It had been two weeks since Nick had moved in. Things had been going a lot better than Jen had expected. Nick and Anthony had reall began to bond. That was the thing that surprised her the most. There was never a time when she thought that Nick would get close to Anthony.
AJ was dealing with this very well which surprised Jen as well. Jen had assumed that AJ would get sick of Nick, she had even hoped that he would, but he never did. The world as Jen knew it, or thought it to be, had changed. She was now living in a place where everything that she had ever known was being played out completely oppisite.
Jen laid in bed with the sun shinning brightly through the window. She just didn't feel like getting out of bed. AJ had come in several times and tried to pursuade Jen to come down stairs or to even just leave the bed.
AJ sighed, wondering why Jen didn't want to come down. Everything was alright as far as everyone getting along. Nick was pretty much keeping to himself and staying out of trouble.
"Hey," Nick said snapping AJ from his thoughts.
"Oh hey," AJ said watching Nick sit on the couch.
"What's up?" Nick asked noticing that there was something on AJ's mind.
"I'm just tryin to figure out what's buggin Jen."
"Oh," Nick said quietly.
"Do you know something?"
"I might. A few nights ago, I was in the kitchen and Jen had come down. We talked and she asked me if at any point in our relationship if I loved her," Nick said softly.
"You told her no didn't you?"
"Yes. I didn't want to lie to her, but I also didn't think that she would take it like this or I would have avoided the question," Nick answered.
"Shit, she doesn't need this. She's pregnant, she needs to stay calm and relaxed."
"Do you want me to talk to her?" Nick interupted.
"That's what started this whole damn thing."
"I just wanted to be honest! Did you want me to lie to her?" Nick yelled.
"Alright, alright," AJ said, "lets calm down."
"Yeah, good idea," Nick agreed.
"Maybe you should go talk to her."
"Now you want me to talk to her? I thought I started this whole damn thing."
"Nick, forget that. Come on, we've gotta make this work out. You and her gotta be able to talk."
"Yeah, alright fine," Nick said getting up from the couch and headed up the stairs. Nick opened the door and Jen looked at him.
"Hey what's wrong?" Nick asked.
"Nothing," she said turning away from him.
"Was it what happened the other night? I was just trying to be honest with you. So if that's what's bothering you, just say to yourself that it's all over now. You closed that part of your life and I'm a jerk."
"Nick, I really loved you, I still don't know why, but I really did. I thought you loved me back, but then you started to hurt me. Yet, I still stayed with you because I thought you loved me! I want to be alone because I was stupid okay?"
"You weren't stupid, you were just scared and I really gave you a reason to be scared, but AJ loves you now. He might not have said that to you, but he does. You mean a lot to him. AJ is your future."
"Do you want this baby to be yours?"
"No because I know that AJ really wants to be the father. That and I know you don't want me to be the father because then you're really stuck with me and I know being the father would just cause even more problems. Maybe not right away, but I'm sure something is gonna happen."
"But what if you are?"
"Then I'll deal with it and be a good father."
"What if it AJ's?"
"Then I'm really happy for you guys."
"Will you still stick around if this kid is yours?"
"Yes, I'm not going anywhere, that is unless you want me to."
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm not going to leave. I might have left before, but I really have changed Jen, just give me a chance to prove that to you."
"Okay good," Jen said getting up from the bed. Nick got up and left the room when she waved her hand towards the door. He headed down the stairs and into the living room where AJ was waiting.
"How'd it go?" AJ asked.
"Alright. She's coming down," Nick answered.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"What did you say to her?"
"I just apologised for what I said to her and I told her that if this baby is mine, that I wasn't going to run." AJ just sat there, not really sure what to say to Nick. There had been so many moments like this one, they had become silent with each other. They were becoming more frequent lately.
"Hey guys," Jen said softly.
"Hello Jen," AJ said, glad to see that Jen was feeling at least a little bit better. She walked over to a chair at the end of the living room and sat down.
"Why don't you come sit closer to us," Nick said.
"No that's okay. I'm fine where I am."
"Come sit next to me," AJ said tapping the empty seat on the couch.
"No, I said I was fine here."
"Okay," AJ said looking at Jen, "So how you feelin?"
"Alright, I could be better."
"Maybe I shouldn't be staying here," Nick said suddenly.
"Why not?" AJ asked.
"I've been the cause of so much shit here and I don't want things to get worse. I promise I'll be there for Anthony," Nick said.
"No, it's better you're here," Jen said, "because if you're here, we know that you'll be there for Anthony."
"I don't want to be here if I'm the reason for a ton of problems," Nick explained.
"Then don't get involved!" Jen yelled fustrated.
"Jen relax you're pregnant, you gotta stay relaxed," AJ said.
"Damn it AJ, I am relaxed," Jen yelled.
"Jen plese," Nick said.
"Shut up," Jen yelled and stormed out of the living room near tears.
"Jen hold on," AJ said running after Jen. Jen just kept walking as AJ came up behind her. He grabbed her arm, causing her to stop.
"What AJ?" she said turning to face him.
"We need to talk."
"Come on AJ," she whinned trying to leave but AJ kept him grip on her arm.
"No Jen, we have to talk. You might be hurting this baby. I have every right to be concerned because this could be my child and I don't want to lose it and I don't want to see you get hurt. So you must chill out alright? You need to stay relaxed. Also, Nick is only thrying to do what's best and you have to realize that and not give him so much shit. I know he put you through hell, in the past, but he's changed and you need to give him a second chance and I know that you feel like he doesn't desirve it, and trust me, I know the feeling, but you gotta think about Anthony. You don't want him to wonder about his father do you?"
"No but.... I don't know," Jen said crying. AJ sighed and hugged Jen.
"It's alright to be confussed. This isn't an easy situation to deal with, but you've got me, and Nick wants to help too. You just have to let us."
"I don't want Nicks help," Jen said.
"Okay then don't take it," AJ told her.
"That won't be a problem," Jen said. Nick took a deep breath, trying to keep as quiet as possible. He wasn't really surprised by what Jen felt, he had expected it from the moment he set foot in the door. He just wished she would be more honest and up front with him.
Chapter 13