For sale or not for sale.

Chapter 14: For Sale Or Not For Sale.

It was nearly 10pm when Nik finally arrived, he had cleared Max's security checks and knocked on the door. I opened the door and began jumping for joy, Nik was here and i was glad.

"Thank god i'm finally here" he said walking in with his bags and shaking Tom's hand "I have to say a big thank you for inviting me to stay with you, i would of stayed with Mark but find that a little awkward".

"Our pleasure, i'm just happy you said you would stay here and help protect Karen while i'm away" Tom said "I'll take your bags while you two catch up".

Tom took Nik's bag's to his room while Nik swooped me up in his big muscle arms, i made tea and we talked for another hour before Tom and i said goodnight.

The following morning i woke feeling very tired after another night of nightmare's, I showered and went to make breakfast for Tom and Nik it was only 6 but both of them had gone for a run together, with breakfast made i set it out as they came in through the door laughing together and Tom congratulating Nik on such a good run he helped push him harder and he enjoyed it.

"Maybe you can get Karen to go running with you? Tom said grinning at me.

I sat down next to him and rolled my eye's, i don't run as i don't enjoy it but i might suggest going to the gym with Nik as he goes everyday without fail.

I was sat in the airport with Tom waiting for his flight to Louisiana, as i took my gaze away from people watching i turned to Tom.

"So, will you be home for Christmas?" i asked nervously.

"I hope so, i won't know until we're under way" he say's taking my hand and kissing it "I really want to spend Christmas with you, so you can cook for me woman!" laughing and standing in front of me.

His flight was boarding but i suddenly didn't want him to go, i held him close and he took out our phones and took two photo's, one for his phone and one for mine, then he stood looking down at me with his hands on my arms.

"I hate that i'm leaving, i just want you to know that i love you and i'll miss you and please for god's sake listen to Nik and Max and stay safe".

"I promise, i Love you to" i said leaning up and kissing him.

Tom's flight was called again, we kissed and he slowly headed to the boarding gate, we waved at each other then he was gone, gone for six months!.

It was a week to Christmas and i was getting ready to appear on Let's Do Lunch with chef Gino D'Acampo and Melanie Sykes, the week's had gone quickly and quietly with Tom away. I missed him like crazy but we talked when he wasn't filming and would video phone when we could, the police were still looking for Phillip Rogers even though they now thought that he might be abroad, my first thought when i was told that was that he may have gone after Tom, but then the police had reports of sightings all over France.

The show went well with me cooking with Gino and talking about living with the fear of having a stalker, it was something i wanted to talk about i wanted to show that i wasn't afraid of Phillip Rogers. When the show finished i thanked both Mel and Gino and managed to get a signed autograph for my cousin Tracey who adores Gino (she will love me for that).

As Max held the door open i could sense something was up.

"Max what is it? Is Tom OK?" i said as my heart began beating faster.

"Karen we have to get to Guy's and St Thomas hospital" he said placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Why? what's happened, where's Nik?" i said quickly panicking.

"Nik was found this morning in St James's Park, he was severely beaten and....".

"I, I, god Nik no! this is my fault" i said as i sat in the car with Max, i couldn't breathe i was leaning forward with my head in my hands, tears started falling and i knew that it was Rogers who had done this.

We arrived at the hospital with it surrounded with reporters, word had got out already about Nik because of him being my assistant and my cousin, Max got me through the sea of reporters and cameras, we reached the reception desk and asked where we could find Nik, we were directed to the ward he was on but found that he had been taken into surgery and it could be a few hours before we would know anything.

After 3 hours of standing, sitting and walking about the room, phoning family to keep them up to date and trying to get hold of Tom, the doctor came in.

"Miss Frost, Mr Ripley will pull through, he has had to have surgery on his abdomen after having several broken rib's, a collapsed lung and injury to his liver and kidney's, he had several lacerations to his face, neck and arms, we are just making him comfortable and then you can go see him, i will come and get you when they are ready".

"Thank you" i said shaking his hand "Thank you".

I sat down on a chair and just started crying with relief, anger, frustration i didn't really know what the feeling was, then my phone rang. Tom at last was calling me back.

 "Karen, are you alright? how's Nik doing?".

"I'm so glad you called, i'm sorry for putting this on you, Nik is alright, the doctor just came in and said i can see him soon".

"That's good to hear, I'm so sorry i'm not with you i wish i could be but filming is crazy right now, i miss you love, hopefully we get a few day's off next week, so i can be home for Christmas" he said sounding tired and worried at the same time "Give Nik my best, i'm sorry i have to go i'll see you soon love, please take care and i'll see you soon, bye"

"I love you and i promise i will stay safe, bye". i said sadly and then clicked off my phone, i felt guilty for making him worry but knew he would be upset if i hadn't phoned him. Just then the doctor came back in and showed me to Nik's room with Max, as we entered i was shocked by what i faced, Nik didn't look like himself, his face was all swollen and he just looked broken, i sat by his side and couldn't help but feel anger toward's Phillip Rogers, i knew he was the one responsible but i couldn't ask Nik if it had been him.

By 3am Nik was still sleeping but stable and i was stood looking out of the window, the police had been in but could not confirm who had done the beating, i had argued that it must of been Rogers but they kept saying that he was in France as Detective Taylor was there and was closing in on his where about's. I stood thinking about how much everything had changed and about how much i had changed. Nik and i had planned to visit my parent's at the weekend to have Christmas early as i was going to be filming on The Graham Norton show next Tuesday (the 23rd) and going to Tom's mum's Christmas Day.

I needed to go home and get some rest, i kissed Nik on the for head and whispered that i would return as soon as possible. The press were still outside when we left again Max rushed me to the car and we headed home.

I woke an hour later sweating and gasping for breath, another nightmare this time i was helpless watching Nik being beaten and then being chased myself. I got up and went to make a cup of tea, then sat in the dark on the sofa with Tom's bathrobe wrapped around me, i loved being wrapped in it as it still smelled of him and i slowly fell back to sleep in it curled up.

"Karen, wake up, i've brought coffee".

"Ben, what are you doing here?" i said uncurling my self from Tom's robe and standing.

"Tom phoned me, he's worried and asked me to take you to your parents for the weekend" he said handing me a medium Costa latte.

"Oh i'm not going".

"What? why not?".

"They are going to my nan's and my auntie, Nik's mum is joining them" i said passing him and placing my hand on his arm.

Ben caught hold of me and turned me towards him "Hey what's wrong?".

I looked down at the floor trying to hold back my tears but i couldn't and before i knew it Ben was holding me in his arms, while i cried into his chest.

"Nik will be OK and i'm sure Tom will be home before Christmas Eve, Hey, come on i'll take you for a walk". he said holding me tightly and then pulling away to look at me.

Ben wiped away my tears and tried to take my mind off of Nik, we walked with security around Regent's Park and i enjoyed being able to just talk with someone even tho i would have preferred it to have been Tom, Ben took me for some lunch then we went to see Nik.

He had been taken into surgery again after having bleeding on his brain, i sat in his room and actually prayed for him to be OK, i had never prayed before. Ben knelt in front of me and took my hands in his.

"Karen, Nik will be fine, let me take you home there's not much else we can do here and i've given the staff my number so they can let us know anymore". he said raising and pulling me up.

Ben let the nurse know that we were leaving and then took me home, Ben made dinner and we sat in silence while eating it, after i placed the dishes in the dishwasher we sat and watched a film, i fell asleep on Ben and he carried me up to bed.

I woke with a start, i could of sworn i heard shouting or was that in my dream, i checked my phone it was only 11:32pm, i decided to try and ring Tom, he answered right away.

"Love are you alright?".

"Yeah, i just needed to hear your voice, i suppose you have talked to Ben?".

"He called me an hour ago, told me that Nik was out of surgery and doing well and said you fell asleep watching Of Mice and Men, so he put you up in bed, are you sure your OK?" he said sounding concerned.

I walked out of the bedroom and headed downstairs, it was dark and i guessed Ben had gone home.

"Yeah, i'm.....oh my god BEN!" i said discovering his body in the kitchen and bending to check him.

"Karen, what's going on? tell me!" he shouted down the phone.

"Ben he's been hit over the head, oh my god Tom! what do i do?"

"Get out of there now, get to Max, go NOW!".

I ran for the front door but screamed and stopped as a figure stepped from the shadow's.

"Karen, whats happening? i'm leaving now getting the next flight, get out of there".

"Tom help me, it's Rogers!" i screamed as i turned to run back up stairs, every fibre of my being bringing every horror movie to life when i usually shout at the screen saying how stupid the girl's are for running upstairs, i could hear Tom shouting down the phone for me to get out but i can't get out.