The fear in Aaron's eyes and voice became too much for Nick. Not answering him, he turned and walked further into the water. Aaron was near hysteria. "NICK NO!!! PLEASE, you can't leave me. I need you to show me things, teach me stuff. Don't you love me?"

His own lower lip trembling, he spoke, choking on his words. "No. Without a heart, I can't love anything."

"You're lying. You love me, you said it before."

"Aaron, leave. You don't want to watch this."

"Nick, you don't want to do this." Nick finally looked at his brother and his eyes widened. "Aaron?"

"Don't do it, please Nick don't." Nick turned back towards the water, looking over the ocean. He shifted on his feet, his head spinning with decisions. He turned and looked at Aaron again. He took a step back, and another, until he was standing over Aaron. "I'm doing this for you." He left Aaron sitting there, on the beach, with a million thoughts running through his head.

~~Two Days Later - Bren's Funeral~~

Nick sat in a seat in the corner, dark suit and dark glasses on. His eyes scanned the crowd that gathered to mourn Bren. He saw many familiar faces, her parents, her cousins, her sisters. "How are you holding up Son?"

Nick looked up, through his dark glasses, at his father. "How do you think I am Dad? She's not coming back to me."

"Nickolas, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry, they're sorry. Everyone's sorry, but they don't mean it."

"Nick, I'm here for you if you want to talk." Bob walked away and back to a weeping Jane. Aaron walked over and sat next to Nick, lifting his arm and putting it around his shoulder. Nick looked down, roughly taking his arm away from his brother. "Get away from me. I don't want you here."

"Nick, don't. I want to make sure your okay."

"Do you really think I'm okay? Look at her. She dead, she's not moving."

"Nick..."

"Go play somewhere." Nick watched as his brother walked over, sulking to his parents. "You. You son-of-a-bitch. Why the hell are you here?" Nick's head jerked to the left seeing Bren's parents coming towards him. "I... I came to pay my respects, sir."

"Respects? You have no respect for my daughter. You killed her Nickolas. Leave the premises now."

"Sir, I did no..."

"Did you let her drive your car?" Looking down towards the rug, he nodded. "You knew she was a new driver?" He nodded once more. Pulling Nick up by his tie, Bren's father yelled, "How the hell can you sit here knowing you handed over your keys to her and killed her." Aaron came running over. "He did not kill her, leave him alone." He went to take a swing at Bren's father but Nick stopped him. Picking him up and resting Aaron's head again his shoulder, Nick leaned forward and said to her father. "Mr. Delaney, I love Brenda and I would never do anything to intentionally to hurt her."

"It's too late for that Nickolas."

"I will leave because I love her and I don't want to cause a scene. I do love her, have all my life. Good-bye." Nick solemnly walked out and handed Aaron to Bob. "I'm sorry son. You didn't deserve what Mr. Delaney said. He's just upset."

"Bren didn't deserve to die." Nick began walking away. "And you think he's upset. He wasn't sitting next to her when she called out my name to help her. He wasn't there to hear her pain. He doesn't know her last words were 'I love you, Nickolas.' You stand there and tell me he's upset. What about me? How am I supposed to feel?" Nick threw his hands up and walked away.

Aaron grew very nervous in Bob's arms. "Dad, I want to go with him, put me down." Free from his father's embrace, Aaron ran to Nick. "Why are you following me?"

"I want to make sure your okay. Can I stay with you?"

"I don't have much of a choice, now do I? Mom and Dad left, I'm stuck with you." They walked a little longer, with each step Nick looked around, thinking he heard his name being whispered. Nick stopped walking when he heard it again. "Nick, what?"

"Did you call me? Did you say my name a few minutes ago, like a whisper?" Shaking his head, Nick shrugged and continued walking. 'Nick... Nick..." he heard the voice again. "Aaron, cut it."

"Cut what? I'm not doing anything."

"I hear you A. You keep calling my name."

"I do not. Nick, I'm tired. Can you carry me?" Sighing heavily, he lifted Aaron up and held him in his arms. 'I can help you,' the voice called out again.

Whispering, he said, "Who are you? Why are you calling me?"

'You need help Nickolas,' the voice said as the wind whipped past his hair. "Who are you?"

'I'm your friend. I'm here to guide you through your pain.'

"I'm in no pain."

'Not physically, no you are not. Mentally and emotionally you are. You almost committed suicide in front of your brother two days ago Nickolas.'

"But I didn't."

'Nickolas. Your brother would have been scarred for life. Have you thought of that? Thought of what Aaron would've..."

"Don't talk about him that way. He would've been fine."

'You believe that Nickolas?' He nodded into the breeze. 'The park. Walk into the park, sit on a bench and when sleep prevails young Aaron I will show you.'

"Show me what?" He waited for the breezy voice to answer and it never came. "Hello? Where did you go?" There was nothing. He did what the voice told him, he walked to the park and sat on the bench, cradling his brother in his arms.

"You never told me your name." Nick straightened Aaron's hair while he slept waiting for his friend to return.

'My name Nickolas? My name would be Lessa. Your journey will begin momentarily.'

"Journey? What are you talking about?"

'Your journey to finding out what your family and friends lives would be like if you had succeeded in departing the earth. We will start with young Aaron.'

Chapter 4
Chapter 2
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