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Chapter 16

"This is really wrong man," Brian stated as Nick opened the window directly above the main door. Nick turned around to look at Brian with a grin on his face.

"You're just saying that because you want to be able to say to them that you told me that," Nick replied.

"We're not kids any more," Brian continued.

"Oh come on Bri, you know you wanna do this!" Nick insisted, handing Brian a water balloon. Brian looked at it then looked back at Nick, unsure if he should go along with Nicks' latest stunt.

"It's the middle of the winter..."

"Dude, what the hell got into you? Bein' a father made you start thinking all rationally! You need to start hanging out with me again so we can make you fun."

"Hey, I'm fun!"

"What's fun for a kid does not mean that it's fun for any of us."

"Kev's gonna kill you, you know that right?" Brian said with a grin on his face.

"We need to give his old heart a jump start, don't you think?" Nicks grin grew when he heard the door bell. "They're here. Let's go!" Nick demanded as he walked towards the window and took a quick glance out of the window just to make sure that it was them. "On three. One... two... three!"

"What the fuck?" Alex yelled as one of the balloons hit him. Then two more balloons fell and hit Kevin and Howie. Nick and Brian burst out into a fit of laughter causing the three men to look up.

"Just wait until I get my hands on the two of you! I'm gonna kill you!" Kevin shouted up.

"Yell that a little louder Kev, I don't think the neighbors heard you!" Nick returned, laughing.

"Well, it's good to know that some things never change," Howie replied optimistically with a shrug. Kevin glared at him. "What?"

"Just get down here and open the door!" Kevin called up to Nick.

"Okay, I'll be down in a second," he answered. "That wasn't so bad now was it?" Nick asked Brian as they walked out of the room.

"He's just waiting until he gets inside to yell at you," Brian chuckled.

"I don't know what you're laughing about, he's gonna yell at you too. Don't forget, you helped me out right there," Nick replied with a smirk.

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Kevin yelled as Nick opened the door. Nick laughed, loving the angry look that was plastered on Kevins' face.

"Come on man, you really couldn't have expected to see me without having me pull a prank or two," Nick commented as he stepped aside so that they could enter.

"I can't believe that you got Brian to go along with it," Alex commented, taking off his wet jacket.

"Power of pursuasion," Nick replied as he walked into the living room with his friends.

"Well, at least our good ol' Nicky is still in there," Howie commented, with a grin on his face. Nick smiled back, happy that someone had missed the old Nick.

"Yeah well, part of me wishes he wasn't," Kevin replied as he sat down on the couch.

"And the other part just adores it," Nick chuckled.

"Come on Kev," Brian said for the first time, "you have to admit that it's nice to have things go back to the way that they were."

"Dropping a water balloon on my head in the middle of January wasn't exactly the way that I remember things being."

"But you do have to admit that you never saw it coming," Nick suggested. Kevin glared at Nick angerly then a smile appeared on his face.

"All right, all right," he replied. "You better just hope that I don't get sick from your little stunt."

"Oh that's right, I forgot that your a real old man now and you can get sick real easy," Nick replied jokingly. "Sorry man."

"Shut up," Kevin snapped playfully with a small smile on his face.

"How have things been since Erin left?" Howie asked. Nick looked over at his friend and took a breath. This was really the last conversation that he wanted to have at the moment.

"It's been okay. Grace and Chris seem to be okay, they are handling it well I guess."

"How 'bout you man? How you feelin?" Alex asked.

"Alright, just kinda guilty about everything. I never wanted any of this to happen. But I guess it all happened for a reason," Nick answered then fell silent. "Well enough about that. We're all here to catch up, not to worry about my problems! Let's go out for lunch. My treat."

"Sounds great," Alex stated as he gabbed his jacket. "I know a great place that I think you guys will like. The food's great. I found it just before Jake was born and he had a little welcoming party for him there. Really is a great place."

"That's fine with me," Nick replied as he pulled his jacket out of the closet. "You're just going to have to show me where it is."

"Of course."

"Hey dad, you here?" Grace called as she walked into the house and towards where she heard her fathers voice coming from.

"Yeah what's up?" he replied as she walked into the hall.

"Do you mind if I spend the night at Ambers?" she questioned.

"No it's okay. Have a great time and give me a call later to let me know when I need to pick you up," he responded.

"You don't need to do that any more. I can drive, remember?"

"Oh yeah," he said softly as he looked at his daughter. Damn they grew up fast, he thought to himself.

"So can I take the car? I'll fill it up and everything," she questioned.

"Sure, just becareful," he replied. She smiled.

"Thanks dad," she answered as gave him a hug before running up to her room to get her stuff ready.

"So how does it feel to be an old man?" Kevin asked as he put his arm around Nick as they walked out of the door and into the driveway.

"What are you talkin' about man?"

"Isn't that you're baby? The one who asked to borrow your car?" Kevin explained. "Once you're youngest is driving, you know you've gotten old."

"Hey man, I'm still not as old as you are!!" Nick shot back.