YoSwtThang@aol.com
YoSwtThang@aol.com
I'm so happy that I can't stop crying I'm laughing through my tears I'm laughing through my tears
Mercury falling I rise from my bed Collect my thoughts together I have to hold my head It seems that she's gone And somehow I am pinned by The Hounds of Winter Howling in the wind
I walk through the day My coat around my ears I look for my companion I have to dry my tears It seems that she's gone Leaving me too soon I'm as dark as December I'm as cold as the Man in the Moon
I still see her face As beautiful as day It's easy to remember Remember my love that way All I hear is that lonesome sound The Hounds of Winter They follow me down
I can't make up the fire The way that she could I spend all my days In the search for dry wood Board all the windows And close the front door I can't believe she won't be here anymore
I still see her face As beautiful as day It's easy to remember Remember my love that way All I hear is that lonesome sound The Hounds of Winter They follow me down
A season for joy A season for sorrow Where she's gone I will surely, surely follow She brightened my day She warmed the coldest night The Hounds of Winter They got me in their sights
I still see her face As beautiful as day It's easy to remember Remember my love that way All I hear is that lonesome sound The Hounds of Winter They harry me down
-The Hounds of Winter, by Sting (CD: Mercury Rising)
Nick sat up in bed, feeling disoriented. He could barely remember all that had happened the previous night, but it all came back to him once he realized the other side of the bed was empty. He sighed and stood up, stretching.
"Faith?" Nick called out, only to get silence in response. He took a deep breath and walked out of the bedroom and downstairs to the kitchen. He could hear another bedroom door open and knew his two children were awake.
"Daddy?" 4 year old Gem called softly from the kitchen doorway.
"Yeah, sweetie?" Nick turned around and looked at her, giving her his full attention.
"Where's mommy?"
Nick gulped and saw Jewel, him and Faith's 2 year old daughter, come wobbling up behind Gem. "How'd Jewel get out of her crib?" he asked, ignoring Gem's previous question, because quite frankly he didn't know the answer. He picked Jewel up and walked over to the fridge to get her some apple juice.
"I let her out," Gem smiled slyly.
Nick smiled at her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and picked her up into his other arm. He walked them into the family room and set them down on the couch, turning Barney on for them to watch.
Nick walked back towards the kitchen, not knowing Gem had gotten back off the couch and followed him.
"Poppa?"
Nick turned around and grinned at her, "Yeah, baby?"
"Are you and mommy mad at each other?"
'Gosh, she's smart for her age,' he thought to himself with a sigh. Picking her up again, he brought her into the dining room and sat her down at the table, kneeling in front of her. "Gem... I don't expect you to understand any of this since you're 4, but2... all couples have their problems... even married ones, like your mommy and daddy... But I just want you to know that whatever happens, your mommy and I will always love you and your sister with all of our hearts. Does all that make sense, Sweetie?" he sighed, feeling stupid for saying all that to a 4 year old.
Gem nodded, her lower lip quivering. She was definently smarter than Nick'd thought... she knew something was seriously wrong.
Nick sighed and sat down in a chair, pulling Gem into his lap, "Shh... it's gonna be okay, baby." he kissed the top of her head and hoped that what he said was true.
~*~ That Night ~*~
Nick rocked Jewel in the rocking chair, humming quiet songs to her until she was groggy enough to fall asleep without crying. He slowly stood up, as he saw her eyes begin to droop, and walked over to the crib. He pulled the blankets back with one hand and kissed her cheeks gently. "I love you," he whispered, before placing her down in the crib.
Nick quietly walked out of the bedroom and into the family room where Gem sat watching TV. "Hey, whatcha watchin', baby girl?" he sat down next to her and smiled as she climbed into his lap, resting her head against his chest.
"Nothin'."
They sat watching "nothing", which had turned out to be some stupid, corny sitcom that neither of them were laughing at, for awhile before Nick noticed Gem was becoming limp in his arms.
He laughed, "How 'bout we put you to bed now?"
"Can I sleep in your room, daddy?" Gem asked sleepily, as Nick stood up, holding her in his arms, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Well, what about Jewel?" Nick smiled at her, lightly. "She's not used to sleeping in there by herself."
"Well, she can sleep with us too."
"But she's already alseep in her crib."
"Please???" Gem gave him her puppy dog look - the one Faith had always said she must have inherited from Nick.
Nick sighed, "Alright, sweetie." he walked into his bedroom with Gem and laid her down on Faith's side of the bed, tucking her in.
He was extremely exhausted, but knew he wouldn't be getting to bed for quite some time, not knowing where Faith was or if she was safe. With a sigh, Nick got into his side of the bed and felt Gem's little body snuggle up to him.
"I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, sweetheart."
~*~ The Next Morning ~*~
Nick woke up to the phone ringing next to his ear. He growled, wanting nothing more than to fall back asleep, but he figured he'd better pick up the phone before it woke Gem up. "Hello?" he asked quietly and groggily into the receiver.
"Nick? It's... it's Faith." came the small and depressed sounding voice on the other line.
"Faith?!" Nick practically shrieked. He slapped his hand down over his mouth when he felt Gem squirm next to him. He didn't say anything more until he was certain Gem was asleep, fully, again. "Faith... Hold on a minute." with that, he put the phone on mute and slipped out of the bed, walking down the hall, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. He picked up the chordless that sat on the counter. "Faith... Where are you?"
Faith sighed, just as their reception started cutting in and out.
"Are you on a cell phone? Faith? Hello? Sh*t! Faith!!"
The signal came back and Faith's voice was back. "Nick??"
"Yeah! Where are you?!"
"Nick, I... I... It's not really important, is it? Nick, I can't do this anymore! I'm sorry..."
Nick gulped, "You can't do what anymore?"
"I can't do us."
"You're joking, right? I mean, c'mmon, sure we got in a fight the other night - but you're really ending our marriage over a fight?!"
"It isn't over last night's fight, Nick. Things haven't been good for a while now... You didn't notice??"
Tears welled in Nick's eyes as he realized she was dead serious about all of this. "Faith... Please... We'll go to counseling or something."
"Nick, it's too late for counseling," she said, quietly, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Nick. I'm so sorry. You have no idea."
"What about Gem and Jewel, huh? What about them, Faith??"
"I'm coming to pick them up tonight," Faith whispered, knowing Nick's response was going to tear her apart. Nick was the best father around, she hated to take them from him - but they needed their mother.
"What?" Nick whispered, tears streaming down his face. "Faith... no! Please! I'm begging you!"
The cell phone Faith was on started to cut in and out again. "Nick... You're breaking up." she said, referring to the fact that his voice was coming in splurts.
"Faith, please! I love you! I can't live without you and the girls!" he said in a rush, but it was too late... the cell phone had already gone dead.
