S C A R L E T

I sat in the truck and waited. The air was hot, and dry. I was sweating from the heat but I paid no attention to it. I was use to it.

I was waiting for Nico and his buddies to get my duffel bag, and my handgun I had dropped. I would have waited inside, or probably ate something and met the people who brought me back into good health if it weren't for the fact that Nico, was there.

I couldn't be in the same room with him without wanting to strangle him. I know he didn't mean for my mother's death to happen but it still happened. And it happened because he left the base.

It wasn't fair to me, but he wasn't thinking about me when he left I'm sure. Because if he was he would have at least said goodbye.

"I still don't think you should leave yet."

I looked over to Nico who was beginning to walk over to me. My black duffel and my handgun with its silencer in his hand. I hopped out of the driver's seat and walked up to him, meeting him halfway.

"I never asked for your opinion." I snapped.

I grabbed the bag from him, and the gun. Then I threw it into the passenger seat before setting my gun down in the middle of the two front seats.

"Scarlet, please don't be suicidal because of me. You have to understand I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I had to leave that base. I couldn't stay." He told me walking up to me and looking down at me.

I looked into his vibrant green eyes, before shaking my head and licking my lips.

"You could have stayed. You chose not to. And I'm not being suicidal, I've survived on my own before." I told him confidently.

Nico rolled his eyes.

"Just stay for one night. It's getting dark anyways. Plus I'm sure you're hungry considering you've been asleep for two weeks." Nico told me.

I froze at his words.

Two..weeks..

"Come again?" I asked.

I couldn't have slept that long. That's, that's crazy.

"Just stay for one night?" Nico questioned.

I shook my head.

"No no, the part about me sleeping for two weeks!" I said, outraged that I wasn't informed of this before.

Two weeks. I've been away from everyone for two weeks. They must think I'm dead. God I hope not.

"Yeah, you hit your head really hard. Not to mention you lost a lot of blood. You're lucky we have a trauma surgeon here. You're lucky to be alive." He told me.

I looked away from his green eyes, furrowing my eyebrows, trying to think how it's possible I let myself sleep that long. Two weeks.

I took a step to hop inside the truck, my worried thoughts racing through my mind. I felt my vision go blurry for a second, for one second and almost lost my balance. Because of it, I had to hold onto the trucks handle to sturdy myself.

"Woah. Scarlet are you okay?" Nico asked behind me.

I blinked a couple of times, trying to calm my thoughts in hopes it'd calm me down. It was beginning to get hard to breathe, but I tried not to show it.

Suddenly, my leg pain, neck pain, overall body pain, coursed through me all at once and I winced.

"Alright that's it, you're not going anywhere." I then felt Nico grab me by my waist and lift me up.

It was a movement that I couldn't comprehend quick enough, to stop it. Which in turn, caused Nico to carry me, with my head down on his back. My body screamed in agony at the movement, and position.

"Nico put me down!" I shouted, both out of pride, and pain.

I was getting fed up with him. I cannot believe he thinks he can tell me what to do.

"No. I'm not going to watch you put yourself in danger." He told me just as annoyed.

I narrowed my eyes. "Okay, then close your eyes and you won't have to." I replied sarcastically.

I could feel the irritation from Nico, which made me satisfied. A smirk formed on my face in triumph because Nico only continued to walk in silence. However Nico purposely bounced up, making me hit my face against his lower back. I winced, and narrowed my eyes again.

"Wipe that smirk off your face."

God what an asshole.

I silently mimicked him, and just gave up. I was too weak to fight him, and I was also way too hungry.

As Nico walked I noticed how he walked with a slight limp.

I wonder what happened.

Suddenly my vision got blurry again, and I could feel my head spin.

"Nico..." I groaned. My head was spinning, and it felt as if my brain was pounding against my skull. "Nico- my head." I winced.

We made it inside the house, and he was now walking down the hallway, I think we were going back to the room I woke up in. I wasn't sure it was hard to tell when I'm upside down.

Finally we entered the room and Nico gently laid me down onto the bed. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about the increasing pain this headache was causing me.

"I'm going to get Alaina. Don't. Move." Nico sternly said.

Yeah, like I'd be going anywhere in this condition.

I rolled my eyes and peeked one eye open to see Nico's vibrant green eyes staring at me. The worry was clear in them, which confused me. Well, it confused my feelings about him.

Actually no, not really, I still hate him.

I closed my eyes again. "Just hurry."

~*~

"Look straight ahead please" Alaina held a small flashlight in front of my eyes shinning a light in each one.

She did this for about a minute before turning the light off. I blinked to try and see better.

"Well your pupils seem fine, so you might just have a concussion. The best way to treat a concussion, would be to give you pain killers for your injuries, rest, and minimal human contact. I know it sounds weird but it's just so your brain can refresh. You should be back to normal by the end of the week. Mentally anyway, physically? Not so much."

I nodded and sighed.

So in other words, I definitely can't leave.

Yet.

"So she's going to be okay?" Nico questioned.

I turned my head to look at him, but he ignored my stare and looked up at Alaina who was now standing up and washing her hands.

Why does he care so much? He left me not the other way around.

"Yes Nico, she will be just fine as long as she rests, eats, and drinks plenty of water." Alaina turned back to smile at Nico.

She grabbed a white cloth before drying her hands, and motioning Nico outside. He nodded, and stood up to leave.

Once he was gone I turned to Alaina who was grabbing a painkiller and handing it to me along with a water bottle. I gladly accepted it, considering my body was aching in constant agony.

I popped the pill in my mouth before gulping it down with water.

"Thank you, for everything. I appreciate your hospitality." I said, remembering my manners, and putting the cap to the bottle back on.

"Oh no worries, any friend of Nico's is welcome to stay here." She smiled.

I had to fake a smile at the mention of Nico, and I slightly glanced at the closed door he went out of.

"You know, he cares about you a lot." Alaina said glancing at the door too. "When Emmett and Juan brought you here on the brink of death, Nico was hysterical. Everyday, he'd stay by your side and hold your hand. He didn't want to move, he was determined to not leave you alone. Logan finally convinced him to take a shower today, that's why he wasn't here when you woke up. Otherwise, he would have been here."

I sat there, not knowing what to say. I mean what did she want me to say? That I forgive him? That I will consider forgiving him? That I will tolerate his presence?

Not gonna happen.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, my voice quiet.

I was happy the door was closed, knowing that Nico couldn't hear this conversation. Otherwise he'd get the wrong idea.

Alaina sighed.

"I see the way he looks at you, and then I see the way you look at him." She stated.

I furrowed my eyebrows. There is no look. I look at him with, disgust, and pure hatred because that's how I feel about him.

"The looks are different, and I'd hate for Nico to get hurt." She finished. And before she exited the room she turned back one last time. "Word of advice, there's always another side to the story." Then she walked out.

I watched the door close behind her before I laid back down onto the bed.

"There's always another side to the story.."

Was that her way of saying to let Nico explain why he left? Because if it is, I refuse to let him.

Plus my feelings and past with Nico was none of her business.

Even though I was completely restless I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

Even if Nico did all those things for me. It means nothing.

He still left and his uncle still killed my mother.

I know, maybe I shouldn't blame him so much for his uncle's actions, maybe I shouldn't hold a grudge considering I killed his only living relative.

But the situations were different. I killed Hanson out of self defense and the need to avenge my mom. Hanson killed my mother in cold blood, and then he kidnapped my niece to get a hold of me. Not to mention he's killed plenty of other innocent people as well, he got what was coming for him. He got what he deserved.

Alaina shouldn't worry about Nico getting hurt by me, because when he finds out that I killed his malicious uncle, he'll hate me as much as I hate him.

But he stayed by my side while I was in a coma, that has to mean something. Maybe I should let him explain...

What am I thinking?! Of course I won't!

No.

No, Scarlet you will not cave! Nico is not your friend.

Not anymore.

Deep down, I knew. I knew there was something I felt about Nico. I had to give him a chance, everyone deserves a second chance.

God what am I saying?

This head injury must be worse then Alaina said, because I'm actually considering giving Nico a chance to tell me why he left. Which is ridiculous because he doesn't deserve it.

I don't care if he stayed by my side for two weeks while I was unconscious. I don't care that he stole my first kiss and left the next day. I don't care if he gets hurt. I don't care anymore.

I can't care anymore. I won't care anymore. I refuse to care anymore.

I opened my eyes again and sighed loudly. My stomach rumbled loudly as well, almost sounding like a trapped whale.

As if right on cue, someone knocked on the bedroom door. I sat up.

"Come in?" I don't know why it come out like a question.

A set of vibrant green eyes looked down at me. I sighed, I'm never escaping this guy.

"I thought you'd like some food." He said, holding up a tray.

I looked down at the steaming bowl of soup before looking up at Nico again.

I wanted to tell him no and to get lost. I wish my pride dominated my hunger but, it didn't. So I nodded, and scooted back against the head board.

Nico smiled, and walked over to me, placing the tray gently on my lap.

"I made you some chicken soup, well actually more like chicken broth. But it's good, and it should do for now. We're a little low on food supplies so I couldn't make-"

"Nico"

He stopped talking. "Yeah?"

I grabbed the spoon beside the bowl. "Shut up."  And then I dipped it into the soup and lifted a little bit of the broth to my lips.

He was right, it did taste good. Curse him and his soup making skills.

Nico chuckled, before nodding.

I ate the soup quietly, and after a few minutes of silence I began to hope he'd leave me to eat alone. I didn't want him here, why couldn't he realize that.

But I never get what I want.

"I know you hate me." He stated.

I scoffed. "You have no idea." I muttered.

I took another sip of the broth, avoiding his eyes. Eyes were always my weakness.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, or to even like me again." Nico began.

I shook my head, I knew where this was going.

"But, I just want you to know. I had to leave. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. My uncle, god I'm so sorry about your mother Scarlet. I know nothing I say, can do any good, but if I would have known he would kill your mother..." he paused before grabbing my left hand. If it wasn't for the fact that my anger had spread over at the mention of Hanson and I had a hot steaming bowl of soup on my lap. I would have tore my hand out of his. "I would have shot him myself."

I looked at him, with wide eyes.

"You know?" I asked, the surprised tone showing in my voice.

Nico nodded, tears gathering in his eyes before he blinked them away.  "Yeah. I know you killed him, but I also know why you killed him." Nico swallowed. "He got what he deserved."

Damn right he did.

I was surprised he didn't hold more hatred for me. I was shocked, even I would hate me! And I love myself.

I took another sip of my soup, before slowly placing the spoon down and looking up straight ahead.

I felt like I should say something to him, staying quiet doesn't help ease the tension and awkwardness. I was hoping he'd just leave but obviously that wasn't happening anytime soon. Sadly.

I looked down at our hands and realized I was still holding his hand. I tugged my hand out of his.

"I don't understand what you want from me..." I took the spoon into my left hand and fidgeted with it.

I began to twirl the spoon absentmindedly, which in turn made a small tornado in the soup. It kept me distracted from having to meet Nico's green eyes that left me feeling exposed.

"I just want a chance to make things better.  I want our friendship back. I missed that. I missed you."