Somewhere in the middle of Volume 7

Plot: Allie and Nick organize a protest to save a training facility.

The next morning I got up early. I took a shower and changed, putting my fighting suit on under my clothes for warmth more than for the thought that I might be fighting later. My hair was still a little damp but I didn't care. At least I didn't care until I got out into the cold. I had my jacket on but as I got to the dojo I wished I had remembered a hat. I started passing out flyers as soon as I got there. Nick hadn't come yet, but that was all right. He had worked alone late the night before in the rain; he was allowed to be late. I was so busy with the breakfast crowd, I almost didn't see him come. He as wearing this white hooded sweatshirt, his hands in the pouch, the hood pulled up over his head. “Nick!” I yelled, jumping up and down and waving a flyer in my hand so he could would know where I was. He took one hand out and slowly waved it so I knew that he had seen me. Nick walked over to me and took some of the flyers. He started handing them out and the crowd slowly decreased.

When we got it down to only a couple of people in two or three minutes or so, he turned to me, “Hey Al.”

I loved it when he said my name like that. I looked at his face which was mainly hidden by the hood. His face looked flushed and his eyes had big bags under them. “You don't look too good, Nick. Are you feeling O.K.?”

He shrugged. “I just haven't gotten a lot of sleep these last few days. I was out till four last night, and I was up till five thirty working on some of those signs.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” I said.

He shivered. “It's really cold out here.”

I looked at him. There was sweat dripping down his face. I reached up and gently felt his forehead; it was really warm, even hot. “You shouldn't have stayed out so late last night in that rain.” Nick shivered again, and sneezed. I took off my jacket and put it around his shoulders.

He slipped his arms through the sleeves. “Thanks.” I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He looked at me with these big tired eyes that just made me melt. I gave out some more flyers to a couple people who were just passing by.

“Maybe you should go in and lie down, you know. You could get a wet towel on your head and rest.”

He started for the dojo doors. “No, I've gotta help you with th—“

“Nick, I can handle it out here for a while, at least until the breakfast crowd finishes.”

“I guess so. But if I fall asleep, wake me up by noon, kay? I've gotta do those posters.” I nodded and he went inside. I kind of wished I could go in and lie down, too, but I'd have to cover him for a while. Poor Nick. I was cold without my jacket; I should have asked for it back since he was going inside, but I didn't think I would have if I had had it to do over.

<Snip>

I opened the door to the dojo and a wave of warmness hit me. I thawed out for a minute by the heater, rubbing my numb hands together in front of the vent. I figured Nick was sleeping in the warm-up room. That's where we usually slept between events during late-night competitions. No one ever comes in when it's your warm up time until it's five minutes until the event time, then we really did have to warm up. The mats in the warm-up room were so soft that they were the absolute best to sleep on (trust me, I tried them all).

And there he was, lying in the corner of the room, all huddled up in a kind of ball. He looked so cute! “Nick,” I whispered. When he didn't respond I called him louder, “Nick, wake up.” I walked over to him and tapped his shoulder softly. He woke with a start, his breathing was quick and panicky. “It's just me. It's O.K.” He calmed down a little and smiled a weak smile at me. “How're you feeling?”

“Better.” He sneezed again.

“Why don't I go get us some sandwiches and hot chocolate?”

“Yeah, but just hot chocolate for me. I'm not hungry, thanks Al.”

<Snip>

He looked up as I entered. I set the cup of hot chocolate next to him. “Thanks,” he said with another sneeze, looking back down at the signs. “So, whatcha think?”

I didn't know what he was referring to at first, but then I realized he meant the posters. “Oh, I like them.” I took a large bite out of my sandwich and read over the flyers for the five-hundredth time or more. I suddenly got this great idea. “Nick?” I said to get his attention.

“What?” he stared into my eyes in wonder. That threw me off for a couple seconds, I still couldn't resist the sight of his handsome eyes.

“When's Idiot Danials getting here tomorrow?” He said he didn't know but it was probably early. “Why don't we have a sit-in like thing and have everyone stay overnight here to show support?”

“I like that, yeah. But do we have enough time to tell everyone about it?”

“We will when I run my butt off all over the town telling 'em about it.” Nick laughed, rubbing his nose. I got up, finishing my sandwich and my hot chocolate. “I'll be back in a couple hours. I think Viki's going to get the wood at four o'clock. I don't know who's going to be out after John and Ryan so you might want to check and fill in if no one's gonna be working then.” I knew someone'd be working but I also knew he needed to feel useful.

“Kay,” he said.

I hesitated. “You gonna be ok?”

He nodded, sneezing again. “Yeah.”

I left without my jacket again but I didn't really care at that point, I was kind of used to the cold and it felt better when I was running.

<Snip>

Then I got all my stuff together and headed off to the dojo. There was a note to me from Nick at the top of the bulletin board saying he was out getting his things and he'd be back in five minutes. I put my things down in one of the corners and set to work with the staplegun on the signs Nick had made.

Nick stumbled in the door and fell down in from of the heater, shivering and nearly crying. I ran over to him and took a blanket out of his bag. I helped him out of his, my, dripping jacket and put the blanket around him, hugging him for warmth. He sneezed a few times, and the shivering died down. When I stopped, I looked at his face and noticed his eye was bruised a little, like it had just happened. “What happened, Nick?” I asked, getting an ice pack from the freezer in the office. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I tripped, that's all. It's stupid really. I'm OK.”

“You don't look OK. You look hurt. And sick.”

“I'm fine; don't worry. I'm fine.”

I could tell he was lying, someone must have punched him but I didn't think he wanted to talk about it. “It's too cold and we out there, Nick. You shouldn't have gone.”

He leaned up against the wall. “Can we talk?”

I'd love to more than anything. “Sure. 'Bout what?”

“About life, our lives, our love, us. About me, about you.” He took my hand in his. It felt cold to the touch, I rubbed it a couple of times.

<Snip>

I opened my eyes and looked around. Everyone was asleep, even Nick's hand had gone limp in mine, although I couldn't be sure he was actually asleep I got up and made my way carefully to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror over the sink. My eyes had huge bags under them; I needed sleep badly. I splashed some water on my face and headed back.

I walked back into the main room, stepping over a couple of people. I sat down in my corner, leaning against the wall. Hearing a noise, I turned my head to look over at Nick. “Are you still awake?” I whispered half-hopefully.

He opened his eyes to look at me. “Can't sleep. I feel horrible all over.”

“Come here,” I told him, patting my lap. He lay down on his back with his head in my lap. “Everything's going to turn out great tomorrow. Don't worry about it.” He closed his eyes and I stroked his forehead soothingly, pushing his bangs back; it was still a little warm. He shivered and I pulled a blanket up over him to his neck.

“All what's going to happen to the dojo if the idiots don't listen to what we have to say?”

“They're going to listen to us. We have to make them see that the dojo is important enough to keep. They have to listen.”

“But what if they don't?” He sneezed.

“I'm not going to let that happen, OK? I'm going to fight this one all the way. We're going to save the dojo no matter what.”

“I just hope you're right,” he sighed. “Night, Al.”

“Night Nick.” I was really worried. I wished I could have believed myself when I told him it was going to be fine. I must have say there for over and hour before I finally fell asleep. I was still a little under that it would turn out well. What if they didn't listen to us? What would happen to us? What would happen to Marcus' dojo?

****************************************

The next morning found me waking up later than I had wanted to. It was seven-thirty, I had wanted to get up at least an hour earlier. Nick was still lying next to me, his head in my lap. Most of his color had returned to him and he wasn't shivering. “Nick,” I whispered softly.

“I'm awake,” he said, waking. “It's time?”

“Yep. Viki just sighted him leaving his house. He's on his way over.” Nick say up; it looked like he was going to say something to me but he didn't.

“I feel a lot better. I really needed sleep.”