CHAPTER 14- Decision 

Demi's POV 

        I leaned back into Nick's arms as Mac fell asleep. We were on our way to spend Christmas in New York City, something I wanted to do since I was a kid. I caught sight of a flash of silver around her neck. "What's this?" I mumbled, pulling it out of her shirt to examine the piece of jewelry. Nick smiled as I opened the locket and inhaled sharply, "While you were...asleep, Mac was having nightmares so I got her this, and told her it was a piece of you that would always be with her." I looked closely at the pictures and clapped a hand over my mouth. One was of Mac and I smiling, the other of us sleeping- Nick must've snapped it without my knowledge. I could feel the lump in my throat forming as I turned the tiny metal heart over and saw "Always" engraved in elegant script. "Nick... Thank you." He nodded, "I'm just glad it helped." I leaned up to kiss him, "I love you." He smiled, "I love you too Dems..." He trailed off, obviously wanting to say something more. I let him figure it out as he took my hand. "So what is always for us?" He murmured, causing my heart to beat faster. "W-What do you mean?" He gave me a small smile, and fiddled with the promise ring on my finger. "When I gave this to you it was a promise ot marry you. I just want to make sure you know my intentions and have the same ones." I blinked, then nodded, "Y-Yeah... I do?" He smiled, "I don't mean to scare you off or anything, but I do love you, and intend on delivering on that promise." He lifted my hand to kiss the finger with the ring on it. I laughed nervously and pulled away, "Good to know." Nick just smiled and pulled me back against his chest, kissing my hair as I pressed my face into the crook of his neck to mask y expression. I'd never thought about marriage. Sure, I wanted a future with Nick, but to marry him?" Holy shit. For the rest of the plane ride I contemplated my decision, and by the time we landed, I still had no idea. 

~*~

        "Hey babe you almost ready?" Nick called through the hotel room. we were finally in New York, when Nick told me we were coming here for Christmas I was so excited but now I was a nervous wreck. I didn't know why Nick had brought up our future so suddenly, but it scared the shit out of me. "Babe?" His voice was closer, heavy with worry. I realized he was standing behind me, and I'd been staring into the mirror for the past five minutes. "Are you okay?" I nodded and put on a smile, "Fine! What's up?" HE looked down sheepishly at the untied fabric around his neck. "You know you'd think by now you would know how to tie a tie." He chuckled and lifted me up to the counter, moving between my legs. As I took the black tie into my hand, he took the opportunity to kiss my lips. "Why would I do that when I have you?" I smiled and wrinkled my nose as he kissed it, "What happens when I'm not here?" He shrugged, "I have a feeling you'll be around for a long time." I gulped, and kissed his cheek then jumped down to take his hand. "Let's go to dinner." 

~*~

        I held Mac's hand as we walked to the restaurant, she was watching all of the people buzzing around with awe. "Excuse me?" I turned to see a group of now very excited girls standing behind me. "Hi! Oh my God it is you! Uhm... Do you think we could get a picture?" Nick picked Mac up so I could give them my attention. "Sure! What are your names?" I could see all of them were practically dying inside. "I'm Brannan, this is Vale, and they're both named Safae." I smiled widely, "Those are really cool names! Did you guys want individual or group pictures?" They all looked at each other as if expecting to read each other's minds. "Fuck it! Let's do both!" I suggested, and they all nodded. After taking a few pictures, and they all met and cooed over Mac, We said goodbye and went seperate ways. I could hear them start freaking out once we were about twenty feet away. "They were cute." I said to Nick, as I took Mac from him. "Yeah they really love you." I giggled as he kissed my cheek, "But I love you more." I raised an eyebrow, "I don't know, you might not win that argument." Nick just rolled his eyes and steered us into the restaurant. 

        The entire night, I could feel his eyes on me. It was no different as we decided to take a walk in the park, Mac leading a few feet in front of us. "Why do you keep staring at me?" I murmured, watching Mac fondly as she stared into the stone fountain. Nick lifted my chin with his fingertip, "Because you have no idea how heart-breakingly beautiful you look tonight, or how much I want you for the rest of my life." I blushed as he slowly kissed my lips. the guilt rose up in me again, and I leaned up to kiss him more passionately, hoping to find something that would shove me one way or another. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. "I love you Demi. Merry Christmas." I smiled, "I love you too baby." 

~*~

        We got home and Mac immediately ran for the Christmas tree. "Mommy why aren't there more presents." She cried, putting her hands on her hips. I smiled, "Baby Santa doesn't come until the morning, remember?" She sighed, "Oh yeah." I tousled her hair, "How about this, you get to open one present from us and then you can open the rest in the morning okay?" Mac nodded excitedly, immediately pointing towards the large box that I knew she had her eye on since the moment she saw it under the tree. Nick helped her rip the paper off while I filmed it for twitter and instagram. Her face lit up as she saw it's contents, a huge stuffed bear. I swear this things was literally my height. "Momma!" She squealed, and launched herself into my arms. "Do you like it?" I laughed, hugged her back. "YES!!!" She nearly screamed, jumping on the bear again. Nick laughed and ruffled her hair. "Alright honey, you gotta go to bed or else Santa won't come." She pouted, "But I don't wanna!" Nick mimicked her face, "But he knows when you're awake, and doens't want you to see him. So you can't stay up." Mac sighed, "What about cookies and carrots?" I watched her and Nick interract with fascination. He was so unbelievably good with her. I don't know why I felt so uneasy about this trip. After setting out cookies and milk, and carrots for the reindeer, Nick and I tucked Mac into bed, reading her the Christmas story while she fell asleep. After that, we had the task of silently moving all of her presents from the hotel room across the hall, to this one. If Mac had even glanced at something with longing, it was in these boxes. Nick did a ton of shopping while I was out; he claimed it was because I knew I'd spoil her anyway, but I knew it was his way of preparing for the wort, hoping he'd have something MAc could distract herself with in case things went badly. At last, we sat down on the couch, completely out of breath. "Wanna cookie?" Nick turned to me while a mouth full of oreos. I smile,d and took one from the plate, licking the cream off before placing it back. Nick stared a me for a second, then rolled his eyes. "You're weird." I burst out laughing as he smiled, exposing the pieces of black cookie in his white teeth. "I'm not the one with oreo covering his teeth." Nick's smiled dropped and her puckered his lips, leaning in as I scrambled away. He moved closer, and I jumped off the couch, running to the bathroom with him right behind me. I laughed as Nick shut the door, pulling me into his arms and rubbing his sticky face all over mine. "Okay okay!! I'll kiss you!!" Nick laughed as I crashed my lips onto his, knotting my fingers together on the back of his neck. His hands lifted my thighs easily and I took that as a cue to wrap my lets around his waist, pulling out bodies even closer. I let out a soft moan and Nick took the opportunity to explore my mouth with his tongue. After a few more minutes, he pulled away, leaning our foreheads together, both of us breathing heavily. "Come with me." His lips were trembling as he dropped my legs and took my hand. Nick led me outside to the balcony that had an amazing view of the city below us and let out a deep breath. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster as I could visibly see his nerves grow. My eyes widened when he spoke, "Demi... I love you more than anything in the world, and I know that I can provide for you and Mac in the best ways possible. One day, I want to start the rest of my life with you. This is the first- well, second step." He began to lean down- "Nick, stop." He looked up, confused. "What-" "I don't wanna marry you." His face grew even more confused, "What are you talking about?" Shaking my head, I took a step back, "I think we're moving a little fast.. I can't make that commitment right now. I can't marry you." Nick sighed as he picked up something wrapped in festive paper on the ground. "I wasn't going to ask you to marry me Demi." He said quietly, hurt obvious in his tone. "I was gonna give you this." He placed the gift on the banister and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry you think that way, but I'm glad you were honest, and told me how you felt." With that, he disappeared into the hotel suite, leaving me feeling like a complete idiot. 

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-Rachel