The pair sat side by side on Nick�s bed, their hands tightly intertwined as if they were unwilling to let go of one another. Jessica�s head rested against Nick�s shoulder as they sat quietly.

�Tell me everything Jess,� Nick coaxed gently.

As Nick spoke, she fought desperately to control the tears which burned relentlessly at her eyes. �I don�t think that I can,� she whispered, her voice scared.

�Yes you can,� he whispered in her ear, squeezing her hand supportively.

Closing her eyes, she exhaled shakily. She clutched Nick�s hand tightly, drawing strength from it. She opened her mouth, poised to fill him in on the details of her sordid life, but somehow was unable to make a sound. Reliving everything was just too painful and she didn�t think she could do it.

For a few minutes she remained silent, staring stiffly ahead. Nick bent down gently cupping her face in his hands as he lifted it towards his. As her eyes locked with his imploring ones, something in them made her change her mind. He gazed back at her, his eyes filled with more love and warmth than she had ever imagined possible. She knew right then and there that she could do this. She could do anything with him by her side.

�It all started when I was little,� she spoke tentatively, looking down at the sheets. �She hated me since the day I was born,� Jessica whispered. Nick listened quietly, flinching at the harshness of her words.

�She never paid any attention to me and couldn�t be bothered with anything that concerned me. She treated me like I had a contagious disease of some sort, never wanting to touch me or get too close. Sometimes she would even lock me up in my room for hours on end, just so she wouldn�t have to look at me,� she said a lone tear escaping her eyes.

Carefully Nick reached up and caught the tear before it fell from her cheek, smoothing her skin gently with the pads of his thumbs. The expression on his face was supportive and encouraging although in his eyes confusion was evident.

�I would sit there alone in my room, daydreaming and singing quietly for hours on end, just waiting for him to come and rescue me. And he always did,� she whispered, a faint smile crossing her face at the memory. The smile quickly disappeared however and her face clouded over once again. �Whenever my father was around, her attitude would change immediately. She wasn�t the same person. All of a sudden, she would start hugging me and paying attention to me as if she actually cared,� Jessica said bitterly. �But I knew better. I knew she hated me. I could see it in her eyes,� she paused then, gazing off, her face pain-stricken as if she were remembering the moment vividly.

�The few hours of the day that my father was home were always the best. He�d play with me and tell me stories to make me laugh. My happiness was temporary though because soon he would be called off to some important meeting or have an urgent matter to attend to. He always promised he would be home as soon as he could, but he never returned until I was fast asleep,� she said sadly.

By now, the tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as she clutched dearly onto Nick�s hand. He had so many questions but refrained from interrupting. �Go on,� he urged quietly.

�Everything continued on like this for a few years. She never spoke to me when he wasn�t around. I was left to my own devices for pretty much the whole day. I became used to it, somehow managing to find happiness in my solitude. One day though, everything changed,� she said, her voice cracking. Speaking almost incoherently, she proceeded to tell Nick everything. She told him about the day her father left, about Miranda and their affair and about how all her life she was certain she had been responsible for her father�s departure.

�After my father left she started drinking. At first I thought it was nothing, that she was just doing it because she was upset. I figured that she would give it up eventually. She never did though Nick,� she said softly. �I always made sure that I stayed out of her way. She had a horrible temper when she was drunk. I used to hide in the closet for hours on end, hoping desperately that she would never find me. Despite my efforts, she always did,� she said with a watery smile. �I remember there was this one day when she found me in the closet. She was so angry when she found me,� she told him, her brow furrowing as she remembered the scene. �I tried to run from her, but I couldn�t get away. She chased me around the whole house. When she caught me she�. and I couldn�t�,� Jessica said brokenly, the tears streaming down her face.

�She what, Jess?� Nick prompted gently.

Gazing through her tears, Jessica looked up at Nick. His gaze willed her to go on, giving her both strength and courage. �My mother hit me Nick. Hard,� she whispered meekly. �She still does it,� she added in a tiny voice.

For a second his body was frozen in shock. He was unable to think or move as Jessica�s words resonated in his mind. He felt his heart shattering into a million pieces as her words sunk in, leaving an indelible impression in his mind. Quietly he pulled her shaking body to his, holding her protectively close. He rocked her back and forth listening helplessly to her heart-wrenching sobs, sadly knowing that there was nothing he could do to ease her pain. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to be strong for her sake. Despite his efforts to remain strong though, tears began to form in his own eyes and slowly they slid down his face.

Nick lay wide awake with Jessica comfortably nestled in his arms. They hadn�t moved all night. Together they had lain carefully wrapped in the warmth of Nick�s comforter. His soothing words and lulling touch had soon put a distraught Jessica to sleep while he himself remained awake. For hours now Nick had lain staring blankly at the wall, contemplating life�s intricacies as well as its sheer unfairness. He couldn�t fathom that something so horrible had happened to someone he cared about so much. It just wasn�t fair.

Looking down, he lovingly smoothed Jessica�s soft hair from her face. There had been so many things that he had wanted to tell her, but hadn�t been able to. He wanted to tell her that he would protect her and that he would never let her mother hurt her again. He knew though that despite the strong feelings in his heart these promises were all unrealistic. He couldn�t protect her from her mother�s wrath. Nothing could. Knowing that made Nick feel more helpless than he ever had before.

Despite the fact that Nick had single-handedly done more for Jessica than anyone ever possibly could, he still wasn�t satsified. He wished desperately that he could do something more. He wished there was a way he could make all the pain disappear. She didn�t deserve to suffer as much as she had. No one did.

Stroking her hair gently he closed his eyes, her pained face flashing before him. It was hard for him to imagine that just a few hours ago the tranquil figure lying in front of him had been so overcome with emotion.

His eyes still closed he leaned back, careful not disturb Jessica. As he gazed down at her sleeping figure, he felt his resolve to remain calm slowly fading away. Sheer contempt flashed throughout his eyes as he felt his anger mounting. Subconsciously, his free hand tensed as it balled into an angry fist. What kind of sick person would do something like this to her? he wondered angrily.

The perplexing question still at the forefront of his mind, he slowly drifted off into a fitful slumber.

Jessica awoke to the sight of their hands tightly entwined with one another. For a few silent moments Jessica was captivated by the sight , staring at it with rapturous wonderment. The effect that Nick�s touch had upon her was undeniable. The feel alone of his soft, warm flesh made Jessica feel so secure.

Looking up at him, she breathlessly took in the sight of his large frame hunched over uncomfortably. A small smile played upon her lips as she watched him with fascinated adoration.

She felt her heart swell, filling with feelings of love and something that could best be described as gratefulness. Nick was her rock. Without him she would be completely lost. She thought then back to the very first time that they had met each other. She had been so ready to give up. If he hadn�t been there, she was certain that she would have easily given into temptation. Nick had been there though and he had saved her � in more ways than one.

Suddenly, the elation in her heart disappeared and was quickly replaced with a heart-wrenching feeling. She felt as though she had been punched, the wind knocked out of her. Her stomach was tense and her throat dry as the feeling overwrought her body. She smile quickly diminished and was replaced with a taut line.

All of a sudden she was very scared.

As she stared blankly at Nick, she realized for the first time the obvious resemblance he bore to her father. It was nothing physical, on the other hand, it was an emotional similarity. Just as her father, Nick was her solace. He was her protection from the harshness of reality. He was always there to hold her in his arms and whisper words of support and encouragement in her ear. Just like her father had done.

And just like her father, Jessica was suddenly aware that one day Nick would find out how bad she really was and he too would leave her.

Nick arose sleepily, thankfully stretching his cramped limbs. Immediately, he opened his eyes, eager to check on Jessica. As his eyes anxiously snapped open however, he was greeted with the surprise of his lifetime. Jessica was not there. In her place was a note, scrawled in her flowing handwriting. He picked it up hesitantly, the bed suddenly becoming very lonely.

Dearest Nick,

Words cannot explain what you have done for me. You came to me at a time in my life when I needed you the most. You saved me Nick, in more ways than you�ll ever know. For that I will be eternally grateful. When I�m with you, I feel safe and protected from life�s cruelties. It�s like nothing will be able to hurt me because I know that you are there to protect me. You are my sanity Nick. My shining star within this dark, scary universe. You light up my life, like no one has before. What you and I have together Nick is so special. I have never felt this way about anybody before. You are precious, more so than you will ever realize, which is why I�ve left today. This morning in your arms I finally realized that throughout this relationship, I�ve been ignoring what I knew all along in my heart. It just hurt too much for me to admit it. I was so scared of losing you Nick, but I now I realize that this is all for the best. I know you probably don�t understand and maybe you never will. I leave you today with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart, but also with the realization that I have been denying the inevitable. We can�t go on like this anymore which is why I think it would be best if we didn�t see one another any longer. I�m sorry Nick. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day. You�ll be in my thoughts now and always.

I love you.
Jess

A soft moan escaped Nick�s lips and as he finished reading the letter, it fluttered to the ground.

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