~*~ Friday, June 23rd, 2000 ~*~
I feel just like I'm sinking And I claw for solid ground I'm pulled down by the undertow I never thought I could feel so low Ohh, darkness I feel like letting go
Georgia sat in the chair that was in the corner of her room. She sat and stared at the picture she'd drawn of Nick, two night's before. They'd been sitting on her bed, just talking, when he suddenly had the idea to draw each other's pictures. He drew a picture of her drawing a picture of him, and vice versa.
Georgia stared at every feature of his face. She had to admit, she had done a good job at capturing the uniqueness of his different features... the twinkle of his eyes, even without color you could tell his eyes were beautiful; the fullness of his lips. She sighed and put the sketch down, wondering what Nick had done with the picture he'd drawn of her, after he'd left her room, two night's ago.
Gulping back her tears, Georgia picked up the silver object that was glistening from the light that was on, in the room. She observed the small razor for a while, noticing her reflection in it. She definently did not look like the bubbly person that she normally was. Her eyes were bloodshot, from crying for two days... she had given up the only good thing that had come into her life. Now she had nothing at all to live for.
With this thought, Georgia raised the blade to her wrist. Just as she was about to push it down into her flesh, her door opened.
Georgia quickly stuffed the razor into her pocket, before looking up to see who had come in. "H-hi, Jeff... W-what are you doin' here?" she tried to act happy.
Jeff hadn't noticed the razor blade that she had had poised up to her wrist, but he did notice her odd behavior. He figured it was because of what Nick had told him she'd been through, the day before. "Hey, Georgia. Just comin' to say hi and see how you're doin'," he smiled warmly at her.
Georgia couldn't help but smile back... Jeff had always been very nice. "Thank you, Jeff... You can come in, ya know." she said, referring to the fact that he was still standing in the doorway.
Jeff nodded and walked in, sitting down on the bed. "I um, also wanted to tell you something."
"What's that?" she looked at him, intently.
"Nick wanted me to tell you that he's sorry for anything he did wrong... and that... that he still thinks you're really special and that to him you'll always be more than good enough."
Georgia sighed, sadly, as she looked down at her feet. "What time's he leaving?" she asked, quietly.
"His plane takes off in two hours."
Georgia nodded, "Thanks, Jeff."
"I better get goin'. I'll talk to you later, George."
She smiled, "Okay... Later."
Jeff stood up and left the room, closing it gently behind him.
~*~ 20 Minutes Later ~*~
If all of the strength and all of the courage Come and lift me from this place I know I can love you much better than this Full of grace
"Please, I'll only be gone for 3 hours at the most... I promise you that I'll be back really soon! I just have to go do something real quick," Georgia begged one of the head nurses. "Pleaaaaaseeeee."
"Georgia, you know full well that we would let you go, permanently, any time you want! But with what happened yesterday morning..."
Georgia looked at the nurse, her face turning into her infamous puppy dog look. "Please, Janet. I promise you, I will be back soon. Please! I'm begging you."
Janet stood there for a moment, "I... I... Fine! But you may not be gone more than 4 hours!"
"Thank you so-oo much!"
"I'll call you a cab."
"Ooh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squeeled, throwing her arms around the older woman.
~*~ 1 Hour Later ~*~
Georgia ran through the airport, hurriedly, pushing past people and saying "excuse me" as she went. She got to the gate that she had been looking for, and spotted him immediately. He sat with his back to her, looking at a magazine.
Georgia slowed her pace and walked up behind him, gazing at the back of his head, before walking around his chair. She noticed that although the magazine was open, and he was holding it up in front of his face, he didn't really seem to be reading... just dazing off.
Georgia moved a piece of his hair, out of his eyes, causing him to look up at her. Nick gasped, not expecting to see her standing there. He stood up, klutzily, knocking his backpack off of his lap, in the process. Georgia couldn't help but laugh, though she felt like crying just at the sight of him.
"Georgia... you're... you're here!" tears trickled down the soft flesh of his cheeks.
Georgia brought her hands up to his face and wiped his tears away with her thumbs, "Shh... Don't cry," she smiled at him, before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into the biggest hug he'd ever received... even from a fan.
Nick's arms snaked around her waist and held her close to him, "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much!"
"I love you too," Georgia looked up at him and smiled. She leaned closer to his face and kissed him, gently. "Nicky..."
"Yeah, sweetie."
"I have to go back to the clinic... I mean, after you leave. Because of what happened yesterday, they want to keep me for at least a month... just to make sure that I'll be okay. After that I can be released and um..."
Nick smiled, "And I'm moving you to Cali. Will you come live over there?"
"Of course!! Gosh, I'm gonna miss you till then though!" she hugged him tighter, resting her head on his shoulder.
Nick inhaled deeply, memorizing the natural and beautiful scent of her.
"Flight 255 to Santa Barbara, California, now boarding." someone called over the speakers.
Georgia sighed and pulled away slightly so she could look at him, "Will you call me?"
"Every night."
She smiled, "Thank you... I won't be able to get to sleep, till I hear your voice. I love you."
"I love you bunches more," Nick giggled, squeezing her hands in his. He leaned down and captured her lips with his own. "Mm, ya know what??" he asked, once they'd pulled away.
"What, Nick?"
"Ya know how I told you that someday something or someone would come along and make you have the desire to leave the clinic?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I musta been that something... 'Cause you wanna leave now!"
Georgia laughed, "Do you know what?"
"What's that, Miss Georgia?"
"The first time I saw you, I knew you were that something."
Nick grinned, before leaning down and kissing her. They pulled apart as they heard his flight being called again.
"Go. You're gonna miss your flight," she hugged him tightly for a few moments, before pulling away, hesitantly. "See you soon, Love."
Nick sighed, picked up his backpack, and slung it over his shoulder. Kissing her forehead, lightly, he walked towards the plane entrance. After handing his ticket to the lady at the ticket counter, Nick turned around and noticed Georgia looking down at her feet, "Hey, Georgia!" Nick shouted, to get her attention.
She looked up at him, looking more beautiful than ever, to him.
"You won MY beauty pageant," he smiled at her.
Georgia grinned and waved goodbye to him. Nick turned around and walked onto the plane.
*Jeff was released from the clinic 6 months later. His mother never had come and visited him, but he realized, in the short while that Nick was there, that even if his immediate family didn't love him, he had extended family, like Nick's, that did. Once he was released, he went to live with Nick, in Santa Barbara.
He married Aleese, a girl that he met in college, 7 years later. Over a four year period they had two children: Nickolas Ryan Carter and Georgia Aleese Carter.
*Georgia was released from the clinic exactly a month (to the day!) later, and immediately took a plane to Santa Barbara. She moved in with Nick and Jeff, and was often asked if she minded being the only female in the house... she didn't, as long as BJ, Nick's sister, came and spent the night at least once a week, so she didn't lose all her sanity.
Nick and Georgia got married 5 years later and had 4 kids (2 being twins): Aaron Jeffrey Carter and Jocelyn Virginia Carter, the twins; and Angel Hope Carter and Faith Lynn Carter.
Full of grace Full of grace My love
