A/N; Hey guys! Thank you so much for sticking with this little series and thanks for the reviews and stuff! I know I said I'd have Jess singing in this one (because Zooey's voice is just so beautiful), but I was watching the Fired Up episode right before Mars Landing and it ends with an Of Monsters And Men song (Lakehouse – it's awesome), and it made me think of another song of theirs which I love so much – Love Love Love. Warning; this chapter is not so uplifting. This kinda strays from my theme for a little bit, but it's still gonna focus on a song towards the end.

I owe you guys a huge apology for how long it's been since I updated, but I was kinda distracted by my dreams coming true, and then further distracted when they were crushed and my heart was shattered. So yeah, not having the best week, and the last thing I feel like doing is analysing Mars Landing, so that's why my other story hasn't been updated either.

Disclaimer (which I forgot to do before): I am unaffiliated with Fox, New Girl, and it's characters. Also, I do not own Stay Awhile or Love Love Love, nor do I have anything to do with Dusty Sprinfield's, She & Him's, or Of Monsters and Men's record companies.

Ps. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I always google dresses when they're described in fanfics to better picture what's being described, so if you care or, like me, are too lazy to use your imagination, here's a picture of the dress I had in mind for Jess; pin/90986854946030129/

Pps. I've only ever been to one and a half American weddings, so if something seems weird, just try to screw tradition.

Set; some time in the upcoming 'Oregon' episode when they all go to Portland for Bob's wedding.

"This is ridiculous" Schmidt spat the third time somebody left the kitchen, hitting his head with the door on their way. Despite the cons of sitting at the worst table in the venue, Nick was thankful for their seating arrangement. Jess, of course, sat at the main table beside Ashley. Cece was at a near-by table, and the guys, who were surprised to have received an invitation from an extremely excited Ashley, sat with a few others in the corner of the room beside the entrance to the kitchen, which as it turned out, did not make them any more likely to be served first. It wasn't that Nick didn't want to be around Jess, it was just being at a wedding – a wedding he should have been her date for, was a bit much for him.

He'd sat near the back during the ceremony. Ashley had invited them all on the spot without consulting with her fiancé, and Nick knew Bob wasn't all too thrilled about it, so he tried to keep his distance. As the music loudened, and the crowd turned their heads behind them, Nick had expected to see Ashley, looking happy, but not the classiest of brides, but instead found Abby and Jess leading the way. Their dresses went together but were not identical. Abby looked very pretty, though a little out of place in the pleats that hung from her deep blue dress just above her knees, revealing just a glimpse of her tattooed thigh. One strap crossed over her shoulder, leaving the other bare where she had swept her hair to the side. But Jess... The midnight blue hue of her boat-neck dress brought out a color Nick had never seen in her eyes before. Her sister wore heels, but she wore little silver flats because Abby insisted that due to the fact that she was oldest, she should also be tallest.

She had caught Nick's eyes for just a fraction of a second but returned her gaze ahead of her as quickly as it had left as she had visibly swallowed and smiled at her teary-eyed father.

The toasts from Bob's groomsmen had left a few pictures of Jess' father in Nick's mind he could have gone without seeing, but they were just ordinary, funny wedding speeches. When it came Bob's turn to speak, he had said only a few words before getting choked up and motioning for his pharmacist friends to join him next to Ashley. They then proceeded to sings 'She's so high' far higher than any man's voice should attempt. Nick had to admit, the harmonies were pretty impressive, but overall, it still sounded awful. There was something beautiful about the fact that Ashley was hearing the same racket he was hearing and loving it though.

A rather drunk Abby stood unsteadily, mentioned how happy she was for her father with sincerity and love, before making an inappropriate sexual joke and shouting "Cheers". She downed her champagne and fell back into her seat.

Now it was Jess' turn. She stood, already with tears in her eyes as she began.

"Wow, sorry, the champagne getting to me a little I think." The crowd let out a little laugh as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Those of you who know me well, know that I haven't always been the most supportive person when it comes to my dad's personal life, because I know quite how wonderful he truly is, and that he deserves only the best. Looking at these two tonight though," she gestured at her father and new step mom. "I know that he found it. Ashley, you look beautiful by the way." Ashley smiled and took her hand on the table.

"Although an important part of it all, love, as I have found, is not a matter of passion and excitement." Nick swallowed hard. Jess' gaze had been darting casually around the room but when it met his, it stayed locked in place. "It's about what's left behind it all. It's about what we witnessed here today – two best friends who've vowed to be best friends forever." Nick let tears fall, barely aware that it was happening, and not at all conscious of those around him. Jess blinked hers back and remembered where she was, turning to the couple to her left who were both beaming. "My dad and I have been through some tough times together, but through his kindness, his selflessness, and his character, I never once doubted his love for Abby and I, and I am so happy that he has found someone to love him and look after him as he always did us. To love and friendship."

Nick couldn't be sure if her glass was raised to the entire room or to him as an individual, but she wasn't pointing it at the newly weds anymore, she was pointing towards the back of the room. Barely above a whisper, Nick repeated it. "To love and friendship." He raised his glass straight back at her, startled when Winston's glass clinked against his. He appreciated that his friends had chosen to ignore his tears, fully aware of what they represented.

Ashley and Bob shared a romantic first dance as a married couple, although the song seemed far too sad for the situation as did many of those that followed. The band were good though. 'Groovy Kind Of Love' came on at one point and holding back himself, Nick noticed Jess' hand wiping at her eyes across the room before he saw her let out a broken little laugh which he mimicked, remembering Steve and Brie's wedding. Things actually hadn't been strange between the two of them for months. He had dated Kai and Jess had dated Ryan, but Kai had broken up with him unexpectedly after he and Schmidt's Shark Tank pitch, and Ryan had moved to England. Nick knew Jess was a little broken-hearted, but he never did hear 'Dirty Dancing' playing in their apartment, or any other Patrick Swayze movie for that matter. She'd been distant for about a week and a half and then seemed genuinely okay. Nick thought that seemed strange but didn't question it, putting it up to the same reason he was okay about Kai – it was perfect on paper, but it just wasn't love.

Nick's eyes hadn't moved from Jess' as the next song came on. She stood at one end of room, cradling her rosé, while he stood by the bar waiting for his drink. Nick didn't recognize the next song that came on. It was pretty though.

Well maybe I'm a crook, for stealing your heart away,

Well maybe I'm a crook for not caring for it.

Well maybe I'm a bad bad bad bad person,

Well baby I know.

A little depressing for a wedding, Nick though once again.

And these fingertips, will never run through your skin.

Nick had to drop his stare to the floor as eye contact was proving to be too much as he knew Jess was concentrating on the lyrics too. His head shot up at the next line though.

And those bright blue eyes
Can only meet mine across the room filled with people that are less important than you.

"Your beer sir." The bar tender offered but went unnoticed. "Really?! Even the blue eyes?!" Nick thought. The lump in his throat was almost too much to bare but he couldn't take his eyes away.

"Excuse me" Nick snapped out of his own little world to move to let a woman passed to take her bag from behind her feet, also noticing the bar tender patiently waiting with his beer. When he looked up she was gone.

Oh 'cause you love, love, love, when you know I can't love
You love, love, love, when you know I can't love
You love, love, love, when you know I can't love, you.
_

Jess forced herself to look up at Nick as she vaguely recognized the song she hadn't let her radio play because it hurt to much, not long after they broke up. But now she made herself listen and look at him from across the room – not just as some form of self-torture, but because she had to prove to herself that she could; because how could she go on living as though there was never anything between them if she couldn't even look him in the eye.

He held her eye contact, and she could see the anguish on his face. Was it regret and longing or just residual feelings? As she saw his tears falling and felt her own, she knew she had to get out of there. Her point had been to prove that she could handle it, but looking at his broken face across the room was just too much and left her feeling everything at once, or perhaps nothing at all. She had never felt that sort of numbing pain or lack of it before Nick. Everything hurt, but not in a way that made her sob, she was just exhausted and empty. It had been like that for about a month after the break up, then everything seemed to get steadily better for several months, and they even seemed to be the way they used to be, which was essentially half the reason they ended it in the first place, but in the last few weeks, something had shifted. Neither of them were quite sure what it was, but suddenly it all felt so raw again. Jess couldn't help but note that when it was over with Spencer, it had only taken her about six weeks to return to her ordinary, bubbly self. She was with him for six years, he cheated on her in the room she imagined growing old in, and yet, she never really even missed him.

She wasn't even really over Ryan yet. She wasn't mad at him for leaving, and rationally she understood that they weren't at a point in their relationship where it would have made sense for him to ask her to go with him, or to choose to stay for her sake, but it still hurt. There had been less of a bounce in her step, and she seemed to be tired all the time, but she never felt lost or like she couldn't go on because of him.

As for Nick however, they hadn't even been together for a year, and he was in the very same room as her, but she missed him so much, it felt as though she could never be close enough to stop missing him. As Nick broke his gaze away, turning towards the bar, Jess took the opportunity to leave but froze at the other side of the dance floor in pain as she listened to the unusual but captivating singer's voice.

O' I think it's best we both forget before we dwell on it
The way you held me so tight
All through the night
'Til it was near morning

'Cause you love, love, love
When you know I can't love
You love, love, love
When you know I can't love
You love, love, love
When you know I can't love you

Jess pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose so hard it hurt, but she couldn't stop herself. She stopped feeling numb, and felt everything taking over her body and managed to compose herself just enough to make it to the bathroom, her face contorting as she let out a sob, locking a cubicle and sliding down the pale pink door by the toilet. 'Nine months' she counted, though she didn't need to. 'This is never not going to hurt.'