Nick looked at her, "What are you saying?!"
Alex was still clutching to him, "It was him! Nick he was in my room!"
"Who's he?" Nick asked confused
"They man that tried to kidnap me!"
"The guy that shot you?"
Alex wanted to scream 'duh!' but only nodded frantically, "He came in and sat the flowers down, he gave me a weird look and the just left."
"That's it?" Nick asked
Alex nodded
Nick didn't know what to say, or what to do, "I'm going to go get your room changed." Alex nodded and let go of him.
Nick left and she sat there, staring out the window.
***********************
Mr. Paine stomped back and forth screaming and waving his arms. With every word Alex flinched and Nick cringed "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!? HE WAS IN THIS ROOM WITH MY DAUGHTER!!"
"Daddy..."
"Don't 'Daddy' me! I am worried about you, and then I come to find out that he was in THIS ROOM!"
"I've already arranged for a new room.." Nick cut in
"Yes...." Mr. Paine stopped "WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THIS HAPPENED?!?"
Nick looked down and tried to think of an answer when he heard Alex, "Daddy, Nick had been here all night, he had to go get something to eat."
"Oh." was all Mr. Paine said and began walking back and forth again like a caged cat. "I'm going to go check on the room." He finally said and stormed out.
Nothing was really said, Nick stood up to stretch and noticed Alex shifting uncomfortably, "Something wrong?"
"The bandage is starting to itch."
"You want me to go..."
"No, that's okay, I can do it."
"Alex, I don't think you should..." Alex looked at him and he got the hint, "Oh, okay do whatever you want."
Nick stood there for a minute watching as she pulled the tape off, "Do you need some help?"
"Yeah, could you help me tape this back?"
Nick did as he was asked with shaky hands, it only made him realize again that he had come so close to loosing her. Alex watched the expressions on Nick's face but couldn't read them. She didn't say anything but thanked him.
***********************
Alex had been moved to her new room and against her wishes Nick stayed with her again. He sat now and watched her sleep, his heart ached everytime his mind re-ran the scene of the shooting. Nick looked at Alex then and realized that he couldn’t live without this girl.
*****2 weeks later*******
Alex slipped her arm out of the sling and picked up the baseball. Her mother and sister were gone and she had talked Jason into playing catch with her. "Lex, I’m not sure about this."
"Don’t worry, I'll be careful."
"But if mom finds out..."
"She won't, now catch this." Alex wound up and thru the ball. Pain tore thru her back and arm but she winced and shook her it. The ball had gotten to Jason, but with no speed at all. He thru it back and she wound up again and sent the ball flying a little faster this time. She smiled and shook her arm again, after several tries she called it quits but was happy with her progress. Jason promised not to tell their parents and even offered to help her again sometime. They walked into the house just in time to hear the phone ring.
Jason answered it, "Hello?"
"Hey J-man, what's up?"
"Hey Nick."
"Is Alex around? I called her line but no one answered."
"Yeah, she's right here."
Jason handed the phone to Alex, "Hello?"
"Hey gorgeous, mind if I come get ya?"
"You’re in Orlando?"
"Yeah, I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"You won't find that out until this afternoon at 4:00. See you soon, and I love you as always."
"Right back at ya." with that Nick hung up and Alex hurried to put her sling back on before her mom came home.
