| **** The next afternoon **** Mark saw Michelle enter his room with all his band mates. "Hey Feehily!" Bryan greeted him and gave him some flowers. "The flowers are from the five of us." Kian informed Mark. Kian took the flowers and set them down on a table. "How are you doing?" Michelle hugged him. Mark groaned. "Fine. The doctor says I can leave today." "Come on guys, let's give them some space." Shane dragged Kian and Bryan out of the room. "That goes for you too Nicky." Nicky glared at Shane. He didn't want Michelle to be alone with Mark. As much as he hated to admit it, he was jealous of what Michelle had with him, including the past. He obeyed Shane and followed him out. "So, how are you really feeling? Be honest." I sat down in a chair. Mark raised his injured arm. "Can't you see?" He tried to sit himself up. "I feel like crap. Elephant crap to be exact." I laughed. "Since when did you go around sniffing elephant crap?" Mark smiled at me. "Probably last night when I got pissed. Who knows what I was doing!" "How are you going to get around the city with your promotional tour when you're practically a mummy?" I looked around Mark's body. His leg was still in a big cast. "Ah, I'll figure something out." He shrugged it off. The doctor came into the room. "Good news Mr.Feehily. You can leave now, provided that you have someone to help you around," He handed Mark a clipboard. "Sign this now, and you can be on your way out." Mark happily signed the clipboard. The doctor assisted him getting out of the hospital cot and into a wheelchair. "For the first few days, you'll have to be in a wheelchair. Your hand is not strong enough to support the crutches, but I'll have you take them with you anyway," The doctor took out a pair of crutches from a closet. "Will you be aiding him into getting around?" the doctor asked me. I wasn't sure what to say. I was planning to stay in Nicky's room for the remainder of my visit. "Um� If Mark wants me to." Mark looked up at me. "I'd rather have her than anyone else. Won't you do it Carrots?" I couldn't say no. "I'm sure Nicky would understand." I told him and handed the crutches to the doctor so I could push Mark's wheelchair. **** Back at the hotel **** "You're staying with him?" Nicky asked me loudly as we entered his hotel room. "Well, I have to! I have no choice!" I protested. Nicky threw his jacket angrily on his bed. "I thought you trusted me!" I raised my voice a little bit. "I do! But I want to be with you!" Nicky sat down on his bed. "What do you want me to do? Ask Mark to come and stay with us?" Nicky scoffed. "That's not what I mean." I sighed. "I can't just abandon him. Mark's practically helpless. He can't even use his crutches for God's sake!" Nicky rubbed his forehead. "Okay�. It's no big deal. If you would do me one favour?" "What is it?" I asked him. I knew it was a bad idea to tell Nicky about Mark. "Stay with me during the nights. Mark's a big boy. He can take care of himself then." I chuckled. "Done." Nicky drew me into a hug. He kissed me on my forehead. "No monkey business over there." He teased me. I slapped his arm. "I'd rather have some monkey business with you mister!" Nicky grinned and kissed me on my lips. "Not now, of course. I've got to help Mark get settled in. Later tonight okay?" I pulled away from Nicky's arms. "Later then." He chuckled to himself. **** Mark's room **** Mark struggled to pull his t-shirt on him. It was hard considering his left arm was the size of a cow. He heard Michelle come in. "Let me help you with that!" she ran up to him and took the t-shirt from his hands. "No, I can do it myself." Mark insisted and grabbed the t-shirt back but she wouldn't let go of it. "Stop all the 'I'm a man' crap and let me do it." Mark sighed. There was no point in arguing with her. He learned that many times before. As Michelle pulled the t-shirt onto him, Mark heard her giggle. "What's so funny?" he turned around to see why she was laughing. "You've been working out have you?" she pointed to his abdominal muscles. Mark looked down to see what she was pointing at and covered it with his right hand. "Maybe I have. The tour's really high energy." "I can't believe you actually have muscles now. Remember I would win all the arm wrestling contests!" Michelle laughed. Mark blushed. "I only let you win you know?" "Sure�" she teased him. I sat down on Mark's bed and looked at him. He was still in his wheelchair. "So, is Nicky okay with you looking after me?" he tried to change the subject. "Not at first. He is now as long as I'm over there at night time." I pulled my hair in a ponytail. "Oh." Mark's voice was small. "Don't be so disappointed. It took me a lot of convincing to get him to agree." I reminded Mark. "Do you love him? Nicky I mean?" Mark asked all of sudden. I was shocked. I looked at him. "What?" He was adamant. "Do you love him?" "Yes. Yes, I do. Why do you ask?" I said nervously. I wanted to know what was he thinking now. Love, doesn't mean anything to me Come show me the meaning of being complete Where did our love go wrong? Once we were so strong How can I go on? Mark couldn't believe what had popped out of his mouth. He knew Michelle loved Nicky anyway, but he wanted to know at what length she would go to for him. "I gotta go. It's getting late." She abruptly got up and fumbled for her room key. He had upset her. Mark could only watch her about to leave. "Call me if you need anything." Michelle told him as she walked out the door, trying hard to not look back. When you told me you loved me Did you know it would take me the rest of my life To get over the feeling Of knowing that our dream didn't turn out right When you let me believe that you weren't complete I leaned against the hallway wall after leaving Mark's room. What had caused him to ask me such a question. I did love Nicky, but I suppose I had never truly realized the full potential of my love for him. Without me by your side How could I know That you would go That you would run Baby I thought you were the one Mark sighed as he crawled out of his wheelchair into his bed. His leg ached as he got himself under the covers. He became sick and tired of waiting for Michelle to drop into his lap. Love was not supposed to be like that. Love just happens at the time you least expect it. Why can't I just leave it all behind I felt passion so bright that I was blind Then something made me weak Talking in my sleep Baby I'm so deep and you know I believed When you told me you loved me Did you know it would take me the rest of my life To get over the feeling Of knowing our dream didn't turn out right When you let me believe you weren't complete I walked down the lonely hall back to Nicky's room. Something made me want to run back to Mark, but the love that Nicky gave me pushed it out of my head. I loved both of them, but I felt myself keep telling my mind that Nicky was the one for me. Mark was just lonely. However, I kept seeing images of Mark lying on top of me, rain falling down onto us, and him kissing me. That was the image I left Ireland with, something I regretted for four years. It was too late to get that all back. I had Nicky now. Your lips, your face Something that time just can't erase My heart could break All over again I unlocked the door and found Nicky watching television. "Hey." I greeted him and set my room key on the bureau. "Hi honey. Come sit with me," He patted an empty seat next to him on the couch. He could tell something was on my mind. "What's wrong?" He rubbed my neck. "You're all tense. Let me rub that for you." "Mark's impossible." I muttered as Nicky rubbed my neck. "I'll make that all go away." He kissed my neck and put his arms around me. I let him embrace me passionately. I made my decision that I loved Nicky, not Mark. Mark was only feeling lonely and he wanted to take it out on me because of what we had in the past. It was the only answer I could think of when it came to explaining Mark's behaviour. Nicky took off his shirt and started to kiss me on the lips. "Ready for some monkey business now?" he licked his lips. I laughed. "Not too much. You know the rules." Nicky pretended to pout. "Yes I know. Nothing till marriage." I pulled his neck to me and ran my fingers through his blonde tousled hair. "You know you're the most handsome man in the world?" I teased him. Nicky thought for a moment. "If you say so!" he kissed me again. When you told me you loved me Did you know it would take me the rest of my life To get over the feeling Of knowing our dream didn't turn out right When you let me believe you weren't complete�� song performed by: Jessica Simpson |
| When You Told Me You Loved Me |
| By Mattie Scott |