Not The Same | Nick Clark | FTWD

Part 28

I had gotten really good at ignoring my problems; sometimes it was all too much, or at least it felt like it. You'd think I would know by now that what we have-- the fighting, the stress, the struggle to find common ground, is something that'll never go away. Nick is reckless and he's been the way since day one, but everything else about him overshadows that side, drawing me in more and more each time we're close.

There are times I wish I would have listened to my family, constantly telling me to stay away from Nick, but every other time.. I wouldn't trade what I have for the world.
I remember nights when Nick would sneak into my window at my parents house just so we could talk until the sunrise, not having a care in the world what the next day would bring as long as we were together.
I remember walking through the streets with him at 3am because he couldn't sleep and wanted to show me everything that gets hidden in the daylight.
But I also remember the first time we got caught and when my neighbors called the cops at 12am because they thought Nick was breaking into the house.
I remember being so terrified as we stood outside with my parents and 4 LAPD officers, waiting for Madison to show up. Ever since then I had spent the majority of my nights at the Clarks, almost creating a new life as the love I had for Nick drove a wedge further and further between the relationship me and my parents had, all the way to the point of finally getting emancipated and moving out completely.

The love we had for each other continued to grow, even through rough patches I've tried my best to repress, always coming back to find the solace we so desperately craved in each other.

"You heard the news?" Alicia asked, sitting beside me on the deck as the sky began to dim.

"Depends what news you're talking about, I guess." I answered honestly, my mind elsewhere.

"Everything ok?" She questioned, a concerned look painting her face.

"Just stuff with Nick," I sighed, brushing it off, "What's the news?"

"There's nothing left of San Diego." She explained, leaning back.

I glanced over to her, confused, "How do we know?"

"The thing that Nick found in that wreck-- it was a log book." She continued, "Apparently they had just came from there."

I let out a long breath, "So.. where do we go now?"

"Well, my mom told me that Strand said we need to hide out-"

"From what?" I stopped her, "That boat he was talking about earlier?"

She pushed her bangs behind her ear as the wind tried whipping them around, before looking over to me, "Is this all my fault?"

"Strand's paranoid," I shook my head, sitting up as I tried making sense of everything, "We have no proof that this Jack guy you were talking to has anything to do with the boat or that wreck."

She nodded slowly, picking at her nails, "He just seemed like a really nice guy."

***

"Are you coming?" Madison asked up to Strand as we all unloaded onto the dock, the air between Nick and I still uncomfortable.

"I'll stay-- make sure our radar friend moves past us." Strand shook his head, "When he's gone, we're gone."

"Ofelia and I will keep you company." Daniel offered, tying off the boat.

"Solitude doesn't bother me." Strand said bluntly, looking down at us.

Daniel's face held a smug smile, the tension between the two of them far outweighing what Nick and I had, "We insist."