Chapter 18
He was falling, falling faster and faster through the darkness that surrounded him. He had chosen a door but wasn't sure where it was taking him. As he fell, he couldn't see even his hands in front of his face...it was too dark. There was no sound, he opened his mouth to scream, but he heard nothing. He felt his heart beating within his chest, faster and faster as his body was hurtling through the void.
"Maybe I picked the wrong door," Nick thought, fearing the worst. He closed his eyes and felt the tears coming, all he had wanted was for everything to go back to the way it was before the accident. He hated the new life he had been thrown into, he missed his family and the guys. Especially the guys...they were more his family than his real one was. As he continued to fall in total darkness, he could have sworn he heard someone singing....but it was faint and muffled, like it was far away. He felt a lump in his throat as if he were choking, but he was falling so quickly that he couldn't grab for his throat....his chest grew tight and he gasped for breath. Suddenly he saw the ground below....a light was beneath him. He found his voice again and he was screaming as the ground came faster and faster. He closed his eyes as he was about to hit it, but he never did. Voices filled his ears as he lay still in the dark, unable to move or speak again.
"Nick....come on!" someone shouted suddenly, their voice filled with terror. Nick wanted to answer but he couldn't. He heard someone else yelling but didn't know what was being said. Footsteps came close to him and he felt someone holding his hand and squeezing it gently.
"Brian, it's time for him to go....." another voice said. Nick wondered who they were speaking about. He felt someone touch his face, moving his hair out of his eyes.
"He isn't ready yet!!! How can you just give up...." a second person snapped angrily. They were arguing, it sounded like someone was being restrained. He could hear another set of footsteps in the room, and it sounded like someone had attacked them. Nick felt his own eyes flutter as he tried to wake up, but for some reason he was still unable to. He felt a breathing tube down his throat, it hurt him to breathe as he lay there in the dark. Nick assumed he must be in a hospital, he heard something beeping in the back of him. His body hurt, ached all over, especially his head. The shouting nearby intensified....there was the sound of something hitting the floor. Nick finally opened his eyes to white light....and he saw Brian's face staring at him.
"OH MY GOD....KEVIN! HIS EYES!!!" Brian exclaimed once he realized a pair of blue eyes were fixated on his own. Kevin's mouth dropped open and he let go of AJ, who he was restraining from grabbing the doctor that stood near the bed.
"Nick.....oh god, Nick..." Kevin stammered, his eyes watering. Nick just looked at them in confusion, his eyes looking all over the room. The breathing tube was removed from Nick's throat and he lay in the hospital bed without speaking. Everyone was in shock of him waking that they didn't know what to say. AJ stood near the doorway, his head lowered in silence.
"Nick....he's awake...but how?" Kevin asked in disbelief.
"K-kevin?" Nick whispered weakly, looking at him.
"How you feeling, buddy?" Kevin asked, smiling as tears rolled down his face. Nick smiled at him.
"I had the craziest dream...." he replied, looking around the room. He felt so good to see them again...his friends were their normal selves. Kevin's eyebrows were bushy again, Brian's hair was blonde, and AJ had his sunglasses. Everything was the way it was supposed to be.
"We're so glad you're awake..." Brian smiled, holding his hand.
"I'm glad to be back...I was in another world...I hated it..." Nick replied. His eyes teared as he smiled at his friends...and then he saw AJ in the doorway.
"I didn't give up, Nick...I knew you were gonna wake up." AJ said suddenly, walking over to the bed.
"I know you didn't...I heard all of you calling me and calling me...trying to get me to come back....all I wanted was to come home. You were there, and Brian...all of you were in my dream.." Nick said.
"Nick, the important thing is that you're awake now. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have fought with you. It was stupid and I'm sorry." AJ said with a grin.
"Its ok AJ." Nick replied. AJ bent down and they hugged. It felt so good for Nick to see things normal again. He ached all over and thought it was strange that he felt pain from being hit by the car in his dream.
"So what dream did you have anyway?" Brian asked once Nick was checked over by the doctors. He would have to stay in the hospital a few more days before being released.
"You were a stripper." Nick grinned as AJ burst into laughter.
"You were a priest, Jay." Nick told him, and he stopped laughing.
"No way." AJ protested, ruffing Nick's hair.
"Kevin waxed his eyebrows..." Everyone laughed at this statement and Kevin felt his ears turn pink.
"Leave my eyebrows alone." he snapped with a smile. Nick smiled at all of them, it was good to be home where he belonged.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here it is, the final chapter of Incomplete! Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews and support for this story! Thanks to those that begged and begged me to finish this, you are the true reason I finally got motivated enough to complete this story. Thanks again you guys rock! Now enjoy the last chapter!
