Chapter Seventeen: The Doctor

"Girlfriend?" Travis questioned, "You two are dating? Does your mom know?"

"No." Nick stated bluntly, "She hasn't asked."

"I'm not sick." Martina interrupted her eyes only on Dr. Exner, "Like I told Liza. I really hate eggs. Like a lot. A lot a lot. I hadn't smelled eggs cooking in a really long time and it triggered my gag reflex, that's all."

"I'd still like to conduct a quick examination. You know, just to alleviate your family's worries." Dr. Exner said in what Martina assumed was a comforting manner. She bit her bottom lip harshly before walking away to start taking down Madison's laundry. Martina's heartbeat was racing in her chest. She did not have a good feeling about Dr. Exner's presence in the neighborhood.

For the last week, the military had assured them that there weren't any survivors left outside of the fence. That L.A. belonged to the dead now. Lutenient Moyers, the head man of the troops camped out in the neighborhood, had threatened to detain rowdy or uncooperative civilians more than once. Was this at the same facility that this doctor was taking people? Was it really safe? What if this woman decided that she was ill or needed to be watched and forced her to come with them? Martina couldn't leave! She wouldn't be able to protect Lukas if she was dragged away to some facility. Oh god, what if they didn't give her a choice-

"Hey! Hey, Marty. Marty!" a comforting voice murmured in her ear, "Marty breathe! In and out. Come on, Mary. Good! Good girl.."

Martina hadn't even realized that she was hyperventilating on the ground onto she blinked up at Nick in confusion, "Wha-" she croaked.

His smile was a little strained but the relieved look on his face was real as he tenderly cupped her cheek and rubbed away a stray tear, "You're okay Marty. Just a little panic attack. That's all."

Suddenly Dr. Exner, the cause of the said panic attack, was there flashing her tiny flashlight in her eyes, "Dilated pupils." the woman spoke to herself before grabbing Martina's wrist, "Fast heartbeat. I'd like to-"

"You can go to hell." Nick hissed as he curled Martina to his chest in a protective manner. "I think you've done enough. Come on Marty, let's get you inside. Take a little nap before dinner." The older teen's tone was sweet when he started speaking to Martina and his manner gentle as he helped her off the ground and led her inside.

"Marty!" Lukas cried when he caught sight of her face. "Are you okay!"

"She's fine buddy." Nick answered, "Marty's just tired and's gonna take a nap now."

The german shepherd that had been sleeping under the dining room table sniffed at Martina's limp hands worriedly before letting out a whine and rubbing his body against hers. Martina would have definitely fallen if Nick wasn't still holding on to her. Nick gently guided her to his room and onto the bed before kneeling down to slip off her sneakers. Nick took one look at her face before wiping away the tears Martina hadn't even known were flowing down her cheeks. "You're okay." He whispered, "I got you."

Martina sniffled, "S'rry. I-I just, fuck, I jus' freaked out like feakin'- like a freaking nutcase."

"Hey- no!" Nick retorted, "You are not a nutcase! Marty, you're the- the most normal person I've ever met. Not crazy. Okay?"

Hiding her face into Nick's shoulder, Martina murmured, "My head's killing me."

Nick pushed her away to press a kiss on her forehead, "Take a nap, I'll be back in a little while. I'm gonna try and find something for the headache that won't hurt the peanut." Martina nodded as she flopped down on the mattress and curled herself over one of the pillows. Her head really was aching after that embarrassing episode she'd had, and it wasn't like she and Nick had gotten a good night's sleep the day before. Her eyes blinked heavily as her body fully relaxed at the familiar and comforting smell emitting off her best friend's duvet. Maybe a nap wasn't a bad idea after all.

Martina only woke up when Nick slammed the door close about an hour or two later and leaned heavily against it. Even with the limited lighting in the room, Martina could tell something was terribly wrong. "Nick?" her voice came out more groggy with sleep than she would have liked, Martina cleared her throat, "Nicky, what happened? What's wrong?"

She could see some sort of tension bleed out of his shoulders at her quiet words before his whole body seemed to tremble in agony. Still, he didn't look at her. Martina sat up on the bed but didn't move in case her presence set him off, "Nicky, please look at me cariño. Tell me what happened." Martina requested in a soft voice, trying not to push the answers out of her boyfriend even as worry and anxiety seemed to plague her once more.

Nick slowly, head hanging so his loose disorganized hair shadowed his face from her, made his way to the bed and plopped down at the edge of the mattress. A small pained sob escaped from his lips making Martina want to drag him into her arms and smother him with love before begging him to tell her who had hurt him so that she could beat the ever-loving shit out of the culprit. Instead, she cautiously, as if approaching a wounded animal, Martina inched closer to him until their shoulders were touching and her thighs were pressed against his.

"What happened Nicky? Are you hurt?" she asked once more, "I can't help you if you don't speak to me, amor."

A small whimper escaped Nick's throat as he suddenly enveloped her into a hug, "Hit me." he whispered into Martina's neck as he confessed, "Foun' me searchin' fer drugs an' she hit me."

Martina rubbed his back in a similar manner that she would to her brother when he awoke from night terrors, "Who, Nicky?"

"M-Mom." he choked out. It took all of Martina's willpower not to tense up and continue rubbing his back soothingly.

"I got you Nicky." Martina parroted the words he'd said to her earlier, "I've got you now cariño. It'll be okay."

It took a few more minutes before Nick had relaxed enough for Martina to assess the damage. Mrs. Clark had hit him in the face a couple of times, making the left side of his cheek swell slightly and feel warm under her fingertips. The rest of him wasn't as bruised, Nick's mother had only landed a few hits onto his torso when he'd fallen down, but Martina had still insisted on checking it. She'd only braved the rest of the house to tell Lukas it was time to go to bed and grab dinner for herself and Nick so that he didn't have to come out and confront his mother.

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