pulled out his cell, flipping it open, "Yes?" "Hey it's me," Nick said. "Hey Nick, what's up?" he asked. "Um, I was wondering if you could come pick me up," Nick asked. "They're letting you out?" Brian asked, a little shocked. "Yeah, and I'm so ready to leave. So can ya?" Nick said. "Yeah, when do you need us there?" Brian asked. "Anytime. I've already signed out," Nick answered. "Oh, OK. Hang on a sec," Brian said. Nick could hear him talking to Aleisha, but couldn't understand what he was saying. "Nick, yeah man, I'll be there in a few to get you," Brian said. "Thanks. I'm still in my room, they won't let me walk down to the doors, security and all," Nick said. "K, I'll come up and get ya," Brian said, "Be there in a few." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick sat on his bed, swinging his legs back and forth. He hated waiting with a passion. He checked once again to make sure he wasn't leaving anything. Nope, he had everything all in a nice hospital bag the nurse gave him. He looked out the window. The sun was shining, melting the snow from the night before. Brian walked into the room, "You ready?" Nick jumped, not realizing he was there, "Damn, give me a heart attack why don't you?" Brian laughed, "Come on, I'll see if I can get a nurse to wheel you out." "I don't see why I can't just walk out," Nick said, grabbing his bag off the bed and walking out into the hall. Brian followed him down to the elevators, wondering when someone was going to catch them. They got on the elevator, and Brian pushed the button for the ground floor. Nick held on to the rail as the elevator took off. "You OK?" Brian asked, noticing. "Yeah, these things always make me dizzy," he confessed. Brian watched him, making sure he wasn't going to faint on him before they got out of the building. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Brian led the way down the hall and out a side entrance, to his car. Nick looked around, "Where's your car?" "Right here," Brian said, opening the door to the newly purchased vehicle. "Sweet man! When did you get this?" Nick said, getting in and looking around. "This morning. It's actually Aleisha's, but my car was full of shopping bags, so she drove it home while I came and got you," Brian explained. Nick looked at him in shock. This was the most expensive line of Mercedes, and he couldn't believe that Brian had bought it for her. Brian looked over as they made their way out of the parking lot, "What's that look for?" Nick looked away, cursing himself for being so obvious, "Nothing." Brian snorted, "Nothing my ass. You wanted to say something, so say it." "Well, it's just that this is a really expensive car. Can you afford it?" Nick asked, hoping the amnesia would let him get away with asking that question. Brian glanced over at him and shrugged his shoulders, "I guess. I don't really keep up with my bank balance, that's what my accountants do. Anyway, Leisha wanted it, so I just had to get it for her. You should've seen her face, I love to make her happy like that," Brian gushed. Nick closed his eyes, fighting the urge to vomit right there on the spot. The rest of the drive was pretty quiet. Nick was a little nervous, knowing that he was going to be in the house with only Brian and Aleisha. He was counting on Lyn being there. But why would she? He had broken her heart, he was lucky she even stayed at all. "Here we are," Brian said as they pulled up the drive to the house. They got out and went in. Angel was at the door waiting on them, wagging her tail excitedly. Nick bent down, "Hey girl, you miss me?" Angel barked, then proceeded to lick Nick's face. "I'd say that was a yes," Brian said, smiling. "Hey guys," Aleisha said, walking up and hugging Nick, then kissing Brian. "Um, I think I'm gonna go take a shower," Nick said, heading to the stairs. "OK, don't be to long. I'll have dinner ready in a little while," Aleisha said. "What are we having?" Nick asked, turning around to look at her. She smiled, "It's a surprise." Nick raised an eyebrow, "Surprise huh? OK, be down in a while," he said, resuming his path up the stairs and into his room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick spent more time in the shower than he ordinarily would have. He was worried and tense. He prayed for God to protect him through the night, until he could get to the relative safety of Howie's the next day. Nick knew that if Aleisha really wanted to do something, that he probably wouldn't be able to stop her. And Brian would be no help at all, under her spell like he was now. His only hope would be Angel. He knew she would protect him, but if Aleisha threatened Brian, she would back down too. Nick turned the water off and got out. He quickly dried off and pulled on his boxers, walking out into his room. He searched through the dresser until he found a pair of sweats, putting them on. He heard a knock at the door, turning around to see Aleisha come in the room. "Hey, we were starting to think you passed out in there or something," she said. Nick smiled, "Sorry. It just felt so good to get in there, I didn't want to get out." She smiled, "Dinner is ready." "OK, be down in a sec," Nick said, looking around for a shirt. Aleisha stood at the door, watching him. Nick tried to ignore her, pretending that it didn't bother him that she was watching. He found a t-shirt and pulled it on, walking over to the door. He stopped looking at Aleisha, "Um we going?" "Oh yeah, sorry," she laughed, moving out of the door and heading down the hall. Nick prayed on the way down to the kitchen for strength to get through the night. They rounded the corner and walked over to the table. Nick noticed that all his favorite foods were present. He looked over at Aleisha, "How did you know?" She smiled, "Brian told me." Brian sat in his chair smiling at him. "Thanks, this is cool, but you didn't have to," Nick said, sitting down. "I wanted to. I'm sure after all that hospital food you were ready for some real stuff," she said. "Yeah, I'm not sure I would call what they serve there food," Nick commented. Nick waited until Aleisha sat down, looking over at Brian, "Um are we gonna say grace?" "Oh, yeah sure. You want to?" Brian said. "You can, it's your house and all," Nick said. Brian laughed, "OK." Brian started the prayer and Nick looked down. He felt like he was being stared at, so he glanced up, seeing Aleisha looking at him from across the table. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Nick noticed that the prayer didn't seem to bother her as much as it had before. Brian finished and looked up at them, "Let's eat, I'm starving." The meal went by, all of them making small talk. The food was really good, and Nick ended up eating seconds. He noticed that made Aleisha happy. Nick got up and started to leave the table. "You already done?" Brian asked. "I forgot my medicine," Nick said. "I'll go get it. You just sit down and rest," Aleisha said, getting up. "Um, well...OK," Nick said, sitting back down. Aleisha left the room and quickly returned with Nick's bag from the pharmacy. He was relieved to see the bag still stapled shut, knowing she couldn't have put something in the medicine. Nick opened the bag and pulled out the bottle, taking his dose. "Hey, you feel like watching a movie?" Brian asked. "Yeah sure," Nick said. They got up and went into the living room, Brian looking through his movie collection until he found the one he wanted. He put it in and sat down, smiling. Nick looked at him, wondering what he was smiling about. Then the movie came on, Monty Python's Life of Brian. Nick started laughing, "Don't tell me this is your favorite movie?" "Why of course," Brian said. "Oh God, help me," Nick said. Aleisha walked into the room, "Help you what?" Nick looked up at her, "How do you live with him?" She smiled, "It's hard but I manage somehow." They both laughed as Brian protested greatly. Before Nick knew it the final credits were rolling on the movie. Brian was asleep on the couch, and Aleisha was reading a magazine. Nick yawned, looking at the clock. It was late enough he could pass off going to bed. "I'm gonna go to bed," he said, standing up. Aleisha looked up at him, "You need anything?" "Naw, I'm good," Nick said, walking around the couch. As he went he bumped into the end table, knocking the lead candle stick to the floor. "Sorry," he said, bending over and picking it up. Aleisha got up and took it from his hand, "That's OK. I really need to put these somewhere out of the way." Nick stared at the candle stick in her hand, knowing it would make her nervous. It did. "Nick, something wrong?" she asked. "That," Nick said, pointing at it, "I don't know, just feels weird." Aleisha put it back down, "What like you remember it or something?" "I'm not sure," he said, making his way to the stairs, "It's probably nothing." Aleisha watched him climb the stairs and go into his room, followed by Angel. She breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't come back out. Nick closed his door and locked it. He didn't want any surprise visitors in the middle of the night. He crawled into bed and pulled the blankets over him. He was exhausted, mentally and physically, and he wondered if he indeed would have the strength to do what he knew he had to. Angel jumped up on the bed and lay down next to him. Nick reached out from under the blankets and patted her head. "Angel, I need you to keep watch tonight. Don't let anyone come in here, OK? Not even Brian," Nick said. Angel cocked her head to the side and looked at him. "You understand?" Nick asked. Angel licked his face, then got up and turned facing the door. "Thank you," Nick said, getting comfortable. He lay awake for a little while, hearing when Aleisha and Brian finally came upstairs. After they had done that, Nick listened for any other movement in the house. Not hearing any, he finally closed his eyes, welcoming the sleep that overtook him. Chapter 48 |