Fighting Back

Chapter 3

"I think she just moved."

Both men got to their feet and rushed to her bedside. The three men stood still and silent as their eyes scanned over every inch of her body, looking, hoping to see movement if even a fraction, any movement was a good sign.

Two minutes or more went by in silence, tension building with every second that passed until finally something happened. She moved.

It may have gone unnoticed if the three sets of eyes hadn't been watching her so eagerly. But they all saw her eyelids flutter. Then her head moved to the side. Her head may have moved barley a centimetre but as their eyes met one another's they all knew they had witnessed the same thing.

"Ope, go find the Doc." Clay ordered, not taking his eyes off Nicole for a single second. Opie does as he was told.

Nicole slowly started to open her eyes. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out two dark shadows looming over her. She heard muffled voices but couldn't make out what they were saying. She open and closed her eyes a couple of times trying desperately to clear her vision, but as she saw one of the dark figures leaning towards her she freaked out.

Clay watched as her eyes opened a few times, he could tall she was trying to adjust to her surroundings. He went to place a hand on her face, but before he even managed to make contact, she started screaming.

"NO...NO"

Nicole tired to shout out, but her throat was so dry that her screams came out as nothing more than a horse whisper, but that didn't stop her. She raised her right hand and tried to fight away the hand coming towards her. But as she fought, she was met with a rush of pain shooting throughout her entire body, causing her to yell in pain.

"Princess it's me." Clay spoke soothingly as he tried to calm her down, he exchanged a worried look with Jury who looked just as terrified by her reaction as he was.

Clay managed to pin her down even though she convulsed underneath his grip. Clay hated to admit it and probably wouldn't out loud, but he was scared. Scared of what was happening to his niece.

Finally Opie returned to the room, Doctor Howell and a young nurse hot on his heels. Doctor Howell and the nurse took over from Clay.

"What's wrong with her?" Clay questioned. Doctor Howell ignored the man's questioning, as his placed his entire attention onto Nicole.

"Nicole, you are at Hospital." He explained, hoping that this information would calm her.

"Get away..." She screamed.

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"How is she?" Clay asked the Doctor as he exited Nicole's room.

Doctor Howell had asked everybody to leave the room while he attended to Nicole. They were all reluctant at first, but Doctor Howell didn't give them much choice.

"We've had to sedate her."

"What, why?"

"We were worried that she might cause more damage to herself, Mr Morrow."

"Why did she freak out like that?" Jury asked. Doctor Howell turned to face him.

"Nicole has been through a very traumatic experience both mentally and physically. The last thing she probably remembers was her attack."

"Can we see her?" Clay was getting fed up with all this bullshit.

"She'll be drowsy for a few hours because of the sedation, but yes you can go and see her. But Mr Morrow just for now I would like to keep it to immediate family only."

Clay nodded agreeing with the Doctors terms. "Thanks Doc." He shook the man's hand.

"Ope go back to the Clubhouse, give them an update. Jury..."

"I wanna stay."

"Fine but wait out here. I want to talk to her first."

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Two and Half hours passed before Nicole finally came to. She opened her eyes before quickly closing them due to the harshness of the lights. When she tried again, her eyes locked onto Clay who was standing at the side of her bed.

"Cl..." She tried to speak, but again she found it hard as her mouth and throat was so dry.

"Hey Princess." Clay rubs his hand along her cheek. Nicole places her hand on top of his.

Nicole can't stop herself, seeing him she became overwhelmed with emotion. She knew that Clay would now know about Ryan and not just Clay probably all the guy's.

Tears streamed down her face as she was unable to stop them. She buried her head in her good hand. Ashamed and embarrassed.

Watching his niece fall to pieces he silently Clay once again felt helpless knowing he couldn't help her.

He dragged the chair so he could sit close to her. He took the hand that she was crying into his.

"Hey what's all this?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Clay." She apologised, finally looking at him.

"Why didn't you come to me Princess, I could have helped you. Instead I left you alone with him, gave him the opportunity so he could this to you." Clay drops his head, and Nicole knew he felt guilty. She squeezeed his hand gently causing him to look back at her.

"None of this is on you."

"I should have noticed something. Your my responsibility, I'm suppose to protect you."

"You had enough on your plate with Zobelle and Weston. Plus..."

"Plus what?"

"I guess I still loved him. Thought he would change." She looked away unable to look at him any longer. "Stupid huh?"

"No, not stupid. Love makes you do funny things, clouds your judgement. I do need to ask you something though."

"Yeah."

"Do you know how he found you?"

"Weston." Clay shook his head in disbelief.

"First Gemma and then you. I should have killed them the moment he and Zobelle turned up at Bobby's party." He snapped angrily.

A silence fell between them. Nicole had a question that she desperately needed answering, the only problem was she wasn't sure if Clay would be willing to answer it.

"What is it Princess?" Clay asked noticing that something was weighing on his niece's mind.

"What...um...What's happened to Ryan?"

"What?"

"I'm just a bit hazy." She places her hand near her head.

"I..."

"Clay I just need to know what happened after I blacked out." And she wasn't lying. The last thing she remembered was Ryan pulling at her robe and climbing on top of her. She needed to know if he had succeeded in what he was planning to do.

"Well I don't know all the details, only what Hap told me..."

"Happy?" She asked in confusion.

"Yeah, he was the one who saved you Princess."

"What happened?"

"Well you know Hap, man of few words. Said he called you and that you screamed for his help. When he got there you were out cold."

"And Ryan?"

"Hap took him out shot him twice."

"Ryan's dead?" Clay shook his head.

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean not exactly? Hap never fails."

"Yeah well I guess this time his focus wasn't on the target." Clay pauses for a second "It was on you." Clay now understood a little bit more why Happy may have been interested in Nicole relationship with Juice. He'd always watched out for Nicole, but after these events his protective streak was on overdrive.

"So if he's not dead then..." She didn't need ask her question, because the look in Clay's eyes had already answered it. "He's here isn't he?"

Clay cupped her cheek with his one hand. He could see panic setting in.

"He ain't getting anywhere near you, I promise. I promise that he is never going to hurt you again." He kisseed her forehead before pulling her into his chest, as she cried.

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Despite having agreed to Doctor Howell's terms of immediate family, the guy's all came to visit Nicole. Well in Clay's mind he wasn't really breaking any rules because his brothers were her family, maybe not by blood but the bond they all shared ran further than any of that immediate family bullshit.

Nicole was overwhelmed, Chibs, Opie, Bobby, Piney, Jury and even Needles had come to visit her that night all bringing with them a little something. Bobby brought her some home-made muffins, Piney brought her a joint which she couldn't help but laugh at, he told her it's for medicinal purposes. Opie brought a bag of 'girlie crap' as he put, Nicole was grateful even though she knew it was really from Lyla. But it was Chibs who brought her the best present. He came over and gave her a hug, but at the same time he placed a something in her good hand. Looking in her hand she saw her necklace with her Mom's wedding ring attached to it. When she looked at him he didn't say any words, instead he winked at her and backed away.

They stand around making small talk, until Juice entered the room. It didn't take long for everybody to make excuses and leave the two alone.

Juice lingered hesitantly at the bottom of her bed. Nicole could sense he was nervous and if she was honest with herself she was to. Things between them hadn't been great. Their relationship, if you could even call it that, was in tatters.

After what seemed like a life time Nicole finally broke the excruciating silence between them.

"So you just going to look at me all day, or you actually going to talk to me?"

"Sorry, I don't mean... How you doing?"

"Got one hell of a headache but okay I guess." After another unbearable silence, it was Juice's turn to break it.

"It shouldn't have got this far, I should have made you tell Jax or Clay." He blurted out as he ran his hand over his Mohawk. "You should have told them. I should have told them." Nicole wasn't sure if she was hearing him correctly.

"You're saying this is my fault?"

"No, I'm not saying that."

"Well that's what it's sounds like to me." She snapped turning her face away from him. At that moment she couldn't look at him.

Juice could tell he had annoyed her, and that was the last thing he ever wanted to do. He approached her.

"I'm not saying this is your fault." He placed his hand on her thigh, she turned to face him. She looked into his eyes and she saw it, hurt. He was still hurting from her betrayal, that she was going to choose Ryan over him.

"Yes you are. I suppose I can't blame you. Your right this is on me."

"Nic.."

"No Juice, I did bring this on myself. I let him back into my life, god I was even considering getting back with him."

"But you didn't." She turns away from him again, but before she turned away, Juice saw tears in her eyes. She was hiding something from him, he just knew it.

"Did you sleep with him?" He asked. She still refused to look at him. "Nic."

"Almost." She whispered, her voice hoarse.

"I can't believe you."

"Juice I'm sorry."

He couldn't handle it, even though he knew she needed him he couldn't look at her right now. So without another word he left.

She flinched as the door slammed shut behind him. As she sat there upset and alone there was only one person she wanted, Jax. But he wasn't here, in fact thinking about Gemma hadn't been to visit her either and no one had mentioned them. Her gut feeling was telling her something was up.