A Few Days Later

"I should wait outside for him. He's not gonna know-"
"Jess, you can't be outside alone anymore. You've seen how crazy they've gotten." Jake said, grabbing my shirt, gently pulling me back towards him.
"Then come and wait with me." I said, peeking out the window. I heard him sigh. He was right. If it was bad with me, I knew it would only be worse if he went out too.

The line was already wrapped around the venue and the show didn't even start for a few hours. I couldn't believe how much it was growing, day by day. I'd completely avoided the internet all together so who knew what was happening online. Jake kept me updated here and there, but I knew he left a lot out. I could tell.

But I was thankful.
It was for the best that I didn't know.

"Why doesn't he.. come to the bus?" He asked reluctantly, staring up at me with concerned eyes. I could tell he wasn't any more thrilled about today than I was, but it needed to happen. Things couldn't keep happening with us without my dad knowing about it. The longer it went on, the worse it was going to be, so it was best to just fill him in now.

"You know he's gonna kill me, right?" Jake said softly. I sighed, sitting down next to him, wrapping my arm around him. His lips curled into a gentle smile.
"He's not gonna kill you." I laughed, running my fingers through his hair. His hands moved to my waist, pulling me closer. "He's definitely not gonna be happy but.. he's not gonna kill you. I won't let him." I leaned in, gently kissing his cheek. His smile grew.

"He didn't even want us living together, Jess.. how do you think he's gonna react when he finds out you're.." He caught himself, his eyes getting wide. "You know.."
"I can't not tell him, Jake."
"I know, it's just-"
"It'll be okay." I said, pulling him into another kiss. I felt his hand move up to my cheek, kissing me back. "I love you so much, and I am so excited for our family, but.. I want what I have left of mine too." He nodded, holding his stare on me.
"Okay.."

I got up, looking back out the window.
"They're starting to gather around the bus again." I sighed, feeling my heart start to beat faster.
"I do not want you going outside." Jake said sternly. Ever since we left the doctor's office, Jake had become more and more protective over my every move, never once letting me out of his sight, but I didn't mind. Whatever made him feel better about everything. It wasn't the worst thing in the world to have him around me all the time. That was really all I wanted.

"I think I see him." I muttered, trying to look past the crowd of people now surrounding the bus. Jake quickly got up, looking out. I could see his face drop.
"I.. I can go get him.. if you want." He said softly.
"Thank you."

He nodded, pulling me into a quick kiss before heading for the steps. I watched as everyone outside excitedly gathered around the door, just waiting for it to open. I understood they were excited but.. it wasn't fair that he couldn't even leave his home, technically, without getting mobbed. He peeked back at me, giving me a subtle smile before heading out.

Jake's P.O.V

I was met with piercing screams as I opened the bus door, flashing them all a smile as I looked around, trying to find Jess' dad. Finally I spotted him near the doors of the venue.
"Hey guys, I.. um.. I promise, I'll be back out in a little bit, okay? I just.. have something to do right now, but I swear I'll get to everyone."

A few of them leaned over, taking photos anyway and insisting on still shoving things into my face for me to sign. I felt my heart beat faster, unsure of what to do, so I quickly signed whatever was in front of me and made my way out of the group, heading over to the venue.

My body when cold when he finally turned to face me, his face stern, already angry. Though, it had always looked like that. I held my stare on him, trying my best not to let my nerves show, but I knew he could tell. I held my hand out for him to shake, but instead I was met with silence, his hands staying shoved into his pockets. I nodded.

"Okay.. um.. before we go back.." I started. He raised his eyebrows at me. "This.. this is really important to her. So.. for her sake, can we at least pretend to get along." He stayed quiet, holding his glare on me, eventually nodding.
"Okay." I said, motioning back to the bus.

He silently followed me, making sure to stay a few steps behind. This was excruciating. I guided him back through the groups of people that remained outside of the bus. He looked around confused, following me up the steps. I couldn't help but smile, seeing Jess' face light up as she ran over, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. His face finally relaxed, a smile somehow managing to appear on his rigid face.

"Hi Sweetie." He said cheerfully, holding her tight. I hung back, letting them have their time together.
"Hi Dad." She said, her grip getting tighter. "Thank you for coming." He nodded.
"Of course." He sighed. "Alright, now what do you need to talk to me about?"

My stomach dropped. I guess we were going to get right into it. Jess looked back at me, her face dropping. I really hoped she wasn't expecting me to be the one to tell him.

"Dad, um.." She started, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the couch. He stared back at her, his face dropping as he sat down. "Dad.. Jake and I.. we're.. we're engaged." She said, a soft smile escaping her lips. My heart dropped as his eyes got wide. He was quiet, now looking down at her hand. She hesitated, but eventually held it up to him. She was so happy, and I really hoped he didn't say anything to take this away from her.

"You're engaged." He finally said, his eyes slowly moving back to me. My cheeks burned, but I did my best to maintain eye contact, no matter how grueling it was. She nodded, her smile growing. He was quiet again. If he was angry about this, then he was in for a rude awakening when she told him the rest of our news.

"I think Jake and I need to talk." He finally said, getting up from the couch. She quickly turned back to me as my body went cold.
"Okay." I managed, nodding.

He made his way over, pushing past me and going into the back room. I quickly looked back at Jess, my eyes going wide, praying that we hadn't left anything out that would only make this situation that much worse.
"I'm sorry." She mouthed to me, biting down on her lip. I shrugged, giving her a gentle smile before following him back, closing the door behind us. He had already started looking around, admiring the decorations that of course I still hadn't taken down. I could only hope they would work in my favor.

"So, is this your room?" He asked. I leaned back against the door, awkwardly shoving my hands into my pockets.
"This is Jess' room." I said, avoiding his eyes.
"Just hers?" My face felt like it was on fire.
"Well-" He nodded, looking away again. I guess that was the only answer he needed.
"And did you do this for her?"
"Mhm.."

He made his way over to her end table, picking up one of the cards, reading through it.
"Sam?" He asked, placing it back down. I sighed. Of course he picked up Sam's card.
"Yeah, um.." He turned away, continuing throughout the room. God, how I wished this conversation was happening anywhere but here.

"Are we gonna talk about this?" I finally asked. He turned back, now smirking at me.
"You in a rush?" I shook my head, feeling my cheeks burn.
"No, I just.. I feel like we have a lot to talk about." I went over and sat down on the bed, staring back up at him.

"Okay, then let's talk." He said simply. "You asked me for my blessing, and I said no. And you asked her to marry you anyway. And you told her about the conversation we had-"
"I don't keep anything from her. I.. I had to tell her, I couldn't let her think that.. that's how I felt. I never wanted to leave her. I love her. I love her more than anything, and.. doing that killed me, I.. I never should have done that. But I need you to know, I would never hurt her. I'm.. gonna spend the rest of my life making sure that she's happy, and I will do anything for our family, she-"
"Woah, your family? Don't get ahead of yourself." He said, cutting me off. My stomach dropped, my mind now racing.

"Jess is pregnant." I blurted out. My eyes got wide, instantly regretting it as the words left my mouth. How I wished I could grab them and pull them back in. That was not at all how he should have found out.

His eyes went wide, his face slowly starting to turn the deepest shade of red. I bit down on my lip, holding my stare on him, just anticipating whatever was coming to me, which more than likely was going to be a punch to the face. I wouldn't blame him. If some guy told me he got my daughter pregnant, I'd probably react the same way.

But he didn't.

"Jess is pregnant?" He said softly. I hesitated, but eventually nodded. He was quiet, now coming over and sitting next to me on the bed. I felt like I was going to be sick.
"You knocked up my daughter? Is that why you proposed?" He finally asked. I shook my head.
"No." I said, looking over at him. "I proposed before it happened. I love her.. so much. And.. we are so happy. And I can't wait for us to be a family."

"I'm her family." He said. My heart sunk. "You're .. just the next guy she got way too involved with way too fast after finally having the courage to leave that nightmare. She thinks you're great, because you're not Travis, and hey, in anyone's book that would make you great, but Jake.. you have no idea what she's been through. Maybe she told you a little bit, but I lived it. And I cannot go through that again with her. I won't, and I will do everything in my power to make sure she never goes through that again. And.. I've seen and heard enough about you, enough to worry. And now, my baby.. is having a baby? How in the hell do you expect to raise a child living on a bus?"

"By the time she's due, the tour will be over, and we have our apartment, and-"
"And then what about the next tour? You're just gonna leave her at home? You get to run off and continue living out your dream, but now her's is over." I looked away, feeling my heart sink.
"I would never leave her. I would do whatever she wanted."
"You say that now, until the time comes."
"I.. wasn't the only one who wanted this. She wanted this too. I.. I didn't make her do anything she didn't want to do." He rolled his eyes, getting up from the bed.

"Look.." I sighed. "I know you don't like me, but it would mean the world to her if you were involved. So.. just, please. For her. She has me, and she has my family, but it's not the same. She.. she doesn't have her mom, you know this, not how she needs her, but she has you.. so just.. please." He stayed quiet, holding his glare on me as he opened the door.

"I will always be there for her, but I was really hoping that she would've been smarter than this.. and picked Sam."

My heart shattered, and of course as he made his way out into the main area of the bus, everyone else was staring back at me.