CHAPTER 4- Pain

Demi's POV

Behind every beautiful thing there is some pain. The most beautiful eyes have shed the most tears, and hide the darkest pain. Pain hardens people's heart. It makes them cold and forces the people it resides in to push the ones closest to them away. Pain makes good people do bad things. Although there is a light at the end of the tunnel because pain is only temporary. It may take weeks, or months, or years, but eventually some with take it's place. Your tunnel may be dim, but it's there. Find the light in your pain.

**

An hour later, a doctor walked into the waiting room, "Parents of Mackenzie Lovato?"

I stood up from Nick's lap, "Yes?"

He smiled, "Good news, there were little serious injuries. Mac is fine, and awake. She keeps asking for a certain someone named 'Dada."

Nick smiled as the tips of his ears went red, "Thank you."

We walked into Mac's room and she shrank back into the bed, make me stop. "Mac?"

Her hands pulled her legs into her chest, "I'm sorry for being bad momma, please don't hurt me."

**

"MACKENZIE LOVATO!" I yelled.

Mac skipped out of her room, "Yeah momma?"

I pointed towards the mess of crayon and marker on the white wall, "DID YOU DO THAT?!" She shrank back at my loud voice, "WELL?" I shouted angrily.

Mac looked at her feet, "I thought you would like my picture."

I brought my hand up to run it through my hair and Mac flinched back, putting her hands up to protect her face. Instantly, my anger shattered.

I took a slow step forward, "Mac I-" She turned around and sprinted towards the bedroom, me right on her heels.....

....."Mac I'm so sorry for scaring you." I stretched out my hand but she shy'd away from it.

"P-Please don't hurt me Demi. I'm sorry."

**

~*~

"Demi?" I looked up from my phone at Nick, "I'm gonna go get lunch for Mac, can you watch for a little bit?" My teeth dug into my lip, it'd been a week since we left the hospital and Mac had barely looked at me.

"Nick she hates me." He sighed, walking over to pull me off of the bed and against his body, then wrapped his arms around me.

"She doens't hate you, this is just a very complicated situation Dems. She loves you more than anyone... it's just this has happened before and it's a bit traumatic for her."

I nodded, pushing my face into his chest, "I know I remember."

Nick sighed, "I mean, that's a good thing. right?"

Shaking my head, I pulled away and walked towards the door, "She's probably really hungry."

As we walked downstairs I saw Mac in the living room playing with Bratz dolls.

Nick went to the door, "Okay Mac, Mommy's gonna watch you for a little."

She glanced at me, "Can't I go with you?" My heart sank and I walked over to the couch on the other side of the room.

"No Mac, i'll be right back." He kissed her forehead, then walked out of the house.

It was silent as Mac went back to playing with her dolls. I watched her with dead eyes, tears slowly rolling down my face. You know the saying you never know what you had till it's gone? Completely one hundred percent true. Taking a shuddering breath I walked out and into a guest bedroom where I laid on the bed, desperately trying to breath as the panic took over. What if I never remember? What if Mac hates me forever? I shoved my face into a pillow so Mac couldn't hear me screaming. Sobs wracked my body asd I frantically tried to calm down but the panic kept rising.

"Mommy!" Mac pulled me into a hug and I clutched at her, sobbing into her shoulder and soaking her shirt.

"I'm so sorry babygirl. I'm so so so sorry. I wasn't gonna hit you. I'd never hurt you, no matter how mad I am. You know that right? Oh God- I'm so sorry..." I broke off into tears again as she rubbed my back.

"It's okay mommy. It's okay." My head lifted up from her tiny chest and I regarded her with red-rimmed eyes.

"Really?"

She nodded with a small smile, "Really."

A smile erupted across my face as I pulled her close and began to pepper kisses all over her face. She squealed and giggled, pushing me away when my hands went to her sides, tickling and squeezing her.

"Momma stopp! That tickles!!!!"

Immediately, I rolled so I was hovering over her, and tickled her more intensely. Mac just laid there, squealing and laughing her head odd. Eventually, I stopped and flopped next to her on the bed.

Mac snuggled into my side, "Momma?" She murmured quietly as I stroked her hair. "Why were you screaming before?"

I sighed, "I just got really scared for a second baby, not all of my hurts are able to be fixed."

She nodded and leaned up to kiss my forehead, "What was that for?"

Mac shrugged, "You always kiss me when I'm hurt and it makes me feel better, so I kissed you to make you feel better." I felt tears coming to my eyes and I intertwined our fingers, her tiny hands in my bigger ones.

"I love you so much babygirl."

About an hour later, Nick came back with two large McDonald's bags, Mac had fallen asleep from me singing to her and was now cuddled cutely into my side.

"There's my two favorite girls." He said when he walked into the bedroom. Mac opened one eyes blearily and snuggled deeper into me. "Oh did you not want this McDonald's Mac? I could just throw it away, or eat to all myself." She didn't move, but her voice was muffled.

"Don't you dare Dada."

Chuckling, he picked her up and took my hand, "C'mon let's go eat."

After Mac had eaten her fill, she took off running around the house. Nick and I watched her zoom through the hallways for a few minutes until Nick wrapped his arms around me from behind and pulled me into his chest.

"Hi." He murmured against the skin of my neck.

I giggled and settled into him, "Hi." Nick spun me around so our faces were inches apart, "I love you." Gently, but with as much passion as I could muster, I kissed him.

"I love you too."

Nick's eyes widened, "What?"

My lips pressed to his again, "I love you Nick. I may not remember how or why but I love you." He smiled and lifted me onto the counter, moving between my legs.

"I-I was gonna wait a little longer, but I think now is the right time... but I was wondering if you'd start wearing this again?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful diamond ring. "I know it's not as romantic as the way I gave it to you, but will you wear it?" My breath caught.

**

I was standing in Yankee Stadium with Nick in front of me. He reached into his pocket as he spoke, "Demi, I know we haven't been going out for that long, but I love you with all my heart." Nick pulled out a tiny black box and I swear to God my heart stopped beating as he opened it to reveal a beautiful ring clustered with diamonds. "Demi I love you more than anything in the world. I know we've already told each other, but i thought you'd like some kind of representation of it. This ring stands as a promise. That you promise yourself to me. The good and the bad, forever. I'm wearing mine, and I'll understand if you don't want to wear it but I love you and this can't wait. Will you promise yourself to me?"

**

I blinked, now back in reality and a huge smile crept across my face, "Yes." My fingers were trembling as he slid it onto my ring finger and kissed it. Just as he finished I couldn't stop myself from jumping into his arms, kissing him deeply. Nick's solid arms wrapped around me and he returned the kiss. We pulled away for air and I buried my face in his chest, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. It felt safe, and warm, and right.

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Okay this entire chapter was fucking cute as hell.

Tell me what you thought!

OKAY SO MY NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE A COLLAB WITH @UNDYINGLOVATO SHE WRITES THE FANFIC 'Demi Lovato my inspiration' AND HER NAME IS LIZ AND SHE'S REALLY GREAT. SO GO CHECK HER OUT AND READ HER NEXT CHAPTER BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A FLIP FLOP OF OUR CHAPTERS OKAY? OKAY, ILY ALL.

Next update; Thursday.

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-Rachel