xxPUSHiNG me away {NiCKjonas],, 01

- - - Joe's P.O.V. - - -

When Vanessa had fallen asleep leaning against him, Joe hadn't wanted to get up and wake her. He simply settled into a comfortable position. Once, when he was half-asleep, he felt Vanessa slip her hand into his. He wasn't sure if it was a reflex or if she was dreaming of if she was half-asleep and thought he was Nick. Either way, he wasn't complaining. Once he got used to having her much smaller hand in his, he fell asleep.

He could have sworn he heard somebody open his door, but decided that he'd dreamt it. When he finally started to wake up, Vanessa was also stirring. She sat up and rubber her eyes with her free hand. She looked down to see that they were holding hands and instantly let go.

"Sorry," she muttered, blushing. "I must have done that in my sleep...or something."

Joe stretched his arms above his head and yawned widely. "S'okay."

Vanessa laid back against him again and asked, "Did we stay like this all night?" She covered her mouth to stiffle a yawn.

"Dunno. I guess." Joe shrugged. "I'm surprised I didn't accidentally fall off the couch and take you down with me or something."

Vanessa giggled. "Me too. I forgot that I have to worry about my safety when I'm around you."

He smiled. "Yeah. DJ Danger and what-not."

That was when Kevin appeared in the doorway, stretching, yawning, and rubbing his eyes all at once.

"Way to multi-task, buddy," Vanessa smiled.

Joe laughed and then turned it into a couch when kevin glared at them.

"Did you guys sleep like that?" he asked sleepily, waving his arm in their general direction.

"Uh-huh," Vanessa answered him.

"Oh. Okay, um...cool." Kevin shrugged and started to walk away. Joe distinctly heard him mumble, "Crazy freaking teenagers." Joe rolled his eyes; it wasn't like Kevin was much older than them. He was twenty, for God's sake. He'd said "teenagers" as if referring to toddlers. Joe himself was eighteen and Vanessa was fifteen - well, now sixteen. They were hardly little kids. Kevin had developed a habit of acting like the adult in the house when he'd turned twenty. It was somewhat annoying.

"You're a loser, Kev!" Vanessa shouted, laughing. Joe grinned. She was a lot better now than she'd been last night when she'd first run into his room. It had been her and Kevin trying to make him feel better, and then had suddenly been flipped to him and Kevin taking care of her. She'd been crying and it was horrible to watch. She'd tried to explain - something about Nick and Miley kissing? - but Joe still wasn't sure exactly what had gone down. One thing was certain: whatever Nick had done to make Vanessa that way made Joe really want to hurt his younger brother.

"Can I ask you what happened last night?" he asked her.

Vanessa shifted her body nd leaned against him, pulling the sheets off the floor and covering their legs with it. She played with the frayed edge for a moment before turning so she could look straight at him. "Sure. Yeah, okay."

She recounted the whole story while looking at him, her eyes watering more and more with each word she uttered. As she finished, a small tear escaped her eye and slid down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, but not fast enough that Joe hadn't seen it.

"Don't cry over him," he told her. "If he doesn't love you, he's not worth it."

Vanessa nodded. "I know. Easier said than done, you know? But I'm fine. I'll be fine."

"I hope so."

She nodded, then asked seriously, "Now can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Why did our prank upset you so much?"

"I don't know." Joe sighed, even though he did know. "I guess I didn't like thinking of you with Nick like that."

She tilted her head to one side in confusion. "Why not?"

Joe hesitated. He wasn't sure if he was totally ready to just come out and tell her. But now was as good a time as any, seeing as she was looking like she was ready to get over Nick. She seemed to really want to get over him.

So he kissed her. About ten seconds later, when they parted, he said quietly, "That's why."