Chapter 16
Amanda brought Aaron to the hospital the next morning. He was excited to be seeing Nick, and was in a cheerful mood all the way there. Once they got outside of the hospital room, Amanda told Aaron to wait in the hall before she brought him in to see Nick. She heard him sniffling as she went into the room and it broke her heart to hear him crying again, but once he saw her, he stopped and acted like nothing was wrong.
"Hi baby." he said with a sad smile. She bent down and kissed him, he touched her face with his free hand and kissed her back.
"How are you feeling today?" Amanda asked softly once they parted. Nick could smell her perfume and drank it in, he missed being with her more than anything. Nick wanted so badly to be free of the hospital bed and back in her arms, to just be held by her again and feel her touch. He spent many hours laying in the bed, looking up at the ceiling...feeling lonely without her by his side.
"I have a surprise for you, are you feeling up for it?" Amanda asked with a grin. Nick smiled back, the ribs poking him and he winced briefly.
"Sure." he said.
"Come in..." Amanda called, and Nick smiled as his brother walked slowly into the room and stopped at the foot of his bed.
"Aaron!" he exclaimed happily, but his stomach was protesting and his stitches pulled. Nick felt a sharp pain in his back and fought off the urge to cry out.
"Nick...is that you? You look so different." Aaron commented meekly.
"I'm just a little broken, kiddo." Nick said with a small grin.
"You look hurt." That is the understatement of the century, Nick thought. He put on the fakest smile he could even though his insides were screaming.
"I'm doing better....I will be home in no time." Nick lied. He hated lying to his brother but didn't want him to worry.
"I want you to come home..." Aaron said, and it made Nick's heart break. He missed his family more than anything and wished he could go back in time and make it so the car accident never happened. He was remembering more of it, he had woken up in the car after the crash and smelled blood, every bone in his body ached before he had passed out again. He never told this to anyone, he didn't want them to feel bad. Nick Carter hated pity. He did not like people to feel sorry for him at all.
"Nick, don't lie to him..." Amanda said, frowning at him. Aaron's expression changed, he looked hurt and Nick felt bad. He wanted to kick himself but it would only make the pain worse.
"You're lying?" Aaron whispered, his brown eyes tearing. Nick looked away in shame.
"Honey...go out into the hallway for a bit." Amanda instructed. Aaron nodded and left the room to stand outside in the hallway.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Amanda asked, taking his hand in hers. Nick looked at her, tears running down his pale face.
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have lied....but it hurts so bad..." he whispered, sobbing.
"Oh....Nick....."
"Every day I wake up and it doesn't get any better. I go to sleep hoping to never wake up again." he said shakily. Amanda felt her own eyes water and wiped her face as she listened, his hand shaking in hers.
"Don't wish that...I never want to hear you say that again, you understand me?" she said, trying not to sound angry at him for giving up.
"I'm so sorry....but it doesn't get better. Every day it hurts just as bad as the first time I woke up. I wish there was something we could do." Nick sniffed. Amanda closed her eyes, she didn't want her fiance to be drugged up all the time....but there was only one other thing she knew they could do to make sure he wasn't in pain. She didn't like the idea of putting him in the induced coma, she was worried something would go wrong.
"What? What are you thinking about?" Nick asked suddenly. Amanda looked at him, feeling horrible.
"Baby...there is a way."
"What is it? I will do anything. I don't want to feel like this anymore!" Nick half shouted, crying.
"Calm down, sweetheart. There is something the doctors could do, they can put you into a coma. You would be sleeping and won't feel pain, we could do it until the worst of the pain is over." Amanda said, on the verge of tears herself. Nick closed his eyes, thinking.
"I want to do it." he said finally, wiping his eyes. His chest hurt when he cried and so did his back, but he couldn't hide it anymore and he cried out. Amanda stared at him in shock, she never pegged him as a person for giving up.
"Baby, are you sure?" she asked, stroking his hand with her thumb.
"I don't want to feel this anymore, baby.....please." he begged, looking at her. She nodded, and after a while the doctor had come in to review everything with them. Amanda went back out into the hallway as they prepped Nick to be put back into the coma.
"What's going on?" Aaron asked as soon as Amanda came out. She looked down at her feet and he could see teardrops falling. The boy walked over and she felt his arms around her.
"Nick....he's going to sleep for a while sweetheart. He is in a lot of pain." Amanda said simply. Aaron nodded, his blonde hair shielding his eyes.
"Why did he lie?" he whispered.
"Nick didn't want you to feel bad for him...but he is hurting. He decided to go to sleep until the pain stops." Amanda explained, sniffing. The news was hard enough to swallow without telling Aaron and hearing it a second time.
"It will be ok, Amanda. I'm here for you." Aaron offered kindly, hugging her. The two of them went into the room where Nick was laying and almost asleep.
"See you when I wake up." Nick said with a sad smile, he was crying too. Amanda held his hand and kissed it...tears rolling down hers and Aaron's faces. After a while Nick finally fell asleep, and they knew he was not in pain anymore. Amanda just hoped he would come back to her again....stronger than before.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I know its been a while! Please enjoy this chapter, and I hope you are all still reading!
