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Trouble Chapter 13

Nick jumped down onto his knees as he reached the spot where Kevin lay buried. Cursing inwardly, Nick realized that Viper had given him nothing to dig with. ‘What am I gonna do now? It’s gonna take forever to get to Kevin…” Nick thought in frustration, his heart sinking. ‘You can’t give up,’ he scolded himself.

Determination setting in his eyes, Nick dug into the earth with his bare hands pausing only slightly as the stretching of his arms tore at his wound a bit.

Nick dug frantically, the reddish brown earth dirtying his hands and getting underneath his fingernails. He cared nothing for this as he pulled the dirt towards himself burying his legs in the process. He shoved the dirt out of his way, making a new pile, getting the red-brown substance all over his bare chest and legs.

Nick checked his watch. ‘Two hours, ten minutes.’ His watch read. Nick began to dig faster screaming, “Kev! Kev!” trying to rouse him. He got no response.

Finally, after a great while of digging, Nick finally hit something solid. Looking down, Nick saw something white gleam in the sunlight. His heart soared. He continued to dig until the entire lid was uncovered.

Abandoning his efforts of digging with his hands, Nick stood up checking his watch. ‘Two hours twenty minutes?!’ Nick thought in alarm before dropping down next to the coffin and attempting to pull open the lid.

The lid however refused to give. “C’mon!” Nick growled as he grunted in effort and pulled again. Finally with a great creak the lid gave way and Nick pushed it away to look down upon the body of his eldest brother. Nick grinned and jumped down into the coffin next to Kevin. “Kev…Kev…” Nick whispered barely touching Kevin. He reached out and touched his face. Kevin did not stir.
Nick abandoned his efforts to be gentle, and leaned down next to Kevin, pulling Kevin into an embrace and shaking him gently. There was no response…as Nick finally realized, Kevin wasn’t breathing.

Nick stopped breathing momentarily as this information was processed.

“NO! KEVIN!” Nick cried out in anguish pulling the chains off the hooks inside the coffin and pulling Kevin out onto the earth outside the coffin. He tilted Kevin’s face upward and poised his own right side of his face above Kevin’s mouth while watching for Kevin’s body to rise and fall. All was still.

“Kevin,” Nick growled, in anguish as he placed two fingers next to Kevin’s Adams apple to feel for a pulse. To his relief there was a weak pulse. Nick released the breath he had been holding and then remembered that Kevin wasn’t breathing.

Forcing himself not to panic, Nick titled Kevin’s face upwards opening Kevin’s airway. He pinched Kevin’s nose shut and opened Kevin’s mouth gently. Nick hesitated before locking his lips over Kevin’s, drawing a deep breath and blowing it into Kevin’s mouth, into the older man’s lungs. He watched Kevin’s chest rise and fall before breathing for Kevin once again. “Come on Kev,” Nick growled in frustration and concern as he blew air in again.

“BREATHE KEVIN!” Nick screamed the order. “Breathe-“ *breath*

“Dammit!” *breath*

“Please” *breath*

“Kevvy,” *breath*

“Don’t,” *breath*

“quit!” *breath*

Nick began to lose hope. Kevin wasn’t responding at all. “KEVIN!” Nick snapped breathing for him once again.

“I’ll,” *breath*

“have,” *breath*

“to run,” *breath*

“the group,” *breath*

“without,” *breath*

“you,” *breath*

“then.” *breath*

Nick’s threat seemed to work because as he went to breathe for Kevin again, the older one’s body jerked and he attempted to turn over onto his side and with Nick’s help he was able to turn to cough and gag.

Nick breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed that Kevin was trembling. “Kev?” He whispered pulling Kevin back onto his back. Kevin took a shuddering sigh of relief then began to sob uncontrollably turning towards Nick’s stomach, clutching to the top of his jeans.

Nick watched Kevin break down and he pulled Kevin into his arms. Kevin’s body continued to tremble as Nick hugged Kevin tightly rocking back and forth, attempting to offer support. Nick just allowed Kevin to sob for a few seconds as he gathered his own emotions. “N…Nick,” Kevin finally gasped out clinging tighter to the blonde.

“Shhh…” Nick Murmured his emotions getting away from him again. Nick allowed Kevin to hold onto him as he rocked back and forth. Forcing back the tears that had formed in his eyes, Nick’s thoughts flew through his head. Kevin had almost died…that was the closest any of them had come yet. Finally Nick took a shuddered, shaken breath. “You okay Kev?” Nick asked barely above a whisper.

“I…I am not really sure,” Kevin whispered in a small voice.

“You hurt?” Nick asked softly.

“Not anymore than I was already,” Kevin answered shakily.

“Good…can you stand?” Nick asked pulling away from Kevin and looking at Kevin closely.

“Su…Sure…” Kevin replied as he started to shift his weight to the rest of his body as Nick gripped his hands and pulled him upwards. Kevin wobbled for a moment as Nick steadied him before he shakily let go of Nick’s hands.

“I think I’m okay…” Kevin murmured then bit his lip. “Thanks Nick…” Kevin offered a weak smile.

Nick grinned. “Hey, now could I really let you die? I mean, who would take care of the business part of the group?” Nick joked. Kevin managed another weak smile.

“Certainly not you Nick…the group would fail for sure,” Kevin joked back.

“Hey!” Nick laughed pretending to be offended, then looked at Kevin. “Let’s go.”

Kevin nodded in agreement and he and Nick took off. As they walked along, Nick was pleased to see that some color had returned to Kevin’s pasty face, although his clothes were dirty, his hair disheveled, and his eyes were puffy. “You sure you’re okay?” Nick asked concerned for his oldest brother.

“I’m fine,” Kevin replied, his guard back up.

Nick breathed a sigh of relief. He never thought he’d be glad to have Kevin’s older brother mode back, but to Nick this meant that Kevin was going to be fine.

Finally after a half an hour, Nick and Kevin saw the forms of Ace and Viper come back into view. Nick put a stony expression back on his face, as they approached which did not go unnoticed by Kevin who also tried to don one without much success.

“Ahh…Welcome back Mr. Richardson! How was it?” Viper asked Kevin with a sinister smile. Kevin just stared coldly back at them.

“Not too bad…though not something that I’d care to repeat thank you,” Kevin replied very coolly.

“Yes…I would gather that…Ace take them back to their cell would you?” Viper said carelessly walking back inside the building.

“Yes sir,” Ace replied, “Alright you two let’s go.” Ace turned to lead the pair back inside. Nick and Kevin followed obediently a short distance away from Ace.

“Nick?” Kevin asked after a long silence.

“Yes?” Nick replied.

“Uh…about the whole stopping breathing situation…could-“ Nick cut him off.

“I won’t mention it…no sense in getting everyone riled up…besides I don’t want them to know I touched your lips,” Nick said making a disgusted face. Kevin laughed.

“Hey! Feel honored! Only Kristin is allowed to touch these bad boys” he joked referring to his long time girlfriend. They both laughed as they reached the door to their cell. As Ace opened the door, Nick could hear the scuffling of feet and grinned to himself. He and Kevin both walked back inside the cell, allowing Ace to shut the door behind them.

“KEV!” Kevin looked up into the anxious faces of his friends.

“I’m fine,” he assured them all sitting on the nearest cot. The boys turned to look at Nick who nodded at them, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Assured, the rest of the boys sat next to Kevin, Brian finally noticing Kevin’s swollen eyes. He shot a look at Nick who gave him a silencing stare.

Brian nodded back at Nick and instead gave Kevin a hug saying, “I’m glad you’re okay,” loudly before whispering, “You can tell me what happened to you when D and A.J. are occupied” Kevin stared at Brian before nodding once.

Kevin laid back on the cot and closed his eyes, giving everyone the hint that he wanted to rest. Nick jumped up and with Howie and A.J. walked to the other side of the cell starting a conversation. Brian however, stayed next to Kevin and sat next to him.

“Well?” Brian prompted expectantly. Kevin sighed.

“Well what?” Kevin tried to stall.

“You look like shit…what happened?” Brian asked. Kevin merely shook his head and took a deep shaky breath.

“Just drop it, I want to rest…I really don’t want to talk about it,” he added as he felt Brian’s icy stare on his forehead. Brian gave up and left Kevin alone to rest, and attempt to sleep instead of relive the horror that had occurred not even four hours ago.

~*~*~