Sel: What do you mean? *looks at him suspiciously*
Nick: *sighs, moves regrettingly to the side, revealing Selenas mother lying on the floor in front of her. Starts to panic and speaks fast at her* Shes drunk, Sel. I didnt hurt her. Its just a technique i learnt when my parents left in case of an emergency. Shell be fine, i swear.
Sel: *looks at her mother on the floor, tries to step towards her but collapses under the sudden movement of her body and falls to the ground, landing right next to her mother*
Nick: *helps her up, and carries her in his arms, letting her down gently on the sofa and hands his jacket to her*
Sel: *puts it on slowly and gently with Nicks help. She stares down at her mother on the floor... she was about to kill her. She had never gone that far before.... Her own mother was willing to leave her daughters body for her son to see, to cry over, to haunt him for the rest of his life*
Nick: *bends down in front of her* something needs to change, Selly. And its pretty clear what it is.
Sel: I need Jake *tries to get up but winces and squeals with the effort and never-ending refusal of her body*
Nick: *puts his hands firm but soft and delicate on her shoulders* Ill get him. You stay. If anything is wrong, i want you to scream at the top of your lungs, no matter what. Ok? *gets up and walks out the door*
Sel: *watches him go, realising he was topless the whole time and she didnt realise... he had a NICE body. Tanned, and he worked out. Why was it so important to her after everything that had just happened within the past 5 minutes? Why did she find herself starring at him leaving rather than her murderous mother who had just attempted to knife her and show her off like a prize?*
Nick: *peeks in through the door after a few minutes* uh... is it ok for Jake to see your mother?
Sel: *sighs, looks down and nods. The next thing she knew, she was starring in the face of innocence and guilt, worry and sadness, anger and depression*
Jake: *standing right in front of her, staring at the cuts all over her body and the blood oozing on her forehead* Selly... *bursts into tears and hugs her, burying his head into her hair*
Sel: *blinks back tears and hugs him back* Im fine, Jake, i promise. Ill be fine. Can you do me a favour and go and grab Nick a shirt for me?
Jake: *looks down at his mother for the first time, lying on the floor, still and motionless* sure *on his way out, stops, turns and hugs Nicks waist* thanks, Nick. You saved her... i dont know what Id do without her *lets go and runs off*
Nick: *watches him leave and sits next to Sel*
Sel: *bursts into tears as soon as she hears Jake close the door tight* I cant do this to him, Nick. I really cant. He cant ever become like me. He cant experience what i have. I wont ever live with myself if that is ever a strong possibility.
Nick: *wraps his arms around her and hugs her, careful where he puts his arms and gently places them off her aching body and onto her hair, stroking it gently* youre not by yourself anymore, Sel. You dont have to suffer alone, anymore. You have me to look after you, now. To protect you, just like you have been doing for Jake. Im here for you, ok?
Sel: *hugs him tightly, laying her head against his bare chest* Jake cant see me like this, ok? I wont let him. He depends on me. I cant leave him.
Nick: You dont have to, Sel. But you cant stay here by yourself. Its not safe for either of you. I wont have it. Why dont you and Jake come stay with me and Frankie for a while?
Sel: *pulls away slightly to look at his face, leaving her arms wrapped around him* I couldnt do that to you guys. Youve already put up with us for long enough. Were too much trouble.
Nick: Please, you guys are the easiest people i know. Im not having you live here when this happens every day. She was about to kill you, Sel. You understand that, right? You dont have to stay with us forever if you dont want. Just for now, until you know what youre doing. Please dont make me drag you and Jake all the way over to my house with all your stuff cause believe me, i will.
Sel: *closes her eyes and smiles* Thanks, Nick *kisses his cheek quickly, embarrassed and buries her head against his chest again, hiding from him in himself*
Nick: *shocked and stares over her hair*
Jake: *opens the door and closes it quietly, walks over to them and kisses Sels hair while shes still hugging Nick* Here, Nick. Its one of our dads old ones we kept after he died.
Nick: *wipes away Sels tears quickly with one hand so Jake wont see and lets go of her completely as she straightens up to face Jake* Thanks *takes it from him*
Sel: *grabs his hands* Jakey, honey... how would you like to stay with Nick and Frankie for a while... would that be ok?
Jake: *his face lights up and he kisses Sels cheeks over and over and dives on top of Nick laughing* YES YES YES!!!
2nd part out soon xxx
