Love in a Time of Death

10 - Sin and misery

Hi all!

Ugh, I hate Sunday nights, they always go so much faster than they should, and then suddenly its Monday and you're like 'How did this happen?!' Just to put it out there so I don't have to say this every time I upload; for this chapter and the ten that follow, I'm sorry its late! (I figure my delayed uploading is going to be a regular thing)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy, feedback/comments would be super wonderful and great!

This chapter is dedicated to kayla_danyale as a thanks for making it all the way to chapter nine and still being interested! :) Oh, and this chapter's song is House of the Rising Sun by the Animals

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Nick stared after Jade with amusement, a low chuckle slipping out of his mouth. This shocked him so much he immediately froze, before scowling viciously as he remembered this was the person who was trying to ‘help’ him. Who the hell was this random girl? She seemed to be the most normal of normal girls, pretty but not stunning, nice but no amazing personality, relatively reserved but no big mystery.

But she helped him when he’d received that call. He’d basically been a perfect stranger, and yet she’d waited for him at the hospital. He’d yelled at her and humiliated her not once but four times, and she still showed up to say hello, with the same bright smile that looked like she’d taken some sunlight and shoved it into her face. He’d never seen anything like it. This wasn’t what people were like, and he didn’t trust her behaviour at all. What was her angle? Was he her charity case? A bet? Revenge? Redemption?

“Jade was a bit mean to you daddy, wasn’t she?”

Nick snapped his head around to Emily, he’d forgotten where he was for a moment.

“Yes she was,” He huffed, then narrowed his eyes. Emily didn’t look remotely upset or angry. In fact, she had a huge smile on her round little face. Nick shook his head, not knowing whether to be pissed off or amused.

“Why are you so happy about that? Who’s side are you on missy? And you weren’t supposed to be listening anyway.” He gave her a pointed glare.

Emily just grinned, “So can I go? Pretty please!!”

Nick ground his teeth together, knowing that what he was about to say would come back and bite him on the ass in the end.

“Fine, you can go” he muttered.

Emily let out a hoarse squeal and beckoned him towards her eagerly. He shook his head with a smile and walked over to her bed. “What is it chicken? And what did I tell you about your voice?”

She ignored him, “More more!”

He bent down towards her, wondering what she was up to.

Emily took a deep breath and lifted her arms around him, squeezing gently. “You’re the best daddy ever” she whispered.

Nick’s breath caught in his throat. He lifted his arms to grab hers and lay them gently by her sides. Even that small movement would exhaust his tiny, fragile daughter, and he wouldn’t allow her to waste her energy on him. He leaned forward and smoothed the hair off her face before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, feeling as if a giant iron fist was squeezing the life out of his heart.

He cleared his throat roughly and tried to put on a teasing voice. “You’re only saying that because you got your way.”

She grinned cheekily, not even trying to deny it, and he felt his own lips lift in response.

“I’m just going to give Aunty Liz a call and she’ll take you, ok?”

“Aren’t you taking me?”