Skate On {NHL Fanfic}

Chapter 7: Always There

 CHAPTER 7: Always There

I went straight to the hospital and waited by Nick’s bed. He was still unconscious but the doctor had informed me that he would awake very soon. I knew Nick’s Olympic dreams were over for this year, things couldn’t go back to normal after this. I would do anything for him to be okay.

I took his hand in mine and rubbed it softly, turning it over to see all the scars along his forearm. The cuts were so deep they could’ve killed him, and even on his neck, why in the world would he cut himself there? Just the thought of my brother being sad, and wanting to end his own life made me so miserable and I felt so guilty. Those scars would never leave him, every time I would look into his face now, I’ll remember him on that roof-top, crying so hard and helpless.

I was supposed to be there to help him and look at where we were.

I took his face and kissed his forehead slowly, letting the tears fall down my face. “Ah, Nick, I’m so sorry. What have I done?”

I pulled away and sat back down against the chair that was next to his bed, lying against him and crying softly.

“Please, don’t cry.” Nick muttered, almost half-asleep.

I looked up, surprised to hear his voice. “Nick?”

Nick looked at me with a smile, and sat up against the bed. “I’m okay, Rose. This isn’t your fault… if anything, I’m still here because of you.”

I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears. “I would’ve done it, I wouldn’t have been able to live without you.”

“I know,” Tears appeared in his eyes. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”

I grinned, taking his hand in mine. “You’re all I’ve got, Nick.”

He barely smiled. “I’m really sorry this had to happen.”

I sighed, “I’m the one that needs to be sorry—”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Rose. So just stop…”

I locked gazes with my brother and for a second, I could feel how stressful this was for him. “Is it true?”

“What are you talking about?”

“John said you were angry with me.” I said, a few tears falling from my eyes when he didn’t reply. It didn’t take ten minutes to reply ‘of course not.’

H sighed and looked down, “I don’t know what I was saying, Rose.”

I shook my head, “You can’t possibly think those things, Nick.”

He looked down and I could tell that he was about to cry. I quickly sat down against the bed and put my arms around him, squeezing him tightly and letting him cry over my shoulder. I sighed, “It’ll be okay, Nick, I promise.”

I could see that in the window, peering through the halls of the hospital, a few familiar faces were spying on us and I shook my head at them as if to say ‘don’t come in’. They all nodded and walked away. I turned my attention back to Nick and rubbed his back as he continued to cry. I’d never heard my brother cry as much as he did. I guess, you all had to let it out sometime.

“I’m sorry, Rose.” Nick sobbed on my shoulder.

I grabbed onto his head as I could tell how painful it was for him. I brushed my hand over his hair and squeezed him in my arms once more. How could I’ve been so blind to let this happen?