Here's the third chapter, enjoy!
Warning: Mentions of violence, and drinking.
Chapter Three: Nicole
Melanie's POV
My cousin has quite the story that goes with her wherever she goes and often her story has to be told to people before they even meet her like me having to tell the team right now.
I usually drink whenever I tell Nicole's story for two reasons; One it was a hard story to tell again and again and two it helps me relax, plain and simple.
The guys were seated comfortably around me; Lee and Barney keeping close as I knew they would. I guzzled down half my beer and started off.
"My cousin is Nicole Stuart, I'll explain more about her after I tell you about her parents and my aunt and uncle. Amanda and Alex Stuart."I said taking in more drink.
"One night back when I was 16 and Nicole was 14; she came over to stay with me and my Dad while her parents went out with some friends. They were supposed to be back around twelve but they never showed, Nicole was scared and crying when my Dad couldn't'reach them.
She stayed the night; barely getting any sleep and clinging to me for most of the night. The next morning a police officer showed up at our door to inform us that they had died last night in a car accident."
I paused there to take a break and popped open another beer.
"That's rough." Toll told me, grabbing a beer for himself.
I nodded, "Nicole took it really hard; crying herself to sleep, barely eating, or talking to anyone but me. I was strong for her having already dealt with my mom just months earlier. Eventually with time and effort she got close to being back to normal, until the state got involved."I told them taking in more beer.
"Why would the state get involved?" asked Lee, his head turned in my direction.
"She was under eighteen." replied Barney, I nodded getting back to the story.
"A man and woman came from social services to take Nicole away to foster care. She refused to go and my Dad and I argued that we were the best place for her. They countered that since my mother's passing we had been unstable, and that Nicole needed a stable family with both parents. I went up to our room to tell her the news; she had ran up there after giving them her answer.
I wanted to scream or yell at them at the time but I knew it wouldn't do any good, 'Hey Nicole,' I said when I went in the room and found her on the bed. 'Am I leaving?' she had asked me completely void of emotion. I nodded and hugged her; telling her how sorry I was and that everything would work out." I stopped for more beer and Toll eyed my bottle.
"A little heavy on the drinking Mel?" he asked, I shrugged putting the bottle with the other empties by my feet.
"It works." I said easily grabbing another.
"Nicole left with them, appearing to be strong on the outside to do the right thing but I knew she was battling a range of emotions. She went through rough time in the girls home getting picked on and beaten on occasion but then a family agreed to foster her and she moved to a small town in the middle of 24hrs Nicole arrived on our doorstep, and that happened six times whenever a different family tried to foster her.
Finally she found a foster home with the Holts family on their ranch in Minnesota until she turned eighteen and got a place of her own.
We always kept in touch through that time and even afterwards, Nicole has been through a lot and I don't want her to suffer again." I ended abruptly taking in more drink.
"There is more, isn't there?" asked Lee, "What you've told us isn't worth drinking over." he stated.
I cursed under my breath before stumbling over the beer bottles and heading out the door.
Lee's POV
I stared at the door Melanie had just fled through slightly stunned 'What did I say?'I thought looking around the room.
"Nice going Lee!"said Toll in an angry tone, "I'll go after her, she shouldn't be alone in that condition."he added getting up.
I didn't argue with him; he was right. Barney stood up as well,
"Take Hale with you, and get her back here."he ordered.
They nodded and left leaving Gunnar, Yang,Tool, Barney and me sitting there.
"Why'd you press her?" asked Barney, his arms crossed over his chest.
"We need all the information on Nicole that we can get."I replied defending myself. He nodded, but his body language didn't change.
"I didn't think Mel liked to drink."Tool commented looking at the empty bottles. I nodded, she'd drunk half a dozen already over Nicole's story and it wasn't finished yet.
"Its painful and hard for her, she needs something to take the edge off."spoke Yang in understanding.
Gunnar nodded in agreement, "Melanie's as tough as the rest of us but we all have a breaking point. Nicole is hers."he said smartly.
"When'd you get so smart Gunnar?"I asked teasingly.
"What do you mean? I've always been smart."he replied back with a chuckle, I smiled.
Toll's POV
Outside Hale and I started moving for Mel's house, since it was the best guess as to where she was headed. We reached the hill and looked down to see Melanie a couple blocks ahead, 'Wow, she sure can move even after a few.'I thought as we jogged down to get her.
"Hey Cole, wait."I said taking her arm to make her stop as Hale stood on her other side.
"I need some time."she said evenly, but didn't move.
I let go of her, "We'll give you some time, but not alone."I told her.
"Yeah, Barney said to keep an eye on you."Hale added.
She nodded and went up to the bench a few feet away to sit and think, I guessed.
I turned to Hale, "Stay with her, I'll be right back."I told him and started jogging up the road.
"Ah! Where are you going?!"he yelled after me, I didn't answer him, I just kept moving knowing we didn't have much time.
Melanie's POV
I sat on the bench my mind a haze of thoughts; 'My mother, Nicole, Hunter, the team, Lee, and where the heck was Toll going?'when I heard Hale's yell and looked up to see Toll getting farther away from us.
Hale came over and sat on the bench with me, "Where's he going?"I asked.
"To hell if I know."came his reply, not helping any.
"What's up with you?"he asked in return.
"A lot of things."I answered, he shook his head.
We sat there in silence for a while before we heard footsteps and saw Toll; he was carrying something.
"Here thought you might want it."he said holding out his hands before opening them.
I grabbed my ipod from his hands, "Thanks Toll, I'll listen to it as we walk back."I told him.
Lee's POV
I sat on the couch waiting for them to come back when the door creaked open and Hale came in with Toll and Melanie behind him, I smiled.
"I'm so sorry Mel, its just we need the information." I told her when she stopped a few feet from me.
"I know Lee, I'm sorry for running out like that. Forgive me?" she said.
I pulled her into a hug, "Of course love, do you forgive me?" I said. She gave me a peck on the neck, I took that as a yes.
We returned to our positions from earlier and Melanie told us some more about Nicole.
"I left something out of the original story because it concerns me as well. Nicole and I met up one night at a bar, it was fun at first drinking and dancing and then two guys came along. They were good friends looking to pick up some girls, which turned out to be us. They took us to their hotel to get away from the crowd but really they just wanted to beat us because they liked it. Nicole and I had had a few drinks so we were no match for them, we must have passed out at some point because we woke up in a back alley." Melanie paused and upon closer look I saw she was shaking.
I pulled her into my arms and held her for a while, she nodded for me to let her go after the shaking became minimal.
"We both went to the doctor as soon as could just in case, I was fine but Nicole was not as lucky." she said not needing to say it aloud we knew what she meant.
"I'm sorry you guys had to go through that." Barney said sincerely, the rest of us nodded.
"Mel, do you remember their names?" I asked gently.
"Josh Peters, and Mark Scotch." she told me shuddering a little before grabbing a bottle, no one protested.
"That is one down and one more to go." said Tool, Melanie paled as she downed her beer.
Hope you liked it, sorry for not updating sooner. Please review or pm with your thoughts.