All he could do was watch as the piece of wood knocked Melissa to the ground.� �MEL, TALK TO ME!� ARE YOU OKAY?�
He didn�t get a response from her. Nick tried the door once again; he had to get her out of there.� This time the door busted open and Nick ran to her side.� �Mel, wake up, wake up!�� He noticed a cut above her eyebrow.� Nick put his hands under the board and lifted with all his strength.� The board moved slowly till it was completely off of her.� Nick picked her up in his arms and carried her outside.� He laid her down on the ground by his car as he watched the flames rise.
�Mel, please wake up.�� He touched her cheek with his hand.� Nick heard sirens and saw the fire trucks coming with an ambulance right behind them.� Two paramedics came rushing over.�
�What happened?�� One asked Nick.
�A piece of wood fell on her and I think it knocked her unconscious.��
�Let�s get her in the ambulance.�� They tried to take her from Nick�s arms.
�No, I�ll carry her and I�m coming with her.�� He carried her into the ambulance and they left to take her to the hospital.
�How is she Nick?�� Brian asked as he and Samantha came rushing into the hospital.
�I don�t know, they wouldn�t let me go with her.�
�How did this happen?�� Samantha asked confused on how the house could catch on fire.
�I don�t know Sam, by the time I got there all the renovations we did were in flames.�
A middle-aged man with brown hair and glasses appeared in the waiting room.� �Is there a Nick Carter here?�
�That�s me.�� Nick stated as he approached the doctor.� �How�s Mel?�
�She�s okay.� She has a concussion and she inhaled a lot of smoke.� We are giving her some oxygen to help with her breathing.�
�How long does she have to be in the hospital?�� Samantha asked the tall doctor.
�I�m going to release her in a couple of hours, but she needs to stay with someone.�
�She can stay with me.�� Nick quickly replied.
�Alright, I need you to check on her every couple of hours to see if she is breathing.� With a concussion sometimes there are complications, but it is very rare.� She shouldn�t have any symptoms except for a big headache tomorrow.�
Melissa�s friends sighed with relief knowing that she would be okay.
�Oh and one more thing, she doesn�t want her mother contacted.� She made it perfectly clear that for no reason should she be called.� So Mr. Carter, I need you to sign her release paper once I have them ready.�
�Sure, thank you doctor.�
�You�re welcome.� You can see her now if you like?�
�Yes, we would.�� Brian said and then the doctor led them to Melissa�s room.�
They entered Melissa�s hospital room and saw she was resting.� Nick watched her breathe, knowing that the events of this night could have been different. She could have been stuck in that house, she could have�� He couldn�t finish that thought.� Melissa is safe and healthy, that is all that matters.
�Nick, Brian and I are going to find out what happened at Mel�s house.� Why don�t you stay here in case she wakes up?�� Samantha stated as she and Brian exited the room.
Nick pulled a chair up to the bed and just looked at her.� She looked so beautiful, so beautiful that she appeared to be an angel to him.� His fingertips grazed her hand before he picked it up and placed it in his.
�Hey.�� Melissa stated softly when she opened her eyes.
�Hey, sorry I didn�t mean to wake you.�� Nick gave her a friendly smile.
�That�s okay, it nice to see a familiar face.�� She tried to get comfortable.
�How do you feel?�� Nick asked still holding her hand.
�I have a little bit of a headache, but other than that okay.� I desperately want a shower.� I still can feel the fumes and smoke on me.� I bet I look scary.�
Nick squeezed her hand.� �No, you look beautiful.�
She looked at him.� �But you are bias, Carter.�
He smiled at her.� �Yeah, I�m bias.�� A quiet moment laid upon them till Nick broke the silence.� �The doctor said you have a concussion and that you inhaled some smoke, but you�ll be fine.� They are actually releasing you in a little bit.��
�But Nick, what about my house?�
�Don�t worry about the house; right now I�m concerned about you.�
�Where am I going to go?�
�I told the doctor that you are coming home with me.�
�Nick, do you really think that is a good idea?�
�Yes, I do.� Mel, your house isn�t in any shape for you to stay in it and you need a place to stay.�
�I don�t have the strength to argue with you.�� She covered mouth, trying to stifle a yawn.
�Good, you weren�t going to win anyway.�� He brushed back a loose strand of hair from her eyes.� Silence once again filled the room.
�Nick, thank you.� Thank you for saving my life.� I don�t know what I would have done, if you weren�t there.�� Tears welled up in her eyes just thinking about being in that burning house.
�Hey, you don�t need to thank me.� I would do it again in a heartbeat.�� He wiped away a stray tear.
�I do need to thank you.� I need to tell you how much it means to me that you would risk your life to save mine.� There is so much I should tell, but I�m scared to.�
Nick looked into her eyes and held her hand tighter.� �I think I know why you are scared to talk to me.� After those hurtful things I said, I don�t blame you if you never wanted to talk to me.� I�m so sorry Mel; I said those things out of hurt.� Seeing you with Gavin, seeing you two kiss, it was like someone kicking me in my stomach.�
�I know you were hurt, but Nick nothing happened.� What I told you is what happened.� We were talking and then fell asleep on my couch.�� She sighed, this was going to be hard, but she had to do it.� �I forgive you, Nick.�
Nick smiled at her.� �Thank you.� I won�t ever say anything like that again to you.� You have my word.�
�No Nick, you don�t understand.�� Nick�s eyes locked on to hers.� �I forgive you for everything.� Not just that argument, but everything that happened all those years ago.�
�I don�t understand Mel, why now?� Why would you forgive me now after two years of hating me?�
Her throat felt so dry at that moment, wishing she had some water to drink.� �I never hated you Nick.� I was hurt and in pain, but I never hated you.�
�But why now?� He asked moving closer to her bed.
�Before the fire, I was in my father�s office and I came across a letter he had written to me two days before he died.� He said that he thought I was running from the pain and not dealing with it.� I knew he was right, but I couldn�t make myself confront my hurt.� It was always easier to just run and act like I was okay.� But deep down, I was drowning in my own feelings.�
�That�s what you ran back for, wasn�t it?�
�Yeah, I couldn�t leave it there.� That letter made me realized that I need to deal with my hurt and the other feelings I have.�
Nick could feel his heart beating a little faster before he asked this question.� �What other feelings?�
�The feelings I have for you.� When I left I was determined to forget about you, go on with my life like you never existed.� But as much as I tried, they didn�t disappear.� I just buried them under other feelings of hurt and disappointment.�
�What are you saying Mel?� Are you saying I have a chance with you?�
Melissa had to look away from him and those incredible blue eyes.� �No Nick, you don�t have a chance with me.�
Nick started to pull away his hand from hers, but she wouldn�t let go. He looked at her with confusion in his eyes.� �You don�t need a chance with me Nick; you have always had my heart.��
Nick was speechless, he had always thought she hated him all those years and that she had stopped loving him years ago.
�I love you, Nick, I never stopped.�� Melissa stated softly with tears once again falling.
A huge grin appeared on Nick�s face.� �I love you Mel, you are the only woman I want.�
Melissa smiled at him.� �Good because I can�t go through all that hurt again.� You have to promise me that you�ll never hurt me like that again.�
He took her hand and placed a gently kiss on it.� �I promise you Mel, I�ll never hurt you again.� I don�t want to lose you.�
�Ms. Barnes.�� A doctor stated, interrupting their discussion.� �I�m Dr. Simmons, and I need to run a couple of tests before I release you.�� The doctor turned to face Nick.� �You are going to have to wait outside till I�m done.�
�Okay, I�ll be back.�� He kissed her cheek and then exited her room.
Nick sat in the waiting room, just thinking about what had just happened.� Mel loves me, she never stopped.� I can�t believe this is happening, I�m getting a second chance and I won�t screw up this time.� I�m going to make sure she knows how much I care and how much I love her.
�Nick, how�s Mel?�� Brian asked as he and Samantha entered the waiting room.
�She�s doing great; the doctor is examining her right now.�� He smiled.
�Good, she is going to need all the strength she can get.�
�Why, what�s wrong?�
�We talked to the fire chief and it looks like someone intentionally set the fire to Mel�s house.�
�Are you serious?� Who in the hell would do something like that?�
�We don�t know anyone who hates Mel.� None of this makes sense.�� Samantha replied.
�Okay, we will deal with this later, right now we need to take care of Mel.�� Nick informed them.
�We completely agree.�� Samantha gave him a friendly smile.
�Mr. Carter, Ms. Barnes is doing much better and I�m going to release her.� I need you to sign her release papers and I have some instructions on her care.�
�Okay, can you guys get Mel ready to leave?�� Nick asked them.
�Sure, not a problem.�� They entered her room while he talked to the doctor.
