Letting Go 🤎

Ten

Nick noticed Isabelle avoiding him over the following week until one morning she didn't show up to the lounge like she always did. He went up to the bartender, Harry, "have you heard from Isabelle?"

He shook his head as the phone rang, turning away from Nick to answer. Nick started to walk away until Harry held the phone out for him, "it's for you."

Nick took the phone, holding it up to his ear, "hello?"

'Nick! I'm glad you're there. This is Stephen, Isabelle's brother. Sorry, I don't have your number. She's here at the house and I need you to come, please. Beth died last night.'

Nick groaned, "I'll be right there." He handed the phone back, looking at Charlie, "Beth died, I have to go." He saw the band nod before he rushed out of the lounge. He walked to Stephen's house, knocking on the door to Stephen standing in front of him, his eyes read and swollen. "I'm really sorry about Beth." He saw Eddie just sitting on the couch. "What's the matter besides the obvious?"

Stephen groaned, taking Nick's coat. "Isabelle hasn't stopped and won't talk to anyone. She's cleaning, like everything! She's currently in the kitchen cleaning out all the cupboards. She won't stop and she won't talk to me."

Nick sighed, going into the kitchen to find Isabelle up on a counter, pulling stuff out of the cupboard like Stephen said. "Izzie."

She turned to see Nick standing in the doorway as she jumped off the counter onto the floor. "What?"

He watched her go back to what she was doing, "stop Izzie."

"I can't stop. If I stop then I have to think, if I have to think I have to feel. And I don't want to."

He sighed, watching her for another minute. "Isabelle!" He saw her jump at him yelling her name, turning to face him again as he approached her. He grabbed the container from her hand, setting it on the counter. "Stop!" He heard her huff as he placed his hands on her cheeks, "look at me!" He brought her face up to his as he saw her eyes welling with tears. "I'm sorry about Beth, sweetheart."

"You've never raised your voice at me before." Her voice was quiet, crackling as she tried not to start crying.

Nick chuckled, "I'm sorry if I scared you. I needed you to hear me. Like I need you to hear me now. It's time to stop sweetheart. It's time to feel. It's time to cry. Stop running from how you feel. And stop running from me." He only saw her nod as she wrapped her arms around his torso, sobbing into his chest as he held her. He looked up to see Stephen enter, sighing. When she finally stopped, he pulled away a bit to look at her, bring his thumbs to her cheeks.

"I'm a mess..."

Nick laughed, "you're always beautiful Iz." He heard her groan as he grabbed her hand, leading her into the living room as she hugged Stephen. "Is there something that I can do?"

Stephen shook his head, "just take care of my sister for me? Take her home. Please."

"I don't want to go home Steve. I want to stay here with you and Eddie."

"No." Stephen sighed, "you need to go home and get some sleep. Please Izzie. Let Nick take care of you."

Nick helped her with her coat and shoes before she could protest. He saw a notebook on the side table next to the door. He wrote his number on it, handing it to Stephen. "My number, for the future."

Stephen nodded, "thank you."

Nick walked hand in hand with Isabelle the few blocks back to her house as he followed her inside, helping her with her shoes and coat. "You need to sleep."

She shook her head, "I want to take a bath."

Nick chuckled softly, "okay then." He went into her bathroom, drawing the water to the perfect temperature before helping her get undressed. He held her hand as he helped her into the tub.

Isabelle pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs as she started to cry again.

Nick sighed, pulling her hair up off her shoulders and neck. He knelt on the side of the tub as he grabbed her loofa, rubbing it along her back, "Izzie, lay back. Relax."

"I can't relax!"

Nick sighed, removing his button up shirt down to his t-shirt. He grabbed her shoulder, making her lean back on the tub. He ran his hand up and down her arms, then her legs as she watched him, her breathing slowing. He ran his hand up her inner thigh as he locked eyes with her.

"What are you doing?"

Nick smirked, "helping you relax, distracting you for a bit." He ran his middle finger along her slit as she whimpered, grabbing onto the edges of the tub with her hands. He leaned into to kiss her as he inserted his middle fingers inside her, thrusting slowly. She moaned as he began to rub her clit with his thumb, his lips not leaving hers.

Ellen brought her hand up to his hair as she moaned into his mouth. She groaned, resting her head back on the edge of the tub, "Nick.."

He grinned, "cum for me sweetheart." He watched the pleasure wash over her face, her knuckles white from gripping onto the tub as she trembled against his hand, clenching around his fingers. He kissed her until it subsided and he heard her sigh. He chuckled, seeing a small smile. "Come on, let's get you into bed." He saw her nod as he helped her up and out of the tub, helping her to dry off. He watched her grab the button up shirt he took off, slipping it on as she grinned. He laughed, following her to her bed. He took off his jeans, crawling into bed next to her as he pulled her to his chest.

"Thank you Nick." She looked up at him with her head on his chest, "I love you."

He smiled, looking down at her, "I love you too. Try and get some sleep for now."