FicWad

-2001-

Pepper turned her eyes to Nick, who was frowning deeply as he looked in her bag. She took her bag from him and looked inside, her eyes widened as she saw the hundreds, as well as a credit card of Nick's, resting on everything else. "What...?"

She looked at Jane, who gave her a cold smile before she turned a concerned stare to Nick. "Is something wrong baby?" She questioned, moving over to her son, obviously hoping Pepper wouldn't make a move to hurt her in front of Nick.

"Pepper... I don't get it," Nick whispered, his eyes showing his hurt as he looked from his Mother to his girlfriend. "If you needed it, why didn't you just ask?"

Anger and betrayal flashed in Pepper's eyes as she stared at Nick. "Are you serious Nick?" She questioned, trying to keep her voice even. "You honestly think I would steal from you and try to put it on someone else? She must have-"

"What?" Nick cut her off, the look in his eyes going to anger. "Must have put it in your bag when you came back to Brian's room? Is that it? God, can't you think of something more original than that!?"

Pepper's first instinct was to shrink back from the harsh look in those blue eyes she loved, but the strong side of her made her spine straighten as she shook her head at him. "Nick, why the Hell would I use you for your money when I have my own job? When have I ever asked you for money? When has money ever turned up missing around me? Your Mother is using you and you're so blind to it that you're letting her put it on me."

"You're going home." Nick's voice was stern, his eyes hardening as he stared down at her.

"What?" Pepper felt the prick of tears in her eyes, but she refused to let the tears come any further, refusing to cry in front of this woman. "Nick, you're not serious."

"Yes I am, and I'm sending you home, and I don't want to hear from you again," Nick said as he took his money and card from her bag. "We're over. I should have fucking known you were too good to be true."

Jane moved to her son and rubbed his back softly as she looked at Pepper. "I told you, Pepper," she spoke slowly, "I told you I would make my son see his mistake."

Pepper looked at the anger in Nick's eyes and shook her head. "I can't believe you Nick..."

"Nick, you should make her pay for her own way home since she probably has more of your money tucked away somewhere," Jane said as she smoothed down her son's hair. "I'm sure the little thief can afford it."

Nick looked at Pepper. "She's right. Get your own way home."

"Nick-"

"Get the fuck out of my room, and my life, Spring!" Nick shouted, his glare sending an odd chill through her. "If I ever see or hear from you again I'll call the cops and have you taken away from me, got it!?"

Pepper closed her eyes tightly as she tried to control herself. The pain was suffocating her, but she wouldn't let him see it, he obviously didn't care. The one who said he loved her, was so easily swayed by his Mother's lies there was no way he could have loved her, it was all a mistake. "Fine," she said through clenched teeth as she opened her eyes, glaring death at Nick and his Mother. "But when you find out what a monster that BITCH is, don't fucking come calling me. I won't be there to hear it."

- - - - -

-3 Months Later-

Pepper stared up at the ceiling, her tears falling down the side of her face and onto the pillow beneath her head as the doctor worked silently on removing her baby. The stress of everything had made her miscarry a child she hadn't been aware she was carrying due to lack of a missed period and no morning sickness. She had asked Ian to take her to the doctor when she woke up to blood on her bed, nowhere near the time of her usually punctual period, and extreme pain.

When they arrived and started doing tests, Ian had been asked to leave the room, even though Pepper has begged for him to be able to stay. The news itself hurt more than the physical pain, because her last tie to Nick was gone, completely removing him from her life. Now, as the doctor was finished up, and Ian had been allowed in to hold her hand, she felt broken and numb.

When the doctor cleared his throat, Pepper looked down at him and felt her heart break all over again at the sight of the tiny thing in his hand. He realized she was looking by her pained gasp, and hid it from her sight but the damage had already been done. He had only been clearing his throat, not trying to get her attention, but his apologies fell on deaf ears as the image planted itself in her brain.

Ian leaned over her, hugging her close, and Pepper immediately buried her face in his chest, sobbing her pain. She had thought the pain of knowing she had lost the baby was bad, but actually seeing it, barely formed, was a whole different pain all together.

"Hush, Pep," Ian whispered as he ran his hand over his sister's hair, hating how weak and fragile the strongest of the siblings was at the moment. "You'll have other chances, with guys who actually deserve you."

Pepper clung tightly to her brother as the doctor cleaned her up.

- - - - -

Pepper slowly opened her sleep-hazed eyes and blinked a couple of times, sniffling as her eyes focused on Nick. She frowned in confusion as she wiped away the tears on her cheeks and fought the tears that were still at bay behind her eyes. "Nick?"

"I heard you crying, I wanted to make sure you were okay," he answered the obvious unspoken question, his words touching the broken pieces of her heart.

"I don't even remember the dream," she whispered, knowing it was a lie as she sniffled and wiped away more tears.

"Do you want me to stay here with you?" He questioned, his eyes showing concern for the girl who seemed so fragile and broken in her current state. When Pepper gave a small nod, desperately needing the closeness of him, Nick crawled into her bed and let her curl up against his chest, his arms wrapping protectively around her.

"Thank you, Nick..." She whispered, part of her hating herself since she knew it was this man that made her feel so broken inside. But the logical part of her knew he had nothing to do with the baby, because he hadn't known.

"Hush hon," he whispered and brought one hand up, slowly stroking her long hair. "Just try to get some more rest, I won't leave you." When she lifted her head and looked at him, he gave her a small smile and tried to ignore the look in her eyes. He remembered that look from their old days, the one that was halfway begging him to come closer and close the gap between their lips. "Go to sleep Pepper," he whispered, trying not to show his disappointment as her own shown in her eyes. "I promise I'm not going anywhere."

Pepper laid her head against his chest and listened to the heart beating fast inside, wondering why his heart was pounding so hard. Maybe it was from the kiss they almost shared, but she was in no mood to try to figure it out. The fingers that slowly played with her hair as Nick tried to comfort her, was enough to calm her more as she began to fight the urge to return to sleep, fearing the dreams that waited her.

"I'm so sorry Pepper," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head and continued his slow ministrations, "for everything."

"You're forgiven Nick," she whispered as she let him cradle her to him. "No grudges..."

Nick stayed there, slowly rocking the fragile girl until he realized that her breathing had evened out and she had fully relaxed against him. He looked down at her sleeping face and he couldn't help but smile to himself as he lightly brushed his thumb over her cheek. "Sweet dreams, Pepper," he whispered before he kissed her forehead and closed his eyes, softly humming an old song of theirs she had always asked for when they were together.

[Author's Note: Okay, that's it for tonight ^_^. Hope you guys like it! I'll post more when I have the time.]