These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

25.

Maddie found Strand floating on a raft and brought him back to the Abigail. Daniel had taken Reed downstairs to out him in a room, crowbar still embedded in his stomach. 

Nick and I were upstairs with Maddie and the guy he had brought back with him. 

I was sitting with my head in my hands as the two adults began arguing about Mexico and it was only a couple of minutes before I snapped. 

"Okay, that's enough!" I yelled, "This is not the time to argue! We need to work out how we are going to get Alicia and Travis back." I looked at Luis, "We are not crossing the border without them." 

Muttering something in his own language, he stormed off out onto the deck. 

"Nick," Maddie muttered, "Don't pull shit like that again." 

"Okay." 

"I mean it. Going out there in the dark!" 

"I said okay!" he repeated, "But Strand said that it couldn't wait." 

"Then Strand should have gone himself." 

I groaned and stood up, "Stop it! Alicia is gone! We need to work out a plan so if you two don't mind, I will be downstairs doing that so if either of you think of something, come find me." 

Nick followed me as I went downstairs, whispering about how attractive I was when I was pissed off, which made me giggle a little bit and I leant into his side but he stopped. 

I turned to see Chris staring into one of the bedrooms and Nick frowned. 

"What's he doing?" I whispered and followed him and as we got to him. we could hear Reed taunting him so Nick reaches over and pulls the door shut.

"Are you okay?" Nick asks and I move my hand to fiddle with my necklace that I momentarily forget has been taken from me. 

"I froze," Chris said quietly, "I froze. I let them on the boat." 

"Hey," Nick soothes, "Would you shoot a pregnant lady? 'cause I certainly wouldn't. You did what anybody else would do." 

I nod in agreement, "This isn't your fault. You couldn't have known. You wanna take a break? I don't think he'll be going anywhere any time soon." 

He shook his head, "Daniel told me to stay here." 

"Okay," I smile, "But come find us if you change your mind. I don't mind taking over for a bit." 

"Got it." 

Nick takes one last look over his shoulder before we turned the corner, continuing to our room. 

"I'm worried about him," he mumbles, "He's different." 

"He lost his mom," I reminded him, "And his dad's gone too. I think it's allowed, don't you?" 

"Nick!" 

We both turned at the sound of Daniel's voice, "Your mother is in contact with Connor and the others." 

The two of us followed him back upstairs, where we joined Maddie in what sounded like some sort of negotiation and Nick took a seat on one of the chairs, pulling me down onto his lap and I wrapped my arm around his neck, my fingers playing with the ends of the hair.

"Fine. One hour," Madison said firmly and put the radio down. 

"What's the plan?" I asked, "What are you doing in an hour?" 

"We're taking Reed back to Connor and I'm bringing Alicia and Travis back." 

"I'll do it," Nick immediately offered but Maddie shot that down quickly so I offered.

"Don't be stupid," Nick muttered, "Tay, it's too dangerous." 

"Oh, too dangerous for me to do but not for you?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at him. 

"They could do anything to you, Tay." he whispered, lips brushing against mine, "They could jump you, outnumber you...anything."

Pressing my forehead against his, I sighed, "Okay. But you can't go either." 

"Tay-" 

"She's right," Maddie said, "You're going to stay and watch from here." 

"But-"

"Nick, no!" his mother said firmly, "I can do it."

My fingers continued to play with his hair as he stared at her. I always felt ridiculously awkward when he and Maddie argued in front of me. Finally however, he backed down and nodded. 

"Fine," he mumbled, "We'll stay here." 

He stared ahead when she turned back to look out the window and I kissed his cheek softly, making him look at me again, "I could go, Tay." 

"I know you could," I whispered, "But I know that I'll certainly feel better that you'll be here safe with me." 

He gave me a smile, "Well how the hell can I argue with that?" His eyes then fell shut and I felt him relax under my touch but he hissed in pain when my hand pulled harshly on his hair, my reaction to a gunshot coming from below deck. 

"Chris is down there." Daniel said quietly and both he and Maddie took off downstairs. 

Nick looked at me, "Reed wouldn't have been able to move with that thing sticking out of him." 

Chewing my bottom lip, I got up, "We should go down and see."

"'kay." he mumbled and followed me down. 

I peeked around the corner of the door to the room which Chris was standing guard outside, feeling Nick's chest against my back. 

Chris was nowhere to be seen, Maddie either but what was clear to us was that Reed was no longer alive. He couldn't be. Not with half of his face blown off. 

"What happened?" Nick asked and Daniel turned to us. 

"Chris said he was gonna turn." 

"Turn?" Ofelia echoed, "That's impossible. You can only turn if you get bit, right?" 

"No." I mumbled, looking at her, "You turn no matter how you die."

"How do you know this?" Nick mumbled and I turned so we were face to face.

"Dave told me at the facility."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I just assumed that everyone knew." I whispered, "Judging by your faces, you didn't." 

"Well we do now." Daniel nodded, "But what are we going to do about getting Travis and your sister back? He," he pointed at the body, "Was supposed to be our bargaining chip." 

I frowned. Now what were we going to do?