These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

54.

 Things were tense.

First, the Trimbols turned up dead (Nick suspected that Troy was behind it), shot and left to turn and now, both Alicia and Jake were gone. 

"Did you check Jake's place?" I asked, taking a forkful of eggs from Nick's plate, a muffled what leaving my lips when he glared at me. 

"You gotta stop doing that," he said quietly, "It's the one thing that you do that annoys me. You always say you're not hungry and then you eat all of mine." 

"Woah," I muttered, holding up my hands, "Jeez, I'm sorry." 

"Guys!" Maddie snapped, clapping her hands, "Nick, will you please go to Jake's?" 

Nick shook his head and looked at me, "No. Leave her be, mom. Taylor, are you seriously not gonna talk to me now?" 

I childishly ignored him, pretending to listen to Maddie's worries and for the first time, I was relieved when Jeremiah arrived at the side of the table. 

"Have you seen your daughter?" he asked and Maddie shook her head. 

"No." 

"Jake's AWOL with some gear and he's not in his quarters. I know him and your daughter are...courting." 

I snorted while trying to hide my smile with my hand. 

"Where should we start looking?" Nick asked. 

"Nowhere. We can't spare another search party or send any of these good folks here with all that's going on out there." 

While Nick was focused on their conversation, I snuck some more of his eggs. That was until he volunteering to go out looking for them himself. 

Jeremiah laughed, "You won't make it a mile out there." 

"So what?" Nick asked, "I'm supposed to just sit here with my thumb up my ass, like you?" 

"You feel strong, son? Wanna arm up? Man up? Troy's taking on new recruits. He'll set it up so we're not sending the sheep to the slaughter." 

Nick pushed his tray over to me and stood, "You know what? I'm in." 

"Nick," both Maddie and I said but he ignored us and walked off and she looked at me, worry clearly on her features and I sighed, getting up to follow him. 

"I'll talk to him." 

**

I didn't get that chance until later on that day. Nick had been busy training with the Militia and I decided to help harvest from the gardens and it was when I was returning home, seeing him come out the building with a stool, small table and a mirror.

I wordlessly sat down on the step, chin resting on my hand as I watched him, "What are you doing?" 

He wordlessly held up his knife before he started cutting his hair. 

"So you're in then?" 

"If I wanna be," he nodded, "And I'd rather be with them if we're gonna be attacked."

"That's the key word though, isn't it?" I asked, "If?" 

"You heard my mom," he sighed, "It's gonna happen sooner or later." 

"Okay," I stood up and moved to stand in front of him, "Say we do get attacked, then what? Are you gonna go back-to-back with Troy?"

"Keep your enemies close, right?" 

"Is that what this is?" I whispered, "Ni-" 

"How do I look?" he asked, cutting me off and I sighed, taking the knife from him, "It's a little uneven at the back." 

He sat silently as I gently cut away the bits that were still a little bit longer and when I was almost done, he reached back and took my hand, resting both of our hands on his shoulder. 

"I'll be okay, babe," he whispered, his lips pressing against my hand and I closed my eyes, leaning to down to kiss the back of his head. 

"You could get hurt." 

"I won't." 

"You don't know that!" I said loudly and he stood up, hands cupping my face so he could make sure I was looking at him. 

"Listen to me. Nothing is going to happen. I'm not gonna get hurt and I'm going to protect us. Protect you." 

"Nick!" we both looked over at the sound of Maddie's voice, "Jake and Alicia are back!" 

Obviously, we followed them down to see the two of them but when we got there, it was clear that Jake was back but instead of seeing Alicia like we thought we would, it was only Ofelia.

"Okay," I began, "What the hell is going on?" 

"Alicia followed me to Black Hat." 

"Well, what happened to her?" Nick asked, "Where is she?" 

"She's safe," Jake explained, "She's safe. I made a deal with Walker." 

"You left her?" Maddie practically growled. 

"It's part of the custom," Ofelia said, speaking for the first time since she arrived, "Alicia's their hostage. I'm the hostage on this side." 

"What kind of barbaric bullshit is that?" Maddie demanded, "What custom? Alicia offered to stay to avoid more bloodshed." 

"Alright, listen," Jake sighed, "The sooner I talk to my father, the sooner we get her back." "And if not? How much time is sooner? Walker is a killer. And you," Maddie looked at Ofelia, "How long have you been at that place?"

"Long enough to know that Walker's word is good," she replied. 

"Yeah?" 

"Yes." 

"He said he wanted us off the ranch. Said he'd kill us if we stayed. Has that changed?" 

Ofelia shrugged, "Only Jake would know that." 

I chanced a look at Nick, seeing him watching Ofelia with beady eyes and I wordlessly followed him when everyone retreated back inside. 

It was clear that Maddie wasn't going to rest until she had her daughter back on ranch soil.