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Nick's body lay lifelessly on the sandy beach. The powerful wind blew his hair in every direction and Caleb had to struggle to pull Nick into the water. His body rolled into the waves and the strong current pushed Nick out to sea. Not able to move her legs, Brooke pulled herself to the edge of the wooden dock to try to reach Nick.

"NIIICK!" She screamed as her hand was inches away and his body went deep down into the ocean.

"Brooke wake up!" Nick rocked Brooke lightly. He had been asleep for only an hour when he heard Brooke's cry. He looked at the clock and it was four am. "Brooke, come back to me," he told her holding her shoulder. She tossed and turned before opening her eyes. When her eyes locked with Nick's, she reached up and put her arms around his neck. "It was only a dream baby girl," he told her rubbing her back. Her body was sweating, her tee-shirt soaked but her body was shaking.

"You drowned...like Taya," she whimpered and Nick's heart broke right there. He held her tight and rocked her back and forth.
~*~*~*~*~
That morning, Nick woke up to the sunlight shining through his windows. His body was sweating slightly and realized he still had Brooke in his arms. He manged to lift his head a little and read the clock. It was eleven am and his shoulder felt stiff. He sat up a little and looked down at Brooke. Her eyes were wide open and she was staring ahead. Nick doubted that she had slept at all. Kissing herh ead he sat up, so he could get off his arm.

Brooke's eyes were read and puffy, her skin pale. "You hungry?" Nick asked her already knowing the answer. She shook her head no and sat up a little with Nick. "I'm going to hop into the shower," he told her standing up. Nick picked out a pair of khaki shorts and a tee shirt. After he got showered and ready, he filled the bathtub with warm water for Brooke to get cleaned up. When he went back into his bedroom, he saw her curled up at the edge of the bed.

"What do you say about get taking a bath and getting cleaned up? And then we'll get ourselves checked out. You can take your time and we'll go slow today," he told her soothingly and stroked back her hair that was still damp from the night before.

"Everything hurts," she told him and Nick gave her a once over. He noticed the bruises on her arms, her lip was cut open, and he couldn't imagine how her ankle or knee was feeling.

"I think it will help," he smiled. Brooke couldn't believe how great and understanding Nick was being. She knew she was being difficult but she really didn't feel like doing anything at that moment. "Come on," Nick took her hand and helped her sit up. She felt her knee groan when she bent it and looked down. Her knee cap was covered in a dark purple bruise.

"Your shoulder," she told Nick as he went to pick her up.

"It's just a little stiff, it's okay," he smiled again and picked her up. He brought her into the bathroom where he set her on the steps up to his large jacuzzi bathtub. "Do you want me to help you in, or give you some space?"

"Space please. Thanks Nick."

"I'll be in the bedroom," he pecked her lips and walked out. Slowly, Brooke slid off her clothes and dragged her body into the bathtub, slowly sinking in. She turned off the running water and took the wash cloth that lay on the side and poured some body wash on it. She washed her skin and did her best to scrub away the remains of the previous night. She then poured a small amount of shampoo in her hands and scrubbed her scalp, removing and salt and grit from the ocean. When she was done, she tilted her head back and sank under water and ran her fingers through her hair.

As her body went under water, she closed her eyes. It was at that moment she swore she could feel an arm drape around her and push her deeper into the water. She sat up fast and hard letting out a scream. Nick had been talking to A.J. on the phone when he heard Brooke and he ran into the bathroom.

"Get me out!" She yelled, breathing hard and coughing. "Nick please," she begged and Nick reached in and scooped her body up into his arms. He briskly brought her into the bedroom where he lay her down on the bed and put the sheet around her naked body.

"Shh calm down baby, you're hyperventilating," he told her noticing she wasn't breathing right. She tried to take in deep breath's but found herself unable to and she squeezed Nick's hand in fear. "I'm going to sit you up," he put an arm around her back, tucked her legs up and had her lean forward. At that instant, her breathing slowed down and her body collapsed against Nick's. He gently lay her head back down on the pillow and he thumbed her cheek. "There you go, just relax. You're alright."

He waited another five minutes before trying to talk to her. He was afraid to ask what had happened in case she'd get upset again.

"What happened in there babe?" He asked calmly, giving her a small smile, still stroking her arm gently. She didn't answer right away and when she blinked, a tear from each eye rolled down. "It's alright you can tell me."

"It's crazy," she finally admitted thinking of exactly what happened.

"Nothing you could say would be crazy, just tell me so I can help."

"I felt his arms pull me under water," she told Nick and put her shaking hands to her face. Nick climbed into bed with her, wrapped his arms around her small waist and whispered into her ear.

"No one can hurt you, nothing can hurt you. You got through last night because you're a strong person and you cannot forget that."

"I know," she placed a hand on his chest. "I'm sorry for being so weak."

"You're not being weak," he kissed her forehead.
~*~*~*
"Looks like just a bruised knee cap," Her family doctor told her. "I'll get you a new pair of crutches, a boot for your ankle because I am concerned about that. The X Ray showed it was alright but your heeling process will probably take a little longer."

Brooke nodded her head trying to listen to everything he said as she sat up on the table. Nick was in another room getting his shoulder looked at and she found herself jumping at every little sound. "Brooke I know last night was traumatic, how did you sleep last night?"

"Huh?" She asked snapping out of it.

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Yeah I'm fine. But it was a late night so I'm a little tired."

"Well, if you'd like me to prescribe you anything to help you sleep or with any anxiety you may feel; give me a call."

"Okay thanks," she said.

"I'll be right back," the Doctor stepped out and when the door slammed shut she found herself jumping again.

"Relax Brooke, you're being ridiculous." She kept back the tears that threatened to fall. A minute later she heard a knock on the door. "Come in," her voice cracked. Expecting it to be to the Doctor, Nick walked in with a sling on his arm. "Nick I'm so sorry," she told him when she saw his arm. The tears burned the back of her eyes again.

"Hey, nothing to be sorry for. It's actually okay and the doctor said just for a day or two to give the muscles a break from holding my arm up. What did she say about you?"

Brooke shrugged her shoulders, "Just giving me another boot, crutches and another two days of my life doing nothing until I can walk at least one leg." There was another knock on the door and Nick saw her jump before saying "come in."

"Here we go now," the Doctor went over to the side of the table and carefully put the boot on her foot. She then wrapped her knee up with a large ace bandage and wrote in her chart. "Let's get you into this wheel chair," The Doctor had one side of Broke and Nick helped with his left hand getting her down. "Give me a call if you need anything else like I said Brooke," she smiled and opened the door. Brooke held the crutches and Nick pushed the wheel chair out into the hall and outside to the car.

He took her crutches and put them into the back, then took his sling off to help Brooke up. He then returned the wheel chair and came back a minute later. He climbed in and started the car.

"How about some food and friends?" Nick asked and Brooke shrugged her shoulders and stared out the window; while Nick wondered to himself how long things would be the way they were.
~*~*~*~*~
"You sure she doesn't want anything to eat?" Howie asked as he sat with Nick, and A.J at the table eating burgers. Nick glanced over to Brooke who was sitting on a lounge chair by the pool with Reanne. Reanne was talking to her but Brooke gazed stayed onto the pool where Brian and Baylee were playing.

"We've all asked." Nick said shaking his head. "I should probably get her home in a little bit, but I just wanted her mind to get off of everything."

"So the basard was dead?" Leigh asked as she sat down.

"As far as she's concerned," Nick sighed.

"Wait he's not?"A.J. asked.

"No, but he'll be back into prison. She doesn't need to know the truth." Nick warned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey Nick, I think you should get her home, she won't talk to me." Reanne said with her eyes watering. "Iknow it's only been a day but Nick you should get her to see someone."

"Like you said Reanne, it's been a day. I don't want to her to be thinking about going to see a therapist, she had to do it when her sister died."

"And it helped. Nick was attacked and not by the first time," Reanne spat out.

"She's right Nick, don't talk to her about it now, maybe not tomorrow but in a few days." Brian told him simpathetically. Nick then ran his hands through his blonde hair and his thoughts went to the incident in the bathtub.

"Brookey," Baylee called from the pool.

"What's up lil man?" She asked sitting up.

"Come watch me swim down deep! I can get that ring at the bottom."

"No way!" Brooke smiled and used her crutches to stand up. She walked to the side of the pool and watched as Baylee pushed off the wall and swam to the bottom. Within seconds he came up.

"Hold on, I didn't get enough air!" He then sucked in a big gulp of air then went back down. Brooke's smile faded as the water began to get choppy and turn a dark blue green. Her heart began to beat heavy and she then felt a hand hit her foot. A hand that had hurt her too much, she gasped taking a step back and her crutch slipped on the water. This caused her to launch forward and into the pool.

"BROOKE!" Nick had yelled and Brian was already in the pool since had had his suit on.

"Relax, I have you," Brian tried to calm Brooke down as she thrashed her arms around. Brian got her to the ledge of the pool and A.J. and Howie pulled her out.

"Are you okay?"A.J . asked as Brooke rolled to her side.

"I'm FINE!" She lashed out and went to stand up off her knee and fell back. Howie went to grab her arm to help and she pulled her arm back.

"Nick," she whispered.

"I'm here Brooke, look at me," Nick was now kneeling down and had a hand behind her head. "Look at me," he repeated and her scared eyes met Nick's. "That's my girl. Are you hurt?" He asked and she shook her head no. "I'm going to get you home, alright?" She closed her eyes and nodded her head and her eyes glanced around her noticing everyone staring at her.
"Hey, look at me. You're okay," Nick kissed her forehead and glanced at up at Brian. Brian knew what Nick was asking and was able to get everyone to walk away.
"Put your arm around my neck and I'll help you stand so you don't put a lot of pressure on your knee." Brooke did as Nick asked and he helped her stand. Once he knew she had her blance on one leg, he reached down to get her crutches. He handed them to her and she placed them under her arms.

"We can go now?" She asked.

"Yeah," Nick placed a hand the small of her back as they made their way to Nick's car. "I'll be back in a minute guys." He said as he passed the table where everyone was.

He got Brooke into the passanger seat and then told her he'd be right back. Nick walked back to the house to where everyone was and started to say his good-byes.

"She didn't slip,"Brian said as he walked Nick back out to the car. "I saw the whole thing and I know you did too." Nick stopped in his tracks and nodded his head.

"She jumped,something scared her." Nick sighed.

"Look, go home and call me tonight or tomorrow. You know we're all here."

"Thanks man," Nick and Brian gave each other a quick hug and Nick got in the car.

He started the ignition and reached over and grabbed Brooke's hand. "Ready to go home?"

"Can we go to my place?" She asked not taking her eyes off of the passenger door window. Nick didn't hesitate to say yes. He wanted to do anything and everything to make things better. But he also knew he didn't want her afraid of his place, a place he bought intentions for her.

Thirty minutes later he pulled into her driveway and turned the car off. When he looked over he noticed the tear streaked cheeks, wet eye lashed and how bright her eyes were from the tears.

"Baby what are the tears for?"

"I feel so dumb," she said shaking her head and putting her face into her hands. Nick unbuckled his seat belt and faced her.

"Stop that, everyone understands. We're just all concerned for you."

"He's in my head," her voice was now in a whisper, her head dropped low and the tears were uncontrollable.