~ Chapter Twenty One ~

"AJ."  Kevin stopped on his way down the clubhouse aisle.  "Nice to see you back.  How'you doing?"

"Just peachy."  AJ said flatly.  So far over half the team had stopped by to inquire how he was and poke their noses into his life.  AJ's temper was wearing more than a little short. 

"You okay?"  Kevin wondered, before elaborating.  "Cause you look like crap, man."

"Yeah, that's my new look.  Like it?"  AJ retorted.   Of course he looked like crap.  He had spent the last two days of his life sitting in a hospital room.  Felicia had gone home this morning, and was feeling well enough to inform AJ that if he didn't leave the house and stop hovering, she was going to kill him.  Since he had a feeling she was more than half serious, he had left for the ballpark.  In the grand scheme of life, AJ was feeling a lot better.  In the clubhouse - he was about ready to rip someone's head off.

Kevin just raised one thick eyebrow at AJ's response and moved on down the aisleway, heading out to supervise batting practice, no doubt.  Kevin held illusions of being in charge, and the rest of the team - with the exception of Nick - let Kevin live in his happy little world. 

"Brian!"  Kevin was barking orders again.  "Is Nick here?"

Brian rattled off a response that AJ didn't even come close to understanding, but the meaning was clear.  Nick was not there. 

Kevin disappeared out onto the field, grumbling about young players and respect and rules.

AJ finished buttoning his jersey and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.  What he felt like doing was grabbing a bat and beating the crap out of something until he felt better. - and if he was looking for a bat, he'd come to the right place.

Nick banged noisily through the clubhouse door, his equipment bag over his shoulder.  Nick had three different looks - there was the Yankees rookie of the year, leather jacket, nice shirt and pants look; there was the snowboarder cargo pants and sweatshirt look and there was the Adidas pants and t-shirt athlete look.  Today, Nick was an athlete. 

"You're late."  Howie said to Nick in way of greeting.  "Kevin's really pissed and stuff like that."

"Yeah, well, Kevin isn't the boss of me."  Nick retorted.  "And they had the interstate shut down to one lane."

There was silence after that, except for the sound of Howie's feet as he headed for the dugout, the last to leave the clubhouse, except for Nick and AJ.  AJ didn't even look up.  Nick was focused enough on himself that he just might leave AJ alone.

"Hey, AJ."

Or then again, maybe he wouldn't.  AJ straightened up slowly.  Nick actually looked concerned, which surprised him.

"How's Felicia?"  Nick asked.

AJ processed that comment.  How exactly had Nick learned that?  It must have been Brian.  He should have known Brian wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut.  "How did you..."  He started, before two rather large pieces fell into place in his head.  Stacy with the accent.  The girl that Nick never shut up about.  Now it made sense.  "Let me guess... it involves ‘Stacy.'"  Too late, AJ realized that comment had come out snippier than he intended.  In fact, it sounded downright vindictive. 

A hurt look flashed through Nick's eyes for just a moment, before it was replaced with the usual blank expression Nick wore around the clubhouse and on the field.  "Fine, AJ."  He said quietly. "I was just trying to be nice." 

AJ watched Nick head back to his locker and start changing into his uniform, before staring back down at the blue carpet on the floor of the clubhouse.  Today was really not going well.  AJ's week was not going well.  He was pretty sure he couldn't come up with a positive moment in the entire homestand.  Well, he had set Kevin's shoelaces on fire, but that didn't account for much in the grand scheme of things. 

"Nick..."  AJ started.

Nick ignored him, bending over to tie his shoes.

AJ stood up and marched over to Nick's locker.  "Nick, listen to me."  Nick still didn't say anything, but AJ figured he couldn't help but hear him anyway.  "I apologize for being a jerk, okay?"

Nick gave AJ a skeptical glance before he yanked his blue batting practice jersey over his head.  "It's okay."

"No, it's NOT okay!"  AJ swung his foot at the stool next to Nick, sending it out into the middle of the room, where it rolled into a table. 

Nick's jaw dropped slightly and he took a step backwards from AJ. 

"Felicia's doing a lot better."  AJ shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.  "Thank you for asking."

Nick now looked thoroughly confused.  "Okay...  um... I'm glad she's okay."

Kevin stalked back into the clubhouse, stopping in his tracks, his green eyes narrowing, when he saw Nick.  "Nice of you to show up."

"Last I heard, you weren't the manager."  Nick said evenly.

"Just get your a-- out on the field, Carter."  Kevin retorted, spinning around and marching back out of the room. 

Nick flipped off Kevin's retreating back.  AJ couldn't help himself, he had to laugh at that.

"What?"  Kevin snapped, heading back again.  He was going to wear a hole in the carpet if he kept this up.  He glared at Nick.  "Don't go thinkin' I don't know what you just did."

Nick didn't say anything, staring at Kevin impassively.

"What was so funny, AJ?"  Kevin's interrogation changed focus.

"Well... you know that saying  ‘Experience is the sinking feeling you have made this mistake before'?"  AJ shrugged, saying the first thing that popped into his head.  "I think that should be the bullpen motto."  That wasn't a half bad idea, now that he thought of it.  Inspiration could strike at some very strange moments.

Kevin rolled his eyes and departed again.

"Day-um."  AJ said in appreciation.  "You're incredibly good at pissing him off.  That was beautiful."

"Yeah..." Nick gave AJ a slightly crooked smile.  "I figure if he's gonna hate me, I might as well give him a reason."

~*~

Kevin folded his arms across his chest protector and waited patiently.  AJ was making his grand entrance... Sisqo was blaring over the sound system, and AJ was taking his sweet time jogging in across the outfield grass. 

Sam Ventrella, the pitching coach, shook his head and sighed.  "I'm not sure if I'm glad he's back or not."

Kevin agreed with that sentiment wholeheartedly.  It had taken AJ the first forty five minutes of batting practice to return to his usual whacked-out form.  By the time practice was over, he was flipping cartwheels across the outfield and bouncing off the outfield walls in imitation of Nick going after a fly ball.  The mood of the team had lightened considerably in the last four hours, but at the same time, AJ could be incredibly annoying to deal with.

AJ arrived at the mound, circled around it once, before marching up the backside and carefully placing both his feet on the rubber.  "Well..."  He said calmly, more to himself than the two other people watching him.  "That was exhilarating."

"Well, bully for you."  Sam said, handing him the ball.  "Just save the game, okay?"

"Bully for me."  AJ repeated vaguely, winding up, then stopping with one foot raised in the air.  "Kevin?  Why aren't you behind the plate?"

"Okay, I'm going..."  Kevin turned and headed back to the plate, half expecting AJ to nail him in the back with the ball.  That was just the sort of stunt AJ would find funny.