Jessica landed a double axle followed by a triple lutz. It was one of her favorite combinations. After continuing on with the rest of her short program, Jessica stopped after the music ended and was surprised by the applause. She was used to yelling during practice. "Huh?" she turned to face her coach who was making her way across the ice rather quickly and pulled her into a hug.

 "Honey, if you even perform half as well as you did right now, you're a definite for first place," Coach Rivers was ecstatic. "I've never seen you skate with so much determination. It was beautiful. Just beautiful, honey," she pushed the stray strands of hair out of Jessica's face. "You've been here too long. It's going on 10:15. You're done for the night. Enjoy the extra rest. You deserve it," she clapped excitedly and skated away. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early! We'll work on your long program."

 Jessica smiled and waved as Beverly hurried out of the empty rink. She skated off and made her way to her bag. She could hear the buzz of her pager on vibrate and checked the number on the display. "Nick. Hmm..." she shrugged and got her things together and headed for the girls locker room to shower and change into her street shoes.

 Making her way to her car, Jessica looked up to the stars that shone brightly that night. "I better call Mom," she dug in her glove box for her phone and quickly dialed the number to her own house. "Mom?... Yeah, I'm on my way home now.... Great.... Ok, I'll see you in 15 minutes.... Love you too," she hit end and settled in for the ride home.

 Turning up the radio a bit, Jessica sung along to the songs playing, even if she didn't know them. As she turned onto her street she noticed a truck following her. Becoming strangely nervous, Jessica took a detour route to her home through another street. She watched through her rear view as the truck sped on the way she was going.

 Arriving at home, Jessica noticed the truck parked in her driveway. She couldn't tell on the road that it was Nick, but the lights shining on her house made it quite noticeable.

 Unlocking the door, Jessica could hear the conversation between her mother and Nick in the living room. "That must be her now, Nick," she could hear her mother say, then fast paced footsteps in the direction of the door.

 "Where the hell were you, Jess?" Nick frantically scooped Jessica's small body up into a hug. "I kept paging you and never got an answer."

 Jessica supressed her laughter. "Practice ran over. I didn't expect anyone to worry," she narrowed her brow. "What was the emergency?" Nick backed away from Jessica and stared at her blankly.

 "Do I have to have a reason to worry about my best friend?"

 Jessica rolled her eyes and trekked her way upstairs into her room, with Nick right on her heels. "You're an odd one, ya know that?" she smirked and dropped her gym bag on the floor next to her dresser. Jessica went through her second drawer looking for her favorite pajamas.

 "I can't help that," Nick shrugged and fell back on her queen size bed. "So, how was practice?"

 Jessica made her way into her adjoining bathroom and changed quickly into her satin, drawstring pajama pants. They were a deep shade of maroon with a matching button up shirt. She let her hair out of it's tight ponytail and dumped her clothes into her hamper. Jessica grabbed a comb as she emerged out of her bathroom and tried in vain to get her curls to tame themselves. "It was fine. Rivers was happy with me tonight. She said I was skating better than she has ever seen me."

 Nick scooted over so Jessica could sit on her bed, and she did so indian style next to his sprawled out figure. "Excited about the AC?" he asked and laughed as she caught another knot in her hair, which sent water flying. "Need some help?" he sat up and took the comb out of her hands.

 Jessica settled herself in front of Nick and let him work his way through her thick mane of natural curls. "I guess I'm excited," she shrugged. "I just have to have faith in myself."

 "Well, you've got some in me. I got a schedule of all the events today at practice. After our second game is your first round, in the short program," he put down the comb and just ran his fingers through her hair. "So, I'll be able to head on down to watch you go at it."

 "I guess I'll have to settle for seeing your first game and not your second," she shook her head on purpose, letting the droplets of water spray on to Nick. He laughed and tackled her down on to her bed.

 "Cut that out," he shoved her shoulders slightly. Jessica resorted to the adult way to end the argument.

 She stuck her tongue out at him. "You suck."

 "You suck more."

 "You wish," she laughed and pushed his chest, so she could get up. Nick smiled and laid where she had been. "Don't you have to be home anytime soon?" Jessica took the comb and put it back in its place in the bathroom.

 "On a Friday?" Nick rolled his eyes. "How old do you think I am?"

 "Well, ya know..." she pretended to stop and think about it but that act was abruptly halted by a pillow in her face. "Excuse me!" she ran back over to her bed and tackled Nick down. "Do you know how annoying you are?"

 "No, why don't you fill me in?" he fought against her attack. "And get your wet hair out of my face!" he laughed as it fell in front of her face into his. "Jesus, get off of me!" he yelled when she started tickling his neck.

 Jessica just giggled and sat up on Nick's stomach. "You're such a wimp," she laughed and then squealed as he dumped her off of him. He then got up quickly and hurled her over his back.

 "I'm a wimp, am I?"

 "No, of course not. You're the strongest guy I know," she smiled sweetly and Nick could hear it in her voice. "Now, will you please put me down?" Nick set Jessica back down on solid ground as she asked. "Thank you," she shook her head to stop that 'rushing of blood' feeling.

 "You ok?" Nick took a hold of Jessica by her waist. "You look a little faint," he rested his forehead against hers with a goofy smile plastered across his face.

 "I think I'm ok," she nodded and closed her eyes as she felt his warm lips press against her forehead gently.

 "Good," Nick scooped Jessica up into his arms and laid her gently onto her comforter. "You should lay down."

 "All right..." Jessica was quite surprised by Nick's gesture but took it in stride. He was, after all, just her best friend. "You didn't have to do that," she said quietly as he pulled his arms out from under her and laid next to her. "I wasn't that dizzy."

 "I know. I just... felt like it, I guess," he shrugged innocently enough. After a few moments of silence, Jessica scooted closer in towards Nick and wrapped her arms around his body. "What's wrong?" he lifted his arms up slightly so she could move in closer, then he lightly draped his over her body. He ran his fingers through her slightly damp hair.

 "Nothing at all," she sighed. "I just wanted to be held."

 Nick could tell his heart beat had to be racing. He could feel it ready to burst out of his chest. Nick sighed as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

 "Something wrong?" Jessica backed up from him slightly to look in his eyes. They showed a considerable amount of vulnerability. She ran her free hand through his hair, hoping to calm him down. "Nick, you look like you're a million miles away."

 He just stared into her blue green eyes, and hoped she would understand without him having to embarrass himself.

 "Nick?" she brushed her hand against his cheek, which finally got a reaction. Nick quickly shook his head and got up from her side. "What's wrong?" she sat up just as quickly as he. Jessica jumped off of her bed and ran to her door before he got around her bed to it. Slamming it shut and turning the lock, she stood her ground. "You're not leaving till you tell me what's wrong?"

 "I can't." Nick grabbed her shoulders and pleaded with all the he had in him for her to understand.

 "You can't, what?"

 Nick dropped his hands from her shoulders and made his way around her to the door. "I can't do this anymore."

 "You can't do, what?" Jessica reached out for his arm and pulled him back to her body. "I won't know unless you tell me," she looked at him exasperatedly. "Please."

 Nick caressed her cheek. "You don't see it... You don't... feel it. It's something gotta find out for yourself," he leaned down closer with every breath that came from his lips. "When you do understand... I'll be waiting," he kissed her cheek, and quickly left her room.

 Jessica stood, firm in her spot until she heard her front door open. Faster than she knew she could, she ran down the steps and hurried outside to her porch where Nick had barely made it down the steps. "Wait!" Jessica yelled as she hurried to his side.

 Nick turned quickly and looked to Jessica with so much hope evident in his gaze. "Yes?"

 Jessica, for the first time, maybe it was the moonlight reflecting or just the aura of being under a starry sky, but she got lost in his eyes. "I, uh... I mean, I... umm, I have to move my car so you can get out, right?"

 "Yeah," Nick sighed and pulled Jessica into a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow after your practice gets out?"

 "Of course," she said, slightly disoriented. "I'll meet you at your house. Just makes sure you shower before I get there. You always smell gawd awful after a basketball practice," she tried to make light of the situation at hand, but it didn't seem to be working. Reacting out of habit, Jessica leaned up and kissed Nick's cheek. She was slightly closer to his lips than normal, but she shook the feeling off. "Laterz," she said as she hopped in her vehicle and started the engine. As Jessica buckled her seat belt she watched Nick slowly get into his truck. Sighing loudly, she leaned her head on the steering wheel. When she noticed Nick's tail-lights go on, Jessica recomposed herself and took off her parking brake. Turning in her seat, Jessica put her car into reverse and looked both ways down her street as best as she could. Easing her way out of her driveway, Jessica was about to make her way onto the road, so Nick could make his way out, and that's when it happened.

 In one single moment.

 Jessica's car was impacted from the passenger side, which sent it spinning and flipping for about 200 feet before it stopped. The car that hit her pushed the vehicle for most of the way before it lost momentum.

 Almost immediately, Nick jumped out of his vehicle and ran down the dark street. As the wreckage came into view, he fell to his knees. Of all things that could possibly happen, this had been one of the most unexpected moments of his life. Trying to clear thoughts of the worst, Nick pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed 911. As he did, he ran back towards Jessica's house only to be stopped short by running into her mother.

 The scene unfolded in front of her eyes and all time seemed to stop.

 Her baby.

 Her only child.

 She was somewhere in that.

 Nick rubbed Ms. Collins' shoulders and gave her the phone to give details to the ambulance and squad on it's way. He then ran over to Jessica's car, hoping he wouldn't faint for the sight of her lifeless body sprawled inside her car. Upon seeing Jessica's body, scratched, bruised and contorted into a disturbing position was all Nick could handle before the tears came.

 His childhood.

 His other half.

 All wrapped up into this one person.

 And in one fatal second... she could be taken away.

 The sounds of sirens flooded Nick's ears as they approached quickly from the distance. They couldn't get there fast enough for him. Nick ran to Jessica's car door and picked up her hand that had landed under the arm rest. Taking her palm in his hand, Nick inched down her wrist to check for a pulse.

 No signs of life.

 This wasn't happening to him.

 It couldn't all be ending this way.

 There were so many things he never got to say to her.

 Now, the odds were not in his favor.

 It didn't look like he'd ever get the chance to tell her.

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