Chapter 20: *"I'll Always Be Here"*
(c) 2000-02
The N.C. Daily Dreamer
*Shelby*
I hobbled into Nick's room in complete pain. My face and stomach hurt like hell! I felt like I was dying, but it was slow and aganizing. "You can lay down and I'll get you some clothes, okay/" Nick unzipped my suitcase and pulled some clothes out. "Nick?" "Yeah?" His caring blue eyes looked up at me and my hear skipped. "Can I wear some of your clothes? They always seem warmer." "Yeah." He smiled a little at me and opened his sutcase. Nick retrevied a pair of navy blue pajama pants and a gray Old Navy sweat shirt. "Thanks," I mumbled sitting up slowly and dangling my feet over the egde. I tried to sand up but sharp pain shot through my abdemmon. "I'll help you," Nick offered wrapping his arm around me waist. He slowly eased me up and walked my to the bathroon. I pulled off his shirt trying not to cause me much pain. It took me about two minutes just to get Nick's shirt off. Then I probceeded to slide down my pants. I stood there looking at myself in the mirror. I was competely and utterly ugly! My left eye was balck and blue along with my whole stomach.. My lip was swollen and still bleeding. The gach on the side of my face was also still bleeding and stung. There was a knock at the door and I jumped. "Shel? You all right in there?" Nick asked me through the door. "Y...yeah. It just hurts," I mumbled and the bathroom door came open. "Nick I don't want you to see me like this." His eyes traveled over my half naked body-taking in all the cuts and brusies. "Oh, Shel," he sighed pulling me into a hug and tears flickered in my eyes. I completely lost it and buried my head in his chest while raking sobs escaped my mouth. We stood there for quite sometime with Nick gentely rubbing my back and occasionally kissing the top of my head. I held him tightly never wanting to let go. I felt so secuire in his strong arms. Not anything I felt when I was in James' or any other guys' for that matter. Nick's head was resting against mine an dI sighed in contentment. He was my everything. Sean and him were the most important people in my life. If I couldn've told him how I felt. Why did I have to get so casious about our friendship. You can't lose what you never had, right? We never had been more then friends, so what DID I have to lose?
*Nick*
I lifted my head up and looked down at my wolrd, my love, my life, my everything. If only she knew it. Her eyes were closed and I could hear her steady rythmis breathing. I smiled a little, glad that she was sleep. I bent down and wrapped my arm under her knees and picked her up. Once I'd occomplished that, I took her to my bed and plaved her in it gently. Then I went back to the bathroom grabbed my clothes and returned to her. I quickly dressed her and covered her with teh blankets. I stripped down into my boxers and a plain white t-shirt before crawling in bed beside her. I softly kissed her forehead before I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. I woke up to the sound of crying. My eyes traveled to Shelby to see her with her head in her hands crying. "Hey," I said softly placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at me and tears trickled down her cheeks. I quickly wipped them away and she closed her eyes tightly as if to try and stop them. "It's gonna be okay," I whispered into her ear pulling her back to my chest. My hands were at her waist holding her to me, never wanting to let her go. "James...he...tried to ki...kill m...me!" she burst into tears and faced me. "I'm so scared!" "Ssh..." I held her close to me as she cried in the nape of my neck. "It's okay. Don't cry." "I"m trying no to!" she bawled and I kissed the top her head as I gently rocked her back and forth. "It's going to be all right," I soothed while rubbing her back and she jerked her head up. "You don't know that! He can come back! We're in the same hotel!" "Ssh, Shel. I wont let him." "I know. I feel so safe here, but there's that lingering feeling that he's just down the hall, Nick!" She held onto me tightly as she cried into my shoulder. "I promise you I wont let him hurt you. I'll always he here. Cross my heart." "But Nick he..."
*Shelby*
I felt so safe in Nick's arms, but I knew James was in the same hotel and it frightened me. Nick didn't know what he was capable of doing. Neither did I. Only James, himself. I knew Nick would protect me, but why was i still insecure? Nick did mean what he said. He would't lie. His lips came in contact with mine and brushed against them. I wasn't exrecting it, but I responded-loving the feeling surging through me.
*Nick*
I was suprised that she responded. I wanted to reasure her that nothing would happen to her, so I kissed her. It felt so good-so right. She pulld away frist and rested her head against my chest. I eased us back slowly and laid my head on the pillow. My right hand rubbed her back and the other stroked her hair. she sirred a little and I knew in a few minutes she'd be asleep. "I love you," I whispered into her ear and also drifted off.
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