Disclaimer: Still don't own them. Man, who knew a good evil plan was so hard to think up?
Chapter 10
Alex stumbled in to Rosa's, wincing as her migraine reminded her to take her medication. She'd been getting them more and more recently, even without using her powers. It hurt, often distracted her at work…but she coped. For now. But if they kept coming, she knew soon she'd not just have to talk with her brother, but also…her father.
Alex's father was a well-known Biogeneticist who had dropped off the face off the earth for a while after graduating from university at age 12, but now he was back, and he made his living giving guest lectures at forensic conventions about genetics.
It was his knowledge about genetics that had kept Alex alive until now, and that helped him teach her how to control her abilities.
Alex looked up as she spotted Nick sitting at a table, and headed straight for him. He wasn't smiling, and he had his head in his hands as though…
"Nick?" she asked hesitantly, as he waved for her to sit down. "Is something wrong?"
He's got a headache too, she realized, and hoped hers would wear off soon so he wouldn't hurt too much.
Nick looked up, and Alex felt frightened. She had never seen this type of anger in Nick's eyes before. There was some embarrassment, presumably left over from start of shift, but the anger far preceded it.
"Nick?" she whispered. What'd I do? she wondered.
Nick looked at her again, then, he leaned forward, and asked roughly, "What are you?"
What? Alex's mind felt like exploding. "What do you mean?" she stammered. "You know who I am."
Nick shook his head. "No, I know who you say you are. You say you're Alexis Shan, daughter of the famous Adam Kane. You say you're a typical UNLV graduate, aged 26, who was offered a position here at the lab. You told me, you told us all you were nobody special, just a normal Trace Lab technician. But," he leaned in even closer, "Do you know how much someone can overhear when they're sitting in a booth directly behind you in this restaurant?"
Alex felt a cold chill run through her bones. Everywhere she went, she had to endure discovery sooner or later, but she had been hoping…
A soft tear ran down her cheek as she realized this was it. She had been found out. By Nick. The man she loved.
Suddenly, it was too much. It was all too much, and Alex's hands flew up to her head as it seemed to almost literally implode…
The blackness that came was welcome. Alex somehow knew, that at least within the darkness, she would be safe.
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When Alex suddenly grabbed at her head and let out a cry of pain, Nick jumped, startled. He hadn't been expecting that.
"Alex?"
Even as the word left his mouth, she fell forward, head hitting the table with an audible thump, before falling to the floor.
"Alex!" Nick was alarmed, there was blood on the edge of the table and Alex wasn't moving…
He moved to her side, checking desperately for a pulse, something deep inside him desperately needing to know she was alive.
Then he felt it, the weak throbbing that said she was alive, just unconscious.
Nick ripped a part of his shirt off, using it to apply pressure to the wound on her head. By now, people were starting to gather around, but all Nick could hear was a jumble of voices shouting questions and advice at him.
"What's wrong with her? Is it epilepsy? Or narcolepsy? Or some sort of epsy?"
"Somebody call an ambulance!"
"There a doctor in the house? Anyone know first aid?"
"Give her some vodka or something!"
"What's going on?"
It was the last voice that got Nick's attention, he looked up, recognizing the handsome young man he had seen Alex with just before shift. Alex had called him her big brother, his mind remembered.
Terry. Alex had called him Terry.
Nick looked up at him, saying urgently, "We've got to get her to the hospital, man, she just collapsed…I don't know what happened, but- "
Terry cut him off. "No, no hospitals." His face was grim and worried. "No doctor will know how to treat her, believe me. I know someone who can help."
Nick was so worried about Alex by this time that he was ready to do anything. Gently, he lifted Alex into his arms. She seemed so fragile, like she would break if he held her wrong. Suddenly, it no longer mattered to Nick that she was hiding her secrets from him. It wasn't important, everyone had secrets. What was important, was to make sure she wasn't hurt too badly. Looking up at Terry, he said quietly, "Lead the way."
Terry nodded, and headed for the entrance. "Let's use my car."
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Terry had brought them to his family home? Nick stared, awestruck at the size of the house that was practically a mansion. His own home hadn't been this huge.
Of course, Alex's family was loaded. Her mother ran a successful line of casinos and hotels here in Vegas, including the one that Terry worked in. Her father was very good at his job too, which got him almost as much money as his wife brought in.
Nick's thoughts turned to his own home, remembering that even though they might not have had all the material comforts life had to offer, he and his six siblings had known they were loved.
Now, as he watched Terry carefully lift his sister and carry her towards the house, apparently expecting him to follow, he somehow sensed the same kind of bond he had always shared with his family. Mostly with his mother, but still.
The front door swung open, and Nick glimpsed a tall, handsome man with curly dark hair, and worried features. He recognized him instantly, the man was world-famous, and felt awe rising in his mind unexpectedly.
Dr Adam Kane himself. Alex's father.
Adam took his daughter from his son, and disappeared into the house. Nick moved up to the door, standing uncertainly there, not sure if he was allowed inside.
Terry paused halfway upstairs, turning to Nick with a twinkle in his eyes. "You waiting for something? Come on. Alex'll be just fine now. I may as well show you around the place while my dad checks her over."
Hardly able to believe it, Nick nodded and stepped in.
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Okay, two chapters for the price of one review! Yay!
