Sorry this took so long! I will upload another soon. This really isn't an exciting chapter but a necessary one. Its more thought than dialogue.
Xox H
I don't own the secret circle characters. I do own Amanda.
Nick POV
After the meeting ended a few people stuck around. Laurel and Melanie were helping Amanda in the bathroom and Cassie and Deborah were nose deep in books of shadows and Diana was using a crystal to get the blood out of the carpet while I changed the bed, Amanda's head had bled all over the pillow case and through to the pillow. "hey Armstrong you need some help?" it was Adam. I looked up and said "sure you can put those outside the bathroom door. Diana is going to take care of those when Amanda is done in the bathroom" my voice was distant as the amount of blood that was on the sheets and on the floor registered with me. I almost lost Amanda. Then I went right to thinking what I would do without her and everything hit me. I couldn't live without her anymore and the universe knew it. As emotion started to take me over I put my head down and then both my hands on the bed for support. I didn't want anyone to see me lose it and man was I on the verge of losing it. It was bad enough they all thought I was a love sick little bird now. I felt Adam's hand on my back "its ok Nick. She's fine. She's going to be fine and I promise you that none of us will ever let anything happen to either one of you. She is an amazing person and has brought out the side of you that Cassie always said was there but no one believed her" Adam said. I laughed "this is far different from what I even let Cassie see" I said to Adam awkwardly. Adam laughed "well it seems like all of that was so long ago". "it sure does" I agreed. The thing with Cassie seemed like a lifetime ago and the fact that Adam wasn't getting on my nerves as much after all these years was mind boggling. Ever since I first set my eyes on Amanda it was like that was when my life actually began. As much as I wasn't a fan of Adam, he really was trying to help me and I couldn't let that go "thanks buddy for everything today" I said. "Any time Nick. I hope you and Amanda stick around in New Salem if we all survive this" Adam said. I didn't respond. The thought never occurred to me that we would go anyplace else but we hadn't talk about it yet. I was in a place now where after all this time I finally felt like a part of the circle and I felt closer to everyone even Aunt Grace than I ever had. I had a plan of what I wanted to do, us to do. What and where I wanted mine and Amanda's future to be I just hoped we were on the same page.
Amanda came out of the bathroom with the help of Laurel. She didn't look like she was going to fall over this time in fact she looked more alert than she had been in 2 hours. She had on a pair of sweats and one of my t-shirts that was way too big for her and I liked the way it looked. Laurel walked her to the bed and Melanie followed with Amanda's hair brush. "how are you feeling?" I asked squeezing her hand. "I'm tired and this thing is hideous" she pointed to the stitched up gash and scowled. I laughed out loud at the look on her face as it was hysterical. "not funny Nicholas!" she barked. "I know I'm sorry" I said kissing the top of her head. She sat down on the bed and Melanie sat behind her. "what are you doing?" I asked. "Im putting 2 French braids in her hair. It will keep her hair out of her face and out of the ointment that I put on her wound" Melanie said. Just then I heard Aunt Grace's car pull in. "I'll be right back" I said kissing Amanda's hand. She smiled. "don't be too long" she winked. "it won't take long I promise". I needed to talk to my Aunt about my plans for the future. She had some things I needed that were mine for when I was ready and I knew in my heart I was more than ready.
Amanda POV
I sat on the bed and let Melanie work her magic on my hair. It hurt a little when she pulled on the side of my head that my cut was on and I winced. She didn't see though. My head was not with her it was still in the conversation I had with Laurel. I was very comfortable with Nick and his circle. I made some new friends and it was great not having to hide things from them. I could definitely see myself staying here and living a full life with Nick by my side. On the same token, my dad would be all alone in New Mexico and what about Sammy and my circle. There was also so much I loved about Massachusetts- the beach, the weather, we didn't get much of a season change so to see and feel that was new, everything was so vegetated and green it beat the endless sand of New Mexico and there were no coyotes which was a plus. I knew I didn't have to make a decision right now but a decision would be unavoidable. What would Nick do in New Mexico? I couldn't see him working on cars in 120 degree weather he'd pass out after 15 minutes. Then an image of something I saw my first day here popped into my head. The dilapidated Armstrong Motors sign and the boarded up shop by the high school. This is where Nick belonged and I belonged with Nick. I As soon as I thought that I felt something inside me snap into place. It was weird but I knew that there was no going back and I smiled imagining my life and my future with Nick.
We spent the night just hanging out in Nick's room. Me mostly on the bed because Nick had given me that pill to take and it made my headache go away but it also made me loopy and super relaxed. No one wanted to leave even the rest of them had come back. Everyone was missing Sean and the services were going to be in the morning. Sean's mom didn't want to wait. She also wasn't too thrilled about the circle being there and but she told Suzan that she wouldn't deny his friends an opportunity to say good bye but we were not welcome to the house after for the repast. "she blames magic therefore she blames us" Suzan said solemnly. No one said anything about Sean after that. It was too painful and the guilt for some of them was too much to bare, however, I could tell from the sadness in all of their eyes that he weighted heavily on their minds.
I was lying on the bed cuddled close to Nick. The feeling of just laying with him was amazing. It was like we were the only people in the room. We were both on our sides facing each other and he was stroking my face in a way that sent shocks through my entire nervous system. "you feeling better?" he asked "yeah just a little out of it from the medicine" I giggled. I looked into his eyes and that smolder was enough in itself to drive me nuts. I leaned up and kissed him. It felt like we hadn't kissed like that all day and I couldn't believe the newness in the kiss. Something was different. Maybe it was because of what we shared the night before or maybe it was because I realized that my future is wherever Nick would be. I fell asleep not too long after that. I'm not sure when everyone left. I woke up the next morning and Nick was already up and dressed and had coffee and headache medicine waiting for me. I had to do a double a double take at how handsome he looked in a sport jacket and button downed shirt. He looked so different but in such a way that I got all warm and fuzzy inside like I was seeing him for the first time. I went over to the couch where he was sitting "you clean up nicely" I smiled. He smiled that half smile that I loved "how's the head" he said ruffling my hair. "eh it still hurts but I'm not as dizzy" I said and curled myself next to him wiggled myself into his arms without any protest from him. He hugged me tight. "Deb will be down in a minute with something for you to wear" he said. "I was thinking, maybe you should have your dad send you a few more things since we don't know how long you will be here " I didn't want to have this talk until whatever war we were in was over and nothing negative was hanging over our heads. I wanted to be able to concentrate on a future with Nick but how could I when the possibility that we could both die was so great? I was struggling to find an answer but Deborah came in to the room. I was relieved by the interruption. "I brought this down for you to wear. Hopefully it will fit" she said. I thanked her and disappeared into the bathroom.