The next day, Jake was sleeping in bed, a smile on his face. Nick showed up and playfully patted Jake's face to wake him from his slumber.
"Rise and shine, Cinderella," Nick said. "We're going shopping."
"We're getting my new wardrobe?" Jake asked.
"That's the plan. Now get your ass outta bed and get dressed. Clair and Gerald are ready to leave."
"Before I do..."
Jake tugged Nick by his pants, brought him closer to the bed. He leaned in and gave him a kiss. Nick crawled overtop of Jake, sitting in his lap.
"You got my thing hard as a rock," Nick smirked. "When are we gonna do it?"
"Nick, I'm not ready for sex yet," Jake responded. "Right now, getting me settled and stopping Becky is my priority."
"Fair. But a boy can always dream, right?"
Nick rocked his hips against Jake, biting his bottom lip as his hands were planted on Jake's stomach; Jake reluctantly placed his hands on Nick's thighs.
"Showing off your feminine side, huh?" Jake asked.
"Shut it," Nick responded. "Just because I like this doesn't mean I'm a queer. I'm still the most masculine delinquent you know."
"Whatever..."
"Get dressed. We're leaving soon."
Nick got off of Jake and went in the living room, seeing Clair and Gerald watching television. He sat beside them and sighed.
"What's wrong, Nick?" Clair asked.
"It's Jake," Nick answered. "I thought him getting away from Becky would stop him from being hurt... but it didn't. He was accused of stealing, accused of getting the head cheerleader in trouble, and he got punched by the cheerleader's brother at the party last night."
"Is Jake okay?" Gerald asked.
"He's fine. It's just... He keeps getting hurt either emotionally or physically. I stopped the bad stuff I was doing for Jake, but now I... I-"
"You feel like you should go back to your ways to protect him," Clair interrupted. "I'm all for the idea. You have shown that you can control that side of you. But we don't wanna see you get in trouble for protecting the boy you like."
"I understand. But I'm not gonna let him get hurt everywhere he goes."
"Then you have our permission to do whatever you need to do to protect Jake," Gerald replied. "Just don't break any serious laws."
"Right," Nick smiled.
Jake walked in the living room, dressed in all white clothes. Nick looked over and admired him by catcalling.
"You look great," Nick smirked. "Like I said, I wouldn't mind if you wore my clothes, even after we get you your own wardrobe."
"Thanks, Nick," Jake blushed.
"Ready to go?" Clair asked.
"Yeah, let's go."
Thirty minutes later, Jake and Nick were arrived to the mall. The two went to many different clothing stores and were holding handfuls of clothing bags.
"How do girls do this?" Nick asked. "Carrying around bags all day... It's tiring!"
"You'll be okay, Nick," Jake said. "It's just clothes."
"Shut up before I shove you in the giant fountain."
The two returned to the car and put the bags inside, Clair and Gerald driving back to the house afterwards. Jake and Nick went back in the mall and sat down at the food court. Soon, Erica, Troy, and Sophie showed up and sat with them.
"Hey guys," Sophie said.
"You two on a date?" Erica smirked at Nick.
"No, just hanging out," Nick looked a bit nervous.
"How's the nose?" Troy asked.
"It's getting better," Jake answered. "Sophie, what happened last night? You left so early."
"I had a family meeting to go to, nothing major," Sophie answered.
As the group was talking, a fleet of police officers arrived to the food court; among the officers was Becky. Jake looked and saw Becky, ducking his head behind Nick.
"What's up?" Nick asked.
"Becky," Jake whispered in fear.
"Where?"
Nick looked over at the officers and saw Becky eating a donut.
"We need to get Jake outta here," he said. "If Becky sees him, she'll try to take him back."
"Let's bounce then," Troy replied.
The group rose from their table and headed away from the food court. Becky looked over to the group and saw Jake's face. She got up and slowly followed them. When the teens were close to the exit, they heard a voice.
"Jake Arnette!" Becky yelled.
"RUN!" Jake replied.
The group burst through the door and ran across the parking lot, Becky following them in her cop car. The teens reached the sidewalk and ran through the city, being chased by Becky. The group hid in an alleyway behind a dumpster. They looked and saw Becky's cop car drive by. They reemerged from the alley and headed in the Twilight Cafe, sitting in a booth away from the window.
"Mind telling us what's going on?" Sophie asked.
"Becky is Jake's abusive foster mother," Erica explained.
"She beats him badly for the past five years," Nick added. "That's why he's staying with me."
"That would explain why you two come to school everyday," Troy answered. "So if Becky beats Jake, why did she adobt him in the first place?"
"To get some extra cash every month, I guess," Erica answered.
"That's not being a good parent," Sophie commented. "And Trina thought everything that happened was because of love."
"Well, she wasn't completely wrong," Nick replied. "Everything I did for Boy Scout was because I wanted to be a good person and help him... but then I was catching feelings for him."
"So are you two dating?" Troy asked.
"It's not official yet," Jake answered. "We're still taking it slow."
"You've been taking it slow for a while," Erica commented.
"Whatever, Goldilocks," Nick replied.
"So now what?" Sophie asked. "We can't let Becky get to Jake."
"We need to get to my place," Nick answered.
"And something tells me we can't go out the front door," Troy pointed outside, the group seeing Becky getting out of her cop car.
The group got up and headed to the backdoor, Becky seeing them and speed-walking towards them. The group sees Becky closing the gap between them and ran out the door and headed down the street, Becky following them on foot. When they reached the appartment building, Nick climbed up the fire escape while the rest of the group went through the front of the building. Soon, Nick regrouped with the group in the living room, Clair and Gerald walking in with cofused looks on their faces.
"Mind explaining what's going on here?" Clair asked.
"Becky the Beater has been chasing us," Erica explained.
"Officer Bishop? Jake's abusive foster mother?" Gerald asked.
"That's the one," Nick answered. "Mom, Dad, if I go to jail, don't pay my bail."
"He just called us Mom and Dad," Clair commented.
"Nick, what are you gonna do?" Jake asked.
"Someone need to show her what's she done to you isn't okay! I'm not gonna sit back and let her get away with what she did!"
Nick gave Jake a tender and passionate kiss before heading out the door.
"Nick, wait!" Jake yelled out.
Nick didn't respond and closed the door behind him. Nick headed downstairs and saw Becky standing with her arms crossed.
"Where's Jake?" she asked.
"Why should I answer to you?" Nick looked blunt.
"Because I'm a cop, and I can have you arrested for disobeying an officer."
"I'm not gonna give Jake back to you just for you to beat him again! He deserve a lot more!"
"What are you, his boyfriend?"
"And if I was?"
"Nick, stop!" Jake stormed downstairs.
"Jake!" Becky held her hands out. "Come to Mother!"
"No, Becky! I'm happier with Nick! He don't try to hurt me!"
"Hurt you? I would-"
"Becky! Ever since you've became my foster mother, I went through hell! I was too scared to go home, and I wouldn't go to anyone for help because of you! When Nick took me in, I was a lot more happier than when I was living with you. I'm not leaving, Becky!"
"Nick Nova, look at what you did to Jake!"
"I've been protecting him and showing him some fun... without breaking the law! It's obvious that he wants to be with me, so give up!"
"Like I will!"
Becky grabbed Jake by his arm, trying to drag him to the door.
"Let go of me!" Jake yelled.
"Jake!" Nick took a step foward, but stopped in fear.
"Come any closer and I'll do it!" Becky pointed a gun at Nick.
Jake struggled to get free and got angry, "Get your damn hands off me, you psychotic, hatefull bitch!"
"J-Jake!"
Jake stopped on Becky's foot and grabbed her gun, throwing it to Nick, who caught it and pointed it at Becky.
"Becky, leave me the hell alone!" Jake yelled.
"You heard him," Nick added.
"What gotten into you?" Becky asked.
"I'm not the weak boy you pushed around anymore," Jake responded. "It's a shame that a boy who's a year older than me can treat me better than a grown woman can."
"I think it's time for you to leave, unless you want your guts to be all over the floor."
"This isn't over, Jake," Becky said. "You better enjoy the time you got with Nick... I have a feeling that won't last long."
Becky walked out and drove down the street, Nick putting the gun in the waistband of his pants.
"Thanks, Nick," Jake kissed him passionately.
Nick returned the kiss, "Anytime, baby."
The two returned to the apartment and sighed in relief.
"What happened?" Erica asked.
"I fought back," Jake said.
"He was amazing," Nick added. "He cussed Becky out, and I got a new toy."
Nick lifted his shirt and showed Becky's gun sticking out from his pants. Clair and Gerald were in utter shock.
"Gimme the gun, Nick," Clair said.
"This is how I'm gonna protect Jake!" Nick replied. "I promise I won't use it unless it's an emegency."
"Nick did save me with that gun," Jake added.
"Hmm..." Clair hummed. "You promise not to play with it?"
"Yes!" Nick answered.
"You can keep the gun."
Jake gave Nick a giant kiss and hugged him tightky, Nick returning the kiss and hug.
Later that night, after their friends left, Jake and Nick were sitting in bed, talking to each other.
"Thanks again for protecting me earlier," Jake said.
"No problem," Nick replied. "I wasn't gonna let her take you away from me."
"Nick, you showed to me how much you care for me. Not a lotta people done that before. I just wanna say... I love you, Nick."
"Ngh! Well... I love you too, Jake."
Jake crawled over Nick, his body inbetween Nick's legs, and kissed him. Erica suddenly entered the opened window and saw the two boys.
"Um... am I interrupting something?" she asked.
The two boys broke away from each other and saw Erica crawling inside the apartment.
"Nah," Nick answered.
"So... are you official yet?" Erica asked.
"Yeah. It's official," Jake answered.
"YES! FINALLY!"
"Please don't start fangirling, Erica," Nick said.
"Wait, did you just call me by my name? I guess Jake's niceness is rubbing off on you."
"Shut up."
Jake laughed at his bestfriend and his boyfriend, giving both of them a group hug.