Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry about the wait guys, but it really wasn't that long and I've had loads of stuff to do. I have been working really hard on school work and I've had loads of projects and homework to do aswell. So I'm sorry.

The next few chapters will be written in Nick's point of view.

Please Review

Thanks,

DreamerGirl

Nick's POV:

I drove down to Cassie's house to take her to school. It was great having my girlfriend just a few houses away, it took me literally 60 seconds to get down the road and then I was standing outside number 12 waiting for Cassie or Mrs Blake to open the door. They didn't come for a while, I knocked again and Mrs Blake answered the door, she was ill-looking, but that couldn't be right, I had seen her just yesterday and she looked fine, she was laughing and joking with Cassie and I. Today I barely recognised her. She looked like how she did when she had seen Black John. Black John? He couldn't be back could he? No. Because last time, when Black John- Cassie's father- really was back –and we defeated him- Mrs Blake shut out everyone and wiped her own memory to black out the pain of seeing him again, this time, she just appeared ill. Nevertheless, I was worried, so I asked her what was wrong. She just sighed and answered in a strained, tired voice "Nothing much, Nick, I'm just worried about Cassie, are you here to see her?" I nodded. She said, "Well, hun, she won't be in school today, so you can come up and see her, but I don't think she is well. She has been awake half the night crying. And when she finally got to sleep she was sobbing and talking in her sleep too. I spent the whole night at her bedside, I've been too tired to sleep."

"Mrs Blake, if you don't mind, I'd like to stay with her today, to assure she is okay."

"It's fine with me," she sighed, "but I don't think your Aunt and Uncle would appreciate it. You can come after school and spend all night here if you like." She raised an eyebrow at me. I just blushed and said "So I can come after school? I assume you know about how strong the bond is between us, Mrs Blake?"- I was blushing harder now, but I needed her to know that I wasn't going to try anything, that her daughter's health was all I was interested in. "What do you mean, Nick? I know you're dating if that is what you mean."

"No, it isn't. I suppose Cassie never spoke to you about Adam Conant then?"

"When we first arrived. Yes, she did. Not since then though. Why? Has something happened between them."

"Well, you could say that, yes." I answered, then told her the story of Adam and Cassie, right up until the end, when I told her about the cord connecting Cassie and I. "Nick, I couldn't understand the sudden connection between you two. I could tell that there were strong feelings between you two. Not that strong, though." She looked as though she was about to cry when she said, "Well, Nick, go upstairs and see Cassie, then I would appreciate if you would go to school."

"Okay," I shrugged and went up the stairs to see Cassie,

When I walked into Cassie's room, she didn't look as bad as I'd thought, which I was happy about. This must have showed on my face because, from across the room, Cassie held out her arms for a hug- she looked like a toddler- and laughed, saying "So I don't look that bad?" I shook my head. So she threw a pillow at me. I was just really happy to see her talking and teasing. I hated to see her the way she did last night. It was as though she had no life in her at all, now she looked fun and full of life. The complete opposite of what she was last night. "So, Babe, why aren't you going to school?" She shook her head, some of the trouble in her eyes last night coming back again. She looked at me and said "I'll be in tomorrow, I just didn't get much sleep last night, that's all."

"I know, your mom told me." I was a little troubled.

"Did she now?" She raised one eyebrow, forcing me to laugh. "And what else did you and my mom talk about?"

"Well, we talked about you and I,"-she blushed- "about how strong our bond is, and about whether I could stay here today or not." The corners of my lips pulled down when I mentioned the last part and Cassie looked angry. "Why won't she let you stay?" She asked furiously, reading my expression.

"She said that she didn't have a problem with me staying, but that my aunt and uncle wouldn't appreciate my staying off school." It was my turn to raise one eyebrow ironically. She laughed, kissed my cheek and sighed, "Go on then, you're going to be late."

I stood up. "I can stay if you want?" I was hopeful.

"Nah, I'll entertain myself today."

"Okay, I'll be back later, hun." I made my way out the door, waving as I went.

"Okay, bye." She blew me a kiss. I walked out of her house in a great mood. It didn't last, though, because as I walked down the path, I ran into Adam, on the way down to my car. On Cassie's driveway. What is he doing on my girlfriend's driveway? I thought, He better not be on his way up to her house. I was furious. I approached him, looked him in the eye and asked "What are you doing outside my girlfriend's house?"

"I came to talk to her, to reason with her. But this is better, now I can re-reason with you, instead." I wasn't sure what Adam was saying, but my instincts told me not to like it. "What do you want Adam? Stay away from my Cassie, or else." I growled. Adam laughed and grinned at me. He smiled even wider "And just what are you going to do Nick? You can't hurt me or Faye. We are both invulnerable to yours and Cassie's petty threats. But I will say to you right now. Give Cassie up, now, or you'll be sorry. You'll get hurt, Nick, hurt badly."

"I don't care if I get hurt, you can do what you want to me, it won't make me leave Cassie." I stated.

"Yes, but what if we hurt her?"

"Who?" I asked, surely he couldn't mean Cassie.

"Cassie." He whispered terribly. The world came crashing down. He couldn't hurt Cassie. I couldn't let him. On the other hand, I couldn't leave her, I wouldn't be able to protect her. I was in a dilemma. A bad one. "Come on, Nick, you can't be so selfish, surely." Adam drawled. I glared at him.

"You wouldn't hurt Cassie." I growled. "You love her, almost as much as I do."

"Just as much as you do." He informed me.

"Okay." I snarled. "You've just proved you wouldn't hurt her. You wouldn't be able to."

"I mightn't be able to. Faye, on the other hand." He snarled back. I'd forgotten about Faye. She would be more than happy to see Cassie in pain. After all, she had already tried to hurt her once. To see her in pain like the first time was bad enough. To see Cassie in physical pain, would be more than I can bare. Adam must have seen my facial expressions wavering, because he said "what do you want, Nick? Cassie in pain for a few days because of, a heartbreak, which I could cure, or in physical pain for weeks, maybe traumatized?"

"I will protect her Adam. You won't get near her. I promise you that."

"Okay" he shrugged, "But Nick," He added as I walked away, I turned slightly, "Watch your back, and Cassie's too, neither of you will be safe until you give her up." His smile was horrible, it was distorted and terrifying, he was a changed man.

I walked into school, my mood had changed dramatically since I was in Cassie's room. Now I was in a really jumpy, horrible mood, at lunch, Deborah came up to me and asked why Cassie wasn't in school. "She's not coming in! She's ill. Okay?" I snapped at her, without meaning to. I later apologised to her, but, it's Deb, she's used to my tantrums. "Okay," she shrugged, "I was just worried, that's all."

"Sorry, Deb, I didn't mean it. I'm just worried about her."

"I'm worried about her too, Nick, hopefully she'll be my cousin-in-law soon. Eh?"

I just looked down at the floor guiltily. Deb noticed, she knew me too well, "Nick," She sounded worried, "What's wrong. And don't tell me 'nothing' 'cause I know something's up. I know you, Nick. You've softened since you met Cassie, but today you've gone back to the way you used to be. Oh. Nick!" Understanding dawned on her face. "You two haven't split up?" She asked disbelievingly.

"'Course not!" I snapped.
"Well, how else am I meant to explain your personality changes?" She had barely asked me this, when Adam walked past, he grinned at me and suggested "schizophrenia?" to Deb. I just glared at him, then turned away, blocking him out- pretending he didn't exist, it was a great fantasy- I could see Deborah's mind working, fitting pieces together. "Nick, what did he say to you?"

"He suggested schizophrenia to you. He didn't speak to me." I shrugged.

"Before that." She asked, she knew me too well to buy the 'nothing' act. Just then, as if to make things worse, Adam walked past again, and whispered "Decide. Nick. By tonight." He smiled.

"I've made my decision, just because you don't like it doesn't make it any less real." I snarled at him.

"Okay, but you'll be sorry, I assure you of that." He hissed and walked away.

"And just what was that about?" Deborah asked.

"It's none of your business." I hissed.

"Who's business is it then?" Deb asked.

"Mine!" I hissed again and stormed off, out of the dining room. I only needed to get through my afternoon lessons, then I could get off home, shower and see my girl.

I was in a better mood by the time I got home. I showered quickly, but as I was getting dressed, I heard a breath-taking scream from a few houses down. Why was it breath-taking? Because I knew that that it was coming from 12 Crowhaven Road and the voice was my Cassie's. I threw on my jeans and a t-shirt and burst into Deborah's room, shouting "Deb! Come on! You need to come to Cassie's with me! She is in trouble! Didn't you hear that scream?"

She almost fell off of her bed, "Yeah. But I hoped it was Faye's"

"Well, it wasn't." I snapped. "It was Cassie's! I think I know her scream. I do know her well enough." Deb was ahead of me now, bounding down the stairs and through the door, down the street, about halfway between our house and Cassie's, I took over her, sprinting past Deb up to Cassie's house, I pounded on the door, when there was no answer, I just opened it and ran inside, I saw Cassie laying on the floor, next to the body of her mother, who was lying in the exact same place that her grandmother had lay, dying just two weeks ago. It would be all too much for Cassie, she had her grandmother's funeral tomorrow, and now she had to face it without her mother. The only difference between the body of her grandmother and the body of her mother? Her mother was already dead. Cassie placed herself protectively in front of the body of her mother when she heard our footsteps, then, when she saw Deb and I, she stood up shakily, and took 2 steps toward me, she didn't have to move anymore because I had closed the rest of the gap.

Deborah's POV:

Watching Cassie crumble two weeks ago with the death of her grandmother- and then the death of her father- now watching her again, but even worse, this was the death of her mother, the only constant figure that had been in Cassie's life since she was born. I saw Cassie stand up, from the same position she had sat in just two weeks ago, with her grandmother, and stumble toward Nick, who just held her, then she pulled back and handed him a small slip of paper. I caught a small glimpse of it, I didn't like what I saw. I saw the words

Still want to make the same decision? She is just the first of many. If you have changed your mind. See us by sundown.

I think you know who.

I watched as Nick kissed Cassie, it looked like a final kiss- but I knew that wasn't true. He passed Cassie to me, and ran off out of the door.

Nick's POV:

I ran out of the door, I couldn't let Cassie get hurt. Would it really be better if I dumped her and let Adam pick up the pieces? I could watch her from afar and she wouldn't get physically hurt. I was at Adam's front door.

A/N: Sorry for another cliff-hanger there! Couldn't resist again. I wonder what Nick will do? Review your opinions please!

Thanks,

DreamerGirl x