i need u

•8•

There are screams coming right next to me. I sit up quickly in bed and I look around. I see Nick laying right next to me, still sleeping, but screaming and crying.

"Nick!" I start shaking him, "Nick! Nick! Wake up! Baby!" He wakes up quickly and looks up at me with tears running down his face. "Baby, what happened?"

I wrap him in a huge hug and he holds onto me so tightly, like his life depends on it. "Another nightmare."

"What happened, bub?"

"He came back and and h-he took Callie."

"Shhh," I say. "Breathe, breathe." I run my fingers through his hair to try and get him to calm down.

"And t-then he he t-tried t-to t-take you," he cries. "And he said s-so m-many inappropriate t-things t-to you."

"Baby, breathe." I pull away from him and I start to rub up and down on his arms.

"W-we t-tried to to g-get h-her b-back, but I got shot and died. And I c-could hear you. I saw everything you w-were thinking w-when I d-died in your arms. You w-were s-so b-broken."

"I'm sorry, baby," I say. "It's not real though. I'm here and so are you. So is Callie."

"B-but it it f-felt so so real and it c-could happen. H-he could c-come back."

"He won't, baby," I wrap my arms around him again and I kiss the top of his head multiple times. "He doesn't know where you are."

"He m-might f-figure i-it out."

"Nick, you need to breathe," I say. "Calm down, baby."

"I-I'm going t-to check on Callie," he says.

"No," I say. "I'll go check on her. Stay here and go back to sleep. I'll be right back." I kiss his forehead and I get out of bed.

I walk out of his room and I walk down the hall to check on Callie. I open her door lightly to see her sound asleep in her bed. She is perfectly fine.

I close her door and I turn around to be faced by Zion. I jump back and I gasp. "Shit, you scared me."

"Sorry," he chuckles.

"What are you doing up?" I ask.

"I heard screaming," he says. "I figured it was Nick again."

"Yes, it was him," I say. "He has me another nightmare and started flipping out. He couldn't even breathe."

"What was it about?"

I sigh, "His dad came back and took Callie. He tried to take me too. Then we all went to get Callie back and his dad shot Nick and he apparently died in my arms."

"Damn," he says.

"Yea," I say. "He wanted me to come check on Callie. He's freaking out."

"I bet," he says. "That shit isn't easy. I've been through it all before."

"You have?"

"Yes, my dad used to abuse my brother and I like crazy. He wouldn't touch my sister, but he always would hit Elom and I."

"Was your mom ever around?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "She left us right after Elom was born. I blame her all the time for us getting abused. She could have taken us with her, but she was selfish and left us."

"That's awful. I'm sorry, Z."

"It's whatever," he says. "I got over it and so did my siblings. None of us talk to our dad anymore and I have no idea where my mom even is."

"You should tell Nick that," I say. "I feel like it might give him some hope that everything will be okay in the end."

He smiles lightly, "I'll definitely talk to him about it. Anything I can do to help."

"Thank you," I say.

"Of course," he says. "Well I'm going to go back to bed. Goodnight, Alise."

"Goodnight, Z."

He walks back into his room and I stand there for a second. I can't believe he went through the same shit as Nick and Callie. I really do think if he talks to Nick it could help.

I walk back to Nick's room. I close the door behind me and I look at the bed to see him completely asleep. I'm glad he was able to fall back asleep.

I crawl back into bed and I lay right next to him. I put my head on his chest and I wrap my arms tightly around him. I start to draw circles with my fingers on his bare chest.

Seeing him like this pains me so much. I would never wish this shit on my worst enemy. He's so broken and it hurts me to see him this way.

I just wish he could be happy, but he's not.

***

"Alise! Alise!" Someone is shaking my body. I open my eyes to see Edwin standing there. I look over and see that Nick is gone.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"4:48," he says.

"Then why the hell are you waking me and where is Nick at?"

"That's why we are waking you," he says. "Nick is in the garage."

"Why?"

"Just come and look yourself," he says.

I get out of bed and I follow him out the door. We go to the garage and I see the boys all standing around.

There is loud bangs coming from underneath the car, "What's happening?"

"Ask Nick," Brandon says.

I walk around the other side of the car to see Nick literally taking apart his car. There is pieces of the car and tools everywhere.

"Nick," I say. "What are you doing?"

"I have to find it," he says.

"Find what?"

"The tracker," he says.

"What tracker?" I ask. "What are you talking about?"

"There is a tracker in the car," he says. "It's in here somewhere. He will be able to find us."

"Nichols, there is not a tracker in your car. That was just in your dream."

"It could be real," he says. "What if that was a sign. What if my dream was a sign that there is a tracker and he will find me?"

I bend down next to him, "Nothing is in your car. He's not tracking you and he has no clue where you are. Please just come back to bed with me."

"Not until I find it."

I sigh, "The boys will look for you. You need to get some rest. You haven't slept at all."

"I'm fine," he says.

I get closer to him and I try to take the tools out of his hands. "You are coming back to bed with me."

"No," he says.

"Nicholas, please. Just let the boys look for it. They will find it and you can sleep."

He looks around at everyone.

"We got it," Austin says.

"Yea," Zion says. "Go to bed."

Nick looks back at me and I smile lightly at him. He loosens his grip on the tools allowing me to take them. I put them down on the cement and I help him stand up.

I grab his arm and we start to walk back into the house together. We get to his room and he lays down.

"Nick, I love you."

"I love you," he says. I lay down next to him and I close my eyes as he wraps his arms around me. "I'm sorry for being a pain."

"You aren't being a pain," I say. "I love helping your pain in the ass self."

"I thought you said I wasn't being a pain."

I chuckle, "Maybe I lied."