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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 20, 2018 4:50:02 GMT
420 Words
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The Words
An Open Heart is an open wound to you
Over the last few months, Nick had been living in his own perfect world. Both of his boys had girls that were perfect for them. One of which was his, well, Emma. And he had the perfect girl that lived just next door. He couldn't have painted a better picture if he tried and honestly he didn't want to. He was ecstatic with his situation and if it were up to him, he would have locked his girl down tomorrow. Nick knew he didn't have to worry about losing her to anybody because they were both really happy and content with their situation, but he didn't want her to wander because he knew he wouldn't find anyone else better for him.
In the last week, Nick had been looking at rings, browsing just for kicks. He'd been saving up for a little over a month, just to be sure that he could afford the perfect ring and to be sure that cost wouldn't limit his choices. Halley wasn't the kind of girl that cared about money, but he wanted her to have something that she loved and wanted to show off to everyone. Heck, he wouldn't have even minded for everyone to be completely jealous of it. It was ironic that he'd been so concerned about marrying her what with his situation growing up. His parents were the happiest people he knew and they hadn't even considered marriage in the conventional sense. Patch and Layla were content being married in the emotional sense, but they didn't need a paper to make it official. Nick wanted that kind of security, but he also sort of wanted a little tradition in his life and he wasn't sure Halley would be as comfortable with a situation like his parents'.
Perhaps his diving into the realness of where he wanted to go with their relationship was the cause of the nightmare that he'd had. Whatever it was, he hadn't been prepared. With Halley lying beside him in his bed, he sat bolt upright, cold sheen of sweat covering his body. His hand went up to his cheek and he was breathing heavily at the memory of being beaten by the woman that had been before Halley. He slung his legs over the side of the bed and put his head in his hands, attempting to regain his composure.
The scariest part is letting go..
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962 posts
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Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Mar 23, 2018 4:16:46 GMT
310 Words
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And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
For the longest time, Halley had dreamt of a man like Nick. Handsome but doesn't show it off, dorky and embraces his dorkiness, affectionate but not at all suffocating and with such a big heart. He ticked off everything on her list. The only thing he had that she didn't agree with was his job but he was so passionate about it that she had to give him a pass. And Layla worried about that enough for the two of them. Halley was just happy because everything in her life seemed to be going according to plan.
If she were being honest, she would also note the fact that she didn't seem to be the only one already thinking about marriage with Nick. Emma and Layla had been blatant with their pushing. Practically every time Halley was over, they would be talking about Halley and Nick being such a cute couple and how they would make the most beautiful babies. Halley tried to play it off as cool as possible but she'd be lying if she said she didn't think that as well.
She was now basically living in Nick's place too, despite living just next door. Being away from him seemed like not an option for her anymore. Max and Arya fortunately got along so well that the transition didn't even make a difference. And as she was sleeping that night, she counted her blessings for having this picture perfect life.
Halley wasn't exactly a light sleeper but she had been woken up by the sudden movement beside her. Groggily, she opened her eyes to see Nick sitting on the edge of his side of the bed. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she moved over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder and reached out to kiss the back of his neck. "What's wrong baby?"
And never seemed so right before
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 23, 2018 16:50:51 GMT
342 Words
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The Words
An Open Heart is an open wound to you
Normally, he wouldn't have reacted to the way she touched him the way that he had. He'd have reveled in it, absorbed the comfort from it, but after his nightmare, he tensed and he cringed away from her. Nick stood up and paced across the room, his breathing still heavy and his hands he found were shaking. It was like reliving it all over again, constantly wondering what he was doing wrong and how he was going to get punished for what he did. It had made him crazy the first time, trying to hide all of the problems that he had from the people that loved him. Even now there was only one person who knew and he'd made her promise not to tell anybody.
Nick knew it was wrong to keep it from Halley, a year into their relationship, he hadn't expected the memories to come back so full force. Their relationship had transitioned so easily with every month that passed, he was ready to marry her! Why did the memories of the only other girl that he'd genuinely loved have to come back so harshly in his mind and remind him that he was still broken. He'd buried it for so long that he didn't think it would ever resurface, but there he was, standing across the room because he was afraid of being hit again.
His eyes remained glued to the floor and he shook his head, it wasn't fair. He never should have subjected his girlfriend to this and yet, he couldn't quite shake the fear off. It was gripping his throat and had his stomach in knots. The ironic thing was that she hadn't hurt him all that bad, she was small enough that she hadn't hurt him too bad. But she'd made him feel so insignificant and so weak that he couldn't help but revert back to that state.
The scariest part is letting go..
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Mar 24, 2018 14:51:50 GMT
172 Words
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And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
Taken aback by the reaction she got from Nick, Halley backed off immediately. She watched him pace the room as she pulled her knees up to her chin, the blanket covering most of her in that position.
For as long as they had been officially together, Nick had never moved away from her touches. In fact, sometimes, she had to push him away if she had to do something. She didn't want to have any negative thoughts but the way he looked, he'd never looked like that before.
Although she was used to patients who claw at her when she tried to administer any medication or jabs, this was different. This felt incredibly personal and Halley didn't know what to do.
"What's wrong, Nick?" Halley hadn't really called him Nick in a long time. It was usually an endearment or his nickname. Calling him Nick always just felt impersonal but she had called him an endearment before and he had moved away. She didn't want to toe any lines at that moment.
And never seemed so right before
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 25, 2018 5:15:17 GMT
352 Words
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The Words
An Open Heart is an open wound to you
The change of what she called him must of jarred something in him, shaking him hard so that he could focus. Hearing her call him 'Nick' was just strange in its own right, but it also reminded him of the way that Liz talked to him. She wasn't big on terms of endearment and she hated his nickname. It was always Nick or Nicholas and when she called him by his full name it often made him sick to his stomach because he knew what would come after. It was one thing for his mother to call him that, but when she had, it made him completely deranged. Like a trigger.
Nick clenched and unclenched his hands a few times, trying desperately to shake off the tremors. His breathing started coming easier and he could feel his body starting to relax. The nightmare wasn't real, Liz wasn't there, Halley was. When his eyes lifted to her, he was struck with a sickening guilt that he'd just completely cringed away from her as if he didn't want her touching him. Not once had he ever felt scared around Halley, she was so warm and inviting and comforting. She made him feel strong and yet he knew he didn't have to be scared of being vulnerable with her. And he'd flinched away as if she was going to beat the living shit out of him.
With a moment of hesitation, he walked back to the bed and knelt down in front of it and her. He put his head in his hands while his elbows were resting on the bed and he shook it back and forth, "I have to tell you something, Hal. Something that you're not going to like and something that only Emma knows. But I have to tell you because if this happens again...I just...I want you to understand." His eyes lifted to hers and he reached out to grab her hand.
The scariest part is letting go..
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Mar 25, 2018 5:30:15 GMT
166 Words
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And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
Halley's eyes tracked Nick's every movement and when he knelt in front of the bed, Halley instinctively moved so she could be nearer to him. Watching him, Halley realised that she was fearful of what was to come next. His words didn't ease her anxiety but she stayed. Even though the look on his face scared her.
She let him take her hand and she squeezed, not knowing what else to do.
She also realised how big it had to be if he told Emma and she didn't tell her. Emma was a lovely woman but a bit of a gossip, something Halley didn't really mind usually. But if Emma deemed it a secret, it had to be serious. It actually reminded Halley of the time when Emma had told Halley to really take care of Nick. At the time, Halley had just waved it off as the typical big sibling speech but now, she knew there had to be more to it.
"Okay." She whispered.
And never seemed so right before
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 25, 2018 5:42:08 GMT
372 Words
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The Words
An Open Heart is an open wound to you
Her instinct to move closer made him feel a little better and he was grateful that she hadn't pulled away when he reached for her hand. His thumb brushed across the padding of her thumb and he stared at their hands as he searched for a way to start. It was no easier than it had been telling his best friend. Emma's reaction had been harsh and she was brash, so he'd expected it. Halley was vastly different from her though and he couldn't be sure how she'd take the information. If she ran, he couldn't be completely sure that he would survive it.
Nick took a shaky breath and cleared his throat, "Okay, so, you know I don't really uh, I don't talk about my ex willingly. When we broke up it was just one of those drop off the face of the planet kind of things because I didn't say much about it." That it had taken so long for him to dump her and go for someone more like his girlfriend now was amazing and disgusting all at once. He knew he should have dropped his ex the moment he saw Halley. His fingers tightened around hers and he took another slow breath. If he just took it easy, he wouldn't have a panic attack and he'd be able to get through this.
"When I do talk about her, it's never really anything good, but it's always been sort of vague, right?" He looked up at her and frowned, "I...She...she used to hit me. A lot any time I messed anything up. And I've done a pretty decent job of keeping it buried. But tonight, well, I had a dream about it and..." He trailed off and shook his head. Nick leaned forward so that his head was against the mattress and he sighed, "I can feel it sometimes. The panic of screwing something up and being hit for it. It builds up and then I have a nightmare and...I just can't be touched right after because I freak out."
The scariest part is letting go..
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Mar 25, 2018 6:06:43 GMT
192 Words
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And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
Halley nodded as Nick spoke. She was aware that the situation called for some delicate dealings and she wasn't about to interrupt Nick for any reason. But the more he spoke, the less she wanted to keep quiet. She'd always known his ex was a piece of work, but she hadn't realised that she was an abusive piece of work. Rage built up in the otherwise calm nurse. The man she knew was the sweetest most thoughtful person she'd ever met. For someone to see any mistake he made to be punishable in that way had to be a monster.
Her hand squeezed Nick's tight as a prickling sensation started behind her eyes.
All of what Nick was saying began to explain the times he flinched at sudden movements, the way he spoke sometimes, apologising for the smallest things...all of that was the product of an abusive relationship. Her sweet Nick had been subject to a horror no one should ever be subjected to.
Halley slid off the bed and sat beside Nick, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so, so sorry." She whispered against his shoulder.
And never seemed so right before
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 25, 2018 6:20:26 GMT
313 Words
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The Words
An Open Heart is an open wound to you
When she slid down to sit beside him, he leaned back and turned towards her just as she reached out to hug him. Nick's arms wrapped around her easily and he buried his face in the side of her neck. Now that the nightmare was over, he felt a little better. He was aware of his surroundings and he was happy that Halley had been asleep beside him so that she could be there when he woke up. It was always harder when he woke up to the nightmares on his own. More often than not, he'd call Emma just to kind of talk him down so that he didn't have a meltdown.
His arms tightened around her and he sighed, "Don't be sorry. It's over, it happened, but it's over." Leaning back, he brushed her hair out of her face and tilted her chin up to look at him, "Besides, I get to wake up to you. Things could be so much worse." His lips quirked up at the sides and he leaned forward to press his lips to her nose and then her forehead. He'd wondered what it would be like to tell her about what happened and he wasn't sure how many details he'd give her down the road, but knowing that he had someone in his life that didn't ever consider hitting him, he was lucky. He'd gotten rid of the problem.
Nick brushed his thumb across her cheek, "I don't want there to be anything I keep from you and that was one thing that I couldn't trust anyone else with at the time. But I trust you and I trust the fact that you wouldn't do anything like that to me."
The scariest part is letting go..
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962 posts
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Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Mar 25, 2018 6:32:53 GMT
186 Words
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And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
Halley's eyes were quickly filling with tears at the thought of Nick being abused. She saw enough patients in a day to know that she would more than likely meet a survivor in her life without even knowing it. The fact that she hadn't met Nick in the hospital because of it was something she would be eternally grateful for. The alternative scared her even more. She tried to calm herself down because this wasn't happening to her. She could sympathise but she couldn't take it on herself. She had a tendency of doing just that due to her abilities so she had to stop herself.
His reassuring words had her melting and she accepted the kisses as they came.
The fact that he trusted her made her smile. "I would never." She shook her head and pressed her lips against his. "I love you, there's nothing in this world that could make me do anything like that to you." She kissed him again and pulled him into a hug, kissing the side of his neck and head. "I love you," she repeated after every kiss.
And never seemed so right before
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 27, 2018 1:07:13 GMT
200 Words
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The Words
An Open Heart is an open wound to you
Nick watched as her tears filled quickly and it broke his heart to see her hurting over what he told her. Obviously he could understand why, but he didn't want her to feel sorry for him and definitely hadn't meant to make her cry. He kept his lips pressed to her forehead for a long moment and he then rested his forehead against hers, "C'mon, babe. You're killing' me here."
His hand reached up to cup her cheek when she pressed her lips to his and he sighed lightly against her mouth. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and kept his arms tightly wrapped around her waist. "I know you do, babe. I know. I love you, too, gorgeous girl." And he knew that he was definitely going to marry her. There was nothing holding him back anymore and he couldn't wait to ask her. His hands moved up and down her back lightly and he breathed her in, "I don't know why I couldn't have met you before her."
The scariest part is letting go..
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962 posts
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Authored by
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Mar 27, 2018 6:59:24 GMT
186 Words
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And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
Nick's response to her crying made her laugh once before she nodded. "I know, I'm sorry. This isn't my burden to bear. I just...can't believe someone would be so insecure about themselves that they resort to something so debasing. And to you of all people." She sighed, composing herself to at least stop the tears from flowing freely.
She let his words wash over her, clinging on to him for dear life. She couldn't imagine wanting to do anything to Nick but love him entirely.
Halley believed so much that things happened for a reason. People are sent into different lives at different stages for people to grow into better versions of themselves. Although she hated that of all people, Nick's ex was sent to him at all, she believed he was sent to her at the right time. She had to.
"All I know is we're both at the right place at the right time and I won't squander it away. Not for a second." She said, pulling away slightly to look at him. "You're a God send, Nick." She smiled through her tears.
And never seemed so right before
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