- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
When I heard the song I used for this chapter, it made me think of Nick. It's one of the two songs by this group that I like. It really fits Nick in this story.
Chapter 113

An Hour Later…

Veronica shifted, sighing softly as she opened her eyes. Looking up, she saw that Nick too was asleep. She carefully pulled away, stretching. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep, her time with him was limited and she wanted to make the most of it, and she’d fallen asleep. Frowning she turned to look at him, to find that he was now staring at her.

“Hey.”

“Whoa, hey. I thought you were still asleep.”

“I felt you move.”

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Eh, no big deal,” Nick replied, his voice laced with sleep. He straightened up, stretching as she had. “Mmm I’m hungry, wanna go grab some lunch? They should be all set up,” he stated, looking down at his watch.

“Actually I am.”

“Cool, the food is really good actually,” he announced, standing.

Veronica stood and followed him out the bus and over to the area sectioned off for catering.

“Help yourself, it’s buffet style and whatever, so have as much as you want.”

“Yeah, you’re trying to make me chubbier than I am,” Veronica smiled.

Nick rolled his eyes, “Whatever.”

Veronica grabbed a plate and added a little to it and made her way over to a table, sitting. Nick joined her a few min later. They ate quietly, talking amongst themselves, when someone came up to the table.

“Veronica right?”

She looked up at a woman she recognized from pictures on the internet.

“Yes.”

“Hi I’m Kristin Richardson, do you mind if I sit here?”

“Of course not,” Veronica smiled, a bit stunned.

“It’s so great to finally meet you, Kevin told me you’d arrived and I’d been looking for you, Nick was trying to keep you all to himself it seems,” Kristin grinned.

“I have not! I introduced her to a lot of people.”

“Yeah, except me and Leigh.”

“I couldn’t find you two.”

“Sure Nick,” Kristin sighed, winking at Veronica.

Veronica grinned, clearing her throat.

“I wish everyone would stop pickin’ on me man,” Nick pouted.

“Aww poor baby, anyway Veronica, Kevin tells me you and Nick met through his fan club?”

Nick watched as the two started talking, his thoughts starting to drift. So much had happened over the last few months, it was different now.

He was different.

This is my life; it's not what it was before. All these feelings I've shared…

He couldn’t believe he’d come so far. It felt like it’d taken forever, and he had one person to thank for it. It didn’t seem like enough, and Nick was sure she’d never know, never realize just how important or how special she was.

Staring down at his plate, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was all a dream, if he was just imaging everything. It was as if any moment he’d wake up and be right back where he’d started. Nick lifted his eyes, his gaze resting on Veronica again.

If it was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up.

And these are my dreams that I'd never lived before. Somebody shake me 'cause I…I must be sleeping…

A hint of a smiled crossed his lips, he would do it all over again in a heartbeat if it meant meeting her again, being around her. Nick thought back to his family, his steadily deteriorating relationship with his parents and his mending relationship with his brother and sisters and it all seemed worth it now.

It was getting easier, he felt it. He’d made so many mistakes, hurt so many people, and he wasn’t proud of it. Still he was trying, making the effort he never took the time before to make. He had a long way to go, he had to regain the trust of his siblings that he’d lost, find a way to get along with his parents and deal with the divorce. It all boiled down to being there for his brother and sisters, it was about being there more and not letting them deal with everything alone anymore. It was going to be hard, but they needed each other and he wasn’t going to give up again without a fight.

Now that we're here, it's so far away; all the struggle we thought was in vain. And all the mistakes, one life contained…they all finally start to go away. And now that we're here, it's so far away, and I feel like I can face the day. And I can forgive and I'm not ashamed to be the person that I am today.

It was time to move on he knew, time to start over again. He couldn’t change the past, but he could change now, make the future better. Nick never thought it mattered, always thought whatever happened, happened. Now he knew better, knew that he had to take the chance, just way he’d told Veronica to.

These are my words that I've never said before I think I'm doing okay. And this is the smile that I've never shown before. Somebody shake me 'cause I must be sleeping…

It could all be over in a second, in a heartbeat and he didn’t want to miss out on anything. He’d spent way too much time being angry and apathetic. It was time to face everything, no more hiding, no more pretending. He needed to open his eyes and see what was in front of him for what it was.

Nick looked at Veronica again, really looked at her. He really hoped it wasn’t a dream, really hoped that it was real, that she was real.

I'm so afraid of waking please don't shake me… afraid of waking…please don't shake me…

Veronica looked over at Nick to find him staring at her.

“Uhh Nick? You ok?”

“Hmm? Yeah I’m fine, sorry, just thinking.”

“Must be pretty serious.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Nick smiled, “Nah, it’s cool.”

“Alright.”

He reached out suddenly, taking her hand, “I’m glad you’re here, thank you Veronica.”

She blinked then smiled, “You’re welcome Nick.”

“You don’t know how much you being here means to me.”

“It’s not a big deal really.”

“It is Veronica.”

“Oh…well, I’m glad that…that…you’re glad I’m here,” she chuckled.

He smiled, bringing her hand to his lips, kissing it gently.

He was very glad.

Now that we're here, it's so far away; all the struggle we thought was in vain. And all the mistakes, one life contained…they all finally start to go away. And now that we're here, it's so far away, and I feel like I can face the day. And I can forgive and I'm not ashamed to be the person that I am today.

So Far Away - By Staind