Chapter 14
Nichole laid in his bed for about a couple more hours, just staring at the ceiling in a trance. She held no will to walk around his room restlessly or do something with her spare time. She tried to picture herself far away on some remote beach filled with busy tourist and overpriced parking lots. She pictured herself sitting under the sun's glistening rays by the ocean shore taking in the feeling of the water creeping up on her toes. It took her a while, but she was able to actually feel peace for a few moments. Getting her mind away from the situation at hand was difficult, but she did not dwell on the thoughts of how she managed it.
But still she could not feel anything but numbness.
The sound of a door bursting open startled her and she woke her up from her daydreaming state of mind. She sat up tiredly and saw the Joker, busy shoving a knife in his pocket. He held a paper bag in his hand. He finished putting his knife away and looked at Nichole, licking his lips.
"Well you slept, uh....rather well. Did something exhaust you?" His eyes twinkled in the light; a mischievous grin placed on his face. His makeup looked perfect at the moment, as if he actually spent time putting it on instead of his normal "slop it on" look he held. She couldn't help but, yawn at this moment. Bringing a hand up to the cut on her neck, to feel it.
No dry blood. Good. She thought to herself idly. The cut had stayed shut in the few hours I had laid here since I last cleaned it. This cut is going to be a hassle.
The Joker went over and sat next to Nichole, emptying the brown bag onto his lap. Out poured a white styrofoam box, that one would normally recieve if they did not finish a meal at a restaurante and wanted to take the remainder of their food home with them. He opened the box and Nichole's stomach literally growled as she saw what was inside. There were four squares of various sizes to divide food sections in the box. In one section was eggs, the next three pancakes, the next section held bacon, and the final section held toast cut into triangles. The Joker sniffed the steam rising from the food, then let out a satisfied exhale.
He's just trying to fucking irritate me! Trying to rub it in how he is in control of everything....even what I freaking eat. She sighed mentally.
She hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, back when she was safe having breakfast with Gordon.
He took his gloved hand and picked up a piece of toast biting into it. Nichole thought she was drooling at this point. She was starving!
He had just finished off the toast, picking up a bit of pancake with his hand, before he turned and looked at Nichole, who was staring at him and the food. Her eyes filled with hunger and desire. She was so tempted to reach forward and snatch the food in the tray on his lap, but she was not that brainless.
He extended his hand outwards, and put a puzzled look on his face. "Do you want something to eat too?" Faking interest.
As if he even has to ask....
Nichole reached out to grab it, but the Joker quickly took the pancake back and shoved it into his mouth, laughing as he did so to the point where he almost choked. He fisted his chest, and swallowed, before turning his gaze back to Nichole. A frown was seen on her face, because she knew damn well he wasn't going to give her anything to eat.
The fucking mind torchorer!
He reached out and wrapped a finger around a lock of her hair. She followed his finger with her eyes, just to be ready if he were to hit her or something. She gained enough courage to speak.
"Joker...." She felt ridiculous every time she called him "The Joker" or "Joker" like it was his first name. Its just very odd to address him like that. "Please can I have something to eat?"
She felt so hopeless.
She sounded so hopeless.
Just another thing to please him.
To hear her begging for something as simple as food.
To state out in the open, not directly of course, that he was in the utter most control.
The Joker was going to hit her across the face and say 'Don't ever ask for anything ever again, I feed you when I feel like feeding you. And even at that I am not going to.' But instead, he decided to have a little fun with it.
"Well..." He made a clicking noise with his tongue. "If you want to have uh, something to eat-tah.....you going to have to give me something in return." He winked at her, pulling down the comforter she had around her, so he could see her upper torso, since she only had a bra on. He was laughing remembering how he ripped her tank top in half.
Her eyes widened.
Does he want sex for food? No fucking way. Un uh. I am not stooping to that level. Never. I'll starve happily to avoid that.
She shook her head. The Joker frowned a brief second, before his grin returned.
He placed a hand on her lap. "Is little Nichole not up for another go then?"
"No....No thanks." She said quietly. His touch, was even more frightening to her then normal, since last night.
"Then how 'bout a kiss?" He grinned, pointing to his lips. She looked from the food, to his lips, back to the food, and then to his eyes. She rolled her eyes, seeing this was the best offer she could get.
She was too hungry to dwell on it. She needed food in her stomach.
She needed to survive.
She leaned forward, her eyes showing disgust. It looked like he had to bite his lip to hide in his grin and keep his mouth closed, as she met his lips, and kissed him for a few seconds. She made no further advancements and nor did he thankfully. She heard a laughter in his throat, as she leaned backwards, he let his laugh out and clapped his hands together.
His eyes held lust and he wanted more, but the look in her eyes showed that was all he was going to get. She felt as if that was the most disgusting thing she had ever done herself. What happened yesterday, she didn't do.
He did.
He placed the food tray on the bed and off his lap, then smacked his lips together. "Well that was a surprise. I didn't know you liked me that much. I mean I knew yesterday you uh, had a fun time, but you never returned anything and now you are. It just makes me so......" He laughed, not needing to finish his sentence.
She stood up in anger, tightening her fists. She kept thinking about yesterday; his body looming over her as he thrust into her painfully. Her mind snapped and she yelled without thinking, "The only reason I kissed you is so I can eat that damn food. I need food to survive and if coming in close contact with your lip for two seconds will get me a meal, I'll do it. Anymore...no. And yesterday I didn't like at all what you were doing. You're a pig!"
The Joker grabbed her by the neck and shoved her into the far wall, knife drawn and by her mouth, pressing into her cheeks. He licked his lips. She noticed he would either do that when he was upset or turned on. She would have to make a mental note of that.
Her throat went into a throbbing pain as he pressed into the bruises he already formed on her from earlier.
"Yanno bea-uuuuu-tiful, I normally don't do what I did to you yesterday and let the person uh, live-vah. And as far as I'm concerned, I did nothing wrong. Do you not realise how lucky you are to be breathing air at this very moment? How if some person in a dark alley way had done what I did to you...how you would most likely be dead right now?" He brought a sick grin to his face. "What I did to you is not the worst thing that could happen to a person."
She glared at him. "That's not true." She knew she was lying at that point, and so did he.
He began to trace her jaw line with the knife, not breaking skin. "If you are going to start lying to me about things.....then maybe I should just sew that pretty little mouth of your shut-tah...."
Her dream she had last night ran through her head. It all had felt so real, but thankfully it wasn't. But still seeing yourself getting your face carved is bad enough. Knowing very well that it might actually happen one day, is even scarier.
"Nikki....tell the truth. How did you feel about yesterday?" He cooed into her ear. She didn't want to answer that, but he wanted her too. Not because he was actually interested in the answer, but its something she would be embarrassed to say or cry about and anything that made her cry was like a tool to him.
A tool he could use to corrupt her mind and body.
In doing that, it would make his job so much easier when the time came to get her to do what he wanted. He had a few plans up his sleeves. Of course they ended in her death, but he honestly did not care so he was not thinking about the ending result.
He stopped tracing her jaw and rolled his eyes, knowing he had places to be and she was just not answering his questions. He lowered his knife, still clutching onto her neck with his hand. "Nikki, Nikki, Nikki. I am not a very patient man." He tightened his grip. "You'd do well to understand-dah....that." He let go of her neck, peering out the window and then turning to Nichole. She was rubbing her neck, the cut on it had opened again and blood was pouring out.
He made a "tsk" noise before going over to Nichole and pushing her.
Well he more or less nudged her, but with enough force to knock her to the ground.
She fell to the ground with a small scream. He kneeled down by her, patting her head. "Well....places to be. Must be off. Meeting with the mob again. They're just are so demanding!" He joked. " I'll be back in a few hours. Oh and...I left you a shirt on the desk. I promise I won't rip this one." He laughed, seeing some form of humor in that sentence, that Nichole could not find nor intended to find.
He grabbed her chin roughly and leaned in slowly towards her face. She shut her eyes tightly thinking he was going to kiss her, but when she felt him reamin in that position for a few moments, she opened her eyes and saw he was just staring at her. He was looking at her as if he was trying to depict a piece of artwork that hung on a wall with no description or title behind it. He stayed like this for about another minute; his gaze never leaving her eyes and her eyes never leaving his. This moment was so intense, so frightening to her, that she almost felt like getting sick to her stomach.
"The purple on your face and neck look so well against your skin tone." He teased, infering to her bruises that he made.
Then out of the blue the Joker let go of her chin and walked out of his room, slamming the door behind him.
Relief washed over her like ocean waves do to the sand.
She quickly got up, grabbed the black shirt on the chair, and put it on and then rushed to the bathroom to examine her neck. Sure enough the cut was wide open.
This damn cut will never heal. She thought, frightened that it would become infected. Then what would I do!?
She washed it out once more, and kept the towel pressed into it as she went back into the bedroom. Her heart skipped a beat eyeing the breakfast box on the bed. Whether he meant to or not, he had left it in the room with her, so she damn well was going to eat it all. She dashed over to it and opened it. Two pancakes were left, along with the bacon and eggs. This would fill her up enough for the day. She licked her lips realizing how hungry she really was and didn't waste any time to dig in.
She picked up the pancakes and shoveled them down. They tasted so buttery and light. They made her taste buds go wild. She finished her pancakes and moved to the bacon. When she ate the eggs they were already cold, but it didn't matter. What mattered was her stomach was satisfied and full enough for now. She wouldn't be starving to death today. She placed the box on the floor and laid back on the bed, resting a hand on her stomach rubbing it in satisfaction.
She was glad she had this time alone, away from the Joker. She hoped by some lucky incident, that he would be caught by Batman or the police.
Soon, though she figured she wouldn't be as entertaining to the Joker.
There are only so many questions and so many times you can rape a person before they get boring.
She didn't want to think about the day she gets boring to him.
And honestly that could be any day. She thought hopelessly. The Joker's mind works differently then others. His definition of boring is different than your average citizen of Gotham city.
If she was going to stay alive, she would have to try and fight back more, and stop all the crying. If he thought even for a fifth of a second, that Nichole was going to whine to and complain during times he wasn't wanting her too, he would kill her. He stated before he hates that type of person.
Person......
It hit her. A very scary thought hit her.
She viewed the Joker as a monster.
But a very scary thing to think about is, he was actually human. He had no super powers like the books she has read when she was a kid. He was not a body builder and could lift up intense weights, although he is a lot stronger than Nichole would ever be. But that was not the point. The point was he is human. He must have been normal at one point. He was a baby. He went through puberty. He is like everyone else. Minus the crazy clown getup and the thoughts of anarchy and taking over Gotham. She shuddered and rolled over on her side, trying to take a nap.
She tried to picture the Joker as a teenager or toddler. But all attempts failed and his makeup remained on.
The Joker smiled as he entered the Mob's hideout. They all were slumped over in their chairs and checking their watches.
"Way to be ten minutes late clown." A man with a very strong Italian accent said.
The Joker simply ignored that man, cracking his neck in a quick motion by jerking his head to one side.
The Joker turned towards a different man. "Ah Maroni, just the Italian I wanted to see." The Joker sat one of the empty chairs. The mob looked surprised the Joker was alone. He didn't feel it was necessary to bring his henchmen this time. After all his life wasn't endanger.
Maroni folded his hands together on the brass table. "First I want to ask you something. Gotham City, is going under, and we know you are in control now." The Joker nodded his head as if saying "true true". "Harvey Dent is dead, and Batman is now considered to be one of us." A few men laughed. "So we want to control this city, and we can't with you trying to one-man it. You have plans, and we have plans. I think its in our best interest to combine our special talents and take Gotham City for all its worth."
The Joker smacked his lips together. "You see there's a problem with this so called "plan". Your goals and my goals are like fish and air. They just....don't go together. And all of you, just want money. To spend, to trade, to gain valuables. But, you all don't see the bigger picture, in this."
Maroni rolled his eyes. "Ok enough chitter chatter, what is it you want Joker, you called us here for a reason."
The Joker folded his hands together to mimic Maroni. "I want some supplies. Guns, and explosives. I have a "project" in mind and I need all I can uh, get." He grinned.
One of Maroni's men spoke out. "You burned all our money and the guy who was helping us keep our money safe alive, and you think you can just come in here and try to get us to give you what you want?"
The Joker raised an eyebrow and said. "Yes." As if it was common knowledge.
"Well you thought wrong buddy." The man walked over to the Joker, but Maroni raised a hand to stop his man from basically attacking the Joker.
"Wait." Maroni said. He didn't take his eye off the Joker.
"Joker man... come here tomorrow, noon. We can give you all the weapons you need, and more. But in return, I just want you to think about my offer."
The Joker nodded, before giving a small tap to his head. "I'll sleep on it." The Joker got up and walked out the door carelessly.
"Maroni, are you nuts!?!" One of his men asked. "This guy stole all our money and now you wanna help him!?"
Maroni turned towards his men smiling. "Of course not."
"Then why did you-"
Maroni raised a hand up. "You see..The Joker is not going to want to join up with us. He wants Gotham to himself. And once he's in control, we will be as powerless as batman or any other drug user in this god forsaken town. Tomorrow when the Joker comes here. I want you guys to wait for the opportune moment....and then we will kill him."
"But what if he brings people with him?" Another guy asked. "Yanno like his goons?"
"Any one who works for the clown is no friend of mine...Kill anyone with him."
She laid there for maybe three hours, falling asleep on and off. Her body was so tired and exhausted, it overpowered her fear and disgust. She heard the familiar sound of the door being slammed open. She bolted up expecting to see the Joker, but instead it was one of his henchmen, without his mask on.
He was dressed in a pair of dirty jeans covered with holes and tears and had a plaid vest on. Even with the large distance between them Nichole could smell the alcohol coming off of him. He walked over to Nichole, nearly stumbling over the threshold of the doorframe.
"Get up." He slurred.
She stood up, raising a brow. Something did not feel right. "Where's the Joker?" She asked, keeping her distance from the man.
He grinned, grabbing her arm and leading her out of the room. "Not here, baby. Just the way I like it."
Her eyes widened and she immediately started pulling away from him and kicking at him. He turned around to slap her across the face.
She brought a hand up to block it and began to claw at him, with all her might.
He grabbed both her wrists and pulled her close. "Hey. Hey. Hey. Take it easy girl. That clown isn't the only one who deserves entertainment you know?" He grinned moving in to kiss her, but she brought a knee up and kneed him in the groin. He bent down holding in between his legs in pain. His drunken manner caused his reaction to be a bit late.
She used this moment to sprint away from him, running down a flight of stairs, and then up a flight of stairs, down a few hallways and up another set of stairs. If there was ever a time she wanted the Joker here, it was now. Sure, he would hurt her too, but for some reason she felt she would have an easier chance at living with the Joker, than one of his henchmen. She didn't know why at all. Because either way...either person she was with she would die...But with the Joker she had this feeling she could talk her way out of harm at some points.
She opened the door in at the end of the hallway she was in. The door lead her onto the roof to her disgust, though she hoped she could find a ladder of some sort. She could see, she was about four stories up, and it was rather warm out. A distant chant of youth running around playing merrily hummed into her panicky ears.
She was about to run and hide behind some boxes on the roof, when something pulled on her hair and yanked her backwards. It felt like her whole scalp was being ripped off. She fell to the ground, her hair still in whoever had pulled her hands.
The Joker's henchman had caught up. For a drunk he could run pretty damn fast.
"Ok bitch! If that's how were going to play it!" He took out a knife and moved it downwards to stab her in the chest, but Nichole was able rolled out of the way, some of her hair being ripped out when she did so. She yelped out and rolled a bit till she hit a barrel on the roof, by a little inlet.
The man ended up stabbing himself in the leg. He screamed in pain as he took out the bloody knife out of his leg and threw it on the ground.
He limped over to her, still holding his leg. "YOU BITCH! COME HERE SO I CAN TEACH YOU A LESSON!"
Nichole was able to stand up, rubbing at her head in a slight daze. She backed up out of the inlet and realized she was getting cornered by him. She felt her heels touching the edge of the flat roof top. Her stomach litteraly dropped as she managed to glance backwards for a moment at the view that she thought would surely be the last thing she would see before she died.
The man charged into Nichole sending her flying backwards. She screamed loudly, as her hand was able to grip the edge of the roof. She brought up her other hand to grip onto the roof's ledge as well. She had no upper body strength, mind you, so being able to just hang there was a feat in itself. Her hand felt numb, as she kicked her feet around beneath her searching for something to stand on, but looking down she saw there was nothing; not even a window ledge.
She looked down and began to cry in fear. Her vocal cords stopped working. She attempted to cry out for help, but it was as if some force inside of her was keeping any sounds from emmiting from her mouth.
The man that pushed her stood on the edge grinning down at her. One of his hands was on his leg, stopping the blood from flowing out of his wound; the other was hovering above her hand itching to claw at them. "Think your smart now bitch?" He called to her.
He took his foot and stomped on her fingers, of her left hand. Nichole tried to keep her hand on the ledge, holding on for dear life, but the pain was too much to handle. She let go of the edge of the roof with that hand, yelping in pain. Her other hand felt like it was going to slip at this moment. It felt like her hand was starting to bleed from holding the edge so tightly.
"Please! No!" She called up to the man. She looked at the brick wall in front of her, shutting her eyes tightly.
I am going to die!
And if ever she was going to die, she hadn't thought of it like this; at the hands of someone who worked for the Joker. No. She thought she would die from being stabbed by the Joker or anything that involved he, himself, killing her.
She couldn't take it anymore. Her hand was on fire.
I have to....I have to let go!
And so she did. She let go of the edge, with one scream escaping her lips.
She was bracing herself for the impact, for her death.
The air rushed by her, and suddenly stopped.
She wasn't moving anymore.
She wasn't falling down.
She had let go and remained in almost the same spot. It took her a moment to realize this.
She opened her eyes, mouth slightly open, as she looked up to see what had stopped her from falling.
There was the Joker.
Holding onto her upper arm tightly, keeping her from falling. Blood was running off the roof's edge suggesting the Joker killed his henchman that tried to kill Nichole. He let out a grunt as he pulled Nichole up and was able to grab hold of her other arm. He dragged her up and back onto the roof. She got her feet on the ground, standing up straight catching her breath. The Joker was right in front of her, looking as if pulling Nichole up hadn't been difficult as all. His face surprisingly held a bit of anger and concern in it, whether it was fake or not she could not register.
She caught her breath, feeling very weak. Her head felt like it was spinning and being clouded by white mist. Her body fell forward into the Joker's chest. It prevented her from falling and now she was just leaning against him, letting out a full sob into his chest. The Joker tensed up and stood there awkwardly for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her waist to be able to back them away from the edge of the roof to prevent her from falling off if she were to try to stand upright again.
The air felt so thick and hard to take into her lungs, but after a few more moments, of keeping her weight on the Joker and calming herself down, she was able to think a bit more clearer. To avoid any anger he may hold for her falling into him, she managed to squeak out a, "Thank you" to him.
The Joker pushed her slightly and she backed away from him feeling her head to be less cloudy. He grabbed her chin, pulling her face upwards to get a closer look into her eyes, clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth.
"I just uh....don't like to share my things-sah." He told her.
Normally, that statement would have made her furious, but at this moment it didn't affect her at all. She humored him by placing a fake smile on her face. Then she glanced down at the ground. They were standing in a pool of blood. She looked to the left and saw the dead body of the man that tried to kill her; A knife stuck in the back of his head.
"Th-Thank you." She stammered out, figuring he would grow mad had she not said it.
"So what now?" the Joker said laughing, not his normal cruel laugh, but a average laugh. "You are starting to like me?" He brushed the stray locks of hair out of Nichole's face and behind her ears gently.
It was then she realized he was merely teasing her.
Nichole rolled her eyes. "In your dreams." She joked, without thinking.
The Joker glared at her. She jumped a little in her spot as his glare hit her like a knife to the gut. She thought he was joking around, and being nice to her for once, so she merely assumed she could keep the light hearted mood by joking around as well. Keeping him in a good mood would save her. But it was painfully clear, he was still his same old unpredictable self.
But he had saved me...? Surely he was doing that for a good reason? He must of done that out of kindness right? She tried to think to herself hopefully.
But then it hit her; the reason why he must have saved her. He saw her realization in her face, and then grinned deviously.
He took another step closer to her, so she was cornered by him. "Do you want to know...." He licked his lips. "Why I really uh, saved you?"
She shook her head. "No...No it's-"
"Well, I'll tell you anyways. You see-" He pulled out his steel friend, holding it in his hand, making gestures as he talked. "I didn't want someone to kill you. The only person allowed to uh kill you is me." He pointed to himself laughing. "I own you. I decide when you eat. I decide when you sleep. And I certainly decide, when....you die. It would be a waste for him to kill you in such an not useful way. As I told you before, your death will have a purpose and cause destruction in Gotham...but the opportune moment has not come yet....and the supplies for the bomb I really want to use in your death hasn't come yet." He said disappointed.
She now wished she had just fell and went splat on the sidewalk.
He waved his knife in the air. "So if you are thinking. That because I uh, saved you from falling and going splat!" He clapped his hand to his knife mimicking something splatting together. "If you thinking because I saved you, that things will be different between us....then get that thought outta your little noggin." He tapped the flat side of his knife to her head, laughing. "But-tah. I do admit. Your little leaning against me was a bit of a shock." He giggled more. "Is THAT how you say thank you to me Nichole? Because if so you need to learn, that a thank you.....a thing I would want in return is much more than that."
Her eyes widened. She could see his sweat dripping down his face. She figured he must be extremely hot in his whole outfit and makeup. The sun was starting to set, but even at night Gotham City is one hot place.
He licked his lips. "But....you are in for a treat. I had a lot of....boring and tiring work today. Setting up bombs, and talking over deals, getting new guns. I really am tired out." She let out a little sigh of relief, hoping he wouldn't hear. Thankfully he didn't and continued talking. "So...nothing will be happening today my dear..." He put a frown on his face, but then as quick as it came, a smile formed again. "But. If you want I might be able to drink a little bit of coffee and be ready for a night of fun." He threw his head back in a fit of laughter, accidentally poking Nichole's arm with the tip of his blade in the process. But he didn't care nor even notice her bring her other hand up to the cut wincing at it.
"I already know the answer to the question. Since you just adore me......I'll go make some coffee." He winked at her. "Just kidding." He mimicked punching her in the jaw slowly before wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her back inside.
He brought her back to his room, and he went into the bathroom, leaving Nichole sitting on his bed alone, twiddling her fingers. About two minutes later he emerged from the bathroom, makeup off, along with his jacket, vest, gloves, shoes and socks.
He rubbed his face in his hands, before sighing and sitting next to Nichole. He licked his lips. It seemed more creepy when he did so without makeup over his two scars. His eyes had circles under them and he looked very tired, true to his word.
"Now I knoooooow.... your uh not going to try and escape, and I don't have to do our little handcuff routine now do I?" He asked, falling backwards. His head hit the pillow and he got comfortable, but his eyes never left Nichole. He placed his hands behind his head looking relaxed and even more tired than he had before.
"I'm not going to try and escape...cause if I did, you would just end up finding me again." She said, throwing that statement out, to maybe make him find it as a compliment, by implying he was good at finding people. He nodded his head approvingly.
I just have to keep up this. I need to make sure I say things to keep him calm and feeling smug about himself. She thought to herself.
He patted the empty spot next to him on the bed and Nichole glanced back and furrowed a brow at him, keeping her back to him.
He wiggled his eyebrows up and down smirking. "Oh come now. I'm not gonna hurt you...." The look on his face showed he was amused, "..tonight." He added after some consideration.
She hesitantly laid herself backwards. Her head landing next to the Joker, but with a fair enough distance between them. She glanced at him in the corner of her eye. He smirked at her, still wiggling his eyebrows up and down acting as if it was a fun activity. She rolled her eyes and turned to her side, so her back faced the Joker, and her face was to the wall. She shut her eyes and tried to go to sleep, but apparently the Joker hadn't had enough of his little games, because she felt his arm snake around her waist and she felt her body being pulled against the Joker.
He placed his face in the back of her head, his mouth resting by her ear and his chin on her neck. She shivered, not of coldness, but to his touch.
He whispered softly. "Are you cold-dah....Nichole? You're shivering." She felt his jaw move up and down against the side of her face as he spoke, which sent a chill down her spine.
"No...I am not...Please don't touch me." she answered quietly.
He laughed. "Again with your lies. Why are you changing into a new person? I like the old truthful Nichole." He pulled her in tighter, his chest pressing into her back.
"Being in this type of situation does things to you." She responded.
She felt him nod his head.
"But yanno Nichole it's like I always say.....what ever doesn't kill you simply makes you....stranger."
Kait: Well this chapter is rather long. But its kinda a reward for having to deal with last chapter's shortness. One: Yes Marioni is alive. Only cause, in the dark knight they never actually say he's dead, they never reveil his fate, we just know he was in that car crash. Sooo I just am going to throw a freaking bone here and pretend he never died, if he did. Two: Yes Nichole is starting to get braver. She is starting to say things without fear, but she still speaks her mind to much and it ends up with her getting a smack in the face. As for her hugging him. She just almost died, so her mind was out of it, so hugging him felt logical at the time.