Koutai: Hi!!!! This is the longest story I have ever written and to think I wanted it to be less than fifteen chapters…ah well, that impossible now! And I swear twice in this chapter…sorry.
Chapter 19 translation: My blood and fate will be warded from misery.
Chapter 20 translation: Run silent from death and war and find peace.
I NEED HELP IN MY NEW POLL PLEASE VOTE!!!!! IT IS DIFFERENT FROM MY LAST POLL!!!
I HAVE NEVER, DO NOT AND WILL NEVER OWN JONAS OR ITS SONGS!!!!
KEVIN'S POV
"I mean that, until last night and this morning, Nick was holding in all of his hate, sadness and pain and that was killing him more than anything. He told me that he was afraid to show these emotions because he thought Joe would take advantage of it and hurt him more."
Joe stiffened, but his eyes were empty and his face calm. "Go on." He whispered and I heard the forced composure in it.
I turned to him and grasped his shoulder. "I am happy to tell you Joe, that Nick understands why you did what you did last night and he will not hold that action over your head, but as for the rest of it…he is still…"
"Not very forgiving." Joe finished.
NICK'S POV
I was alone in the very same park I showed Macy my banged up arm, I was on the exact same bench, strumming my guitar and starred at the flowers I once compared my life to. I was waiting for one person who I knew would come for another run toady, the very same person who was my first friend to stand up to my brothers; Macy Misa. I strummed a few notes on my guitar, almost instantly closing my eyes and losing myself in the music I created. Unknown to me, a smile grew on my face as I strummed a song I was going to call "Rose Garden."
When I got to the second chorus, singing it silently in my head, I heard her light and quick footsteps, but I kept my eyes closed, knowing she may run pass me, but I had faith in her JONAS senses. Her footsteps passed and faltered before doubling back and I kept playing, acting as if I did not know she was sitting besides me.
"Hey Macy." I sang, opening my eyes to look at her.
She jumped and smiled, not bothering to ask how I knew she was there. She bit her lip, holding back invisible questions on her tongue.
"It's ok. You can ask whatever you want." I reassured her and she brightened, nodding and smiling.
"Hi Nick. Are you ok?" She asked and I heard her genuine concern and watched worry fill her chocolate colored eyes.
I finished the song before answering, thinking. Was I really ok? I did not have the weight of tears in my heart and holding me back anymore, I finally felt free and, I never thought this possible, but happy.
"Yeah Macy, I'm good." I told her and she heard the truth in my 4 words and her eyes shined with the bright hot intensity of a thousand suns and the gently mystery of the moon.
"I'm glad. But if you ever need to vent again, I am here for you." She informed me, punching my shoulder lightly.
I don't know why, but when she touched me, I felt no fear like I did if Kevin, Joe, or even Raven did. It actually made me feel like I was accepted and loved when Macy did it.
"What Joe did…wasn't as easy as you might think Nick." Macy quietly said, starting a conversation I really did not want to have again, but I would persevere.
"It's so easy to play with love, so easy to fool someone, so easy to make someone cry. But it's so hard if you're the one who's played with, fooled and the one who cried." I replied, with the same volume and Macy nodded sadly, looking at me again with understanding but contradiction. But she did not pursue her beliefs.
"That may be true to you Nick, but Joe is trying. I went to the violence counselor with him today and he seemed uncomfortable, but he really wants to get better so you don't have to live in fear around him." She looked over, beyond the dying and died flowers, and into the tall green trees. "I know you don't believe it, but he has changed."
I did not look at her and answered with truth. "I believe it." She turned to me in shock. "But will he stayed changed? That is question that keeps me away from him."
Macy sighed and did not bother to interrupt the silence, probably because even Macy Misa did not have the answer I have been searching for. We sat and my fingers started strumming again, against my will might I add. Macy hummed to the song that made JONAS who we are today and that gave us the great start we needed; "Please be Mine."
I did not sing, but I closed my eyes, letting the music take me into another world, one without sadness and fear, the one I often retreated to when I felt like I had no where else to go. I always found a home in music and it felt so right to be playing with Macy humming next to me. I heard a new set of footsteps of one I used to fear.
"Hey Kev." I said as he stopped in front of us, my eyes still closed and my fingers still waltzing as I strummed. Macy stopped humming.
"You were right Nick." Kevin told me, meaning Stella saying yes.
"When am I not?" I asked him, not opening my eyes nor pausing my playing.
He laughed. "True. Anyway, I'll leave you both alone now." Kevin said, running away and I almost smiled at his hinting.
I opened my eyes and Macy looked uncomfortable at Kevin's statement. "What's up?" I questioned, feeling worried for her turn in emotions.
"Oh, nothing." Macy lied, not very convincingly, but I dropped it. Was it possible that Macy…nah, it can't be…or can it? Was it possible I was feeling the same way I think she is feeling? Is this why I never feel afraid or alone when she is around, why she can easily make my rare smile appear, why she was the only one that cared enough to care when I broken?
"Hey Nick? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Raven's voice came from behind and I looked to Mac, who nodded and said she would wait. I smiled and handed her my guitar and she waved for me to go and I walked a short way, out of Macy's ear shot and saw Raven sitting on a low tree branch, her feet dangling two feet from the ground.
"Nick…I need to…I can't do this anymore. I am the only thing that is tethering you to your life with the Fallen and keeping you from what your heart truly wants." She sounded hurt and heartbroken for a reason I had seen coming, but did not want to hear.
"Ray, you are not the only reason I am staying with the Fallen and away from my family. But if I forgive Joe, as you are hinting I will, then the reason for me staying wit the Fallen still would be the same. It isn't only you that keeps me tied in." I told her, trying to delay the inevitable future.
She looked down at me and jumped down lightly, taking my hand. "I know that Nick. But with me…your heart can't have what it needs. You and Macy… can't interfere. You two already have what we can never have."
I did not bother telling her Macy and I were just friends. Even I could not deny my crush for my best friend. And I hoped she felt the same way. I guess Raven is right…but shouldn't I be heartbroken? Or is my heart to broken still to break again? Or did I know that this would happen, even before it started? I waited for the pain and sorrow to come in, but it did not and when I looked into Raven's silver eyes, I saw no pain in hers, only light for a new future. I nodded.
"Friends?" I asked, accepting our fate and holding out my hand.
"The best." She replied, taking my hand and I pulled her into a hug and she pulled away after a few seconds and turned away without another word and I walked back to Macy.
She looked at me in confusion but she did not question what Raven and I spoke about but I swear I saw a hint of jealously in her eyes. Time to clear that up…subtly…hopefully…
"So Mace, are you going to the dance?" I asked her and she nodded. "Well then, would you be so kind to let me have just one dance with you?"
I saw her eyes widen and she said a quick Yes, duh and then laughed lightly, a pink blush spreading across her cheeks and I held back a snicker, not wanting to embarrass her further.
I stood up, putting my guitar on her back and she got up as well. "Race you to the entrance." Macy challenged. She may be the star track player but I had the skills of the Fallen. We would be pretty evenly matched.
"You're on!" I told her, putting on my competitive face and a gleam of a challenge appeared in her eyes. She said go and we raced off, both of us neck and neck and soon laughing at how no matter how fast we went, we could not gain the upper hand. We raced passed couples skating, running, sitting, and flew at the speed of sound, jumping over stray rocks and fallen bikers, never breaking our stride and earning some laughs, cheers and swears. A guy walked out in my path and Macy managed to dodge him by sliding under his arm and I grabbed a tree branch and propelled myself over the guys head and astounded face.
"Nick?" The guy asked, and Macy and I stumbled into a stop and Macy fell, but I caught her and fell with her, somehow landing below her so she now lay across me. I felt the steady hotness of a blush creep onto my cheeks and she looked shocked and blushed as well and got quickly off of me, whispering her sorry. After another second, we both burst out laughing; clutching out sides and asking each other if we were ok, which we were.
I looked over to the guy that called my name and my laughter died instantly as I met the slightly hazel eyes that I was not ready to see yet. The floating feeling of joy left and my pants from laughing and running turned to pants of running and slight fear. Joe did not move towards me, but he held me gaze and I was hurt in his eyes and a silent sorry. I tried to calm the fear and hate that I knew was in my eyes, as they spiraled in a tornado in my heart, and I was not sure if I was successful or not. Macy stood up and offered a hand, which I gladly took and I was sad when she let go.
Joe stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked to his feet, finally unable to take my gaze, and he walked away, unable to say what his eyes told me. His shoulders were hunched and tense, as if he expected me to attack him like he did me and his steps were of one suffering from a war of emotions.
"Joe?" I called out, pushing down my anger and hate long enough to say this to him.
I watched him turn, his eyes wide in surprise that I actually said his name. As soon as his eyes fell on mine, I was tongue tied. I wanted to tell him that did not have a reason to be afraid of me or for me anymore and I did not want him to be. But instead, I could not speak, my old enemies of sorrow and pain and disgust holding my tongue. So I nodded once, trying to tell him what my tongue could not with my eyes, as he did before. I think he got the message because his eyes softened a little and he nodded back.
Suddenly I had to get out of here. I could not take being in Joe's presence for another moment. I ran, as fast as I did when I was racing Macy, only this time, she wasn't by my side.
STELLA'S POV
I like challenges and the one Nick gave me was perfect and I think I knew exactly how to design his outfit and I was proud at how it turned out. Now, just for Omega's, Scythe's, Shadow's, and Raven's…and I still needed to finish Kevin's…thank goodness I still had two days. And true to Kevin's word, the Fallen, minus Nick, showed up at my door with their masks an hour after I drew up their designs.
Raven exclaimed in wonder at her dress and Scythe nodded approvingly while Shadow described them to Omega. I got their measurements and the boy's left and Raven stayed to help. And much to my surprise, she was pretty good at sewing and making clothes. In fact, her parent's made her make one outfit a month for her little brother and she told me she always had to modify her own clothes after her parents bought it. She got curiously silent when I asked her why.
But it turned out she was pleasant company and I found a beautiful friendship blossom from the fabric that flowed evenly beneath our fingers and we transformed into garments, like magic. We spoke of many things, each other's past, Nick, Joe, Kevin, Macy, how cute Nick and Macy are together, and how Raven broke up with Nick and felt little to no pain. I had t reassure her that that was normal for a relationship that was never meant to be, and I told her not to worry about it because there was a guy out there for her. At that, she laughed skeptically.
I joined in and we laughed until our sides hurt and the impressive part is that Raven and I never missed one stitch in out laughter fit.
JOE'S POV
Should I be happy or pained by my brief meeting with Nick today? Let's look at the good's and bads like Ms. Tambala said I should…ugh.
Nick was smiling GOOD
Nick looked hurt by looking at me BAD
Nick had fear in his eyes BAD
Nick spoke to me/acknowledged me GOOD
Nick did not punch/maim me GOOD
Nick did not look forgiving BAD
Well, that was useless. The good and bad counts were the same…stupid Ms. Tambala.
I switched on the TV as soon as I got home and saw a reporter saying something about a robbery and the 'White masked Fallen' stopping it single handedly and now they were recording Nick begin chased by four guys, three of them armed, two had a gun, one a knife. But Nick did not look afraid, in fact, he seemed confident and I knew he had a plan. At least, I hoped he did.
NICK'S POV
I was in the area of the robbery, unknowing, at the time, that it was occurring. But I heard the ring of alarms and the muffled screams and sobs as soon as I listened to the night's whispers. And in seconds, I was running through the doors of a bank, right into a robbery.
I was over the shock in a millisecond and ran into action, ignoring the yells of orders and insults and fear that called around me and I punched the nearest guy in the face, whistling high pitched, hoping Omega would hear it from three blocks down. I knocked the gun out of another guys hand and disabled it by twisting off on screw, like Scythe showed me how to do. I tossed it to the bank teller and she looked terrified, but nodded all the same, pointing the useless gun at the man that I knocked down.
Omega did hear the call and the whole gang was bursting through the door and broken windows in seconds, running pass me and into the vaults, Scythe in the lead, showing off his claws. Four slipped pass them and pointed to me, yelling and waving a gun and knife. They threatened to kill one person for every step towards them I made, an I realized they did not know about Raven, Scythe, Shadow and Omega being here and that they were insane enough to live up to there threat.
"Alright, pansies." I said, trying to egg them on. "Take it on me, if you have the guts you worthless pile of dog crap. Heck, I bet you don't even know how to work that gun."
The guy turned red in anger and shot right above my head and I willed myself not to flinch and I ran out the door and smiled all four of them thundered out after me.
I ran as fast as if my life depended on it and I controlled my breathing and pushed down the limited amount of fear felt playing in my heart as I neared my location, with all four robbers still on my tail. I rearranged my face to what I hoped was confidence when I neared the broadcasting news crew, and no, I did not plan for this to be on the news. There cameras soon found us and locked onto us, like a heat seeking missal.
There it was the perfect weapon. It was better than their two guns and their knife combined. Behold and bask in the glory that is the street light pole. I slowed enough for them to catch up a bit, but not enough to grab me. I heard their ragged contrast my own smooth breathing and I heard one of them click off the safety of his gun and the other did the same. But I did not give them the chance to aim and pull the trigger.
Without breaking my stride, I ran up the light pole and took two steps vertically before I back flipped over their awed faces and landed perfectly behind them. I heard a satisfying thwong of one of them knocking themselves out as they hit the pole with their head and I ignored the gasps of the news people. Three to go.
The three tuned to me and before they could so much as blink, I knocked one of the guns from the guys hand with a well placed kick and as I brought my foot down, I remembered what Macy did to Joe the other day. The guy never had a chance and he went down with high pitched squeals of pain as he held his…area.
My ears picked up the sounds of sirens about three miles away and I knew I had about four minutes left to knock them out and disappear. Plenty of time.
I looked at the two down and kicked away the dull knife that lay at me feet, careful to not get any prints on any of their murder toys. I watched the other guy that had a gun aim it at me and I did am quick cartwheel to get out of the ay and I felt the bullet whiz past me and hit the empty air I had just occupied. He tried to aim again, but I never gave him the chance. I hooked my arm around the barrel of the gn and twisted, pulling it from his hands and I clicked the safety on as I tossed it away and it landed harmlessly on the ground.
But that gave the guy an opening, and he took it. Punching me hard and fast in the stomach, as I had endured many a time in the past.
But pain was not what I felt my heart fill with. No, what I felt was anger at old memories that surfaced of Joe doing this to me, time and time again. No more mister nice man, I am done with getting pushed around! Rage took over and it dulled my sense of caution as it raised my level of strength.
The second guy ran over to me as I acted in pain, wanting to in his share of the rebelling punching bag. But I moved to fast and hit him square in the jaw, causing him to stagger back. He leaped to me again, murder in his unforgiving eyes and I acted without a thought, jumping and kicking him in the right temple and he was down and out.
The other guy tried to punch my face, but I caught his hand and twisted it behind his back and ran him into the street light's pole, and heard him grunt in pain. The police cars pulled up and they ran forward, handcuffing all of the guys that lay on the ground.
"Damn you. I hope you go to hell."My guy whispered coldly but I had heard it all in my past so I was unaffected.
I lowered my voice and was surprised to hear it come out so dark and gruff. "Then I'll see you there."
JOE'S POV
Whoa. Nick just beat the crap out of four guys single handedly. Note to self; Never make Nick angry…like ever.
But I was not shaken by his display of strength and speed, but of his eyes when one of the idiots punched him in the stomach as I had done many times before. I expected pain, but no, a volcano of anger erupted in his eyes and it filled them, making him look slightly demonic. I saw the different way of fighting he had after that and I couldn't help but feel guilty. I was the reason for the fury living in Nick's eyes. It was all me.
Koutai: Some people begged for action. Can't say I blame them, so I put this last bit in to stress more on the Fallen's good deeds. Until next Update!
Edoc'sil ebrithil abr wydra.