DAYS END Author: Eileen Thomson E-Mail: indigotoast@yahoo.com Summary: New Nicfic Rating: Author's Notes: This whole story line was provided by Suzanne for me one night when sleep would not come. This is her idea. Thanks for that! She had to then fix it to make it readable as well! Thanks again to Linda for her input. Nick comes through the front door of the house and breathes a huge sigh of relief. This day could not have been worse. Unusually malevolent gods had heaped more trouble on his head than he had dreamt existed. He is wound so tight that he feels that if someone pushed on his head, the let go, he would easily bounce off the ceiling He runs upstairs and uncharacteristically throws his coat on the bed, his jacket is just tossed beside it. He undresses as he moves, unwilling to wait, desperate to wash the day away. He stands in the shower and lets the warm water sooth and cleanse him. After he is dry, he pulls on a pair of loose shorts and falls onto his bed, spread-eagled and relaxes. "It's over," he speaks aloud, "It's over and I'm through the other side. I wish I could have a drink to celebrate it." Nick dozes off, and the banging of the front door wakes him with a start. He goes down the stairs rubbing his head, until his hair stands on end. He gets to the door but is suddenly reluctant to open it. *What next?* "Who is it?" he calls out. "Nick Fallin, I have been waiting in that restaurant for an hour. Open the damn door!" Shayla's voice is strident, and too late Nick remembers he was to meet her for dinner. "Shayla, I'm sorry, but you should hear what happened to me today." He speaks as he is opening the door. "Like I care," she spits fire at him. "I looked like a fool in there. Have you been in bed?" "Yeah, sorry I dozed off. I really forgot, come on, let me hug you and the bother will all just melt." Nick is joking around now; he knows that Shayla is not one to hold a grudge. "Did you bring food?" "Nick, you really are the most self centered man! I brought Chinese, I hope that's all right with you," she adds sarcastically. "Food is food when you are as hungry as I am. I could eat anything." Sitting at the table with Shayla, and sharing a meal is something that has become quite the norm now. She has become a good friend and they pass many evenings comfortably, in each others company. When they have finished eating, Nick sits on the floor at her feet and Shayla says, "I give in, gather your thoughts and tell me about your day." Nick rests his head on the seat of the couch and thinks back to how it started. -*-*- Morning 7am. Leaving Home Nick has an early start and is up sharp. He is showered and getting dressed when he remembers that Aunt Liz is coming into the office today, so he goes to the wardrobe and takes out the new shirt she bought for him. He thinks it is hideous, but she did buy it for him, and it won't hurt to wear it once. No court today and just paperwork to catch up on. Dressed in record time he rushes downstairs and grabs his briefcase, checking quickly that he has everything that he needs, *Organization,* he thinks,* that's all the world needs.* ~*~*~ 7.30am Nick sets about his work at the office, knowing that time is going to be at a premium all day. He is well into his routine when the rest of the Fallin & Fallin staff begins to turn up. He looks up at the sound of the soft voice at the door. "Hey, Nicholas. You're wearing the shirt I gave you. You look good in it." "You are a bit early to catch Dad Aunt Liz; I think he has a meeting out of the office this morning. We weren't expecting you until later." "It's fine, if you could just tell him I was in, and left the papers for him. I have an early appointment, so I had to come in and I knew there would be a chance I would miss him." "Is everything okay?" asks Nick, resting his pen lightly at the place he left off, already anxious to be back at work. "Fine. Good to see you, I'll have to go now, we'll catch up later." She comes round the desk and pecks him on the cheek. 10.30am "Nick. I think your Dad's in trouble in his office. There is a lot of shouting. Do you think we should interrupt?" Jake looks worried. "Do you know who he is with?" "No idea." "All right, I'll go in." Nick goes to the office and knocks, but he doesn't wait for an answer. He walks right in to find Henry Thomas standing naked in the office. That sight stops Nick in his tracks! Then he notices that the client from hell has a gun. Suddenly, Henry turns and fires in Nick's direction. "Get that shirt off!" barks Burton. Nick looks down in horror at the bullet hole in the door, and then at his shirt. Green... As he struggles to get out of the shirt, Henry is ranting and waving the gun about. "If things fall apart, it's his fault! He wore green! He did it, and everything will topple down now!" "I told you he was unstable." Nick speaks softly to his father. You should have done something before now about him. "What else are you wearing that's green?" Henry shouts. "Tell me! You are going to bring me bad luck. Off with the green." "Nicholas, just do as Henry says." "I'm not going to strip naked just to appease him." Jake is now lingering at the door, things having turned into a three ringed circus outside, with everyone shouting and running about. "Don't get the police," Nick says softly to him as he throws out his shirt, "get his wife. The phone number will be in the file. Just find her and get her here…fast!" After waiting for an hour and talking to a madman, Nick is pacing on one side of the desk and Henry on the other. Burton and Nick try to keep him calm, talking generalities, while he spouts rubbish about the world being evil. Marilyn Thomas finally comes into the office. She calmly orders Henry to dress and come home with her. He calms down almost immediately, goes quite peacefully. It all seems like an anti- climax, but Nick is worried at how easy it was for Henry to threaten them. "Dad, you will have to do something about him now. He could have hurt you." "More likely to have hurt you, wearing that shirt. It is God awful!" Burton Fallin chuckled. "Dad, I'm serious. That man is dangerous." "Don't interfere in the client's lifestyle Nick. Never interfere." "Is that what you want on your tombstone?" Nick is seething and does not understand why his father is behaving like this. He storms out of the office and into his own, fastening the buttons of the horrid green shirt. ~*~*~ 12.30pm Nick waits for the lift at LSP. He is furious at his father and can't get rid of the temper he feels buzzing around inside him. When the lift opens, Kim is coming out. Nick pushes her back in and puts his arms round her. "Just what the doctor ordered," he says. "A small bit of sanity in my life." He pulls her to him and kisses her soundly. Laughing, he holds her close to him and feels all the police gear wrapped round her waist. She holds onto him and teasingly rubs his shoulders. He is biting her bottom lip when the lift opens. What a picture they make, with Nick holding his briefcase between his knees and Kim's arms holding him tightly. Lulu is standing there. She is rooted to the spot by the surprising sight. Kim reaches out and pushes the down button. The couple explodes into hysterical laughter at the absurdity of it, and giggle all the way down in the lift. Nick gets out at the ground floor. Only when the lift goes up does he realize he is supposed to be going up and Kim is supposed to be coming out. He presses for the lift again. Once again they meet when the lift opens. Nick pushes her back in. "Want to come over to my house tonight? I'm all alone," Kim asks Nick "I'm meeting a friend for dinner. How about tomorrow?" "Sounds good." Nick pulls her into a corner and kisses her again. "Sanity," he breathes. The lift door opens and Lulu is still standing, waiting. "Whenever you two are finished," she snipes at them. Kim quickly pushes the down button leaving Lulu stranded again. She is furious, and points her finger at Nick. "It's about time you learned how to behave, you know. Anyone could have been standing out here." Nick takes her finger and kisses its tip. He turns away leaving her gazing at him in astonishment. " Hey Nick I really like that shirt." Alvin meets him as he comes into the office. "Grant Furlough, in your broom closet, wants to divorce his parents. He just walked in off the street." "Now there is a situation I can understand!" Nick looks at the LSP boss to see if he is joking about the shirt. "Ugh, I can believe it - - only you could like it." 1pm Grant Furlough is a small kid and Nick is surprised to learn that he is thirteen. "So, tell me, Grant what is the problem." "Well I want new parents; mine don't give me enough pocket money." Nick puts his head in his hands. *This is not happening! All the kids needing help and I get a moron who needs more pocket money!* "You have to have a good reason to divorce your parents; not getting enough money is not really deemed a good reason. Do you have a paper route or anything? Can't you get more money yourself? Maybe your parents are trying as hard as they can." "Hey big shot lawyer, did *you* have a paper route?" For a moment Nick considers lying, just to be rid of the boy but thinks better of it. "No," he says, "I was at boarding school. There was little need of a paper route in there. Look I'm going to phone your parents and get them down here. You sit tight." Nick passes the boy and pats him on the shoulder. Grant jumps up and squeaks in pain. Nick stops and looks at him. "Grant what is wrong with your back?" "I can't tell you, just help me," Grant cries. "I can get you to safety if you need it. Grant, let me get some one who will see to your needs. She is a great woman and would rather die than let anything happen to a child." He leans over his desk and picks up his phone. "Laurie, I need you here now. Can you come right away?" By the time the parents arrive, Laurie Solt has Grant at the hospital. He has been badly beaten with a thin whip The boy is always in trouble and the parents are at their wits end. The father is shouting that he has had enough of the brat and let him divorce them. He turns Nick and tells him brutally, "He is adopted, you know? When he divorces us, he will be back in the system. No one will want him." Nick hauls the man outside, "How can you beat a kid like that? It is downright vicious, and then you say these cruel things as well. You are a monster! When did you adopt him? Is that a lie? Why doesn't Grant know about the adoption? Nick takes a deep breath, trying to stem his frustration. "The court will tell you if you can see Grant and when." Nick sits picking his brow, wondering how people could do these things to a small boy.*What a day! This has to get better.* He feels badly for the poor lad and is sorry he did not handle it better. He heaves a big sigh. ~*~*~ 2.15pm Nick is traveling up 6th Avenue in Homestead going to his appointment in West Mifflin. He stops at the traffic lights and sits watching for them to change. He rolls his neck.* Too much tension today. I feel worn out.* Just as he is about to start the car moving, an old station wagon comes barreling down the road. Nick sees it in his mirror and knows it will not stop. It just about makes it, but slides into the back of his precious beamer. He jumps out and looks at the damage. The whole back is caved in, the bumper embedded in the wheel. It is not drivable. The man driving the other car is full of apologies and gives his insurance documents willingly. He offers to stay with Nick until the wrecker arrives. Nick refuses, as he feels he could use the time to phone his next appointment and explain why he will be late. The wrecker takes an hour to get to him. 3.30pm Out of the wrecker jumps the last person Nick expects to see. Frank Hinds was one of Nick's suppliers. Nick groans in despair. *What next?* He goes round the back to the car to sign the papers and to get on with the business of his day. Frank doesn't seem to recognize him and he is grateful. As he begins to leave, Frank stops him. "Nicky boy! How are you? We never see you now. I heard you got caught. Do you need anything? Not that I still deal," he hastens to add, "but I know who to go to, if you know what I mean." He taps the side of his nose, knowingly. "I'm clean," Nick says quickly. "On probation as well," he adds, "but thanks anyway." Nick thinks that if he is polite he will get away from Frank quicker. "Hey, let me give you a lift to where you are going." "Frank, I'm going to the Stockard School. There are more probation officers, per square inch in that place than anywhere else in Pittsburgh. I can't be seen with you, I would get my probation revoked. I'm sorry, but that is just the way it is." "No problem. I'll just drop you round the corner." Nick looks at him and says this time without any attempt at civility, "I'll catch a cab. I would feel safer doing that." Frank drives off at great speed, and Nick worries that his car won't survive the ride to the garage. ~*~*~ 4.10 At the school Nick tries to see the principal. One of the teachers has made a complaint about one of Nick's charges. There is a guard at the door of the school, and he tells Nick to pass through the metal detector. He feels like he is entering a war zone. As he goes in the direction the guard has given him, the bell rings, and the classes spew their contents out into the corridor. Nick is slightly intimidated by the number of home boys there. He really looks out of place and the catcalls follow him as he makes his way down the long passage. This is the worst school in the county and lots of attacks happen here. He is standing trying to decide which way he is supposed to go when he hears his name being called. John Coustos is a tiny man, no more than 5' 4". He bellows to the teenagers to haul ass and get to their classes. Surprisingly, they all move quicker. "I'll take you down to see Ms. Dayton. She is the one with the complaint. Don't be surprised if she's changed her mind, she does that all the time. She thinks all these kids are redeemable." "Are they?" Nick asks. "Some, but not many. Too many strikes against them. They have no room to make mistakes. That's what makes the difference between the rich and the poor. Not money, but wriggle room. If a home boy falls foul of the law, he is on their books right away. If a rich kid gets caught doing anything, the law will look the other way until he gets it sorted out." Nick thinks Coustos is talking about him, but when he turns to look at him he sees that he is preoccupied with his thoughts and is not seeing Nick at all. They come to the classroom and the smell of cooking comes wafting out of the room. "She is teaching them how to bake today. We lost our Home Economics teacher six months ago and Dayton substitutes in just about any class." Nick walks into the room behind Coustos, and for a moment he is dumbfounded. Standing before him is the biggest woman he has ever seen. She comes round and hugs him. He is sure some of his ribs break. "Mr. Fallin, I heard you were coming down. Well, it's all right now, Lisa and I have fixed things up and there's no need for you to be here. She cuddles him again and this time Nick is positive his ribs break. "Ms. Dayton, if there is a problem I have to know about it. I am Lisa's court- appointed guardian. It is my job to see that she behaves, and is doing all the things the court has ordered." For a moment, Ms. Dayton's mask of joviality slips and she all but growls at him. "Let me do my job my way, Fallin. I have been working with these kids longer than you and I know what kind of threat I need to use to get them in order. This girl will come out the other end of this and have a productive life, provided you do-gooders don't interfere too much. Mr. Coustos pulls at his arm. "You won't get her to follow up the complaint, and unless you intend to report her to the court, you will do no good being here. You may as well give in this time." Nick agrees and leaves the school feeling the time wasted could have spent on more productive things. 5.30 Nick finds out the hard way that cabs don't come willingly down this way. He sighs and goes to the bus station. This is definitely a war zone, and Nick really fears he has made a big mistake taking this route. He is contemplating trying to get someone to pick him up, when an arm falls over his shoulders. He jumps and whirls round. His probation officer, Fred DeSica, is standing there. "I thought that was you. What are you doing here, more to the point, what are you doing here?" "Trying to get home. I've been up to Stockard School and couldn't get a cab." "Why the hell did you come up here without transport at all?" "I had to see a client, and my car was in a wreck, then I felt I was closer to the school…" Nick's voice trails off. He is now babbling. "Frank Hinds was driving the wrecker," Nick admits. "I thought I should tell you." "Come on, I'll give you a lift back to town." "Thank you. I never thought I would be glad to see you. I don't think I can take much more today. I've had it with the world today." Nick rubs his face with his hands, *I'm going to hide for the rest of the night* he thinks. "I'll drop you at LS, you may as well give me a sample while I see you, okay? It's best that I do this, since you've been in touch with Frank Hinds". Nick grunts in reply. His temper is fast rising and this demand is adding insult to injury. "As long as you get me near a decent cab service, I'll do whatever you say. I really want to wash this day away." 7pm Home ~*~* "That's it, just one thing after another. I thought the day would never end. I wanted to go back to the start again, and this time I would have put on a white shirt. I think that would have sorted it. What do you think?" Nick turns and looks up at Shayla, who is lying on the couch. They fall into each others arms laughing. The End of the End of the Day.