No Matter What

[Anna]

this is PATHETICALLY short and long overdue, i apologize. next part coming a lot quicker than before, otherwise you have permission to run after me with torches and pitchforks
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Nick had only been waiting for half an hour before what he knew was coming came. He exhaled, standing to greet the approaching figure when it reached him.
“What are you doing here?” He sighed, not putting any effort into making his voice sound angry as he had done before.
“Let’s see, it’s 3 in the morning, I’m supposed to be across the country by this afternoon, and my parents think I’m fast asleep in my bedroom. With all that considered, following you to LAX just seemed like a fun activity.” Joe grumbled, dropping into the seat next to his brother. Nick sat as well.
“No one said you had to follow me.” He grumbled back. Joe laughed.
“Dude, you’re 16, and to make things even harder, you’re Nick Jonas. You want to fly to New York before dawn and wander around not knowing where you’re going, to face some girl you haven’t seen in years and her psychotic dad and you expect me to just let you?” Nick knit his eyebrows and glared at his brother.
“How did you know I was even doing this?” He asked, ignoring Joe’s question.
“Doesn’t matter.” He insisted. “The point is, your friend is in danger, and we’re going to get her away from that guy. Both of us.” He reached in his pocket and flashed a piece of thick, rectangular paper at Nick. He let a smile escape his lips.
“How’d you get a ticket this late?” He asked, laughing lightly. Joe shrugged.
“Like I said, we’re Jonas’s. There are ways, Nick. I don’t normally do this, but…” He trailed off.
“What about mom and dad?” Nick asked. Joe shrugged.
“I’m the only one who heard you leave. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Until they wake up.” They were silent for a moment.
“We have cell phones, it’s not like they won’t be able to contact us.” Joe shrugged it off, but his voice was filled with uncertainty. Nick nodded, and neither of them spoke. They watched people pass them, hurrying off to catch their flights. Finally the flight attendant standing behind the desk at their gate announced that they were beginning to board.
“That’s me.” Joe said nonchalantly when she called for sections 6-7. He got up and stretched, yawning. “You’re on the other end of the plane; we probably won’t be able to switch seats. When we land wait for me, would you? Don’t just go running off again.” He said with a subtle eye roll. Nick nodded and watched as his brother began walking towards the line of people waiting to get on the plane.
“Joe?” He called suddenly. Joe stopped in his tracks and turned to face him, raising his eyebrows to silently ask what he wanted. Nick shrugged and smiled. “Thanks.”

[michelle]

ohhhh...go joe and nick! can't wait for more...i like this story idea...

[Anna]

The soft ding of the speaker above Nick’s head, followed by the raspy pilot’s voice woke him up with a start. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, shifting in his seat. He barely listened as the pilot announced that they would be landing, and turned to peek over the back of his seat. He scanned the heads behind him until he met his brother’s eyes. He had his phone pressed to one ear and shook his head slowly once he had eye contact with Nick, making a slitting motion across his neck with one finger. Nick groaned quietly, not wanting to imagine who was on the other line of the phone and what they were saying. He turned back around and avoided looking at his brother again until they were off the plane and Joe’s cell phone was nowhere in sight.
“That was dad.” Joe said grimly as he walked up to Nick, who had waited semi-patiently at their gate for his brother to join him. Nick grimaced.
“What’d he say?”
“He told us to have fun and get him a souvenir, and that we’d have a welcome home party with cake and ice cream waiting for us when we get back!” Joe said cheerfully, his smile dropping instantly after the last word left his mouth. “What do you think he said?” He grumbled, beginning to walk towards the nearest exit. Nick jogged to catch up to him.
“We’re dead.” He sighed when he did.
“Huh,” Joe rolled his eyes. “Yea, I’d say ‘dead’ would cover it.” He finished. Nick closed his mouth, realizing that the spontaneous early morning flight had put his brother in a bad mood and it would be best to leave him alone. They left the airport, emerging into the busy pick-up area outside. “You got any cash on you?” Joe asked, eyeing a taxi. Nick nodded.
“I was thinking the cab should be for on our way back, though.” He suggested. “You know, so we can get out fast?” Joe nodded.
“Fine then.” He said, pointing to a bus parked a little ways ahead of them. “Where are we going?” He asked when they got closer to them, surveying the various busses. Nick gave him the address and Joe nodded and motioned to one of the vehicles. “This one then. Let’s go.” Nick obediently followed, for once not minding that his brother was taking control over him. He fished a few crumpled dollar bills out of his pocket and dropped them in the box next to the driver for Joe and himself and joined his brother at a seat near the back. “You know where to get off?” Joe asked him when he sat down. Nick nodded, glancing up at the map above one of the windows for confirmation. Joe grunted and turned onto his side, leaning against the window. “Good. Wake me up when we get there then.” He ordered. He was asleep within seconds. Nick stared outside, watching the familiar city blur past him. After a few minutes he sighed and tugged the cord above his head a couple of times.
“Joe,” He said, lightly shaking his brother’s shoulder. He heard him groan under his breath before he sat up. He glanced out the window for a moment before the bus stopped. He yawned.
“We’re gonna get in, get the girl, and get out, understand?” He asked. Nick nodded; he hadn’t been planning on sticking around.
“What then?” He asked. Joe stood and took a step towards the door. He glanced down at Nick.
“I don’t know yet.” He muttered. “Let’s just get that much done first.” He said, motioning for Nick to follow him. They got off the bus and looked around. “What's the address again?” Joe asked. Nick recited the numbers, he had them memorized. Joe nodded. “This way.” He insisted and began walking down a side street, away from the busy strip they had gotten off the bus on. Nick followed him as he maneuvered down various streets and alleyways until they stopped in front of a shabby apartment building. “Call her.” Joe ordered.
“No way. What if her dad hears? Do you know how much trouble she’ll be in?”
“We can worry about that if it happens! Call her. Tell her to open her bedroom window. It’s gotta be one of these.” Joe said, pointing to the windows towering above them. “Tell her to grab a pair of shoes and some clothes if she can.” He commanded, his feet planted firmly on the ground and his arms folded across his chest. Nick hesitated before taking out his cell phone. He couldn’t help but notice the seven missed calls he had failed to answer, all from his parents or Kevin. Ignoring it, he quickly dialed Kaylee’s number and waited. She picked up instantly.
“Hello?” She whispered.
“Kaylee? It’s Nick.” Nick replied, keeping his voice low.
“Nicholas? What are you thinking? I mean I know there's a time difference, but my god! What are you trying to do, get me killed?” She hissed. Nick bit his lip, not convinced that he detected sarcasm in her voice.
“Kaylee, relax. Just go to your bedroom window as quietly as you can and open it. Get some shoes, and some clothes.”
“What are you talking about?” Kaylee asked, but after a moment there was movement behind one window. Even in the darkness, they could see the sudden posture change in the girl’s figure, instantly straightening up into shock and defense. “Nicholas, is that you?” Kaylee asked, her voice even quieter than before.
“Yea, me and Joe.” Nick assured her, waving.
“Oh my god.”
“Yea, it was kind of last minute for us too. Just hurry, we’re on our way up.” Nick snapped his phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket. Joe was already making his way for the fire escape, reaching to grab onto the ladder.
“Let’s go.” He prompted in a loud whisper. He pulled himself up to the ladder and climbed up a few steps. “My god,” He muttered. “I’m in New York in my pajamas, my hair’s a mess, I need to shave. And I’m in New York in the middle of the night climbing some girl’s fire escape. If the press got a load of this…” His voice trailed off.
“It doesn’t matter, they won’t! Just climb!” Nick pleaded, his hands on the bottom of the ladder waiting to get on. They scaled the side of the building, stopping at the level with the open window.
“Kaylee?” Joe whispered, peeking into the room. She sprinted silently to the window.
“Oh my god,” Her voice was shaky as tears fell from her eyes. She dropped the clothes she had been carrying and her hands flew to her face, covering her mouth in shock. Nick gulped. When he looked into her eyes, he saw the happy, carefree Kaylee he had known when he was six. When his eyes left hers, though, they revealed something very different. She had grown up into a beautiful young woman, Nick saw, but even in the darkness he could see that her skin was unhealthily pale, and what he could see of her arms and legs that was left uncovered by the tank top and shorts she had worn to bed was covered in bumps and bruises.
“Kaylee,” He whispered, his voice frail. Joe shook his head, dismissing the topic before it began.
“Get your stuff; we need to get you out of here before-” He started, but was interrupted by a noise inside. A gruff male voice floated through the room, and Kaylee cursed under her breath.
“Kaylee Ann, what is that noise? You aren’t causing any trouble, you better not be causing any trouble!”
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ooh, intense
well hopefully
maybe not hehe..

[Anna]

All was silent for a seemingly endless second. Kaylee’s eye flitted to her closed bedroom door, the footsteps outside of it getting louder and nearer with each stride. She looked back to the boys, panic in her eyes.
“Get out of here!” She hissed and put her hands on the top of her window, ready to quickly close it. Joe and Nick, thinking the same thing, simultaneously caught the frame, stopping it from falling and blocking them out. Before Kaylee could question their move, Joe was climbing into her bedroom.
“Go.” He ordered, pushing Kaylee gently but forcefully towards his brother.
“What?” Kaylee gasped, catching herself before she could fall.
“I’ll grab whatever I can on my way out, just go!” Joe insisted again. He quickly looked at Nick and nodded before running to the door and locking it. “Get her out of sight. Into a building, on the street, anywhere where there are people. You wait on the ground under the window, carry whatever you can.” He barked the orders like a Marine drill sergeant as he maneuvered around the room, not leaving time for questions. Nick nodded quickly and grabbed Kaylee’s arms, pulling her the rest of the way out of the window.
“Start climbing; hurry.” He pointed a finger at the ladder on the side of the fire escape. Kaylee stared at him. “Kaylee, please! We’re kind of on limited time here!” He begged. She looked at him for a moment longer. “GO!” Nick demanded impatiently, hurrying her along as she turned around and eased her way onto the first step. He quickly lowered himself onto the ladder after her, climbing down as fast as he could.
“Nick!” He looked up, seeing his brother leaning out the window, frantically looking back every second at the bedroom door. He locked eyes with his younger brother. “Don’t leave without me.” His voice was trembling. Nick took a shaky breath and nodded before continuing his way to the ground. Kaylee was looking at him in terror when he jumped onto the pavement.
“Nicholas, what are we doing?” She asked quietly, her voice also wobbly. Nick looked at her squarely in the eye.
“We’re getting you out of here, that’s what we’re doing.” He said sternly, pointing down the alley behind her. He turned her around and led her away from the building. She stopped.
“Nicholas, you can’t! Just get yourself and your brother away, I’ll be ok!” Nick sighed.
“My god, would you just listen and do what you’re told for once? You know you need to leave; we’re going to be ok. All of us; me, Joe, and you. Don’t worry, just walk.” He commanded, glaring at her. She didn’t argue. They got to the nearest busy street, and Nick looked around. “In there.” He said, pointing to a brightly lit Walgreens down the street. “I need to get back to Joe, go into the store and act normal. Whatever you do, stay there. We’ll come as soon as we can and we’re going to expect to find you waiting there, got it?”
“But I can help! I can…”
“Kaylee!” Nick interrupted firmly.
“I…I think I need some…Chex Mix. I wonder if Walgreens has any.” Nick nodded and watched her as she walked away, not leaving until she was inside the building. When he was sure she was safely inside, he turned around and ran back to his brother. He heard a deep, gruff voice yelling, a crash, and Joe’s voice yelling back. Nick swore quietly to himself as he glanced up at the window. He swiftly pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed 911. As he waited, a heap of clothes suddenly flew out of the window.
“What the…?” Nick muttered. He dodged a shoe as it hurled towards his head. He quickly noticed all the items were meant for a female, and he realized what Joe had meant when he told him to ‘carry everything he could’. As he hastily talked to the dispatcher at police department, he quickly gathered everything as it fell and combined it into one big pile. He got a glimpse of his brother as he poked his head out the window, disappearing inside again after confirming that Nick was there. For the split second he saw them, Nick knew the look in Joe’s eyes were saying ‘help’. Nick climbed back up the ladder, two steps at a time, until he was faced with two figures inside Kaylee’s bedroom. He saw that her father was not much bigger than Joe, and he was fending off the man with little struggle. Joe shot his brother a desperate look, holding one knee up to shield himself as he blocked the man’s flying hands with both of his arms. “Hey!” Nick yelled, boldly getting himself through the window. The man’s eyes darted towards him and his glare hardened.
“Another one? What the hell is going on here?” He grumbled in anger. Nick ignored the question.
“Leave my brother alone!” He bellowed, charging at the man with a whole new level of fury taking over his mind and body. He left his fight with Joe and turned towards Nick, bracing himself for the boy’s attack. It was worthless, Nick was too angry; he had too much power built up. Kaylee’s father wasn’t expecting it when Nick pushed him into a wall, breathing heavily. He fought back, but Joe showed up behind his younger brother for backup. Two against one, they were able to hold him off until the sirens blared, surrounding the building. Within moments the door was kicked down and several armed men stood in the doorway. One of them hollered orders to the rest, and they pulled the man off the boys, throwing him to the ground and yanking his arms behind his back. Nick and Joe were pushed to the side, and they stayed where they were on the floor for a moment to rest.
“You alright man?” Nick gasped exhaustedly. Joe nodded, breathing heavily.
“You?” He asked.
“I think so.” Nick nodded.
“Where’s Kaylee? Is she ok?”
“Yea. I left her in a Walgreens.” In the midst of all the chaos, Joe laughed.
“Thank goodness for 24 hour service.” He smiled. In the darkness, Nick could see blood on his brother’s front tooth. Joe must have felt the cut on his lip then too, because he quickly ran his tongue over his teeth and closed his mouth. “Go find her, I’ll handle things here and meet you outside the store.” He said quietly.
“The police are going to want to talk to us too.”
“If they ask, we’ll come find you.” Joe assured him, standing up. “Just go.” He held out and hand and pulled Nick up beside him. Nick looked at him for a moment before nodding and walking away. Joe went up to one of the supervising policemen, one that wasn’t dealing with Kaylee’s father. He immediately called for a first aid kit, and everyone was too busy either helping and interrogating him or holding Mr. Anderson down, that they didn’t even notice when Nick slipped outside and back down to the alley. He picked up the pile of Kaylee’s clothes he had left and shoved them into his backpack, which he had left laying against the building. He made his way towards the Walgreens and ran into Kaylee, running in the opposite direction he was. He stopped her, grabbing both her arms.
“Kaylee!” He exclaimed. She looked up at him, tears pouring out of her eyes. Nick looked back at her for a moment before pulling her closer, hugging her. “I thought I told you to stay put.” He muttered softly. She wept into his shirt, not saying a word. “Shh.” Nick hushed, stroking her hair. “Come on, let’s sit down somewhere.” Kaylee didn’t respond, didn’t move, so Nick bent down a little and lifted her off the ground. He carried her back to the store and sat down on the ground on the side of the building, leaning against the cold bricks. He held his arms securely around her in his lap as she continued to cry into his shoulder. “Shh.” He whispered again.
“N-Nicholas,” She sobbed. Nick continued to slowly and repeatedly pet her long hair.
“Shh, I’m ok. Joe’s ok too, he’ll be here soon.” He whispered soothingly. “You’re safe, Kaylee.”
“Nicholas!” She said again, her voice muffled by his chest and the now damp fabric of his shirt. Nick was silent for a moment.
“Papa, do you think I’m…odd?” He paused, hoping that she remembered the lines and song they had never been a part of themselves, but had heard countless times from backstage and at rehearsals. “My daughter, odd? Where did you get an idea like that?” Kaylee sniffed, and her tears subsided just enough to continue Belle’s lines.
“It’s just that, well, people talk.” She said, her voice coming out quivery. Nick smiled, tightening his hold around her.
“They talk about me, too.” He said delicately. He quietly cleared his throat before singing the opening lines of the song. “No, we’re not odd, it’s true. No fam’ly ever saner. Except one uncle, who…well, maybe let that pass.” He felt Kaylee shift on his lap, her cries getting dramatically quieter with a final sniff. “In all you say or do, you couldn’t make it any plainer. You are your mother’s daughter, therefore you are class.” He sang quietly. He waited for a moment, satisfied when he felt Kaylee take a breath and heard her voice come back in response to his.
“So I should just accept I’m simply not like them?” Her voice was soft and sweet, just as Nick remembered it. In the past decade, it had only improved.
“They are the common herd, and you should take my word; you are unique: crème de la crème. No matter what you do, I’m on your side. And if my point of view is somewhat misty-eyed, there’s nothing clearer in my life than what I wish and feel for you,” Nick paused his steady stroke on Kaylee’s hair and dipped his head to reach hers, gently kissing her forehead before finishing his verse. “And that’s a lot…no matter what.” He whispered, using his thumb to wipe a tear off her cheek. Various people passing by gave them weird looks, sitting that early in the morning outside a pharmacy singing a Beauty and the Beast song and blocking nearly half the sidewalk. They ignored them. Kaylee smiled up at him and waited a moment before continuing.
“No matter what they say, you make me proud. I love the funny way you stand out from the crowd!”
“It’s my intention, my invention; shows the world out there one day just what we’ve got…” Nick trailed off, feeding Kaylee into her line. She leaned into his chest comfortably and smiled.
“No matter what.” Nick returned her smile.
“Now some may say all fathers just exaggerate…”
“That ev’ry daughter’s great?”
“You are!” Nick grinned, playfully touching the tip of her nose with his index finger. Kaylee giggled.
“And ev’ry daughter tends to say her father’s tops.”
“She pulls out all the stops to praise him.”
“And quite rightly!”
“No matter what the pain, we’ve come this far. I pray that you remain exactly as you are; this really is a case of father knowing best.”
“And daughter too!” Kaylee piped in. Nick beamed, looking down at Kaylee. She looked back up at him, and they sat in silence for a moment, lost in each other’s eyes. “Nicholas,” Kaylee murmured after a minute. He raised a questioning eyebrow and Kaylee chuckled. “That was your cue.” She smiled. Nick laughed quietly, giving her a tight squeeze before singing his next line.
“You’re never strange.” Kaylee looked at him, the soft smile still present on her lips.
“I didn’t mean for the song, Nicholas.” She said, her voice just above a whisper. Nick looked at her confusedly for a moment, then smiled. He loosened his hold on her, just enough to carefully turn her towards him. He gently lifted her chin with one hand and slowly leaned towards her, kissing her tenderly. They pulled away gradually after a minute and sat in silence, neither of them breaking their gaze into each other’s eyes. Nick wrapped his arms back around Kaylee and she licked her lips and inhaled before letting out her final line of the song slowly and soothingly.
“Don’t ever change.” Nick smiled at her and she smiled back, leaning into him.
“You’ve all I’ve got,” They sang quietly in unison, finishing together. “No matter what.”

[Katy]

awww, cute!

more?

[michelle]

aww! go nick!
i feel so bad for just now commenting on this! i read it the other day and was in such a hurry i forgot to tell you how much i loved it!! hopefully there's more soon!

[Anna]

ahh sorry, its been forever since ive updated anything.
ive been busy with school and such.
unfortunately, you have to have priorities, and finishing fanfics is quite a ways down my list.
hopefully a new chapter coming soon to a computer screen near you

[Nanna{darkblue}]

OHHH!! I cant wait for an update!!!