One Day at a Time - (Season One)

Chapter Six: Confrontation

Martina wanted to get everything downstairs in one trip. Adrenaline was still coursing through her veins after that concerning phone call from Nick. She unfolded her grocery utility cart and threw the two heavier duffels in before balancing the box of canned and dried goods on top of it, she threw Lukas' duffle bag over her shoulder so that she would carry it out. Lukas himself was now sporting his school backpack stuffed with more of his toys, the portable DVD player and Martina's small laptop with its solar-powered charger, her kindle, and a handful of Lukas' favorite movies.

"Lukas." she started seriously, making her six-year-old brother look up at her worriedly.

"Yeah?"

"When we get to the car I want you to go in right away and not come out. I'll put everything in the trunk. Understand?"

Lukas nodded, "Okay, Marty."

Martina took in a fortifying breath before unlocking the door and pushing the cart out into the hallway and instructing her brother in a quiet voice, "Hold onto the cart Lukas."

Mrs. Peyton smiled at them as she passed by towards her apartment, arms full of groceries, "Goin' camping?"

"Yup!" Lukas chirruped.

"Have fun you two!" the old woman called as they entered the elevator.

Lukas pressed the button to get into the sub-basement where the car was parked. Martina didn't really see anything off when they stepped out of the elevator, but something still didn't feel right so she hurried her brother to the car as she watched their surroundings warily. The second Lukas was in the SUV she relaxed somewhat before opening up the trunk and quickly pushing their bagged purchases to one side and stuffing the duffle bag she was carrying inside. She was able to fit the other two duffle bags into the trunk but the box with food was going to have to go in the passengers' seat. Martina quickly shut the trunk and balanced the box on her hip before depositing it in the front seat.

That was when she saw him.

Mr. Peters was three yards away from her, stumbling as he jerkily made his way towards her. Blood was seeping from a nasty wound on his shoulder and there was even more blood dripping from his mouth as he growled inhumanely. Shit. Martina slid over the hood of the car and quickly got behind the wheel before locking the doors. Her bloody neighbor had reached the area she'd once been standing in and was now banging a red hand on Lukas' window.

Her brother let out a distressed cry. "Marty! Marty! What's he doing!"

Martina quickly reversed the car, not caring that she was hitting her grocery cart since she hadn't had a chance to fold it up and move it out the way, and peeled out of the building, "It's gonna be okay, Lukas. Mr. Peters was just playing a mean trick."

Lukas huffed petulantly, "Well I didn't like it! He was all scary!"

"Me neither squirt." Martina murmured as she started heading in the direction of Nick's home, "We're gonna be at Nick's soon, and then we'll be camping! Won't that be fun!" she mock cheered as she tried to get Lukas' attention away from whatever the hell just happened in the parking garage.

The streets in her neighborhood were mostly deserted as the sun disappeared over the horizon, but Martina would occasionally spot a stumbling figure roaming around that didn't fail to make her hair raise and goosebumps to form on her skin. When they finally pulled onto Nick's street, the power seemed to have gone off in the area bathing the street in ominous shadows. She couldn't see anyone walking around, and thankfully there wasn't a single stumbling figure that she could spot. Martina carefully pulled into the driveway and parked in front of Mrs. Calrk's blue car but didn't make any move to actually get out just yet.

"Are we here?" Lukas whispered anxiously as he peered out of his window.

Martina unbuckled her seatbelt and physically turned her whole body to look at him, "Yeah squirt we're here. I'm just gonna call Nicky on the phone first so that they can let us in." she reached out for her saddlebag on the floor of the passenger seat and searched for her phone, the second that Martina grabbed the small flip phone she called back the number Nick had called her from earlier. The line beeped that it was busy for a few moments before she heard it start ringing, Martina gnawed on her bottom lip nervously.

"Hello!? Marty?" Nick's voice croaked.

A relieved sigh escaped from her lips, "Hey, we're here. I parked in the driveway."

She could hear him rustling through the speaker, "Yeah, I see you, okay I-I'm gonna be by the door. Grab Lukas and run okay. I'll be here." he instructed before hanging up.

Martina turned around to look at Lukas again as she threw the strap of her shoulder bag over her head, "Alright squirt, can you unbuckle your seat belt and hop to the front." her brother nodded as he unbuckled his seat grabbed his backpack and slipped it on before crawling into her arms. "Good boy." she murmured before pressing a loving kiss onto his forehead, "Okay, Lukas you need to be quiet and hold onto me until we get inside okay."

"Kay, Marty." he whispered before pressing his face into her collarbone. Martina sighed, grabbed the car keys and took another look around the barren neighborhood. Nobody was outside. Fortifying herself she opened the car door and stepped out before shutting it behind her and quickly jogged to the house, Nick was leaning against the open door as she ran in before he shut it behind her and locked it.

"You made it." Nick whispered as they stared at one another.

"Yeah." Martina murmured back, Lukas finally lifted his face from her collarbone and smiled shyly at Nick.

"Hey Nicky. I missed you."

Nick snorted a small smile stretching across his face, "I missed you too little man."

"Why did I hear the door opening and closing?" Mrs. Clark's voice traveled from another room before the woman herself made her way to where they hovering at the front door. "Oh, I didn't know that Nick had called you... Well, come in."

Martina shot an awkward look at her best friend before smiling sheepishly at the blonde woman as she walked into the modest living room, "Sorry about the intrusion, I didn't know that Nick hadn't gotten permission."

The woman waved her hand, "It isn't the first time Nick's done something without asking first. Who's this little guy?" Mrs. Clark's cold blue eyes warmed slightly as she observed Martina's little brother.

"Oh, this is my little brother Lukas." Martina introduced as Nick walked passed her and plopped down on the made-up couch, it looked like Nick was detoxing pretty hard from the state and smell wafting from the plastic bucket on the floor, "Lukas this is Nicky's mom, Mrs. Clark."

"Hi." Lukas waved shyly.

A set of footsteps made Martina look up just in time to witness Alicia's, Nick's younger sister by two years, face crinkle up in disdain when she caught sight of Martina standing in her living room, "What is she doing here?"

"Martina was invited here." Nick retorted strongly. Martina just felt awkward as tensions seemed to rise in the room, the Clark siblings were glaring at each other darkly while their mother tried to play peacekeeper.

"Why does he get to invite over his friend," Alicia hissed out, "But it was too dangerous for me to stay with Matt. He's sick mom! We shouldn't have left him all alone."

"Yeah because Marty isn't sick." Nick shot back as he stood up and moved in front of her as if he was shielding Martina from his sister's bitterness, "Matt is dangerous. Marty's not."

"Hey! Everyone relax-"

Alicia interrupted their mother without pause, "Oh, Matt's dangerous? But your supplier isn't! Maybe she's sick too!"

"Marty's not a supplier Alicia!" Nick shouted infuriated, "She's never had anything to do with the shit I do!"

Lukas whimpered as he buried his face under Martina's chin before whispering into her exposed skin just loud enough for everyone to listen, "Why're they fighting? Make 'em stop."