Not The Same | Nick Clark | FTWD

Part 2

"Han?" A familiar voice said, sending chills up my spine and filling my stomach with butterflies like it always used to do, "Hannah, did- did my mom call you? 'Cause I told her not to, I- I told her not to do this to you again." He mumbled as he tried pushing himself up in the hospital bed he was restrained to.

"Nick.." I breathed shakily, my eyes scanning over his bruises and scrapes as I slowly walked closer to him, "What did you do?"

"I told her-- I told her not to, Han, I swear-"

"She didn't.. Alicia did." I cut him off, "I wasn't going to come but she said they had you in the trauma unit and I just-"

"Hey, it's okay-- I'm okay!" He played it off, raising his hands off the bed as high as the restraints would let him.

"What did you do?" I asked again, quietly.

"I don't- I don't know anymore.." he shook his head, "I saw something today and everyone thinks I'm crazy-- they think I ran into traffic-"

"Did you?" I stopped him.

He cocked his head at me, "You know I didn't-- you know me, Han!"

"Not when you're using-"

"Yes, even when I'm using-- you know me!" He grabbed my hand, "You know I wouldn't do that-"

"Then what really happened, Nick?"

He sighed, looking at our hands as he softly rubbed his thumb over mine, "I was in that abandoned church on 5th and I saw something I needed to get away from and then the car it just- it came out of nowhere."

I nodded slowly, missing the feeling of his touch, "What did you see?"

"Uh.." he looked away, fidgeting in his seat, "Do you uh- do you remember Gloria?"

"Mhm," I murmured, my stomach turning at the name, "What did she do?"

He chuckled, "I think I should've listened to you when you told me to stay away from her."

I furrowed my eyebrows at him, "What did she give you?"

"Nothing, nothing." He shook his head, looking down at our hands again, "I uh- I think she killed some people or something she was.. on them and she was eating them or I-" he stopped, looking up at me, "You don't think I'm going crazy.. do you?"

"No." I shook my head, "I never have."

He squeezed my hand, "Good because I don't need another person thinking that, I- I don't need to think that-"

"Then don't." I stopped him, "I don't know what you saw but whatever it is, you know I'll always believe you."

"Yeah.." he nodded, playing with my hand, "And that's why you hate me-"

"Nick, I don't hate you-" I talked over him.

"Because I always tell you I'm gonna get better and I never do but you know, this time Han, it's gonna be different-- it is, I promise."

I nodded slightly, wiping at my eye with my free hand as tears began to form.

"No, no, no, no, no, please don't, Han!" He pleaded, squeezing my hand again, "I'm gonna get clean and everything can go back to how it used to be, okay?"

"Nick, I know you're bulletproof, but I'm not." I breathed, pulling my hand away and heading back to the door.

"Hannah- no please, I promise!" He continued, only causing more tears to roll down my cheeks before the door in front of me swung open, Travis standing on the other side.

"Hannah?" He said confused.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, pushing past him and back into the lobby.

"Miss? Excuse me, you weren't supposed to be in there!" The nurse informed from behind the desk, before a voice from behind me hushed her.

"It's fine-- she's with me!" Travis said, coming up behind me as I pushed the front doors open, desperately needing fresh air, "Hannah! Hannah what happened in there?"

"I can't go through this again, Travis." My emotion filled voice explained.

"Hey, hey, hey, no ones asking you to, its--" he sighed, "I know you and Nick have history but that doesn't mean you have to come to his rescue every time he spirals."

"I know, but-"

"Listen," he stopped me, sighing, "Why don't you come by the house tonight, tomorrow, whenever-- you, me, Madison, Alicia, and we'll all talk about the best solution for him, okay?"

I shook my head, "I can't, I- I have so much going on right now and my car it's.." I sighed, "I'm out of gas and I can't afford to be driving all over LA right now-"

"Then let me pay for it-" he offered, taking out his wallet.

"No, stop I can't, I- I can't be around Nick anymore.. I can't do this again." I breathed.

He sighed before digging through his wallet again, "Then let me at least pay for the gas down here and back, can I at least do that?"

"Travis-" I began but was quickly stopped as he placed the cash in my hand, folding it closed.

"You've done so much for Nick and all of us-- just take the money, please."

I let out a shaky breath, nodding, "Thank you."