Ripples

Part 10

Nick's heart was racing. He'd taken the day off, on a whim. It was a good thing because he started feeling sick. Now, his temperature was a few degrees high but a fever was a fever.

Nick heard front his door open. Who would just walk in? Only Joe or Kevin, so he lifted his head and saw that it was Kevin. Before he even had a chance his brother was at his side.

"God, Nick, you look like hell. What's wrong?" Kevin soothed.

Kevin began stroking his head. The feel of his brother's hand was a powerful feeling. Slowly, he let his body relax. It felt good to have that kind of love, at a time like this.

"It's okay. I just have a little bit of a fever. I been resting since I took the day off," Nick explained.

"I'll stay here because, you should have someone with you. Let me get a compress for your forehead," Kevin smiled.

All Nick could think of, most of the time, was Shannon. She had gone to work. They hadn't talked about the relationship since the bathroom, work had kind of taken a front seat. Becoming a couple and caring was happening on it's own.

There was still a huge problem. He needed to find a way to explain the rest of his past to her. Yes, Joe had told her it was a bad breakup. Then, he had told her more, but there was still one thing she didn't know.

Just then he felt the cool water, as Kevin started to wash his face with the damp cloth. Nick's mind wondered to years ago when Kevin had sat at his side in the hospital. He'd always taken care of him.

"Kevin, call Joe. I need you both here. There's something we need to talk about," Nick mumbled.

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Shannon sat in her trailer, waiting for her shoot to start. She was turning her locket over and over in her hand, as she spoke on the phone.

"Joe, I'm at work. I don't have time for this," she snapped.

The voice on the other end of the phone stayed silent. Now, Joe was starting to piss her off. At least he agreed to move out when she and Nick had seemed to be making progress.

"Shannon, my brother loves you. He was really hurt and now he's trying to figure it out... I need you to hold on a sec. I'm getting another call. Be right back," the phone went silent again.

She opened the locket. A few days after their bathroom experience, she'd put a picture of Nick in there. It had been her cat before that.

The line gave a loud squeal as Joe returned to her. Her heart was beating fast as she continued looking at the picture of Nick.

"Shannicat, I have to go. That was Kevin; he and Nick need me at the house. You get to work and I'll call you back if it's something. It might be a brother thing," Joe explained.

"I know you love Nick more than you love me but damn. I'll play the dutiful friend and sit by the phone, waiting for you," Shannon laughed.

The phone disconnected without Joe saying goodbye. Not that it was unusual because this was Joe.

As she sat there, his heart was calling out to her. A part of her wanted to run to his side but, another part of her felt humiliated that things had still been so awkward between them.

Was it possible that she had done something wrong again and he had decided to cut her off. Okay, that was absolutely perfect. If so, she'd let him go. She set the locket on the table and headed to the sound stage.

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"NICK!!!!" Joe's scream echoed.

"We're up here, in the bedroom," Kevin shouted back.