DISCONTINUED: Raised By The Apocalypse

♡☆ Fresh Start ☆♡

After dinner we all decide to chill in the loungeroom and have a movie marathon. I pick out a few movies including The 5th Wave, Minions, Eragon, Flubber, Spy Kids 1 and Hunger Games 1 and 2. What can I say? I'm in the mood for a bit of bloodshed.
"Strange movie choices bub." Laughs Michael (A/N:his real name is Michael so throughout the next few chapters I might use Nick or his real name.)
"Shuddup Nick." I say laughing. Nick pecks me on the forehead and I get up and play The 5th Wave. Everyone starts to settle in while I drag Nick with me to the kitchen.
"What?" Asks Nick, his face going pale.
I grab his hand and say, "I miss us. I miss you. I miss having you to wake up to in the morning after having a hard or crazy night. I miss having you cradle me on the couch under a blanket while watching our favourite movie. I miss waking up to having breakfast made for me. I miss waking up and having my breakfast then running downstairs to find you cooking for everyone so I don't have to strain myself after a hard day at school. I miss the way you used to pick out an outfit for me so I didn't have to stress in the early morning rush before school. What I'm trying to say is that I miss what we were like. I just miss us in general." I say lowering my head, having a sudden interest in my plain black converse. Nick's warm index finger is soon lifting my chin so my gaze is on his now solemn-looking face.
"Look at me Ruby. I need to see that you're okay. You have the most caring, fun loving, kind, hilarious personality and I love everything about you. I miss us too but I don't want this to end badly Ruby." He says now looking at me like a lost puppy. I guess I have to admit that I've always had a small feeling, no matter who I was with or where I was, that that's not who I should be with and it's not where I should be.
"Cheer up Nick, otherwise I'll have to smack some happiness onto that funny face of yours. Okay? Cheer up hunny buns, I trust you, you won't hurt me again Nick. I trust you, now it's your turn to trust me." I say hoping he'll take me back.
"Would you do me the great honour of giving me a second chance to be your boyfriend?" Asks Nick running a hand through his already tousled hair. I brush it out of his face and say,
"It'd be my pleasure Sir Nick of Nickingale." He starts laughing at the reference joke I made. I smile, happy to hear him laughing again and I jump up at him, he catches me with ease and we walk back into the loungeroom, him carrying me.
"Yuck, you guys have to stop with all the romance, seriously." Laughs Miranda. I haven't seen Miranda since the guys moved. Unlike me, her parents accepted the fact that she was in love with someone, she moved with them and along with Jace, didn't come back to visit. I let out a squeal and jump out of Nick's arms and run to Miranda, scooping her up in a bone-crushing hug. Although she never came to visit, I never held it against her, she was in love, she had a right to not lose that. Michael puts me down and she starts with the rant.
"I'VE MISSED YOU RUBZ! IT'S BEEN TOO LONG! Are the parents still as uptight as they used to be? Do your brother's still have a crush on me? Do they still hate Nick?" And at the mention of my family I let out a small sob, tears now brimming my eyes, I jog upstairs and straight into the ensuite of Nick's bedroom. I hear Miranda arguing with someone from outside the bedroom door, good thing I locked both doors. I let the tears fall, not caring that they'll hear me crying.
"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW NICK? A LITTLE HEADS UP WOULD'VE BEEN NICE!" Shouts Miranda, I let out another sob just as the bedroom door unlocks, I guess Nick's lock picking skills have gotten better.
"Ruby, please let us in, I didn't know. I'm sorry. Please don't do anything." Says Miranda hoping I'll open the door.
I sob out loud again and manage to get out, "I only want Nick in here." Between sobs. I move out of the way, unlocking the door, Nick comes through and walks to the bath, turning it on, he picks me up and sits me on his lap while the bath fills. I let out a strangled sob and Nick brushes the hair out of my tear-stained face, making me look up at him and when I do he speaks.
"I'm struggling to not lose my shit at Miranda right now Ruby. You know how bad my temper gets when someone hurts you. Tell me a reason why I shouldn't hit her for making you cry." Says Nick, tears threatening to fall.
"You can't hit a girl. That's against the law." I say letting another tear fall.
"How do you do that?" Asks Nick.
"Do what?" I say as Michael picks me up, strips me and puts me into the bath, soothing my muscles. He turns to leave and I grab his hand and ask him to stay.
"Okay. And how do you always find a way to make me laugh when all I want to do is stab someone."
"I don't know. Same way you can make me smile when all I'm doing is crying." I say offering my best smile.
"God I love you." Says Nick running a hand through his hair.
"I love you too." I say, panicking.
After being in the bath for a while Nick speaks, chuckling, "Time to get out and watch some movies?"
"Yesssss." I say giggling. I get out and Nick passes me a towel and I dry myself off. Nick grabs a baseball jersey of his and puts it over my body after I put on a pair of underwear. I smile at myself in the mirror, happy to finally be wearing his jumpers again. Nick hugs me from behind, resting his chin on my head. We look in the mirror and I turn around to my bag and pull out my DSLR and spin back around, still in Nick's arms. He smiles, seeing me grabbing my camera. He always wanted me to continue my passion. He puts his chin back on my head and I take a picture. The camera clicks and i spin around, camera aimed at Nick, and take a photo, I look at it and smile. I might even print more of my photos off again.
"Are you gunna make another album?" Asks Nick as I walk out, camera in hand.
"Yeah. I might just print them out and make a decopagé coffee table for everyone to enjoy." I chuckle.
"What's that?" Laughs Nick.
"A coffee table and there's photos all over it and then clear glass ontop to seal it." I chuckle as we get to the bottom of the stairs and see Jace ontop of Miranda tickling her. I whip out my camera and click a photo. At the sound of my camera everyone stops and looks at me.
"That's a sound I haven't heard for a while, it's good to hear it filling the house again. I've missed you Ruby. I've missed having another girl around. This house bloody reeks of testosterone." Whines Miranda pinching her nose like a kid. I let out a laugh and Nick pulls me down to sit in his lap on the couch. I snuggle into his chest and watch the movie.
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, we're off to bed now everyone." Announces Jace.
I open my eyes being confronted by Nick's mouth pulled into a tight line with his jaw clenching and unclenching. Something he only does when he's pissed off. "Take a picture, it'll last longer." Says Nick with a stiff laugh.
"Okay." I giggle and pull my camera out, clicking the photo of his waist up. "What's wrong?" I ask stiffly.
"It's just Jace, ever since you've come back he's acting like you'll break the moment I touch you. And Dario, since you've come back he's acting strange, like he thinks you could do better. And not only that but Brayden as well. He's making it like I don't deserve you and I mean, I know I don't, but he doesn't have to make it obvious. It's weird coz they've never brought you up before and now you're here it's like the only thing they can do. Miranda started getting annoyed too."
"Oh." I say as we enter his bedroom. "So what did Jace say to get you so pissed off?" I ask wondering.
"He pretty much said that if you're staying with us you have to actually do something towards the gang. So I said no because you could get hurt and Jace said you have to otherwise you're out." He says with a frustrated grunt. He must be struggling with this hardcore.
"It's okay Nick, I can do it. I won't do any of the dirty stuff but I'll bait for a while, Miranda can protect me. I'll be okay bub, trust me."

"She doesn't need to. You can protect yourself and I know that, but this business is dangerous. Are you sure you want to enter into this? It's a dangerous world I live in and if you want to go it's o--" I cut Nick off by kissing him and he is shocked at first but soon recovers and kisses me back passionately.
"I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere Nick. As much of a badass you are, you're still a big softie at heart. Can you give me your best pun and pickup line?" I ask knowing he'll come up with something cheesy.
"Of course M'lady. What's the difference of deer nuts and beer nuts? Beer nuts are a $1.75, but deer nut are under a buck. Are you an interior decorator? Because when I saw you, the entire room became beautiful. Do you work at a hotdog stall? Because you sure could make my weiner stand." He finishes and I almost piss myself laughing. He let's out a chuckle and I smile, he deserves to be happy. "So. Umm. There's a gang thing tomorrow night at a nearby club. And Jace just texted to see if you were coming?" Mumbles Nick.
"Why the hell didn't Jace just walk the 5 meters down the hallway to talk to me himself? Or at least have some dignity and text me." I say grunting in frustration. Nick replies with an I don't know so I walk out and down to Jace and Miranda's bedroom and go in.
"One, yes I am coming tomorrow night and Two, why did you have to text Nick, either walk to our room or at least text me for f*!ks sake. You're not an invalid. And just by the way. I'm going to bait. Miranda deserves a night off." I say huffing as I slam the door shut. Walking back to Nick's room.
"I want to sleep." I say, a tear sliding down my cheek. Wtf is up with my emotions? I better not be pregnant. That's the last bloody thing I need. Nick looks shocked and I realize I just said that out loud.
"Oops?" I say climbing into bed hoping that I won't cry as much tomorrow.