Author's Note: NEXT CHAPTER IS UP! I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT SO MANY REVIEWS SO QUICKLY!

Disclaimer: Still I do not own HoA, Just this plot line.

A Second Chance to Make it Last

This is My Story

Nina PoV:

I jolt awake; remembering the terrifying dream, from last night, vividly.

My eyes roam the dark room and freeze on a figure hunched in the armchair next to the couch.

My breathing increases rapidly until it's shallow and ragged.

Trying to calm myself I get up from the couch as quietly as I can.

Please don't wake up!

I begin to walk backwards towards the front door but I don't get very far because I trip on my too long sweat pants and go crashing to the ground.

Please stay asleep!

I see the figure stir.

No!

Sitting on the ground I pull my knees tightly into my chest, cowering with fear.

"Nina?" a familiar voice whispers; a voice I never expected I'd hear again.

I stop shaking a little.

"Nina?" the figure whispers again, flicking on a lamp.

"Amber!" I cry, launching myself at my blonde, British best-friend.

She pulls me into a tight hug as I sob into her shoulder uncontrollably.

"Shh, Nina, it's ok." She sooths, rubbing my back gently.

I can't calm down though; all the pain and grief and regret and reject, the emotions I've concealed so well for the past few months, come pouring out and it's hard to get a hold of myself because after all this time I'm finally with Amber again.

"You're here! I can't believe it! I mean you're actually here!" I bawl.

She just hugs my tighter, not saying anything.

Eventually I calm down enough to allow Amber to get a few coherent sentences out of me.

Amber PoV:

I sit beside her on the sofa.

"You want some coffee?" I ask.

"Sure but add half a mug of vodka?" she requests.

"Ok, Sure thing." I reply, playing along.

She doesn't know that this is now an alcohol free apartment.

"Here." I say handing her the 'Vodka' coffee and sitting back down.

"Mm...Thanks" she says, taking a long swing.

"What happened to a fresh start Nina?"

"I don't know." She snivels.

"I mean; when did you start drinking? What happened to your dream job? And how did you get all those bruises?"

She wraps her arms around her waist, hugging herself, saying nothing.

"You can talk to me Nina." I say, putting my hand on her arm.

She flinches slightly but nods.

"I guess I'd better start at the very beginning."

Nina PoV:

"Well I guess I started drinking the night I left.

I found an old bottle of tequila left from that party you had and I found that when I was drunk the pain of everything just seemed to vanish for a little while. You could say it was my own way of dealing with the past. Not a very good way I must admit but a way none the less.

Anyway all the way through college I was drinking about a bottle a night, sometimes more. I have no idea how I graduated. I had no energy, I couldn't concentrate on anything, I started missing deadlines...it was a nightmare.

Well, miraculously, I graduated and I had nothing to keep me busy so I started drinking more. I went for job interviews but being drunk in an interview is not the best way to get a job.

Thing started to spiral from there.

I couldn't get a job because I was always drunk.

I couldn't stay sober because the pain just came back and consumed me, making everything ten times worse.

Then one night I decided to go out clubbing.

I'd never been clubbing before and I totally didn't know what to expect.

Well I got to 'Below Zero' and sat by the bar for a while, just watching the crazy things going on.

After a while a man asked me to dance, he was tall, tanned, blonde and very hot.

It was my first offer all night and naturally I agreed.

We dance loads that night and I learned quite a bit about him.

His name was Zack.

He loved soccer and partying.

He was a journalist for a local newspaper.

He moved to New York looking for a way to escape his past.

We were so alike and I fell for him instantly.

He told me he was a regular at the club and I started going there more and more to meet him; maybe around 4 to 5 times a week.

I couldn't have been more stupid Amber.

After about a month I moved in with him.

I thought he was perfect.

And then I realised he isn't.

I discovered that Zack liked to party maybe a little too much.

He started to slap me if I said I didn't feel like going out.

Then he would come home drunk and beat me up for no reason.

I thought he was different!

I thought he might treat me right.

Treat me like a princess.

I should have learned from last time that I'm NOT a princess and my life ISN'T a fairytale!"

"What about the condoms in your bedroom?"

"I think we had sex a lot, I'm just so grateful that most of the time I was so drunk and couldn't remember it in the morning."

I see the look on her face, "Did he rape you?"

I shake my head, "I don't think so, well maybe. I don't know. I'm so confused. My life is so messed up.

I was so scared and I didn't know what to do.

I'm still scared.

Hell, I'm terrified. "

"Why didn't you just leave?" Amber whispers, tears running down her face.

"I was too scared. Besides I didn't have anything to gain by leaving. I'd lost everything.

My apartment.

My self control.

My dreams.

And most of all my best friends.

You, Mick and Fabian.

I just missed you guys like crazy and now—here—happy." I break off, sobbing. Amber, who is also sobbing, pulls me into a tight hug.

"You could have come home Nina." She chokes out.

I shake my head. "I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again."

"That's stupid! One of the main reasons we moved here was to look for you!"

"What?" I look at her, shocked.

"We moved here to look for you!"

"We? As in you and Mick?"

"Yeah, and Fabian"

"Fabian's here?" I feel my eyes grow wide and teary.

She nods and hugs me tighter.

"He's been looking for you even since the night you left."

I smile a weak smile.

"Amber, will you make me another coffee please? But without the vodka this time?"

She laughs a little.

"What?"

"I didn't put vodka in the last one. I drained all your alcohol last night."

I laugh a little too and she hurries off to the kitchen to pour me some more coffee.

"Nina." She says when she comes back, a steaming mug in her hand.

I look at her, interested by her tone of voice. "Do you think maybe Mick could come over?"

I close my eyes and breathe deeply.

Calm Nina! This is Mick we're talking about! He's not going to hurt you! And defiantly not in front of Amber.

"Ok, yeah, why not?" I say, trying to be brave.

"Great, I'll just go and call him."

"Amber," I shout after her, "tell him not to bring Fabian. I'm not ready to face him yet."

She nods and pulls her cell from her bag.

Inside I'm petrified but on the outside I plaster on a fake smile, I've used so many times over the last 6 months, and pretend that I'm fine.

Amber PoV:

I switch on my mobile and see that I have 59 messages and 63 missed calls from Mick.

Oops.

I quickly pull up his number and press dial.

(A/N: Mick: Bold/italics – Amber: italics)

Ring, Ring.

AMBER WHERE ARE YOU? I'VE BEEN GOING CRAZY WORRING! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED FOR ALL I'D HAVE KNOW! WHAT'S GOING ON?

Look I'm sorry, I can explain everything but first I need to know that you are alone.

Yeah, Fabian's in the bathroom.

Ok, good. Well, you see, I'm at Nina's –

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. At Nina's? Since When?

Shh. I'm getting to that part! Just walk to the apartment building one block down and come to room 349. I'll explain everything there. Just make sure you come alone.

Ok, be there in 5. I love you Ambs.

I love you too boo.

Bye.

The line goes dead and all I can do is wait for Mick to arrive.

Author's Note: ok so I hope you liked this sad-ish chapter. Trust me things are about to get A LOT happier from here. A LOT of FABINA friendship/fluff coming up in near chapters. 5 reviews until the next upload. SIBUNA!

Shout-Outs

Fabian57 for guessing about her boyfriend. Wow! Thank you! Talk tomorrow!

Kswiftie13 for guessing that she was being abused by her new boyfriend and for making the connection between the two stories.

HoAfreak3 for guessing correctly. I'm sorry I made you cry *Sad Face* Thank you for your awesome review.

SibunaFreak123 for following this story since the beginning of White Horse. You were my first ever reviewer. And I'm sorry I made you cry also.

ALL OF MY OTHER AMAZING REVIEWERS! ICE-CREAM ALL ROUND!

Answers:

Katniss500-sibuna: Thank You! And yes I did notice! *Smiley*

Yousmellsofruity: THANK YOU! That means so much! And yes she does. HERE YOU GET ICE-CREAM!

Ishy415: is she still the wrong person? O.o

KatnissAnnabethNina824: HAHAHA NERD FACE CAN'T GET ME BECAUSE I'VE UPLOADED! Talk to you tomorrow!