Believe In Me

School was my own personal torture chamber, filling me with reminders of where Cale is and where he should be. I refused to do anything for anyone, unless Nick told me to do it. Lunch was only eaten because Nick forced me to. I didn't pay attention in classes. Even when a teacher yelled at me for having my head down, I just didn't respond. I didn't even try to stop Paul from touching me in gym; Nick took that job and he eventually left me alone. Everybody thought I finally cracked, but I knew that had yet to happen. Walking through the halls with Nick's arm draped across my shoulders while we walked to the bus had to have been the only highlight of the day. The looks on people's faces almost put a smile on my own.

That night I called Aunt Kay like Nick told me to. She said that he was still the same and if he didn't improve by tomorrow that she would have to take him to the doctor. When I got off the phone Nick insisted he should stay over until his brothers came and got him… like I had any complaints. We sat down on my bed and pulled out books and pencils, but I of course just couldn't concentrate.

I was running through the white plastered hallways, searching. A whirring buzzed in my ears along with the panting from my ragged intakes of oxygen. Doors stood still while I sprinted, like blurry scenery outside a car window. It was unnervingly empty, not a single soul in sight. I had to find it. Knowing I couldn't leave until I found what I was looking for, I started to run harder. The hall came to an abrupt stop and wrapped around to the right. I turned and kept running. And that's when I could see it. The only lit room in the entire place was drawing me in with an unknown force. It was at the end of the hall laid out in front of me. Arriving in no time, I hesitated outside the door. A sob pushed me back for only a second before I broke through the door way. I almost caught a glimpse of who was laying on the bed before someone pushed me back out into the hall. It was Nick. I searched his face looking for some answers, but all I found were tears in his eyes. I was about to ask him what was wrong, until he stopped me by kissing me. Hard. It scared me how much force and love he put into that one kiss, like that was all he had left. I placed my hand on his cheek and felt something wet. A knot hardened in my stomach as I pulled back to see him crying. No. I pushed passed Nick and came face to face with my worst fear unfolding in front of me. Cale lay still in the hospital bed. A white sheet that matched his skin was tucked beneath his arms. His eyelids were shut. I stumbled toward him, stopping at his side to grab his hand hesitantly. The warmth shocked me. At my touch he opened his eyes slowly. In relief, I hugged him. I pulled back and stared at his face as a tear of blood slowly trickled from his eye, shockingly noticeable on his complexion. "NO!"

Nick was trying to finish up some of his chemistry homework on Dailee's bed. It was the last thing he had to do. He wrote down the last answer, closed his book, and placed it inside of his backpack which was on the floor. Right when he was about to sit up, Dailee screamed making him jump upright. She was looking straight ahead with a blank look on her face. Nick was scared to break the trance she was in. He hesitantly called her name, but she didn't even blink. And as suddenly as she had screamed, tears started to cascade down her face. He reached for her but she leaned away from him. "Dailee, what's wrong?"

Sniffling, she stood up and walked to her window. Looking out towards the driveway she noticed the car was still missing from its usual spot. "Does it even matter anymore?"

Shocked and confused, Nick went over to where she was standing. "What do you mean? If it's upsetting you that much then it must matter. Please, tell me Dailee. I want to help."

"No," She shook her head and continued to look out the window. "You can't help me this time. No one can. It's over."

"What are you talking about," he asked while putting a hand on her shoulder.

The warmth calmed her down a bit; she let out a shaky breath. "Nick, I can't take this. Not knowing if he's going to live or die. I mean Aunt Kay even said that she might have to take him to the hospital tomorrow. The fact that he might die… it's killing me, Nick. I don't know how much longer I can take of this if this is how I feel when the first day isn't even over."

He didn't know how to respond to that. How could anyone? So he just slipped his hand around her stomach, bringing her shoulders to his chest. "Dailee, what made you scream?"

"Um," she hesitated, "I don't know."

She didn't know what gave her the impulse to lie to Nicks face. Figuring she would probably eat her words later, she decided to tell him the truth. "Well, what I meant was I don't exactly know what made me scream. But, I had this daydream. It was more like a nightmare, but anyways…" She told him the whole story about running through the deserted hospital to the blood rolling off Cale's eyelashes. When she finished, Nick once again was speechless. "You- you "daydreamed" that? Oh my- wow. But, how? It sounds more like a dream then anything." She was now facing him in his warming embrace.

"I know," she nodded. "But, it seemed so real too. Like, I could feel and see everything so clearly. It scared me so much."

"I'm sorry, Dailee. I wish I could help you. I really do."

Nodding slowly, she pulled back. "I know. I know all too well." She started walking toward the door to her closet and pulled out a duffle bag. Setting it gently on the bed, she started placing items of clothing into the bag.

"Dailee, stop it. Where do you think you're going? If it's anywhere it would be my house while your brother is at your aunts."

She stopped temporarily before throwing more clothes into her bag. "Your house it is."

……………………………………………………………………

They walked into the Jonas house quietly. Dailee's bag was in Nick's hand with his backpack on his back, while Dailee had her backpack in her hand. After successfully making it up to Nick's room without catching anyone's attention Nick closed his door and turned to Dailee, quickly pressing a kiss to her pink lips. "What are we supposed to tell my mom? I mean, she'll let you stay, she likes you, but how are we supposed to explain why you need to stay here?"

"I can talk to her. Just let me handle it."

Sighing, he agreed and led her to the family room where Mrs. Jonas was comfortably placed on the end of the love seat with a book in her hands. Her knees were drawn up to her body and she was wearing a loose fitted tee and sweat pants. "Hey, mom. Uhm-" He was cut off.

"Mrs. Jonas, do you mind if we talk about some things?" Dailee asked hesitantly.

"Oh, of course. Sit down, Hun." She said while hitting the empty spot next to her. Dailee looked at Nick for a second and he left the room when she sat down.

It was quiet for a moment while Dailee organized her thoughts. "What's on your mind, dear?"

She sighed quietly, "Well you see, my mom is on a business trip for next couple weeks."

"Uhuh," Denise encouraged her to continue.

"And, well, my brother normally is able to look after me, but…" she sniffled, not even trying to ham it up.

Denise placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But," she continued, "he's really sick and my aunt came and picked him up so I wouldn't get sick. I can't go anywhere else since the rest of my family is across the country."

Pausing, Dailee looked up at Denise and said the one thing that would get anyone a room at the Jonas house hold, "And in all honesty, Nick is my only friend at school, Mrs. Jonas. He's a really wonderful person and I'm so very happy you raised him the way you did. No one has ever been as caring as he is toward me. Sorry, I got off track." Wiping the underside of her eyes, she noticed Denise was close to tears herself. "Anyways, I was wondering, if it wouldn't be too much trouble that is, if you would mind letting me stay here until my brother gets well enough to take care of me again."

Wow, Joe thought, I never knew she was that lonely at school. Would have guessed she had plenty of friends with her personality and looks on her side. Joe was just going up to his room from the kitchen when he stopped to listen to what Dailee could possibly be talking about to his mother. He only had to wait two more seconds to hear the answer he was waiting for.

"Oh, of course, Dear. You can stay as long as you like. You don't mind staying in Nicholas' room do you? Because Kevin is here for one more week, so he has the guest bedroom."

Smiling at her she replied, "Yes, of course that's fine. Thank you so much Mrs. Jonas."

Dailee gave her a hug and Joe decided to walk through the living room at that time. "Oh, hey Dailee! What are you doing here?"

"She is staying with us for a bit." An idea struck her, "I'm going to have a daughter for the first time! Oh, this will be so much fun!"

Laughing, Dailee kissed Mrs. Jonas on the cheek, thanking her again and running upstairs to Nick's room. She waltzed in with a wide smile plastered on her face. Nick looked up from the book in front of him. "I take it she said yes?"

She answered nodding. "What are you doing? Is that my book?"

"Yeah, I was doing your homework." He laughed, "I figured since you were out of it all throughout school I'd do it for you."

"Thanks, Nick." She kissed his cheek, "You're a real sweetheart."

Shrugging he smirked at her, "I try."

And finally, things seemed to be looking up for once that day.