"Where?" Nick asked as he flipped the channels on the TV.
"My meeting, besides you don't have anything to do. We could go shopping later if you want." sitting beside Nick.
"Yeah sure, where's Brooke? She went to the agency already. C'mon get dressed, I'll be late."
Nick kissed Cari before standing up. "Go, go, before I get late," Cari said with a smile.
After a few minutes Nick came out of his room dressed with his usual disguise. "I'm ready, let's go."
"He left a message for you, he went to the deli about a block away to get some food, he'll be back in ten minutes." Margaux
said.
"Thanks," she looked at her watch and saw that it was already one o'clock in the afternoon and she was starving. When Nick
didn't return after ten minutes, she decided to come after him so she could also buy some lunch. After the first block, she
felt a foreign object being stuck at her back.
"Give me your money lady or your gonna get it!," a man growled behind her.
Cari froze with fear, the gun began poking at her side. "C'mon lady!" the man said angrily.
Cari removed her wallet from he bag and gave it to the man with shaking hands, "Please don't hurt me," she said, frightened.
Nick coming out of the deli spotted Cari just in time the robber had his hand on Cari's shoulder coming up to her neck. Nick
ran up to them but was quite some diatance away. Cari's face was pale with fright.
"Ain't you a pretty little thing," the robber said his hand coming down on Cari's back. Then suddenly she felt a blow from the
back. Martin, one of the bodyguards was tackling the robber. Nick came up and caught Cari's stumbling and crying figure.
"Sshhh, it's going to be fine, it's going to be fine." Nick said rocking Cari's hysterical body, trying to soothe her.
"Martin, get that fucking asshole in jail and I don't want to see his fuckin' face!" Nick said angrily.
The NYPD came and took the robber away. Martin gave Nick Cari's wallet. "The car will be here in a minute." Martin said.
Nick nodded in reply, while he rubbed Cari's back.She was still crying uncontrollably clutching Nick's shirt. He was hugging
her tightly. "Dammit! If I had been there, this wouldn't have happened!" Nick said blaming himself.
The car picked them up and they all went to the hotel. Inside the car, Cari's sobs silenced and she just turned pale and
stared into space. Nick looked at her worriedly.
"Cari! What happened?" Brooke saw her bestfriend's pale and unemotional face, "Oh my God! Not again!" she ran to Cari's side.
"C'mon Cari, look at me." Cari was still staring into space. Brooke sighed.
"Why is she acting like this?" Nick asked worriedly.
"Can you carry her to her room?" Brooke asked not answering Nick's question.
Nick nodded and carried Cari to her room, when she was situated on her bed, Brooke and Nick left her.
"So why is she like this? I have never seen her act like that," Nick said already feeling frustrated.
"I think you have to sit down when I tell you why she is acting like that." they both sat down.
"That was the same way she acted when her mom died. First she would sob and shake uncontrollably, but after that she would
stiffen and then stare into space. What she sees now is her father beating up her mother. Those memories are still fresh for
her. I believe she wouldn't be able to act like herself after maybe three days. She can utter words but still will stare into
space when she says those words. Her trauma will never go away, though she could control it for her to have a normal life,
that was what her shrink told her. I presume you were the one who changed her into more comfortable clothes?" Brooke said.
Nick blushed and nodded. "Did you see some marks on her back, some white scars and a new mark.? Did you see a new bruise or
cut at her back?" she asked.
"Uh-huh and there was a new bruise. I think it was from the gun being poked repeatedly on her back, There were also a few scars
although you can't see it much anymore unless you look closer." Nick said.
"Those were the beatings she recieved from her father when she tried to save her mom. Though it has healed, the new bruise
would remind her of those wounds. So until it heals she would act like that."
"I'm glad that bastard father of her is dead," Nick said angrily.
"Get some rest, it has been on hell of a day for us." Brooke said as she sucked in her breath. "I'll be back later, I need to
tell the agency that Cari will be out." Brooke said as she stood up.
"Who will fill in for Cari?"
"Who else? Moi," she sighed, "Take care of her okay? I'll be back in a few hours."
When she was out of the door, Nick went inside Cari's room and stayed there until midnight. He stumbled back into his room
and flopped down on his bed and fell fast asleep.
"Nick...scared," Cari uttered.
Nick stood up and helped her get into his bed. Both of them lied down, Nick placed his arm around Cari and she snuggled
closer to Nick's chest. Nick kissed Cari's head and said, "G'night,"
"'Night," Cari mumbled.
She went into Nick's room and saw her best friend snuggled on Nick's chest, she smiled.
She shook Nick awake, "What?" Nick said sleepily.
"That," Brooke mouthed, pointing at Cari's sleeping form. Nick, not remembering much about last night, smiled and snuggled
Cari closer. Brooke muffled her laughter.
"Just order room service for breakfast, okay? You might have to spoon-feed Cari, she's a good girl, she won't throw her food."
she winked at Nick, "I'll just go to the agency and fill up for Cari. Behave, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am" Nick said boyishly.
"Take care," Brooke said as she went out of the door.
"We will," Nick said and went back to sleep.
Cari's eyes blinked once, twice, then stared at Nick. He sighed. "C'mon, let's get you fed," he brought in the tray he ordered
for Cari.
"Bathroom," she said weakly.
"Oh yeah, sorry," he helped her up. Cari went inside and after a few minutes she went out.
"I got you some french toast, orange juice, some fresh fruit and and coffee," he placed down the tray on Cari's bed.
The phone rang, "I'll get it," Nick got the phone on his bed. "Hello,"
"Hey Nick, how's New York?"
"Hey B-rok! It's fine," he got up and went to the living room, making sure he was out of hearing distance from Cari, "Cari
was attacked yesterday."
"What?!"
"Well, not really attacked, she was robbed. The stupid bastard stuck a gun on her." Nick told Brian about Cari's condition.
"So now I'm feeding her," Nick said wickedly.
"I thought she was an expert in karate and judo? She could have defended herself." Brian asked puzzled.
"Aren't you listening? The gun was poking her then she just froze. She might have not thought of that."
"Can I talk to her? Maybe I can help a bit?" Brian asked hopefully.
"Yeah sure." Nick said as he went inside his room. He gave the phone to Cari, "Brian,"
"Hello," she said barely audible.
"Yellow Cari gurl! How are you? Is Nicky taking good care of you?" Brian said cheerfully.
Cari gave a small giggle, "Uh-huh, it's nice to talk to you again Brian."
Nick seeing the progress in Cari's speech, smiled saying a prayer of thanks. Brian and Cari talked for a few minutes then
Cari handed the phone to Nick.
"Thanks Bri, you did good,"
"More than good, man! I made her laugh!" Brian said with a chuckle.
"Yeah you did, see you in 2 days! Tell everyone Cari and I said hello,"
"Will do, bye!" Nick hang up the phone.
"Now it's time to feed you," Nick said with a smile.
Cari smiled back.
"Here's the big bad man," Nick said holding the french toast, making twirls with it, "You have to eat it so the big bad man
will disappear."
Cari bit into it. "You have to finish it. Here's your juice so the bad man will not come back."
Cari giggled. She felt like a little girl again, Nick was just like her mom. Her mom used to feed her like this when she was
young.
After Nick fed her, Nick asked her what she wants to do. Cari shrugged. Nick panicked sensing that Cari was again withdrawing
into her shell. "How about if I teach you how to play Nintendo?" He brought his Nintendo in case he didn't have anything to
do.
Cari smiled and nodded. Nick carried her out to the living room. He set up the Nintendo and taught Cari how to play.
"Well, well, someones feeling better," Brooke said as she went over the laughing couple.
"Hi Brooke," Nick said, Cari smiled.
"She's a sore loser!" Nick complained pointing his finger at Cari.
"Am not, you cheat." Cari said softly.
"Have you guys eaten dinner?"
"Uh-huh...I fed her breakfast to dinner," Nick said.
Cari blushed while Brooke looked at her with laughing eyes.
"What are you guys playing?" Brooked asked as she sat down beside Cari.
"Mario Kart, she sucks," Nick said to Cari.
"I do not!" Cari said indignantly. Nick snickred.
"You want me to beat him?" Brooke said to Cari.
Cari, fully knowing well that her best friend is very good in Nintendo, nodded happily. She stood up and sat on the sofa.
"You, beat the greatest Nintendo player, ha!" Nick said to Brooke.
"Ohh, you're gonna get it!" Brooke picked up the controller and the two of them began to play.
After a few minutes, "Ha! I beat you! Nick sucks!" Brooke said. Cari laughed. Nick was flaming red.
"Rematch!' he yelled.
"Sure," Brooke said smugly.
After playing it was 7-3 in favor of Brooke. "Ha! LOSER!" Brooke gloated. Nick groaned.
They haven't heard Cari utter a single word for the last 20 minutes so they turned around. Cari was sleeping soundly on the
sofa.
"Can she sleep in my room?" Nick asked Brooke.
Brooke pretended to think. "Hhmmm,"
"Pleeeaase? I fed her, I played Nintendo with her, I kept her company the whole day. Please?" Nick said.
"Sure, just behave okay?" Brooke said.
"I will, thanks." Nick carried Cari into his room.
Brooke sighed, "Looks like, she really likes him. Thank you God, You answered my prayers. Please make it last. Nick's a
good guy and will take care of Cari. He's a guy full of love, he's going to shower Cari with it." she then went to her
room and fell fast asleep, smiling.
At the NY Agency of LIMPA...
"Margaux, where's Nick?" Cari asked her secretary after her meeting.
At the Ritz...
Cari and Nick were seated on the sofa, Cari was leaning onto Nick's chest. He was running his hand into
her soft hair. Cari was still pale and was still staring into space. Suddenly the door burst open.
It was twelve-thirty, Cari's eyes opened and saw that Nick wasn't there. She stood up and went to his
room. She opened the door quietly but the door creaked and Nick woke up. He saw Cari and smiled.
Next morning...
Brooke went to Cari's room to check on her. Nobody was on the bed, she looked at the bathroom and saw
the balcony. "Oh God, no please!" she went ouside and saw no one. She sighed with relief. "Where could she be?"
"Wakey up sleepyhead," Nick said as he shook Cari lightly.
That evening...
Brooke heard laughter outside the suite. "Nick's laugh," she said shaking her head. She stopped. She
heard her best fried giggling softly. She shoved the key and went inside. Nick and Cari were playing Nintendo, Cari was
shoving Nick so that he would lose the game.
