Chapter Twenty

Nick and Sadie walked through the big airport, his hat and glasses securely on his head. The guys and Julia had been reluctant to let the two of them go, but after Nick explaining the situation, they all asked how to help. Nick told them to just let them go.

He led them to their terminal, handing a woman their tickets and letting Sadie enter the plane first.

Sadie stood in the aisle and waited for Nick, ready to offer him the window seat.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She nodded with a smile. "Sit," she ordered in a soft tone.

He obeyed, plopping down and snuggling back. He always wished the seats reclined more.

Sadie sighed with a soft smile as she watched his routine. She sat down and pulled out her book, opening to her bookmark.

"You're still reading that book?" he teased. She'd been reading that book since before the tour.

"I haven't had actual reading time. Thank you," she said, looking at him over the pages.

He shook his head, "Right… Nice excuse, Pierce…"

"Thanks, Carter," she shot back with a smile and went back to her book.

He chuckled and pulled out his cell phone, dialing his little brother's number.

Jackie heard Aaron's phone ringing, but he'd fallen asleep. She reached into his pocket and grabbed it, flipping it open to stop the ringing. "Hello?" she whispered.

Nick was a little confused, "Um… Sorry, I guess I have the wrong number…"

"Nick? It's Jackie…" she whispered back.

"Oh…" he sighed, "Okay, hey Jackie. I'm just calling to say I'm on my way out."

"Oh, Aaron's asleep. Want me to wake him?" Jackie asked softly, feeling… awkward.

"No, no… don't you dare. You know how hard it is for him to sleep when he's upset…" he protested, "Don't wake him."

"Okay, so… when will you get here? Cuz… I mean… He'll be mad he missed your call and he'll want to know," she reasoned. Why was she so nervous?

"Um… I'll be there in probably like… three hours," he responded, "Jackie, is everything okay? You seem a little… tense."

"I'm fine, just worried." Truth be told, she didn't know what he thought of her now, knowing what he knew.

"Jackie, I know what you're thinking and it's okay. You two love each other… and I'm glad you're with him right now since I can't," he stated, "Thank you."

She smiled relieved, "Thank you, Nick. For understanding and… there's no where else I'd rather be." She looked to Aaron, sleeping still on her shoulder, her arm gently draped over him.

"Is he sleeping on your shoulder?" Nick asked quietly.

"Yeah," she smiled.

He shook his head as he laughed, "He really is a lot like me."

"Do you snore?" she asked softly, stifling a chuckle, "And drool?"

"Yes…" he rolled his eyes, "He does that too?"

"Lil bit," she answered with a small smile.

He sighed, "Okay… Is he doing alright?"

"He called your parents," Jackie sighed, "That was the hardest part on him. I mean, besides finding her this morning."

Nick looked to Sadie as he asked, "What did they say?"

"She's twenty-two. She's not our problem anymore. You left to stay with them… Don't call back," Jackie replied, "That almost killed him."

Nick cringed and mouthed to Sadie, 'I hate them.' Then went back to the conversation, "I'll call them later… They'll change their fucking minds. Mark my words."

"I don't know, Nick. He was on the phone with them for almost an hour… and… nothing," she stated, hating that the family had to go through this. By, the family, she simply meant, Nick, Aaron and BJ.

"Trust me…" Nick stated, "I know things to make them do whatever the hell I want. It's time I put them to use."

"I just wish… I dunno. It's not fair," she stated, still quiet so Aaron wouldn't wake.

"Hell no, it's not fair. But I gotta go. Tell Aaron I called, okay? And take care of him… and yourself."

"Of course," she smiled, "I'll see you soon."

"Yep," he clicked it off.

Jackie hung up and looked back down to Aaron, softly kissing his head and sighing.

"Any news?" Sadie asked from behind her book.

"No…" he ran his fingers through his hair, "None."

"Oh, why don't you try and sleep while we fly?" she suggested, knowing how he'd be if BJ wasn't okay, and if it was drugs again.

Nick nodded, dropping his head to the back of the seat. "Wake me up when we're like... an hour away? I have a phone call to make," he spat.

"You okay, Nicky?" she asked, looking at him from her book, suddenly unsure of how he was feeling.

He waved her off, "Parent problems."

She nodded and went back to her book, trying to keep her mind off Nick for now.

***

Sadie was walking back from the bathroom awhile later. She sat down, she was on the last chapter of her book, finally. Nick's sleeping had given her the chance to read. She looked over at him, his eyes closed, his mouth open slightly, and his hair tousled. She sighed, and tore her eyes away going back to her book.

Nick woke to the movement beside him. He groaned a little, while stretching. Momentarily forgetting why he was on a plane, he panicked, looking at Sadie. He frowned when he heard Aaron's voice in his head, ‘I can't do this.’

"I can't do this either…" he whispered.

"Do what, Nick?" Sadie asked, barely hearing him.

"What?" he snapped out of it, "Oh… sorry… I was talking to myself, I guess."

"Oh… okay… You okay?" she pondered out loud.

"Yeah," he shook his head. He suddenly remembered his situation and sighed, "Where the hell's my cell?" His mood changed again.

She reached down to his carryon and pulled it out handing it to him, looking back to her book.

"Thanks," he mumbled, grabbing it away. He snapped it open and punched the buttons to call the one place he hated more than anywhere.

Sadie sighed softly and kept reading.

"Hello?" Bob answered the phone.

Nick was silent, being taken back to day long ago as he listened to his father's voice. He instinctively reached out a hand for Sadie's.

Sadie, slightly stunned, took his hand and held it. She wanted to give him the sense of comfort he felt he needed. She, now, kept an ear on the conversation as she read her book, not knowing how intently Nick wanted her to listen.

"Hello?" Bob asked again after hearing the silence.

"Hi," Nick responded, coldly.

"Nick?" Bob asked. It had been awhile since he'd heard from his eldest son.

Sadie, hearing the change in Nick's tone, looked to Nick quickly before turning to her book.

"Yeah, it's me," he stated quietly. It was still his father, no matter what had happened.

"What's up?" Bob asked, not knowing why Nick would call out of the blue like this, "It's been awhile…”

Nick felt that rage burning inside him. "What do you mean, 'What's up'?" he spat, "What the hell do you think is up?"

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" Bob asked, feeling that same rage inside him, "Why the hell are you calling? You steal BJ and Aaron from us, and now you call out of the blue!? What? Do you want Leslie and Angel too?"

"If I could have them! YES!" he yelled. Seeing people’s stares, he blushed and looked down.

Sadie jumped at his outburst. She looked at him. Her eyes filled with concern as she waited and listened.

"What do you want, Nickolas?" Bob snapped, coldly.

"I want to know why the hell you're not coming to see your daughter! You know, the one I stole! And why the hell you would talk to your son like that?! He feels abandoned right now!" he shook his head, "What am I saying? You didn't care then, and you won't care now."

"What are you talking about?" Bob asked softly. What happened now? Where was Jane?

"Fuck you. Aaron called and you're gonna play fucking dumb?" he whispered, "I can't believe you. Why are you PUTTING them through this shit?"

"Nick… she… Your mother must have talked to Aaron. What happened?" Bob asked through clenched teeth. He was upset that Jane had left him clueless.

Nick blinked back tears, "Dad…"

Sadie watched him, shaking her head lightly, she sighed and squeezed his hand.

Bob waited, "What is it, Nick?"

"BJ's in the hospital again," he whispered.

Bob sighed in response. "Damn it…" he muttered.

"She…" Nick swallowed, "She didn't tell you, did she?"

"No…" Bob answered, running a hand through his hair.

"Then she..." his anger grew again, "Then it was her? She told Aaron that…" He stopped, not wanting to tell him anything Aaron wouldn't want their family to know.

"It must have been," Bob replied, "Nick, you have to understand something. She's an adult now, and needs to learn that she has to deal with her decisions."

"It's hard to be an adult when you weren't raised," he shot, his tone low.

"If that's what you think, Nick, I'm not going to argue. I'm too old for that. Goodbye, Nick," Bob said hanging up with his son, and sighing.

Nick dropped the phone as if it had been burning him. Feeling his emotions getting the best of him, he quickly detached his hand from Sadie's and ran to the bathroom.

Sadie sighed and let her head drop back while she contemplated whether or not to follow him. She chose to wait, wondering what happened.

Nick sat on the floor of the bathroom. He sat there for about five to ten minutes, letting himself calm down. So far, he hadn't lost control and he wasn't about to now.

"Please return to your seats and secure your safety belts as we will be landing shortly…"

He sighed and ran a hand threw his hair, wiping his face with a wet paper towel. He went to go sit down.

Sadie watched him intently as he walked in front of her to sit down. She waited to see if he said anything.

Nick glanced at the young girl and plopped down, reaching for her hand again. He silently hoped he wasn't breaking too many rules. "I hate them," he stated.

"I know," she responded, watching him. She squeezed his hand a little as a way to let him know it was okay.

"They say I don't understand… That she's an adult and has to take care of herself, but I DO understand that… I swear to God I do, but that shouldn't stop them from caring when she's hurting. To care about whether she lives or dies!"

"You're right. Nick… what did you expect from that phone call?" Sadie asked softly.

"Exactly that," he sighed, "I was surprised with how much of a reaction I got."

"What do you mean?" Sadie gently pried.

"He… my dad… was concerned at first. Scared even, but then… it all disappeared." Nick closed his eyes, "I just want some reassurance, but I didn't get any…"

Sadie picked up his hand and gingerly placed a kiss on it before laying their clasped hands back down and leaning back on her seat. She knew she'd broken a rule, but she couldn't help it.

He smiled softly.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Florida…"