Demi's POV

Nick drove us to the hospital that the police said they'd be at. I didn't speak the entire time. I was too worried about what those sick men did to my Kenzie. I prayed to God that the police got there before they could touch her.

We got to the hospital and rushed inside. "Kenzie Lovato!" I exclaimed to the person at the front desk.

"Excuse me?" She asked confused.

"My daughter, Kenzie Lovato. Where is she?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but-"

"Mommy!" I heard a voice cut off the lady trying to talk to me.

She ran into me before my feet had the chance to move.

"Kenzie!" I yelled as I picked up her small body. She was now thirteen, but she could easily pass for eleven.

"Kenzie, we have to go in here," a female police officer directed. I carried Kenzie into the room. "I'm sorry, no visitors at this time."

"I'm her mother," I argued.

"No visitors during the examination. I'm sorry."

I was about to start a huge scene, but Nick placed his hand on my shoulder. "She's safe now," he said.

"Nick, I can't leave her in there alone."

"You know they won't hurt her," he reminded me. "We can see her in just a minute."

"She's scared to death!"

He pulled me into a hug, and it took a long time for me to relax even a little. We stayed there for quite a while. I knew he was wanting to see her, too. But I guess someone had to be rational here.

Soon, we were able to go in. As soon as she saw me, she started tearing up again, as did I. I rushed to her side and held her tightly. She hugged me back, and I kept her in my arms for as long as either of us could stand. I never wanted to let her go.

"I'm sorry, baby," I whispered.

"It's my fault. I wasn't paying attention," she said sadly.

"No, no. I'm supposed to pay attention. I'm supposed to protect you."

I felt Nick put a hand on my shoulder as I pulled out of the hug.

"Did they come in time?" I asked hesitantly.

Kenzie nodded, and I let out a breath of relief. "They're dead now," she said, looking away from me. "They're both dead." I watched as she starred into her lap. "They told me that my father had a gun on him. He shot Mark before killing himself."

There was a long stretch of silence. Neither of us knew what to say. Nick still stood quietly in the back.

"I'm glad they won't bother me anymore." She looked at me with a half-hearted smile.

Nick found his way beside Kenzie to give her a hug. She hugged back tightly. I could tell something else was on her mind.

"Nick?" Kenzie asked, pulling out of the hug.

"Yeah?" He responded.

She looked at me before looking back at him and continuing. "Will you be my Dad?"

No words had to be said. He pulled her back into a hug as tears sprung in all of our eyes.

This was moment I would never ever forget, and I'm sure the other two would hold on to it forever, as well.

The next day, Kenzie was able to come home after the police asked her several more questions.

Since we got home late, we went straight to bed. Of course, we slept in the same bed. I wasn't leaving her alone.

In the middle of the night, she woke up with a gasp. I turned on the lamp to make sure she was okay.

"Kenzie," I whispered as I pulled her in. "They're gone now. Gone for good."

"I know," she said in a weak voice.

It was going to take a long time for both of us to recover from this, just like it did when she was five.