The girl pushed the hair away from her eyes and her smile faded, she leaned in and kissed Nick on the cheek, he was taken back a bit but soon recovered. "Help me Nickels," the girl pleaded, standing up and walking away. "Please help me," her eyes burned into his.
Nick threw himself up in bed; he was shivering and sweaty. "A dream," he whispered whipping his forehead, "only a dream. Where am I?" He glanced around the dark room; he found a lamp next to his bed and turned it on. "Mom and Dad's house," he mumbled checking the clock, "it's not that early." Nick picked up the phone and dialed Candice's number. Five, six, seven, eight, nine rings gosh where is she? Nick thought sitting at the edge of his bed. Nick slammed down the phone and put on some shorts. "Mum, could you get me the soonest flight to St. Louis?" Nick called hurrying down the stairs.
"Why honey?" Mrs. Carter asked.
"It's Candice, something is wrong I can feel it."
"I'll try," she smiled walking toward the phone.
"Thanks mum I'm gonna go get ready."
"The flight leaves in twenty minutes, if you hurry you might make it."
"Thanks so much mum I'll call you, love ya," Nick ran off to his car.
"I just don't know where he is?" Aj rubbed his forehead starring hard at her.
"Well, then don't call him," she sad coldly.
"Amanda she needs him right now."
"Aj you're so wrong, he is the last thing she needs right now."
"No, you are wrong!" Their fighting was interrupted by Aj's phone ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hey Bone it's Nick, do you know what's up with Candice?"
"Nick I think you better sit down buddy," Aj frowned. "Ok, Nick it's not all that bad but we are in the hospital right now and."
"I'm already sitting and I'm on a flight down there now," Nick cut in.
"We will be waiting Nick, I'll fill you in when you get here, she is in room 601 on the fourth floor."
"Thanks bone."
"Bye Nicky," Aj hung up holding her frozen hand.
"Why did you tell him that?"
"She needs him, like I said before," Aj repeated.
"If she had never met him then none of this never would have happened," Amanda said coldly.
"No," Aj screeched, "don't say that."
"Aj I just don't think they belong together."
"Well, it really doesn't matter what you think does it?" Nick chimed.
"Yea," her voice faded as she turned around to see his hurt face.
"No, it doesn't matter, really it doesn't matter at all!"
"I'm gonna go now," Amanda stood up and walked out the door.
"Nick," Aj began to stand up.
Nick shoved him aside and sat next to Candice in the hospital bed. He starred down at her in Awe; wires and beeps came from every direction. He sat next to her for a long time stroking her cheek and just sitting there; Aj had left the room already.
"Mr. Carter," a doctor asked walking into the room. Nick nodded, "I'm Dr. Manchaze, Candice's doctor, she seems to be suffering from malnutrition and she is very unstable. Witnesses say she screamed out a name and just fell to the ground and when I say fell I mean hard, she might have a concussion, but we aren't exactly sure though..I'm very sorry."
"That-that's fine, I mean will she be ok?" Nick choked out.
"We hope so son, but she looks pretty bad. We all hope for the best really." The doctor's words echoed in Nick's head. We all hope for the best, what the freak is that supposed to mean? Nick thought bitterly. He watched Candice, she started to turn and jerk around he jumped up.
"You don't deserve him!" The low voice screeched.
"Yes, I do," she screamed into the open field, her voice echoed for miles.
"No, no, no," the voice chanted growing louder.
"Leave me alone," she screamed spinning in a circle and falling to the ground.
"What some nice juice pizza?" The voice hissed laughing evilly. A cool breeze blew by her and she heard a new voice.
"Come on Candi you can make it through this. You can win," the voice choked out.
She knew the voice. Nick. She thought smiling.
"Why are you doing this to me?" She sobbed. She felt a warm hand grab hers. Nick, she thought growing happier. She felt his figures intertwine with hers.
"I love you," his familiar voice whispered in her ear.
"Nick," she screamed standing up, "Nick!" She suddenly felt a warm breeze blow by her. This is so not good, she thought; fear filled her eyes. Nick don't let go Please please, please! She no longer felt his figures in hers; she fell back down to the ground and sobbed.
Nick stood up stretching his legs and walked to the chair next to her bed. He sat in the small chair and curled into a ball and fell asleep.
"Come on Nicky," Aj called slapping Nick on the back. Nick looked around but Aj was gone, he searched the backstage area until he found his microphone. He ran onstage and gazed out into the empty arena. Nick sat down on the edge of the stage and ran his fingers through his hair, scanning the empty seats until his eyes fell upon a small figure sitting in back of the first level. Nick jumped off the stage and jogged to the back of the area, then the figure came into focus; it was a young girl around 11. She had long blonde hair and was very tiny.
"You Ok?" His voice echoed in the large empty stadium. No reply. "Miss are you ok?" He walked closer. She sat up holding her head and moaning. "Here let me help you," Nick reached for her arm.
"Don't touch me! Who are you?" She screamed walking backward into the wall.
"Sorry, I was just helping."
Her face softened, "it's ok. Who are you anyway?"
"My name's Nick, Nick Carter."
"Nick? I don't know you, I'm I-I don't know." Her eyes widened. "I don't know who I am," she screamed.
"Shhh, clam down. Do you remember anything?"
"I don't know," she sighed. "Wait I remember you!"
"From where?" Nick asked moving backward.
"I'm Mandy," the little girl grinned.
"Ohmigod," Nick stepped back more.
"Nicky look it's me," she walked toward him with an evil look glowing in her eyes.
"No, no get away!" Nick yelled as he started to run back to the stage. Nick reached the stage and looked back; she was down, she had fallen.
"Nick help me," she pleaded. "I thought you loved me!"
Nick covered his ears and closed his eyes.
"Nick, Nick get up," Aj shook him.
"Huh?" Nick jumped up, "Aj it was so horrible, the dreams..The girl...evil." Nick stammered.
"Whoa slow down dude and just tell me the whole story."
"K," Nick sighed, "it all started." Nick told him the whole story; the dreams, the phone calls.
"Weird...um Nick," Aj bit his bottom lip. "Nick I called you once."
Nick's face turned angry, "why Aj? Why the hell did you do that?"
"Nick man I'm sorry ok?"
"Who are you?" An older woman asked walking into the room causing Nick and Aj to jump.
"I'm Aj."
"I know that," she screamed. "But you," she pointed to Nick. "I've never met you!"
"I'm-I'm Nick Carter," Nick stammered.
"Nick Carter," she hissed. "Why are you doing this to my daughter?!"
"Huh," Nick thought for a minute. "You're Candice's mom?"
"Yes, I am and you-you get out of here," she screamed storming out of the room to call for security.
"First impressions hurt," Nick mumbled to himself; Two police officers started pull him out the door.
"Hey wait," said a low hoarse whisper. Nick recognized the voice right away and ripped away from the officers' grip. She was sitting up in her bed rubbing her eyes.
"Candice, Ohmigod you're awake," he sat next to her.
"Nick," she whispered closing her eyes. "Nick," she opened her eyes gaining some strength. "What happened to me?"
"I don't exactly know. Do you remember anything?" He asked running his hand through her hair.
"Um..I remember Aj and me playing near the pool and then he was gone and I was in a field," she whispered as her eyes widened at the site of her mother, Amanda, and Aj entering the room.
"Honey you're awake," her mother screamed running to her side pushing Nick off the bed, "and YOU are still here!" She looked at him with pure disgust.
"Mom, this is my neighbor, Nick-Nick Carter."
"Not anymore, you're moving back home with me and your father."
"But Mom."
"No, but's Candice you are in no state to decide where you shall live."
"I'm."
"I'll send for your stuff tomorrow."
"I am 19 mother!" Candice screamed with all of her energy, but it was hardly above a whisper. Her mother frowned and shook her head at her daughter. "You are not in any state to decide this sweetie."
"No," Candice protested feeling tired again. "I-I love him," her mothers jaw fell open; Nick grinned.
Mrs. Thompson spun around with an icy look in her eyes.
"You will never have my daughter you overpaid stuck up pretty boy band pop star!" She screamed storming out of the room. Nick sat there in shock, he had done nothing to hurt this lady, he had just met her for crying out loud; why did she have all this hatred for him. Was it because he was the only one there to blame or was it because she didn't want to blame anyone she already knew; Nick couldn't decide. Maybe someone had told her bad things about him; Nick glanced around the room. Aj was sitting in to corner with Amanda. Aj? Nick thought, Could Aj have done this? Why would Aj do such a horrible thing? Nick's mind raced he had to leave; he had to go and think.
"Nick I'm so sorry, my mom."
"No, I am sorry," Nick stopped her. "And I will be here until you get better."
"Then what?" He kissed her forehead.
"Then I'll be gone." Nick choked out shutting his eyes and resting his head on her head. He didn't want to leave but he knew he had to. He loved her a lot and he knew she loved him more than she was ever going to admit to.
"I have to go," Nick stood up tears welding up in his eyes; he walked out the door.
"Nick," Candice reached for him but he was already gone.
© A Candi Idea