We Will Make it Though This
Chapter 9: New Adventures
Pairing: Nick/Luke
Rating PG-13
Nick groan as he rose from his bed, his chest hurt worse then his arm. He looked around as he rubbed the spot the bullet hit. Everything was a blurred for him. What the hell happened? What was going on? What time was it? More importantly….where was Luke? Luke was always there when he woke up, He has been doing that for the past month or two, since this whole mess happened. It was the little comfort the two had shared, between two…friends. Wait….did that mean that they have to do…..things now? Nick blushed wildly. The bed have always been an innocent place for them to escape the world, to hide under the covers and tell ghost stories, scaring themselves. A place to fight nightmares together and dance in dreams. That was such a huge jump, he could almost hear Pete telling him to grow up Be a man. But yet, it's not like he haven't thought about it before. Sure, most of those times they drank, after Luke pass out. Nick always won the drinking contests against the older male. Although that was probably a bad thing to be proud of. He didn't know but Luke looked different under drunk eyes then sober one. Feelings he could hide deep inside, deep enough that not even his sober side notice. It had been easy that way, until the feelings came up and floated in the air around them. He was just glad that he didn't lose his friend over something as stupid as feelings, in fact they were return. Of course, he would return them, that was so like him. To accept everyone's love like it wasn't such a big deal. He huffed in frustration, he needed to talk to him about this….new thing. He couldn't handle such an open relationship.
Nick made his way down the steps, rubbing the sleep out of his eye. "What…..what time is it?" Pete rose up from the kitchen table. "Finally….you woke up. Look we need to talk serous." Nick narrowed his eyes. "About what?" His mother sat in her chair being deadly quiet, clearly letting Pete do all the talking. "It's about Luke…" Warnings rang inside Nick's head. "I don't know…" "Shut up and let me finish before you irrupt me with your grumbles." Nick snarled as he took a step back. "Look before you get all prissy at me…listen boy. Food s starting to become harder to find these days, resources are dwindling quickly. Soon this town will have nothing for anyone but the need to get a move on if we are to live." Nick got lost along the way. "What…huh? What dose this have to do with Luke?" Pete sighed "We have to leave him behind." Nick was quiet, so Pete continue. "I'm not sure when you will see hm, if you ever do, that is." Something snapped inside Nick, he karate crop the table, but just ended up hurting his hand on it. He choked back the tears. Okay that hurt He rubbed his hand. "Over my dead body! I'm not leaving him. That's that." "Nick…please…we need you." His mother finally spoke, she looked like she was about to cry, making Nick feel bad. "But I need Luke….we have been friends for so long…..I can't image never seeing him again. I'm sorry….if I must I'll stay here and die of starvation, just as long as I have Luke by my side. Everything will be okay." "Nick…" "Pete that is that." "Stubborn as always I see. Fine if that is that. Then I guess I should give you some advice. A train is coming in a few hours, anyone still living will be on it. The train will take anyone who enters to a large camp with food, protection, weaponry, the like. Things sound pretty promising over there. The price to get on the train is resources, like food. You can take the stuff Luke brought two nights ago. That should be enough for you two to get on. We will meet at the camp. Then maybe then we will forgive him and he can join us." "Wat what did he do?" "Nick…look around. Whose missing?" "…Dad?" "Yes….he sat there and watch your father get eaten when he could had save him." "So? Don't act as if we all didn't see that coming. He was making a big fuse over them. Not to mention what he has done to all of us in the past. I'm glad he's gone and I can't see him every again. Now I'm going to leave, get Luke and go to the train station"."
Nick picked up the duffel bag of food, it was indeed lighter than normal. They all had to keep moving if they were to live other day. Even if he had leave the town where he grew up, probably to never return again. No turning back at this point. Nick made his way along, the world was different. He didn't have Luke or any weapon to protect himself from the walkers. Nick stayed on high alert, as he hurried along. Luke's house wasn't that far away luckily. Nick made his way up to Luke's front door. Luke's house was nicer, it wasn't like their houses were that different. Just his parents cared more for presentation more than Nick's. It had been a long time since he had been here. Nick found no need for coming to a place like this when both he and Luke lived with each other after high school. Nick never got along well with….him.
The door open and there he was. William Carver. He stared down at Nick as he rested against the doorframe. "Hey Luke! Your boyfriend is here." "Boy…boyfriend? I'm not….we aren't a couple." "Yeah sure. Luke hasn't shut up about you since you got shot at, kid." "I'm fine." Nick grumble under his breath. Luke hurried down the steps and just stare at Nick, a shocked look on his face. "What?" Luke rushed over to him and hugged Nick tightly. "You're okay!" Nick laughed nervously. William just rolled his eyes at the two. "Yeah of course I'm fine. Just slept for a bit." "Right….Right." Luke backed off and pat Nick's back. "So what brings you here anyway Nick?" "Luke we have to go. Train, safe place, food, weapons, shelter. A place where no zombies around." Luke raised an eyebrow at the ramble. "Uh-huh…." "Grah! Just trust me on this man." "Sure sure I trust ya." "If you boys go on this crazy plan at least take the girls with you. Dad has been off since mom turn and he had to kill her. I'm not good with kids and they love you more." "Fine fine brother. Ashlee! Kim! We are going on a crazy adventure." Two wild kids ran down the steps and pounced Luke, both Nick and William step back. "Whatever dweebs. Have fun."
William shooed them out the door. Things were weird between them. The kids never seem to stop running lose around them. No time to actually talk about whatever was between them. The girls kept away from Nick, which held was glad for. He didn't know much about them. They left when the older one was 1 while the younger one was in the stomach. Nick never came back but Luke did every so often. Those were always lonely weekends that went in a blur for him with the help of pills and drugs. Speaking of them, he had ran out of his depression pills long ago. The thoughts were louder than ever as he stared at Luke. He wasn't good enough. It would never work out. No matter what. One would die and the other will move off as if nothing wouldn't happened. Luke looked back, Nick was starting to drag. "Hey get up here. This was your crazy plan." Nick huffed as he storm past them, bumping into Luke's shoulder. "Nick!" But he was already up ahead. Luke grumbled under his breath. "I swear he acts like he's four." Ashlee giggled "I think he's cute." Luke laugh softly as he ruffled her. "Yeah a cute baby." "Hey! Pick up the pace back there." Nick called back. Luke laugh as they all picked up the pace. Ashlee whine softly. "Big brother, piggyback ride?" Luke nodded as he kneed down and she climbed up on his back. He huffed as he pulled her up. "There…think you are good." Luke hurried off after Nick.
Kim already ahead with Nick. Nick was interesting to the little girl. He was different than Luke, almost like William but somehow different. She knew nothing about this guy, only that he was friends with Luke since childhood and his father shot him a few days ago. He seemed cold now and not to friendly towards them. He didn't seem to mind her to much. She had listen while her little sister and big brother were back there playing. The world around her was scary, she step closer to Nick. Brother was just now starting to catch up, her sister giggling on his shoulders. She felt….safe enough, close to the strange man. He looked down at her, a harsh glare. She felt small under that glare. But then he grabbed her and picked her up. He held her close. "Don't worry kid. Nothing bad will happened to you. We will watch over you." She nodded as she rested her head on his shoulder. He was nice, nice enough.
They arrive at the train station. It had been a long time since Nick had seen so many people at once…. alive. People he knew very faintly, classmates, teachers, neighbors, acquaintance. It was all making him self conscious, almost like going to a new school. He held the girl tightly, he had rather taken a liking to the girl. She wasn't to loud or needy, unlike the other one. It felt good to watch over someone that needed him. She was kind of cute too. She wore her hair in a long braid with a ribbon holding it together in a little bow. Her hair was a mess, the work needed to be redone. But Nick knew very little about braiding, his mom would know. But yet she was nowhere to be found. They both walked up to the line, the children passed out. Kim in Nick's arms and Ashlee snoozing loudly as her head rested on Luke's head. "You're smiling Nick…." "What? No I'm not." "It's fine Nick. Good….I'm glad your mood got better. I don't like it when you get that way. Is everything okay?" "Yeah I'm fine. Just not one for babysitting." "You're doing just fine." Luke squeezed Nick's shoulder, Nick gave him a half smile.
They made their way though the line soon enough. The guard, was checking off things off a list, had an army uniform as well as a decent looking gun "Next!" His voice boomed, Nick stepped back lowing his head. Luke pass by him and grabbed the bag from him. "Just the four of us and here's the price." Luke showed no fear against the clearly alpha male checked whatever was in the bag, Nick glanced around, not interested in the contents. Once everything was checked off, the guard nodded his head into the cargo ship. Luke climbed up and walked off into a corner of the ship and set the girl down. Nick set the other girl up on the ledge and then pulled himself struggling to even left his . Luke walked back over to him and pulled him by his shirt up. "Jeez Nick, you are losing it." "Hey! Haven't done anything for a month." Luke smirked as he picked up Kim and put her by her sister. Nick followed after them, the ship only had a few small families in it but it looked like only more will get on, as the guard had moved off to the next group. Nick plopped down next to the girls and Luke seemed to follow, sitting next to him.
They sat in silence, Ashlee had fallen on her sister and they both snoring away. Luke's hand brushed against Nick's, making him Jerk his hand away. Luke reacted quickly grabbing his hand. "Sheesh relax dude." "You…you startled me…." "Only been a month and already paranoid, I see?" Nick pout as he bumped his shoulder against Luke's. "I've always been paranoid and you know this." Luke's smile faded into a frown. "How is that doing for you anyway, your depression?" Nick grew quiet as he relax. He didn't need to tell him that it was only getting worse, without any outlet. No pills, no drugs, little to no alcohol, no video games, music no friends besides Luke to talk to. The voices had only return louder than ever, at the worse of times. Nick rested his head on Luke's shoulder. "Let's not talk about it." He whispers softly. "That bad…..?" "Let's…Not…talk about it." "Fine…fine…." Luke wrapped his arms around Nick. "We wouldn't talk about it. Just…please tell me when you get really bad. I want to help you in anyway I can…but I need to know Nick. I can only do so much and if it's only going to be just you, me, and the girls, I need to know. I don't think I can handle losing you." Nick kept quiet, thinking over things. "Don't worry, Luke. I'm promise…I'm just fine. I still have some pills left." A lie. He smiles wide, Luke's mood didn't seem to get better. He only knew to well when Nick lied. Nick's smile trembled as he looked about nervously as Luke study him closely. "What?!" "….nothing. Nothing at all." Nick huffed as he fell on top of Luke's lap.
Nick soon fell into a deep sleep, the train gently rocking him into sleep, Luke combing a hand though his hair. The cargo had filled up, but the small group still had plenty room to themselves. Luke was wide awake, on guard. Nothing was going to hurt Nick or his dear sisters, not on his watch. Other families were sleeping, holding each other close, only a few seem to be awake like Luke. Luke got lost in his thoughts everything was going to be fine. Once they all get to the mystery safe place, they will stay there until this ends and they will….go back to normal? No…..he didn't want that.
Luke stared out at the night as things went by in a blur. It was a peaceful night, a night where all this mess can be forgotten. He heard footsteps coming closer to him, Luke glanced over at the figure. "Pete? What are...?" "Look I don't know what happened back there. You froze up I get it. Everyone dose that from time to time. But...you aren't going to do that to us are you?" "What? Let them eat you?" "Yeah!" "No...I'm not.. I just you know, thought about all the bad things he has done and shooting Nick was the last straw. Just couldn't bring myself to save him." "Yeah but just know that you hurt that woman. He may have been a duck but he was all she had after you took Nick away from her. Just think about that everytime you look at her. I know you are a good guy but just be careful." "Yeah...yeah...I will apologize when I see her next. Not much I can do but that."
Yeah :D This thing is finally done...well not done done but the chapter is done. New characters for the main cast as well as a new place to go to in the next chapter. Yeah I said there was going to be a dark scene, but lied, but next chapter will have that scene.