15 Minutes Later

Knock Knock

Nicole walked to the door and let Joey in.

“Oh Nicole! What’d he do now?”

“It scared me. I was just making dinner and then he came over and shut the stove off, picked me up, and carried me into the bedroom. He started kissing me and I told him no again and I pushed him away and started to walk out of our room. He pushed me against the wall and told me that I have to do what he tells me to because he’s my boyfriend. I wasn’t looking at him and he got real mad. He slammed his hands beside my head telling me to look at him when he speaks to me. I don’t know what happened to him after that. I looked at him and he started to back away slowly. He asked me if I was afraid of him and I nodded. Then Lance left and I called you. He acted so strange. This is scaring me more then if he would’ve hit me. I guess that’s what I expected him to do. I’m used to him doing that, but this…This I just didn’t expect.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Nik. I can’t figure it out either. I just don’t understand one thing. Why are you still with him? He not only abuses you physically but mentally too! Yet, you’re still with him!”

“I don’t want to leave him. I need him. I love him. And I know that the good, caring person I fell in love with is still there. Somewhere… it’s still there. He loves me and he needs me too.”

“As what? His punching bag?”

“He could’ve hit me today, Joey. But he didn’t. Don’t you see? Maybe he knows what he’s doing. Maybe my love is getting through to him. Besides most of the time when he hits me it’s my fault anyway. I always manage to do or say the wrong things. I deserve what I get.”

“That’s just it Nicole. You don’t deserve it. Why do you think you do? I’ll tell you why.” He said a moment later. “It’s because he’s brainwashed you into thinking that.” Joey sighed and then hugged her tightly.

“Thanks for being here Joe.”

“Get your hands off my girl!” They heard Lance shout.

“Lance!” Nicole exclaimed, backing out of Joey’s arms quickly.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Lance yelled at Joey.

“Lance this isn’t what it looks like.” Nicole said nervously.

“Are you sleeping with him Nicole?”

“No.”

“You won’t give it to me, but you’ll give it to him? Is that how it is?”

“No, Lance!”

He punched her in the stomach and then sent his fist flying again into her face.

“Man! Get the hell off her!” Joey said pulling Lance back.

“You! This is all your fault! You wanted her from the very beginning! Always trying to get what you can’t have!” He then punched him in the head, sending Joey backward. There was a cracking sound as Joey’s forehead hit the corner of the coffee table. “News flash Joey! She doesn’t want you!” Then he turned back to Nicole. “Nicole, baby, I DO love you. But you do bad things and I’m forced to punish you. I’m sorry, baby.” He said continuing to hit her.

Joey watched dizzily. He couldn’t help her; he couldn’t even stand up, let alone fight.

“I’m sorry Lance. I’m so sorry. I didn’t do anything with Joey. I love YOU! I want YOU!”

“You WANT me?”

“Of course I do.”

Lance kissed her and picked her up and then carried her into the bedroom, much like he had done before. Only this time, Nicole gave him what he wanted. Joey listened to Lance’s deep-voiced, powerful, and quite loud moans from his place on the living room floor, where he was unable to move from.

After Lance received the quick screw he was looking for he left again. Joey was unconscious when Lance walked by him to get to the door.

23 Minutes Later

Joey’s eyes fluttered open and he stood up and went into the bedroom to look for Nicole. He found her under the covers, her eyes closed and body close to being nude, beside her small undergarments.

“Nicole?” He called out. She didn’t even make the slightest of movements. “Oh God!” He picked her up wrapped in the sheets and carried her out to his car.

10 Minutes Later

Joey walked to the front desk of hospital lobby with Nicole, still unconscious, in his arms.

“I need some help here.” Joey told the receptionist at the front desk.

“Okay sir. What happened?”

“I found her unconscious. I don’t know how long she’s been this way, but it’s been more then thirty minutes.”

“Ok. Let me call someone down here. Just go sit down over there in the waiting area.”

“Alright.”

After the doctors had taken Nicole away, Joey paged everyone and told them to meet him at the hospital… Including Lance.

“What the hell happened to my best friend?” Leslie demanded an answer from Joey the second she walked into the waiting room.

“She was hit.” Was all Joey said.

“By what? And where the hell is Lance? He should be here by now!”

“You just answered your own question.” Joey mumbled.

“What was that?”

“I said you’ll have to ask Nicole. The doctor said she should be waking up soon.”

Just then JC, followed by Chris and Justin, walked into the room. JC had his arms full, carrying Riley and all of her things.

“Hey Leslie! Ya think I could get a little help here?” JC asked.

“Sure.” Leslie took Riley from his arms. “Hi sweetie.” She said through tears. “Did you miss your mommy? Yes, you did.” She rubbed noses with Riley and the baby giggled and cooed in delight.

“Why isn’t Lance here yet?” Chris asked.

“I am. Sorry, I was… Held up with something. I got here as fast as I could.” Lance said walking up to the group.

“Yeah. I bet you did.” Joey shot at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know very well what that’s supposed to mean ass hole! So stop acting so clueless!”

”Hey! I want to know what’s going on here! Right now!” Leslie shouted at them.

“My girlfriend is sleeping with that prick over there, when we’ve been going out for over a year now and I didn’t get any ‘till this afternoon!” Lance explained.

“I’m not screwing Nicole you Nimrod!” Joey countered angrily.

“Then why were you all over her when I walked into MY condo today?”

“I was comforting her by giving her a hug. She was so scared when you left. Then you came home and beat the shit outta her AGAIN until she gave you what you wanted and then you still knocked her unconscious and just left her there!”

“You’ve been hitting Nicole?!” Leslie asked, shocked.

“She deserved it and she knows it. She definitely deserved it tonight when I caught her cheating on me with him!” He said pointing at Joey.

Leslie handed Riley back to JC. Who then handed her to Chris, who handed her to Justin.

“She’s not cheating on you-“

“Excuse me a moment Joey. You can finish when I’m finished.” She smiled sweetly at him and then turned to Lance’s direction. “Lance, I always thought you were a good guy. Maybe you still are… You’ve just taken a bad turn. But whether you are or aren’t a nice guy really doesn’t matter to me at this moment. You see no one and I mean NO ONE hits my best friend! NO ONE! You hear that. Not me, not you… NO ONE! I don’t care if she was or wasn’t cheating on you!”

“She’s not!” Joey yelled.

“Shhh.” Leslie said turning to Joey. “Lance, this is for Nicole.” She said calmly before punching him in the eye and then kneeing him in the groin. “No one messes with my family.”

“Why you little…” Lance said making his way closer to Leslie. As he did so he raised his hand like he was about to hit her back.

“I wouldn’t do that.” JC said as him and Chris stood in front of Leslie. “Don’t.” JC warned. “I will hit you. Don’t test me.”

“Man! This is crazy! Can’t you see it! Are you all blind? She’s cheating on me… With THAT!”

“For the last time! She’s not cheating on you, half-wit! All she ever tells me is how much she loves you and how she could never leave you! I think she’s stupid for that quite frankly! Then again, she doesn’t know the whole story. Maybe I should tell her.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Wouldn’t I?”

“What’s the whole story?” The others asked.

“I’m not at liberty to say.” Joey said glaring in Lance’s direction.

“Don’t look at me! Yeah, right! I’m certainly gonna tell you!” He said sarcastically.

“Excuse me.” An approaching doctor said. “Nicole Daigle is awake at the moment. You may see her. But please limit the amount of visitors to two at a time.”

Joey immediately ran for her room. Lance afraid of what Joey might say ran after him. He walked into Nicole’s room right behind Joey.

“Nicole! Baby, are you ok?” Lance asked quickly running to her side.

“NO! Of course I’m not ok! Lance, don’t you see what you did? YOU put me in the HOSPITAL!” Nicole told him.

“I know baby. I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I love you. You know I do.”

“Do I?”

“I never meant to hurt you…”

“But you did Lance! You really did! Even after you promised to stop. Look around you! Do you see where I am? Why am I here, Lance? Why? I’ll tell you why! I’m here because I loved you so much that I couldn’t leave you. I thought I needed you. But you know what? Joey’s right. I don’t need this… or you.”

“You think this is bad? Wait ‘till you hear everything.” Joey said, trying to say it quiet enough that only Lance could hear him. Unfortunately, it was audible to Nicole as well. Lance’s eyes widened when he realized Nicole had heard Joey.

“Everything? What’s everything?” Nicole asked, fear evident in her voice.

“Do you want to tell her, Lance, or should I?” Joey smirked.

Lance couldn’t seem to find his voice. He knew he was about to lose her and there was nothing he could do about it.

“You know Mary, right?”

“Yeah, she lives next to me and Lance. She’s a real sweet lady.”

“Yeah, Lance knows her too. Real well. He’s been going over there quite often lately.”

“Why?” There were tears in Nicole’s eyes. She knew why, she just didn’t want to believe it.

“Since he couldn’t get it from you… Well, he went to the only other place he could think to get it. Exactly how big is that mouth of hers, Lance?”

“Why? But… You said you loved me, Lance…”

“I do, Nicole. I love you so much.” He tried to hold her hand, but she yanked it out of his reach.

“Don’t- Don’t touch me! First, you beat me because I won’t have sex with you. Then, since you can’t get any from me, you go to Mary! All the while you’re still hitting me! Then today you come home, hit me because you think I’M cheating on YOU with Joey when I’m not. I finally give you what you want and you still put me in the hospital! Is there anything I’m missing here? 'Cuz please, if there is, do tell.”

“He left again after he fucked you. My guess is he went over to Mary’s again. Am I right, even close, Mr. Bass?”

“Yes.” He said softly, looking at his feet. “But Nicole…”

“Get out.”

“Baby please…”

“I said, GET OUT!”

Lance left, angry and sad all at the same time.

“What are you smiling about?” Nicole yelled at Joey, tears dripping down her face. “That’s one thing he was right about. You’ve been waiting for us to break up since you found out we were together. Well I have news for you. I don’t want you either, Joey.”

His face fell.

“Can you leave and please send Leslie in.”

Joey did just that.

“Nicole! What happened? And why did Lance and Joey just leave her so angry?”

“Leslie, Lance has been hitting me.”

“I know. I found out right before the doctor came. I sorta hit him back.”

“Sorta?”

“Well I kneed him in the groin and punched him in the eye.”

“No way.”

“No one messes with my family, Nik.”

“He cheated on me… With Mary.”

“The girl down the street?”

Nicole nodded and then went on to tell Leslie the whole story.