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"Nick today has been perfect," Brooke gushed and she followed him onto the dock. "Brunch was amazing, the massage this morning was well, I think I showed you after how I felt about that," she grinned.

"I told you I'd take you on a date you'll never forget," he winked.

"This is like an all day date, I love it."

"And I love that sun dress on you."

"Oh yes, very sexy with this black brick on my leg and these flattering aluminium crutches." She popped her hip out pretending to model and spun around.

"Oh, you make it work," Nick winked and then told Brooke to watch her step. Nick put a cooler into his boat and a bag. Brooke threw her crutches in, then took off her back pack and tossed it in. Nick got in first and she put her arms on his shoulders and he picked her up by her waist. She sat down and watched as Nick got the boat ready. Within five minutes he was pulling away.

"It's so nice out!" Brooke leaned back into the seat and enjoyed the sun on her face and the salty breeze. Nick drove for about a half hour and then turned the boat off. There was no one out near them in the wide ocean and it was relaxing to lay there with one another.

"So we're going to start recording more of the album in a couple weeks and finish it up."

"That's great Nick, where are you guys' doing that?"

"Either New York or California. Do you want to come with me?"

"I do but I should be about ready to go back to work. I need to start making some money."

"Brooke, you don't have to worry about that. You still can't even start to put any weight on your leg for another two weeks. You're out of work anyway for another month."

"We'll see Nick, I just feel weird of you supporting me."

"Let's go swimming," he stood up and took his shirt off. Nick looked at Brooke who hadn't moved. "I'll give you a noodle," Nick pulled out a green noodle from a side compartment and then a yellow one for himself. She took off her sun dress revealing her brown, pink and white bikini and then began unstrapping her boot. Setting in the ground, she pushed herself up to the back of the boat. Holding her right leg up she scooted herself to the step and Nick jumped in over her, splashing.

"Thanks," she giggled.

"Come here," Nick swam closer to her and helped her ease into the water. He gave her a noodle and she let herself float with it. "Now, no kicking with that foot!"

"Yes, Dad." She stuck he tongue out.

"You better watch it with that," Nick said.

"Or what?"

"I'll bite it off."

"Speaking of bite, are there sharks out here since we're so far out?"

"Probably," Nick shrugged and leaned back.

"NICK!"

"What?" He laughed. "I'm sure there are, don't worry about it though."

"Easy for you to say, you can swim and have two good feet."

"That's true, I can save myself." He smiled and Brooke splashed him. They continued to float around for awhile and then climbed back into the boat. Brooke wrapped a towel around herself and was now sitting in the passenger seat.

"I have a sweet tan line working here," she said referring to her pale leg where her boot usually was.

"Leave it off for a while, it may tan a little," Nick laughed and handed her a water bottle.
~*~*~*~
Later that night Brooke and Nick were getting ready to have a romantic night in when A.J. called Nick. Brooke was just finishing up making dinner and Nick walked in with a guilty look on his face.

"A.J. lost power, apparently there's a storm heading this way. I'm going to help him get the generator because he has all those salt water fish that will die. I'm sorry."

"No it's fine, I'll have dinner all set for when you get home. Hey you think you could pick up some strawberries?" Brooke batted her eye lashes.

"I think I can manage that, anything else call my cell." He kissed her and took his keys off the counter. "Love you," he said and went out to his car. Brooke finished making the lasagna and put it into the oven to bake and then went up stairs to get herself ready to look good for Nick. She put on a sexy pair of pink boxer shorts with a matching silk tank top, applied light make up and curled her hair a little. She then put lotion on her legs and set up candles around the room. It was time she did more for Nick after all the things he's done for her.

She was about to go downstairs to check on dinner when her phone began to ring on the dresser. She went over to her phone and picked it up seeing it was A.J's number.

"Hey A.J." She answered.

"Hey yourself, what are you wearing?"

"Funny Nick, what are you doing?"

"Damn, I need to work on that raspy voice. Anyway, I left my cell phone on the counter so if you need me in the next ten minutes call A.J's phone."

"It's alright, I think I'm all set. Just get your sexy self home!"

"Yes Mam!" Nick hung up and Brooke laughed. She took her phone and went back down stairs. She felt a breeze come through the kitchen and saw that the french doors were open and the wind had picked up.

"Gotta love Florida weather," she told herself. If it was sunny it was raining or thunder storming. She shut the doors and went into the kitchen. She put her phone next to Nick's that lay on the counter.

Setting her crutches against the counter, she put her hands into the pot holders and took dinner out to check. It needed another ten minutes so she stuck it back in. As she closed the oven her phone rang again and she turned to get it. She looked down at the number and smiled when she saw it was Nick. She noticed that his cell phone was gone and that he must've snuck in to call her.

"Hello?" She said in a sexy tone. Nick didn't answer and she looked around the house. "Nick, are you trying to be seductive here?"

"You look sexy," his voice breathed. It was hard to hear him, it sounded like he was outside.

"Oh yeah? Well, why don't you come out so you can get up close and personal."

"I have a surprise for you, put the phone down and step out side to the beach," he then hung up. Brooke shook her head, set her phone down on the counter and opened the french doors to go outside. She thought she would see Nick there waiting with the strawberries and maybe roses but she didn't see him anywhere.

"Nick?" She called out and walked around the small patio area that was set up outside. The ocean waves were large and crashing up onto the beach. The wind was blowing hard and she felt as though she'd fall over. As she was about to turn to go back inside she saw a light flash down the beach a ways towards the dock. Brooke couldn't believe Nick would have her try to make it down the beach, on a night like this on crutches. She turned to go back inside to call Nick back, to let him know it was a sweet gesture but she didn't think it would be safe. She turned the handle on the door and found them to be locked.

"Great," she whispered and saw the light flash a few more times. "Things we do for love," she told herself and began to make her way down the beach. It was dark and cold out, the mood and stars were hidden by the dark storm clouds. "NICK? Nick how about you come to me now!" She squinted her eyes trying to get them to adjust to the darkness and moved a little closer to where she thought Nick might be. She doubt that he could hear her through the whistling wind.

She shivered in her night clothes and the tip of her crutch tripped over something. She fell into the sand, thankful for it only being sand but looked up thinking Nick would have saw her and came to her side by now. It was a lot of work to use crutches in thick sand and she found herself breathing hard trying to get herself to her feet.

"Let me help," she heard a voice behind her and she knew then it wasn't Nick. She looked up and saw Caleb holding an out reached hand.
~*~*~*~*
"Caleb! What are you doing here?" Brooke's voice rose over the waves and wind.

"I had to see you, and you wouldn't give me the time of day. We were together for three years, don't I deserve five minutes?"

"Caleb, you shouldn't be here. Nick is on his way home."

"Five minutes," he picked her up, leaving her crutches on the ground and carried her to the wooden dock that the waves were crashing over.

"Caleb, let's talk inside, I can't walk and the storm is getting worse!" She held onto him balancing on one leg. She felt the water splash up onto her leg. Goosebumps covered her skin and her light night gown blew in the wind.

"I love you so much Brookey," Caleb touched her face, then let his hand run down her arm, and down her pants.
~*~*~*~
"Honey, I'm home!" Nick yelled walking into the house with a bag of strawberries and champagne. He laughed to himself a little at how corny he sounded and went into the kitchen. When he walked in, he was hit with the aroma of smoke and he immediately went to the oven. He put the pot holders on and pulled out the now burnt lasagna and set it on the counter. He turned off the oven and walked around the house calling Brooke's name.

"Brooke, did you forget about dinner babe?" He asked and then climbed the stairs. He went into his room, where he saw nothing but candles lit around his room. He then went into the bathroom and didn't find her. "Babe where are you?" He asked and that moment the lights flickered and the power shut off.
~*~*~*~
"Caleb, we're just not meant to be. We had something good but you turned into a monster and if you're not that person any more than I am happy for you but we just cannot be a part of each other's lives," Brooke tried to reason with him as she managed to get his hands off of her.

"But we are supposed to be! You're blinded by the lights and fame of Richy Rich."

"That's not true, we love each other. I'm happy!" At that moment Caleb grabbed her arms and squeezed them.

"I can make you happier! I have a good job now and am living in a good apartment, got myself a dog."

"That's great Caleb but I don't want to be with you." His grip tightened on her arm and knew there would be a bruise there in the morning.
~*~*~*~
Nick went to the linen closet and pulled out a flash light and briskly went through the house looking for Brooke. He went back to the kitchen where her cell phone was and picked it up. He hit send to see who her last calls were, A.J's cell, which was him and then he saw his number. Looking at the time, it read that he had called from cell at 9:08, it was now 9:40 and had just gotten home five minutes ago. Nick couldn't figure it out and opened the doors to go outside.

Nick cupped his hands over his mouth and called out, "BROOKE!" he stepped out onto the patio, the wind had picked up since he got home and looked around. He saw a flash of light where he thought was his dock and he began to jog down with his flash light still in hand. He stepped on something hard and shone the light down at this feet and saw Brooke's crutches lying on the ground. He knew she couldn't walk without them and he felt his heart begin to race.
~*~*~*~
"One more chance and let me prove myself. You're the only one who ever understood me," Caleb leaned forward to kiss her. She pushed him off of her and he fell backwards. Slipping on the dock, and into the water. To keep herself from falling, she gripped a post and fell hard on her good leg, bruising her knee.

"Just stay here and Nick will find you," she told herself trying to remain calm. She was soaked and she held onto the post for her life. As she tried to regain her breathing, she felt an arm drape over her and pull her into the water.

~*~*~*~
Nick heard a loud scream as he was a few feet away from the dock and he ran on it. "Brooke!" He watched as the waves took her out and away from the dock. He jumped in not knowing Caleb was in the water and then felt a pair of hands on him.

"You don't deserve her!" Caleb joked back in the rough waves. Nick did his best to kick Caleb off and away from him.

Brooke used her arms to treat the water, her right leg was no use with the boot on and her left knee groaned in pain every time she used it. Her casted leg was pulling her down and she tried to unstrap it, her head bobbing up and down in the water and she continulously spit out the salty ocean.

She managed to get it off and let it float out into the ocean and leg felt lighter already. Her body weak; she fought to get to the shore. Once she was close enough she allowed the waves to throw her body up onto the wet sand. Exhausted she lay still breathing hard, waves still crashing up and on top of her. Coughing she dragged herself up slowly. She turned her head and saw that Nick and Caleb were only feet away from her, and Caleb had Nick pinned down. He punched Nick hard and Nick fell to the ground limply.

"Noo," Brooke whimpered and stumbled to get up to her feet. As she stepped down onto her right leg, she felt a sharp excruciating pain go up and down her ankle. Falling to the ground she dragged her body on the ground as if she were in the army to reach Nick. On the way she picked up a stick and held it tight in her hand.

"Where do you think you're going?" Caleb asked, grabbing her bad ankle and now Brooke let out a loud cry. He picked her up and she kicked and screamed to get out of his arms. He pulled her closer to the water's edge. "You should've just given me another chance. Still can't swim I see and of course you've got that busted ankle." As he shoved her into the water, Brooke lifted her arm and shoved the sharp piece of wood into Caleb's shoulder. He fell back, hit his head on the dock and fell into water. Losing her balance with the waves she was back in the water and struggling to hold onto the dock.

"Brooke, hold on!" She heard Nick's voice and then felt a hand pull her up. "Baby are you alright?" Nick asked as she fell into his arms. She held him tight and shook her head no. Hell no wasn'talright, she almost drowned, her ankle was probably broken again and she almost lost Nick.

"Nick, you're bleeding," she reached up to touch his head.

"I'm fine,let's get you inside." Nick stumbled to his feet and held onto a post to balance himself. He reached for Brooke's hand with his left hand and pulled her to her feet.

"You're not okay, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine," he went to pick her up and cried out in pain. "I think my shoulder is dislocated."

"Alright, we'll just have to work together to get in, your left arm okay?" She asked and he nodded his head. She held onto his arm and waist to drag herself up the sand dune and to the house.

"What's wrong with your other leg?" Nick asked looking down at her.

"It's okay, I just banged my knee a little."

They were about fifty yards away and Brooke dropped to her knees. "I just need a minute."

"Okay," Nick knelt down by her. It was now raining and although the house wasn't that far away it seemed like eternity. Both were worn out from the waves and injuries. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here," he pulled her to him.

"Not your fault," she couldn't keep back the tears of fear,pain and exhaustion. She buried her face into his neck and squeezed him. "Okay let's go," she breathed heavily and with each other's help they stood up. Once to her feet though, Brooke felt a wave of dizziness and before she hit the ground Nick put his arms under her.

"I've got you," Nick bit his lip and picked her up ignoring the pain his shoulder was in and her head rested on his good one and he got them to the house. Once inside he lay her on the couch. Her body was shaking uncontrollably and he knew something wasn't right. The power was still off and and he wrapped a blanket tightly around her body. "Brooke, can you hear me? Open your eyes baby," he knelt by her side of the couch.

"Nick?" She op end her eyes.

"You're alright, you fainted on me. I'm going to get a cell phone and some dry clothes for us okay?"

"NO!" She gripped Nick's arm.

"Shh, relax. I'll be quick, here I'll light these candles right here," Nick went to the mantel and lit the five candles on it. He then went back to the couch and kissed her forehead. "I love you. You need to trust me, you're alright. The doors are locked and I'll be right back." She hesitated for a moment and nodded her head. Nick held his bad arm and stood up and went to the kitchen where Brooke's phone was. He picked it up and ran up stairs and got them each a new pair of clothes. He brought them down.

"I can put your arm back in, come here." She sat up on the couch and patted next to her for Nick to sit down. "It's going to hurt like a bitch at first but it will feel better right after."

"I trust you," he whispered. She licked her lips and held his right arm with her left hand and then pressed his shoulder with her right hand. It made a loud pop and Nick let out the F bomb taking in a deep breath.

"Breathe Nick," she told him. He opened his eyes and let his breath out. "You okay?"

"It feels a lot better," he moved it around a little.

"You'll want a sling for a couple days to keep it still."

"Let's get you dry, you're still shaking." He handed her the clothes and she changed her shirt while Nick put on his dry clothes. When it came to putting on her sweat pants, Nick saw her struggle.

"This sucks, it was bad enough with one leg out of service, now two?"

"We'll get it looked at," he told her and gently lifted up her hurt ankle and put it through the hole. He then slid her left leg through and pulled them up to her hips. He put a flash light on her foot and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm getting you some ice," here see if you can get a hold of A.J. He handed her the cell phone. She hit send to where A.J's last call was and waited as it rang.

"Alex, hi it's Brooke."

"Hey, what are you doing? You're supposed to have a romantic night with Nicky."

"Can you come over we need some help."

"Uh, sure, you okay?"

"Kinda, not really. We'll fill you in when you get here. Are you with Reanne."

"I just dropped her off at home."

"Okay good, don't tell her anything yet. She'll worry and she doesn't need to."

"Be there in a few."

"Thanks." She hung up the phone and shivered as she looked outside at the blowing palm trees.

"Get a hold of him?" Nick asked with a bag of frozen vegetables.

"He's on his way."

"Ice cubes were melting, so we'll use this. I'm going to wrap your foot up good and knee. I had a couple of these ace bandages from something." He put a bag of vegetables on her knee and one one her ankle. Nick then wrapped her foot up tight as well as her knee. "I need to call the police." Nick said when he was finished.

"I know," Brooke said dreading the moment, knowing the night was half from being over. Nick took the phone and stood up, walking to the window he began speaking to someone about the nights events. They said they would send a team over and to wait. When Nick hung up, he saw Brooke hugging a pillow to her chest. He was about to sit by her when there was a knock on the door. He went to the front and looked in the peep hole where he saw A.J. standing outside, his hands in his pockets. He quickly opened the door and closed it, then locked it back up.

"Jesus Nick, you look like hell. What's happened?" A.J. asked and Nick brought him into the kitchen to tell him everything that happened.
~*~*~*~
Brooke held the pillow tight to her and had two blankets wrapped around as if she were a mummy. She was staring out the french doors, the same ones that had been opened when she came back down stairs from getting things ready for Nick. Which means Caleb had been in the house the same time she had been. She should've just given him the five minutes the first time and none of this would've happened. But is that true? That's what he said on the dock and he tried to kill her right there. Maybe she should've made a phone call to the police when she got the first phone call from him. Maybe. Too many maybes and not enough of answers.

Her thoughts were then broken, when Caleb jumped at the large glass door, both hands slid down and he fell to his knees. She let out loud scream as he opened the door and climbed and pulled himself through. He scrambled to his feet and jumped ontop of Brooke, his arms pinning her soulders down.

"I LOVE YOU!" He yelled and as he put his mouth on her trembling lips, he was hit over the head by a fire poker from Nick. Caleb's body went limp and A.J. pulled him off of Brooke and he fell hard to the floor.

"I don't think he's breathing," A.J. told Nick who now was trying to help up Brooke.

"POLICE!" Nick heard the front door knock and someone yell.

"COME IN!" Nick yelled and four cops came in with guns up. They saw Caleb's body on the floor and the night began.

"Jay can you bring her into the other room, my shoulder is out again," Nick said holding his arm.

"Yeah,come here girl, put your arms around my neck," A.J. had to pretty much lift her arms, place them on her neck and he picked her up. "Where do you want to go?"

"The sun room," Nick pointed and picked up a blanket. The sun room was a small area where Nick had a couple of chairs, a coffee table and small book case. There were a lot of windows and some plants hanging around. A.J. set down on a chair and Nick dragged the coffee table over. He put one of the chair cushions on it and lifted her legs up onto it. He then wrapped a blanket up to her chin and knelt by her side. Brooke stared blankly ahead, not saying anything but shaking. There was a knock on the door and A.J. got up to see who it was.

"Hey Kaos, the Police want a statement,"A.J. came in quietly.

"Stay with her?" Nick asked looking down at Brooke one more time. A.J. nodded his head and knelt down taking Brooke's hand into his. Nick stood up and went to the officer and brought him over to Caleb's body outside. Nick gave him a statement and explained the condition that Brooke was in.

"So you think you can try to get her to give us a statement, I'll then have an officer escort you to the hospital."

"I'll try,"Nick sighed and went back to where A.J. and Brooke were. "Hey baby," Nick knelt down. "This officer here, wants to get a quick statement from you." Brooke's eyes finally met Nick's. "Just answer his questions," he kissed her forehead and Brooke sat up a little.
~*~*~*~*~
"Hi Brooke my name is Officer Davis." Brooke only nodded her head. "Nick tells me that Caleb was an ex-boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"You have a restraining order on him and he made contact with you about a week ago, you made a call then as well?"

"Yeah it was for him abusing me."

"Prior to tonight and after last week, did he try to come to you at all?"

"No."

"Were the French Doors unlocked when you had gone up stairs?"

"I don't know, I guess so. This area is so remote, we only lock up if we're gone."

"And he took Nick's cell phone?"

"Yeah, I thought it was Nick calling, I went outside and well whatever Nick told you."

"Alright, well it is confirmed that he is dead but we will be in touch if we need anything else. Get some rest," he patted her shoulder and she flinched back. This worried Nick and looked down at her.

"Let's get you checked out," Nick told her lifting the blanket off of her.

"No," she said. "I'm fine, just tired."

"Baby-"

"We'll, just go to the doctor's tomorrow. I'm not waiting in a waiting room for two hours. I'm tired and I..."her voice began to shake and her chin trembled. Nick glanced at A.J. "My crutches are outside..."she looked up at Nick.

"I think the police took them actually...as evidence? We'll get you a new pair a long with new boot." Nick explained and watched as she pulled herself up to her feet. "What are you doing?"

"I hate being so incompetent, I'm going to bed," she went to step forward but grabbed on to A.J. who was about to stop her anyway.

"Shh, let's get you up to bed," he told her. He looked at Nick and nodded his head, letting him know he'd take care of her and brought her up stairs. Brooke wrapped her arms around A.J.'s neck and buried her face into his chest like a child being carried to their bed by their father. He lay her down in the large bed and began to pull the sheets over her.

"Can you take these ice packs off please? They're all water."

"Sure," he smiled and slowly unraveled the ace bandages. He took the bags of thawed vegetables and set them on the floor. "I'll see you tomorrow, get some rest." A.J. kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you A.J." She told him and curled herself up into a ball. A.J. took the wet bags and went down stairs where he found Nick in the kitchen. The power had just come back on and Nick was rubbing his temples.

"Need a drink?" A.J. asked setting the bags in the sink.

"Yes," he said not joking. "She alright?"

"She's like a child up there."

"Her emotions are all over the place, one minute she's impossible to talk to, then she's stubborn, then she's upset-"

"Nick, it was a scary night for both of you. I don't think it's sunk in for you yet."

"I don't want it to. I could've lost her tonight."

"You could've lost yourself tonight. But it's over now and the psycho is gone."

"When she was in the water, I thought she was gone." Nick's voice broke and he put his head into his hands.

"She can't swim can she?"

"Not well, I taught her a little when we first met again."

"Go to bed, go hold her in your arms tonight and all day tomorrow. Call me if you need me or want me to take you to the doctor's. I'll tell Reanne tomorrow so she doesn't come over and well, act like Reanne," A.J. joked. He then pulled Nick into a hug. "Love you Nick. And I love Brooke, I'm glad you're okay."

"Love you too," Nick told him and pulled away.

"I'll lock up, go," A.J. told him and Nick nodded before trudging up the stairs. When he went to his room, he saw the candles were slowly melting down and he went around blew them out. He then crawled into bed, and pulled himself up to Brooke's curled up body. His arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed her shoulder.

"I love you so much," he squeezed her and she turned and faced him. He noticed her tear stained face and pulled her tighter.

"I'm scared," she told him. Nick did his best to hold her tight but was afraid he'd break her if he squeezed any harder. He knew she was scared because he hadn't kept her promise, and that was to protect her and not let Caleb hurt her.