Always There - Fred/Nick - FRT
Title: Always There
Author: gothicautumn03
Claim: Fred Burkle/Nick Stokes
Song Title Prompt: 'Look After You'
Warnings/Spoilers: FRT/Post-NFA and Grave Danger
Author's Notes:For my claim at 15_song_titles (table can be found here) and for the 'Open Fandom' at btvsats_love
After the battle with the Black Thorn, Fred moved away from Los Angeles. Part of the city was gone, and even thought they’d won, she needed to get away. She packed her bags and said goodbye to her friends and headed straight for Texas. Fred had promised herself she’d never go back there, but after almost dying and working for an evil law firm, home was the only place she wanted to be.
The first few months she spent on the farm, being doted over by her parents. She waited for boredom to set in, but it never did. Instead, she moved on with her life and took a job at a private school in San Antonio, where she taught science to some of the brightest ten-year-olds she’d ever met. She was happy, but there was something missing.
It was during Christmas break when Fred had seen him again. Her parents had insisted they go to Dallas for the holiday to visit her aunt, who was getting ready to move to Florida.
The party had been boring, and Fred tried to sneak out, hoping to go back to the hotel and get some rest, when she saw him outside. The last time she’d seen Nick Stokes was the year before she’d ended up in Pylea. They’d met at a party thrown by her aunt, who was friends with Nick’s mom. They had flirted a lot that night and had exchanged phone numbers. But, due to Fred being busy with school and Nick taking a new job, they lost contact.
Their conversation was awkward at first, neither one knowing what to say. Both seemed relieved when the other admitted to still being single. The conversation was cut short when one of Nick’s younger brothers announced the Cowboys’ game was on. You never asked a Texas boy to chose you over a Cowboys games.
Once again, they exchanged phone numbers, along with their e-mails, and promised to keep in touch. It was a promise both kept and soon they were speaking everyday.
Fred worried about how she was going to tell him about the things she’d seen. She didn’t know how to bring it up but, luckily for her, a vampire attacked them during one of her trip to Las Vegas, and it opened up a conversation on her life before moving back to Texas. And, Nick understood and was interested in knowing everything about her life before.
Their relationship grew, each falling in love with the other. The distance between them hurt at times and when they were together, they rarely left the bed. It was finally decided Fred would move to Vegas since it’d be easier for her to find a job there. She wanted to stay until the end of the school year, not wanting to abandon her kids and, once again, Nick understood.
She had been packing the last of her things when she received the phone call. Her world almost spun out of control as she listened to Nick’s mom tell her Nick had been kidnapped and buried alive. Fred didn’t hesitate to get the first flight out to Las Vegas. She just prayed she wasn’t too late.
When she arrived at the airport, she found out Nick had been found and was in a local hospital. Fred rented a car and when she arrived at the hospital, she was greeted by an older man.
“I’m here to see Nick,” she nervously said. “He alright?”
“You must be Fred,” the man said as he offered her his hand. “I’m Gil Grissom. Nick speaks highly of you.”
Fred took Grissom’s hand and lightly shook it. Nick spoke of the other man on a regular basis and she’d always wanted to meet him. She just wished it was under different circumstances. “Nice to meet you,” she said before asking, once again, “Is he alright?”
“They’re looking him over right now. When we got him out, he didn’t seem to be seriously hurt,” Grissom explained. “He asked for you a few times while he was…he wanted you to know he loves you and he was sorry. I think he thought he was going to die.”
Fred’s throat tightened and she felt like she was about to choke on her own emotions. He could've died. She could’ve lost the only man she’d ever loved. “Thank you,” she managed to say. “Thank you for being there for him.”
Grissom merely smiled and helped Fred sit down in one of the chairs. The conversation between them was light, and by the time Nick’s parents emerged in the hall, Grissom had talked Fred into coming by his office to discuss the use of bugs in the field of Physics.
“He’s asking for you,” Nick’s mom said as she gave Fred a fond smile. “He wants to see you.”
Fred nodded and said her goodbyes to Grissom before walking down the hallway. When she came upon Nick’s room, she stood in the doorway and looked at him for a moment.
“Fred,” he choked out when he saw her there. “I…I didn’t think you’d come.”
She moved into the room and to the side of his bed. He was covered with small welts and she almost afraid to touch him. “What happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Ants,” Nick merely said. He raised a hand up, being mindful of the tubes and blood pressure cuff, and laid it on Fred’s hand. “I’m glad you came.”
Fred turned her hand over so their palms were touching and wrapped her fingers around his hand. “I’ll always come,” she told him as hot tears stung her eyes. “Will you be alright?” She wanted to ask what happened but knew Nick would tell her when he was ready.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her as he gripped her hand tighter. “Are you gonna stay or do you have to go back to Texas? Are you finished with school?” He then gave her a confused look. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know what day it is right now.”
Fred moved closer to the bed, her thighs pressing against the edge. She was starting to feel exhausted, and wanted to sit down but she didn’t want to leave Nick’s side. “School ended yesterday,” she said. “And no, I don’t have to return to Texas right away.”
Nick nodded and relief washed over his face. He looked up at her and furrowed his brow before moving over in the bed. “You look like you’re about to collapse,” he hoarsely said. “You look really pale.”
She didn’t move. Instead, she stood there, wondering if it would be alright for her to slip into bed with him. She wanted to but didn’t want the doctors and nurses to be upset with her. But, looking into Nick’s eyes, she knew it was where she wanted to be. With a small smile, Fred slipped into the bed, being careful of the his IV line.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Nick said once she was in bed with him. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.” He pressed his face against her hair and Fred could feel his tears.
“I’ll always be here,” she promised as she carefully wrapped her arms around his body. She’d never seen him cry before and it scared her, and made her want to cry herself. “Always.”
And she would, Fred knew, as she continued to hold the man she loved.
Author: gothicautumn03
Claim: Fred Burkle/Nick Stokes
Song Title Prompt: 'Look After You'
Warnings/Spoilers: FRT/Post-NFA and Grave Danger
Author's Notes:For my claim at 15_song_titles (table can be found here) and for the 'Open Fandom' at btvsats_love
After the battle with the Black Thorn, Fred moved away from Los Angeles. Part of the city was gone, and even thought they’d won, she needed to get away. She packed her bags and said goodbye to her friends and headed straight for Texas. Fred had promised herself she’d never go back there, but after almost dying and working for an evil law firm, home was the only place she wanted to be.
The first few months she spent on the farm, being doted over by her parents. She waited for boredom to set in, but it never did. Instead, she moved on with her life and took a job at a private school in San Antonio, where she taught science to some of the brightest ten-year-olds she’d ever met. She was happy, but there was something missing.
It was during Christmas break when Fred had seen him again. Her parents had insisted they go to Dallas for the holiday to visit her aunt, who was getting ready to move to Florida.
The party had been boring, and Fred tried to sneak out, hoping to go back to the hotel and get some rest, when she saw him outside. The last time she’d seen Nick Stokes was the year before she’d ended up in Pylea. They’d met at a party thrown by her aunt, who was friends with Nick’s mom. They had flirted a lot that night and had exchanged phone numbers. But, due to Fred being busy with school and Nick taking a new job, they lost contact.
Their conversation was awkward at first, neither one knowing what to say. Both seemed relieved when the other admitted to still being single. The conversation was cut short when one of Nick’s younger brothers announced the Cowboys’ game was on. You never asked a Texas boy to chose you over a Cowboys games.
Once again, they exchanged phone numbers, along with their e-mails, and promised to keep in touch. It was a promise both kept and soon they were speaking everyday.
Fred worried about how she was going to tell him about the things she’d seen. She didn’t know how to bring it up but, luckily for her, a vampire attacked them during one of her trip to Las Vegas, and it opened up a conversation on her life before moving back to Texas. And, Nick understood and was interested in knowing everything about her life before.
Their relationship grew, each falling in love with the other. The distance between them hurt at times and when they were together, they rarely left the bed. It was finally decided Fred would move to Vegas since it’d be easier for her to find a job there. She wanted to stay until the end of the school year, not wanting to abandon her kids and, once again, Nick understood.
She had been packing the last of her things when she received the phone call. Her world almost spun out of control as she listened to Nick’s mom tell her Nick had been kidnapped and buried alive. Fred didn’t hesitate to get the first flight out to Las Vegas. She just prayed she wasn’t too late.
When she arrived at the airport, she found out Nick had been found and was in a local hospital. Fred rented a car and when she arrived at the hospital, she was greeted by an older man.
“I’m here to see Nick,” she nervously said. “He alright?”
“You must be Fred,” the man said as he offered her his hand. “I’m Gil Grissom. Nick speaks highly of you.”
Fred took Grissom’s hand and lightly shook it. Nick spoke of the other man on a regular basis and she’d always wanted to meet him. She just wished it was under different circumstances. “Nice to meet you,” she said before asking, once again, “Is he alright?”
“They’re looking him over right now. When we got him out, he didn’t seem to be seriously hurt,” Grissom explained. “He asked for you a few times while he was…he wanted you to know he loves you and he was sorry. I think he thought he was going to die.”
Fred’s throat tightened and she felt like she was about to choke on her own emotions. He could've died. She could’ve lost the only man she’d ever loved. “Thank you,” she managed to say. “Thank you for being there for him.”
Grissom merely smiled and helped Fred sit down in one of the chairs. The conversation between them was light, and by the time Nick’s parents emerged in the hall, Grissom had talked Fred into coming by his office to discuss the use of bugs in the field of Physics.
“He’s asking for you,” Nick’s mom said as she gave Fred a fond smile. “He wants to see you.”
Fred nodded and said her goodbyes to Grissom before walking down the hallway. When she came upon Nick’s room, she stood in the doorway and looked at him for a moment.
“Fred,” he choked out when he saw her there. “I…I didn’t think you’d come.”
She moved into the room and to the side of his bed. He was covered with small welts and she almost afraid to touch him. “What happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Ants,” Nick merely said. He raised a hand up, being mindful of the tubes and blood pressure cuff, and laid it on Fred’s hand. “I’m glad you came.”
Fred turned her hand over so their palms were touching and wrapped her fingers around his hand. “I’ll always come,” she told him as hot tears stung her eyes. “Will you be alright?” She wanted to ask what happened but knew Nick would tell her when he was ready.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her as he gripped her hand tighter. “Are you gonna stay or do you have to go back to Texas? Are you finished with school?” He then gave her a confused look. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know what day it is right now.”
Fred moved closer to the bed, her thighs pressing against the edge. She was starting to feel exhausted, and wanted to sit down but she didn’t want to leave Nick’s side. “School ended yesterday,” she said. “And no, I don’t have to return to Texas right away.”
Nick nodded and relief washed over his face. He looked up at her and furrowed his brow before moving over in the bed. “You look like you’re about to collapse,” he hoarsely said. “You look really pale.”
She didn’t move. Instead, she stood there, wondering if it would be alright for her to slip into bed with him. She wanted to but didn’t want the doctors and nurses to be upset with her. But, looking into Nick’s eyes, she knew it was where she wanted to be. With a small smile, Fred slipped into the bed, being careful of the his IV line.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Nick said once she was in bed with him. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.” He pressed his face against her hair and Fred could feel his tears.
“I’ll always be here,” she promised as she carefully wrapped her arms around his body. She’d never seen him cry before and it scared her, and made her want to cry herself. “Always.”
And she would, Fred knew, as she continued to hold the man she loved.