Can't Get Over You, Can't Get Through to You

Brian's POV

"Daddy, where are we going," Mariemaia asked as I parked Nikki's Escalade.

Seeing as that I am watching Mariemaia, Nikki decided that it would be easier if I'd just stay at her house. Additionally, she has agreed to let me drive her cars, with the exception of the Lamborghini, so that I could go the Atruskia or take our daughter out whenever we wanted. It was all fine with me because I got the chance to just hang with my daughter who I recently discovered only a week ago.

"We're going to get your grandparents," I replied, getting Mariemaia out of her car seat.

"But Grandpa Hunter is already staying at the Atruskia, Daddy."

Of course she'd think that Hunter was her only grandparent. She didn't know I was her father until recently. He was her surrogate grandfather. That's how we looked at it.

"Your other grandparents, Mari, my parents."

She just nodded as I held onto her small hand. We walked into the airport, moving pass at the people who were getting off their planes and everything as we searched for my parents. Mariemaia just held onto my hand tightly, a bit scared that she was going to lose me but I wasn't going to let go. There was no way in Hell that I'd lose my daughter.

"Brian!"

We turned around to see my parents walking towards us. Mariemaia instantly hid behind my leg, peering out as she clung to my jeans. She was scared. "Its okay, Mari," I whispered, trying to get her to let go but she wouldn't.

I don't blame her. Mari's about to meet her grandparents that she didn't know she had and is trying to hide behind my legs.

"Brian, there's my son," my dad said, giving me a hug.

"Hi dad. Hi, Suzy," I replied giving her a hug as well.

"Who's this little girl," Suzy asked, looking down at Mariemaia who still hadn't let her spot behind my leg.

She was now tugging at the jeans, trying to use it to cover her face.

"Remember Jimmy's cousin," I asked.

"Nikki? How can we forget her. She was absolutely perfect for you," dad said.

"Well, she's here. In fact, she owns the hotel that Jimmy and Tash are getting married at and um.....she left because she was pregnant with my daughter," I answered, saying the last part as fast as I could.

Their jaws dropped as I picked Mariemaia up; she looked at my parents nervously. "Pops, Suzy, this is my daughter, Mariemaia. Mari, this is your grandpa and grandma."

Suzy gasped as Mariemaia looked at them. She was still a bit nervous but Nikki mentioned that she got nervous when meeting new people. "She has your eyes, Brian. Can I hold her," she asked.

I nodded as I placed my daughter in her arms. My dad looked at her and smiled, biting his lower lip. "Is she why Nikki left? She was pregnant?"

"Yeah but Nikki and I are having a talk about joint-custody over Mariemaia," I replied.

"Oh, she's so beautiful,"Suzy fawned when Mariemaia gave her a hug.

"So I take it your parents know that Mariemaia is your daughter," Tash asked as I watched my parents fawn over my daughter.

I nodded. As soon as they found out that she's my daughter, my parents were now set on spoiling Mariemaia as much as they could. They bought her ice cream, more stuffed animals, and accepted her as their granddaughter. Mariemaia, in return, accepted them as her grandparents. I was missing only one thing to make this a happy ending.

"Why is Nikki so damn stubborn," I asked Tash.

"Because you know that she's too damn proud. We all deep down that she still has feelings for you but its Nikki's own pride that gets to her."

I sighed, knowing that Tash Harper was right. Nicole Storm McCade was too damn proud for her own good.

Nikki's POV

"So, seeing as the tavern is closing," I said as I sat at a table with Liz, "How'd you like to work for me in Vegas?"

She sipped her beer, thinking about it. The local Woody Creek tavern was closing and she was one of the best bartenders this side of the Mississippi and she's also one of my friends. I knew that Liz needed a job now that her original place was closing so why not offer her a job at the new bar at the Atruskia?

"Alright," she replied, smirking, "Sounds like fun. When should I be there?"

"How about next week?"

"Sounds good."

After we worked on the details, I headed back to my cabin. I told everyone that I was going to Colorado to think but I'm a little liar. I had other things to take care of and this was the only place I could do it without any problems. Here, I didn't have Tash watching my every movie. I could just lock myself in my cabin and stay there for days on end.

It was perfect.

I closed the door behind me, locking it, and immediately kicked up the floorboards. I turned on the lights and closed all the curtains, giving myself complete privacy. A chest was hidden underneath the floor and I pulled it out, opening it. Inside was my drug parapheneilia. Everything I had originally hidden when I was sent to live with Jimmy and his parents the first time. The thing was all the heroin containers were new.

Chasing dragons was a hard thing to quit. I was sober for four years and then last year, I cracked. Stress had finally gotten to me and I couldn't take it anymore. I was at a point where I knew I was going insane. I just knew how to hide it and control my cravings. Everytime I went to Colorado to do "some thinking," I was busy getting high again.

Did Tash know?

No.

Did Hunter know?

No.

Did Mariemaia know?

Of course not!

Did anyone know?

No.

I was back and this time, I was alone. I had ways of getting my heroin delievered to me in secret and I used it to my fullest. The thing was that my dealer, Leighana, didn't have a clue who I was. I told her my name was Victoria West so there was no way that the public would know that Nicole McCade was back chasing dragons.

It surprised me that no one suspected anything. I left once a month to go to Colorado and get high and no one thought to check up on me. Didn't people get curious as to why I was gone every month? Oh well.

"You're pathetic," I muttered to myself as I stared at my reflection.

Bloodshot green eyes stared back. Blood was dripping down my arms from where I chose to shoot up. I looked dead once again. The sad thing was I knew I was killing myself. I knew that I was basically driving, flooring the pedal, going 200 mph, screaming for vengence while I sobbed at how pathetic I was, and heading straight into a brick wall. This would be my version of sucide if I died. I knew that if I kept this up, I'd end up in my grave.

But I couldn't stop. I needed heroin. No, it was more like a love-hate relationship. I hated the fact that I was killing myself I loved heroin because it could kill my loneliness.

"You are a fucking fuck up," I screamed as I slammed my fist against the mirror.

It obviously broke and I got cut but I didn't care. I just watched as the blood dripped into the sink and that's when I realized that tears were falling. I cried. I cried like the many times before but this time, I cried because I knew why I went back to this horrible habit.

"I need Brian," I sobbed as I fell to ground, hugging my knees, "I need him."