Where do we go from here? (Nick Mayorga fanfiction)

Chapter 10: No takebacks

Nick's POV

As we arrived at the freeway, Jojo and I got out of my car not bothering to shut the engine off. We parked near enough the traffic cones to see a bunch of police officers and an investigator.

"Excuse me, officer. We know whose car that is," Jojo said and the police officer let us pass through the yellow tape.

The black McLaren was the first thing we saw. It's hood was completely smashed and its windows were completely shattered. We could see the black streaks of its tires along the freeway which meant the driver must have forced its breaks.

As we passed the McLaren, I broke out into a cold sweat.

Reese's car was just as bad as the other one and God knows how hurt they must have been.

I couldn't bring myself to walk any further. It felt like I was glued to the road.

"Nick, c'mon we have to ask around at least," said Jojo.

"Dude I can't. What if they got really hurt? I don't wanna know." At this point I realized how scared I was of losing someone I really care about - like hearing about the truth will make everything real, so I decided to be in denial.

"Nick we have to move," Jojo insisted as he took one of my arms to lead me where the ambulances were, only to stay where we were as I couldn't take one step forward.

"Jojo, I can't," tears were threatening to fall from my eyes as I tried to find the words to say.

"I'm scared of what they might say. What if they're--"

"Jojo? Nick?"

It was Chloe. Walking towards us completely fine, not a scratch in sight.

Looking beside her, I instantly ran to the figure next to her.

Reese.

"Nick! I'm so glad you're here! I couldn't text anyone since my battery died and I broke my charger when we were in New York--"

I didn't let her finish as I crashed my lips onto hers.

"Babe, what happened? You don't know how scared we were back at the house. I really thought you guys got hurt after seeing your car on TV--"

"I'm sorry, Nick. I'm sorry I got you worried," Reese said as she buried her face in my chest and hugged me tight. I didn't bother finishing what I was supposed to say and just let the moment happen. She's here and safe, and that's all I could ever ask for.

As we drove home I couldn't bring myself to let go of her hand for a second, even as she fell asleep on the passenger seat. Chloe and Jojo were sleeping on the back seat too, head on top of the other.

Apparently Reese and Chloe had gotten out of the car when the engine overheated and was lucky enough to pull over a lay-by station at the freeway near a gas station. Chloe had left her phone in the passenger seat which explains why Jojo couldn't call her phone either.

After getting someone to help them tow the car to the station, the McLaren which seemed to be out of control crashed Reese's car before they could get back to it. Luckily, the driver only sustained minor injuries and agreed to pay for the damages.

After parking on Reese's driveway, I woke up Jojo and Chloe so they could get some of their things and settle in.

"Babe, wake up. We're here." I said as I unbuckled Reese's seatbelt for her. We got the remaining things from the trunk and proceeded to walk towards their front door.

"I love you, Reese." I blurted out before Reese could touch the door.

Turning around and walking back down the steps, her eyes never left mine. Her sparkling eyes under the moonlight seemed to be for my eyes only and mine alone.

"What--"

"Reese, after what just happened, after I thought I almost lost you, I figured it out," I said.

"In those moments, I thought about how much of an idiot I was when I didn't tell you how much I love you back in New York. I thought about how I'll never get the chance to tell you if something bad happened to you today and how much I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't tell you now."

"I love you, Reese. So much," I said.

"You don't have to say it back, I just figured--"

"I love you too, Nick. More than you could ever imagine." She said as she held my hands.

And in that moment, I didn't need fireworks to show me how a dark night could look so beautiful. The only thing I need was right in front of me.