These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

07.

A while later, after everyone had calmed down from the night's events, people began turning in for the night.

Travis had come back with not only Liza and Chris but another family; the Salazar's. Daniel, Griselda and their daughter Ofelia. They had taken Travis and the others into their shop when they got caught in the riots in the city.

I was on the living room floor, Griselda having taken Alicia's room, staring up at the ceiling while she tapped away on her phone. I don't know why though, signal was down and has been all night.

"You can go, you know?" she said, finally putting the device down.

"What?"

"Go. To Nick's room," she smiled, "I can tell that you won't sleep down there on your own."

I kept quiet since she was right. The whole thing with their neighbour had completely freaked me out.

"Go." Alicia repeated but I shook my head.

"You're mom..."

"She doesn't have to know."

Rolling my eyes, I got comfortable on my camping mattress before finally attempting to sleep, giving up again after not two minutes and decided to go through to his room. As I got up, I noticed the smug smile on his sister's lips.

"Do not say a word."

She winked at me as I passed by and I began making my way towards Nick's room. The door was shut so I chapped quietly, hoping that he was still awake and hearing a quiet 'come in', made me sigh in relief.

"Was wondering how long it'd take for you to get here," he said quietly, "For a second I thought I was going to have to come get you."

I stayed silent and just stared at him.

He yawned and sat up, "You're not gonna sleep standing there. Come on, climb in."

I tiptoed across the room and crawled in beside him, resting my head so close to his that we were basically sharing the one pillow.

We lay in silence for a few minutes before he spoke, his warm, minty breath brushing across my forehead as he did, "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"What wasn't?"

"The end of the world. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"You don't know that this is the end of the world," I whispered, taking his hand in mine.

"It is," he shook his head and let out the faintest of laughs, "I had a plan, y'know. I was gonna go away and get clean, this time for good and then I was gonna come back and woo you."

"Woo me?" I giggled as the hand I was holding started trailing up my arm.

He hummed, "Then we were gonna get married and we'd stay with one of our moms till we could afford a crappy little place in the city. Just like we always said we would."

I smiled to myself, nuzzling my head under his, "You...you wouldn't have to woo me. I think it's safe to say that I've always, in some little way, been yours."

Due to the darkness, I didn't notice him edge closer to me until I felt his soft lips against mine.

He was hesitant at first but that soon disappeared when I kissed back.

When I pulled away, his hand moved to trace my jawline, "I missed this. I missed you."

I got comfortable on the pillow, "Well, I think that you're going to be stuck with me for the time being."

"I don't think that's such a bad thing." he murmured, giving my forehead another soft kiss and I turned to face the other way but made sure to keep his arm around me.

"Goodnight Nick."

**

The following morning, I woke before Nick and stumbled my way down the short hallway towards the kitchen, my throat in dire need of some water.

As I passed by the sliding door, I noticed two things; one, was that the walls and carpet were covered in blood. Two, was that Maddie and my mom were standing in the backyard, the blonde holding a hammer.

"Mom?"

She turned at the sound of my voice, a sad smile on her face as I approached.

Behind her, I could hear growling coming from the other side of the fence and I looked around her body, seeing that Susan Tran was sick.

"Oh my god...is she?"

"Come on, Hon," mom whispered, wrapping her arm around me, "Let's go inside. You don't need to see this."

As we made our way back inside, we passed Travis, who spotted his girlfriend and timidly made his way outside.

I looked over my shoulder to watch them and saw him take the hammer from her.

"Maddie asked if you could get Nick and Alicia up and ready to go. We're heading east as soon as we're ready."

"Sure." I nodded, deciding to get Alicia up first since I knew that she wouldn't give me any shit.

I was right. She got up without too much fuss. Her brother on the other hand...

He was laying on his stomach when I returned, face pushed into the pillow with loud snores leaving his mouth.

"Attractive," I muttered, crossing the room to give him a gentle shake, "Nick, you have to get up."

He groaned loudly into the pillow, "Why?"

"We're leaving in a bit and you need to get ready."

"I am ready," he grinned lazily, throwing back his blankets to reveal the outfit he was wearing yesterday.

"No," I said immediately, "You have to have some other clothes to wear. These ones...no."

"Jesus, Tay. It's like seven in the morning and you're already nagging me," he grumbled, "Anything else?"

I looked him over one last time, "Well, since you asked, you could run a hairbrush through your hair."

His smile dropped as he narrowed his eyes at me, "Rude."

"You did ask," I shrugged, "Now get ready."

**

Soon, we were all packed up and ready to go, we were just waiting for Alicia.

Nick and Maddie were already in their car, the two of them looking to be in an intense conversation.

It was probably about the drugs. I knew that Maddie had a small supply that would help Nick wean off the stuff. How many, I didn't know.

"Taylor," my mom calls and I nod, smiling at Nick as I pass his car to get into my mom's smaller one, wincing as Travis on the horn and yells for Alicia to hurry up.

We follow behind Maddie's car, her following Travis and almost as soon as we set off, the low whirring of helicopters are heard and looking out the window, I watch three of them fly over us.

Maybe the military are doing something about it.