| Chapter 26 The next few weeks passed by quickly. Nick had fallen into a routine with his therapy, and he was getting along well with John. In fact, they had become good friends in the short time, finding they had a lot in common. Nick was doing well in therapy, he could say short basic words easily now. His physical therapy was going well too. With Johns help on his off days, Nick was regaining his strength, and wasn't as tired or as weak as he once was. John often stayed for supper after his session with Nick, the two of them hanging out, playing video games, and watching movies. Diane was glad to see them getting along so well, and that John seemed to care as much for Nick as the guys did. She was relieved to know that John also knew what to do when Nick had a seizure, walking in while Nick was in the middle of a bad one. John told her he had it and she watched as he calmed Nick after it, helping him up and taking care of him, just like she would have. Jane and Aaron had left for Aaron's promotional tour and wouldn't be back for a few weeks. Bob had agreed to come over and teach Diane how to drive Nick's boat. He had been giving her lessons for a few days, waiting until after Nick's therapy so he could ride out with them. Diane didn't think Nick could look any happier than he did when they were on that boat. He seemed calmer, peaceful, somehow. She enjoyed it if only for the fact that she could see Nick like that. But today, Bob had a meeting and was coming over early. "Hey Nick," John said, walking out on the patio. "Hey," Nick said, as John sat down next to him. "Baby, we're gonna go," Diane said, "You guys will be alright by yourselves for a while?" "Sure, have fun," John said. Nick grabbed her hand as she walked by him, pulling her back and kissing her. She smiled at him as he let her up, "We'll be back in about an hour." "K," Nick said, watching as she and Bob walked out to the pier and started the boat, slowly backing it out and heading toward the horizon. John started laying out his cards for the days session, "Today I thought we'd work on saying a few simple sentences." "K," Nick said, looking at the cards. "Let's start with this one," John said, handing him a card. Nick looked at it, not noticing John looking out to see that the boat was out of sight. He looked back at Nick, "Try it." "Tha dog rhan ....down tha st-st..." Nick stumbled. "Sound it out," John said, leaning over and placing his hand over Nick's on the card, "Look at each letter." Nick glanced at him, pulling his hand away, and looking back at the card, "St-stre-street." "Very good Nick," John said, placing his hand on Nick's shoulder, and leaving it there. Nick looked down at the cards, feeling butterflies in his stomach. His brain was screaming at him that something wasn't quite right, but he pushed it aside. This was John his friend, it wasn't like it was some stranger. Friends support each other, maybe this was Johns way of letting him know he was doing alright? All the same, Nick felt uneasy, and shrugged away from John, glancing at him nervously. John smiled at him, "What's wrong buddy?" Nick shook his head. "OK, let's try another card," John said. Nick looked down, this one was hard. He stared at it for several minutes, not realizing when John got up and moved to stand behind him, his hands resting on the back of Nick's chair. Nick sighed, shaking his head, not able to even start with the first word. John moved his hand up and placed it on the back of Nick's neck, feeling Nick tense at the touch. "What's wrong Nick, you don't like me touching you?" John asked, in a forced whisper. Nick's eyes went wide with fear, he was trembling now, and every fiber in him was screaming at him that this wasn't good. He shook his head, "No." John laughed, sliding his hand up and playing with the hair at the nape of Nick's neck, "That's to bad Nicky." Nick tried to stand up, but John forced him back down in the chair, holding him there, "We have a few things to discuss." Nick turned his head to look at him, a �what the hell do you think you're doing?' look on his face. John smiled at him, "You're really cute when you're angry." Nick's mouth dropped open in shock, this couldn't be happening, not John. He tried once again to get up, only to be forced back down, this time John leaning over him and pinning Nick's hands to the table, his mouth next to Nick's ear. "This is what's gonna happen. You're gonna give me what I want, and tell no one, and in return I'll stay away from your little brother and your precious Diane," John said. Nick's heart was pounding out of his chest, he closed his eyes and swallowed hard, "W-want?" "What do I want?" John asked. Nick nodded, opening his eyes, but not trying to look back at John. "That's easy Nicky, I want you," John answered. Oh God, no, not this again..please anything but this! Nick thought, trying to pull his arms free from Johns grip. "Don't fight me Nick, it'll only make it worse on you," John said. "No!" Nick yelled, pulling one of his arms free and elbowing John. For a second John lost his grip on Nick, and he sprang from the chair, trying to run inside the house. John caught him, pulling him back and throwing him back in his chair, coming around the front to face Nick. He grabbed him by the throat, squeezing until Nick found it hard to breathe. "If you don't do what I ask I swear I'll hurt her Nick," he said angrily, "I'll make her beg me to kill her, do you understand?" Nick stared at him through the tears in his eyes and nodded. "If you tell anyone, if you call the police, I'll do it Nick, and then I'll find your little brother and..." he smiled as Nick's eyes widened even more with anger and fear, "Well you get my drift right?" Nick closed his eyes and nodded. John let him go, "Good, I'm glad we understand each other." Nick held his throat, coughing. After a moment he looked up at John, "W-why?" John smiled at him, making Nick nauseous, "Because you're so damn irresistible, that's why." Nick looked down, his mind racing. He had to do something, but what? He couldn't fight John, not yet anyway, he still wasn't strong enough. And if he told? He couldn't take that risk. He'd never forgive himself if Diane and Aaron got hurt because of him. He closed his eyes, letting the tears come, God, it's just like before! Help me please! John put his hand on Nick's arm, bringing him out of his thoughts. Nick slapped his hand away, glaring at him. "You need to stop fighting me, and straighten up, they're coming back," John said. Nick looked out, seeing his boat approaching the pier. "Nick, I don't like that look on your face," John said, "Don't make me prove to you that I can hurt her and there's not a thing you can do to stop me." Nick turned to face him, his eyes burning with fury, "Fuck you!" John laughed, "Well that's one phrase we don't have to work on." Nick lunged towards him, but John caught him, forcing him back down in his chair and holding him there, "You're pushing it Nick," he said through clenched teeth. Nick looked back out to see the boat docking and Bob and Diane anchoring it. Neither of them were paying attention to anything but the boat. Nick tried to get up once more. "That's it Nick, I warned you!" John said, grabbing Nick by the back of the head and slamming his forehead into the edge of the table, letting him drop to the ground. He bent down, rolling Nick over, seeing he was fighting to stay conscious, "I can do this anytime I want Nick, so you better think about it." Nick stared up at him through unfocused eyes, hearing him yelling for Diane. "No," Nick pleaded, his vision blurring. Diane and Bob ran up the beach to the patio, "What happened?!" "I don't know, we were talking and then he just passed out," John said, "I tried to catch him, but he hit his head on the way down." "Nick, sweetie, can you hear me?" Diane asked, watching as his eyes kept closing and he kept trying to open them. "Guys, move him into the house," she said, running in front of them and grabbing some ice out of the freezer, wrapping it in a towel. John and Bob carried Nick into the living room and placed him on one of the couches. Diane came back, gently placing the ice on the already forming knot on his forehead. "I'll call the doctor," Bob said, going to the phone and dialing the number. "John, did he act like he didn't feel well before this?" Diane asked. "No, we were laughing like always and he just dropped," John answered. "The doc is on his way over," Bob said, coming back into the living room. Nick finally opened his eyes, making them stay open. The sight before him scared him to death. Diane was leaning over him, holding something to his head, John standing behind her. Nick stared at him, and felt his blood run cold when John mouthed the word, Anytime. "Nick baby, look at me," Diane said. He looked at her, his eyes filling with tears. "Aw baby, it's OK," she soothed, "What happened?" Nick shook his head. "Where you not feeling well?" she asked. He nodded. "Honey, you should have told us before we left, or told John when you started feeling bad," she said. Nick just stared at her, making his mind up that whatever he had to endure, he wouldn't let John hurt her. The door bell rang, just as the phone did also. "Here I'll take it," John offered, taking the ice pack from Diane so she and Bob could answer both. "That's a good boy Nicky," he whispered, "Now that I have your attention, you won't try anything stupid will you?" Nick shook his head, looking away from the man he thought was his friend. "Good," John said, just as the doctor and Bob walked over. "Let's see what we have here," the doctor said, examining Nick. Diane got off the phone and walked back over, "John, thanks for helping." "Hey, no problem, that's what friends are for right?" he said. She laughed, "Yeah, I guess so." The doctor finished his examination, "I think he'll be alright. He'll just have a headache for a while. Give him some Tylenol and let him rest. Keep the ice pack on for a while and if he's not feeling better in the morning, give me a call." "Thank you," Bob said, showing the man out. "Guys, why don't we move him up to his room, so he can rest," Diane suggested. "Nick, you think you can stand up?" Bob asked. Nick sat up, his head spinning when he did. He moaned, reaching up to hold his head. "I'd take that as a no," John said, moving to help Bob carry Nick upstairs and into his room. They placed him on his bed, Diane taking his shoes off and pulling the comforter over him. "I hate to, but I have that meeting, I'm already late," Bob said. "It's OK, go on, we've got it," Diane said. Bob leaned down and kissed Nick on the cheek, "Get some rest." Nick nodded. "I'll call later and see how he's doing," Bob told Diane as he left the room. Diane walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed, "Here take this," she said, handing him the ice pack. Nick held it to his head as she got up, "I'm gonna get you some aspirin, I'll be right back." Nick watched her leave. Again he was alone with John. John walked over and sat down, taking the ice pack from him and brushing a few strands of hair from Nick's forehead before replacing the pack. "See how easy it is Nick? All you have to do is cooperate with me, and I won't have to hurt you, or her," he said. Nick bit his lip, and nodded. John smiled at him, "Very good, I'll see you tomorrow then." Nick sighed, turning his head away from John as Diane came back in the room, "Here we go." John helped Nick sit up and take the pills, then walked towards the door. "I'm gonna head out, if you need anything give me a call," he said. "Alright, thanks again," Diane said. "No problem, see you tomorrow Nick," he said. Nick didn't want to but he had to make it look like things were still alright, so he waved at John. After John left, Diane looked down at Nick, "You sure you're OK?" He nodded, even though tears were in his eyes, threatening to spill over. Diane could tell he was upset, over what she wasn't sure. She climbed in bed next to him and pulled him into her arms, holding him. "Shh, it's alright, I'm right here," she soothed as he started to cry. She could feel him trembling in her arms, and it was scaring her to death. He shouldn't be this upset over a bump on the head, but then again, it was Nick. He took things different than most people, and maybe he was just upset because of the bump? But there was something in the back of her mind that just didn't feel right. "Baby," she said, waiting for him to look up at her. When he did, she smiled at him, "You know that you can tell me anything right? If something's bothering you, tell me, and we'll fix it, OK?" Nick nodded, laying his head back down on her chest, You can't fix this, no one can, he thought. Diane stayed with him until he fell asleep, wishing he would trust her enough to let her know what was bothering him. She loved him so much, and it hurt her to see him like that, a lost hopeless look in his eyes, that she had never seen before. She carefully slipped out of bed and headed downstairs, determined to figure out what was wrong. Chapter 27 |