Desert Palm Hospital

Las Vegas, Nevada

July2nd, 2003 2:00pm

"Tessa." He said my name softly; he knew that I wasn't really sleeping. Damn, he knew me too well. I opened my eyes to see him standing by my side. Carefully, he reached out and took my hand in his. His touch sent chills down my spine and made my heart lurch in my chest. I tried to pull my hand away but he held tight.

"Tessa, lets talk. Please?" He pleaded with is voice and with his eyes.

Damn it I could never refuse when he did that. I hated when he put me in that position.

"There's nothing to talk about Nick." I said softly.

"But there is Tessa. About us" I looked at him, not quite sure what to say for a minute.

The last year and a half there had never been any mention of "us" again. Not after that Valentines Day, after the whole disaster with Jason and not before or after I had moved to Boston. "Tessa, I know how much I hurt you, by telling you that I only wanted to be friends, especially after how close we had gotten. God Tessa, if I could take all of that back then I would."

I stared at him, knowing that he was telling the truth. Finally I managed to speak. "I know that Nick. I really do, I know that you never meant to hurt me."

"Tessa, I want to be here for you. I want to be by your side and that's where im going to be, you're not going to have go through this alone. Neither will Meghan."

"Nick, I…."

He put a finger to my lips. "Tessa, you can't change my mind. There isn't anybody or anything that can. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

"Nick, what you're offering to do is….sweet and I know that you want to help, but it's not fair, I can't ask you to do this."

"Well you don't have to Tessa. Don't do anything, just let me be here, let me help you and Meghan. No arguments."

"Why?" I asked simply.

He looked me in the eyes and said "I love you Tessa."

"Don't, don't say that" I pleaded. "Please don't tell me that, Nick."

"Why not, Tessa? It's the truth." He replied.

"Because you can't Nick. It's not right. You love Sara; you're marrying my best-friend."

"Tessa, there's something that you should know. Sara and I.. we're not getting married."

I sat up straight in my bed, causing an incredibly, amazing dizzy spell. I could feel the blood drain from my face as a burst of pain flashed through my body.

"Tessa, lie back down." Nick gently pushed me back down. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "But….why?" I asked. "Because, Tessa. We.. we don't love each other."

"He's right Tessa." Sara's voice came from the door-way. She came into the room and hugged me. She whispered in my ear; "Let him help you Tessa, he really does love you."

With that she straightened up, and was gone before I could say anything.