***Nick's Apartment***
Still Thanksgiving night. Nikki was cuddled up in Nick's arms just enjoying being with him. "Nick, I am sorry I left the tour…I really miss you when you're gone."
"It's ok! It's not your fault. You were taking care of your mother. I understand that." He said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You did what you had to."
"No I should have just hired someone. She would have been taken care of better. Anyone hired would have known all the medicine she needed and what to do if something happened."
"You know she is probably a lot more happy having you around. I mean instead of some stranger there to take care of her, she has her daughter to care for her."
"I just wish I had stayed with you. I don't want to have to say goodbye again. I feel like I am going to lose you…I know I shouldn't think that but it is a feeling deep inside of me that is saying I am not good enough for you. And it's just I'm starting to really believe it."
"Nikki, Not good enough???? Jeez! I was thinking I wasn't." He said shocked she would ever think she wasn't good enough. She was the best he could have ever gotten. "I love you…And believe me you are by far the best." She smiled not sure what to say. She was glad he felt like that. Now maybe she wouldn't feel like she was losing him so much.
***The Next Morning***
Nikki and Nick had slept on the couch because Nick's parents slept in his room. The guestroom had four beds. Each of his sisters and brother got their own bed. "Nick, Get up! You have to get dressed sometime today." Jane said as she walked into the living room.
"Ugh Let me sleep!!" he grumbled sleepily.
"No, Get up Nick." She was not about to take any crap from him.
"Fine!" he said sitting up. Nikki was sleeping but woke up when Nick sat up. "I'll be right back Nikki. I am going to take a shower."
"Ok." She said watching him get up and head toward the bathroom. When he was gone Jane came and sat next to her.
"Nikki, Why don't you go back with him?" she asked not knowing her situation.
"I'd love to…but I don't have anyone to take care of my mother. And plus I'd have to have a ticket."
"We may be able to find someone. I mean as long as it's ok with you. And Nick could switch his first class ticket for two couch seats. Or he could switch his ticket to a later flight then buy another on that same flight."
"If I could find someone to take care of her I would go."
"Ok well I'm going to go see if I can find someone." Nikki sat thinking this must have been a lucky time for her. Nothing was going wrong. It was prefect. Which is what scared her. Nothing was ever prefect. It couldn't be…at least for her. Something was going to go wrong, she knew it. She just didn't know what.
***A little While Later***
"I found someone!! Her name is Victoria. She said she is used to taking care of elderly people and said it'd be no problem caring for you mother!" Jane said smiling. She was glad that Nick would have her with him. Everyone on the tour had said how sad it was without Nikki and how depressed Nick seemed without her.
"Wow! You're good. What was Victoria's last name? Just wondering." Nikki asked thinking she might know her.
"Umm… Simpson."
"Simpson? I know her! I know she'll do a good honest job."
"That's good! Well you've got to go tell Nick…He is going to want to know. And I think He like it best if you told him."
"Ok where is he?"
"He is in playing with his DreamCast with Aaron."
"Ok." She got up and walked down the hall. She stopped and looked at the pictures. It was the first time she had noticed them. She found one of her and Nick not even looking at the camera, just looking at Each other smiling. She smiled. *He is sweet! * She continued to walk down the hall and finally reached Nick's room. Quietly she opened the door and walked in. Nick and Aaron were sitting on the floor in front of the TV.
"I'm gonna Beat You!!! I am gonna Win!!" Aaron yelled as his race car crossed the finish line. "Ha Ha!! I beat you!!! I RULE!!" Aaron said gloating over his first win.
"Oh yeah that's why this is only the first time you've won!"
"Oh how sweet you two! Yelling at each other like little 10 year olds." Nikki said laughing.
"Nikki! I didn't know you were in here!" Nick said feeling a little embarrassed.
"Yep, I'm here. You two are so cute playing together." She said as she walked over and gently pinched Nick's cheek.
"Oh come on! I ain't a little kid!" Nick said defending himself.
"No you may not be a little kid…but you act like one. The only difference is your height." She said still smiling.
"I do not!" he said pouting.
"Ok! Fine you aren't a little kid!!" as she said that Nick reached his hand out to her. She took his hand and just as she did he pulled her down onto his lap.
"You fall for it everytime!!" he said smiling.
"You are such a brat!!"
"Oh am I really?" he leaned in and was about to kiss her when Aaron said "Ewww!!! You guys, little person present!!"
"Oh, Umm Anyways I came to talk to you Nick." Nikki said turning red.
"Ok." Nick didn't really care what his brother thought. She was his girlfriend. He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
She smiled and said "Well I have good news for you. I think it's good. It's good to me." She said thinking maybe he might not want her on tour with him.
"Come on just tell me!!" he said smiling. He wanted to know what she had to say.
"I am going to be going back on tour with you." She said smiling.
"You are???" he asked shocked but happy.
"Yep. What do you think?"
"I Think that's great!! I am so glad you are coming back!!" he said smiling. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as close as possible without squishing her.
"Ok. I think it's safe to say you're happy about this."
"Yep!!!" He couldn't have been any happier about anything else. "Then after the tour we can come back here to Washington and live together. This is so awesome! We can spend our first Christmas together here."
"You promised you'd be home for Christmas Nick!! You PROMISED!!!" Aaron screamed before running out of the room.
"Crap! I forgot about him again!!" Nick said slapping his forehead.
"Nick you had better go talk to him right now!! He is upset!" Nikki said because she had noticed the tears in Aaron's eyes.
"I don't know what to say to him!!" Nick said pitifully.
"Just talk to him please!!" she begged.
"Ok, ok." He said as she stood then he stood and walked out of the room. Nikki walked out after him and watched as he went into the guestroom and walked to the walk-in closet. He opened the door and found Aaron sitting there holding his knees and crying. He sat down next to him and said "Aaron, I wasn't thinking when I said I'd spend Christmas here. I was caught up in the moment. You know I'll be home for Christmas."
"No you won't!! You'll be with her!" he said with a look of disgust on his face as if she were the foulest creature on earth. "She means more to you then we do!!"
"That is not true Aaron!!"
"Yes it is!! And I hate her!!"
"Aaron! Listen to me!! I said that without thinking!! You know I'll be home for Christmas!! I planned that along time ago!! This is probably Grandpa's last Christmas. I promised I'd be there and I will!!"
"You promise??" Aaron said praying his brother was telling the truth.
"Yes, I promise. I'll be there for Christmas." After he said that Aaron gave his brother a big hug. He looked up to Nick. And not just because he was a lot taller but also because Nick set a good example and Aaron dreamed of being like him.
***In The Living Room***
Nikki grabbed her jacket and was headed out the door when Jane said "Nikki, where are you going?"
"I was um…just going for a walk." She said completely unbelievable.
"Oh ok, well can I come too? I don't know my way around here and I'd like to get some fresh air."
"Umm…" Nikki was trapped. She wasn't planning on coming back. She felt so bad because Aaron felt like she was stealing his brother from him. She didn't want him to think that at all.
"Is there something wrong?" Jane asked seeing tears well up in Nikki's eyes. Aaron and Nick walked into the room and her tears started flowing down her cheek steadily.
"What's wrong Nikki??" Nick asked as he hurried over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"Nothing!! I just…" she was crying too much to say anything now.
"You just what baby? You know you can tell me anything." He said in a soothing voice. But she still couldn't forget what Aaron had said.
"I think it'd be best if we ended this before one of us gets hurt…I am hurting you and your family already and I can't take that feeling." She said before turning and running out the door. Nick of course ran after her. But to their surprise she stayed ahead of him.
"Nikki!!!! Nikki!! Please come back!!! Nikki!!" He yelled still running after her. She wasn't sure where she was going but she knew she'd have to lose Nick soon or she'd run out of breath. She was still crying and her vision was blurry. "NIKKI!! PLEASE!!" Nikki only knew of one way to lose Nick and she was desperate.
"OH MY GOSH IT'S NICK CARTER!!!!!" She screamed as loud as possible. Unfortunately for her he didn't have a big fan base there. Maybe two or three girls came out but that was it and Nick ignored them. Finally Nikki felt so breathless that she was about to pass out. She could hardly breath between sobs and she'd just been running. Nick kept up his pace while Nikki slowed way down. He finally caught up.
"Nikki, what's wrong??" he asked breathlessly. "What did you mean by hurting my family and me?? You complete me, You were the missing piece in my life. You don't hurt me in any way!"
"But I am tearing your family apart Nick. It's my fault." She said thinking back to what Aaron had said.
"No you are not!!!"
"Aaron sure thinks so!! He hates me." She said looking at the ground to avoid eye contact with Nick.
"What do you mean Aaron thinks so??" he asked thinking Aaron had said something to her.
"He hates me Nick!! He thinks I'm stealing his only brother!!"
"He doesn't hate you!!"
"Stop lying, I heard him myself."
"Nikki can we please go back to my place and talk about this? I don't want everything we are saying in the next National Whisper or something."
"No, let's just end it here. I am sorry Nick." She turned and walked away. Nick was stunned. He wasn't sure what to do but he knew Brian would know what he could do. He turned and walked back to his apartment.
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