When The Lights Go Down

Beatings Can Be Arranged

*B wakes the next morning when her dream is invaded by a bright light, she opens her eyes to see Mom standing beside her bed…the light beside the bed blazing into her eyes*

(Nick) *groans* nooooooooooooooo

(Bailey) shut it offffff…..

(Mom) nope, time to get up you guys…I told you we had an early morning…everyone up. Nick you can go in your pajamas for all I care your wardrobe is on set anyway. Just get up and do what you need to do we leave in 20 minutes.

(Bailey) *whines* can't we stay here today? Why do we have to go to set there is no reception there…

(Mom) we are going and we are going to be supportive of your brothers,no whining…get up

(Bailey) *sleepy whine* I can be supportive from here…go Nick go, yay

(Nick) *sleepily mimics B* yay

(Mom) *THE tone* Bailey Nichole!

(Bailey) *unwillingly sits up* ugh…I’m up *Grabs a handful of Nicks shirt and pulls him up into a sitting position*

(Nick) me too *YAWNS*

(Mom) *shakes her head frustrated* you two frustrate me to no end…*sighs*

(Nick) but you still love us right….*flashes a sleepy smile*

(Mom) …you make it very hard sometimes

(Nick) *pouts* aren’t you supposed to love us for better or worse

(Mom) no….that’s your father….you I'm supposed to mold in to decent human beings and try not to beat you to death or sell you in the process

(Bailey) HA….how’s that panning out for you Mom

(Mom) *walks over and gives B and Nick a kiss on the forehead* I tried selling you once and no one was interested…however beatings can be arranged *smiles* 15 minutes….everyone up! *walks out*

(Nick) nothing like the threat of physical harm to start your day *smiles*

*B giggles*

(Nick) *leans over and gives B a kiss on the cheek* how did your talk with Sam go last night?

(Bailey)  don’t get me started…

(Nick) tell me while you brush *hops out of bed and runs and jumps on top of Livie to wake her up*

(Olivia) ooooooWWWW Niiiick…ughhhhhh

(Nick) we have to leave in 15 minutes…time to get up

*Olivia buries her head in the covers and Nick plants a kiss on the top of her head*

(Nick) Liv get up…unless you are going to set in pajamas.

*Olivia drags herself out of bed and stumbles to the closet and grabs some clothing before disappearing into Nicks bathroom*

*Nick brushes his teeth while B washes her face*

(Nick) fo fell me…wha id fam fay? (so tell me, what did Sam say?)

(Bailey) ….Jake, he is telling everyone at school that we had sex

(Nick) *coughs nearly choking on toothpaste bubbles* WHA?

(Bailey) mmhmmm…and I was like…you know that’s not true right? And he was like well, no I havnt known you that long and Jake doesn’t have the cleanest rep and you guys dated for almost a year and I was like yea well if he was having sex within that time…It wasn’t with me…

(Nick) *spit* can I please beat that guy repeatedly with a drum stick and perhaps have Joe stomp his esophagus a few more times…and then maybe just for good measure I could stuff a drumstick up his fucking…

(Bailey) *interrupts Nick* you want to kick his ass you go right ahead you have my permission but if mom finds out you are on your own Mr.

(Nick) still think you should report him for that stunt he pulled at the restaurant…is he still bothering you?

(Bailey) We are in Canada…he hasn’t exactly had the opportunity….*shoves a toothbrush in her mouth*

(Nick) hurry up and get dressed mom is going to throw a hissy if we aren’t ready *walks out to get dressed*

*Once in the SUV and on the way to set B pulls out her phone and texts Sam*

(Bailey text) morning…on the way to set…no reception all day

(Sam text) morning beautiful 🙂 school, then two a days for fb anyway, call me tonght?

(Bailey text) two a days?

(Sam text) two practices…back to back UGH..

(Bailey text) suck….k I'll call you tonight

(Sam text) yup….k ttyl 

Nick’s POV

Admittedly I've been an ass lately but I have to play the diabetes card on this one. We have been cutting a new album, and laying tracks for this movie, traveling back and fourth, its exhausting and stressful and sometimes its hard to keep my sugar in check, half the time I don’t even realize I'm grumpy until someone is yelling at me or hitting me for something I've said or done. B lets me know when I'm out of line, she is the first to slap me upside the head or tell me I'm being a jerk. She’s also the easiest at forgiving, its not ME when I get like that…she understands. Livie on the other hand is having a little more trouble…

-Whispered conversation between Nick and Livie in the SUV on the way to set-

(Nick) *nudges Livie’s shoulder* are you still mad at me

(Olivia) *shrugs* are you still a complete asshole?

(Nick) guess I deserve that…I'm sorry

(Olivia) You GUESS? *catches the attention of B and Joe with her raised voice*

(Nick) I didn’t mean to be an ass

(Olivia) yea, well you were*hissed tone*

(Nick) It’s not really something I can control…I wish I could

(Olivia) yea, me too, its getting old fast

(Nick) WOW…thanks for understanding 

(Olivia) I AM understanding…I just don’t appreciate being called a bitch because you are having a sugar meltdown and then being expected just to shrug it off because of diabetes. My mom was a drunk and she would do and say mean hurtful things when she was drunk but she was still held accountable for them when she sobered up

(Nick) you are equating me to a drunk?

(Olivia) yea I am…you are a completely different person when your sugar gets high…its not someone I care to be around and what’s worse is I never know who I’m going to get

(Nick) I said I was sorry, that is literally me holding myself accountable for what I said. I don’t know what else I'm supposed to say

(Olivia) you don’t have to say anything…you apologized, I accept, I'm just not ready to be all happy with you right now alright?

(Nick) fine

*Nick switches seats with B putting B in between himself and Livie, B grabs Nicks hand and gives it a squeeze, he gives her a slight smile and turns his head to stare out the window*