~Need to feel loved~
~Nick x Rochelle~
Rochelle turned in her sleep as she heard another faint gunshot. She'd gotten so used to the sudden noise that even in her sleep, it didn't disturb her.
It was something else that made her open her eyes. It was the sound of slight humming and whistling from a familiar male voice that awoke her.
Her vision was greeted by the image of (a sideways) Nick, on one knee in front of the exit door and holding up a M-16 assault rifle as a few hands hung lifelessly through the door. Others seemed to still be twitching so Nick was trying to get good headshots and better his aim.
Rochelle watched him for a little bit, noticing his white suit, dirtied with blood and grit. He'd complained only a couple of days ago about another problem the zombie' brought: no dry cleaning days.
But still, even with his clothes dirtied, his face unshaven and his hair slightly more messy than usual, she did think he was handsome. Only when he didn't open his mouth though.
Her eyes couldn't help but trace up along his lean legs, until they rested on his firm behind. Truth be told, she had not never checked him out, but sometimes, that rear just made her think funny.
She didn't even notice him stop firing and turn his head towards her, his eyes noticing she was awake.
"And a good morning to you. Would you like coffee and breakfast in bed?" He winked suggestively as she caught his gaze.
Rochelle smiled and rolled her eyes, groaning playfully.
"Not good Nick. Just when I woke up from such a good dream." She shook her head, ridding the rest of the cobwebs and sleep from her mind and eyes.
Nick just shrugged and stood up, placing the gun down by the side of the wall as he reached for something on the table.
"Well, breakfast still stands. Still got these from last nights late shop." He waved a bag of Cheetos in front of her and repressed a wide grin as she groaned before opening up her hand.
"Well that's going to do great for my skin. If I start resembling one of those zombies, promise me you'll shoot me?" She caught the bag as it flew at her. She busied herself and slowly munched one of the only sources of nutrition left (she wasn't risking picking apples, just encase), not noticing Nick' downcast expression as he looked at her.
The thing was, Nick always did like Rochelle. He thought she was hot, yes, but it was more than that. She was the first woman to openly reject him, the guy getting embarrassed for the first time when she locked him out of a safe house with no pants on, making him promise to not try anything funny whilst she slept. Ever since that moment, he'd properly got to know her. He liked her. Even when she was near death at one point, she'd always been strong. His mind wandered back to a couple of days ago.
"GET IN! HURRY!" Coach yelled as he grabbed a new round of ammo and loaded his shotgun.
Ellis was first in his sight as he rounded the corner, turning around and throwing a pipe bomb as far as he could behind him, before turning on his heels and firing as much as he could.
"Sh*t." Coach murmured under his breath as he caught sight of what he feared the most. Nick had hold of Rochelle, one arm slung around her waist, the other with a sub machine gun.
Rochelle was bleeding through her favourite T-shirt, the wound obvious as she cussed and swore. She still tried to keep up, using her pistol to fire aimlessly to her side any zombies that came into her sight.
"LAST PIPE BOMB!" Ellis screamed out, throwing it in the path of the hideous and deformed. A majority of the crowd stopped and began to fight over it, the noise and light a beacon to them. A few scattered about, glancing at it before concentrating on the meat in front of them.
A small explosion and Nick didn't stop. He could hear there was more.
"We're not-ugh! Gonna' make it." Rochelle groaned as she twisted her foot awkwardly but carried on running as fast as her body would allow her.
"Yeah, nice optimism," Nick huffed with a forced smile, "just keep talking like that and I'll drag your beautiful ass to the safe house."
Rochelle again cried out, her armed hand coming against her stomach as something made her twinge inside and she bled even more. Nick cursed and turned to the side, pulling her against him as she let her guard down.
"See, now I have to cover both sides. A little help Ellis!" Nick yelled as he spotted a few coming towards him. And he just knew that he was running out of ammo.
"I'm out!" Ellis dropped his rifle and grabbed at the two pistols on his waist, firing like a bat out of hell.
"Sh*t…you jinxed us kid," Nick chuckled as he back away, noticing the crowd of uglies come surfing around the corner, "you say it and it happens. I knew a fine ass like yours would get us into trouble."
Rochelle gave a laugh before keeling completely over, Nick grabbing her with both hands and lifting her in his arms.
"Come on! Don't do this to me now!" He grunted and was just pleased he had not opted to carry her on his shoulder, the blood pouring forth from her stomach.
He turned and looked around confused as Coach ran inside the room, disappearing from sight.
"Damnit!" He yelled, hoping that he was choosing to run and save his own skin.
The man he'd always teased about his appearance, came forth into sight and Nick smiled at the sight.
"EVERYBODY, DOWN! MOLOTOV!" Coach screamed from the safe house door, taking a small run before lobbing it. In his high school days, he'd been a keen baseball player and he'd always retained a strong throwing arm.
The bottle flew through the air, over Nick' head and Ellis just managed to out run as the bottle crashed onto the ground, Zombies running directly into it's path and coming out the other side, running in random directions.
Nick didn't look back. He just barrelled into the safe house before Ellis and allowed Coach to shut the door.
He placed Rochelle down onto the bare table before him, quickly tearing off the first aid kit he'd been saving all this time.
"Come on, I can fix ya' up." Nick' breathing was laboured and his heart was pounding in his chest. He didn't know why though.
Rochelle lay there, her breathing slow but steady, but the blood seeped through the fabric.
"I-I didn't mean to. I-I'm sorry Chelle'." Ellis mumbled, pacing back and forth as he gazed at her.
"Shut up Ellis, it can't wait." Nick tore through the fabric and found the axe wound that Ellis had inflicted her with.
"Oh, baby girl," Coach came up to help unpack the medical supplies, "you've had worse. A few stitches and you'll be fine."
Nick liked the way he was thinking, but for some reason, he still felt sick at the sight of Rochelle laying before him, wounded and losing so much blood.
It had been about fifteen minutes laboured work of stemming the flow and finally being able to stitch her up (Ellis' handy skills coming in) before the long wait to see if she recovered started. They took turns every couple of hours, Coach running out another way to get some supplies from a convenience store he'd passed and Ellis taking watch upstairs (and a nap).
Nick had been left holding her hand and taken a seat right by her side.
"Hey…Rochelle…wake up ok." He grumbled groggily as sleep was making him start to drift off. He quickly reached in the medi-kit with his free hand and pulled out a syringe filled with liquid.
"You see what I do just to make sure you don't die in your sleep?" He jabbed the needled into his arm, hissing as he felt the fluid enter his blood stream, "now…if you don't wake up, all this is for sh*t. And I'm sure if you die, Coach but start staring at my ass." Nick chuckled his head ducking down as he felt himself wake up for what would be a short amount of time.
"If you don't get me off this table, I will die." A small, equally groggy voice made him look up and he let out a big sigh and laugh. Rochelle had her eyes open and was looking at him, sleepiness evident in her face.
"Is that an invite for me to take you to bed?" He winked and gently squeezed her hand reassuringly, the two different sides of his affection something Rochelle liked.
"Just get me off this table or I'll kick your ass," she chuckled and groaned slightly at the twinge in her stomach, her other hand coming up to run over bare skin and a bandage, "although you may have to wait till Ellis gets his turn."
Nick reached up and carefully helped her down onto the floor, a set of mattresses and pillows laid out by everyone. It was always better to sleep in the same room.
"I knew you had fight in ya'," he grabbed a blanket and carefully placed it over her, "you don't give up that easy. All that delusional thinking being nothing."
Rochelle smirked and shut her eyes, still feeling slightly weak from the pain pills she'd been given.
Nick made to stand, only to have a hand lay against his upper arm.
"Thanks Nick."
He smiled down at her face and nodded in approval, specifically as it hadn't quite dawned on her she was just wearing her pants, shoes and bra.
"No probs. Anytime." He whispered and meant it genuinely, holding Rochelle' hand as she drifted back towards sleep.
"Daydreamer? Hello, earth to Nick! Boy, wake up!" Rochelle waved her hand in front of his eyes, Nick blinking quickly as he realised he'd spaced out. She was standing in front of him with a bemused expression on her face.
"I've told you, no dirty thoughts with me around, that counts as part of our deal."
Nick sighed and forced a small smile.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I think I'll keep my pants on in future when I'm around you."
Rochelle suddenly gave him a big know it all smile. She stepped back slightly and leaned against the wall opposite the safe house door.
"I-" she was cut off as something slithered around her throat and instantly pulled her towards the bar, making her entire back arch and a call of pain come forth from her throat where her stitching was pulled.
She shut her eyes and her hands flew up around her neck, tugging away the appendage that was wrapped around her.
She felt another pair of hands next to hers and opened her eyes to see Nick close to her, his face scrunched in anger as he helped pull with her.
They tugged for a full minute, another long appendage coming through the bars and grabbing at Rochelle' hand, pulling away from momentary release. Now, she was finding it hard to breath.
Nick saw her struggle for air and something bubbled inside of him. He let go and turned, grabbing the rifle he'd only just been using. He strode forward quickly, poking the barrel through the bars before taking aim at what was in another building, across the street and in the window.
"I hate F**king smokers." He hissed and pulled the trigger, hitting the said creature in the head. He stood back and quickly helped pull away the now limp appendages from around Rochelle' throat. She coughed as the last one came loose, sucking in the air she could get a hold of and collapsing to her knees.
Nick held her by her arms and sank down with her.
He held onto her as her breathing became steady.
"Geez, you always seem to get into trouble. Damsel in distress syndrome." Nick pulled back, smiling his usual cocky smile (with a hit of nerves) but frowned at what he saw.
Rochelle' was still breathing heavily as she gasped for breath, but Nick only watched her tears fall from her eyes and down to her chin. She didn't sob, but gritted her teeth and just shut her eyes.
"I…HATE zombies." She turned her head away and sniffed as she wiped away the tears the best she could, Nick admiring how…beautiful she looked, right then.
He looked down at her and realised he was giving her an awkward sort of hug.
If it had been any other woman, he would have been cocky, but in this situation, with Rochelle, he almost bumbled his next line.
"I guess this would be a bad time to hit on you, huh?"
Rochelle laughed and her body shook as she looked at him, tears coming out of her eyes, but she wasn't sad anymore.
"Yeah. I'd probably end up throwing you on the floor and being torn between pummelling you or just taking you up on that offer."
Her laughter died down as Nick' face looked at her seriously. She realised what she just said and how close their faces were as they looked at one another.
Rochelle bit her bottom lip and noticed Nick' eyes momentarily become larger at the small act.
"Though…I'm quite happy to go for the latter."
Nick couldn't believe she was saying it and thought it was a trick, but another part of him didn't care if it was. He just wanted to do something so bad. He leaned forward and kissed her, his lips stilling and drinking in her full, plump ones.
'I'm kissing Nick…the guy has not had a shower since we met…but I don't care.' Rochelle argued with her inner self, just loving the warm feeling of someone else' lips upon her own again.
Nick could only think one thing.
'Rochelle.' He moaned inside his mind, his eyes flickering open and closed to make sure he wasn't having a naughty daydream.
He felt her eagerly began to kiss and push him backwards, Nick straight away knowing the destination. Just as his hands touched the mattress, he carefully held her hips and laid back, holding Rochelle on top.
They separated finally, Rochelle giving him a questioning.
"I don't want to strain you. Ellis' handy work is good, but not miraculous."
She laughed as his gaze fell down to their chests connecting, Rochelle glad that she'd put on a top this morning.
"Yeah…and your hands on my ass is just your fear of me falling off and hurting myself?"
Nick gave a small squeeze of her cheeks and smirked wildly.
"The things I do for you."
She leant down and kissed him happily again, their hands beginning to explore one another' skin. Rochelle' palm resting against his collarbone where the shirt was open at the front and Nick' travelling up and under her shirt, smoothing over the skin on her back.
They didn't break apart (more so, Nick didn't want to) when an angry groan and screech came from behind them, a zombie trying desperately to claw it's way in through the bars. Nick closed his eyes and grabbed his pistol, shooting it randomly three times until he heard a squelch and something hit the floor outside.
Rochelle pulled away again, nodding happily at his accuracy.
"Hey," Nick looked up at her, smiling back, "…what were you about to say? When the ugly guy tried to cop a feel?"
Rochelle smirked and whispered into his ear wearing a positively devilish smile.
"I was about to say…I wouldn't swear the 'no pants off' rule, just yet."
Meanwhile…
"TWENTY! That's twenty boomers in the last hour! That means i YOU /i have to go out for the next six pack." Coach gloated triumphantly as he lent back.
Ellis sighed and shook his head, a little smile coming to his lips.
They'd been using a hunting rifle and sniper rifle, each betting the other who could hit more zombies within an hour and what gun was better for the job.
"Still got it for an old man." He chuckled as he looked up and Coach just gave him a stoic look.
"I ain't that old. Now go get me some beer!" He playfully rapped Ellis upside his head, knocking his dirtied cap off.
"Ok! Ok! I'm going…old man." Ellis ducked and made quickly for the stairs as Coach cussed under his breath at missing him.
The old man lent back in his seat and enjoyed a little bit of peace and quiet. He inhaled loudly through his nostrils as he took in as much air as he could.
"Damned dead." He muttered as his eyes flickered shut, the smell still strong enough from all the way up on the third floor of the house. A noise caught his attention and he opened his eyes as he spotted a familiar cap he'd sent out not to long ago.
Coach turned and watched as Ellis came back up the stairs, his head ducked low and his steps quick.
"What? Admit you're scared?" Coach chuckled and registered Ellis' blush on his face. What on earth could make the boy blush like that? "If you don't want to go alone, I'm sure Nick or Rochelle would be happy to play bodyguard for you.
"They're….they're busy." Ellis made a face as if this was one of those awkward moments from High school between him and the teacher (which reminded him of the time he and Keith had been caught stealing condoms from the sex ed teacher).
Coach arched his brow and stood up.
"Well I'll go kick they're-" he was stopped as Ellis looked at him in slight horror, his hand on Coach' wrist.
"No. They're REALLY busy." The poor boy tried to convey what he had seen to a man he saw as a father figure.
It took coach a few seconds to get it, but a female moan from downstairs (that wasn't very zombie like) made him realise what 'busy' meant.
He slowly sat down again and an awkward silence fell between the two, occasional moans and gunshots coming from downstairs the only sound they could hear (other than Ellis' gulping of saliva down his throat).
"Hey coach…did I ever tell you about the time me and my buddy Keith took our girlfriends to the movies and zombies started to come out of the screen?"
For once, Coach was actually going to let Ellis tell him a story. Anything to make him listen to anything, other than the sound coming from downstairs.
Come catch me babeI'm falling Come n save me baby I'm calling Come and be with me babe Come and be with me babe Come after a while Come catch a cloud babe Don't let me fade away Don't let me fade away Come catch a feeling It left a fire in me Eyes wide open I'm dreaming Free falling baby Don't let me fall on down Free falling baby Come touch me baby I need to be loved And come hold me babe I need to be loved I need to be loved Come touch me baby I need to be loved And come hold me babe I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved Come catch a fire Don't let me fade away Come catch a fire babe Don't let me fade away Come catch a feeling Left a fire in me Eyes wide open I'm dreaming Free falling baby Don't let me fall on down Free falling baby Free falling baby Come touch me baby I need to be loved And come hold me babe I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved I need to be loved...