Running Wild in the Night

Nikki's POV

"Oh god," I muttered, pacing as Velken watched me, "Oh god, oh god...."

Months had passed and it was November. Its not like you could tell anyone. Its flippen California and its still warm. Sheesh, in Colorado, it would be cold now but then again, Colorado is a bi-polar state. And besides, I hate being there, mainly the Springs. Too many raw memories I want to forget and am currently in the process of doing so.

Brian was already in Huntington while I was still in Los Angeles. Unlike him, I still had classes...........lucky bitch. He got to leave early but I'm still stuck with classes to take and credit hours to fill. Not fun. Now I feel stupid about taking so many fucking classes.

But I had other things occupying my mind......like my current problem.

I sat on the couch, placing my hands in my face. "This can't be happening. This cannot be happening. This just cannot be happening," I muttered, repeatively to myself.

Maybe I was going crazy.....no, I'm already crazy.

No, this was real and I had to accept that.

Velken whined as he placed his head on my knee, knowing something was wrong. Animals always seem to know when there's something wrong. That's why I said I would surround myself with animals when I'm older. I used to think that I got along better with animals than I did with people. That held some truth.

I rubbed his ears, thinking about every possible solution. There were three and one of them, I absolutely refused to do.

"I need to tell Brian," I said, looking at Velken.

He growled and I instantly knew he agreed with me. It was the best option.

During my drive to Huntington, I kept thinking about this. Everything was so shocking and unexpected. I didn't know what to do except that I need to tell Brian. Questions raced as I stepped on the gas pedal.

Was I ready for this?

No.

Did I have any clue how Brian would react?

No.

Was I scared out of my fucking mind?

YES!

I had my paintings in my car. I had finally finished them and I decided that I would hide them at Jimmy's place until I knew when it was smart to reveal them to everyone. That's the only thing that made me feel better: knowing that I had finished those dreaded paintings.

A sigh escaped as I reached the city limits of Huntington Beach. The ticking of my watch seemed to echo throughout the whole car and that was the only thing I could hear: that constant tick noise. The strange thing was that it seemed to speed up the closer I got to Jimmy's house. I shook my wrist as soon as I got to a stoplight and that's when I realized it.

It wasn't my watch. It was my heart rate.

Oh god.

Brian's POV

"So a week off," Val said, "That's great!"

I laughed, nodding. Currently, the guys, Val, and I, were all sitting on Jimmy's front yard. We decided to all sit out here and wait for Nikki so that we would all be the first ones to see her as she came in.

They all chatted while I thought about some things. Mainly the fact that this lawn was where I had my first conversation with Nikki. This is where I saw the loneliness in her life. This where I practically first met her. I couldn't believe that a year ago, she was this depressed, lonely person who just wanted to die.

Now, she's full of life and smiling. She's the Nikki that I fell in love with.

The guys didn't know it but I fingered the small box in my pocket. No, I wasn't going to propose to her. We were too young for that but I got her a promise ring. Something to remind Nikki that no matter what, she was the one for me and the one girl that held my heart.

I'm planning to give it to her at one of our shows this Friday; I'm planning on giving it to her the day I first met Nicole Storm McCade.

The familiar headlights of that infamous BMW came around the corner and we all got up. I smiled, hearing the faint sound of Motley Crue blasting from within. The BMW pulled into the driveway and we all ran to the driver's side, ready to great Nikki.

Nikki opened the door, not really realizing that we were there. She looked up at us and jumped, falling back onto the driver's seat. I'm surprised that she didn't even scream. We all laughed as I helped her up, giving her a hug.

"God, I missed you," I mumbled, holding her close to me.

She smiled at me, "I missed you too."

Nikki's POV

Being in Brian's arms made me forget about my problems. I felt warm, safe, and loved whenever I was in his arms. It was my favorite place to be and I never wanted to leave.

We were having a barbeque, to celebrate the return of Brian and I. Honestly, I don't know why they insisted on having this little get-together. Its not like we're moving to Alaska or Australia. Oh well, I just went with it.

I, currently, was playing with McKenna and Velken. We were playing "monkey in the middle" and Velken was the monkey. It was fun. Velken licked McKenna's face as she got the ball, trying to get it away from her. He knew how he was supposed to be with McKenna; I didn't want to force him to stay at home whenever I was around little kids. Besides, McKenna loved Velken.

"So we got a show on Friday," Jimmy told me as he passed the potato salad to me.

"Really," I asked, taking it from him.

I haven't told Brian yet. I just waiting for the perfect moment. Or I'm simply just dreading telling him. The latter seems more like something I'd do.

"Yeah," Zacky replied, handing me a Mountain Dew, "Are you going to come?"

"Maybe," I said, bitting my lower lip.

"Aw, c'mon, Nikki," Matt said, whining, "You just have to go. There are going to be some representatives from some recording companies and we honestly think that this is our shot!"

I bit my lower lip when Brian said, "Nothing's going to get in the way of us getting big!"

"Nikki," Jimmy called as he entered my room.

I was sitting on my bed, facing the window, when he came in. Of course Jimmy would know something's up. He's my cousin and is really senstive to me. I just was hoping that he wouldn't notice this time.

"Hey Jimmy," I said, trying to act normal, "What's up?"

"Not much but I have a feeling that there's something up with you," he said, sitting down next to me.

Shit! Why'd he have to notice?

"Nothing's wrong, Jimmy," I replied, remaining calm.

"Nikki........"

I sighed as I looked at him. I knew I had to tell him because now, I decided it was time.

"I'm going to go see Brian," I said, getting up.

"You're not going to tell him, right," Jimmy said.

I nodded, "Nothing is going to get in the way of you guys going big.....not even me."

I walked out of the house and walked down the street to Brian's parents' house. It took me ten minutes to get there.......mainly because I was busy thinking about everything. I had everything planned out, now I just had to face the hardest part: Brian, himself.

"Hey, Nikki" Brent said as he opened the door," You here to see Brian?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, come in," he said, moving so I could walk in.

"Hey, Nikki," Suzy said, giving me a hug, "Nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, Suzy."

"Brian's in his room."

"Thanks," I said, nodding and heading up to his room.

I walked into Brian's room, to find him just laying on his bed face down. I sat down, next to him, and rubbed his back. He instantly tensed but relaxed when he realized it was me.

"Hey," I whispered.

"What are you doing here, Nikki," Brian asked, sitting up.

"I just wanted to be with you, that's all," I replied, running my fingers down his jawline.

"You want to stay with me tonight?"

I nodded as he pulled me into his arms and laid back down, "I would love nothing more."

Hours passed and soon Brian's light snoring filled the room. I knew he was asleep. Quickly and silent, I got myself out of his arms. Brian always slept with the window open so I climbed out of that and jumped off the roof, landing on his lawn. I had done this so many times when I was in Colorado that this was easy to me.

It took me five minutes to run home. I hadn't unpacked anything so all I need to do was just get things into my car. I opened the front door with my key and closed it quietly behind me, leaving it unlocked; I was going to leave anyway. I headed to my room and grabbed my bags, leaving my paintings behind, in the order that they were supposed to be in and on easels, and walked out. Velken followed me and sat by the passenger's seat. I originally was going to leave him but he gave me that whine. I knew that I had to take him.

"Okay, get in Velken," I said, opening the door.

He hopped in and curled up, as usual. I went back in real quick and headed to my room. I was originally going to leave with no good-byes but I had to at least write a letter. So that's what I did. The tears formed as I wrote down the words. Sadness just filling my body as I folded it and placed it on the center painting.

I got in my BMW and turned the ignition.

"Good-bye," I whispered as I drove out of Huntington Beach, "I'll miss you. And I love you Brian."

Brian's POV

I woke up the next morning, realizing something was not right. My arms were empty and Nikki was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe she went downstairs," I mumbled after I checked the bathroom.

"Oh, hey Brian," dad said as I walked in the kitchen, "Do you think Nikki would like some waffles?"

"Nikki's not here," I asked.

He shook his head. I was about ready to say something when the phone rang. Suzy answered it but called me, "Brian, its for you."

"Is it Nikki?"

"No, Jimmy."

I immediately grabbed it, "Jimmy? Have you seen Nikki."

"Brian, I need you to come to my house," he said, ignoring my question.

"Jimmy, I can't find Nikki," I yelled.

"Just come to my house. There' something important."

"Fine," I said, huffing.

"What's going on," Dad asked as I headed to my room to change clothes.

"Jimmy keeps telling me to go to his house. He says its important," I answered.

They just nodded and watched as I headed out the door.

Where the Hell is Nikki

As soon as I walked into the Sullivan's living room, I realized that everyone is here. Matt, Val, Zacky, and Johnny....they were all here.

Jimmy came down, placing five easels in front of us, each had a painting that was covered and I had a feeling Nikki had done those. He handed a covered painting to Val and said, "Nikki made this for you."

She looked at it and removed the cover. It was a picture of her and Matt dancing at prom. A gasp came as she touched its surface, tracing the lines. "Nikki made this for me," she asked.

Jimmy nodded as he took the letter from the third painting and handed it to Matt, "Read it. Out loud."

Matt looked at him funny but did what he was told.

"Hey guys.

Um. So I guess that now that you all are reading this letter, I'm long gone. No, I didn't comit sucide. I just left. I left the house, I left Huntington, and now I'm leaving UCLA. Soon, I will be leaving California.

You guys are going to get big. I know it and I don't want anything stepping in the way to that success that you guys desearve. Not even me. I don't want to be the one that stops you from become that amazing band you guys are destined to become. I don't want to be the one that holds you back.

You guys have done so much for me. You all were my friends when I thought I needed none. You helped me. You saved me from my addiction and abusive love affair with heroin. I couldn't hold you guys back so that's why I left.

Brian, I love you so much. You mean the fucking world to me. I feel so happy whenever I'm with you. I feel complete but with me, you wouldn't realize your dream. You would not acheive that rock star status you so rightfully desearve.

Forget about me and move on. Find someone you desearves your heart. Someone who will always stand by your side. Someone who belongs with you.

Just forget about me.

I leave you with something I have been working on for quite some time now. My paintings. Seperately, they are their own thing, together, they make up the masterpiece. There's one for each of you. I made one for Val as well.

Together, I have named it. Seperately, I leave the naming to you. Together, its called Running Wild in the Night.

My best wishes.

Nikki"

Jimmy took off the covers, revealing what Nikki had painted. Each seperate painting had one of us, playing our instruments on a huge stage. The night sky above us and screaming fans below us. Together, it made up a show. Us playing for a crowd of millions. She portrayed us as the band that she knew we would become.

I closed my eyes, slamming my fist onto the ground. "How can I be that amazing guitarist she knows I can be without her?"

"Brian she-" Zacky started.

"Nikki's gone!"