Koutai: Hi!!!!This is one of the one-shot ideas I have received from Blazingfire03. Hope you like it!

Dedicated to: Blazingfire03

I HAVE NEVER, DO NOT AND WILL NEVER OWN JONAS!!!!

HEART'S HOSTAGE

Summary: No one can guess where time will take you in life and I would have never guessed it would take me here. To me, it felt as if it was not Nick being held at gunpoint, but my heart was the hostage, unwilling and afraid to die.

JOE'S POV

This was going to be good…Muwhaha I feel so evil! I gave Kevin the signal and he nodded, slowly walking over to me and handing me a bucket of ice filled water. Oh this would be good! I crept silently over to Nick, who was sleeping in a chair and Kevin hit record on the video camera, both of us being ever so silent. I mouthed out the numbers…3…2…1!!!!

I poured the entire contents of ice water on Nick's head and he freaked, jumping up and spinning around, shivering slightly.

"HOLY….JOE WHAT THE HECK!" He screamed at me, rage and murder in his eyes as he glared and Kevin laughed. Nick turned very slowly to Kevin and shot him the most vicious and bloodcurdling glare and Kevin dropped the camera and flew from the room, leaving only Nick and me.

I backed up until I hit the edge of my bed, Nick advancing ever so slowly, his filled with demonic anger. I crawled on my bed and grabbed a pillow and he stopped at the foot of my bed and smiled…crap…He snapped his fingers and I heard laughter as Macy and Stella came running out, each holding a fire hose, and they turned them on, their target; moi.

I struggled to breathe from both laughter and the fact about 100 gallons of water was hitting me in the face. People may not know it, but Nick always got me back, only his pranks were more…extreme. When Macy and Stella finally stopped, I sat up, sopping wet and a bit sore from the hard hitting water and shivering harder than Nick was. And then I saw Kevin, standing behind Nick, with a video camera in hand. That little double crosser!

I glared at Nick an Nick glared right back, no real anger in our eyes and as one, all five of us cracked up and laughed until our ribs ached and our guts threatened to burst…it did not help that Macy was on her knees, screaming how much it hurt and yet, we could not stop!

And then mom came up and Nick and I were grounded for a week…it was worth it! And it gave me time to plot for payback. And I had the best plan in the world.

………one week later

Finally! Freedom!!!!! And time for the ultimate payback prank. This was something Nick would never beat, could never beat, and I would forever be the King of Pranks!!!!

"Morning Nick! First day of freedom!" I cheerily greeted as he sat up in bed and blinked, still looking half asleep.

"You're in a good mood." He said, shaking his head a bit at my goofy smile. "But why did you have the need to wake me up at 5 in the morning?" He asked, groaning a bit as he look at his clock and Kevin stirred and told us to shut up. Way to love the mornings Kev.

I smiled and grabbed Nick and dragged him down the stairs. This was when he started getting suspicious. "Look Joe, if this is another prank, wait about five more hours ok?" He said, but I did not answer, nor did I release his arm.

"No can do bro. This was the only time they all could be here."

Nick looked alarmed. "Wait…who all?" He started to struggled but I was too strong for him and I threw him outside and into a hoard of screaming fans. Ok…this might be extreme but hey this was pure gold! I waited about three minutes before opening the door and pulling Nick back inside.

He was a mess and it looked like he was scared to death. His shirt was gone and his pants were torn to shreds and he had lipstick marks all over his face and a fan managed to paint his left nails pink and his right blue. I was a genius. Laughter rose and burst from my chest at the sight of him and I've never seen him look more livid.

"Your nails look pretty." I mocked and Nick glared, but he did not explode like I expected him too. Instead, his glare faded and a light I knew all too well appeared in his dark eyes, striking fear to my very core. He smirked evilly at me before going upstairs to shower. Crap…I was an idiot to think Nick could not best me…and I had a feeling his get back would be about a thousand times worse than mine…crap.

Nick got me back…and now…I was freezing cold, steaming with anger, and hanging by my wrists from a light pole, naked except for my boxers-briefs. That little brat of a brother was going to pay!!!! I glared at him as he watched from the sidelines, no regret on his face as fans below me kissed my feet and took pictures. Macy walked over to Nick and I thought she was going to tell him off but she actually gave him a high five. How in the world can you give that idiot a high five! Look what he did to me! No Mace…don't do it!!!! Darn it!!! She took a picture and posted it on her website…I was going to die.

But not before I got my hands on that little idiot of a brother.

NICK'S POV

Maybe this was just a little too much…but then again, he did shove me into a group of about thirty screaming fans and leave out there for what felt like hours…even though it was only three minutes. But I owed Macy from helping me rig this. Who knew she was a little prankster?

I let Joe down after seven minutes of humiliation and I threw him back his clothes and ran off, laughing madly with Macy and Stella, leaving Joe to deal with the fans…alone…I am so evil…But I knew I would regret this…Joe would be furious with me and I knew he would find another way to get me back…one way or another I was going to get it…hard.

For the rest of the day, he completely ignored me and if he needed to speak to me, he told Kevin and Kevin told me. This was worse than any prank…I did go too far…way to far. Remorse held onto my heart with a iron grip and I hated this. I could not take Joe ignoring me anymore, it was worse than anything I've ever been through…except maybe the time I was diagnosed with Diabetes. But this was terrible. I felt so lonely without his voice, laughing and talking happily, without a single care in the world. I had to make this right again.

"Look Joe…" I started walking up to him and he hit the volume button on the remote so it went higher. "Joe!" I tried again but he again ignored me, but got yelled at to turn to volume down, so he grudgingly did.

"Kevin?" He called and Kevin came over. "Please inform Nicholas that I have no want to talk to him." He said, his voice carrying a cold edge that sliced right through my heart like a sword.

"Umm Nick? Joe doesn't want to talk to you." Kevin dutifully said and I sighed.

"Stop that Kevin, I can hear Joe just fine, you don't have to repeat it anymore." I informed my eldest brother, who smiled a bit at his own predicament and nodded. "Joe, I don't care if you don't want to talk, just listen!"

Now that Joe did not have Kevin, he got up and pushed me roughly away and put on earmuffs before walking back and shoving me to the floor and sitting down. I starred at him, hurt in my eyes but I also deserved it in a way. I was a jerk earlier but Joe was being an immature jerk now! He at least could hear me out but no, he had to let his anger control his actions, like every other freaking time in his life!

I stood up and walked out from the house, ignoring Kevin's calls and I slammed the door shut, hearing mom yell at me as well. But it did not matter. I was too mad at Joe to care. In fact, I bet I could die right now and he would just sit on that stupid couch and put on his eye mask so he would not have to see me because I obviously could not talk to him death, only stare.

KEVIN'S POV

Ok, I am going to say it now and get it over with; I knew this whole I prank you and you get me back thing would ramp of the scale and end in a really stupid fight. And now I was caught in the middle of it all, going to be forced to take sides…Frankie would probably chose Nick and Joe both, acting as a spy for both sides or something and making the fight worse…So of course, I would have to be the peacemaker since Frankie took the fun role.

Joe went downstairs to get some water and I plopped down on the chair and turned the T.V back on, starting to get worried about Nick. He left about an hour ago an he wasn't answering his phone and he hadn't come home yet…Nick was not one to just take off but what if he was hurt? What if he was…no Kevin! Nick is just angry and wants to be alone…that's all…he is fine…

"Live from Nation Bank 2, the robbery is still underway and…who is that?!?! Who is at gun point?!?!" The reporter screamed and the camera man zoomed in on the scene to show a tall masked man holding a terrified teen at gun point.

"JOE!!! GET UP HERE!!!!"

NICK'S POV

I did not care where I went as long as I was far away from Joe. I turned off my phone after the third call from Kevin and was walking pass National Bank 2 when a guy ran passed me and one grabbed me from behind and threw me into the bank and on the floor. I winced a bit as my jaw hit the floor but I remained down, my heart racing at the speed of sound and my brain instantly figuring out what was happening. This bank was being robbed, and I was caught in the middle of it.

"Alright everyone, no one moves, no one gets killed." One of the masked men said, cocking his gun and aiming it at random people, mainly women, on the ground. I looked around, fear stopping every thought as I saw the many terrified faces around me and the robbers yelled at the clerk who gave in at gunpoint, terrified by the antics of these men. She cried as she shakily handed over the master key she had retrieved moments earlier.

All but four went back and into the vaults and I saw a man fervently dial 911 on his cell and whisper for help. But a robber saw it and stomped on the phone, firing a shot in anger and shouting at the man he would pay for his ignorance, but not with his life, but knowing it was his fault for another's demise. He turned to me.

"Well…Nick Lucas…you're life is one I would gladly take."

He pulled me to my feet by the back of my neck and forced me to face the man that had bravely sent a plea for help. I tried to hold the fear back form my eyes but I knew I failed as the man holding me laughed. He pressed the cold gun to my temple and I repressed a shiver. I was going to die…Dear God, please help me...

I closed my eyes, hiding the fact they were tearing from the huge amounts of fear that piled in my heart and weighed down my breathing, as I waited for the bang, which I was sure would be the next and last thing I would ever hear. I am sorry Joe...for everything…

"Let his blood, his death, be a little preview to you all on what will happen if another speaks up or does anything we do no like." The man holding me shouted to the still and silent audience on the ground and he laughed before putting his finger on the trigger.

"Let him go!!" Yelled a voice I knew very well, the exact one I wanted to hear and yet was terrified that he actually was here. I forced my eyes open to see Joe and Kevin, running through the doors, somehow getting in, and they stopped dead, seeing me, wide eyed and a second from death, color draining from both of their faces.

Two of the three remaining robbers turned their guns onto my brothers, which stopped my heart from the fear…No…

"No…leave them alone. They are just stupid idiots in way over their head. Take me, not them." I practically begged, only my voice was strong and Joe stiffened when I called him the redundant name of stupid idiot. But they were. Coming here without help…what were they thinking? They were going to get killed because of me! If I hadn't stormed out of the house, we wouldn't be in this situation…so; because I caused them to be this close to death…it should be me, not them that should die.

"Who have we here?" The man holding me asked and turned me so I could face my brother's and they both looked at me with terror in their eyes. So now Joe cares. When I am at gun point, Joe cares. No Nick…shut up! He always cared…you just went too far and you know it. "Joe and Kevin Lucas…just in time to see your brother die I see. Oh, but he doesn't seem too happy to see you…" The man goaded, laughing as he pushed in gun deeper into my skin and I looked anywhere but Joe and Kevin's frantic gazes, not wanting them to see my panic, my tears. "Any last words Nicholas?"

I lowered my gaze to Joe and let him see my regret and fear and Joe opened his mouth and looked like he was in pain from seeing me like this and Kevin grabbed Joe and held him close. I could see their need to reach out and pull me into the hug as well, but this time…it may ever happen.

"I'm sorry Joe." I said my voice quiet and filled with out of control terror and Joe closed his mouth and a single tear escaped his eye as he nodded.

"I know…I am sorry too." He told me and I nodded jerkily, failing now to hold back the tears and I heard the click as the guy tightened his finger, telling me to get a move one without saying a single word.

"I love you guys." I told them and I heard sobs ring from the whole bank floor and Kevin and Joe both bit their lips, tears falling from their eyes as well.

"We love you too bro." They both said, at the same time and the guy holding me laughed.

"So…disgusting…goodbye Nicholas…" He whispered and his finger tightened on the trigger and I heard Joe call my name and a loud bang, and then…

Blackness…whoever knew of a darkness so complete? No light, not one of Heaven nor the fire of Hell was seen and the only things to feel were horror and pain. How is this death if I am still aware of pain? Pain shot through my shoulder and the back of my neck like lightening but I found I could not move, nor could I gasp out in pain. I was bound by nothing and yet I could not function…what was this? Voice were heard around me, but their words were unintelligible, their meanings lost in the darkness that consumed me. I remembered feeling something cold touch my face and then nothing.

JOE'S POV-MOMENTS BEFORE ABOVE

"JOE!!! GET UP HERE!!!!" Kevin frantically screamed his voice close to what I thought to be hysteria.

I ran upstairs and was by his side in three seconds, questing him what was wrong. As an answer, he pointed to the television and my heart stopped. Oh god….please no…let this be a sick trick…not Nick…On the screen, we could barely make out the two people, a man with a mask pressing a gun to our terrified brother's temple. This could not be happening….I would not let it happen!

I ran out the door, not bothering to tell mom and dad, for my fear was overpowering my brain and instinct told me that if I stopped for help, Nick would be dead before I could get there. I barely registered the fact that Kevin was behind me, frantically speaking into his cell phone to whom I knew to be the police.

My heart thumped wildly, filled with something worse than fear and I ran, knowing in one second Nick could be gone…and the last thing I ever did to him was knock him to the ground…no…please let there be time…if not enough to save him…then enough to tell him that I am sorry and I love him…

We got to the bank in under a minute and stormed through the line of reporters and debating police. They couldn't stop us; nothing could stop us right now. While they debated on a plan of action, our brother was being held at gunpoint…somebody had to act and I knew it wouldn't be the people that should.

We burst through the doors, surprised that they weren't locked or blocked and I saw it from the corner of my eye.

"Let him go!!"I yelled and the robber holding my brother turned to look at me. It was worse in real life than seeing it on a boxes screen. Terror filed Nick's dark and wider than normal eyes as he looked into my eyes and it felt like my heart shattered from my brother's fear. Which in turn, increased my own…was that guilt also hiding in his eyes behind the fear? This was not his fault…it was mine. If I hadn't been suck a jerk at a harmless prank, none of this would have happened. Two of the three robbers I saw turned their guns to Kevin and I and Nick lost all color, eyes screaming with terror.

"No…leave them alone. They are just stupid idiots in way over their head. Take me, not them." Nick told the man holding him, his voice strong but we saw everything in his eyes. He was trying to save us…even though I was a complete jack-ass. No…he did not deserve to be the one so close to death here…I did.

"Who have we here?" The man holding Nick asked and turned Nick so he could face us and we both looked at him with terror in their eyes. "Joe and Kevin Lucas…just in time to see your brother die I see. Oh, but he doesn't seem too happy to see you…" The man goaded, laughing as he pushed in gun deeper into Nick's skin and he looked anywhere but to mine and Kevin's frantic gazes, not wanting us to see his panic, his tears. But it was true, there was no happiness that we were here…it was probably because he was too worried we would get killed. "Any last words Nicholas?"

We watched Nick lower his gaze and his eyes met mine and I saw his regret and fear. I opened my mouth and tried to hold back my own screams and sobs, not wanting my little brother to see me break down in what could be his last moments. Kevin's arms wrapped around me and I yearned to reach out and pull him into the safety of this hug…but that might never happen…

"I'm sorry Joe." He said his voice quiet and filled with out of control terror and I closed his mouth and a single tear escaped my eye as I nodded.

"I know…I am sorry too." I told him and he nodded jerkily, failing now to hold back the tears and I heard the click as the guy tightened his finger, telling Nick to get a move one without saying a single word.

"I love you guys." He told us and we heard sobs ring from the whole bank floor and Kevin and I both bit our lips, tears falling from their eyes as well.

"We love you too bro." We both said, at the same time and the guy holding Nick laughed.

We saw the guy whisper something into Nick's ear and Nick closed his eyes, his breathing increasingly slightly with elevated fear. No!

"NICK!" I called and started running forward, but it was too late. That man's finger tightened on the trigger and a bang shattered through the silence and Nick' blood painted the white floor red. Nick! No!!! Not my little brother! My heart died completely as I saw him fall and not move, lying in a small pool of his own blood.

Another bang shattered through the night and I saw what I did not before. There was a man on the back of the man with the gun and fighting for the guns hold. I looked down and saw Nick still breathing, blood coming from the back of his neck…he was alive…but for how long? The last gunman fired a shot but another citizen fought for the gun and the bullet spun of course and hit Nick again in the right shoulder and pain flashed on his face, suggesting he was still conscious.

All chaos broke loose as the police finally stormed in and Kevin and I ran to Nick and I pressed my hand to his cheek as Kevin checked his pulse and the police called an ambulance and we shielded him from the choas around us.

NICK'S POV

The dead are not supposed to feel pain, nor are they supposed to breathe…so therefore I was not dead…But how? A gun shot to the temple should have done me in for no one can survive that kind of wound. But now that I think about…the pain, the fire, was burning in my right shoulder, and the very back of my neck, right at my hair line…I was shot twice? How did he miss both times, and at such a close range? How…Oh no….Joe and Kevin! Are they alright? Did one of them do something stupid to save me and get hurt, or killed? No...please no….let them be ok…please let them be ok….

How long has it been that I have been trapped, lying in this darkness, with nothing but my thoughts to keep me sane? Wait…what is that? That beeping…maybe I am going insane…Voices? I concentrated on the two new sounds and the beeping became clearer and steady, like a heart rate, and the voice became less muffled and more distinct…but who was talking and what was being said?

"Yes…back…neck…not fatal…he….live." That was all I could catch from the jumbled speech of the unknown voice. So I was shot in the back of the neck, I knew that much, it somehow was not fatal and he…me…would live…but what of my brothers? Were they ok? Was Joe still mad? Was Kevin caught in the middle of this stupid fight still? And why the heck did my shoulder hurt so much?

Relax Nick…everything is fine…your brothers are fine…you just got shot once, maybe twice, but everything is ok…It will all be alright…In a little bit longer, I'll be fine…I hope...

"Shh…we don't wanna wake him…" A voice whispered and my heart jolted in joy. Kevin…he was ok! But what of Joe? I had to know…A cold hand touched my forehead and I accidently let out a groan from the pain from my shoulder as I became more aware of that around me.

"Nick?" Kevin asked and slowly, I opened my eyes and blinked, willing the blurriness to go away and when it did, I smiled.

"Hey guys." I whispered, happiness filling my heart and bringing the sting of tears and Kevin and Joe exclaimed in happiness and engulfed me in hug that I really needed.

"Shh…it's ok, don't cry Nick." Joe said, his voice shaking a bit and I realized that I was crying, but of pure joy, not sadness, that they were ok.

"I really am sorry Joe…" I whispered and I felt him nod.

"I know bro…I really do love you." He pulled me tighter and Kevin laughed a bit from relief.

"I know. I love you both too."

KEVIN'S POV

Joe and I were so worried when Nick was put in surgery to remove the bullet in his shoulder…But when the doctor came out and smiled at us, we knew he would be ok. And he was. Yes he was shaking and crying but he was ok and alive and here in our arms and nothing felt better. My hand went to his hair and I felt the rough bandage at his neck hairline and I remembered how the doctor said that Nick had to have the best luck in the world. If that bullet had gone a hair higher, lower, or deeper, he would be facing paralysis or death…but it didn't. It grazed the back of the neck, causing instant unconsciousness because of the depth. Half of the bullet had gouged out part of Nick's neck and yet, he was ok. Thank you God, for our little brother, because I knew luck had nothing to do with it.

"What happened…after…you know…?" Nick asked quietly, relaxing completely in our arms and Joe looked down at him, eyes softer than I have ever seen them, for relief and love.

He took a breath and started explaining to Nick how the man who called 911 jumped onto the gunner's back and saved him and how another brave man took the free gun man out and how the people on the ground gained courage and fought back and how the police stormed in. He told him what the doctor said about his neck and he paused for breath when he reached Nick's shoulder so I took over.

"Your shoulder was injured…obviously, and the bullet missed bone…somehow…and was burring in muscle…but it should heal fine, just no guitar or drums for about a month…piano is good though, less movement." I finished and Nick looked confused.

"How did it not hit bone? The shoulder is pretty much all bone." He inquired and Joe laughed.

"You should have seen the doctors face when he told us and showed us the X-ray's. Apparently there is the bullet went in at a weird angle and curved a bit so it just barely missed the bone. It was actually kinda cool…but you know…scary as it as your shoulder."

Nick still looked bewildered but he smiled anyway and we heard Mom, Dad and Frankie talking outside.

"Hey Joe?" He asked, his light but serious.

"Yeah Nick?"

Nick held out his right hand. "Truce on the pranks?"

I laughed and Joe joined me and Nick smiled and chuckled.

"Truce."

Chibiyu: Hehe…I get way into my writing, I can see it happening and it is not like I am writing, but rather watching a movie my fingers and brain are providing. It's so cool. Until Next Story!!!

Special thank you again to Blazingfire03, who submitted this idea for me to write. Without her, this story would not be.