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Dark Times in Still Waters
Chapter 9
By Dottie
Copyright 2013

When Natalie reaches the door, Teagan stops her. "Nat, wait." When Natalie turns around, she says, "I can't go with you."

Natalie's smiles fade. "Please, Teag, you have to. Just for a while."

Teagan shakes her head. "I just...I don't think I can do it."

Natalie starts to protest again...but stops herself. "OK...but least think about coming later....please?"

Teagan hugs her neck. "I'm sorry."

Natalie pulls back, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry I put you through this."

Teagan shakes her head, unbuttoning the veil. "Don't be sorry. I wanted to come for you. I just wish I was stronger..."

Natalie turns away before she starts crying. "I wish you didn't have to be Teag."

Teagan reaches out and grabs Natalie's arm. "Nat...wait." When Natalie stops, she whispers, "Will you still tell Brian I'm coming?"

Natalie looks puzzled. "Why Teagan?"

Teagan sighs softly. "I don't want them coming here."

Natalie looks at her closely. "You mean Kevin, don't you?"

Teagan blushes. "I don't...I don't understand him Nat. He doesn't know me and...he acts like..."

Natalie chuckles. "He acts like a man who sees something he likes."

Teagan turns away. "He only feels sorry for me Nat. That's all it is."

Natalie groans in frustration. "If you keep up all this negative shit I'm going to march straight up to Kevin and ASK him about how he feels."

Teagan's eyes widen. "Nat...you CAN'T!"

Frowning, Natalie agrees softly. "Maybe not...but I'm about to get frustrated enough to do it anyway." When Teagan lowers her head, Natalie walks over to her. "I won't say anything Teag. And I'll tell them you'll be there."

Teagan looks up with tears in her eyes. "Thanks, Nat."


After Natalie leaves, Teagan takes off the veil and sits on her bed staring at herself in the mirror. To her, the scar looks horrendous, but trying to be objective, she really studies it. The scar on her face isn't jagged. It's a straight line from about half an inch below her eye to behind her ear. The incision to remove the bullet. Her hair is long enough to cover most of it. The scar on her neck is much worse. It's jagged from the path of the mushsroomed bullet.

She hears a commotion outside her door. Loud squeals tell her it's one or more of the Backstreet Boys. She goes to the door and quietly locks it, leaning her head against it to listen. There's a soft knock and she hears Nick call out, "Teagan are you there?"

She's relieved it's not Kevin and starts to open the door. Before she can, she hears a female voice, "Wow, Nick, hot costume!"

Teagan can almost see the smirk on his face and she's dying to see his costume. She almost laughs when he says, "Umm, thanks. I...umm...like yours too....you make an...ummm...perfect...ummm....what are you?"

The girls indignant screech makes Teagan giggle. "I'm Kim Kardashian! Everyone tells me how much I look like her..."

Nick back pedals fast. "Oh YEAH...Sorry, the lighting in this corridor sucks."

Teagan can almost see the girl practically swoon. "Aww aren't you sweet?" Before Nick can answer, she asks, "Hey, what are you doing down here?"

Teagan presses her ear closer to the door, waiting. She's surprised by Nick's reply. "I'm here to make sure everyone comes to the Halloween party." After a brief pause, Nick asks bluntly, "Have you seen the girl with the scars?"

Teagan bites her lip, waiting for the reply. "Well, I saw her when we first got on the ship. It's a shame about what happened to her. And what that girl said today? That was just uncalled for."

Teagan's head touches the door and she shakes when Nick asks, "Were you there? What happened?"

Teagan can tell Nick is leaning on the door waiting. She almost opens the door and tells them it doesn't matter when the girl answers, "One of those crazy South American girls attacked her in the dining room. Called her out saying she was here just to get your sympathy and if she was so upset about how she looked she should have just not come. She and her friends kept goading the poor girl about what happened and she just snapped and screamed at them about a school shooting. The whole dining room was buzzing about it all afternoon. Some of the girls tried to find her to make sure she was ok, but she vanished. Do you know...is she ok?"

Teagan feels tears slowly track down her cheeks. She never expected to hear someone worried about her on this ship full of jealous, clingy women. She barely hears Nick's reply. "I honestly don't know. I think she is. I was actually coming to ask her to come to the party."

Teagan turns, leaning against the door and sliding to the floor. The girls reply is full of emotion. "I hope she comes. Tell her we're not all that way."

She can hear a smile in Nick's voice. "I'll tell her. And thanks."

The hallway become eerily quiet and she nearly jumps out of her skin when Nick calls out through the door, "Teagan, please open the door." Before she can send him away, he says, "I'm not leaving until I see you, so just let me in."

She stands up, wiping her face. Pinning the veil back in place, she slowly opens the door. When Nick sees her, his eyes widen and a huge smile spreads across his face. "Wow."

She blushes. "I wasn't expecting a construction worker."

He looks down at himself, laughing. "Wait till you see AJ. So you're coming to the party? For real?

Teagan sighs, stepping back. "I don't know. I'm not sure..."

Nick reaches out and gently takes her hand. "Please? For me? Just for a little while?"

Something in his eyes compels her to say yes. "Nick, I..."

He stops her. "Come as my date. Come on, no one will know it's you. Except maybe Kevin."

Thankfully her blush is hidden by the veil. "Nick, part of the problem the fans are having with me is...all of you. I appreciate everything you have all done for me...being concerned about everything. But, all the other fans paid a lot of money for this cruise and their chance to meet you and spend time with you." She turns away from him. "To be honest, the last thing I wanted when I agreed to come with Natalie was to meet any of you."

She feels him step up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Teagan, please don't say that."

She lowers her head and whispers, "I'm sorry, but it's true."

He puts his arms around her and leans down, whispering in her ear. "Teagan, I would be very disappointed if I hadn't met you. I'd be even more disappointed if we hadn't had the chance to let all our fans know how we feel about how you were treated. We're not oblivious, Teagan. We know we have fans who are possessive and, to be frank, are very mean spirited. We still love them...but respect them? Not so much. But it’s hard to say anything about their behavior until it reaches the level it’s reached on this cruise. I’m sorry you had to be on the receiving end of it."

She leans back against him, allowing him to hold her. "Nick I've seen children say mean things because they don't know they are being mean. I thought adults were supposed to know better."

He presses his cheek to hers. "I'm sorry, Teagan. It's our fault."

She whispers quietly. "No it's not, Nick. I don't...I never blamed any of you. It's just mean spirited people and I'm at a point in my life...I just can't turn the other cheek."

Her last word cuts off with a hiccup and he tightens his grip. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone, Teagan. And you shouldn't have to turn the other cheek over something like this. You are beautiful. You are a truly beautiful person because of who you are on the inside...and on the outside. The scar doesn't make a difference. It can't change who you are unless you let it." He spins her around to face him and pulls down the veil. He strokes her cheek slowly, his finger tracing the scar. "This isn't who you are Teagan and it never will be. Not if you don't let it."

She blushes, looking away. He gently forces her gaze back to his. She's so confused by her emotions she's not sure what to do. He tilts her face up with his thumbs under her chin and leans down, slowly capturing her lips. Her eyes flutter closed and her heart almost stops. She grips his arms as he deepens the kiss, sweeping his tongue across her lips, coaxing her mouth to open.

He is definitely skilled at the art of seduction. His hands, his body, even the taste of his mouth draws her in. He puts his hand on her lower back and pulls her against his body, his tongue sweeping even further into her mouth, robbing her of her breath.

His lips move to her ear and he whispers, "Beautiful Teagan."

His voice jars her to the present and she blushes furiously. Every moment of his kiss she was imagining Kevin. She whispers, "Nick, I..."

He chuckles, putting his finger over her lips. "Sweetheart...stop. I kissed you because I wanted to. Not because I felt sorry for you. Believe me Darling."

She nods slowly. "I do...Nick. I just...I'm not..."

It dawns on him and he chuckles. "Old man, Kev, huh?" When her blush deepens, he tightens his arms around her. "Teagan, stop blushing. He's as hooked on you as you appear to be on him."

She looks away. "He doesn't know me. None of you do."

He laughs. "Sure we do. You're a sweetheart of a girl who's had some tough luck." When she sighs, he kisses her forehead. "You're not a monster and you never will be. Now, let's go to that party."

She bites her lip. "I...I'd like to. For a little while."

His smile reminds her of why she fell for him to begin with. But her heart doesn't skip a beat for him like it did for Kevin when he kissed her. She steps back, pinning her veil back in place. He looks her over and whistles. "I'm going to have the sexiest date there. And no one's gonna know who she is."

Teagan reaches out and takes his hand. "Thank you Nick."

He lifts her hand and kisses the back of it. "I live to serve, My Princess. Shall we?"

She allows him to lead her to the door and out into the corridor. Her nerves are shaky, but the thought of seeing the spectacle of the Halloween party...of seeing Kevin...compels her to trust Nick to keep her hidden. And she does trust him. She trusts all of them...but she doesn't know why.
Chapter End Notes:
Is she making the right decision? Let me know! ~ D