Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2 One-Shots

Nick ~ All That's Left

^Sad music, if you want

You watched your back as carefully as if you knew a couple hunters, smokers, chargers, and jockeys were around. Since Ellis died you'd become the defense machine, watching everyone's back with your life. But apparently your life wasn't enough, as Rochelle and Coach both followed Ellis off that cliff.

Coach had fallen dead outside of the safe room, a little ways back, but you all were too busy to notice his absence. When you did, you rushed outside to bring him back. Fortunately for you, you had a defibrillator, and you considered that a stroke of luck. You thanked your future thinking and extreme paranoia that you had grabbed the only one your group had seen.

You didn't notice Rochelle follow you out of the safe room, so when a jockey jumped on her back, covered her eyes and mouth, then led her away from you, you had no clue it was happening. You rubbed the two pads together to charge them up then set them on Coach's chest.

"Clear!" You distributed the shock and his body squirmed off the ground, but otherwise no reaction. You charged them again and placed them on him once more. "Clear!" But still no reaction. You tried again and again to get him to awaken but nothing. He was dead. "No, no you can't be-"

A feminine scream.

You twisted around so fast your back cracked and you grimaced. Rochelle was face down on the ground with her head smashed in. Your eyes widened as you saw the jockey standing next to her body look over at you. You stumbled backwards, trying to get your feet under you stable enough so you could run away. What did that jockey do? your mind screamed, but you couldn't possibly come up with an answer.

You flew through the safe room doorway and Nick slammed it shut as the jockey tried to leap in after you. Your breathing became rapid as the events of what just happened caught up to your brain. You started shaking and mumbling incoherently as Nick looked down at you, unamused.

"Where's Coach, Rochelle?" He raised an eyebrow, expecting a casual answer or something slightly shaky, as you seemed shaken up.

"Dead," you managed. His eyes widened nearly as much as yours had when you saw Rochelle and opened his mouth.

"WHAT?!"

"I couldn't do anything, I'm sorry..." you kept talking as he looked out the little glassless window in the safe room door.

"I didn't think they'd die that fast," Nick grumbled.

"You thought they were going to die?" You gaped, looking up at him.

"Well yeah," he rolled his eyes. "We all are, I doubt any of us are making it out alive." The shaking grew worse and he noticed but did nothing to soothe you. "Come on, let's get moving."

"We can't just leave!"

"Watch us." You weren't sure what to say so you just followed, knowing you'd need him. Whether he was cold or not, you were not going alone. You covered Nick's back as he walked with an air of confidence he always had, almost as if your friends' deaths didn't effect him.

But you did observe his sudden silence, like he had shut down. Now and then you pointed out special infected and he sniped them with the sniper he obtained, but that was the only form of communication the two of you shared.
And that's how it was for the rest of the day.

When night fell you both had no choice but to find some shelter and bunk there for the night. Nick took care of barricading the door while you took a look around to find anything useful. You found nothing but an opened window, which you closed, before going to the bedroom. Nick had splayed out on the bed already, covering the entire surface area.

"Did you find any blankets in here?" This was the one room you hadn't checked out, as you thought you'd do that when you came back. He shook his head and you let out an "Oh". A quick survey of the room later, you found a thin blanket you could use and placed that on the ground beside the bed, then curled up on it.

Nick was awoken that night by the sound of stifled sobs coming from somewhere else in the room, and as he let out a sigh, he turned to look over at you. You were curled up tightly, fat tears slipping out of your eyes and falling down your face. The conman considered going back to sleep but couldn't bring himself to do it. He had a heart, contrary to popular belief, and right now it felt a little bit bad for you (only a little bit!).

"Stop crying," Nick said. You didn't hear him, too absorbed in your own world of sadness to take notice of what lay outside it. "Please, (Y/N), stop." You didn't. "I said please, what more do you want?" He let out an angry huff. You finally became aware of his attempts to gain your attention and you faced him, big wet eyes staring at him. He appeared taken aback by your state, not really thinking of you as an overly cry-y person.

"What?" You mumbled.

"Do you wanna...Do you wanna sleep on the bed? I can take the floor." What was he saying?! Giving up his bed for you? Something was obviously wrong with him. You gingerly got up and walked over to the bed, setting your hand on its comfy, somewhat scratchy surface. You said nothing as you plopped down next to him, getting as comfortable as you could on top of the sheets. Nick tried to withhold sighing and made to get up, but you stopped him.

"Stay, I need you," you murmured. He'd never had anyone tell him that. With a surge of importance, he laid back down and pulled you towards him, wrapping you up in a strong hug.

"Then I'll be there." And from there on out, whenever the reminder of your teammates came, Nick was there to help calm you down, for he realized that you had emotions and feelings and couldn't handle death as easily as he could. (Cause when you're an ex-conman, you know how to handle death.)