Nick awoke with sweat dripping from his body. He looked around the room quickly, forgetting where he was for a minute. Then it dawned on him... he was at Leah's. A huge grin came across his face, and his dream was soon forgotten... and soon remembered. He groaned as the feelings from that night began to come back to him, and bits and pieces of his nightmare flowed through his memory swiftly. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was 3:46 in the morning. Crawling from his bed silently, he went to the adjoining bathroom and washed his face quickly to get his sweat off of his skin. After drying his face and hands, he crept back into the bedroom and out into the hallway, tiptoeing towards Leah's room. Cracking the door open slowly, he cringed as it squeaked on its hinges. He watched as Leah slept on peacefully. After a few minutes, he walked into the room and over to her bed, pulling the covers back slowly. Carefully, as to not wake Leah up, he climbed into the other side of her bed and laid down, knowing he would get a peaceful night sleep now.
Leah woke to the feeling of the bed moving next to her. She kept her eyes shut for a minute, before she turned over slowly and looked at her new bed-mate. Her gaze came in contact with Nick's eyes and she slowly moved her hand up to his face, rubbing his cheek gently in a hello. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Nick nodded silently, wondering if his voice would even work if he was to try.
"Did you have a nightmare? Or is the bed too hard?"
"No no," Nick shook his head. "Well... yes to the nightmare."
Concern came to Leah's eyes as she took his hand gently in her own, "What was it about? Do you want to talk about it?"
"No... not really," he wrapped his arms around her gently and rested his head on her shoulder. "Sorry for waking you up. I didn't mean to. I tried to be quiet."
She smiled, running her hands through his hair in an attempt to soothe him. She hoped he was okay. "Don't ever apologize. You're my guest here, Nicker-bocker... If you're unhappy, I am. Plus... you're my best friend."
There was that friend word again. It had been a while since the word had bothered him. The first day they'd hung out it had bothered him... but since then it had been a word that was greatly accepted on both ends. Suddenly, for Nick, he despised it again. Friends. Bleh!
"Thanks, Lee. I love you, you know?"
She grinned, tightening her hold around him, "I know. I love you too, Nicky."
A few minutes later, they fell into a content sleep.
~ * ~
When I woke up this morning I knew then I wasn't made last night I felt something, I knew then, It wasn't right
My memories play slowly But still they stay in my mind It's no use I'm trying to save my life...
-Night After Night, by Born Into Kaos ((Sorry if I have some of those lyrics wrong... he mumbles, lol))
Nick awoke at noon the next day, stretching his arms above his head lazily. Realizing he was still in Leah's bed, and Leah was no longer there, he sat up quickly and looked around the room. Her make-up was spread across her dresser; her pajamas thrown over the top of the hamper. A smile appeared on Nick's face. Crawling from the comfort and warmth of Leah's bed, he stood and stretched again before walking to his room silently and stripping from his shirt and boxers, changing into clothes for the day. After brushing his teeth and hair, Nick sprinted down the stairs and into the kitchen to find Leah making breakfast, her hair already nicely done and her make-up perfect.
"Hey, Leeeeeeeeee," Nick sang in a high-pitched tone, grabbing her from behind and squeezing her tight.
Leah laughed and half-choked, "Morning, Nick. Didn't know you were such a morning person!"
"I'm not."
She rolled her eyes, "Okay."
Nick grinned, pouring himself a cup of juice, "Where's your mom?"
"Work. Some of us do have to do that, you know."
"Excuse me?!"
Leah started cracking up, "Calm down, poster-boy... I was kidding!"
He nodded, a look of disbelief on his face, "Sure..." Kissing her cheek he headed towards the dining room, "I'll just wait in here for the food."
Leah peeked her head around the corner to find Nick sitting at the table already, "You know, you COULD help me."
"That's alright. Some of you DO have to work, you know."
She glared at him.
"'I'm kidding!'" Nick mocked.
