Chapter 6

(2 months later)

Riley walked into her house after her date with Nick. He had taken her to his house and cooked her breakfast instead of their usual tradition of break fast dates. After that they went out to catch the matinee at the local movie theater before she had to go back home. When she opened the door she saw CJ, Jon, Jabari, and Troy sitting on the couch. They looked up at her and a wicked smile graced all their faces.

"Where have you been young lady?" CJ teased in a fatherly voice. Riley rolled her eyes.

"Work." It wasn't exactly a lie. She had been at work...five hours ago.

"No...the bar closed at 4." Jon pointed out, not looking away from the television.

"I went out for breakfast." Riley called from the back of the house; she appeared from around the stairs and looked at the men curiously. "Where's Pot Roast?"

"He and Deven took Shaun to get his leg checked out."

"Oh...when did they leave?"

"A few hours ago. Your mail is on the counter." Jabari said absently. She looked through it and held her breath when the college's letter popped up. She turned it over and slowly opened it. The guys turned away from the television and looked at her in interest, each of them knowing what had arrived in the mail today.

She bit her lip and cautiously read the letter. Her eyes widened and a grin spread across her face. She looked up at the men and shook her head. "Who knew about this?"

They all raised their hands. "The college called, but when you weren't here, they decided to mail you the notice." Thomas explained and she ran over and jumped on the couch, hugging them all.

The front door opened and Shaun, Pot Roast, and Deven walked in on the scene. Shaun smiled and gasped. "Yes! Couch orgy!" He declared.

Riley pulled away smiling. "Dumbass, you realize I'm the only girl here right?"

"Who said I was including anyone else?" He joked waggling her eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and got off the couch, Jabari reluctantly letting go of her.

She shook her head. "No, I just got the letter from the college..."

"Did you pass?" Pot Roast asked getting excited.

"I passed!" She exclaimed and they all enveloped her in another hug.

"Good job Ry." Shaun said, pulling her into a tighter hug. She smiled and stepped out of their grasp.

"All I have to do is go see the Dean and then go to the hospital and give them my resume..."

"Aw, our little BRAT is all grown up." CJ joked, wiping an invisible tear from his eye, and Riley shot him a glare for the nickname they had given her.

"Yeah, yeah...now when are you couch potatoes gonna do the same?" They all moaned and turned their attention back to the television. Riley looked down at Shaun's cast. "How's it doin?"

"Eh, same ol' same ol'." Shaun replied and took off towards his room.

"Hey," Deven began and Riley turned to face him. "I uh...I have a surprise for you." He said softly and Riley raised her brow.

"What..."

"You uh...you have to go somewhere to see it." She looked at him suspiciously and he chuckled. "Down girl, not like that. I heard about the college thing early so...I helped you out a little."

"What? Dev what are you talkin about?"

"Just...just come on." He tugged on her hand and they went out the door.

"You ready?" Deven asked as he led her to the door, his hands covering her eyes.

"Yeah...I swear to God Deven if there's a bed in front of me..."

Deven chuckled and shook his head. "No...ready? One, two, three!" He took his hands away from her eyes and she blinked a few times before they focused on the car in front of her. She gasped and covered her mouth in shock.

"Oh my God." Was all she could manage. She slowly walked to the car and ran her hand along the new bright racing hemi-orange paint job of her 1969 Dodge Charger. The car had the racing numbers "01" on its side door and a replica of the Civil War rebel flag on its roof. It was an exact replication of the 'General Lee' from the Dukes of Hazard. "Oh my God Deven!" She finally yelled in joy. "Is this my baby?" She asked, referring to the car she had totaled a few years before. She had to put it in the shop, but never had all the money to fix it.

"Yeah. Personally I think you're insane for even considering driving this car around Viva Las Vegas but hey, you are insane." Deven teased while shrugging. She shook her head in astonishment and chuckled.

"Oh my God..."

"Yeah, you said that."

"Seriously...this is just...whoa." She looked at him and smiled. "Thank you so much." She replied and Deven shrugged modestly.

"No problem BRAT."

She chuckled and gave him a big hug, still astounded at his gesture. "Deven this is...this is amazing."

"I had about half the money put down when you started your last year of medical school. I paid 'em as they went to make sure they had it done by the time you finished school."

"What would you have done if I hadn't passed?" She asked curiously.

"I didn't think that would happen...you're too smart. But I would have given it to you to cheer you up." Deven replied hugging her a little tighter. She closed her eyes and smiled wider,

"Damn, I really do have the greatest friends ever." She said and Deven laughed.

"Stop, you'll over inflate my ego." He joked and she chuckled.

"Man, I can't believe we aren't getting anywhere with this missing persons..." Warrick replied, angry that they had been on this case for a few days, and so far, there was no sign of the missing wife. She had disappeared some time before dinner a few days earlier, and the husband called the police when she hadn't returned by midnight that night.

"I don't know Rick...maybe she doesn't want to be found...isn't that why most people to take off?"

"Yeah, when they're hiding and running." Warrick nodded, still frustrated but seeing where the Texan was coming from. "I just don't see why she would clean her car first...it just...I mean, it seems weird."

Nick shrugged as he and Warrick walked out of the back lot of the Hurricane Car Wash and Auto Shop. He slid on his sunglasses and looked around for any small clues or items leading to where the missing, Mrs. Williams could be. His eyes scanned some of the people in the car wash huts, people in line, and auto repair men. Two people standing in front of an exact replica of the General Lee, hugging. It wasn't the car that caught his attention...it was the fact that Riley and Deven were in a friendly embrace.

Nick felt his jaw tighten as he swallowed down the anger and jealousy rising in his throat.

Whoa, calm down Stokes, they're friends...they're just friends...that are hugging, and standing extremely close to each other.

His mind tried to calm him down with little success. He dragged his gaze away from them and tried to focus on the case and not the fact that his girlfriend was warmly cuddling with her ex.

Stop it Nick, it's a hug. They're not cuddling, they're hugging. It's not like...

His mind stopped shirt when he saw Deven hand her something and she jumped up and down in excitement and peck him on the cheek before running to the car. Nick's jaw hit the pavement, before he quickly picked it back up and tried to ignore the sound of his heart shattering into little pieces, before sinking impossibly low in his stomach. He felt the sting of jealousy creep into his gaze as he stormed into the passenger side of the Tahoe, in no mood to drive. He slammed the door and faced forward, not wanting to deal with anything Warrick might throw his way.

Nick's nails dug into his palm and he ground his teeth together behind his tightly drawn lips. This display wasn't lost on Warrick, and he looked at him in concern. "Nick...are you okay?"

"Fine." Nick lied through gritted teeth, his lips barely moving. Warrick raised his brow, but said nothing. Nick's entire demeanor was saying 'don't-mess-with-me' and Warrick decided to follow its advice. He nodded and turned forward, slowly looking around the area to see what had ticked Nick off so much.

He saw a mother pushing her two kids in a stroller, while balancing one on her hip, a couple auto men joking around while fixing a car, a couple hugging in front of the Dukes of Hazard car, a chubby man walking out of the lobby of the auto shop, wiping the sweat away from his forehead, and climbing into his car...nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

What had pissed him off so much? Warrick sighed softly and flipped on the radio, Nickleback's Woke up This Morning coming through the speakers. Nick reached over and cranked up the volume, a very out of character notion of him. He could barely stand hard core rock. Warrick decided not to question him on it, and drove out of the parking lot, and hopefully away from whatever had set Nick off.

Warrick quickly snuck a glance at the Texan to see him pressing his body into the leather seat as if to keep from jumping out of the car and running back. His knuckles were white from how tight his fists were, like he was trying to keep himself from beating the daylights out of somebody. Despite his pissed demeanor, his mouth seemed to be quivering a bit, and Warrick saw from the side of his sunglasses that his eyes held betrayal...like his entire belief system was gone.

Warrick silently prayed that what ever Nick had seen, heard, or suddenly discovered would pass quickly. He prayed he would tell him what was wrong so he could find a way to help...because until then, Nick was on his own.

Riley looked at the car still in awe. Deven watched her, smiling at her 'kid in a candy shop' excitement. "Ry, we gotta get going."

She sighed and bit her lip to keep from squealing in excitement. She gave him another quick hug. "Thanks again Dev...I think I wanna drive her home." She said grinning.

Deven laughed. "I figured you would."

She smiled and slipped into the car threw the window, in true Duke Fashion. "Damn Dev...She looks even better than she did three years ago..." She caressed the steering wheel in awe.

"I even had the specialized horn put in..."

She gaped at him and pressed the horn, throwing her head back in laughter when the tune from "Dixie" began to play. "This is too much!"

"Nah...You did good kid." He exclaimed. And waved as he turned to get into his own car. She smiled as she stuck the key in the ignition and her once broken baby roared to life. She squealed and clapped her hands together.

She pulled up next to Deven's car and shouted out the window. "I'm gonna take her for a spin! I'll see ya'll in a bit!"

"Have fun!"

She smiled and stepped on the gas. "Yeehaw!"

Nick threw his bag on the bench and tossed his dirty clothes into it. Slamming his locker shut when he was finished. As he reached for the bag his cell phone began to ring. He looked at the display before he answered it.

R.T.

Riley...

Nick frowned and gulped down the anger once again rising in his throat and he flipped open his phone. "Stokes..."

"Hey Hon." She drawled. Any other time when he was feeling down her sweet voice would have perked him right up. Now...her nonchalant 'nothing's wrong' attitude made him wanna punch the locker.

"Hey." He said half heartedly, trying to keep his mood out of his voice...he still had no idea what he was going to do...or how he was gonna confront her.

"Nick, are you alright? Tough case?" She guessed.

Nick rubbed his forehead and sat down on the bench. "Yeah...one of the worst." he replied. It was true...he was a t a dead end with his missing persons, but that was more annoying then angering.

"Well...how about we meet for breakfast. I can take your mind off of things." She said seductively. Nick squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fist.

She's sitting there...acting like nothings wrong...trying to seduce me...

Any other time, after an aggravating day, those few words was all that would need to be said. He'd rush over to her and she'd take his mind off things, letting him talk or vent if he needed to. Now...Nick felt like throwing up.

"Um..." He didn't want to see her, at least not yet. But he couldn't refuse, if he refused when he was having a bad day, he would let her help him. Even the hardest day wouldn't be enough to keep him away from her. For the past few months she was always the first one he'd call. "How...how about you come over to my place." It wasn't an unusual request for him. At least at his house they could talk privately.

"Okay. Sounds good. I'll be there in an hour or so."

Nick squeezed his eyes tighter and tried not to think of where she would be and who she'd be with for those hours with out him. "Okay. I'll see you then."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

No. "Yeah."

"Alright, I'll see ya in a bit Darlin."

Nick hung up the phone and stared at his locker. He felt the anger rising in him and this time he didn't hold back. He slammed his fist as hard as he could into the locker, sending it swaying back and forth. It almost fell over, but it finally steadied. Nick got a good look at the sizely dent his fist had made and sighed. He really didn't care right now...he didn't care about anything right now except for confronting Riley and putting an end to the pain.

Okay, I split this up in two parts so the next chapter will be here soon enough. Ya know...Thomas Carlyle once said, 'A review for a book is the beginning of all knowledge'.... Okay, technically he said 'A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge'...but it's the same thing...

-Chella Belle