A/N: okay, I don't know when exactly mother's day was in 2004 so I'm guessin here. I'm pretending it is on Sunday May 15, 2004…I know that wasn't it so don't shoot me. I'm just a simple fan fiction writer with no life and no calendar to correct her dates in her stories. (Man that sounds sad when it's actually written (typed) on paper (on your computer screen)… ;)
Rating: R, adult situations and heavy language.
Chapter 11: "Look who's trying to hurt who now."
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Stokes Residence
Wednesday
May 11, 2004
10:04 a.m.
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Nick opened his apartment door and walked in to see his father sitting on the couch watching television and his mother doing dishes. Nick wanted to run for the hills, whenever she did dishes it meant she was too upset and aggravated to yell. That was never good. Nick shook his head and sat the bags from the store down on his counter.
His mother looked briefly over her shoulder at him then continued doing the dishes. Bill walked over to his son and they silently began unloading the groceries Nick had bought for them. They worked around Jillian, knowing better than to touch, move, or speak to her when she was in 'cleaning' mode.
Once the men had finished they went into the other room and closed the door. "How's Mama doin?" Nick asked and Bill scratched his neck and sighed.
"We fought most of this mornin."
Nick pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Damn."
"Nicholas…there's somethin I need to tell you." His father drawled and Nick looked at him curiously. "I uh…I knew about your mother's full intentions with Anna." Nick dropped his jaw and stared at his father with a look of hurt and betrayal on his face. "I didn't support nor like what she was doing to her but-"
Nick held up his hand and shook his head. "Ya know what; I really don't care right now."
"Nick, you know how your mother can be. When she sets her mind to somethin she goes all the way. I-"
"Stop it." Nick hissed sharply. "I don't have time for this right now." He snapped and walked out of the room. He huffed and turned back around. "You know, I thought you were the parent that would be on our side…" Nick looked at his father like he was a stranger that told him he had just proven that the molecular composition of food wasn't altered in a microwave.
Nick walked out of the room and Bill sighed. He drug a tired hand over his face and listened to the front door being slammed. Shortly thereafter Jillian walked to the doorway and leaned against it while drying her hands on a dish towel. She simply looked at him and sighed.
"Let's go home." Jillian stated and Bill nodded. She turned on her heel and went to go set their plane reservations.
Bill sighed and put his hands on his hips and dropped his head. "Yeah." He nodded even though he knew she wasn't there.
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Nick's Tahoe
Unknown Location
3:48 a.m.
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Nick had been sitting in his Tahoe down the street and around the corner from Anna's house for almost five hours. What his Dad had confessed to him made him not want to face Anna. He'd always been a lousy liar and had been known to wear his heart on his sleeve. He knew that the minute he walked in the door she'd sense something was wrong and she'd drag it out of him.
She had been so hurt when she found out that his mother was trying to get rid of her, and she had suspected that, if she found out that his father had known about it and hadn't stopped it…she'd be heart broken. Anna had called his phone several times, leaving messages and wondering where he was.
His parents had left a message saying that they were on the next flight back to Texas and they'd be gone by tonight. Nick felt guilty, but not totally for what they had done to Anna. Anna…he needed to see her.
He sighed and gave up. Nick shoved the key in the ignition and started the engine and pulled from off the side of the road. He drove the short drive down the street and around the corner and parked his Tahoe in the driveway. The minute he pulled into the drive Anna emerged from the house.
She ran to his car and Nick smiled and got out of the car. "Baby, where have you been? You've been gone for almost six hours. I was freaking out. I left a dozen messages and I didn't get any answer. I called around and asked everyone where you were but no one knew." She replied and Nick hugged her close and kissed the top of her head.
"I was at my apartment with my parents." Nick lied and she looked up at him for a moment then looked back down. "They're going back to Texas early…they're home sick." Nick lied. She nodded and pulled away from him to walk to the house.
He had noticed that she had changed into a plain tiny white T-shirt and a pair of cargo capris. Her hair was straightened and the front part was pulled off her forehead and clipped back on her head. They walked into the house and Nick kicked off his shoes by the door. Anna waited for him and they walked into the kitchen.
"Where's Raggs?"
Anna smirked. "Catherine came by and we talked for a while, she brought Lindsey by and Regan came home and she and Lindsey actually hit it off. No offense to Lindsey or Catherine but from what I've heard about Lindsey that's amazing that she'd make friends with someone who wasn't in the 'in crowd'." Anna chuckled and shook her head. "Anyway, she and Regan went back to Catherine's house for a sleepover."
Nick furred his brows. "But its Wednesday."
"The schools of the greater Las Vegas area are having a teacher's in-service day tomorrow."
"In the middle of the week?"
Anna shrugged and shook her head. "Oh well…I'm just glad Raggs is makin friends. I think she and Linds hit it off because Regan admires Lindsey's 'coolness' and easy ability to impress people, and Lindsey likes being admired and she now has a friend who is smarter than she is, but won't be cocky about it when she helps her with things."
Nick scoffed. "That girl would give anything to avoid asking Catherine for help."
Anna chuckled. "Well…none of my business anyway. But Cath's brining her back tomorrow around 6:00 p.m. precisely." Anna smiled at Nick and he walked around the counter to her. She raised her brow and smiled knowing he was up to something. "What?" She questioned narrowing her gaze playfully.
He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist and lightly kissed her lips. "Nothing." He kissed her again. "I was just thinking," Another kiss. "We have the whole house to ourselves." He kissed her again. "For an entire 25 and a half hours." Another kiss. "What are we gonna do?" He kissed her again, this time longer.
She smiled. "Well, something we can't do with people in the house, especially Raggs." She grinned deviously and Nick leaned back in for another kiss. "We're gonna clean."
Nick's eyes shot open and he dropped his jaw. She giggled deviously and darted down the hall knowing he'd be chasing her. Sure enough he came after her. "Tease!" He yelled and chased her through the dinning room and into the hallway. She ran into her room and he followed. She ducked out the sliding door and into the dining room. Nick came through the dining room's sliding door and saw her standing on the other side with a mischievous grin. "Anna-I-don't-know-your-full-name Delmarco you're so dead when I get a hold of you!" He threatened playfully.
She smirked and her tongue darted out to lick her lips before she spoke. She saw Nick's pupils dilate with passion and she grinned in triumph. "I know your weakness."
"Yes, I should think it'd be obvious…you."
She smiled and shook her head. "Yes, but besides that…" she bit her lower lip and she saw him smirk slightly. "You want to kiss me." She stated matter-of-factly.
She winked and he smirked. "Yes…I want to do a little more than kiss you." He joked and she walked around the table towards him and licked her lips again.
"Did you notice that every time I lick, bit, or play with my lips you kiss me?" She asked and Nick shook his head and grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.
"No, I was too busy kissing you."
She chuckled as he began devouring her neck. She moaned and threw her head back giving him further access to the flesh of her neck. Nick moved up her neck, jaw line, and to her mouth. They kissed passionately and he traveled back down to the crook of her neck. A soft moan escaped her throat and Nick lifted her to him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Nick continued kissing her neck, then her lips as he carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and let his hands roam her body.
They glided over the shirt covering her breasts and down her side and landed on her thighs. He pushed her farther up on the bed. "Wait." He pulled away and stared at her. "We don't have protection…again." She smirked and rolled over on the bed and reached for her nightstand. She opened the drawer and retrieved a box of condoms. Nick gasped and smiled. "Vixen…when did you-"
"When you went back for the milk for your parents I slipped it ahead of everything and asked the cashier to put it in a smaller bag and if she could put it in with the bag of feminine stuff."
Nick smiled and crawled up her body to kiss her fervently. She chuckled and pulled away from him to sit on her knees and lay him back down on the bed. She began to kiss him when he rolled her over and took the lead again. She grunted and tried to flip him back over but couldn't. She tried to move him but couldn't. She couldn't push him over so she pushed him off of her. Nick looked at her confused.
She seemed slightly panicked and Nick frowned and sat up. "Anna, what's wrong?" Nick asked concerned.
She stared at him with a look of slight alarm on her face and her mouth hanging slightly open, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. She looked to be stuttering to say something but no sound came out. She looked full on scared and she shook her head and closed her eyes. "Biscuits." She whispered and Nick nodded.
"Yes, yeah I kinda got that idea." He moved closer to her. "Anna honey, are you okay?" He laid his hand on her arm and he felt her stiffen underneath his touch. She looked down at his hand in trivial fear and Nick took his hand off of her. "What's going on with you? Tell me." He pleaded and Anna stared at him as though she didn't recognize him.
The ring of the doorbell sounded like the Hallelujah chorus to Anna's ears. Anna quickly jumped off the bed and darted from the room. Nick stared at the door in shock. He couldn't remember when a woman had been so eager to climb out of bed and away from him. He heard Anna's voice in the living room…she sounded perfectly fine. What had just happened to her? Where had she gone and why had she been so eager to get away from him?
Nick climbed off the bed and walked out of the room, down the hall, and through the French doors to see Anna talking with Greg and Jennifer. They saw him and smiled. "Hey Nick." Jennifer greeted.
"Hey Nicky, we're missin you at the lab." Greg joked and Nick stared a moment then forced a smiled.
"Yeah well…I can't wait to go back. I'm missin ya'll too."
Greg chuckled and Jennifer looked at Anna. "Hey Annie, I need to talk to you." Jennifer motioned to the back of the house and Anna looked at her skeptically, but nodded and the two disappeared behind the doors. She and Anna walked back into her room and Anna closed the door to the hall and the sliding door and turned to face Anna. "Okay, I have a problem."
"Oh shit Jen, please don't tell me you're pregnant."
Jennifer chuckled. "No, but that's what I want to talk to you about."
"Oh holy Hell Jen, please dear God tell me you don't wanna have Greg's babies."
Jennifer laughed. "No! I need to know if you happen to have any condoms…we're both flat broke and outta condoms." Anna chuckled and walked over to the bed. She picked up the pack of condoms and handed them to Jennifer. "You have some for you and Nick right?"
"Yeah." Anna lied and Jennifer smiled.
"Thanks Annie. I seriously owe you big time." She paused and looked around the room. "Why is it so quiet? Where is everyone?"
"Nick's parents are staying at his house, and Regan is at a sleepover."
Jennifer smiled. "Oh so you and Nick are alone…oh! Okay, Greg and I will leave."
"No! No, no, it's fine."
"Hey, go ahead and do your business. Greg and I are going." Jennifer walked out of the room and Anna tried to follow her down the hall. Nick and Greg were sitting on the couch in the living room when the girls walked in. Jen ad shoved the box into her jacket and she motioned for her and Greg to leave. They said their goodbyes as Anna subtly tried to convince them to stay.
Once they had left Anna slowly turned to face Nick, then quickly turned the other way and walked off towards her bedroom. Nick jogged after her. "Anna, Anna we need to talk." He caught up with her and grabbed her arm to turn her to face him. "Anna, what the Hell is goin on with you? One minute we're fine, then the next you freak out, push me off you and act like I'm poison to you. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just not in the mood." She lied and pulled her arm from his grasp and continued walking. Nick followed after her.
"That's bull…what did I do Anna?"
"Nothing."
"Would you quit lying and tell me what's wrong?" Nick ordered and she turned to face him, her features hard.
"Don't yell at me. You can talk civilly."
"Well then quit lying to me. We're supposed to be honest with each other."
"Oh, that's rich. You're lecturing me on honesty. Hypocrisy at its finest." She muttered and walked out of her room, through the sliding glass door and onto the patio.
Nick scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked as he followed her.
"Where were you today?"
Nick paused. "I told you, I was at my apartment with my parents."
"Bull shit." She said sharply. "I called them at 11 and they said you had left an hour ago. Where were you?" She demanded.
Nick sighed. "I had my Tahoe parked down the road…I was thinking."
"About what?"
Nick looked up at her and her fierce green eyes met his deep brown ones. "About my parents."
"What about them?"
"Why the Hell are you being so damn nosey?" Nick snapped and she glared.
"Because, it has to do with me and your mother and I deserve to know."
Nick furred his brows. "How did you know it was about you and my Mom?"
"I didn't I was following a hunch. Thanks for confirming it. What were you thinking about?"
Nick sighed. "About something my Dad said." He looked up to see her raise an eyebrow, urging him to continue. "He uh…he knew about my mom trying to get rid of you." Anna stared at him angrily for a moment, then turned on her heel and walked out towards the gate. He groaned and jogged after her. "Anna this is why I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want to upset you."
"Upset me? I'm not mad about that, okay, maybe a little! I'm mad at the fact that you hid this from me! You lied! You're no better than they are! It's like you said, honesty! Apparently your entire family lacks that!" She stormed out the gate and to the docks. She stopped when she was within a few yards from the water and turned to face Nick.
"Look whose yelling now!" He had caught up with her and Nick felt his anger rise. "You wanna talk about honesty? Aright, try this on for size, what's Regan's middle name?"
"What?"
"You heard me Anna, what's Regan's middle name?"
"What the Hell does that have to do with anything?" Anna asked exasperated.
"Nothing. But you said we need to be honest."
Anna looked at him. "Lynn."
Nick raised his eyebrow. "Lynn?" Anna nodded. "Really?"
"Yes. It's Regan Lynn Delmarco." He folded his arms across his chest. "What?" She snapped and glared at him.
"That's not what she said."
"Why do you care?"
"What's her real name?" He asked sharply, his voice rising.
"Why the Hell do you care what her real name is, she goes by Regan, you call her that, I call her that, everybody calls her."
"I just find it odd that you don't like it when you're lied to…and then you told me her name was Regan!"
"Oh, so now I'm a hypocrite?"
"You called me one."
"That's mature." She accused and shook her head. "It's a name; people change them all the time."
"But you didn't."
"What?"
"Not legally anyway."
Anna narrowed her eyes. "How did you know that?" She growled through gritted teeth.
"We had you're file pulled for the case…"
Anna looked at him in disbelief and anger. "I cannot believe you! You researched me!" She snapped and turned on her heel to storm off.
"I was working a case God Damnit! Why the hell are you acting so fucking crazy? I swear, one minute you're fine and the next you're psycho crazy bitch!" Nick exclaimed and knew instantly that he had made a big mistake. He saw her face redden and she stormed off down the side of the lake. Nick ran after her. "Shit. Anna I'm sorry! That was-"
She stopped abruptly and he almost crashed into her. She spun around and glared as she slowly backed him down the shore. "Who the hell do you fucking think you are? You lie to me, curse me out, and have the nerve to call me crazy? You researched me!"
"Anna I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking."
"No you didn't! You never speak without thinking! You always think before you speak, that's who you are! Everything you say is perfectly thought out and planned! You said that to hurt me!"
"I also said I was sorry."
"And that's supposed to make it better! I didn't tell you about Regan's name because it didn't seem to be important."
"The point is, you lied to me first."
"So you did this to get even?" She asked incredulously. When Nick didn't deny it she gritted her teeth and yelled. "God! You act just like-" She began and quickly cut herself off.
Nick raised his eyebrows. "Like who?"
Anna shifted her weight to the other foot and sighed. "Like your mother."
Nick stopped yelling…Anna stopped yelling…they stared at each other in shock. Had she just said that? "Look who's trying to hurt who now." Nick said softly.
Anna simply stared at him and her green eyes welled up with tears as she gulped and looked away, then back to him. "I think you need to go home." She whispered and looked back at him.
"Anna-"
Before he could finish his sentence Anna walked back towards the house and Nick watched her go…feeling guilty, angry, sad, and responsible all at the same time. He knew he hurt her…subconsciously he intended to. And she had hurt him…because he hurt her. Nick hung his head and walked back up to the house. He went through the gate, through the sliding glass doors, and into the dining room. He walked through the hall and looked right to the room in which he was staying, then left to Anna's room.
He turned left and knocked on Anna's door, knowing she wouldn't let him in, but he entered anyway. He saw her cuddled up on her bed, crying. Nick felt his heart break further as he silently walked into the room. He stood on the other side of the bed, her back facing him and he looked up at the bathroom mirror so he could see her face. She was looking down, but she slowly brought her gaze up to meet his. She glared and looked away.
He sat down on the bed but made no move to touch her. He continued looking at her through the mirror. "Please…Anna I'm so sorry."
"I am too." She whispered.
"I know that there's something else bothering you…please, tell me what's wrong. I want to help you." He reached out and touched his fingers to her back. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding when she didn't tense under his touch.
"I can't." She whimpered through her tears and Nick moved his hand down to her waist so he could roll her over. She looked at him with her tear stained face and Nick picked her up by the waist and sat her up so he could hold her and let her cry.
"God Baby…what happened to you?"
She didn't answer, only cried and let him hold her. After a few minutes her weeping had subsided and Nick continued to hold her and stroke her hair. After a few minutes she pulled away to look at him. "Um…" She began her voice cracking.
Nick looked at her confused as she wiped the tears from her face. "What?" He asked and cupped her face with his hands. She sucked in her bottom lip unsure about what she was going to say, and looked away.
"I think you should go now." She said softly and looked out her sliding glass door, trying her best to avoid his gaze. Nick let his jaw fall slightly and he felt his heart fall. He looked at her in hurt and disbelief.
"What?"
"I think it's time for you to go home." She replied softly, hating the words that came from her lips and knew that they were killing the man next to her.
Nick shook his head. "No, I know you're just upset and hurt, that isn't what you want." Nick said trying to convince them both.
Anna paused and finally looked at him. "Yes it is."
"Anna…" Nick began but she moved from his grasp and walked over to the sliding door and looked out it sadly as she wrapped her arms around her waist. "Is this over?" He asked afraid of the answer.
She didn't answer, only dropped her head and held it in her hand. Nick felt his heart beat quicken in fear as he stood from the bed and walked over to her, but leaving space between them. "Anna?" He asked again.
No answer.
He reached out and turned her to face him. He saw that her face was silently flooding with tears. Nick searched her eyes for a prayer that she was lying or bluffing, or a combination of the two…there was nothing. He gulped back his tears and looked at her pleadingly. She finally closed her eyes, sucked in her lips to keep from sobbing, and nodded.
He waited for her to take it back. To say she was lying or bluffing, or a combination of the both. Nick finally realized she wasn't going to, and walked out of her room angrily. He moved so fast that her hair wiped into her face and stuck to her tears. She let out a soft sob as he went into his own room and began throwing his clothes into his bag and grabbing his things from the nightstand. He zipped his bag and walked from the room; glancing back to make sure it was clean, and walked out of the hall, through the dining room and kitchen, and to the front door.
Anna stood behind the small wall separating the foyer from the living room. She heard him slide on his shoes and slam the door on his way out. She jumped slightly and covered her mouth to keep from crying. She came from around the corner and walked to the door. She paused and scurried back to the living room and pulled back the curtains to watch him pull out of the driveway. He was visibly upset and Anna felt her heart break.
She couldn't do it. She couldn't watch another one leave…especially not this one. She ran to the front door and ran onto the porch to see him pulling out, he didn't see her. He drove down the road and she ran to the end of the drive to see him leave…to try and stop him. If he had seen her in his rearview he hadn't make it known. She watched his black Tahoe get smaller in the distance and she felt a tear fall.
And so did she.
She fell to her knees and cried. She pushed him away. She had done it again…she had broke his heart…and her own…but this time; she didn't do it for herself and to keep her secrets safe. She did it for him. She did it to keep him safe.
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Willows' Residence
6:12 p.m.
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"Girls, Dinner!" Catherine called from the kitchen. Warrick emerged from the bedroom and Catherine laughed. "How come you're the only one who comes when I call for 'the girls'?"
Warrick rolled his eyes. "I heard 'dinner'."
Catherine chuckled and the two girls emerged from Lindsey's room. Lindsey had her eyebrow arched in confusion and Regan continued elaborating the facts of Lindsey's Algebra homework and Catherine suppressed a smile. "How's the homework coming?"
Lindsey sighed, "Slow."
Regan smirked. "But we're getting it done."
"Now tell me this, Regan, you help Lindsey with her homework and school…how does she help you?"
Lindsey smiled. "I tell her how I make so many friends and explain the facts of life and how to be cool."
Catherine shook her head and dropped her jaw. "Well, try to get everything you can into your brains right now." She remarked.
"Why?"
"Because when Anna gets a little piece of Lindsey in her house she'll never speak to us again." Catherine joked and Lindsey rolled her eyes. Warrick chuckled and shook his head.
"What's for dinner?"
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Sanders Residence
6:31 p.m.
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Greg and Jennifer lay in his bed panting and sweating. That had been round three…an on-going cycle with them. Greg smiled and rolled over to kiss her affectionately. "Wow." He said and she chuckled.
"The kiss or the sex?"
"The kiss…the sex was a, 'Whoa!'." Greg replied and Jennifer chuckled. He rolled off of her and took her by the hand. "C'mon, we're goin to take a shower." Greg joked and Jennifer laughed.
"Alright, but we can't be too long, you've gotta be at work in a few hours…and I missed work…I hope they didn't fire me."
"Nah, Anna probably took care of it."
"Yeah…that girl can bluff like there's no tomorrow."
"Remind me to never play poker with her." Greg joked and yanked her into the bathroom and tossed her against the wall and devoured her neck. She moaned and yanked back the curtain to the shower as Greg turned on the water. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around him and he carefully stepped into the shower. "Ready for round four?" He growled and she smiled deviously and yanked the curtain closed.
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Stokes Residence
7:20 p.m.
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Nick had been staring at his ceiling for almost three hours. The minute he left Anna's he went out and bought a six pack…he was half way through it. He hardly ever drank anymore…but he felt the need for some Bud Light and a little football. He couldn't believe what had happened, nevertheless understand it.
He knew that something was wrong, besides her knowledge of him lying to her. But she couldn't tell him. She had hurt him. It was a pain he hadn't felt in a long time…not since Kristy Hopkins. Nick instantly remembered the time he and Anna were first sitting out by the docks…the night it all came back.
They had been sitting under the docks when he first thought about her in a long time…
Anna kicked off her flip flops and sat them next to her so she could stick her feet in the ice cold water. A lone water lily floated towards Anna's pearl pink toe nails and she picked up the lily with her toes. A crisp breeze rolled n from off the waters and Anna inhaled deeply.
She sighed. "I love that smell." Nick looked at her long brown hair blowing in the breeze and a smile spread across her lips. Her smile lit the night sky. A gold lining formed around her pupils and stood out dramatically against her Amazon green eyes. Nick frowned slightly. "What's wrong?" She asked.
"Nothing. You just…"
"I just 'what'?"
"You remind me of someone that's all."
"Who?"
Nick stared at her a moment, "No one."
"Aww, come on. Tell me." She begged and grabbed his arm. "Please." Nick chuckled at her.
"Don't worry about it."
He never did tell her who she reminded him of just then. As her long brown hair blew in the wind, a big beautiful smile spread on her lips, and the love of the simplicity of where she was and what she was doing had brought back all his memories. She had reminded him of Kristy that night. He remembered how he had felt when he found out she had died. It hurt…it hurt more when everyone around him thought he had been the one to kill her.
She was the first person he had ever really loved. And the fact that everyone thought he would hurt her…it tore him apart. But there was one person who didn't think that and wanted to help him through it. Catherine.
She had been his saving grace. She was like a mother to him. After she had cleared his name she drove him home and he spilled his heart out to her. He told her all about Kristy…about how she was the one woman he had ever loved. About how she was the only one he really wanted to be with that way. Out of all the women since the babysitter…she was the one he wanted to be with.
Catherine was always the one he could talk to. He could always rely on her motherly support to help him through anything. She always had the right advice, even when he didn't want to hear it. She cared about him and he was grateful for that…he needed her motherly support now…but he couldn't go see her. Regan was there and he didn't want to alert her that anything was wrong.
Even though she would find out soon enough. He hadn't only hurt him and Anna; he knew it was going to tear that sweet and innocent little girl apart. Nick moaned and dragged his hand across his face. He really needed to talk to Catherine. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number.
She answered on the second ring.
"Hey Nicky."
"Hey Catherine." He said trying to keep his voice steady. It failed.
"What happened?" She asked knowingly.
Nick sighed. "I'm not quite sure." He leaned forward and rested his forehead in his hand and closed his eyes.
"Did the two of you fight?"
"How'd ya know?" He drawled, the beer affecting his accent.
"You called from your house phone and I doubted that you'd be going home when you had two great girls at a house with a spare room for you."
Nick sighed and he felt the tears coming again. He gulped them back and leaned against the couch cushions. "Yeah…only that offer's not there anymore." Nick replied morosely.
"Do you need to talk?"
"Yeah…but I can't at your house because Regan's there…and I kinda can't drive."
Catherine sighed. "Nicky…" She said in a warning tone but sighed again. "I'll get Rick to watch the kids. I'm on my way…sit tight."
Nick nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him. "Thanks Cath." he said, his voice cracking.
"I'll be there soon."
Nick hung up and sat back, trying to compose himself.
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Stokes Residence
Thursday May 12, 2004
12:16 a.m.
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Nick sat back on his sofa and let Catherine's words sink in. He had told her everything…everything. The first time they met, all his feelings, how she had reminded him of Kristy, the problem with his parents, their fight…everything.
"Nicky, you can't give up on her…if you really think there's something worth saving…then save it. I know you, and now that you know there's something wrong, and deeper problems that lie within her…you're gonna want to try and save her. But you can't her. You can save your relationship and you can save Regan from heart break…but you can only help Anna. But you have to have her permission. You can't walk through her door and be Hell bent on getting to the bottom of this and what lies beneath her excellent cover. Because the harder you push and push to help her, the harder she's going to push you away. I know you want to help her…so help her…don't force it."
Nick took in the information. "How do I get her permission without pissin her off or with her kickin me out?" Nick drawled.
Catherine sighed. "Well…tell me again what exactly happened towards the end. What really made her snap?"
"I said she wasn't honest with me and called her a hypocrite…and uh…a 'crazy psycho bitch'." Nick bit his lip knowing Catherine was going to flip.
Catherine's jaw dropped and her eyes bulged and she reached over and slapped him upside the back of his Greg, a punishment normally reserved for Greg. "What the Hell Nick? Were you drunk off your ass! I can't believe you made it out of there alive!"
"Barely." Nick said and sighed he rested his elbows on his knees and reached for his beer.
"No." Catherine said and swatted his hand away.
"Then she said I needed to go and I followed her into the house and she laid on her bed and cried…then I apologized, a lot, and she said she was sorry too, then I asked her what was really wrong. She said she couldn't tell me. So I held her and let her cry…and then after a while she said I had to go. I told her I knew she was only sayin that 'cause she was hurt and she didn't want that…but she did." He paused and looked at his folded hands and choked back his tears. "And I got up and left…"
"You shouldn't have left."
"I know."
"You have to get her back."
"How?"
Catherine sighed and took a sip of his beer. Nick watched her and awaited her answer. "Well…"
A/N: AHH! Cliffhanger. And I know, I'm focusing on everyone but the GSR…sorry. But I've got enough stories about them.
Okay…be nice and review and I'll update…until then…you won't know what happens. I want LOTS of reviews otherwise I'm abandoning this story and I'll leave it at Nick and Anna separate for good…
--evil laugh--
Update please.
