Two weeks has passed since Brooke and Nick were attacked by Caleb. The couples injuries were heeling but Nick was concerned for the emotional injury that Brooke still suffered. She slept three hours at a time and would have at least one nightmare and it wasn't always necessarily about the attack; they were often about her sister. To that, Nick could relate but he could never get Brooke to open up to him about anything.
"Brooke?" Nick called out when he had rolled over in bed in the middle of the night to find his girlfriend not there. Rubbing his eyes he looked at the glowing red numbers on his night stand. It was four am and the sky was still pitch black. There were no stars or moon out, dark clouds filled the sky. Nick climbed out of bed, threw on a tee shirt that lay on the ground and went out to the living room where he thought Brooke might be.
When he got to the living room, he saw her staring out the french doors, knees pulled to her chest on the couch. She had on a pair of boxers and a tank top, her body lightly shook and Nick took a blanket off another chair. He wrapped the fleece material around her shoulders and sat next to her, gently pulled her to him and she lay her head on his chest. The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes and Nick kissed the top of her head. "Did you go to sleep at all?" He whispered.
Brooke shook her head no and wrapped her arms around Nick's body. "Nick I-," her voice broke and she felt her heart come to her throat.
"What baby?" He gave her a gentle squeeze.
"I'm ready to go to bed," she looked up to him and gave him a soft smile. Nick knew that wasn't what she was going to say but didn't push. He nodded his head and stood up. Brooke followed and put her arm around Nick's waist and the two walked back to Nick's room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that morning Brooke woke up to the smell of eggs and turkey sausage.
"Good morning," Nick called out putting a plate of food in front of Brooke. She let out a small yawn and smiled back at Nick.
"Aww Nick, thank you."
"I tried to let you sleep in as long as possible but it's already one pm."
"Well, I'll call you at three and let you know if I'll make it.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, looks like you finally slept and you needed it." Brooke nodded her head and picked up the fork and took a bite of the eggs.
"I have to head out for a meeting for a couple of hours. You have physical therapy today at four, I can try to be back to take you."
"I can take myself today," she told Nick.
"Well, I'll give you a call around 3 and let you know for sure. But eat up and shower," Nick kissed her cheek and stepped back watching her for a moment.
"Nick you can leave me, I'm not three."
"I know but just with everything-"
"I'm fine." She cut him off and managed to pull a smile.
"Alright babe, call if you need anything and I will call you around three."
"Bye, have fun."
"Oh yeah, real fun," Nick said sarcastically and left the room. When Brooke knew Nick was almost out of he house, she set her plate of food on the nightstand and pulled the sheets away from her. She didn't have an appetite these days and it weren't for Nick she didn't think she could get out of bed each day. Picking out an outfit of what she would wear she went into the bathroom and started the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her usual tan skin was pale, dark circles overpowered her eyes and her cheek bones were sharp.
Brooke stripped off her clothes and unstrapped the black boot she still had to wear on her ankle at all times. Holding onto the wall she limped to the walk in shower and welcomed the hot steam. The already hot water wasn't hot enough and she turned the cold water all the way off and scrubbed her body with the now scalding hot water. She couldn't seem to get warm and by the time she finished showering, the hot water ran out and was turning cold. She took this as a cue as her time was up.
She carefully stepped out onto the bath mat and took the towel off the bar. She wrapped it around her fragile body and made her way to the bedroom. Hearing her cell phone ring she attempted to move quicker and managed to stub her foot on the full length mirror and she fell to her knees.
"God dammit!" She swore to herself and the tears began to flow. It didn't take much to set her off and that made her more frustrated because she never used to show her emotions. Standing up, she hopped on one foot to her phone next to the bed and picked it up. Hitting the call button it showed she missed it was Reanne. She hadn't really talked to her best friend since before the attack and felt bad for shutting her out. She was the one there when had been through it all before. And Brooke made it through the previous attacks and was strong; so why now. Why was this any different? Was it because she was now with someone, she had someone to lean on?
Sighing, she hit the send button again and it called Reanne.
"Hey B! I didn't think you'd call back!" Reanne told her.
"Hi, yeah I'm sorry I've been distant lately." Brooke bit her lower lip and closed her eyes.
"It's alright but I must say I don't really get it."
"And honestly, I don't myself. Reanne, I have no idea what's going on with me."
"Do you want to meet for lunch?"
"Um, actually I just had a late breakfast and I have to go to physical therapy at four but how about drinks tonight?"
"Yeah, it's been forever since we've done that. Do you want to meet somewhere or I'll come get you?"
"How about you come to Nick's around eight and we'll figure out driving and stuff then go to Mex?"
"Mmm margaritas, okay sounds great. I'll call you when I'm on my way!"
"Okay," Brooke smiled genuinely for the first time in a while.
"Later girl!"
"Later," Brooke hung up the phone and began to get ready for the day.
~*~*~*~
Brooke was doing laundry when Nick called her.
"Hey babe," Nick said when Brooke answered.
"Hey you," she smiled. "How is the meeting going?"
"Actually done and am on my way home, so I can take you."
"Oh," she remained quiet.
"Or I don't have to?" Nick questioned.
"No, that's fine if you want. I just really don't want you to worry about me."
"Well, maybe I just want to be with you." Nick said seductively.
"Is that so Mr. Carter?"
"Mmmhmm, what are you wearing over there?"
"Nick!"
"What?!"
"Well, considering I'm going to PT soon, I'm wearing shorts and a tank top."
"The little black ones that make your ass look amazing?"
"Maybe," she smiled folding a towel.
"And are you wearing that pink tank top that fits your body in all the right places?"
"Nick?" She asked and then felt a pair of hands go on her waist. She probably would've jumped if she didn't smell Nick's cologne first. She let the phone drop when felt Nick's lips kiss her neck. Letting out a low moan she turned around and met Nick's eyes.
"Hi," he whispered and and kissed her lips.
"Hi," she whispered back and kissed him harder. She missed this, it had been a while since they last made love or any sort of passionate kissing.
"Four?" Nick asked in between kisses.
"Uh huh," Brooke tilted her head back.
"That gives us about forty minutes?" He picked her up and put her on top of the dryer still kissing her lips.
"Hmm hmm," she leaned in and kissed his neck. Nick played with the bottom of her tank top for a minute before slowly pulling it over her head. He then kissed her collar bone and her breasts before unstrapping her bra. Brooke began to unbutton Nick's shirt and slowly and kissed down his chest. Once she got to the last button she pulled the shirt off his shoulders and he pulled her body to his. He then picked her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her to the spare bedroom and lay her on the bed.
Nick slipped off her black panties and kissed her hip bone, taking note that she was a lot skinnier than the last time they made love. He kissed her stomach and Brooke pulled Nick's face up to hers.
"Nick, I'm so sorry for the last few weeks."
"Shh," he put his finger up to her lips and kissed her hard. Brooke's finger fumbled to unbutton Nick's jeans and unzipped them while Nick pulled them off. Nick pulled his boxers off with his jeans and slowly entered himself into Brooke.
~*~*~*~~*~
"So, A.J wants to join us for drinks, so I thought if you bring Nick, then we can kinda drop them somewhere and have girl time?" Reanne told Brooke over the phone.
"No that sounds fine. I'll let Nick know, I am just pulling in from therapy now."
"Oh, he didn't go with you?"
"No, he worries about me too much and I told him he needed to do some things around the house."
"You two act like you're married already," Reanne laughed. "Alright Alex and I will be over around seven-thirty."
"Later," Brooke hung up the phone and turned off her ignition. She smiled when she saw Nick come out the door. She opened up her door and stepped out one one foot.
"Hey baby, how was therapy?"
"Good, but I'm pretty sore," she told him putting her purse over her shoulder.
"Where is your brace? You're supposed to have it on all the time."
"I kept braking when I hit the gas," she shrugged her shoulder and reached in and took out the black boot.
"I knew I should have drove," Nick told her and picked her up.
"Driving didn't bother it actually."
"Let's get some ice on it." Brooke nodded her head and took her hand into his. "So I just got off the phone with Jay and we're going out?"
"Uh yeah that okay?"
"It will be fun, we haven't gone out in a while." The two went into the kitchen and Brooke sat down on a chair and put her foot up onto another.
"What did you do while I was gone beside miss me?" She grinned.
"I sat here and cried thinking of you," Nick joked taking out an ice pack. "And did the bills and finished up the laundry you started." He put the ice pack on her foot and rubbed her leg. "So how much longer do you have to wear it?"
"Another month," she sighed. "But I think I'm going to go back to work next week."
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about that."
"About what?" Brooke raised an eye brow and Nick took a seat next to her.
"We want to start preparing for the tour."
"You picked a date?" She asked with a smile.
"We want to start touring in September."
"That's only two months away."
"I know. But it's going to be a small tour, we're going to do U.S. first since we always seem to do the Euro thing first."
"That's great babe but what does that have to do with me working? I'm going to need to be busy with you leaving me." Her smile dropped.
"How about you come on tour with?"
"Nick I can't."
"You can if you want. You can be our on tour nurse and even get paid for it." Brooke raised an eye brow.
"I'll have to think about it."
"Okay, let me know soon. I mean if you want to keep your job here I totally understand and support you. I'll only be gone for six months at a time."
"Six months?! I am coming!"
"I thought you might after I said that," Nick grinned.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Contains sexual content.
