Dark Times in Still Waters
Chapter 15
By Dottie
Copyright 2013
When Natalie gets to the hotel she's surprised to find Teagan fast asleep. She leaves her friend resting and texts Brian to see if he has time to meet her to talk before he flies to Georgia. His reply is almost instantaneous. He's on his way to her hotel now.
She smiles, texting him back she'll meet him in the lobby. She writes a quick note to let Teagan know where she is and heads for the elevator. She can't believe how giddy she feels. When Brian arrives, she can't stop herself from jumping into his arms,
After a hello kiss that leaves her breathless, he asks softly, "Is Teagan ok?"
She shrugs. "She was asleep when I got here. I didn't want to wake her."
He puts his head against hers. "They weren't talking about her, Natalie. It was another girl that was a little clingy. Had a tattoo of our faces on the back of her neck. Nick was creeped out." When she doesn't say anything, he continues softly. "Natalie, they are so upset. Nick is so ashamed of himself. He's going back into therapy. Said he’s falling back into habits he had before and he doesn’t want to go there again."
She feels a sense of sadness for Nick. His battles with his demons has been well publicized. "What about Kevin?"
She sees the pain in his eyes. He's so protective of both Nick and Kevin. He whispers softly, "He's heartbroken that they hurt her so deeply. Even though it was a misunderstanding, he's...he's devastated, Natalie. All he did was cry all the way to our hotel."
She sniffles, laying her head on his shoulder. "I am so relieved...I was finding it so hard to believe that they would do something like that. But Teagan..."
Brian rubs her back. "They won't bother her. AJ wants to come with me for Teagan's surgery. Will she be ok with that?"
Natalie shrugs. “I don’t know, Brian. I just don’t know. Once we get home, I can get a better feel about how she is emotionally. Right now, I think she’s just exhausted from the cruise. It was a lot to deal with.”
He looks around, sliding his arm around her and guiding her to a corner behind a potted plant. Once secluded, he cups her face and kisses her deeply. When their lips part, he whispers, “Natalie, I’m so glad I found you.”
She sighs, shivering in his arms. “What’s next Brian? I mean…”
He smiles before burrowing his head in her neck to nibble the sensitive skin below her ear. “Sweetheart, you’re going to find it hard to get rid of me. We have some promotional stuff to do for the album and the mini-tours, but every second I can, I’m going to be with you. I promise.”
She can’t stop the shiver that runs through her body. “I wish the cruise had been longer.”
Moving his lips to her ear, he whispers, “Next time we cruise, it will be just us…and I’m going to keep you in bed the entire time.”
She can’t disguise the longing in her voice. “Who needs a cruise?”
He chuckles. “So true.” Pulling back, he looks into her eyes. “I’m going to miss you, Miss Byron.”
She smiles at him dreamily. “I’ll miss you too.”
He kisses her again, deeply…seductively…only to be interrupted by his phone chirping. Pulling slowly away from her lips, he mutters, “Time to head for the airport.”
She sighs sadly. “Call me when you get home?”
He nods. “Tell Teagan…tell her we all genuinely care. And that Nick and Kevin are sorry.”
She nods solemnly. “I will. Thank you Brian. For…finding out what really happened.”
One last kiss and he whispers, “I’ll call you soon. And I’ll SEE you soon. OK?”
She smiles, not letting the sadness in her heart show. “Have a safe trip.”
When she gets back to her room, Teagan is awake. She sees the sadness on her friend’s face and whispers, “You’ll see him again soon, Nat.”
Natalie shoots her a watery smile. “I know. Doesn’t make it any easier to accept though.” Teagan nods, knowing her friend is falling hard for Brian. Nothing she says can make the pain of him leaving any easier. She turns away, thinking she’ll just give Natalie space to cope with him leaving, but Natalie’s words stop her cold. “Teagan, he talked to Kevin and Nick. About what you heard.”
Teagan lowers her head and takes a deep, angry breath. “You said he wouldn’t!”
Natalie forges on, despite her friend’s cold, angry tone. “I did, but he made a valid point. If you sit and stew in this, you’re just going to get angrier. Don’t you want to know the truth?”
Teagan stands abruptly. “I fucking KNOW the truth Nat. I HEARD them.”
Natalie shakes her head. “You heard part of a conversation and assumed it was about you. It wasn’t Teagan. It was about a girl who has a serious case of fan-frenzy. She had their faces tattooed on the back of her neck and it freaked Nick out. He felt like he was being stalked or something.”
Teagan whirls to face her friend. “What a load of shit! You actually believe that crazy story?”
Natalie grabs her friend’s arms and shakes her. “You listen to me, Teagan Mia Michaels. I’ll stand by you come hell or high water, but not when you’re being stupid! You’re trying to find any excuse to push anyone and everyone away from you because you fucking feel sorry for yourself. WE don’t feel sorry for you!” Teagan steps back like she’s been slapped. Natalie lowers her voice. “Teag, I’m sorry…I’m so sorry, I don’t want to fight with you, but you have to listen to me! I hate what happened to you…we all do. It’s the saddest, most horrible thing imaginable. But you’re alive and I’m EVER so grateful for that. I’m not trying to be mean or hurt you, but you’re still my best friend, scars or no scars. That shooting didn’t change you. You’re changing yourself because you can’t…you won’t accept yourself for who you are now. So what if you can’t sing? I fucking hate it for you, but you CAN still teach music. You just have to try and right now, you’re not. You want to run and hide because a few pathetic bitches couldn’t see past the physical scars to see the real you. But I do. Howie did. AJ did. Brian did. Even Nick did. And Kevin? Sweetie, that man’s falling in love with you and you just keep pushing him away. Why? Why can’t you let us in and let us love you?”
Teagan is reeling from Natalie’s outburst. In frustration she screams, “How can you love me when I fucking hate myself?” Her hand flies up to cover her mouth and she starts sobbing. Natalie grabs her and hugs her tightly. Teagan feels the last of her walls slipping away and she collapses in her friend’s arms. They sink to the floor together and cry.
Sometime later, Natalie leans back away from her friend and whispers, “I’m sorry Teagan. I shouldn’t have…”
Teagan shakes her head and says softly, “Yes you should have. Natalie, I’m so sorry I’ve been such a burden on you. I was so busy feeling sorry for myself I didn’t stop to think how I was pushing you and everyone else away.”
Her gravelly voice is just barely above a whisper, but Natalie notices a change in it. “You believe me, don’t you Teagan? About Nick and Kevin?”
She nods quietly. “Yeah. I guess all along I knew it but…it was an easy excuse to push them away.” Taking a shaky breath, she whispers, “Natalie, I’m afraid of what he makes me feel. I don’t know how to handle it.”
Natalie smiles gently. “You handle it one day at a time like you do everything else.”
Teagan sniffles, a stray tear escaping the corner of her eye. “It’s too much Nat. Too soon. I don’t think I’m ready…”
Natalie shakes her head. “You don’t have to rush into anything. Just forgive him. Forgive them both for the misunderstanding and then let him in. Let him…let him see the Teagan I see.”
Teagan shivers. “I don’t know if I can.”
Natalie smiles. “You can…when you’re ready. For now…can I let Brian know he can tell them everything’s ok? That you understand and you don’t hate them?”
Teagan lowers her eyes. “I could never hate them, Nat. That’s why it hurt so much.”
Natalie takes her hand. “When we get home, maybe Dr. Shaw can recommend someone you can talk to. Someone who can help you more than I have.”
Teagan hugs her friend and whispers, “No one can help me more than you have Nat. You stood by me. That means everything to me.”
Natalie sighs, relieved that Teagan is opening up. She’s going to be ok. Natalie can’t help but think that with a little patience and a lot of luck, Teagan just might let Kevin back in…and maybe…just maybe fall in love.
Chapter End Notes:
Let me know! ~ D
