How Do I Live Without You

By: CC

Isabelle stared at the black casket, as it laid there. Slowly, her whole world came down on her. She stood there, not believing what was happening to her. Her one true love was being buried today.
Tears of pain and loneliness rolled down her face. That frightful night, ran through her mind again. Like it has been for the last 2 days. All she had were nightmare. Waking up in a cold sweat, screaming out his name. Praying that it was only a dream, but when she would look at the empty spot next to her, she knew, she knew that it wasn't a dream. That it was all real.

*Flashback*

Isabelle was sitting in the living room, on the couch, watching TV, when there was a knock at the door. She turned off the TV and got up and answered the door. She looked through the window, next to the door. A cop, was standing there. He knocked again, and she jumped. She opened the door, not knowing what awaited for her. For the news she was going to hear, would change her life for good.

"How am I help you officer?" Isabelle asked.
"Are you Isabelle Lachey?" He asked her. Something in his voice, told her something was wrong.
"Yes I am, Is there something wrong?" She asked him. The officer took off his hat and held it in his hands. She knew, something terrible happened. She had seen this type of thing before in movies. When the officer would take off his hand and held it in his hands, something happened to someone.
"Are you Nick Lachey's wife?" He asked.
"Yes. Is something wrong with my husband?"
"I'm afraid so. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your husband was in a terrible accident, this evening," The Officer told her. She couldn't believe it. Her eyes started to water.
"WHAT? What happened? Is he alright?" She asked him, wanting to know.
"I'm sorry. But your husband didn't make it."
"WHAT? Is this some kind of a sick joke that you're playing on me?" She asked, out of rage.
"No mam. We need you to come down to the hospital and identify his body. But please take your time," The Officer said. "I am really sorry for your loss." And the officer started walking away.

Isabelle closed the door, and leanded up against it, slowly sliding down. She began to cry. Hurt, anger, and sadness, tears rolled down her face.
"Oh god!!" She cried. "No. This can't be happening."

She finally made it to the hospital and it was him. She had asked what caused his death. The lady told her, that there was a shoot out at a gas station, and he was hit and died a few moments after.

"Did you call his family and let them know?" She asked, through tears.
"There's on there way," She told her.

Isabelle said her thanks and began walking down the white hall of the hospital. Pictures of Nick's lifeless body, flashed through her mind. "How could someone kill someone who didn't deserve to die?" She asked herself.

She stopped in the hall when she saw Drew, Jeff, Kirsten, Jeff's girlfriend and Justin walking down the hall. How was she going to break it to them. How was she going to tell Drew, his brother, that he was gone. A million questions ran through her mind. She started crying again.
She walked over to them.

"How is he?" Drew asked. She looked up at him. No words were said, just tears. And they knew.
"NO!" Drew said, as he began to cry. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm so sorry Drew," She cried.

Jeff wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, who started crying. Kirsten and Nick were bestfriends. It was Kirsten who got Nick and Isabelle together. She thought they made a cute couple, and she saw how happy they were when they were around eachother.
Kirsten started shaking and flipping out. Jeff held her closer to him, placing a hand on her tummy, rubbing it. For some reason, that would calm her down, and also his babies.
"Baby, please calm down, I don't want you to harm yourself or the twins," Jeff said, softly.
"Why?" She cried.

Justin stood there, stunned. He didn't know how to react to something like this. He leaned up against the wall, as the tears started to fall.

*End Flashback*

Since that day, no one had been the same. The guys decided to call it quits, since it would be pointless to continue without Nick.

After the funeral was over, and everyone had left, but Isabelle stayed. She wanted to be by herself, to say her last goodbyes.

She walked up to the headstone and helt down in the dirt. She lightly ran her fingers over the engravement.
"Nicholas Scott Lachey. 1973-2001 A Loving Husband and a great friend," She read outloud. She sat there and stared, as the tears rolled down her face.

"Oh Nick, I miss you so much. It hurts. It hurts so much," She cried. "I hate feeling so empty and lonely without you." She laid down next to the gravestone and cried. Cried every pain, every emotion she had in her heart out.

A Year Later

Every day, Isabelle goes to his grave. To get away from everything. To tell him how much she loves him and wishes that he was still here, even though he has been gone for a year, she still loved him. She tried letting go, dating, but she knew that her heart belonged to him and only him.

Little by little, she was falling apart inside. She gave up on everything. She distance herself from her friends and family. For many hours, she would sit and talk to Nick, like he was there, listening to her. And that was the only peace she had in her heart.

One night, Isabelle woke up in a cold sweat. The same nightmare she had for the last month, kept on repeating it's self. She screamed out his name, hoping he would be there to hold her, to make everything go away. But he wasn't.

She turned to the empty spot, hoping that she would wake up from this nightmare, and he would be there. But it was the same thing every night. She started crying again.

"Oh Nick! I need you so much. My heart can't let go. I....I...." But uncontrolable sobs took over.

"Belle, my sweet Belle. Please don't cry," A whispered voice said, through out the room.
"I can't help it," She cried. "I feel so empty inside. I wish you were here."

A bright white light, appeared in the corner of the room. Isabelle looked up, but she had to cover her eyes with her arm. Slowly a man started walking out of the light. And then the light disappeared.
She uncovered her eyes, and couldn't believe her eyes. She closed her eyes. "Why is this happening?" She asked, afraid. "This can't be happening. You're dead."
"Oh my sweet Belle. Please don't be afraid," He said.

She knew she had to be dreaming. Only one person called her Belle, and that was Nick. But she prayed it wasn't a dream. How she missed him so much.

She opened her eyes, maybe, hoping that he would be gone, but he wasn't. He was standing there, by her bed.

"Oh Nick," She said, getting out of bed and going to him.

The End

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