Alice's pov
"Nick what are you doing here?"
"I told you I was going to take some of the punishment for you."
"Nick please don't do this."
"Alice you know I don't like you getting hurt."
"Nick you have to go back I can't let you help me with this."
"Alice I'm not leaving you."
"Nick please let me do this you will get hurt and-."
"It's OK we'll do this together."
I tried to get him to leave before they got here but he wouldn't leave. Pretty soon they walked in and strapped us into the chairs then they started. I tried to get them to leave Nick alone, and to let me take the punishment, but they said that since he was here he would have to take some of the punishment. First they used the whip on us , then they hit us both, then they did something new. They unstrapped us then strung us up off the ground by our wrists, and branded us. I was watching Nick the whole time. They branded him on his side, I saw him wince but just for a moment. When they did me, they did my sides first then they did my back. I let out a small whimper but that was all it took for Nick to kick one of the men in the stomach. The other man ran over there and punched Nick in the cheek. The man walked back over to me and let me go. I collapsed onto the floor. As soon as the man let Nick down he ran over to me even though I could tell it hurt him. He picked me up and carried me to the elevator. I could feel his muscles through his shirt when he set me down. When the doors opened, and Cody and Bruce saw me laying on the floor, they raced over to me and helped me up. I tried to tell them to leave me, that I was fine and to go help Nick. He was standing behind me holding his side where they branded him. They wouldn't let go of me until I got to the door way of my room.
"Hey guys I've got her, I need to talk to her. Alone."
"OK. Fine but we are in the common room if you need us."
When the door closed, Nick walked me over to my bed and set me down gently, and in the same swift movement he stood back up and grabbed his side.
"Nick why did you do that?"
"I can't stand that you are always getting hurt and I wanted to do something about it. Cody and Bruce weren't."
"Because I told them to. I want you guys safe from them."
"You try to protect everyone, but who's protecting you!"
"Nick let me see how bad your hurt."
"I'm fine-"
"Nick...Please?"
"Fine."
When he raised his shirt it hurt me it was a lot worse than I thought. The marks and blood on his back from the whip, the bruises from where they hit him, and then I saw the brand on his side. It looked awful it was red and had blood all around it. I stood up and gently put my hand on his cheek where they hit him because he kicked them for me. It has started to swell and bruise. I started crying.
"Nick I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."
He closed his eyes and leaned down and kissed me on the lips. Gently at first then a little harder, his lips were soft, and he smelled like cinnamon.
"I love you Alice it's not your fault. Now let me see how bad your hurt."
"Nick I'm fine."
"No your not you got it worse than me."
"Nick I'm OK."
"Alice I care about you, please just let me see."
"Fine."
When I raised my shirt and he saw how bad I was hurt he let out a small gasp. Whatever he had gotten, I had gotten worse. He walked to the bathroom, and grabbed a wash rag, and got it wet. He turned off the water and walked back into my room. He sat down on my bed and patted the spot next to him. I walked over to my bed and sat down next to Nick. He gently started cleaning off the blood off.
"Alice why do you do this for us, you go up there and get beaten just for us?"
"Because I didn't want you to get hurt when I knew I could keep it from happening."
"Alice this is bad, have you been hiding how bad this is."
"Yes, because I knew if you guys found out you would want to take punishment, and I already told you I don't want you guys to get hurt."
"Alice this is bad you should have told me."
Right then he finished cleaning the blood off of my side so I started doing the same to him, and I told him about how it was the worst is has ever been when Thomas and Samantha escaped, or when Sarah and Ariel tried to kill them, and when Johnny and Sally tried to escape. His face started to get harder and more angry with everything I was telling him.
"Nick please don't take punishment."
"Alice now that I know how bad this is, I will not let you take punishment for all of us."
"Nick please."
"Alice you need to rest."
"But Nick-"
"Alice please."
"Fine, but will you stay with me?"
"I will never leave you."
I got up and went to the bathroom and got some bandages and walked back into my room. I walked over and sat down on my bed next to Nick.
"Raise up your shirt I'm going to put some bandages on."
He lifted his shirt and I put the bandages around his torso. When I finished I stood up to go in the bathroom so I could see to put the bandages on. Nick walked in and stood behind me and took the bandages out of my hands and started wrapping them around my waist. He turned me around and kissed me gently on the forehead. Then he leaned down close to my ear, and started whispering into it.
"Alice, I am not going to let them hurt you, not ever again."
I told him that I needed to get changed an I would be out in a little bit. After Nick walked out I closed the door and grabbed a black tank-top and shorts, then I brushed my hair into a quick braid, and brushed my teeth. When I walked back into my room Nick had taken off his shoes, and was leaning up aginst the wall. I walked over to my bed and layed down, Nick walked over and layed down next to me. He put one arm behind his head and the other behind mine. I layed my head on his chest, and my hand across his stomach. I could feel his breathing start to slow down, so I looked up at his face. He didn't look angry or scared or in pain, he looked peaceful and his features were relaxed. I layed my head back on his chest and drifted off.
