Thanks for the reviews and the alerts!

I've wrecked my brain to come up with a reason why Nick's mother doesn't like Jess because we already know from spoilers that she isn't gonna be fond of Jess and only one reason came to mind. But I'm sure no matter what reason they'll give us on the show it will make perfect sense to me then! :-)

Chapter 4

"Hey." Nick spoke hoarsely as Jess turned in his arms after she'd stopped the alarm. He'd actually slept. Having Jess in his arms had calmed him down, had made him forget for a few hours what was going on in his life right now.

"Hey." Jess replied quietly, giving him a soft smile. Her heart actually skipped a beat as she looked at his slightly disheveled form and she already lifted her hand to trail her fingers along his scruff before she realized that she probably shouldn't do it. Sleeping in each other's arms was already way over the line and she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

"It's time." Nick said almost reluctantly. He didn't want to get up, he could lay here with her by his side forever. He actually had to hold himself back to not lean over and press a good-morning kiss against her lips.

"I know." Jess stated, throwing the covers off and slipping out of his arms before she would do something really stupid. Like kissing him.

"Jess?"

"Yes?" Jess turned around, looking at him questioningly.

"Are you gonna go with me?" Nick asked quietly. He didn't want to go to the breakfast alone. It didn't feel right to have to face his family without her.

"To your family breakfast?" As Nick nodded, Jess continued. "I don't know if ..."

"I want you there." Nick interrupted her hastily. "I … I need … I would really appreciate it, Jess."

"Sure. Of course. I'll go with you." Jess said. "Would you give me a minute. I'll just need to get dressed and brush my teeth."

"Right. Sure." Nick replied. "I'll wait outside."

~N&J~

Everyone was really nice to her. Except for Nick's mom. It wasn't plain obvious. It was more the subtle things. It was actually so subtle that Jess asked herself if it wasn't only a figment of her imagination. Maybe she just imagined the coldness because Nick meant a lot to her and she wanted his mother to like her. But then she caught another ice stare from his mother, one that could freeze a whole lake and she was sure that his mother really didn't like her.

Jess averted her gaze to the scrambled eggs on her plate, trying to look like she was enjoying her breakfast. She was here because Nick asked her to be here. She was doing it for him. It didn't matter that his mother didn't like her. He wanted her here.

Nick looked at Jess thoughtfully, wondering why she was so awfully calm. Something wasn't right. He knew she could be serious. After all his father's death was a serious matter but she hardly said a word since they arrived and he started to get worried. This was so unlike Jess.

If he wouldn't have studied her so closely he would have probably missed it but he caught the glimpse Jess shot towards his mother before she looked back down at her plate, fidgeting nervously on her chair. Furrowing his brows, he looked at his mother, a deep scowl appeared on his forehead as he saw the cold look in her eyes as she watched Jess.

Nick was watching them throughout the whole breakfast, getting more confused by the second. His mother clearly had something against Jess and Nick had no idea why. As far as he knew they hardly talked to each other. When his mother stood up after breakfast and said something about making a phone call he followed her, determined to find out what was wrong.

"Mom, what's the matter?"

"What do you mean?" Bonnie turned around, surprised to see her oldest son standing in front of her with a somehow angry expression on his face.

"What did Jess do to you?" Nick asked accusingly. "Why are you so cold towards her?"

"Oh come on, Nicholas." Bonnie scoffed. "I think it's obvious."

"Actually I have no clue." Nick replied, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "She is one of my best friends, Mom. She is nothing than supportive."

"Oh, give me a break."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You only have to look at her big blue eyes and all this cute behavior." Bonnie explained, worried about the obvious blindness of her son when it came to this woman. "She is only using you."

"How could you say that?" Nick asked incredulously, his voice taking on a sharp edge. "You don't know her."

"Open your eyes, Nicholas. She is like Caroline. She will just hurt you."

"Jess would never hurt me." Nick snapped. "She is nothing like Caroline. Because she actually knows me. I don't have to tell her how I feel because she knows me better than I know me myself. You have no right to judge her. You have no idea what a great person she is."

"Yeah, I'm sure she makes you believe that." Bonnie said, the sarcasm clear in her voice.

"You have no right ..." Nick started to speak, almost shouting, but his mother interrupted him as she looked over his shoulder, her eyes turning cold. "Jessica, can we help you with something?"

"Ahh, I was only … I just need to use the bathroom." Jess stumbled and Nick swirled around, cursing inwardly that Jess had to overhear their argument. She was eerily pale and he could detect the hurt in her eyes. "Jess, I ..."

"I like you." Jamie's voice suddenly came from behind her and Jess turned around, the shock about the venom in Bonnie's voice making her feel a little dizzy.

"You know, my mom doesn't give a shit about me." Bobbie threw in. "She doesn't care who I'm banging. So how about drinks tonight?"

"Get the hell away from her, Bobbie." Nick growled, pulling his cousin away from Jess.

"Easy." Bobbie replied, holding up his hands. "It's not as if you called dibs on her."

"Called dibs?" Nick asked, anger bubbling up in him. "You are talking about one of my best friends here. Get out of my sight before I'll punch you."

"Nick, calm down." Jess said quietly, her hand firmly around his arm in case she needed to hold him back.

"Calm down? I'm not gonna calm down. They were insulting you, Jess."

"It's your family, Nick."

"I don't care." Nick huffed out, pulling her with him towards his room, closing the door firmly behind them.

"Nick, your father just died." Jess said quietly. She didn't want him to have a fight with his mother or his cousin because of her. This wasn't the time to start a family feud. "Maybe it's better if I'd just stay away from the service."

"No, Jess." Nick said, his voice taking on a pleading tone. "I need you there."

"I just don't think it's such a good idea." Jess told him softly. "Your mom clearly doesn't want me there. I don't want to start a riot at your father's funeral, Nick."

"Jess, please don't ..."

"I'll better go. Talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay." Nick said quietly. He didn't know what he could say to make her stay. He couldn't force her to stay. But it seemed as if a huge weight settled on his shoulders as he watched her walking through the hallway and out of the house. How was he supposed to get through this without her?

~N&J~

Nick was standing in the first row, his hands curled into fists beside his body. He was on the brink of losing it. In front of all these people. He hadn't realized how much Jess was holding him upright until she wasn't there anymore. He couldn't blame her. His family was insane and he knew that she didn't like upsetting people. She did what she thought was right.

He hadn't seen her since she'd left yesterday afternoon, only talked to her over the phone. He hadn't slept well. He'd stood up a couple of times, his hand already on the doorknob, wanting to just drive over to the motel to be with her again, to fall asleep in her arms again. But every single time he'd talked himself out of it. He didn't want to pressure her into doing something she wasn't comfortable with. Because if he would have shown up at her room she would have felt obligated to go with him to the service.

Nick had to hold himself back to not walk over to his mother and snap at her. He was at his father's funeral and all he could think about was that his mother's behavior was keeping the person he needed the most right now away from him. He felt the rage rising up in his chest and he didn't think he would be able to keep himself from making a scene in the middle of the service.

But then a hand suddenly stroked over his curled fist, making him almost jump out of his skin. As he looked down he saw Jess and without even knowing what he was doing he uncurled his hand and grabbed hers, squeezing her fingers tightly, well aware that the death grip he had on her hand might be hurting her but the relief that washed over him upon seeing her almost made his knees gave out under him. She was here. She came.

"Jess?" Her name came like a question over his lips. He wasn't sure if she was really standing beside him or if his mind was just playing tricks on him because he wanted her so desperately to be here.

"I realized that I can't give your mother the power to keep me away from you when you need me, Nick." Jess said softly. "You are one of my best friends. If I would be in your position I would want you next by my side."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He could get through this. Jess was here. Through the whole service she was holding his hand, giving him the strength he needed to not embarrass himself in front of the whole family. Because he didn't want to cry. Not here. Every time the tears threatened to fall he concentrated on the feeling of her fingers between his and gulped the tears down. He didn't know what he would do without her. He couldn't imagine a life without her. He would never let her go again.