Demi looks up at him after a few minutes. "When do you leave to go back home?" she wonders.
"In a few days," he answers with a sigh. "I don't want to leave, though."
"I don't want you to leave, either," she tells him, snuggling into his side more.
Nick kisses her head again. "It'll be okay," he replies. "We'll talk every day, okay? Every single day, no matter what. We'll even video chat sometimes, just so I can see your face."
Demi smiles up at him. "I'd really like that, Nick."
Nick smiles back and kisses her softly before laying back on the bed, a hand on her back. He brings his other hand up and brushes a finger against her lips softly.
"You're so beautiful," he murmurs quietly, gazing up at her.
Demi blushes and shakes her head. "No, I'm not," he tells him forcefully.
Nick frowns a little and sits up, looking at her. He takes her face in his hands and forces her to look at him, too.
"Demi," he says gently. "You're not still listening to what I know your father used to tell you, are you?" He sighs softly. "Demi, forget about what he said! You're the most beautiful girl I've ever known. He's a bastard, and he didn't know what he was talking about."
Demi looks away from Nick, pushing his hand away. "It's not just him," she says quietly.
Nick frowns again. "Then...who...?" he starts.
"It's...everyone," she answers after a second. She looks back at Nick. "Everyone my whole entire life always said that I was ugly and worthless and—and everything hateful they could think of. It used to hurt at first, but now I've just...I've just become numb."
"Oh, Demi," he says quietly.
Demi looks away from him once more. "I know that you think I'm beautiful and everything but I'm not, Nick. I'm not beautiful."
"Yes, you are, Demi!" Nick says, getting frustrated with her. "Every single thing about you is absolutely beautiful."
Demi shakes her head vigorously. She shoves her arms at him, pulling her sleeves up, revealing the scars and bruises and burns covering almost every inch of her skin. "How can you think these are beautiful?" she asks him. Nick looks at her arms, unable to tear his eyes away. "They aren't," she tells him. "You know they aren't. But they're a part of me, so if they're not beautiful...neither am I."
Demi gets off the bed and wraps her arms around herself, her back to Nick. Nick looks at her for a second before getting up and walking over to her. He stands in front of her, putting his hands on either side of her face. Demi looks up into his big, brown, kind eyes.
"I want you to listen to me, okay?" he says. Demi simply nods, so Nick goes on. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever known. You're so kind and generous and sweet and everything in between, and I love every little piece of you. I love your scars just as much as I love your smile. I don't get to see it very often, but when I do...damn, it really lights up my life." Demi smiles slightly at that. "You are the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Because of you...I have my big brother back. You make me so happy, Demi, and you are beautiful. But not just for what's on the surface, though that's definitely not hard to look at. You are beautiful because of what's in here, Demi." He smiles at her as he puts his hand on her heart. "I don't want you to ever doubt yourself, or your beauty, again, okay? Because fuck what everyone else thinks. You are beautiful."
Demi looks up at him again, her eyes filling with tears. She wraps her arms around Nick and holds him tightly. Nick smile and holds her, too.
"I love you, Nick," she says against his chest.
Nick buries his face in her hair. "I love you, too," he tells her, closing his eyes. "I love you, too."
"Do you really have to leave?" Demi wonders, looking up at Nick, a week later.
Nick sighs, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry, honey," he tells her. "You know I want nothing more than to stay here with you, but I need to go back home. But I will call you as soon as I land, okay?"
Demi nods slightly, her lower lip quivering. "You promise?"
"I promise," Nick replies, kissing her forehead again. He smiles slightly and wipes away a tear that slowly makes its way down her cheek. "Now, come on. Don't cry, okay? It's going to all be okay, sweetie."
"I'm going to miss you," she says, starting to cry, burying her face into Nick's chest and holding him tight.
Nick sighs once more and drops the bag he's holding. He wraps his arms around her, not waning to let her go.
"I'm going to miss you, too, honey," he says quietly. "But we'll talk every day, right? And we'll video chat and everything. And before we know it, you'll be okay, and then–"
"And then what, Nick?" Demi wonders, cutting him off, wiping her tears on Nick's shirt. "I'm still only seventeen, Nick. I don't turn eighteen until August. After I'm okay and I can leave here, they'll send me to a foster home and I'll still be away from you."
"Just until August, Demi!" Nick says, pulling back from her slightly to look down at her. "Only until August. Then—then we can get an apartment together!"
Demi's eyes widen. "An—an apartment? You—you want to move in together?"
Nick immediately nods. "Yeah, Demi," he breathes, "yeah, I do. But only if you want to, too."
"I want to," Demi replies, hugging Nick tight again. She smiles against his chest. "I definitely want to."
Nick smiles. "Good." He holds Demi tighter for a little bit longer before sighing and pulling away from her once more. "I really have to go now, Demi, or I'm going to miss my flight."
"Okay," Demi says sadly, stepping back from him. She picks up his bag and hands it to him. "I love you, Nick."
Nick steps closer to her and leans down, kissing her softly, yet passionately, on the lips. He pulls away from her a few seconds later and smiles down at her.
"I love you, too," he replies.
He brushes a finger against her cheek before turning around and walking out of the room.
"Hey, bro. About time," Joe says as soon as Nick gets into the rental car. He glances at Nick and sighs quietly. "Are you okay?"
Nick shakes his head, laying his head against the window. "No," he says softly.
"I'm sorry, buddy," Joe says sincerely, reaching over to put his hand on Nick's shoulder. "I know this has to be hard for you, but Demi's going to be okay. And you're going to be okay, too."
"I don't think so," he mumbles miserably.
Joe sighs, squeezing Nick's shoulder before pulling his hand back and starting the car.
"I know it doesn't feel like it right now," he tells his little brother, "but it will be okay. I promise you."
Nick looks over at Joe finally. "You can't promise me something like that," he says quietly.
Joe sighs again. "You're right," he replies. "I can't. But I know you, and I know Demi, and I can see how in love you two are. So I know it'll be okay. I just know it."
"Yeah," Nick says, looking out the window as Joe drives to the airport. "I really hope so."
Sorry it's super short! This story should be over soon-and something's going to happen next chapter that none of you are going to like. Next chapter will most likely be a lot longer, though. I'm going to start working on it right now but until then-please read, enjoy, and comment!