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The next day I woke up to Nathan shaking me. “Hails get up.”

“What time is it?” I rolled over to my back to face him.

“Noon, here Nick’s on the phone. I called him….” He handed me the phone.

“Hey,” my voice was raspy and I was still disoriented.

“Good morning sunshine.”

“Yeah whatever what’s up?”

“Sorry to wake you, but I need you to email me those emails so I can try to get them traced.” I moaned a little and sat up.

“Okay, let me go downstairs.”

“Late night last night I hear?”

“I couldn’t fall back to sleep.”

“I told you to call me.”

“I know but you had to get up early. How was your appointment?”

“Alright I guess. They put a new cast on, no walking on it for another two weeks. But this cast I can get wet, it’s cool.” I laughed a little at how excited he was.

“Were they worried it was still hurting you so much?” I opened my email account and sent Nick the emails. “Emails sent.”

“Thanks and no because it was a compound break. Hold on I have another call.”

“Yup.”

Nick’s POV:

I looked down at my phone before answering and noticed it was a number I’ve seen before.

“Hello?”

“Hi Nick?”

“Speaking, who is this?”

“I’m sorry to call out of no where…it’s Amber. From the tour.”

“Oh…hi. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I’m in your area for a while. I hate how we never got close to each other during the tour and I feel horrible for what happened to you and Hailey. I’d like to actually talk to her sometime and start things over.”

“Amber, I really don’t know what to say right now? I’m not one to hold grudges but Hailey and I are kind of together and after everything that happened between you two, which I’m still not sure of—”

“I see. Well, I’m sorry and as long as you know that then that’s better than nothing.” Her voice sounded sincere and I hated holding grudges on people. Life was too short for that.

“Wait, let me call you back in a little bit. I’m actually on the phone with her right now. And we’ll talk about maybe meeting up.”

“That would be great. Thank you so much Nick.”

“Okay, talk to you later.”

“Bye.” I switched back over to Hailey.

“Hales?”

“Thought you forgot about me.” She laughed a little and I couldn’t help but smile thinking of how she smiles when she laughs.

“Never. But you’re not going to be believe who was on the phone.” I told her the exact conversation Amber and I had and Hailey didn’t say anything back. “You there?”

“Sorry, it’s just…I don’t know, weird.”

“I know. Look if you want me to have nothing to do with her then I’ll understand.”

“No, she’s a little crazy but I’m not going to tell you who you can and can’t talk to or be friends with. I trust you.”

“You truly are amazing. How about I come see you in a week, rather than in two?”

“Hmm, I don’t know?”

“WHAT?!”

“Just kidding doll. I’d love that, you know it. But hey I have to go get my ass to the gym and then the pool. I’ll call you later?”

“Sounds good. Hey Hails?”

“Hmm?”

“Miss you.”

“Ditto.” I hung up the pone and decided to give Amber a call back. It rang three times and she answered.

“Hey, I’m glad you called back.” Her voice was bubbly and excited.

“So where in the area are you?”

“My friend lives right here in L.A. I’m thinking about moving in with her if I like the area. I’m from New York so it shouldn’t be too much of a change, other than it being much nicer.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty decent.”

“Do you want to go out and grab some lunch?”

“Uh, sure why not? I can’t really drive though just yet with this cast on.”

“I can come pick you up.”

“Alright.” I gave her my address.

“I’ll see you in about twenty minutes, is that good?”

“Sounds great. See you in twenty.” I hung up the phone.

“Who are you seeing in tweny?”

“Oh, just a friend Aaron. Her name is Amber.”

“You got rid of Hailey already?”

“No you idiot. Hailey in South Carolina. I’m going to see her in a week. Amber is from the tour too though.”

“Sure Nick. I’m going out with some of the guys and Angel.”

“You look out for her. Your guy friends are pigs.”

“I always do. See ya man.” The doorbell rang around 12:45. I got up off the couch and opened it.

“Hey,” I opened the door wider so Amber could step in.

“Hi Nick, you look great.” She pulled me in for a hug and kissed my cheek.

“As do you. Are we all ready? I know of a great place we can go to.”

“Perfect.” She batted her eye lashes, held the door for me and I walked towards her Mustang Convertible.

*~*~*~*~*~ Five Days Later: Nick’s POV~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Nick thanks for letting me stay here, when Leigh went to her parents with Bailey I just couldn’t be home.”

“When do they get back?” I asked Brian

“Three weeks. They’re doing Disney and all that.” Brian ran his hands through his hair and put his face in his hands.

“Brian this is going to be rough for the next few months. You’ll be okay, Bailey will be okay.”

“I need to just get my mind off everything for awhile. So what’s this you were on the phone with Amber in the car on the way here?”

“Uh, yeah we’ve been hanging out. She’s really not a bad person, just misunderstood. She’s apologized to me, even called Hailey and apologized.”

“Well, that’s cool I guess. Hailey is cool with everything?”

“She says she is. She is trying to move forward with her life.”

“Is she doing better?”

“I think so. Sometimes I can tell some days aren’t as good as the others. I have actually talked with her brother over the phone. He’s a great guy and cares for a lot. He’s the only family she really has. He doesn’t think she’s eating again, she actually went running yesterday and he had to pick her up because she couldn’t walk.”

“I think she needs to see someone for professional help, ya know?”

“She needs to want it first. I was going to go see her this week but I told her you were coming up and she insisted I stay.”

“Anything with those emails?”

“No, the detective couldn’t trace the email really. Each email was sent from a different computer all around and the email address account is set up under a false name.”

“You really like her don’t you?”

“I do Bri, she makes me feel alive. I haven’t felt like this over someone in a long time. I haven’t had a serious girlfriend in two years.”

“My little Nicky is growing up.”

Hailey’s POV

“Hails its Brian.”

“Hey…Bri…what’s up?”

“Are you running?”

“Yeah I was, now I’m walking talking to you. What can I do for you this evening?”

“Isn’t it like ten at night there?”

“Best time to run.”

“You’re nuts. But what are you doing the rest of this weekend and next week?”

“I was going to start putting some hours in at the hospital but I haven’t told them yet. Why what’s up?”

“How about I fly you out tomorrow morning to come to L.A. Nick’s not doing too well,” I stopped moving and tried to catch my breath.

“What’s wrong? I talked to him today he said he was doing better,” I was worried now. Nick hadn’t been feeling that well the last few days, I talked to B.J. at one time and she told me he couldn’t even go up the stairs to sleep in his room lately.

“I don’t know, he won’t go to the doctors. I think part of it he’s missing you.”

“Yeah, I can come tomorrow. I’ll look up flights when I get home, I should be home in about a half hour.”

“Well, I got the tickets already…”

“Oh, alright. When does the plane leave?”

“Five.”

“PM?”

“AM.”

“Ew, okay what time should I arrive in California?”

“It will be like ten am your time but seven am here.”

“Alright, does he know?”

“He’s sleeping right now, he just fell asleep.”

“His room or the couch?”

“Couch.”

“Geeze alright. Thank you Brian.”

“I’ll be picking you up. It’s a direct flight too.”

“Call me if he worsens?”

“Of course. Don’t run too hard on the way back, I need you healthy when you get here.”

“You got it. Goodnight.”

“Night.” It would’ve normally taken me thirty minutes to get home from where I was but I ran harder than told Brian I was going to and made it in fifteen.

“You’re in early tonight,” Nathan said sitting on his couch watching a movie with his girlfriend Caroline.

“Brian called me, I need to go to California to see Nick. My plane leaves at five am.”

“Everything okay?” He asked standing up.

“I don’t know, if he’s having me come out there now, I don’t think so. Could you bring me to the airport tomorrow so I don’t have to leave my car?”

“Of course, go pack and get to bed though.” He gave me a hug. “He’ll be alright.” I took a quick shower and started packing; throwing pretty much all of my things in. I didn’t know how long I’d be staying or what I would be doing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~4:30 AM~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“This is as far as I can go. Call me when you get there and let me know how he is. I need to meet this guy that has my little sister on cloud nine.”

“I will thank you for driving me this early.” We hugged each other, said our goodbyes and I headed for the terminal gate. The airport was dead; most people wouldn’t be flying until after seven am. This actually was the perfect time for flying, security goes by fast, and you don’t have to get here as early.

The plane boarded soon and I was anxious to see Nick. I was able to fall asleep and take a nap for the majority of the plane. Before I knew it, I had landed in L.A. and getting off.

I saw Brian standing at the end of the exit and I ran up to him and jumped on him.

“I missed you Bri Bri!” I hugged him tight.

“I’ve missed you too sweetie.” He set me down. “You look amazing.”

“So do you.”

“Let’s go get your bag, you must be tired.”

“A little, I took a three hour nap on the plane.” Brian put his arm around me and we went to baggage claim. “Brian how is he?”

“He was sleeping when I left. I don’t know if he’s getting sick, if it’s his leg or what? The x-rays show his hips were heeled, it may be sore for a little while but the fracture was gone.” I nodded my head and we waiting for the luggage belt to turn on and my bag to come out.

By the time we got to Nick’s it was almost eight am. His house was surrounded by a large iron gate. The house was nice, not as big as I thought it was going to be, but I guess for living alone you really don’t need a large home. It was still a pretty decent size however. Brian carried my bag through the quiet house.

“He’s through those doors,” Brian pointed to the left of him. “He’s probably still sleeping, go wake up.”
“You think I should?”

“Yeah.” I walked over to two doors that were closed and opened them up slowly. I saw Nick lying on a large black, leather couch, his leg elevated on a pillow. I sat on the edge of the couch quietly and played with his hair a little.

“Nicky, wake up. It’s Hailey,” I leaned forward and kissed his lips gently. He moaned a little and his eyes fluttered opened. “Hey you,” I smiled and took his hand in mine.

“Hales?”

“It’s me.” He sat up and wrapped his arms around me.

“What, why, who?”

“Shh, don’t worry about it. I’m here right now.” I pulled him away and little and looked into his eyes. He had dark circles underneath his eyes and his face was pale. I felt his forehead and it was a little warm.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I didn’t think I’d be able to see you for another three weeks.”

“I know. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. You look gorgeous, a little too skinny but gorgeous. No knee brace?”

“Only when I run. Nick why are you sleeping downstairs?”

“I was too tired and lazy last night,” he yawned.

“And the last three nights?”

“Who asked you to come?” His voice was serious now.

“Brian called but I wanted to come, it was my idea.” I didn’t want him to start being mad at Brian and pulled him in for a kiss. I laid my head onto his shoulder and let his long arms enclose around me. I missed this feeling, the feeling of being safe and loved.

“You’re tired?”

“Yeah.”

“Any nigh mares?”

“I didn’t really give myself a chance to have them last night, I was up at three am and slept for a few hours on the plane.”

“Let’s go up to my room and sleep a little longer.”

“Sounds great.” I kissed him again and stood up. I picked his crutches up off the ground and handed them to Nick. I watched him as he lifted his leg up and put it down on the ground. He put a crutch in each hand and struggled to stand up on one leg. “Nick you’re shaking.” I put my arm around his waist and helped him stand up.

“I’m alright,” he put the crutches under his arms.

“Baby we can lie down here if you want, I can lie in the chair.”

“No, I want to hold you.”

“Everything okay?” Brian came into the room eating a bagel.

“We’re just going upstairs to get a few more hours of sleep,” Nick told him.

“Need help?”

“NO…I mean, we’re all set thank you.” Nick’s voice was short. He handed me a crutch and used the railing to help him hop up the stairs, while he leaned on his other one. He stopped about half way and fell onto his good knee.

“Nick, what is it?” I knelt next to him and Brian had run up the steps.

“Come on man,” Brain put Nick’s right arm around his neck and helped him stand up. I got on the other side and Nick hopped up the rest of the steps till we got to the top. He then used us like crutches to his room.

“Nick where is your first aid kit?”

“In the bathroom,” he lied on his bed exhausted. “In the mirror.” I opened up the mirror in the bathroom and pulled out his first aid kit and looked for a thermometer. I took it out and went back into his room.

“Open,” I stuck the thermometer under his tongue.

“Do you need anything?” Brian asked putting his hand on the small of my back.

“Two bags of ice.” He nodded his head and went down stairs. I gently lifted Nick’s leg and put two pillows under it. “That hurt didn’t it?” I asked looking at his face. He shrugged his shoulders and I took the thermometer out of his mouth.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Nick how are you feeling, like tell me what doesn’t feel good.”

“I don’t know, I just feel really weak and my leg just doesn’t even want me to lift it or anything. Do I have a fever?”

“It’s a hundred. I just want to make sure you don’t have an infection in your leg.”

“The doctor said I didn’t.” I looked at his toes that hung out his cast and felt them. They felt warm, not too hot or cold. If they were one of the other, more likely hot, than I would say he had an infection.

“Tylenol?”

“Bathroom,” he shook his head. “I’m fine Hales, you shouldn’t have to take care of me.”

“I want to,” I winked and got the Tylenol and a glass of water from the bathroom. “Here take,” I handed him two pills. Brian came into the room with the ice.

“Why two bags?” Nick asked looking at me weird.

“Your leg is probably trying to swell up, since they put the new cast on,” I put a bag of ice right on his thigh where the cast started and put the other one over his toes. “You may need to put into a walking cast though,” I said adjusting his leg so it was higher up.

“Why, they told me no since it was still hurting,” Nick asked.

“Yeah but your leg could be having trouble circulating blood, and the more you walk, the more your leg circulates.”

“Why the fever?”

“It’s your body trying to figure out what’s going on. I don’t think it’s the flu. I’m going to keep adjusting the elevation and try to get you to walk a little later.”

“Are nurses supposed to know more than doctors?” Brian laughed.

“Yeah, we do all the work in the hospital.”

“Okay, well I’m going back to bed. Come get me if you need me,” Brian left and I laid next to Nick.

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“Taking care of me, coming to seem, it means a lot.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t be able to relax at home knowing you weren’t doing well baby.”

“I was actually kind of scared these last couple of days.”

“Why?”

“Just the way I’ve been feeling, I didn’t want to go through this alone and I wouldn’t let Brian take me to the hospital. And missing you just made everything so much harder…” It sounded like he was getting choked up.

“You’re not alone, you have Brian and I here with you. I’ll make sure you get treated right. If your fever doesn’t come down in a little while and if the pain level doesn’t subside by tomorrow then we’re going to the doctor’s.” I kissed his forehead, his eyes still looked scared. “I’m here.”
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