"Mel, wake up! You're having a nightmare!" Julie stated, trying to wake her up.
Melissa woke up in a cold sweat, with her heart racing. She looked around the room, trying to find Nick.
"Jules, where's Nick?"
"Downstairs. Nick, get up here now!" Footsteps were heard on the stairs and in seconds Nick entered the room. He quickly went to Melissa and enclosed her in his arms. She clung to him, so glad it was nightmare and that he was okay. Tears flowed from her eyes, making it hard to see. After some time, Nick slowly pulled back and looked at the woman he loved.
"Angel, what happened?"
"She had a nightmare. She was screaming your name and I tried to wake her." Julie said as tears came down her cheeks. Jonathon held her close to him. Melissa, now finally calm, noticed everyone was in her room.
"I'm okay, I just had a nightmare. I'm sorry if I scared everyone."
"You don't need to apology Mel. After what happened, we all understand." AJ said holding Jeni's hand.
"Can you guys give me and Mel a minute alone?" Nick asked everyone.
"Sure Nick, come on honey." Jonathon replied, pulling on Julie's hand. Julie wouldn't move from her spot.
"I'm genuinely okay Jules. It's okay, really." Jonathon along with Julie followed the others and left them alone.
"It is starting all over again!" Julie yelled once Jonathon and she were on the deck.
"Mel will get through this Jules. She's tough and now she has Nick to help her."
"She was just getting her life back and now Adam is ruining it all over again!"
"Honey, you have to calm down!"
"How? How am I suppose to calm down when my friend is in there going through hell?" She faced him with tears welled up in her eyes. Jonathon just wrapped his arms around her and simply held her.
"She'll get through this with our help.."
"And with our help." Alyssa said as she, Howie, AJ, and Jeni walked out onto the deck.
"We love and care about Mel and we want to help anyway we can." Howie added.
"Just tell us what to do." Jeni asked, looking at Julie. Julie walked over and embraced her.
"You're helping by doing this."
"Here drink this." Nick said as he handed her a glass of water.
Melissa took a sip of the water and then placed it on the night stand. "Thank you."
"Mel.."
"Nick, really, I'm okay. The nightmare just scared me, but I'm fine now."
"What was the nightmare about?"
"I rather not talk about it."
"I want to."
"Nick, please, just let it go."
"I can't do that Mel. You had a nightmare that scared you so bad that you were yelling for me. I just can't let that go. Was I in the dream?"
"Stop." She gradually got up from the bed.
"Did I do or say something that upset you?"
"No."
"Then what happened? Talk to me Mel."
"Nick."
"No don't Nick me! I want answers and I want them now! What happened in the dream?"
"YOU GOT SHOT! Are you happy now!?" The images appeared in her mind again, causing tears to fall.
"Mel, I'm sorry."
"You got shot because of me. I saw Adam point a gun to your head, threaten your life and then shoot you. I was screaming and trying to get to you, but Adam pulled me away." She fell to the ground, consumed by her tears. It broke Nick's heart to see Melissa like that. He gathered her into his arms and laid her down on the bed. He faced her and held her in his arms. Lovingly he wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead.
"It was a dream Mel. I'm right here with you and I'm okay."
"The dream was so real and then you weren't here. I just panicked." She looked into his eyes. "I would be lost without you Nick. You are my heart, my soul."
"I would be lost without you too, Angel. We will get through this..together. But you can't shut me out, no matter what."
"I don't mean to shut you out. I have always just buried my feelings and not deal with them. I have been doing that for so long that it is hard habit to stop."
"Mel, I don't want secrets kept between us. I want you to feel like you can talk to me."
"I do feel like I can talk to you. I know I can tell you anything and it won't change how you feel about me."
"Nothing will change how I feel about you. I love you. You're my Angel."
"I'm scared."
"Scared about what?"
Melissa took a deep breath. "I'm scared about what Adam might do to my family, to you, and to me. For so long, I had to look over my shoulders, wondering if I looked Adam would be there."
"I hate that you had to do that for so long." Nick said playing with her hair.
"After the whole situation with my dad, I had felt so guilty about what happened. I constantly thought if I had done something different that the outcome would have been different. That my dad wouldn't be in that accident, that I wouldn't have put my family and friends through so much."
"Mel, your family and friends don't blame you for any of what has happened."
"I know they don't. I have the most amazing family and friends. They have been there for me and I love every single one of them. But that doesn't change what happened. I caused so much damage to everyone I care about."
"Damage? What damage have you caused?"
"My dad's accident, his pain and suffering, all the medicals bills from the accident. Then there's Jules and Jonathon. I risked their lives simply because they are my friends."
"Angel, you are giving yourself too much power."
"It all happen Nick." She stood up and walked over to the sofa in the room.
"Yes, but the only one to blame is Adam, not you. I know you; you would never for a minute place the people you love in danger."
"But I did."
Nick followed her over and sat down on the sofa beside her. "When you first found out that Adam was in town, what did you do?"
She looked at him, wondering where he was going with the conservation. "What are you talking about?"
"What was your first instinct when you found out Adam was in town?"
"To leave."
"Exactly. You were worried about your friends' and mine safety. You didn't care about your own safety; you just wanted to protect your friends. That is how I know you wouldn't risk your friends' lives."
Melissa let every word he said settle in. She knew she wasn't to blame for what happen, but she couldn't stop the doubts in her head.
"Mel, none of this is your fault. You have to believe that, you aren't to blame for any of it." She remained quiet for a couple minutes and then broke down.
"I just want a normal life. I don't want to be worrying about when Adam is going to strike. I should be worrying about things like school or work, not about a psycho ex."
Nick wiped away her tears and then caressed her cheek. "Angel, we need to fight now more then ever. We can beat Adam, but we have to do it together.
"I don't know if I have any strength left to fight, Nick."
"I have enough strength for the both of us. We will get through this together." He said holding her hand.
"You are amazing. I kept all of this from you and you are still here, helping me through it."
"Don't you know I would do anything for you Angel? I love you."
Melissa was brought to tears once again. "I love you too."
"Well I hope so since you're going to be my wife." He grinned at her, causing her to smile.
"There's that beautiful smile of yours, I've missed it." Melissa sighed as Nick squeezed her hand. "Enough about Adam, let's focus on something else."
"What?"
"How about our wedding or our...honeymoon?" He smiled that famous Carter grin.
She again smiled. "That's twice now that I've made you smile. I'm on a roll. Tell me how I can keep that smile on your face?" He asked brushing her hair out of her face.
"I want to image that this is our honeymoon. I want to image that Adam doesn't exist, no one does, but you and me."
"I can do that, come here." She laid against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
