I DO NOT OWN LEFT 4 DEAD I MAKE NO PROFIT!

Ive totally meant to getting around to this chapter, but I've lacked inspiration and ive been busy and yeaaaaaaah. I'm happy the lemon didn't completely suck, even though I still think it does (Shrugs) Anyway. Chapter 7. Enjoy the drama heh!

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The two made their way down the street. Ellis was yapping a mile a minute. Every once in a while Nick would mumble a "Uh-huh." Or an "Oh" but he really wasn't paying much attention. He had a lot on his mind to say the least. A couple of infected charged at them, but before they got to close the two men took care of them.

"So ya, I told Keith not to go in da water, but did he listen. No sir!" Ellis laughed "So when he started to swim across the river a croc came outta no where! We was flippin'!"

"I bet…" Nick mumbled as he tried to remember if they had past this building yesterday. "Overalls, does this place look familiar?"

"Huh?" Ellis glanced up "Oh ya! I shot that humper here yesterday!"

"Great so I guess this is where we got spilt from Coach and Rochelle." Nick said. He walked over to one of the store windows and glanced in, empty. If Coach and Rochelle were still alive they'd re-trace their steps too. "You know, it's probably a good idea to stay in this area. We should find cover though. We don't want to get smokered or anything."

"Sure thing!" Ellis beamed "Why don' we go in one of these here stores?" he asked.

"Good idea." Nick nodded and walked past him.

Ellis blushed a bit, his smile never leaving his face as he followed Nick into a convenience store. Food and other products were scattered everywhere. Blood smeared against some of the walls. Nick held his gun on up as he scanned the store. He kicked a can down one of the aisles and waited. Silence. Nick lowered the gun and walked over to the cash register. He found a couple packs of cigarettes and stuffed them in his jacket pocket before walking over to the cash register. Ellis aimlessly walked down one of the aisles before stumbling across a perfectly good candy bar "Looky what we have righ' here!" he grinned and went to bed down to pick it up, but hissed in pain "Ah shit."

Nick poked his head out "You okay?" he asked, trying not to sound to worried.

"Ya, ya. My..." Ellis blushed and stopped talking

"Ellis?"

"I'm jus' sore." Ellis said a bit shyly.

"Oh yeah well with-" Nick trailed off "OH. Sore…" he coughed in his hand and pried open the register.

Ellis finally picked the candy bar up and walked over to Nick and leaned across the counter. "Think Coach will be happy when he gets a gander at this?" he asked waving it.

Nick briefly glanced up and looked back down at the cash in his hand and started counting. "You're going to be his savior, Overalls." He said with little emotion.

Ellis tilted his head to the side and watched Nick intently. His gaze didn't go unnoticed. Nick glanced up and quickly looked down at the money he tucked into his pocket. "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Yer actin' weird." Ellis frowned.

Nick grunted and walked over to the window to glance out for Coach and Rochelle "I'm not acting any different than usual."

"Ya won't look me in the eye…"

Nick tensed a bit but said nothing.

"Did I do somethin' wrong?" Ellis asked "I mean ya were fine this mornin' when I came in to wake ya… Didn' act awkward at all, which I am happy about."

"I've had plenty of practice with one night stands, Ellis." Nick kept his voice monotone.

Ellis frowned a bit, but didn't take insult "Why won' ya look at me"

Nick turned to face him, but didn't look him in the eye for long "I'm looking at you right now, aren't I?"

"Ya, but, not in my eyes." Ellis said "When ya talk to me you always look straight into em. For Ro and Coach too. You stare us down sometimes."

'you look someone in the eyes so they think you're telling the truth…' Nick sighed "Your point? I'm trying to play 'look out' here. So hurry up with your point if you even have one."

Ellis frowned "Why won' you look at me?"

Nick's eyes went straight to Ellis's cap. His brow furrowed and he forced himself to stare straight into Ellis's eyes "No reason." He said flatly.

Ellis eyebrows shot up as he glanced up at the hat on his head "My hat?" he asked.

"Huh?" Nick blinked.

"It's my hat aint it? Is that botherin' ya?" Ellis asked "Aw geez Nick. There aint no reason to be jealous! I'm with you aint I? Don' go worrying about Keith! When we meet up with him nothin' is gonna change between us. Keith's my bes' friend! Don't worry!"

Nick's jaw dropped "You think I feel fucking guilty about the hat?"

Ellis blinked "Guilty? Nick what are ya talkin' about?"

Nick shook his head and turned to look back out the window "Forget it Ellis."

"No, what are you guilty about?" Ellis asked "I mean you aint don't nothin' to me. If it's about my ass I'm fine, honest!"

Nick let out a bitter laugh "First he thinks I'm upset about his fucking hat now he thinks I feel guilty about his ass hurting! Holy fuck!"

Ellis felt his cheeks burnt from embarrassment. He grabbed Nick's shoulder and spun him around "What the hell's yer problem today? Tell me whats wrong."

Nick smirked darkly "You wanna know Overalls? You really want to know?"

Ellis swallowed "Course I do."

Nick grabbed Ellis's arm tightly "Keith's dead. Want to know how I'm so sure?" he asked as he started to walk towards Ellis, making the mechanic take steps backwards. Ellis stared up at Nick wide eyed.

"They must have come back this way. Right? I mean Nick's smart he'd retrace his steps." Rochelle mumbled.

"Calm your pretty little head down, Ro." Coach sighed "I'm sure they're around here somewhere."

"You're right." Rochelle breathed "I'm just worried that something may have happened- Nick!" she gasped as she saw Nick stumble backwards out of a building covering his face, blood dripping down his face.

"Holy shit." Coach growled as he limped his way over "What the hell happened to you?"

"Ya son o' a bitch!" Ellis shouted as he came storming out of the store. His fists clenched at his side "You jus' let him walk away! Why didn' you ask him to go with ya!"

Nick cradled his face "I fucking thought he was insane!" Nick shouted back.

"Keith ain't no psycho!" Ellis said as he went to punch Nick again.

Nick ducked and nearly lost his balance. His head throbbed, his back screamed, and don't even get him started on his nose. His vision became hazy as he wobbled, trying his hardest to stand his ground.

Ellis went to hit Nick again but was stopped by Coach. "Calm down!" He hissed "With all this ruckus y'all are going to attract a horde!"

"Lemme go!" Ellis struggled against Coach, but Coach stood his ground. Working in a high school for as long as he did; he was able to keep a man in a hold.

"Calm down Ellis!" Rochelle said rushing over to Nick she winced "I don't think its broken…"

"Cause I aint finished with him!" Ellis growled. Tears falling down his cheeks.

Rochelle gasped a bit and turned on Nick "What did you do!?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Nick groaned "Coach!"

Coach sighed "Let's get somewhere safe and talk things out alright?"

"Thank you." Nick sighed and stumbled towards Rochelle "I don't care if you're pissed help me out. I can't see straight."

"Good!" Ellis snapped.

"Quite you." Coach snapped as he slowly released him; he was ready to grab Ellis if he chose to lunge Nick. Ellis stayed put, glaring daggers at the older conman.

Rochelle placed a hand on Nick's back "Hold your head back." She said.

Nick did as he was told as the four quietly found another safe room….

The bleeding finally stopped, but Nick's headache didn't. Ellis was up stairs of the safe house with Rochelle while Coach stayed down stairs with Nick. Nick closed his eyes hoping he'd be able to get a short nap when he felt something push into the side of his head. Nick popped one eye open to see a water bottle in his face.

"Take it." Coach said.

"Ah; thanks." Nick mumbled talking the bottle and opening it.

"I don't know what you did or said, but it must have been pretty nasty to make Ellis that upset." Coach said leaning against the wall beside Nick.

Nick grunted and took a gulp from the water bottle and closed it.

"What did you say?" Coach asked.

Nick sighed "Nothing."

"Bull shit. Now tell me."

"Fine. Before I meet you guys I'm like ninety nine percent sure I bumped into that Keith fucker." Nick said "Well he was wearing a hospital bracelet so I thought he was insane and we parted ways. According to Ellis, if Keith's dead it's my fault because I didn't help him."

"Ah shit…" Coach mumbled and scratched the back of his head.

"It's not my fault. He probably had that damn flu! So I would have died and-"

"You have to understand why he's so upset by that though." Coach interrupted. "I mean why would you tell him that?"

Nick scowled 'I only told him because I felt fucking guilty. ME! Guilty! What the hells happening to me?' Nick looked the other way "He was pissing me off."

Coach sighed "I should have let him kick your ass."

"Thanks Coach."

Rochelle came into her room, arms folded "I always knew you were a heartless douche-bag,." She hissed, looking straight at Nick.

Coach's eyebrow arched "You're screwed…"

Nick sighed "Thanks sweetheart. I take it Ellis told you everything?"

"Oh you beat he did." Rochelle said "Every little thing. Including the night you guys shared."

Coach coughed "Maybe I should go check on the kid…" he said pushing himself off the wall. He placed a hand on Rochelle shoulder, whispered something, and then went up the stairs.

Rochelle's eyes stayed planted on Nick. Nick shifted a bit under the intense stare "So what? You're gonna take a hit at me now?"

"I want to; I want to so badly, but I won't." Rochelle said "Why did you tell him that, Nick? Didn't you know how upset that would make him?" he voice softened a bit.

Nick said nothing.

Rochelle sighed "Jesus, Nick. He really has a thing for you and you go and tell him that his best friend in the whole god damn world is dead! And you were the one who just let him walk off!"

"I know." Nick said emotionlessly.

"Why? Was it because you really did only want a one night stand? There would have been a better way to break that news to Ellis!"

"That's not what I was trying to do."

"Then what Nick, what!?"

"I felt fucking guilty, okay!?" Nick snapped.

Rochelle jumped surprise "You… felt guilty?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"Guilty…"

"Yes."

"Well, I'll be damned." Rochelle whispered and sat down beside him "You like Ellis, huh?" she asked, her voice softer.

Nick grunted.

"I'll take that as a yes." Rochelle said "Why don't you apologize?"

"I have nothing to apologize for." Nick said "If I had helped him I probably would be dead."

"Did you explain that to Ellis?"

"I would have but he punched my face before I could."

"Well you did deserve that one…"

Nick rolled his eyes "Whatever. The Kid will get over it."

Rochelle frowned "I don't know Nick… I really don't know."

Nick is OOC you say? I know. Like I said in previous chapters. He's a bitch to write for me. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter… And come on, Ellis would SO be pissed if he knew Nick kind of left Keith to die, hell, I would! Anyway please Review. They make me write faster =)