𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 (1)

𝟼𝟾. 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗-𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚎

☆ • ☆ • ☆

daniel slowly opened the door to the guest room, expecting to see audrey still sitting on the bed, but instead she was hidden by the mound of blankets and pillows that she had pulled around her.

daniel let out a breath as he crept closer to the sleeping girl, whose tears had dried on her face, her forehead creased.

he stroked the top of her head, his fingers touching audrey's forehead and hair, kissing her cheek and letting his lips linger there.

"i fucking love you," he breathed as he kneeled next to the girl, watching her relax in her sleep. "goodnight, love."

he turned the lights off, leaving audrey to sleep in the room as he walked back to the other boys and tate. jonah's parents and siblings had already gone to sleep, believing that audrey was just sick.

daniel sat down, his head resting in his hands as his elbows rested on his knees. "i can't believe she goes through all this."

zach patted daniel's shoulder, a comforting gesture that always made the older boy feel better.

"her step brother's a fucking asshole, and if i wasn't there, who knows what would have happened. i know audrey can handle herself but since he's basically her family, she wouldn't dare touch him, and that's what scares me. what if someone else she knows takes advantage of her and-"

"daniel, hon, calm down, okay?" tate said, sitting next to him. "i know it's hard, but everything's okay now, right? and since audrey's leaving tomorrow evening we don't need to worry about her step brother anymore."

daniel just sighed. "yeah, i guess."

it was silent for a second, but daniel perked up. "i think i should ask her to move in with me."

"you're on tour, daniel," tate reminded the boy, who shrugged. "well then, after tour, in september. i'm sure she would, right?"

corbyn shook his head. "her whole life's in new york, daniel, her job, her college, her friends."

"but i'm in california, shouldn't that be enough?"

"no daniel, you're not in california, you're all over the world," jonah said. "you wouldn't be there for audrey all the time."

daniel groaned, dragging his hands down his cheeks in annoyance. "i just want her to stay with me."

"we've all gotta compromise, hon," tate said softly. "it's a part of life."

daniel slumped in the couch, taking a sip of water that jonah handed him.

"can i go back to new york with her? after tomorrow? just for a little bit?" he asked, his eyes brightening. "we don't have a concert the day after and we'll be in illinois so i can just fly back, right?"

the boys thought for second, and jonah nodded. "yeah, you could, but you'd have to take corb with you so management doesn't get suspicious."

corbyn shrugged. "i'm up for that, i'll see my girl again."

daniel nodded. "perfect, i'll tell her tomorrow, and if she's okay with it, i'll be with her on the flight tomorrow evening."