I just want all of you AMAZING readers (who have given me the most AMAZING feedback! THANK YOU!) to know that I do not own anything, that the ages are a little jacked up because of the timeline I have started things at, and that I love you all for clicking the link that lead you to this crazy story. Thank all of you that reviewed and/or favorite-ed and/or followed my story.
Important-ish: Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Over one HUNDRED reviews! Guys, I know I don't really fuss on reviewing or not. I give you the option of PMing me if you have questions or something (at least I hope I do, always know that is an option) but seriously!? That's amazing! I love all the feedback and I honestly wouldn't know what to do with this story without the feedback. I love you guys (in a totally non-creepy way and I'm sixteen, I use that term loosely. Please don't come to my house with a restraining order or something. My parents will be pissed.) and thank you sooooo much.
Important-ish Part 2: Sorry about the late update. I got my wisdom teeth removed and the doctor prescribed some REALLY GOOD meds. Sorry, I lied, no long chapter this time. In too much pain... I may just go toward the light...
Chapter 22: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Nicolette sighed as she sat in the Great Room, she's been back in Seattle for nearly five days and the press were so bad outside that Max and his brothers hadn't been able to safely get to the penthouse.
Until today at least.
"NIKKI!" Two male, albeit high pitched, voices shouted. And Nicolette was effulged in one giant hug.
"Boys!" Nicolette laughed hollowly, hugging the boys back as best she could. Minutes passed by and the two younger Hartsville boys were still clinging to the well damaged Nicolette.
"Alright, boys. My turn." A deeper voice demanded, Nicolette's insides melted. Max. The older Hartsville boy leaned over and kissed Nicolette briefly.
"Boys, Ms. Gail has treats for you." Max said, his throaty voice catching as he noticed tears pricking Nicolette's eyes. The two boys shouted in glee before dashing off with a,
"We love you Nikki!" over their shoulders.
Max instantly hugged Nicolette and pressed kisses to her head as she began sobbing.
"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." Nicolette sobbed.
"Babe, why are you so sorry? Nothing that happened was your fault, I cheated, I let you leave, I stood by and did nothing to get you back. That was all my fault babe." Max whispered.
"No, not that. I let- I let him... I'm so so sorry." Nicolette sobbed, and it dawned on Max. She was feeling guilty because she couldn't fight the guy off. She was raped and was feeling guilty because she couldn't stop him.
"No... Babe... Listen to me." Max knelt down so that they were eye to eye, and placed one hand on one of her shoulders and the other underneath her chin.
"Nothing that happened in the last three months was your fault. He took you. He hurt you. The only thing you are in that equation is the victim, and if anything should ever happen to you again; it'd be over my cold dead body." Max whispered to her.
"Max, I'm not just your's anymore... do you really still want me? I'm dirty, and used and and..." Nicolette started sobbing again.
"Babe, I will want you until the day I die and probably years after that. Nothing you could ever do could make me hate you. We're in this together, forever." Max said softly, pulling her into his arms the best he could while working around the wheelchair.
He noticed how the stairs had not been converted to a makeshift ramp and instantly knew that it was because Nicolette was crawling up and down the stairs.
Most likely without permission.
Max smiled softly at his crying girlfriend- if he could still call her that. She was sobbing into his shirt, fearful that he was going to leave her. Which he wasn't, and his personal mission now was to make sure that she knew that she was loved.
Max stole a glance at the grand piano, before coming up with a nearly flawless plan.
000...000... Two Hours Later...000...000
Nicolette woke up groggy, half expecting him to pop out of nowhere yelling about what a useless whore she is, when she heard the chime of a piano. Pushing herself up from her position on the couch and practically crawling into her wheelchair, Nicolette wheeled herself where Max was fumbling with the keys on the piano.
He obviously hadn't played since the last time they played together.
Nicolette 'parked' her wheelchair crookedly next to him, and rose her one good hand to the keys. Playing the simple 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' tune that she had been playing since she was three on the softest keys.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Max grinned softly and mimicked the tune on the deepest keys. It was Nicolette's turn to smile- he hadn't forgotten. Nicolette played the last line of the tune working her way toward the middle of the piano.
When the blazing sun is gone
When he nothing shines upon
Then you show your little light
Twinkle, twinkle all the night
Max did the same, working his way from the deeper keys to the softer keys as Nicolette did the opposite, working her way from the softer keys to the deeper keys. She'd start a line and he'd finish it.
Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark
For he could not see which way to go
If you did not twinkle so
Max watched Nicolette carefully in the corner of his eye. She looked completely focused on the keys in front of her, fumbling with her non-dominate hand. Though he watched as her usual determination sparked within her. As she pressed on with the lines of the song that they had played together since she was three.
In the deep blue sky you keep
And often through my curtains peep
For you never shut your eye
Until the sun is in the sky
Nicolette was completely immersed in the simple song as she felt the normal pull of the music fly through her. Oh how she missed playing. He told her that she couldn't play or sing well. That she might as well give up all of her old hobbies because she was no good at them. That he wasn't pleased with how she did them, and if he wasn't pleased than the world might as well end. But Max, he always bragged about how she played. How his girlfriend was going to be the best. How he had faith in her. Maybe that's all she needed, faith.
And as your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveler in the dark
Though I know not what you are
Twinkle, twinkle little star.
From the doorway Billy and Joseph watched as the two people they loved the most in the world reconnected through their usual way. Music. Joseph remembered asking Nicolette why music was so important back when he was ten. He remembered her answer. 'Even throughout all the doubt, music and other arts, lead the way of civilization. If they are lost, so are we.'
Joseph wondered if the man that took her took her music and made her lost, and hoped that if that was the case, that his big brother would give the red head they loved so much her music again.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Soon enough their hands met in the middle. Her right hand and his left hand. Max slowly curled his hand around her's, watching and feeling for any tension. Twice Nicolette tensed, but Max was able to wrap his hand around hers.
"I'm here. Music is here. You're not alone." Max whispered.
"I know. I don't know what to do though." Nicolette whispered back.
"Trust me, trust the knowledge that the beat of my heart and the beat of the music will always be there." Max privately prayed that her father wasn't listening into the conversation as his one and only daughter finished intertwining their hands, and finished the last line of the song.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
How I wonder what you are.
"We're here for ya, Nikks, you just gotta trust us." Max whispered.
"I do, I do trust you."
Max smiled at his girl, and grinned even harder as a genuine smile slipped onto her lips.
000...000... With Christian and Ana...000...000
"Dad I don't want this guy to have a chance at bail. He hurt her too bad." Christian sighed as he took a sip of his water. He and Ana had been roped into an 'adults only' dinner meeting, the day before Jaxon Logan's first trial- the trial to see if there is actually going to be a god damned trial.
"Let's walk before we run, son, and actually get him to a major court room." Carrick nodded. Christian huffed, but nodded at his father.
"Has Nicolette been saying anything?" Mia asked lightly.
"Other than, 'thank you' and 'sorry'? No, those seem to be the only words she's capable of right now." Ana huffed with annoyance.
"If I hear the word 'sorry' again, it will be too soon." Christian tried to joke.
"Sorry ma-" Elliot started before shaking his head. Ana's phone began to ring. With an apologetic glance she looked at the screen.
"It's Gail." Ana breathed, startling the adults of the Grey family. "She's only supposed to call incase of an emergency." Ana licked her suddenly dry lips as she answered the phone, getting worried stares casted in her direction.
"Seriously?"
"Ho- What happened?"
"Just like that?" Ana batted Christian's worried hand away from her phone.
"Damn those things must have healing powers."
"No- no it's no problem, that does qualify as an emergency to me. Um, if she asks, you were told to check in. Um, yes, feed them all please." Ana stuck her tongue out at Christian's second attempt to steal her phone.
"Thank you, Gail." Ana hung up the phone and looked at the Grey family.
"She's speaking. Full freaking sentences. Apparently, the Hartsville boys came over and as long as Max is near her, she will laugh and talk and carry on. She asked Gail for something to eat, she hasn't asked for food since she disappeared. Gail had security review the tapes of what happened in the Great Room, and apparently all it shows is Max and Nicolette playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on the piano and then her talking again." Ana grinned as the Greys started laughing and clapping.
"Like father like daughter." Elliot shook his head as Christian shrugged at his brother.
"We're going to get this guy, I promise." Carrick said staring at his sons, and smiling at his wife and daughters.
"So, uh, where the hell is Taylor?" Elliot asked looking around, Ana snorted as Christian had the grace to look somewhat embarrassed.
"Escala."