Nate was leaning against the living room wall, but he couldn't relax. The loud music, the flashing lights, us laughing... none of that mattered. You had disappeared.

And when you disappeared, his heart shot in a way he hated to admit.

"Hey, did you see the—"

He cut his own sentence, annoyed, when one more person shrugged.

The truth was simple and desperate: he couldn't find you.

And every second without knowing where you were tore another piece of his sanity.

His jaw locked more with each step. Something inside him - the part that wanted to control you, have you, keep you close out of pure necessity - was going crazy. But there was another part too... the one that really cared. The one who wanted to make sure you were okay.

He started pushing people without any patience.

"Where the fuck is she?" - Nate shouted at the first guy who looked at him.

The big hand closed on the boy's collar.

"I asked where she is."

The boy stuttered something, but Nate had already let him go, giving up.

It was no use wasting energy with useless people.

He needed to find you.

His chest went up and down fast, his heart beating so hard that it seemed to want to break the skin. He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated, before pushing some bodies at the door and going out to the backyard.

And then he saw you.

Sitting on the step, illuminated only by the dim light of the pole.

Red eyes, face stained with tears, hands shaking.

His heart simply fell.

He had already seen you angry, he had already seen you indifferent, he had already seen you angry with him - but crying? Like this?

Never.

And that destroyed him inside.

"Shit..." - Nate murmured, his voice almost failing.

Without thinking, he knelt in front of you, his hands immediately going to hold yours, as if he needed to make sure you were there, really.

"Hey, look at me."

His tone was low, urgent, completely different from the Nate that everyone saw.

"Tell me. Please tell me what happened."

You tried to look away, but he got even closer, his thumb gently caressing your fingers - a rare thing coming from him.

"Shit, princess..." - he whispered, seeing a tear fall. - "Who did this to you?"

In his eyes there was not only anger.

I was afraid. True concern.

And a growing fury ready to explode.

"Talk to me." - his voice came out hoarse, almost broken. - "Speak before I do shit. Before I break the first idiot who crosses my path."

Tears kept running down his face and his control was hanging by a thread.

"Tell me now." - Nate asked, almost begging. - "Because if someone put a finger on you..."

He took a deep breath, his expression getting even darker.

"I swear by everything I have... I'll break up with this someone."

And he was serious.

Frighteningly serious.