Title: Get It Right

Author: Meaning Scene

A/N: Well, this is it! Thanks so much to everyone who has supported this story. I'm so grateful to each and every one of you that reviewed/alerted/favorited: suburbs, d52896b, csiawsomJONASlover, xxVICTORIAxx, fightingillini, GOT GOD, PhoebeKay, Sweetgalsab, ride2night, omggcece, starfishbeliever (sorry the site ate your review! I would have loved to read it), NickJ'sUnderdog, AllTimeLee, DisneyMickey, Booklover13, ILovePKJ, IrishAngel19, MuffinMartians, nowordshere, RandomActsOfSmartness, Real Anime Lover 300, SarahBZ, secretkp831, SilvanBeauty12, sinnerxo, Tru-Pinai 4-eva, and xopeaceQTx13. Your support has meant so much to me. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!

Oh, and if you haven't already... GO BUY NICK'S ALBUM!!! :)

~Meaning Scene

"I know that I was lost, and I know that it was too, too hard

And although it isn't much, I give you all I have."

Aqualung, "Glimmer"

New Years Eve. Mom was throwing her traditional firehouse bash; half the neighborhood was expected to visit. Cleaning and decorating crews had been in and out of the house all day, hammering, scrubbing, and taping away at practically every corner of the Lucas home. The guests began arriving at nine p.m.; there had not been a moment of silence the whole day.

It was about to drive Nick up the wall.

He retreated to his room around ten o'clock, sinking into his bed with a resigned sigh as he held a pillow over his ear. Just a little quiet please, a little peace and quiet before continuing the chaotic night was all he needed. A nap sounded nothing short of delicious right about then; the king of power naps, no sooner had the thought entered his head when his eyes began to close.

He had not quite sunk into sleep when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Stupid phone.

Pulling it out, he glanced at the caller ID. It was Stella, who had yet to make her appearance for the evening. She was probably checking to see if his wardrobe was Stell-approved.

"Not important," he dismissed easily, ignoring the call. She'd leave a message; she was good at giving him space when he screened his phone calls.

Another irritating buzz came only two minutes later.

So much for space.

Another look at the screen told him it was Stella. Again.

"Really. Not important." He said to the phone, pressing ignore. Yeah, he could have put the phone on silent, but what if someone called?

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

All right; now it was just getting ridiculous.

He grabbed the phone and pressed the green button. "What Stella?" His voice was just as angry as he hoped it would sound.

"Yikes, bite my head off, why don't you?" She retorted.

He rolled his eyes; a pointless reaction, since she couldn't see it. "Just tell me what you want, okay? I'm trying to nap here."

"Well, then you're really not going to like what I have to say, because I'm pretty sure you won't be able to sleep after I tell you."

"Hanging up then." As his thumb reached for the red button, he heard her shout.

"It's about Macy."

That got his attention.

Putting the phone back up to his ear, he began to fire off questions. "What about her? Is she okay? Is she hurt? What happened?"

"Slow down, please. Wow… She's not hurt. Nothing happened. Well… nothing yet anyway."

Nick's brow furrowed. "Nothing happened?"

"Nope."

"Then… why are you calling me?"

"Because something's going to. Listen," he heard her take a deep breath, "she's been seeing this guy, Nick."

He'd known it would happen; heck, he'd wanted it to happen. He just wasn't prepared for his own reaction; so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't hear what Stella had said.

"Nick? Nick, are you still there? Did you hear me?"

"Yes," he said. Then, "No… say it again, please."

"He's proposing tonight. This guy that she's been with for four months is proposing to her tonight at midnight."

He sat straight up, feeling like his heart was going to pump right out of his chest. It was worse than he'd thought.

But why was Stella telling him this?

"Why are you telling me?" He simply had to ask. "Do you expect me to be happy for them?"

"No." She stated simply. "I expect you to stop it."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you still love her." When he didn't respond, Stella pressed forward. "I know you thought breaking up with her was the right thing to do, but it wasn't. It's done nothing but hurt you both. You still love her, and she still loves you… but if you don't stop her, she's going to say yes to this guy."

"If –and this is a big if- she still loves me, why would she say yes?"

Her voice was a sad whisper. "Because even though I know you still love her, she doesn't. She thinks you broke up with her because you didn't want her anymore, and were too afraid to tell the truth."

"But that's not true! I told her why I wanted to end it; why didn't she believe me?"

"Honestly…" she sighed, "Probably for the same reasons you didn't believe she should give up sports to be with you. You both always thought you knew what was best for one another, but not once did you guys ever think that maybe, just maybe, what you really needed was each other."

He had no answer to that.

"You don't have to do anything; if you're really over her and you really want to let her go, fine. Randolph will get on one knee, put a ring on her finger, and you'll lose her forever. You won't have to worry about it anymore." Then, quietly, "But if you, for some crazy reason, want her back, I know where they'll be and when. All you have to do is say the word."

He tried to respond. "Stella… I don't know…"

"It's okay," she encouraged him. "Take your time. Well… not too much time, but some time. And call me if you decide to… you know."

With that, she hung up.

He fell back against the pillows with a muted thud, though he wasn't sleepy. He was definitely not sleepy.

Nick closed his eyes, trying to think. It was almost one year ago to the day that he had ended things. He'd wanted her to be free, happy, and normal.

Now, she was close to it… and he had never been more certain of one thing.

He was wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.

It only took a few minutes of contemplation for him to make a choice. Picking up his cell phone, he made one quick call.

"Stella?" He said when he heard the line pick up.

There was a smile in her voice when she spoke. "I'm already on my way."

Stella had given him the run-down of the rendezvous. Macy's new boyfriend, some shmoe named Randolph that she knew in high school, was proposing on the terrace of the Villa, a fancy-shmancy Italian restaurant in a tiny town some forty miles away. When she picked him up, it was ten o'clock; it was going on eleven-thirty now.

"No, no, no!" Stella cried as traffic came to a stand-still. She slammed her fist against the steering wheel.

"Why is everyone stopped?" Nick asked, promptly getting out and checking. A crowd had gathered as juvenile delinquents set off fireworks in the middle of the road. Sparks from roman candles flew everywhere as police sirens began to wail in the distance. The debris of the fireworks was scattered throughout the lanes, blocking all forward movement.

He hurried back to the car, tapping on Stella's window. "Stupid kids are setting off fireworks in the middle of the street."

She groaned. "But this is the quickest way." Looking behind her, she was disheartened to find a row of cars barring her from reversing. "Shoot."

Nick only thought for a moment. "How far is it to the town?"

She pressed her finger against her forehead, trying to remember. "Um… two miles? Maybe three?"

That was all he needed. He started to run.

The chaotic scene faded in the distance, the blaring sounds of horns and sirens growing dim until all he could hear was the pounding of his own feet. He ran as fast as he could manage, his breaths growing heavy and labored.

It took more time than he had wanted, and he only had ten minutes to spare when he crossed into the town's limits. A small victory, that, but nowhere near the end of the battle. He still had to find the Villa, and time was no longer on his side.

Businesses whizzed by as he rushed down the township's main street. Cheery lights were hung from lampposts, sounds of merriment everywhere, but he hardly noticed. Glancing at his watch, he saw he only had three minutes to spare.

Where was The Villa?

Finally, up ahead, he saw hope. A red-roofed building with an open-air terrace was currently housing a New Years Eve big band ball. Running closer, he saw the sign, letting him know he was in the right place.

A couple removed themselves from the dancing, walking to the sidelines. The girls face was upturned towards the gentleman; her arms were bare, but she showed no sign of being bothered by the winter cold. Nick could see her cheeks were flushed, and he was certain she'd been dancing her heart out.

The chimes of the midnight hour began to ring, and whatshisname began to speak. Nick couldn't hear, but he knew what the man was saying as soon as he got down on one knee, pulling out a small black box and holding it open towards Macy.

"No!" Nick cried.

The couple looked down and saw their observer. Macy's eyes widened.

She looked at her ex, then her boyfriend, torn between both. Long minutes passed, and as the crowd began to cheer for the New Year, she ran away.

It was only a few minutes after she disappeared from the terrace that she came running out the restaurant door…

And into Nick's arms.

He could feel her hot tears on his neck as she began to cry.

"I can't do it, Nick. I can't. I can't."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close as she spoke in a trembling voice.

"I was going to say yes. I wanted to say yes… but I saw you and I knew I couldn't." Pulling away, she touched his face. "I can't be with anyone else but you. I just can't." She kissed him, and he tasted the tears on her lips. "Please, don't make me leave again."

When he kissed her back, he felt her melt against his body; it took nearly all of his strength to support her, but he bore her weight gladly, just happy to hold her again.

"Macy," he whispered against her mouth, lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "I don't have a speech… or a ring, for that matter..." Placing her on her feet, he knelt, holding her hand. "I've tried to live without you, and it's not that I can't. It's just that what life is without you can't be called living, and I don't want to try anymore…" He took a deep breath as he looked into her eyes; she looked ready to cry again. "Being with me won't be normal, Macy. It won't be easy. Sometimes, it might not even be fun. But if you choose a life with me, no one will ever love you as much as I love you. So please…" he kissed her fingertips. "Take me back. I'm begging you."

No sooner had he finished speaking then she covered his lips with her own.

It wouldn't be normal, they both understood. Nothing about their life would be normal.

But as he held her close with the promise to never let go again, Nick didn't care. This was better than normal.