A/N: I dunno if I mentioned this...but the song I used in one of the previous chapters was Hallelujah from Paramore. anyways...I'm not gonna give you anything about this chapter here, you're just gonna hafta read! Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Unfortunate Meeting

"Pay her no mind, Nicky," Elektra consoled over the phone as Nicky lay on her bed the next day. "Krystal can be a bit too open and doesn't think of what she's saying before she says it, or the consequences of what she says."

"You've met her?" Nicky wondered sitting up.

"A while back," Elektra confirmed. "She was obnoxious back then and I have no doubt that she still is." She sighed and Nicky didn't extend the subject on Krystal. "Oh, hey, did you ask Mort about Shooter?"

Nicky stiffened and didn't say anything as she simply stared ahead. On the one hand, Elektra was Mort's sister, and she would think that a sister should know at least the bit about him having a split personality. And she was Nicky's best friend, besides.

On the other hand Mort had told her what he had in confidence, and she had promised she wouldn't say anything because of the fact that she was his sister. She couldn't break her word to Mort.

"Nicky?" Elektra tried, and Nicky jumped with a start, leaving her thought to rest.

"Oh, yeah, I, uh, I did," Nicky replied. "It was nothing. He said it was one of his characters, like you said."

"See?" Elektra said in an "I told you so" tone. "And did you find out what the towns people were freaking out about?"

"Oh, yeah," Nicky replied, and began fiddling with a piece of lint on her bed spread. "Just a rumor, like you said. No truth to it, of course, but the people here were freaking out."

"Told you," Elektra said. "So, how's he treating you?"

Nicky couldn't help the grin that formed her lips as she sighed and flopped back on the bed again.

"Your brother is really something, El," she sighed dreamily.

"Oh, I knew it," Elektra giggled excitedly. "You're falling for him! Have you kissed yet?!"

"Not yet," Nicky replied. "But we got close after we had lunch yesterday."

"I can't believe you dragged him to McDonald's," Elektra groaned.

"What is your problem with that place?"

"It's unhealthy."

Nicky couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?!"

"That's what Mort said!" Nicky laughed heartily.

"Well it is!" Elektra cried then sighed as Nicky kept laughing. "So, has he heard you sing yet?"

"Oh, yeah," Nicky replied, calming herself. "he heard me when I was getting ready for lunch yesterday and I think he liked it, because he was staring at me."

"It surprises me that you two became attached to each other so fast. It hasn't been a week yet!"

"Yeah, well, we have a lot in common," Nicky hinted. "And he's helping me with my book, and I'm helping him."

"You guys should do a book together!" Elektra suggested excitedly. Nicky face lit up as she sat up.

"El, that is a great idea!" she grinned. "I'm gonna talk to Mort about it right now. I'll call you back, ok?"

"Go for it, girl! I'll talk to you later!"

"Bye."

"Bye."

Nicky hung up the phone and scrambled off the bed to run toward the door. She ran toward the living room, but found he wasn't there, then tried the kitchen. Still finding nothing, she turned to the stairs.

"Mort!" she called, walking up the stairs. "Morton! I have a business proposition for you!" She stepped toward the desk and looked around then turned to his room with a frown.

"Mort?" she called, walking into his room. "Where are you?" She peeked around the corner toward the bed to see him sitting on it's edge facing away from her.

"There you are," she breathed, walking toward the bed. "I have an idea about--" She cut herself off when she realized he wasn't even turning to look at her. She frowned in confusion and sat on the other side of the bed then reached out to touch his shoulder.

"Mort?" she tried. He finally moved, but the movement he made sent Nicky's eyes shooting wide with horror and her heart went racing as she pulled her hand away quickly. Mort placed the black, wide-brimmed hat on his head and stood, making Nicky shoot to her feet and back away as he turned around, glaring at her from beneath the hat's rim.

"You think you can get rid of me, just like that?" he murmured with a Southern accent.

"Sh-Shooter," Nicky breathed in realization, backing toward the door as he made his way around the bed and toward her. "What are you talking about?"

"Ya think I don't know that you two are conspirin' to rid yourselves of me?" Shooter replied. They made their way out of the room and Nicky knew that if she tried to run he would catch up with her. She stopped, mustering up all her courage to do so, but he still advanced slowly toward her until he was an inch from her face.

"Mort," she breathed in a shaky voice.

"Got the wrong man, Miss," Shooter replied with a small shake of his head.

"No, I don't," Nicky snapped. "You're in there Morton Rainey, and if I have to slap Shooter silly to get you back, I will!"

Nicky raised a hand to do as she threatened, but Shooter caught her at the wrist and bent it back, hard, making her cry out in pain. He forced her to her knees, his gaze burning into her frightened one.

"This may not hurt so much if ya just quit your squirmin', Missy," Shooter suggested. "He's better off without ya anyway."

"Mort Rainey, you bastard!" Nicky cried as she struggled. "Wake up and help me!" She swung her foot at his ankles, sending him to the floor, but he held onto her wrist. She fell on top of him and immediately noticed his hat had fallen off. He reached for it, but she was faster and grabbed it, scrambling from the floor and hurrying down the stairs.

"Missy, you are getting' on my nerves!" Shooter growled, scrambling up to run after her. She ran out the door and into the woods. She had to get rid of that hat! She suddenly tripped and fell to the ground, losing the hat. She heard Shooter's footsteps coming up behind her and quickly tried to get up, but she felt a foot on her back slam her back down into the ground. She forced herself up and Shooter fell to the ground again. Nicky scrambled toward him and used all her strength to keep him down as she laid on top of him.

"Don't think your feminine wiles are gonna win over me like they do Rainey!" Shooter spat.

"If they work on Mort then they'll bring him back," she reasoned. She risked moving her hands from his wrists and wrapped them around his neck. He was about to move his hands to her throat as she looked into his eyes, but she began to speak again.

"Mort, I can't fall for you if you don't come back," Nicky whispered. Shooter froze and Nicky watched in confusion and horror as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Mort?" she tried in a shaky, scared voice. "Mort? Mort! Wake up!" She could feel the tears forming in her eyes as she began shaking him in an attempt to rouse him up.

"Mort! Please!" she sobbed and laid her head on his chest.

"Don't leave me alone," she shuddered. He suddenly groaned and stired, making Nicky gasp and push up to look at him. She watched in relief as Mort looked around with a frown on his brow then he looked at her.

"Why are we in the woods?" he asked and Nicky began sobbing into his chest as she tightened her arms around his neck and he sat up, wrapping his arms around her.

"What happened?" he tried again and she crawled into his lap, nuzzling her face to his neck as she still sobbed.

"Shooter," she breathed and knew she didn't have to say anything else. Mort's eyes shot wide and he gripped her arms, gently pushing her at arms length to look her in the eye.

"What did he do to you?" he asked in a harsh whisper. Nicky shook her head violently and he pulled her back to him, placing a hand on her head as she snuggled closer to him.

"I'm so sorry," he breathed.

"He knows," she shuddered. "He knows we're trying to make you better and he was gonna kill me for it!"

"I'm so sorry," he breathed again into her hair. "He was getting to me, and I should've gone to you, but-- Argh! I'm so sorry."

"He said you were better off without me," she whispered.

"You and I both know that's not true," Mort smirked.

"What if it is?" Nicky wondered, looking up at him. He looked down at her with shock filling his eyes.

"How can you say that?" he questioned. "How can you say that when I've never been happier than when I'm with you?"

"Really?" Nicky breathed with a sniffle.

"Yes. You're the only person who hasn't turned tail and ran as fast as they could to get away from me."

"I almost did," Nicky muttered. "Three times!"

"But you haven't, even before I convinced you to stay. The thought hasn't crossed your mind, has it?"

Nicky shook her head slowly with another sniffle.

"See?" he smiled, and studied her face a moment. He lifted his hand and brushed a tear away from her cheek with his thumb.

As he dried her face, Nicky stared at him intently. He was right. She hadn't thought of leaving and she couldn't think it now, even after meeting Shooter. She couldn't leave. Nicky raised her hand and ran her fingers along his cheek and their eyes locked.

"No more games," she whispered, making him frown in confusion. "I'm laying my cards on the table. I'm falling for you, I know it. So if you aren't going to kiss me, then I'm going to kiss you."

Mort studied her face intently again and a grin slowly spread across his lips.

"I've been waiting for you to make up your mind since lunch yesterday," he smirked, making her giggle.

Without another word, Mort planted his lips to Nicky's making her squeak in surprise. She quickly melted into the kiss and slid her arms around his neck as his slipped around her waist. Slowly, Mort parted his lips and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, gently coaxing her to allow him entrance. She smiled on his lips and opened her mouth then without a second's hesitation he thrust his tongue into her mouth, ravaging it passionately. She giggled and pulled him closer, allowing herself to lose control as well. They finally parted slowly and leaned their foreheads against the other's as they caught their breath.

"I have a business proposition for you," Nicky whispered with a smile.

"Oh, really?" Mort smirked. "And what is it?"

"Well, your sister gave me an idea that you and I should write a book together."

"Really?" Mort replied, cocking an eyebrow in intrigue. "And do you happen to have a plot in mind?"

"I have many plots in mind all the time," Nicky smiled. "What do you say? Wanna write a romantic thriller together? You give it the thrill, I'll give it the romance."

"Sounds like a good idea," Mort chuckled. "Let me have a think on it."

"Ok," Nicky smiled. "Shall we go back to the house?"

"Yeah."

Nicky stood up and Mort followed, then noticed Shooter's hat on the ground and went to pick it up, but Nicky got to it first. She snatched it up and stared at him with wide eyes, but he just smiled warmly.

"You hold onto that for me, eh?" he smirked and she smiled, casting her eyes down as he approached her. She slid her hand into his and they walked back to the house.

A/N: O.O wow, huh? lol! I hope it was scary enough. I had a bit of trouble with this one.