Comeback

10. Friends For Now

A/N: I didn't have a chance to proof read this yet, but I wanted to get another chapter out before Christmas. I wish you all a merry Christmas and hopefully I'll have another chapter finished before New Years!

There's a slight spring in Nick's steps as he makes his way back to Joe's apartment. Meeting up with Y/N had gone a lot better than he expected. It hadn't been awkward at all and he thinks he might have a chance to fix the mistake he made by breaking up with her.

Joe looks up from his laptop when Nick steps into his apartment. He's staying with Joe while he's in New York, so Joe figured giving him a key would be the easiest thing to do. "Hey." Joe says as Nick comes into the living room. "How did it go?" He asks; he's more than a little curious about his brothers catch up with Y/N.

"It was good." Nick says with a fond smile on his face that Joe hasn't seen since Nick and Y/N were still a couple. "Really good." Nick adds as he sits down. He's very happy with how things went. He was pretty nervous about it but it was almost like nothing changed, well except for the fact that he couldn't hold her hand, wrap his arm around her or kiss her. But today gave him hope that those things might come back as well.

Joe watches him for a moment. He's a little unsure about his brother trying to rekindle the old flame now that he knows how hard Y/N took the breakup. Especially because he knows how lightly Nick has been taking relationships since he broke up with Y/N. "Well it's good that you're trying to become friends." He finally decides to say as he closely watches Nick's face for a reaction.

Nick turns to face Joe and he's doesn't miss the somewhat intense look on his brother's face. "For now." He says as he tries to figure out why Joe is looking at him like that. "Who knows what might happen in the future." They hold each other's gaze for a moment before Joe shakes his head with a sigh and stands up. "What?" Nick furrows his eyebrows as he watches his brother walk to the kitchen.

"Nothing." Joe tries to wave it off as he reaches up to get a glass from a cupboard. He knows Nick won't accept his answer, but he can't help but hope his younger brother will let it go for now. It proves to be idle hope as he hears Nick's footsteps coming towards him and he turns around with a sigh.

"What is it Joe?" Nick presses as he looks at his brother. He can tell Joe knows something about Y/N. He could tell at the New Years party as well, but he didn't want to do anything about it then. Now however he wants to know.

"I just don't think it's such a great idea for you and Y/N to get back together, that's all." Joe shrugs and turns away from Nick again, hoping that if Nick can't see his face it will keep him from asking more questions.

"Why not?" Nick furrows his eyebrows, he doesn't understand why Joe would have a problem with him and Y/N spending time together again. "Did she say something to you?" He asks as he tries to think of a reason for his brother's behavior.

"No, but you don't exactly have the best track record with relationships lately and I don't want her to get hurt." Joe blurts out as he turns around to face Nick again. He figures he doesn't have to tell Nick about Y/N's tough time to let him know why it's a bad idea. "You haven't put much effort in any relationship you've been in since you broke up with Y/N. We just got her back and I don't want you to push her out of our lives again." He realizes his words are a bit harsh when he sees Nick's shoulders sag, but he didn't realize how angry he still was about Nick breaking up with Y/N without a real reason all those years ago. Y/N was like a sister to him and Nick ruined that for him. What made it even worse was that it happened around the same time the band broke up. Joe has been bottling up his feelings from that period and now they just spill out.

Nick watches Joe in silence for a moment as he takes in what his brother just said. Joe is right; he hasn't really tried to make any relationship after Y/N work, because he didn't want them to work. None of those girls were Y/N. He denied it during the years she was away from the business, but now that she's back and he has seen her again he can no longer deny that she was and still is the only one he wants to make it work with. "It'll be different this time. We were young back then and I made a mistake, but that won't happen this time around."

Joe sighs as his own shoulders sag as well. "And why not?" He responds. "Why would things be different now?"

"Because I know what it's like to lose her now." Nick's voice is softer as he admits to Joe what he has come to realize in the past few days.

Joe closely watches Nick's face and he can see in his brother's eyes that he means what he says. And if Nick really means what he says than Joe is pretty sure his brother can make Y/N happy. The question is if Y/N is still willing to give him a chance, because if she really went through such a rough time than Joe doesn't think she'll make it easy for Nick. But then again it might be good for his brother to have to work for it.