AN: Strong Language, Adult scenes. Thanks for the reviews. Lyrics are from the band "Heart" With their song "Alone" In this story Until Nick thinks that Miller is serious about him and isn't playing a game or using him he'll try to keep Miller at arm's length. Which is easy now that Miller's going away to Mexico. Congrats to James Arthur winner of The X factor. His auditions are posted everywhere he's got a great voice.
"Till now, I always got by on my own, I never really cared until I met you. And now it chills me to the bone, how do I get you aloooone?"
"Nate, turn that shit off" Nick asked. "I like it" Cath said and Nate looked at his brother before leaning away from the radio button. Nick gritted his teeth as he looked at the traffic lights. His little brother had a fight coming up against Gray Maynard. Gray was a tough guy, but Nate had beaten him before when he was on The Ultimate Fighter Series Five. "I can take him on standing" Nate said. "We'll talk later" Nick said as he dropped Nate and Cath off and went to Jacqui's place. She'd forgot to tell him that her sister was coming over as well. "Hey Nick, this is my sister Carmel" Jacqui said. Nick nodded and she smiled. Carmel was the opposite of Jacqui physically, Carmel was blonde and blue-eyed with make-up covering every pore of her pale skin. "We were just looking at brochures" Carmel said handing Nick a leaflet. "Going on Holiday?" Nick asked Jacqui.
"Nah it's for me mum, she needs to get out more" Jacqui said. "So...umm how long have you been hiding this one?" Carmel said looking at Nick. "I ain't been hiding him Carm...it's early days" Jacqui said shrugging. "So somewhere hot then? What about America or Spain? They're close to each aren't they?" Carmel asked. Nick sat on a chair to watch TV. "No Carm, but she should go somewhere hot" Jacqui said. "Brighton's hot at this time of year" Carmel said. "Carmel we ain't sending her to Brighton, she'd be better off sunbathing in her back garden" Jacqui said pointing at a brochure. "Mexico...looks alright" Jacqui said. "Ohh...Mexico, sounds exotic, Mam would love all the fit guys there wouldn't she?" Carmel said. Nick's mouth twitched as his remembered Miller telling him that running off to Mexico. He told himself to focus on Jacqui, but Miller's decision to leave the country for M-I5 was...bullshit.
"Nick Mexico what do you think?" Jacqui asked. "Bathroom" Nick said as he got up and went upstairs. He splashed cold water on his face, but couldn't look in the mirror. Had he fucked up by pushing Miller away? Nick wasn't sure anymore. He told himself he'd made the right decision, he wasn't gonna be Carlos Condit's sloppy seconds. Nick had to focus on his little brother's fight, make sure that he was cutting enough weight and get his little brother's ass in their training centre all day everyday. "Gotta go...see you later" Nick said as he kissed Jacqui on the forehead said goodbye to Carmel and left to see his little brother. He didn't get the response he'd hoped.
"I've beaten Gray before you know" Nate said. "I don't need to go like... all flying knees and shit" Nate said. "Nate...you know fighters change" Nick said. "They sure do" Nate said. "So..we gonna start training for Grey now?" Nick asked. "Cath's got a party, so..." Nate said. "Right, partying first, fighting second" Nick said confused. Nate shook his head. "Gotta get ready" Nate said going upstairs. Nick couldn't understand why his little brother was shooting himself in the foot. They both knew that to beat a more than ready Gray Maynard he had to train. But for some reason his little brother thought he was walking on easy street. Nick would have to talk to him tomorrow. He went back to his own training camp to practice with the guys. He was grappling with Thiago Alves when he got a text from Mark.
"Hola. ¿Cómo está usted?" Jim said.
"Estoy bien" Said his Spanish girlfriend Marta. Miller had to hand it to Jim, Marta was a beautiful girl, and he wondered how Jim had got her in the sack. Plans had been arranged. George Moore and his friends were staying in a luxury apartment. Chris and Jim were staying with Jim's girlfriend Marta and Miller and Billy were getting the best of the best at cheap spanish hotel, not far from a slum. "English?" Billy asked the man at the counter when they got there. The man nodded. "One room, two beds" Billy said putting money on the counter. "Gracias" The man said as he took them to a small shabby room that wouldn't barely fit little Alpha Jase, nevermind two grown men. "Gracias" Miller said as the man walked out. "You'd think Georgy pie would set us up somewhere nice" Miller said putting his rucksack on his bed with a thump. "He wants us to work our way up" Billy said.
"Jase...what did I tell you about using your gift without me there?" George Moore asked. His grandson shrugged and looked at the floor. "Jase what were you playing at? Miller could have gone to prison because of what you did" "But Gramps he didn't" Jase said. "Now look, my associates will be coming over tomorrow. "You only use powers with them. No-one else. Now go and play with the neighbour kids, go on" Jase ran outside as Addison brought in a tray of cold drinks. "Was it wise to bring him here?" Addison asked. "No, but needs must" George said taking a glass. "Are you sure you should be here?" George asked. "Miller's here to and he's gonna want payback" "Not quite...Miller's not that stupid" Addison said. "Well he is, but Mexico is unfamiliar and he's here to serve you" Addison said. "Oh really" George said with a smirk that said otherwise.
"Callarse" Marta said. "No puedo debemos hacer lo que queremos" Jim said. As much as Chris was getting used to the sights and sound of Mexico, he was getting annoyed at the sounds of Jim and Marta making out in the next room. Listening to it made him feel dirty. After asking Jim he went over to Miller and Billy's hotel. "Chrissy-boy, how you doing?" Billy asked. "We're getting out of this shit hole and going for a drink...coming?" He asked. Chris, Miller and Billy ended up at bar called "ir al infierno" "Sexy" Miller said looking at the bar's name above the odd shaped door before going in. "Mill, ir al infierno kind of means "to go hell" in English" Chris said. "Even better" Miller said as Billy ordered them drinks. They got cheap beers and Miller was asking questions about what Army life was like for Chris.
Chris took a sip of his beer. "Stuff happened" He said. "You know if I wasn't a fighter...I would have went to war" Miller said. "Trust me, you wouldn't have" Chris said. "You don't think I'm tough enough" Miller said. "That chick over there is totally checking me out" Billy said raising his bottle to a brunette girl with blonde streaks in her hair. "She's looks crazy" Miller said. "Just the way I like them" Billy said getting up and leaving the table to introduce himself. "Miller I've seen some of your fights, you're a tough bastard" Chris said sipping his beer. "But the army's a whole other ball game" "Like paintball with real guns?" Miller asked. "How many people have said you're a funny guy Miller? A fun guy ready for anything. The life and soul of any party. Hundreds have told you that, Millions on the web probably. The army sucks that fun out of you. You go to war smiling, thinking you're gonna make a difference, a good difference and you come back fucking scarred" Chris said.
"Life scars you anyway war or not" Miller said. "How's fighting going?" Chris asked changing the subject. "You know Carlos Condit?" He asked. "I know of a guy called Carlos Condit" Miller corrected. " The Condit that's facing Georges ST Pierre at UFC 154 right?" Chris said. "The one and only" Miller said nodding. He didn't need to change the subject as he could hear voices getting louder. "What's the spanish for "kiss my lickable ass?" Billy yelled throwing a drink. Miller and Chris got up unable to stop the punches that Billy was raining down on some guy that was trying to fight back. "Bill, let's go" Chris said grabbing his arm. "He's talking shit and I can't understand it" Billy said. "Understand this...punk!" Billy said aiming for a kick but Miller dragged him away. They left and Chris confronted Billy out on a busy street. "What the fuck?" Chris asked. "Don't look at me like that Chrissy" Billy said. "You love the drama...you fucking love it!" Billy said running down the street.
With Chris freaked out and going back to Jim and Marta's, Billy took his jacket off and looked for the remote control. "Billy...what's going on?" Miller asked. "Are you just begging to get fucked sideways by trouble?" Miller asked. "That sounds so fucking dirty...I need to use that line on chicks" Billy said. "You know George is gonna lose his mind when he hears about this" Miller said laying down on his bed. "Ah-ha...that is the point, my compadre" Billy said. "What?" Miller asked. George Moore isn't looking for Boy-scouts that are gonna bake cakes, sell cookies and go fucking fishing for him" Billy said. "He wants men of action. Why the fuck do you think George asked for Jim? Jim is a crazy wild son of a bitch" Billy said. "Really? I thought Jim was choir boy, he's so innocent" Miller teased. "My little fight in the bar's gonna spread. George Moore needs to know that we're not afraid, then he's really gonna put us in the shit to test us" Billy said turning his face into his pillow.
"Thanks Mark" Nick said walking through the Reign Training Centre doors and seeing his little brother grappling with Pete Sell on a mat. "Thought you were with Cath?" Nick asked him. Nate stayed silent while trying to get out of a kimura that Pete was trying to twist on him. "Roll under, block him and stand" Nick told his little brother. Nate followed his brother's instructions and Pete grabbed for Nate's arm but he couldn't stop him from getting up. "Pete take five" Mark said. Pete nodded and left. Come on let's go" Nick said. Nate went to the break-room got his stuff and walked out. Nick began to follow him, but looked at the window and saw his little brother leaning against the car. "Nick he just turned up out of the blue...I didn't want to turn him away...so" Mark said shrugging as an apology. Nick nodded. It's cool...heard from Mill?" He asked.
"Yeah Mexico's a blast...I heard Carlos was training with you. You two are friends now?" Mark asked.
"Fuck no" Nick said. "Condit's a prick" Nick said. "I don't know" Mark said. "One minute Carlos is great, the next...he messes Jase around...as a training partner...Jase had been up and down because Carlos doesn't call or blocks his calls...you know...to train" Mark added. Nick shook his head. "Mark I know...you know...about that shit" Nick said. Mark tried to play dumb. "Nick I don't know what you're talking about" "You do...Carlos, Mill...you know" Mark squinted at him. "How did you find out?" Mark asked shocked. "You don't wanna know" Nick said. "Jase hangs onto every word Carlos says and he really...sorry...you're the last person that wants to hear about this" Mark said.
Nick was the only person that wanted to hear more, but he had to be careful. He didn't want Mark knowing the whole story. "Might wanna tune up, so...I'll see you whenever?" Nick asked. Mark nodded. "Sure, you and Nate any-time" Mark said. Nick met his little brother out by the car. "Our training camp not good enough?" Nick asked as they got in the car. "Lay off...I went to Miller...I can do what I want" Nate said looking out of the window. "Miller's in Mexico" Nick said, his hope of seeing Miller fading away with each word of that sentence. "Forget about him and let's start training for Gray" Nick said. "You know Mark's gonna want paying" Nick lied. "Have you got the cash to pay two training camps?" Nick asked.
"Nah" Nate murmured.
"Stick with the training camp you know" Nick said. Nick knew that the less his brother went to see Mark the better it would be for him. Mark was one of Miller's closest friends. If Nick could get inside Mark's head he'd be one step closer to finding out what Miller really thought of him. He'd be there for his little brother like he always was. He'd help him by watching Gray Maynard's fights on DVD, training with little brother until his brother was a thousand percent sure about getting a victory. On his break-time when he wasn't seeing Jacqui, he'd spend time with Mark. Every time Nick closed his eyes in bed, Miller's grin would flash across his mind like a comet shooting across the night sky. He'd close his eyes only to see Miller's mischievous brown eyes looking back at him. Nick couldn't shake Miller off, and the scary thing was he didn't want to.
If Nick couldn't get Miller back this second, Miller's best friend Mark was the next best thing.