After All (A Jordan Knight/Joe McIntyre Fanfiction)

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"Joe!! What the fuck man, did you cheat on my daughter?"

Joe turns around just as Jordan gets to him. Without any warning Jordan swings and catches Joe right in the nose. Joe falls back onto his ass. Jon and Danny grab Jordan, while Donnie goes to Joe's side. Jordan's trying to get away from Danny and Jon, yelling at Joe. He's like a madman.

"What the fuck Jordan? I think you broke my nose. What is your problem? Of course I didn't cheat on Amber. Who told you that bullshit?" Donnie's squeezing Joe's nose trying to stop the bleeding.

"Amber told me. She told me Joe. I heard it straight from your pregnant wife's mouth. When was the last time you talked to your wife Joe? Do you even know where she is? Or how she is?" Jordan finally calms down enough that Danny and Jon let him go. He sits down. Donnie helps Joe up, thinking he'll go sit down too. But he launches himself at Jordan. He gets one good punch in before Danny and Donnie grab him and pull him off Jordan. "Fuck you Jordan. Stay out of my business with my wife. It doesn't concern you. My wife is fine, if she wasn't I'd have heard from James and Susan."

Jordan's eye is starting to swell a little and it hurts like hell. "James and Susan haven't spoken to her since right after she caught you with another woman on your bus. She wouldn't tell them where she was. She's not at home and she won't answer the phone for them. So tell me again that your wife is okay. I can't believe you haven't tried calling her in almost two months. She's fucking pregnant Joe. You're a fucking dick man. I never should have given you my blessing."

Jordan and Joe don't speak the rest of the night. They do their show, flawlessly. But they have nothing to say after the show. Jordan's words got to Joe though. He was right, Joe was being a dick by not calling Amber. He began to feel horrible. The thought of Amber leaving him terrified him. Not knowing where or how she was doing terrified him more. Joe had to get in touch with her. He frantically calls her phone, it goes straight to voice-mail. "Amber, babe I'm so sorry I haven't called you. I'm sorry I've been so stubborn. Please know I love you more than life itself. You are my everything, my whole world. I hope you can forgive me. Please call me back and tell me you're okay and that our son is okay. I miss you, and I love you so much."

Joe starts to worry. He tries calling Susan next. She tells him that she hasn't heard from her and has no idea where she's been staying. Joe wants to call Sara Beth but doesn't have her phone number. Joe shallows has pride and goes to find Jordan.

When Joe finally finds Jordan, he's with Jon, they're looking at his phone. "Hey J, can I get Sara's number?"

Jordan looks up from his phone, he's got tears in his eyes but he's got the biggest smile on his face. "Congratulations Joe. He's beautiful."

Joe's confused, "Congratulations on what?"

"Your son." Jordan hands Joe his phone. Joe's breath catches in his throat. He's looking at a picture of a very little baby in a box, tubes in his nose, and wires attached to his chest. "No, it's too soon. He's not due for another five weeks. I'm supposed to be home for this. Wait, why did you get this picture, but I didn't even get a phone call to let me know Amber was in labor." He looks back at the picture. His son. His beautiful, perfect son. "What hospital are they at? I need to be there with Amber. I need to see my wife and son." Joe quickly forwards the text to himself, then hands Jordan his phone back.

Jordan shakes his head, "I have no idea where they are. Sara won't tell me. I'm sure she wasn't supposed to send me that picture either. I can ask Sara again though."

"Let me try talking to her J. What's her number?" Jordan gives it to him and Joe immediately calls her. To his surprise, she answers. "Hello."

"Sara Beth, it's Joe. How's Amber? Is she okay? Can I talk to her? How's the baby?" Joe's talking so fast. He wasn't sure she'd stay on the phone with him. "Joe, Joe slow down. Amber's doing fine, she's tired and probably sore, but she's a trooper. The baby, he's great. Just a tad bit small but otherwise perfect. He just got here a little too early. Now Joe I'm going to be honest with you, I'm not sure she'll talk to you. She's pretty mad. But I'll take her the phone, I'm not promising anything."

There's a long pause, Joe can hear Sara's walking, then he thinks he hears the squeak of a door. "Amber, Joe's on the phone." "I do not want to talk to him." "Amber, you said you'd talk to him if he called, well he called. So here, talk to him."

He hears a heavy sigh, but that's all he hears. "Amber? Babe, are you there? Amber please talk to me, tell me how you are. Please." The pleading in his voice is too much. She's an emotional mess. Her hormones are all over the place. Part of her wishes Joe was here with her now and part of her hates him for not calling her before now. "I'm fine Joe. Just really tired. It's been a very long day." She doesn't say anything else. She has so much she wants to say, but right now isn't the right time. "Joe?"

"Amber, I'm so sorry. I should have called sooner. But I was upset."

Amber interrupts him, "Joe not now. This is not the time. If you want to discuss our son, we can discuss that. But everything else will have to wait."

Joe's heart sinks, he's afraid he's really fucked everything up. "How's our son doing? Tell me about him."

"He's perfect Joe. He's small, but not too small. Oh Joe, he's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I just want to hold him, but they won't let me yet." Amber starts to cry softly. "Joe I've got to go."

"Wait, Amber, where are you? I'll be there tomorrow. Just tell me where you are."

"I can't Joe. I don't want you here." She says this through her sobs. Before she hangs up, in a whisper so low, Joe almost misses it, she says, "I'll always love you Joseph."

Then she's gone. Leaving Joe confused and unsure. He doesn't know what to do. He knows she needs her space, she's been through a lot. And he wasn't there for her. She may never forgive him for that. Truth be told, he hadn't been happy about her getting pregnant. He wasn't ready for a child yet. He'd wanted more time with his wife, on the road, touring together. He'd wanted more time, just the two of them. So he'd pulled away from her some. And when she left the tour, he had found another woman to explore the cities with.