Okay folks, here's another fanfic about someone being ill or sick, I can't help it, I love my angst and I feel sorry for sick characters unless they deserve it!! Lol.

(Non bold flash back's) oh and Philip and Nick have known each other since they were kids, they lived in the same place, their friendship has never broken.

This is my first P:TL fan fic, hope you like and as usual please read and review criticism and flames welcomed. ;-)

As usual none of the characters are mine, although I wish they were especially a particular ex-SEAL!

Enjoy folks

Nicky xx

Your Never alone.

He had woken from a nightmare around three a.m., not really recalling what it was about, except for the feeling of dread, and a massive headache. 'perfect!' he groaned as the night air assaulted his body, he was freezing, he blinked a few times to clear the fog from his mind, since when did he sleep with the window open, he rolled over and immediately regretted it as a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him, with a shudder he bolted for the bathroom barely making it on time. He lost whatever he had eaten for dinner and possibly the previous evening, he groaned as the acid burned his throat causing him to gag and heave. He spent what seemed like an eternity clutching the bowl as wave after wave assaulted him, finally subsiding to dry heaves he was able to control himself wishing that he could shoot himself.

He shakily stood on wobbly legs, looking at himself in the mirror and was shocked; he had never been this pale and sick except for that time as a child, when he had a stomach virus that almost hospitalised him. He rinsed his mouth and brushed his teeth, 'I hope this is a twenty-four hour bug!' he mumbled as he staggered back to bed, he felt as if he had been on a weekend bender with the worst hangover in history. With every step the pounding in his head exploded, causing his stomach to churn dangerously. Snagging the trash can he crawled into bed pulling the comforter tight around his feverish body. Curling into a ball he eventually fell into a fever induced dream about his father.

He was about eight years old, his father was drunk again, he had just come home from school and could smell the alcohol from the front door, by the smell of it, his father had been drinking since breakfast, as usual his mother was out of town visiting her sister 'lucky her' he thought solemnly as he snuck as quietly as he could towards the stairs, praying that his father had passed out drunk, he just wanted to get to his room, do his homework and gets to Phillips house. No such luck "NICK!" 'Great' he mumbled as he detoured into the living room "yes father?" "What are you doing home, you're meant to be in school!" slurred his father. This was exactly the mood he wanted to avoid, a drunk and foul drunk at that "It's three-thirty, schools out for the weekend" he replied, that was all it took for his father to explode, "DON'T YOU SMART TALK ME BOY!" he yelled as he grabbed Nick by the arm and flung him again the wall, laying punch and kick after each other "you ungrateful brat!", Nick couldn't do anything but whimper as blow after blow was received, he tried to cover his head as best as he could, he prayed that he would pass out soon.

Nick bolted awake breathing hard; he was covered in sweat, he barely had time to launch himself over the side of the bed he retched again and again. Everything hurt from his head to his toes, he had no idea what was causing the nightmare or why. He took a sip of water and looked at the clock nearly seven a.m,he had no intention of going for a run he could barely keep his head up without the room spinning, besides the island was empty, Alex was in France with Derek at a seminar, Rachel was with Kathryn at her grandmother's cabin by the lake. He was utterly alone in the house; the staff had the weekend off, he was fine alone he was used to it he awoke to find himself lying in his bedroom, bruised and bloody he groaned as he tasted the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, carefully he tested his limbs of injuries, 'not as bad as before, nothing broken just cracked' he thought as he carefully sat up. He shakily stood up leaning again the door; he locked himself in, knowing that his father would be out at the bar, he headed to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, there was no way he could make the sleep over at Phillips house.

"PHILIP!" he yelled, how could he have forgotten, Philip was due to arrive at the house at nine, he was spending time helping to analysis a document that Derek and Alex where picking up from France, the latter two would be home on Monday. Nick had told Phillip they would be back two days before, he had wanted to talk to his friend about the previous case. He tried to remember if he was to pick him up at the airport, he was, he carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed letting the room settle before he moved, he grabbed an old pair of jeans and a sweater and cautiously stood up using the furniture to support him he made it to the hall, heading for the front door. Suddenly the front door opened causing Nick to reach for his gun, only there was no gun 'crap!' he thought as he lifted an umbrella from the umbrella stand and was about to smack the intruder "WHOA!" mid swing Nick froze.

Phillip had his hands in the air "what you think you're doing!" declared Phillip as he grabbed the umbrella from Nick's unusually weak grasp. Nick looked at him completely confused "Phillip?" Phillip laughed "Yeah Nick, I am supposed to be here for a while to help with that translation" he told his confused friend. Phillip took Nick by the arm and sat him down, he didn't like the look of his friend. "How did you get here, I was supposed to pick you up at the airport?" "I took a cab, something told me to get here sooner than later, what's going on Nick, you look like hell". The concern in the voice pulled Nick form his thoughts, 'now or never" he thought. "Derek and Alex are still in France they won't be back till Monday, Rachel and Kat are at the cabin." He told the Priest, still trying to work out what was going on himself something had to be wrong if Phillip had a feeling to get here before he was needed, Nick was sure it was nothing to do with the fact that he had told him to come two days early.

Phillip looked at him, "I meant with you, you really don't look all that well" he clarified, Nick chuckled "I wish I knew, I woke up like this" he admitted sheepishly. Stifling a yawn, he relaxed into the chair, he didn't notice Phillip placing the back of his hand on his feverish forehead, Phillip frowned, Nick rarely got sick, when he did it was bad "how you feeling?" he asked. Nick opened his eyes, "Like I've been smacked with a bus, my head hurts, I can't keep anything down, nauseous, dizzy and everything hurts!" he mumbled. Phillip sighed let's get you back to bed. He helped him upstairs and back into his own bed, where he removed the trash can allowing Nick to change. Phillip gave him some aspirin and stayed with him until he was sound asleep. He headed down to the kitchen to get some orange juice and water for later, he knew that Nick suffered nightmares when he was sick and didn't want to leave him alone for long, he grabbed his bag on the way and dumped it into his room.

As he did he heard Nick whimpering in the other room, and sighed this was going to be a long night if he didn't get to the cause of this nightmare. He entered Nick's room to find him thrashing around mumbling, he prayed it wasn't about his father, they were usually the worst, ever since that day he never let Nick be alone at home, he practically kept him company when he was home, spending every night at his house when his mom was home, when she was out they stayed at his house. "No….no…no….NOOOO!" screamed Nick as he bolted awake, Phillip grabbed Nick before he fell out of bed "Easy Nick, it's alright, it was just a nightmare, it's over now" he soothed him.

"Phillip?" Nick looked at Phillip the concern in his friends eyes was unmistakable, before Phillip could speak "It…It was that day over again, that day you found me" Phillip could hardly believe that the bastard could still haunt his son from the grave "It's over Nick he can never hurt you again!" the determination in Phillips voice helped relax him, "Thank you" the softly spoken words were almost missed "You've nothing to thank me for, I'm you friend and I will always be there for you no matter what!" declared Phillip. Phillip remembered that day all too well, Nick had phoned his house telling him that he wouldn't be able to sleep over, he wasn't well. He didn't believe him for a second and decided to see for himself, he headed over to the house to 'cheer' his friend up. He rang the door bell and got no answer, 'maybe he's asleep' he thought. He thought about going home, then thought against it, his friend was home probably alone sick, he went around back and climbed the drain pipe. Coming to the window of Nick's room he was shocked to see his friend doubled over gasping for breath. He knocked the window causing Nick to spin around, shocked he almost let go of the drain pipe he slipped slightly but strong hands grabbed his arm, with a yelp he helped the rescuer drag him into the room. He turned to look at Nick "Thank you" he gasped as he saw the bruises that marred the young face "Nick what happened!" shock, and concern causing him to grab Nick and sit him down.

Nick lost the battle he had been having with his emotions he couldn't hide it anymore, no one has to go through this alone. "Nick, tell me what happened, no one deserves this!" pleaded Phillip. Nick looked at Phillip, he couldn't live like this anymore "he was drunk again, I'd just came home from your house and he lost it!" he sobbed "Your coming with me Nick, I'm not letting you stay here any longer, no matter what happens you're not alone anymore!" declared Phillip.

"You're not alone anymore Nick, your safe here!, try and get some more sleep you'll feel better". Nick looked at him and smiled for the first time in days, he was truly thankful for his new family but especially his best friend and brother, he was truly loved and no matter what happened in his childhood, his friend always stood by him.