The Fall of Hope

Chapter 15

            “You blew us off,” fourteen year old Alex said as she walked into Nick’s room and tossed her slightly bloody gun onto the desk.

            Nick looked over at Alex and shrugged before looking up at the ceiling again, “So?”

            Alex raised an eyebrow, “So? So Zackary nearly got killed.”

            “How?” Nick asked without looking up.

            “Monsters at the south end,” Alex said as Chase walked into the room. “They attacked while we were waiting for you. I had to stop the bleeding and fight them off. Thankfully, Day and Tommy were on patrol. They saved our lives. Where were you?”

            “I was busy,” Nick said.

            “Of course you were busy,” Alex said, rolling her eyes. “You are unbelievable. Someone almost got killed.”

            “You had it under control,” Nick said.

Chase shook his head and grabbed Alex’s arm, “We need to go see Cora,” he said. “You’re bleeding and we should check on Zack.”

            Nick looked up at Chase and Alex, “You’re bleeding?”

            Alex shrugged, “I landed on glass,” she said. “Compared to Zack’s injuries, it’s not a big deal.”

            Chase glared, “Zack has a concussion and two stitches. You’re going to need at least seven stitches in two places,” he said, grabbing Alex’s shoulder and pulling at her shirt.

            Alex hissed, “I’m fine,” she said.

            Nick stood and grabbed Alex’s arm to look at the back of her shirt, “Crap, Alley-cat,” he said lightly running his finger down a piece of glass that was sticking out of Alex’s back. “That’s a big deal. Why haven’t you gone to Cora yet?”

            Chase chuckled as Alex slammed her elbow into Nick’s stomach, “We tried getting her to a medic, but she insisted on seeing you first,” he said after Alex walked out of the room. “She thought you were hurt.”

* * *

                        Alex was perched on the hood of the car. She couldn't believe how stupid she had been. She lost Caleb. The one person she was supposed to protect, the one person she was supposed to watch out for and she lost him.

            Alex closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands. Her gun sat beside her, forgotten in her anguish.

            “Alley-cat?” Nick said quietly as he sat down next to her. “Are you alright?”

            Alex gave Nick a half shrug, “I don't know.”

            Nick wrapped an arm around Alex, “We'll get him back.”

            Alex turned and looked and Nick, “And how do you know that?”

            “Because we'll get him back,” Nick said, kissing the top of Alex's head. “We should help Blake and Chase finish packing.”

            Alex wiped her eyes so that none of her tears would escape and pushed herself off the car, “Yeah,” she said emotionlessly. “We should.”

            Nick frowned, “Don't do that.”

            “Don't do what?” Alex asked.

            “Lose all emotions. Lock us out,” Nick said as he got off the car.

            “I don't know what you're talking about,” Alex said.

            Nick glared at Alex, “Yes you do,” he said. “You do it all the time. You shut us out and stop feeling because you think it will keep you from hurting. We both know you need us and we want to help you, but we can't if you block us out.”

            Alex stared at Nick for a second, “What makes you think I want help?” she hissed. “What gave you that idea?”

            “I don't know what gave me that idea,” Nick said. He closed off his emotions and wiped all his emotions from his face, “I really don't know.”

            Alex turned her back to Nick and started to walk over to Blake. Nick ran his hand through his hair and grabbed Alex's hand, “Alex…”

            Alex ignored him, pulled her hand from his and walked over to Blake. Nick ran both his through his hands through his hair and groaned before leaning against the car.

            Chase walked over to Nick and patted him once on his back, “Don't worry,” he said. “She's just blowing off steam. She needs a friend.”

            Nick sighed, “I am her friend.”

            Chase chuckled, “No. You're her boy. You're her Nick.”