A/N: Hey! I know it's been a long time. Sorry! But I'm back now! I swear I'll try to update more often now! I fell out of the fanfiction groove for a while, but I'm back now! Anyways, please excuse any mistakes, and please review and let me know what you think! Thanks! Have a great day! xxHeartBrokenxx

Nick's POV

I wake up to the doorbell. I open my eyes groggily as I hop off the couch. I see Stella sitting at the kitchen table, sadly sipping her coffee. As I open the door I see that the sky is overcast.

"Dad," I say, confused. "Is there, is there anything wrong?"

He pulls an envelope from his jacket pocket. "We found this in Joe's old room. It's for Stella." His voice almost gives out on the last words. He meets my eyes with grief in his own. "Please give it to her."

I nod as he walks away. I look at the back of the envelope and see Stella's name written in Joe's neat handwriting.

"Stella," I say quietly, walking into the kitchen. She looks up at me questioningly, that despairing look that haunts her eyes every second of the day now still there. I hand her the letter and watch many emotions cross her face as she reads.

When she finishes she puts the note in her pocket and manages to choke out the words, "Excuse me." I watch her walk out the back door. After thirty minutes Stella hasn't returned so I decide to go out and check on her. I look around the backyard but my eyes don't locate her.

I hear something in the woods and trudge in. In a little ways in she sits with her back to the trunk of a tree, her knees pulled into her chest, looking blankly straight ahead at nothing.

"Stella?" I say gently. "Stella? Are you okay?"

She doesn't say anything.

I walk over and sit next to her, wrapping my arms around her.

She's still unmoving.

I shudder as I feel how cold her skin is.

"Stella," I whisper.

All of a sudden she lays her head against my chest and starts sobbing.

"How can a person have so many tears?" she weeps pathetically.

"Stella, I know this hard on you. I can't imagine how hard, though. I mean, you and Joe loved each other. But, you will get through this. We will get through this. I promise."

She nods but doesn't say anything.

After a minute, she wipes her tears away and sits up.

"Here," she says weakly, handing me the letter.

I take it from her and read.

It's just Joe talking about how much he loved her, how happy he was to be marrying her, spending the rest of his life with her.

I feel myself choking up by the end of it.

As I hand it back to Stella the tears are streaming down her face again.

Later that night I spend extra time praying for all of us, but especially Stella.

After I'm done I just sit there for a few minutes, thinking.

Then I get up and walk upstairs.

"Stella?" I say, knocking on her doorframe.

"Yeah?" she says.

I look in and see her sitting cross-legged on her bed.

"I'm going to take you out tomorrow," I say.

"Nick, I'm not ready-" she starts, but I cut her off.

"Stella, please. It'll be okay, I promise. Get a good nights sleep, now. Goodnight." And with that I go back downstairs to the couch and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.