Nick's face turned away quickly. He felt uncomfortable under the intense gaze of the others. Wrapping his arms around himself he sighed. "It was a dream, I don't think it's true. Just forget I said anything." He looked up.

"Nick, no! Tell us!" Howie's eyes pleaded with Nick's.

"It really wasn't anything." He leaned against Kevin, who sensed Nick's need for comfort and wrapped his arms around him.

"Please Nicky?" Brian asked, "Please?"

Nick shuddered at the memory of the dream, not wanting to relive it, he shook his head.

"Nicky, listen, it's really important that you tell us. You're our only contact with Andrew. We know you CAN get in contact with him through dreams. He did that to you with the poems remember? We need you to tell us." Kevin coaxed him.

Nick sighed and closed his eyes, pressing his head into Kevin's shoulder. A few stray tears still lingered on his cheeks. He nodded, "Okay," Everyone seemed to hold their breath as Nick started. Never opening his eyes, or removing himself from Kevin, though he did turn his face around so his voice wouldn't be muffled, he told of his dream.

"At first, it was like I was in third person, I couldn't be seen by Andrew or his Step father..."

"How did you know it was his step father?" AJ asked.

"Alexander, hush." Howie warned. Nick continued.

"I know because, I just...knew. Anyway, his step father, he-he beat him! And I'm not talking about a slap here and there, I'm talking about full blown punches and all the shit! So naturally; Andrew was afraid of him. And his step father, well, he hated music, especially piano music. So he hated Andrew even more so because he played the piano. Anyway, the scene seemed to fade into a different scene, perhaps a month or so later, because when the dream first started it was windy out and looked real cold, and now, it was sunny and there were birds. Lots of birds, they flew all around." He paused, "Sorry, I'm getting off track."

"No Nick, you're not, just tell it how you want to tell it." Gwen stated as the others agreed.

"Okay," He continued, "so he was outside with his mother, and his mother was talking to him and telling him bad news, a doctor, who had just finished examining him and left, had told his Mom what was wrong. She was crying.

" 'Andrew sweetie,' She said, 'Dr. Marshall just told me what's wrong with you. You have a bad heart, he said it might be a murmur, though he doesn't know, or it just could be weak.' Sort of like you Brian." Brian just nodded, eager to hear the rest. " 'However,' she stated, 'he can't fix it. You just have to be careful and not give yourself any frights.' I felt bad for him, I really did. He sat there all shocked and crying too. But then the scene changed again. It was of his step father leaving."

Once again, AJ interrupted; "So they finally threw that bastard out?"

Nick shook his head, "No, I thought so to, but actually, he was just leaving for a couple of months. Trust me, if they threw him out, we might not be here today."

"Oh," AJ seemed disappointed.

"Anyway," Nick once again started, "realizing that his step dad was leaving, Andrew began to plan his concert. This way his step dad couldn't hit him when he practiced or performed. Anyway, he begged his Mom not to tell his step father when he returned, see, he was leaving town anyway afterwards so his step father wouldn't have time to hurt him when he found out from the townsfolk."

"Wait a second here, his mother KNEW that he was getting beaten?" Howie asked.

"Well, yeah. But she was to afraid to say anything because she to was petrified of his step dad. So she agreed and the planning began. It was to take place one month from that day, so invitations were sent out to family and friends, and other people brought tickets. Their family was very wealthy and could also afford a back up orchestra to play behind him. The scene, then changed again to the day of the concert. Only this time, I was Andrew. For the first half of the concert, I, or he, played well. I could feel his emotions, he was nervous, but soon calmed down. After the third song, which was about an hour and a half later, he stood up to take one his routine bows, when he noticed a tall man standing off in the corner."

"His step father," Brian breathed.

Nick nodded, his eyes wide. "His step dad walked forward so he could see him better. And boy was he angry! He had come home early to this! Anyway, Andrew was scared! Absolutely petrified! I could feel it! I was him! I was so scared!" Nick's voice was rising with fear. His eyes looked terrified as if he really was Andrew. Worried, Kevin tried to calm him down.

"Nicky, calm down, maybe you should finish later, you're getting to worked up." He hugged Nick tightly.

"NO! No..I want to finish now."

"Nick..." Kevin trailed off, knowing it was no use. Nick went on.

"When I- Andrew saw him, he was so scared, he had like, some sort of heart attack! Right then and there! I remember the pain, oh it hurt so bad! Then, all I saw was blackness, that's when I woke up." He nodded knowingly. "Nobody knew what really happened, just that by the time the doctors arrived, he was already cold. Dead! All because of his step father!"

"Didn't they see him? His step dad that is?" AJ asked.

"No, he left right after Andrew died, and only returned back on the date that he was s'pose to return on."

"Wait, how do you know this if you already had woken up?" Howie pursued.

"I dunno...I just do." Nick felt something wipe his cheek. It was Kevin's hand. He had been crying. He rubbed the tears out of his eyes. "Sorry."

"It's okay Nicky." Kevin said giving him a tight squeeze.

"It was all just so scary! I can still feel his fear. It's all over me. I'm still afraid." More tears sprang into Nick's eyes. Kevin once again jumped into his fatherly mode and hugged him tighter, rocking him back and forth.

"Shhh...it's okay Nicky, it's all over." But Nick continued to cry. It was as if all the emotions he'd been feeling those past weeks were finally coming out of him. He'd kept to strong for to long. He knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Immediately, Brian, AJ, and Howie surrounded him, in hopes to help comfort him. Gwen hung back, she sat patiently in Nick's armchair and waited.

Some time later; Nick had cried himself into a deep sleep. Gently placing him on the bed and covering him with his forest green blankets, Kevin led the others out of the room.

"I really hope he has no more nightmares." He said, worried.

"Yeah," Howie said, "I guess we should get back to work." A movement down the hall suddenly caught Howie's eyes. "Hey guys, did you see that?"

"See what D.?"

"That." Howie pointed down the hall.

"There's no one down there Howie." Brian said. The figure, unseen to Brian, AJ, Kevin, and Gwen's eyes, stepped out of the shadows. It was a man. Dressed in old style clothes. He was just under seven feet tall, and looked very built and intimidating, he had graying brown hair and piercing green eyes. His fists were clenched in anger. His whole face was twisted in it. He walked forward.

"You don't see him?!" Howie asked, suddenly terrified.

"No, Howie, we don't. Who?" AJ replied.

"Him! Him!" Howie pointed as the man came closer. He stormed towards Howie and everyone. "Guys! GUYS!" Panic overtook Howie. Just as the man came up to him, he disappeared. Howie felt faint, and then everything went black.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER NINE
BBE INDEX
LONG STORIES
HOME