A/N: It's 5:15 in the morning, and I'm still awake... (I've already slept a little, maybe about five hours?) Anyway, this is kinda a filler chapter, but... eh, whatever. For those of you who aren't familiar with Owl City or the Jonas Brothers (but oh god, please know who they are), you should know that the two songs are called "The Saltwater Room" (Owl City) and "Lovebug" (Jonas Brothers) and I DON'T OWN THEM. But yet again, if you don't know who the Jonas Brothers are and you're actually reading this... get your head checked. Like, seriously.
There's a horrible cliffy at the end. I apologize now. Anyway, I don't own WOWP or JONAS or Owl City or the Jonas Brothers.
chapter seven: the saltwater room
(joepov)
A bloodcurdling scream came from upstairs. Kevin shrieked and fell out of his chair. "Boys! Get up here!" a demanding voice called.
Nick laughed, a rare grin upon his face. It was if he was trying too hard to be happy. He was hiding something still. "Joe, you were so right."
"When am I not?" I replied.
"Most of the time." The smile lingered, then faded. "Come on. It might be less painful if we go now." He helped Kevin up off the ground and dragged him upstairs. Our older brother rubbed his head as we all went up the stairs.
Stella was standing there, holding my grass-stained jeans and soaking wet, mud-covered shirt. "What did you three do, take a mud bath? In your clothes?" Her pretty brown eyes were turning black. "Okay, everyone knows you don't-"
"We fell into a mud puddle, okay? We're sorry. We won't do it again." I rolled my eyes. "Stella, seriously. Worked up much?"
"These clothes are ruined, now," she said, glaring at me. "After the mud, and the grass stains, and... tear stains?"
"Salt water," Kevin muttered. It hadn't been us that was crying... well, technically it had, but that didn't count. Adrian and Corbett. Me and Kevin. My eyes flickered over to Nick, who had stuffed his hands in his pockets and was looking at the floor, avoiding everyone's gaze. It didn't even look like he was listening. It was the same kind of thing he had done yesterday when we'd gotten back from the whole time travel ordeal. Same look on his face. Pain. Agony. He shuddered slightly, then looked up again, his eyes empty of emotion.
Stella looked over to him. "Nick? You okay?"
"I'm fine," he whispered hoarsely. "Absolutely fine."
This had to be my favorite part of the power. I closed my eyes for a second and looked into Nick's mind, read his thoughts. This time, however, he was concentrating on what Stella was saying... then something else. Joe, get the hell out of my head.
My eyes snapped open. Nick was glaring chocolate brown daggers into my skull. "Sorry," I muttered, and tried the same thing with Kevin, knowing he could hear my thoughts too. What's up with Nick? I thought.
I don't know. Every time I try to listen in, he knows I'm listening. Which, I mean, I'm kinda staring at him, which is odd, but...
Then don't stare at him. It's that easy.
"Are you paying attention?" Stella snapped her fingers in my face. "Honestly, Joe. I'm talking to you. And you, Kevin." Nick snickered. I rolled my eyes. The boy thought he was so cool, he was a wizard... and Stella simply didn't understand. She was completely human. Normal. "So, I expect no more stains of any kind," she said, looking at all of us.
"Yes, ma'am." I exchanged a look with Kevin.
"Good." She threw my ruined shirt against the wall. "So, where were you guys yesterday? I called you, like, five times."
Nick shrugged. "Out." He didn't elaborate at all.
"Out where?"
"Out," I muttered. "Family thing. You wouldn't get it." Yeah. She'd never believe us if we told her that Nick wasn't actually our real brother and our parents weren't our real parents. That was something we'd have to keep to ourselves. He looked enough like our brother, with the same curly hair as Kevin (and me, although I would never really admit that I straighten my hair). Everyone could go on believing that. That was fine.
"Besides, I know that Macy was worried about you too. She thought you, like, died or something. Which, you know, upset her. If you don't pick up her first phone call, she'll automatically jump to conclusions." Stella twirled her pretty blonde hair around her finger. Kevin sat down in a chair, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nick slowly inch away towards his area. We all disregarded that, but I was worried about my little brother who wasn't actually my brother.
"Well, we're fine. Does she know that? Do I need to call her?" Kevin said, an edge of anxiousness in his voice.
I looked over in his direction. "Hey, I didn't know you had a thing for Macy," I teased.
He glared at me. Great, now they were both mad at me. "Joe," he said, trying to stay calm, "I agree with Nick: get the hell out of my head."
Nick, from over by his desk, laughed and sent another pair of dagger-eyes at me. Stella looked really, really confused. "How are you in his head?"
"Figure of speech," I muttered. "Come on, let's go get something to eat. The city's not far away, we can go there. Any of you interested in coming?"
Nick shook his head and said nothing, Kevin nodded and so did Stella. Simple enough. I was ready to leave the supernatural behind for a couple of hours and hang out with someone human and normal. "Well then, let's go," I said, and together we slid down the poles. "We can pick up Macy along the way. I'm sure she'll be thrilled."
(alexpov)
It was a slow, slow day. Stuck on a double shift as payment for Justin keeping my secret, I had six hours to kill and no one came in. Feeling oddly helpful, I checked and made sure that the open sign was showing in the door. (It was.)
As much as I actually wanted customers, which was odd to begin with, when three people walked in through the door, I wanted them to disappear. I knew them from magazines and posters and being inside their brother's head. Joe and Kevin Lucas. And two pretty girls, a blonde and a brunette, that I recognized as the two girls in the picture Nick had put in his bag when he was packing yesterday. I leaped over the counter and skittered up (nervously) to meet them. "Um, hi, welcome to Waverly Sub Station, I'm Alex, and I'll be your server for today. Can I interest you in our special, 'Meat Me In Little Italy'?" I rolled my eyes at this point, trying to seem calm, but these were two members of the enemy that were standing in front of me. Leading them to a table, I gave them menus and pointed to the picture of the special, looking away from Kevin's curious stare.
"Aren't you enthusiastic," Joe said, staring at the menu, then looking up to glare at the blonde girl. She glared right back.
"Can I get you something to drink?" I asked, biting my lip. Where was Nick? Was he okay? And I didn't have a number to call him... No, wait. I could just ask him, using the mind-link. Duh. You knew that before, Alex.
After taking their orders and giving them to Max, who was working the kitchen at the time, I sat down behind the counter again and closed my eyes. Hey, Nick. Thought you'd like to know that your brothers and two girls are at the sub station.
Well, they said they were going out to lunch. He didn't sound surprised at all, rather bored and a little aggravated. Who knew that a mental tone could carry so much emotion?
Why aren't you here? I asked, hoping he wasn't hurt or anything.
I needed some time alone.
Oh. Am I bugging you?
No. You're just one of three voices in my head, including my own.
My eyes opened in surprise. What? Three?
Um, yeah. Turns out I'm a creation of the devil. Sorry. I could tell he was at least being partially sarcastic, but he was still being serious too. He was Nick Lucas. Of course he would be serious. Well, not exactly the devil.
Haha. You're kidding, right?
I'm Nick Lucas. I'm not really the one to joke around. You can go and ask my brothers. He paused for a second. No, honestly. The only reason that I exist is because some really powerful guy up in heaven needed a physical shell to take over the world in. He's aiming to take the 'magical existence' back from everyone, the wizards and the Angels. And he didn't want to spend seventeen years as a human boy, so... here I am. A creation to be used to his benefit. This didn't please him at all. So now I can officially be labeled insane. I've got your voice in my head, and I've got his. And my own. And that's not the worst of it. I have to kill my brothers, and I have to kill you.
I couldn't even think. Me? He couldn't kill me. He'd kill himself. So basically he's asking for your own death, to put it as bluntly as you did.
Exactly. Except he doesn't know that you're in my head as well. And we won't know unless I choose to tell him, which I won't.
I must have made some weird noise of some sort, because Joe, Kevin, the two girls, and Max were all staring at me. "Um, sorry," I said, scrambling to make up some lame excuse. "My, uh, friend just told me some big news."
"You're not talking on a phone," Joe said. "Or texting, or really saying anything."
"He's telepathic, duh," I said, rolling my eyes like this was so obvious to begin with. Max's eyes were wide. Damn it, he'd believed me. He'd be the only one to believe the truth.
"And imaginary," coughed the blonde.
I smirked at her and resumed my meditative state. What are the names of the two girls? I asked Nick.
Well, Stella went with them and they said they'd pick up Macy. Stella would be the blonde, Macy the brunette. But yet again, I can't see them.
The mind link has to be stronger than just telepathy. See if you can come closer and see everything the way I see it.
Um... okay? He tried, he really did, and it was odd. Before long, his presence was even stronger in my mind. Whoa, I heard him think, but it wasn't even directed at me. We were so close that we could hear each other's thoughts. Wow. Yeah, that's Stella and Macy, he said, his mental voice clear as he left.
Thanks. So, how much longer until you have to kill me?
You talk about it so casually, like it's not even a problem. He paused again. I'll put it off for as long as I can, but he might be able to control me in ways I haven't realized yet. Alex... I'd never kill you on purpose. I promise.
I opened my eyes again only to meet three pairs of brown eyes and one pair of hazel staring at me from the table, and the burning of Max's gaze in my back. I know you wouldn't, Nick, I replied, and glared at everyone back. "What's your problem?" I snapped.
"You're whimpering," Macy said, "like a dog." She quickly added, "Not that you are a dog, or anything."
"My imaginary friend apologizes," I said sarcastically.
"Does she have a name?" Stella asked with the same sarcastic tone.
I glared more specifically at her. "His name is Nick."
"That's cool, 'cause I have a brother named Nick," Kevin announced. Joe hit him on the shoulder then smiled at me. I smiled back and grabbed their food.
"So, where is Nick?" I asked casually, bringing their food and drinks over.
"How do you know that I'm not Nick?" Joe retorted quickly.
"Because you're Joe. Everyone knows that." I rolled my eyes.
The boys exchanged a long glance. "Well, since you seem to know our names... this is Stella, and that's Macy," Kevin said, pointing. As if I didn't already know. Yet again, they'll never know that I can telepathically communicate with their brother. "And Nick's just not here. He's at home. Alone, I think our parents are out too." He wasn't allowed to elaborate anymore, Joe hit him on the head pretty hard.
"Well, tell him I say hi." With that, I skipped away to the lair with a plan in mind. Pulling out my wand, I performed the teleportation spell, doing it perfectly and ending up on the upper floor of the firehouse. "Hey," I said.
Nick looked up from his guitar and smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"Visiting you." I sat down on the floor in front of him. "I mean, your brothers said you were alone and I should go back soon, but..." I looked into his brown eyes, then looked away before I could do anything that would betray my feelings. "Um, I kinda missed you. And your brothers think I'm incredibly strange."
"Ignore what they think, it's probably not significant anyway." He picked up a guitar. "Listen, this is kinda for you." He plucked out a soft little guitar melody and began to sing.
time together isn't ever quite enough
when you and i are alone, i've never felt so at home
what will it take to make or break this hint of live
only time, only time
when we're apart whatever are you thinking of
if this is what i call home, why does it feel so alone
so tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love
yeah, all the time, all the time
all the subways around create a great sound
to my motion fatigue, farewell with your ear to a seashell
you can hear the waves in underwater caves
as if you were actually in a saltwater room...
The song ended with the same intro out, and morphed into a different little melody. He smiled softly at me, his eyes sparkling.
called you for the first time yesterday
finally found the missing part of me
felt so close but you were far away
left me without anything to say
now i'm speechless, over the edge i'm just breathless
i never thought that i'd catch this lovebug again
hopeless, head over heels in the moment
i never thought that i'd get hit by this lovebug again...
He obviously considered continuing, but didn't, setting down the guitar. I was absolutely memorized. "No, keep playing."
There was something wrong, 'cause he didn't respond. His smile quickly faded as a dull and distant expression crossed his face and he fell back in the chair, his brown eyes glassy but open.
"Nick!" I screamed, shaking his shoulders. He didn't respond. "Nick! Answer me! Please!"
I got no reply. Shaking, I lifted him out of the chair and into the bed in the floor. I was starting to cry by now. Something was wrong.
It was after five minutes that he spoke, but it was clear right away that it was not actually Nick speaking. His chocolate eyes, now shining with a hint of an evil and sinister glint, were like daggers being sent into my skin. "Relax, young one," he said, and I started shaking even more.
"What did you do with Nick!?" I shrieked at him.
"Nicholas is fine," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I immediately wrenched it off. "I cannot and will not hurt him. He is a part of me."
Alex, I'm fine. Don't do anything reckless. I'm here. Don't worry.
"I want to talk to him," I breathed.
"I am afraid that is not possible at the moment," the spirit in Nick's body replied, smiling slightly as he watched my reaction. "He is fine. That is all I can tell you. Is that not that good enough?"
"Of course it's not!" I snapped.
He scowled, not at me, but at something I could not hear. "I am sorry," he said, turning his attention back to me. "Alexandra, it is important to note that if you truly love this boy, you would stay away from him."
Alex... he means it.
I took a breath, knowing that Nick was right but not wanting to admit it. "Mr... whatever you might be. You're not Nick, you don't have any right to tell us what to do or not do. If I love him, and I'm not saying that I do, I have every right to see him and not stay away." I'm sorry, I added to Nick.
"Both of you do not know what I am. You will never know. That is unimportant. What truly matters is the future that I am here to carry out. I must kill you along with every other wizard and Angel on this planet. I take no one side; I am not a Dark Angel creation. I work as my own boss. I take orders from no one. Nicholas, however, takes orders from me. I am more powerful than him. I can possess him, take away everything he has. Control over his own physical shell. He is stuck inside me. That can be permanent. But I am not that mean. Alexandra, you are treading on thin ice. Leave before I decide to eliminate you now."
"Now?" I whispered.
Now. Nick sounded like he was in pain. Alex, please. I don't want him to hurt you.
I took a step back and pulled out my wand, holding it out only as a defense. I couldn't hurt him, because I'd hurt Nick. "I'd like to see you try," I hissed.
Nick's chocolate eyes suddenly became black, narrowed into slits. It was then that I realized that his wand was back at the sub shop. No, Alex, don't. I love you. Don't provoke him. He will kill you. He will kill us.
You... love me? I blinked once spastically, looking right in the being's black eyes. They weren't Nick's anymore. I love you too, Nick.
The spirit stared at me right back. "You have made a big mistake, Alexandra."
