Not The Same | Nick Clark | FTWD

Part 23

"Do you even know how to drive this thing?" Alicia asked, a question that I was pondering myself.

"Strand explained it earlier," Nick mindlessly said, quickly untying the rope, "It'll be fine-"

"Nick," I cut him off, causing him to momentarily stop and look up at me, "Please be careful."

"I will-- I'll be back." He nodded, throwing the rope back into the raft before starting the motor and soon disappearing into the distance.

I let out a long sigh, rubbing at my tired eyes as all I could do now was hope.

***

I stayed on the small deck of the ship, time going by slower than I wished as I waited for something I was afraid would never come.
It seemed like every few seconds a new explosion would go off, illuminating the sky and earth like some sort of Fourth of July celebration gone wrong, each one being a reminder that our old life is gone forever. But, even with the past being burned to nothing but ash, pictures soon to be the only thing to remain, I found myself in the same predicament that I was always in-- worrying about Nick's whereabouts.

Eventually, like a beacon of hope, the light on the front of the raft became visible as it neared the Abigail once again, allowing all of us who stood waiting for it to let out a well earned sigh of relief.

I helped shuffle the bags out of the raft again as, one by one, everyone made their way onto the deck, the relieved tone being felt throughout the air.

I paused for a second, looking up at Nick's exhausted face as it was momentarily lit up by another explosion, blood splattered across it.

He shook his head, noticing my worried expression before pulling me close, "I'm ok, Han."

As we soon followed behind everyone else, making our way to the upper level of the boat as the propellers roared beneath us, I only hoped that things would start looking up from here.

***

"There you are." I said as I topped the small flight of stairs, Strand sitting by the wheel.

"Yes, here I am." He answered, unamused and preoccupied, "Did you need something?"

I scoffed, taking the seat beside him, "A warmer welcome maybe?"

His eyes glanced over at me for a moment before back over the water, "Was the invitation onto my boat not warm enough for you?"

I shrugged, "I didn't see any mints on the pillows."

Strand sat back in his chair, turning it to me, "I don't think we formally met-- Victor Strand." He introduced himself as he held out a hand.

I placed my hand in his, our eye contact never wavering, "Hannah Waynes."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Waynes," he nodded before his tone switched back to one much harsher, "What do you want?"

I scoffed again at his repeated question, leaning back, "Alcohol-"

"It's below deck-"

"Bottom shelf booze is not my drink of choice for the end of the world, and I know it's not yours either." I stopped him, more than ready to play his game and win.

Our eye contact stayed stuck before a smirk finally broke on his face, giving in as he opened a cabinet, retrieving a large glass bottle and two glasses which he promptly filled.

I let out an inaudible breath as the smooth liquor tore at my throat; a feeling better than any other when everything felt like it was falling apart.

"So tell me, you're with the Clarks because of Nick," Strand began as he swirled the liquid in his glass, "But where's the rest of your family, Hannah?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Victor."

He smirked, "But you didn't."

I let out a sigh, sitting up, "They weren't there then and they're not here now."

He took a sip of his drink, admiring it again under the dim light the moon gave off, "Bit of a sore subject for you?"

I stayed quiet as more liquid ran down my throat; a better painkiller than any over the counter drug you could dream of.

"Let me guess, it was the addiction that ended the undying love of parent and child?" He asked.

I looked up at him, the assumption that drugs brought Nick and I together being nothing new to me, "I'm not an addict-"

"Oh yes you are, Hannah Waynes." He stopped me, the smug look on his face being covered by his glass as I furrowed my brows at him, "You're addicted to an addict-- the most deadly addiction of all."

Once again, I was left without words as I peered into the amber colored liquid in my glass before quickly downing it.

"I got what I came here for." I murmured, smacking the glass onto the ledge beside me as I stood up from my seat.

"So soon?" Strand asked, causing me to turn back in annoyance, ready to let words spit from my mouth before I noticed him pouring more of the whiskey into my glass, a smirk on his face as he set the bottle back down, "I thought we were just getting started."

***

"I dropped out of school because of him-- well, the stress mainly, and actually I just started online school and didn't drop out until I turned eighteen because of that whole 'finishing' law that California made up." I admitted, getting deeper into my thoughts than I had originally planned, "Still never really did any of the work though."

"Love makes a person do incredibly idiotic things." Strand stated, taking another sip of the alcohol as he looked over the moonlit sea in the distance.

"He gave me the best years of my life.." I shrugged.

He hummed, nodding, "Nothing like sneaking around behind your parents backs, steamy make out sessions, and bad sex."

I let out a laugh into my drink, swallowing harshly as a pursed my lips together, "And I'd do it all over again."

"Of course you would, you're addicted to the boy."

_____
I'm super excited to be able to show you more of Hannah's past and also start breaking into new character relationships.

Let me know what you think of this chapter!