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Chapter 6

Nick looked out into the ocean, his mind stuck on the dream that he had the night before. It had scared him half to death. What was he supposed to do? The only thing that he could think of was to stay away from Natalie. Though he liked her a lot, there would always be the fear that anyone of his dreams may come true and he didn't want to be the reason why her life was cut short. He wasn't sure if he would give his life for someone else so it wouldn't be fair for him to ask that of someone else when he knew completely well that he himself might not be able to make that sacrafice.

Even if he was to leave Natalie alone, what was he supposed to do about his dreams? They were far too real; vivid for him to just ignore. Brian didn't believe him, he just thought he was crazy. The other guys would probably think they samething if he told them about it. Who was he supposed to talk to then? The people he trusted most wouldn't believe him. Who was he supposed to turn to now? He had to come up with something quick because he didn't want anyone to get hurt.

"Carter!" came a yell causing Nick to jump from where he had been sitting.

"You scared the shit out of me AJ," Nick said, trying to catch his breath.

"Well I've been callin your name for the past five minutes. Whatelse was I supposed to do? Shit, it was like you were in another world there for a minute."

"I was just thinking," Nick answered.

"I came by because I talked to Natalie last night. It seems like you two really hit it off. Plan on seein' her again?" AJ asked, sliding his sunglasses a bit so he could look at Nick directly.

"I don't think so."

"What! Why not?" AJ yelled.

"Clam down first of all, you said it yourself if I didn't like her I didn't have to see her again. So I don't know what you're getting all worked up about."

"There's more too it Nick. I know it. Are you back with that slutty ex of yours? Because if you are, you're just plain stupid. Natalie's a hell of a lot better for you. She won't be with you to use you, unlike just about every other girl you've gone out with."

"AJ, what I do in my personal life is my own goddam bussiness alright?" Nick snapped.

"Don't catch an attitude with me Nick! I'm only trying to help you. If you didn't like Natalie, you shouldn't have lead her on. She really thinks you liked her and now she's going to be heart-broken man and all because you had some need to be with some easy tramp."

"I do like her J!"

"Then why the hell aren't you going to go out with her again?"

"You wouldn't understand," Nick said softly.

"Oh, I get it," AJ said as his eyes remained on Nick, "you're afraid that you might like her too much and that it'll get serious. You don't want to get hurt. Don't worry man, she's not like that. She won't leave you without a damn good reason."

"That's not it AJ."

"Then what is?"

"I told you, you won't understand."

"Then make me understand," AJ said sitting down on one of the chairs on Nicks patio table, "I have all day." Nick looked over at AJ, who was staring at him, waiting. Nick walked over to the table and sat across from AJ, but didn't say anything for a moment. He was considering what he was about to do. If Brian thought he was crazy, why wouldn't AJ?

"Look, this is going to sound crazy," Nick started, "but I've been dreaming about her..."

"Let me guess, you've been having naughty dreams about her and it's embarrsses the shit out of you to even look at her," AJ said leaning his arms on the table.

"No that's not it... well kinda... once but that's not it J," Nick said, "Look, I had a dream about her the night before I met her. It was our wedding night and she was murdered. Shot." AJ leand back in his chair and looked at Nick for a moment before laughing.

"You expect me to believe that? All these jokes were cute when you were younger but don't you think you're getting a little too old for this? Look, if you don't want to see her again, don't fucking lie about it alright? Just say it."

"AJ, I do want to see her again," Nick answered, "but I'm afraid one of my dreams are going to come true. I had another one last night and someone broke into the house and shot her."

"Nick it was just a dream."

"It felt too real to be 'just a dream' AJ. Everything felt so fucking real. I could even smell everything in the dreams. Does that usually happen to you??"

"Vivid dreams happen. When you can feel them ya know? You're not the only one that has them, but don't use them as an excuse to get out of seeing a great girl alright? I'm leaving," AJ said as he stood up from the chair and started to walk away from Nick.

"AJ wait, if I were making this up would I know about when we took a break from the group that you packed up and went as far away as you could and if it wasn't for you acidentally forgetting to take some pictures and stuff of the group from all years we were on tour, you wouldn't have come back," Nick called towards AJ, causing him to stop cold in his tracks. AJ slowly turned back around and removed his sun glasses.

"How do you know about that? I didn't tell anyone not even my mother...." AJ said, his voice coming out only as a whisper.
"I was it in one of my dreams. I wasn't sure if it was real or if was just something crazy that I'd made up without realizing it so I figured now was as good a chance to see as any to see if it had any truth to it." AJ started to slowly move towards Nick again.

"So are you telling me that you can like see things? Like the future?"

"AJ I don't know."

"How long has this been happening?"

"For awhile actually. Just before, it was nothing serious. Little things you know, like at a concert when I was looking into the audience, ya know, nothing that couldn't have not been easily made up in my mind. Then more serious things started to come to me. Like when you left, that was the first thing that came to me that was important because it was like I knew I was losing a friend or something."

"So how many dreams have you had with her?"

"Two and in both of them she dies, and in both she was shot."

"It was two different dreams, maybe they just mean something you know. Maybe she's going to be fine.."

"I had the first one before I met her," Nick interupted, "it was her. The girl in my dream looked exactly like her and her name was Natalie."

"Well Nick, what are we going to do?" AJ asked, looking over Nick. He wasn't sure what to think of him anymore.

"First you can stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm some kind of freak," Nick said, as AJ continued to stare, "it doesn't happen all the time and I can't turn it on and off like it's nothing. It just happens."

"It's just hard to believe," AJ replied, turning his eyes away from Nick.

"You're telling me? I'm scared as hell. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of this. What the fuck am I supposed to do?"

"I have no clue Nick," AJ said, "who else have you talked to about this?"

"Brian but he just thinks that I'm crazy," Nick answered.

"Didn't you like have a dream about him that could make him believe it?"

"Yeah, but everythings already happened to him."

"What do you mean? What did you dream about?"

"The night before Brian called me to tell me that Leighanne was pregnant. I had a dream about it. I could see them finding out, but they've already told everyone everything. There wasn't anything that I saw that they didn't talk about."

"What about Howie or Kev?" AJ suggested

"Howie, there hasn't been anything and Kev, he would just think I was even crazier than usual. Besides, I haven't gotten anything about him either."

"How about talking to Natalie about it," AJ said to him. Nick looked at AJ, but said nothing for a moment.

"I just met her J, would you believe me if I just met you and was telling you all these things? I've known you most of my life and you almost didn't believe me. What makes you think that she will?"

"It was just a suggestion," AJ said, unsure of what to say next, "well what need to figure something out."

"Like what AJ? There isn't anything that I can do about this. The dreams are going to keep coming and I don't know if I can stand another one of them." AJ sighed and sat back in the chair that we had abondend suddenly before.

"This is too fucking weird man."

"You're telling me."

"Do you know how crazy we sound," AJ said with a slight laugh escaping him. Nick smiled at AJ and laughed softly himself.
"We're one step away from being locked up in those jacket things," Nick laughed.

"And put in those rooms with the paded walls," AJ joked.

"Seriously," Nick said moments later, "what are we going to do about all of this? I want it to stop and I want to make sure that no one gets hurt."

"Honestly Nick, I have no idea," AJ said getting serious again, "I guess you're just going to have to rely on your gut. I mean if you see something that was in your dream thats starting to come true, let someone know about it, that's really all we can do until we figure out what the fuck is going on with you."

"What if I don't realize it until it's too late?"

"I don't think that's going to be a problem with the way you've been talking about all of this. These dreams stay with you, I think you'll know dude," AJ replied.

"Isn't that kinda like messing with fate or something?"

"Yeah I guess, but if it helps save a life then we should use it to our advantage man."

"So do you think I should see Natalie again?" Nick asked.

"Do you like her?"

"Yeah."

"Then there's your answer. It's really not that hard of a decision man. Besides, she likes you a lot too, I talked to her after you left last night. She really wants to see you again, so do what you think is best and becareful, that's really all I can say to you."