Remember Me This Way

Chapter Nineteen

"No...no. Oh I am not doing this."

"You already promised, we're already here!"

"And I was having a slight moment of temporary insanity..."

"You already said you'd do it man."

"Like you'll remember if I back out." A grin followed, albeit a nervous one.

Nick shot him a look as he laughed. "Not fair!"

Brian sighed as he looked around. "I have to do this, don't I?"

"Yes...yes you do."

"We can still back out."

"Oh no, we're here...we...we gotta do it now."

They were on a bridge together, one far higher from than ground than either of them were comfortable with. The river below flowed in a steady stream, beckoned to them, called to their shared fear of heights as the sun shone brilliantly overhead. Each of them were strapped securely to bungee cords and fretfully questioning their decision to do this.

It had been Nick's idea, of course.

If Nick was honest with himself, he had bet that Brian would've bailed long before they'd ever arrived. In fact he'd almost counted on it. This had been an idea borne upon a depressive night, one where he had felt reckless as a result of everything. If Brian had backed out, instead of agreeing, then he could've done so also. Of course if asked, he'd lie, say he did, and kept face with the others, who all thought they had lost their minds. Instead, Brian didn't say anything till now, when it was too late.

"Are you two ready?" Marianne, their trained operator, yelled. She was very likely fed up with their forty-five minutes of dawdling.

"Why are we doing this again? Really Nick...tell me why...."

"Tell me whyyyyyyyy..." He sang back, laughing to hide the fact his heart was beating faster and harder than a tribal drum. "You said yes because you love me. Cause you're Frick, I'm Frack, and we do crazy ass shit together."

"Yeah, crazy, this is downright suicidal!"

"But you promised cause you looooooove me." He teased. Keeping it light was keeping him from freaking out.

"Right."

Nick watched his best friend, the person he was really doing this for. He'd be the one who would remember. He'd be the one who'd think back on this and laugh, or cry, or smile. Brian was the one who needed to face this fear just as much as Nick did, maybe then, what was to come would seem like nothing. Or, at least less frightening. That had been his original mission statement when he'd first been diagnosed. Even though he'd deviated completely from what he planned to do then, he still wanted to leave behind a trail of unforgettable memories for them to think of when they visited what was left in the not so far off future. After everything they'd all done for him, especially Brian, he felt they warranted at least that.

I never deserved anyone like Brian. I'm lucky to have him.

"Are you guys gonna do this finally?" Baylee called from beside Marianne. He was on spring break, so he came to spend the week with them while they were in Australia. Leighanne had stayed behind this time, to work on her Wylee orders. That was what she and Brian claimed. Nick had a hunch Brian had asked her to.

He still hadn't managed to find a way to tell Baylee, or explain, or really even try approaching the subject. Kevin had done him a huge favor by telling Mason and Kristin himself. Lily and Lenni were too young to understand, and for that, Nick was thankful. The same was still true for James, though Howie had mentioned he'd tell him when Nick was further along something about it so he'd understand. Brian had told Leighanne; but he had said Baylee, Nick's adopted son in almost every sense of the word, deserved Nick telling him himself. While it was true, Nick still felt the urge to dye Brian's hair pink as revenge.