And so Brian told me to find his weakness...Okay well he could of told me Nick loved ALCOHOL! That would of been a good starting point. I figured that was his Achilles' Heel....his weakness...and I was about to experience it first hand....

I decided to go out this particular night, just for a drink and check out the atmosphere. What I found was a drunk Nick over at the VIP section smashed off his face with two women; one on each arm. Oh shit...at least I knew where he drowned his sorrows after he left when I got back to the house.

" Nick? What the fuck are you doing? " I raised an eyebrow. Both women looked at me and snickered...typical wannabes!

" Look girly! Nicky has only got time for us tonight...maybe you can make an appointment or something? " The woman on his right ran a finger down his chest. That disgusted me. To think he could do this night in night out really amazed me. I truly thought he was better than that.

" Right that's it Nick you're coming home right now before you hurt yourself and you regret it. " Both women once again tried to make up an excuse for him.

" Ladies...come on no need to fight...Girls...I want talk with Skye alone for a minute. Wait for me over there...." Nick unraveled himself from the two women who look liked Barbie on a rampage and smiled at me.

" Hey Skye....I'm glad you could make it...I was having a real good time and you just made my night even better...." Nick moved closer to me and touched my arm.

" Nick I think I better take you home now before anything else happens..." Before Nick could argue he subsequently passed out on the floor and I called for his bodyguard Mike to help me take him in a cab. The two women ran after me as we helped Nick inside.

" What are you doing? Nick was supposed to be with us tonight? " I smiled and tried not to get too frustrated. I turned around and faced them.

" I don't think you'll like it if Nick throws up all over you. Trust me I am a doctor....if he does something that he regrets....then it will be on his own head and frankly I don't want to have to deal with it. I am trying to help him and obviously this is one of the things I want him to avoid till he gets back on track so do us a favor and go and have a good time. " I turned back around and slid in next to Nick before the car took off down the street and disappeared around the corner.....

" Will you be okay Skye? " Mike asked a little concerned about leaving me with Nick on my own.

" Yep I'll be fine, I'll take him inside before he gets himself arrested...again. I'll let you know how he's doing " I went to go up the path when Mike followed me. I had Nick leaning on me with full support and I didn't know how to handle this mess.

" Skye...I'm just worried. Nick has never had someone like you look after him like this. He normally finds his own way home and when he does get drunk, Tony just leaves him and goes to find some women to hang out with. I make sure it doesn't get out of control but I didn't know how much trouble he was really in. " I had to credit Mike. He really did look out for Nick and I was glad there was someone else other than me.

" Mike...I'm gonna try to make this better for Nick. He's my patient, my first priority. I want him to kick this habit but I need to know why he's doing this to himself and most importantly where all this is coming from. For me to do that he can't interact with anyone who may jeopardize his detoxing, including this Tony character so I'm asking you will you help me? " I looked into Mike's eyes hoping I had an ally with me on this. He was right, Nick never had anyone to help him and I was going to be the one to save him, I needed Mike to give me some insight.

" Okay...I'll help you...I'll be happy to..." Mike smiled and patted me on the back and walked back to the car. With confidence hanging high above me I hobbled inside and began a long night of helping Nick get better....

I helped Nick up the stairs in a vain attempt to try and not get him to be sick. I stripped him down to his shirt and boxers. His blonde head popped up from the pillow that rested underneath him.

" Skye? " I heard a vulnerable voice that came out from underneath all the clothes I had taken off him.

" It's okay buddy....you had a little too much to drink tonight. I'm gonna stay here and make sure you are okay...." I ran a warm cloth knowing in a few minutes Nick would want to hurl and it wouldn't be pretty.

" Skye...I think I'm gonna....I'm gonna..." Nick grabbed my arm and I quickly raced him into the bathroom. On his knees he grabbed hold of the toilet bowl until his knuckles went white and was sick. I looked at the poor thing. It must of been a regular thing for him coz he knew exactly what to do. I sat there rubbing his back and thought Why does he do this? What kind of a friend is this Tony to leave him to get smashed while he went off in search of a woman, and then it clicked with me. It was because of Nick's celebrity status that Tony stuck around and hung to him like an accessory bag. He would be happy to go along with Nick and not worry about him and go screw someone just because he had that kind of power....what an asshole!

" Skye...I think the first bit is over....do you think you can stomach this? " I looked at his sad eyes. So lost and feeling embarrassed by all this. He had really screwed up. He was still sober enough to realise it but drunk enough to not let it hurt him.

" Yep, I'd say so...my best friend threw up at my 18th Birthday and she's at least half your size. " Nick rested back onto me. His head on my chest breathing deeply. I could smell that sickly smell mixed in with alcohol. I didn't like it at all.

" Man I want remember this so you can whack me over the head if I come out with a smart ass comment....oh God! " He went for the toilet again and I rubbed his back. Nick's head shot up again and laid back down on me feeling tired and exhausted. He wasn't the only one.

" This is the first time we have had an intimate moment and tell me how do you get yourself into this mess? seriously? " Nick chuckled and looked up at the ceiling. With the next sentence surprised me coz I wouldn't have thought that Nick would open up and I didn't think he would do it when he was drunk.

" Honestly? I feel empty inside...my solo effort has gone down the tube...the guys think I'm a loser and I need help from a girl I only met once who is only helping me throw up at this stage. Plus on top of that my personal problems that I wish not to share yet." And there it was the fear again. Well at least he was being honest with me. I knew the solo effort for him would be hard but I didn't believe what he said. I placed the damp cloth on his forehead and tried to soothe him as well as heal.

" Well first I have to admit I love your solo effort, second the guys don't think you're a loser, if anything they honor your courage to risk this and be on your own, you needed that so much. To be on your own and thirdly? You have met me more than once...I'm the conscience that you forever leave behind my friend. You just have to try and think positive. I know it's hard but I'm sure everything will work out. " Nick turned his head around to face me and smiled.

" You know what? you're right...but for now I need to get up and get some sleep...I think I may have a hangover in the morning...." I helped Nick up and rested him in between the pillows before getting up. Nick grabbed my hand and asked me to stay. I only thought of it as a kind gesture and so I laid beside him and watched him sleep. I waited until his breath evened out and I slowly crept out of the room and went to sleep my own sweet dreams....

The next morning I made some toast for Nick and sat down reading the paper. Nick strolled in not a moment too soon and smiled pouring some coffee that I had just made and sat opposite me. I handed him the cartoon page he likes and continued to catch up on world events. After what seemed like an eternity Nick broke the silence.

" Okay...look I'm sorry about last night...I should of took in all you said about helping me get better and needing some help to sort out my problems but I needed to get out and get some air and well obviously that didn't do any good...." When he heard silence from the other end of the table, he continued;

" If it's any consolation, I felt guilty....see I do have a conscience! " I slammed down the newspaper in anger. Why was everything so easy for him? He can just come in here and say sorry? For what? So he can just move on?

" Nick it's not about whether you have a conscience or not, it's a measure of consequences that would of happened if I hadn't of been there last night. I'm not blind Nick you love your taste in women and your alcohol but if you want to get any sort of help...that's a problem that ain't going to go away that easily. You see you still have problems, unknown to me that you hide inside....things that are kept hidden from everyone else. That's what's called your demons. These demons dictate what you want to show and what you want to hide. I have had experience in this field. Demons are a deadly thing to deal with. These unknown problems, meaning you know I don't, therefore they fester once you avoid talking about them. Refuse to talk and you drive yourself into another way out which is my guess alcohol, or so you think. Yes it will numb the pain or any frustration that you feel inside and even make you forget only your consumption of alcohol gets worse, you convulse and eventually get alcoholic poisoning of the liver and die. Not really a good death sentence on your resume' am I making any sense here? Nick when I saw you throw up last night...it was I guess an intimate moment for me because you opened up a little shared secret with me.. a few demons that no one else knew existed. For you to proceed you have to kick the habits meaning, detoxing from the consumption of alcohol, less socializing and be able to start trusting me. I know I seem pretty shady to you but if we eliminate the reason for the alcohol then you won't need to drown yourself and end up on a waiting list for a liver transplant..." Nick just sat there taking in everything I said like last night, nodding his head and smiling.

" Okay...so I kick the habit...what else? " I laughed...I really had to. He was trying to solve this in one day! I don't think so buddy! I put my hand on Nick's and smiled.

" Nick...this can't happen overnight. You're detoxing process can be a matter of months or even years...you can't predict any of the outcomes. I do ask this though. Who is someone you turn to in terms of a crisis? " Nick's eyebrows rose. No one, not even all the shrinks in the world asked that question. They all assumed his family but his family was half the problem here. That was just the start of a snowball of mistakes that he wished had never happened.

" Brent...he's the only one I trust...and the fellas…why? " Nick was very curious to my question. I smiled and patted his hand.

" Coz now I know why you don't trust me...Nick I only push for you trust because I'm looking at this from a professional point of view. Brent I take it is a very old friend while the fellas have known you like forever as well. They know what makes you tick and for an outsider like for example me turns up that security wall is threatened right? So I guess I'll have to find another way in. Do you talk to your family much these days? " Another touchy subject Nick didn't want to touch on but he smiled and covered it up inside...like he always did.

" Yeah I talk to Aaron...he's my younger brother...I only trust him in the family side. Why? Coz apart from my other siblings, he's the only one that hasn't screwed me over....and I highly am relieved by that. I don't want be rude but I need to see Brian about something...it's important and I was meant to see him..." Nick rushed from the table and out the door. Maybe I was a bit hard on him. All the way through my speech he looked composed, not so angry and frustrated like he was last night. If only I could crack this. I had made some sort of a break in. He mentioned his brother...maybe he could come on the scene later on...give me some pointers about what subjects to ask? But first Nick would have to let me in and I don't think that is a possibility just yet. Why? because once he lets me in, there's no going back and I don't come out again....

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