Not The Same | Nick Clark | FTWD

Part 26

"How'd that go?" Madison asked quietly as I made my way back into the main room.

I shook my head, letting out a small laugh, "Apparently I'm better with addicts, so maybe push a few Oxys under his door and I'll try again later." I joked under my breath, almost wishing I hadn't wasted my time on someone who clearly didn't want help.

"Yeah well, I doubt I could've done any better." Madison admitted as the dining area began to fill up with people and food-- more food than I've seen since this all started.

"What is that thing?" Alicia asked, looking at the center of the table.

"Eel--" Daniel explained as Nick came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist while his chin rested on my shoulder, "Caught fresh today."

"It looks great, Daniel." Travis thanked, taking a sip of the alcohol in his glass before pouring one for Madison.

***

A cheery vibe filled the small room as laughter and stories were exchanged, something that felt almost foreign but was more than welcome; food brings people together, and that was clear to see.

"Nick!" I squealed as I tried pushing his hand away, a piece of the eel being held in it.

"It's good-- I swear!" He playfully tried convincing, eventually making me cave as he fed the strange ocean dwelling creature to me, "See?"

I nodded, never really being a big fan of sea food, but the boyish smile his face held was able to turn anything into pure gold.

This is what I loved-- what I missed so much every time we weren't together or every time he was too high to remember what real happiness felt like. His laughter rang in my ears like a symphony, warming my heart with a feeling that only he could give me-- a feeling that I'd been chasing ever since I met him.
I was slowly understanding the truth of what Strand told me and it felt odd to realize that the one thing that had the potential of tearing Nick and I apart all these years, was also holding us together.
I was addicted to him.
I was addicted to the feeling he gave me and the high I got every time he touched me. His laugh, his smile, the way his heart sounded when my head rested against his chest. When I'd wake up in the middle of the night to feel his arms pulling me closer, only to have his steady breathing quickly lull me back to sleep.
We'd been stuck in our honeymoon stage ever since we met, and even with every bump that stood in it's path, it wasn't showing any signs of leaving just yet.

All the times that I had been told to give up on him-- to give up on us, lead me to this exact moment of utter bliss. Being surrounded by the ones who you care the most about is a feeling like no other, and having Nick by my side was the proof I needed to show that miracles really do exist, and through the tough times, we'll only get stronger.

But like all good things, nothing lasts forever, and the relaxed vibe that this dinner held was no exception as commotion in the water caught all of our attentions.

"What was that?" Travis asked, coming back into the room.

"There was a splash." Daniel quickly explained as we all made our way to the back of the boat, rushing to figure out the cause.

"Chris!" Nick yelled as he sped down onto the launch, diving into the water without hesitation.

"Nick-" I tried yelling, stopping myself as I noticed the massive amount of smoke covering the ocean, "What the hell.."

"Chris.." Travis breathed as he climbed down onto the launch, obviously drained from prior events.

"Is he ok?" Madison asked as Nick finally reached Chris, the two seeming oddly calm in the water.

"Hey, come on in-- waters fine." Nick answered before diving under.

I let out a sigh, leaning my head on the railing in front of me, "I can't fucking deal with him." I joked under my breath.

"So much for having an uneventful meal." Madison added.

Travis let out a deep sigh, rubbing his face, "Chris, come on!"

"Mom!" Nick yelled as he appeared above the water, the smoke beginning to clear as multiple bodies and debris came into view.

"Travis." Madison breathed, pointing in the direction of the apparent wreck, "Oh my god-- get out of the water!"

"Chris, get out of there!" Travis yelled before Chris finally noticed his surroundings, quickly trying to make his way back to the boat.

"The raft-- Travis!" I reminded, pointing to the raft that was tied to the side of the launch before he quickly jumped in it.

"Nick!" Alicia called, coming up beside me.

"I hear someone!" He yelled back before diving under the water again.

"Nick!" She called again, her voice frantic as I stood in near silence, the helpless feeling that I was oh so familiar with washing over me.

This situation was different, but it wasn't new. It's like the world gives you a taste of happiness just to rip it from your grasp over and over again.
Very shortly after I met Nick, I learned that it was impossible to control him-- that he was numb to the sound of his own name ripping through the throats of the ones who only wanted to protect him. His mind worked differently than all of ours, and I was still trying to figure him out.

I wasn't going to waste my breath begging him to come back when I knew it wouldn't make a difference to the outcome, even though everything inside of me was on the brink of breaking down.

I zoned back in, looking over the water just as Travis pulled Chris into the raft, an infected inches away.

"Nick!" Madison called as he was still nowhere to be found.

"Nick, where are you?" Travis yelled from the raft before he quickly stripped from his jacket, diving into the smoke covered water.

I shook my head, letting out a shaky breath as I ran my hand through the length of my hair; the stress of all of this sure to be the end of me.

"There-- he's right there!" Alicia pointed as Nick appeared above the surface beside Travis, an item grasped in his hand.

"We should be leaving now," Strand said as he rushed down to the launch, interrupting the sigh of relief that had just left my lips, "Someone's joining us."

"Travis!" Madison called, panic in her voice.

"It could be no one--" Strand continued, coming back up to the deck.

"Or?" I prodded, stopping him.

He paused, letting out a breath as he looked over to Alicia, "It could be the ones who did that." He spit, gesturing at the wreckage that cleared from the smoke.

I don't know how much more of this I can handle right now.

_____
How do you think Nick and Hannah's relationship is going to hold up as time goes on?
I'm really curious as to what you're thinking after reading what you have about them.

Let me know!