Chapter Fourteen

4 quite a while of the day, u were asleep. U were gaining yor strength and Nick sat next 2 u watching u. Nick was slightly happier 2 kno that u were just asleep and not unconsious. Nick was so engrossed in watching u that he didn't notice the doctor come in after a few hours. He tapped Nick on his sholder and Nick looked up at him. D-'She can go home 2night provided she's up2 it'. Nick's face lit up. N-'Yeah?' D-'Yes, but only if she feels up 2 it'. Nick turned back 2 u. His smile faded. He presumed u were still sour about the night of the awards. The doctor went out as Brian entered. Brian pulled up a chair and sat next 2 Nick. He looked at Nick's face who was looking as if Christmas had been cancelled. B-'Wot's rong?' N-'The doctor said she can go home 2night'. Nick's voice was dry and soft. Brian wondered y Nick was so off about that. B-'That's great isn't it?' Nick looked down. Brian seemed 2 have gessed Nick's thots. B-'Hey Nick, I told u not 2 worry right? I'll talk 2 her. I'll make her stay in our apartment ok?' Nick murmered. *~LATER THAT EVENING~* U had woken up and the doctor asked u if u wanted 2 go home. U really cudn't think clearly and Brian asked 2 talk 2 u alone, so every1 stepped out of the room. Brian sat where Nick sat while watching u. B-'I need u 2 listen 2 me carefully'. He was talking slowly coz he knew that the words were travelling slowly 2 yor brain and it wud take u long 2 interpret them in yor condition. B-'U can't stay in this hospital place 4ever. U need 2 get out of here and go back 2 the hotel. U can move in 2 our apartment and stay with Nick's mom 4 the time being coz u need 2 b looked after. We'll all take care of u, don't worry. Just get out of here'. U thot about wot Brian said 4 a few moments and said,'Ok'. U were taken 2 the guys apartment and lay down in Jane's room. Every1 was sitting in the main room outside Jane's and either watching T.V or reading a magazine. But they weren't talking 2 each other. Nick was out at the balcony and staring in2 the sunset. He had drifted in2 his thots of u and he didn't notice Jane as she stepped on2 the balcony and stood next 2 him. J-'Nick?' Jane had noticed Nick's behaviour 4 the last few days and seen how he hadn't eaten nor slept. She was quite worried and wanted 2 kno the reason 4 this. Nick looked blankly at Jane. J-'Nick sweetie, r u feeling alright?' Nick nodded and sat down on 1 of the chairs there. Jane sat next 2 him. J-'It doesn't look like it tho. . .' N-'I'm ok mom'. Jane didn't buy it. J-'Nick. . .Wot's trubling u?' Nick didn't kno how 2 tell his mom that he was in love with u. N-'I uh. . ' J-'Does it have n e thing 2 do with *****?' Nick didn't kno how Jane had gessed, but nevertheless, nodded.

Jane knew that Nick had been hiding this for quite a while. Jane wondered y. He had always been frank with her. In a conversation with Brian, he mentioned that Nick hadn't even told him until he actually asked, and Nick is more open with Brian that with n e 1 else. J-'This must b pretty hard 4 u. . . ***** getting kidnapped and all. . . .' Nick looked in the opposite direction. Tears were forming in his eyes and he didn't want Jane 2 see them. J-'Poor *****, she looks so weak. How horrible it must have been not 2 b fed. . .' Nick's vision was getting hazy with tears and he didn't know how 2 stop them as they threatened 2 roll down his face. The more Jane spoke, the stronger the urge 4 Nick 2 cry got. J-'I hope she recovers fast'. Nick sniffed and he tried as hard as he cud 2 make it sound soft so as Jane may not hear. But Jane cot the sound. J-'Nick?' Jane placed her hand on Nick's sholder as a tear ran down his face. He cudn't control himself n e more and let the tears flow. He put his fingers 2 his eyes 2 remove his tears and Jane came around and faced Nick who covered his face with his hands. J-'Nick, wot happened?' Nick cried harder in his hands. Jane wrapped Nick in2 a hug and he let all the pain and sorrow that he bottled up out. He cried on Jane's sholder as he had cried on Brian's sholder, previously. As he cried, he hugged Jane tighter. Out of experience, Jane knew that Nick wud automatically calm down wen she wudn't do n e thing. Sure enough, he did. But that was after a pretty long cry. Jane sat him down on the chair and knelt down in front of him. J-'Nick, u alright?' Nick sniffed and nodded. He stopped. He shook his head and looked at Jane, teary eyed. Jane took him in2 a another hug. After pulling away, Jane asked,'Nick is there n e thing u want 2 tell me?' Nick paused. How cud he tell his mom in plain words how much he loved u? How cud he describe wot amazing love he had 4 u? It was so difficult. Jane waited patiently. Nick cudn't speak. N-'I don't kno how 2 tell u mom. . . ' Jane seemed 2 have understood. She got up and went 2 check on u. She entered yor room and found u asleep. She stroked yor hair gently out of affection. 'She is so sweet', Jane thot. 'If Nick really loves her as much as I think he does, I hope she loves him back'. Jane went outside and went in2 Kevin's room. Nick saw Jane leave her room and went in. He pulled up a chair and sat next 2 u. He watched u sleep 4 so long that he lost track of time. He was so happy 2 see yor face in happiness of sleep that he 4got his own problems. He didn't notice Jane wen she walked in later and saw Nick staring at u with a dreamy expression on his face. Jane walked up 2 Nick and it wasn't until she touched him on the sholder that he broke out of his trance like spell.

J-'How u feeling sweetie?' N-'I'm fine. . . ' He looked u sleeping peacefully and said,'She looks like such an angel . . . ' Jane was a bit surprised 2 hear Nick say that at first, but smiled. Nick stood up and stretched. He smiled at Jane and said,'I think I'll go and play some videogames. . . I got the new alien invasion - part 13. It's real cool'. He walked out of the room. Jane was happy 2 see Nick smile after that painful ordeal he went through. After a few moments u woke up. U saw Jane's face swim above u as it came in2 focus. She felt yor forehead. J-'No fever'. U stretched and Jane helped u sit up. She brot u some food and sat next 2 u as u ate. After u finished, u wanted 2 get some fresh air. U had been cramped in a room 4 2 days with no food, then in a hospital room with liquid food and now in a hotel room (with proper food). U spoke 2 Jane. U-'Mrs Carter, cud I go down 2 the beach 4 some fresh air 4 a while?' Jane thot 4 a while. J-'U feeling up2 it?' U nodded. J-'The doctors said not 2 do n e thing if it strains u'. U-'I'll b fine'. J-'Ok'. U went down and out 2 the railing overlooking the ocean. It was so peaceful and quiet there. U loved the cool wind as it washed over your face and thru yor hair. *~UPSTAIRS~* Nick went in2 Jane's room 2 find only his mom there. N-'hey mom, where's *****?' J-'She's gone down 4 some fresh air'. Nick turned around and went down. He walked up2 the rocks u were standing on, about 10 yards away from u. From his position, he cud see yor back and yor hair flowing in the wind. He saw the person he loved standing in front of him and somehow he felt that he cudn't move from where he was standing. He felt as if his feet had been glued 2 the ground. Suddenly something inside him happened. He had 2 have u in his arms, where he thot u belonged. He walked up2 u and stood behind u. He made no noise so u weren't aware of his presence. For quite a while he stood behind u, smelling yor hair and wanting 2 put his arms around u. U looked up at the starry sky and saw a beautiful constellation. When u looked up, yor head touched Nick's nose. U turned around 2 find your face a few centimetres from his. U cud feel his breath on yor face and u stared in2 those deep, blue eyes which fascinated u. Nick put his arms around and kissed u. Under the inky black sky, with no witnesses except the stars, he kissed u, wanting that this moment wud never end. . . . . . .

Then a wave crashed against a rock and Nick realised he had been day-dreaming. He was standing the same 10 yards from u and u hadn't noticed him since. He felt slightly frightened to face u, thinking that u might not love him as much as u used 2. He plucked up courage and walked up 2 u. He stood a foot behind u and said yor name. U turned around and blankly stared at him. It was the first time u saw him since u gained yor senses. U noticed the lines of tension on his face. U 2 just looked in2 each others eyes, not knowing wot 2 say or wot 2 do. After about 10 mins, u cudn't go on much more. U broke yor eye contact with him and began 2 walk away. Nick grabbed your wrist and u felt yor arm being pulled back. U cudn't look at him somehow, knowing that u might cry if u did. Nick spoke,'*****, about the awards night. . . ' U had totally 4gotten about that night, but now that he mentioned it, all the events flowed in2 yor mind again. N-'. . I want u 2 know that I didn't plan 4 that 2 happen. I don't know how she got in2 my locked dressing room and where she got her strength 2 overpower me. I wud never 2 n e thing 2 hurt u *****, and I want 2 tell u from the bottom of my heart. . .' His voice was steadily getting more wobbly from the effort of trying not 2 cry. N-'. . I want u 2 know from the bottom of my heart that I love u, more than words can say, and if at n e time u ever say that u don't love me *****, I'll b the most broken man on the face of this earth. . ' U heard him sniff and felt him slowly let go of yor wrist. U cudn't face him, u just cudn't. U wanted 2 turn around and put yor arms around him, but u felt that if u cried there, u cudn't ever have the courage 2 face him ever again. U walked. U walked back 2 the hotel and went in2 Jane's empty room where all the tears flowed as if they wud never stop. When u had begun 2 walk back, Nick watched u leave in disbelief, thinking that it's over between u 2 and that he cud never share n e part of his life with u again. He was heartbroken that u didn't even look at him. He went upstairs and on the way 2 his room, he bumped in2 Brian. Brian saw Nick's eyes were wet, and his face gave away all that had happened. Brian hugged him, consoling him that u wud b his and that his love wud get u back, no matter wot. B-'Com on Nick', He tapped Nick gently on his back,'I'll talk 2 her 2night'. Nick sniffed and wiped his tears as Brian pulled away. B-'Nick, I can't stand 2 see u like this man. . Please smile 4 me'. Nick tried, but it was hard. Very hard. B-'Ok then, smile 4 the girl who tripped over the cordless fone'. Nick laughed thru his tears at that as Brian took him in2 another hug. As they hugged, Brian cud feel Nick's heart beating louder. B-'She loves u Nick. . ' Nick looked at Brian. B-'Your heart says so'.

Chapter Fifteen