Chapter 8

A/N: I deeply apologize for the lateness of this chapter the the choppiness of it but I have decided that it is too difficult to keep going so I have cut it short. However, I continue to hope and pray that it satisfies everyone reading this poor fools fiction. Furthermore, to all the writers out in the world I wish you the best for writing a story is not merely writing a story, it is a struggle where even the simplest word is chosen with care.

when I saw the movie, it seemed that the latest swimsuit fashion was the one where it was a once piece for males as well so that might help understand the swimsuit part.

As always, the characters are out of character but I hope that it wont be too distracting. Thank you for reading.

…..

Nick woke up once more in a hospital bed. Only this time he bore a knife wound instead of a bullet hole. His gaze swept the room as he calmed himself down, noticing that it was the same room he was in last time he paid a visit to the hospital.

Faintly, he heard a tapping in the hallway and Gatsby came through the doorway, worry was etched on his face as well as anger. Slowly, he walked up to Nick and held his hand lightly, gripping it enough for him to feel the pressure but not so much it hurt. Cautiously, he leaned forward and gazed deeply into his eyes. Nick blushed lightly and felt compelled to lean forward but stopped himself, instead he stilled. Gatsby failed to notice any change in Nick.

"Nick, old sport." A silence followed then there was a rustle at the door before Tom entered. He seemed bristled and angry beyond reason. As soon as he entered and saw the two of them in that position he glared heatedly at Gatsby. Gatsby stared back at Tom with a completely blank face though he was slightly happy that he was evoking such emotion in the superior man. Tom moved forward and almost shoved Gatsby out of his way in a childish manner and stared at Nick. To fill the silence and cut the tension Nick leaned back and spoke.

"Daisy was the one who stabbed me." It was not a question but rather, it was a statement. Both men nodded grimly in affirmation. Nick sighed, used to the turmoil in his life so much so that nothing really shocked him anymore. The silence went on for a while until it was heavy with withheld emotions. Finally at breaking point Nick said.

"I want to be alone." A pause lapsed before both agreed to leave the room. Surprisingly, Tom went out the door first and Gatsby stayed behind. As he dawdle behind, staring at Nick's tired face suddenly, the urge to kiss Nick over whelmed Gatsby. He noticed the lush lips that he had come to stare at and the smooth skin he had come to desire. Uncharacteristically Gatsby decided to act upon his wants. Slowly, so that he didn't startle Nick, Gatsby pulled closer. Their faces inched closer and closer until finally, their lips met. Electricity flew between them as their lips meshed and intertwined. Eventually tongues came into play as Gatsby licked Nick's lips in want. When granted access, carnal desire surged forward. Gatsby leaned farther in and grabbed Nick's face gingerly to bring their faces closer together. Nick moaned softly and tried to push himself flush against Gatsby but his wound began to throb with every movement.

Gatsby left Nick's lips to start rubbing his face into his collar. The soft, forbidden skin greeted him with warmth. Ever so gently, Gatsby kissed his way down, nipping here and there, unable to control himself though his common sense screamed at him to stop. Nick was gripping Gatsby's shirt and was just starting to moan in heat when a cough was heard at the doorway.

Nick and Gatsby froze. They had forgotten that Tom should still be in the room but when they moved to see who it was, surprisingly, it wasn't Tom. It was the police. When they saw that they had the couples full attention they marched stiffly forward and addressed Nick. A man with a shaggy beard that was speckled with grey stepped up to Nick and said,

"Are you Mr. Caraway? I am Brikairn, Louis Brikairn. I'm sorry to bother you but I have some questions regarding Ms. Buchanan." Nick nodded solemnly. Reality rushing back into his systems. The cop glanced up at Nick for confirmation that he was listening and continued. "She has pleaded insanity."

…..

Nick stumbled out of the hospital holding the flowers that Tom had left him but when he saw a trash can beside the front doors he tossed them without regret or a glace back. Everyday he would receive new flowers of different colors, shapes and sizes. Deep inside he knew he felt happy to receive them but never would he admit it to anyone.

He had been summoned to court to speak of what happened. Gatsby told him that he had hired a lawyer just in case something went wrong but both Gatsby and Tom were summoned as well, so Nick had refused the lawyer to try and allow him to work for Gatsby. Nick sighed in remorse as he thought of the near future. To his surprise, he pushed his emotions aside and admitted to himself that either Tom or Gatsby would take Daisy into their arms and nurture her to health once more. Tom, he didn't care for but…Gatsby.

Nick called out to a taxi and after getting one told the driver, who was a slim middle aged man with a smooth shave and a long cigarette, the address. In too short a time he stood before the large cold double doors of the courthouse. They were a bleak beige that almost shoved people away. Hesitating ever so slightly Nick walked in.

He had been told to wait until the judge was ready so he sat in a stiff bench off to the side for 45 minutes before the time finally came. The trial was to begin…

…..

When Nick entered the room he saw amassed before him, dozens of people. Old, young, poor, rich, were all gathered. He smiled in dry humor, it was the trial of an important woman after all. At the end, standing next to a tall man in a stripped black suit stood Daisy. She seemed more composed than usual but was otherwise normal. Gatsby and Tom were sitting in the aisle.

~tak tak~ the Judge banged his small mallet on his podium.

"Peace… So you are Nick Carraway. Friend of both and . Cousins with ." Nick nodded, affirming the facts. "Are you willing to speak of what happened?" Nick cleared his throat quietly and rose his head in confidence.

"I am."

"Then begin."

Nick thought about it for a brief moment before he began. "I was woken up at the break of dawn by the sound of a door closing. Curious, I go up to check all the doors but found them all closed. I was getting ready for more sleep and was in the bathroom when suddenly, I saw the glint of a knife in the mirror. I turned, got stabbed, and saw that it was Daisy." Short and sweet. Nick sighed to relieve the building tension from admitting such a fact and possibly ruining Daisy's life but he couldn't seem to care less about her anymore. He loved her no longer.

Daisy broke out in sobs as she heard Nick recount what happened. The judge glanced at her briefly before choosing to fully ignore her. No one paid her any mind. Daisy tugged on her lawyers sleeve to beckon him to defend her. However, he pushed her hand down and stared down at her, telling her that it was not yet time to speak.

Nick was let down and next came Gatsby and then Tom.

Gatsby smiled while he was on the podium. Dressed a flashy blue suit Gatsby spoke of how he had heard the sound of a scream and when he got there Daisy had stabbed Nick with a knife and was laughing down at him. By the time he was done reciting what he had to say he had a torn look in his eyes. But how could he protect Daisy when protecting her put Nick in harms way?

It was now is time to chose and to stick by it. This time, he chose Nick.

Daisy's eyes had continued to widen, more and more as she heard Gatsby speak. He did not leave out a single detail to spare her from the full power of the law. Futilely, hope rose within her when Tom came up onto the podium. He had no piece to say but rather he was to act as a witness to her mental plummet. She gazed at him with all the hope and love in the world. Willing him to take her home, nurture her, be with her, and hopefully, die with her. However, Tom thought differently. Daisy had finally taken the drastic step to try and kill Nick. She had snuck into his house and stabbed him.

Eventually, after all the trouble, Daisy was found guilty. Everyone was filing out of the courthouse when they heard a scream. The sound was a horrid one that clawed at the stomach and tried to skin the very emotions that held people up out of harms way. Everyone turned to find the source of such a dreadful noise and that was when all pairs of eyes landed on the frail woman. Who else could it be other than Daisy. Nick turned to face her and was greeted with an angels face. An angel's face that had fallen to hell and absorbed all that hate that came from the sinners.

She dashed at him. Hands outstretched as if she had claws instead of well made nails. Teeth bared. A very animalistic form. Surprisingly, she reached him. She had her delicate hands around his neck and was cutting off his breath, choking him. Taking that one last chance to change her life and get rid of the one that had taken all the love that belonged to her away.

Nick choked. Coughed. Groaned. But he never uttered a word. He was tired. He was shot, stabbed, and now he was suffocated. He felt weak and wanted to just end it. Until, Gatsby hefted her off of him and rushed to help. Worry laced his usually charismatic features and he felt Nicks neck for any permanent damage. Tom, on the other hand, was useless. He stood frozen, like everyone else, at the ferocity Daisy revealed. But unlike everyone else he…liked it.

…..

Nick pulled himself out of the pool. The water dripped down his hair and fell in light drops onto his smooth shoulder. They glanced past his new knife scar and fell past his now old, gun scar. He walked past the table where his breakfast lie and sat elegantly down on a lawn chair, the towel draped over his shoulders. Looking down at the patterned tile that decorated the pool floor, with the distorted sunlight he thought back on his life as he had begun doing ever since he was first shot with Wilson's gun.

Daisy had been taken to the mental health ward. It was the obvious outcome after she had tried to kill Nick for the second time. He remembered seeing her face as he was pulled away by Gatsby, it was blank, devoid of emotion. When he was brought back to the house, Gatsby's house, he was later told that Tom had chased her to the asylum. He had forgiven her. Sadly, it was too late for once someone went in, it was hard to get out.

Gatsby, on the other hand, had given up on Daisy and was now absorbed in his work with Wolfstein. After the police inspected his house, something happened overseas so that he had to leave in a rush. 2 weeks had past and Nick was not allowed to leave. Constantly, he was guarded by people and had a personal Doctor hired to check his health.

Sighing at the floor Nick rose and jumped back into the pool, wondering just when it would be that Gatsby would come back home. Back to him.

…..

Gatsby walked briskly down the driveway. He had just flown in and felt eager to finally see Nick. His eyes twinkled as he walked through the hedge to find that all the guards were in place. Talking to one of them, he was informed that Nick had been sent to the pool by the doctor to work out his stiff shoulder muscles. When Gatsby got to the pool, what he saw surprised him.

Nick was swimming under the waters surface. Barely stroking the water yet moving forward. The sun ran through the water to cast dancing rays on his smooth body. He had been given the latest style of swimsuits. Trunks. After swimming a few rounds he pulled himself out of the water and walked gracefully to a chair to dry himself. Every movement made by Nick set Gatsby's heart aflame. Before he knew it he was walking forward. Then, he called out to him.

…

"Nick…" Nick swiveled, his wet hair rising with the turn then falling. There stood Gatsby, bathed in his elegant glory. He was wearing a cerulean suit that matched perfectly with the water. After a moment, Nick realized his own attire and blushed madly. He was, after all, in nothing but shorts. He had protested against wearing the newest model but the maids had insisted. He had no other choice.

"Gatsby." The word hung in the air. Uncomfortable with the situation Nick turned to get another towel but as soon as he did he felt Gatsby's body crash into his.

Gatsby could wait no longer. As soon as Nick turned, his control vanished leaving him with only his love and desire. What else could he do in the situation? So he rushed up and held Nick.

Nick felt Gatsby's breath dance across his ear. He shivered at the proximity. The comfort of being in someone's arms, Gatsby's arms was all he ever really wanted. "Nick…Old Sport." Gatsby's voice sounded pained. As if he was about to tell Nick that he was dying of some terminal illness. Tensing, Nick tried to turn but found that Gatsby wouldn't let him. "I love you." No response. "Nick, old sport. I know that you…" Here is charisma failed him and he choked. He couldn't bring himself to say those vulnerable words once more. Those three simple, powerful words.

Nick froze as soon as he heard Gatsby. Doubt was the first to flood into his mind but he knew that he wasn't merely hearing things. If he was imagining it then Gatsby would not have choked. This was real. A fist gripped his heart, grinding all the pain, the loneliness, and the suffering out of it. He turned in Gatsby's loosened arms and stared at him in all seriousness. There was nothing to say. No words could convey the happiness, the fulfillment that he felt so he did the only thing he thought would. He clung. He hugged Gatsby like a child, never wanting to let go.

Luckily, Gatsby understood. He knew that they both loved each other more than anyone else. They had overcome obstacles together, many more than anyone else. Now it was time for them to enjoy their lives.