After All (A Jordan Knight/Joe McIntyre Fanfiction)

46

Jordan sits patiently and calmly listens as Joe tells him about what happened with Sam. He reminds himself to listen as a friend, not as his wife's father.

"Wait, I thought Sam was a lesbian? Doesn't she have a wife? How did this even happen? It had to be more than just alcohol."

"Honestly, I was upset with Amber. She'd accused me of cheating and that had really hurt me. So I was hurt, angry and extremely drunk. I'd also been very lonely since Amber had left the tour. I missed her so much. It was a very bad combination for me. And Sam was there, being a good friend, taking care of me in my totally drunken state. She was just helping me to bed. Apparently she took my shoes off and when I took off my jeans, I wasn't wearing any underwear." Joe just shrugs.

"Are you saying one look at you naked and this lesbian decided she had to have dick? She decided to just change her whole life? Don't be ridiculous Joe. There's got to be more you're not telling me."

"Of course that's not what I'm saying. I found out later that she hasn't always been a lesbian. She used to like men. She used to love men. She was married to a man before. He hurt her, she met her wife after her marriage ended and they fell in love. She never stopped liking men, she was just in a relationship with a woman. She said seeing a naked man for the first time in five years made her remember how much she liked sex with men. We got carried away. But we stopped before we did anything we couldn't take back. Jordan I won't lie, I find Sam extremely attractive. If not for Amber, I would have fucked Sam all night. She's almost the perfect woman. The one thing she lacks, she's not Amber. I only want Amber. Now and always. She's the love of my life. I can't begin to know how I'll live without her. I need your help."

"Hey Joe, we need to talk." Jared, the New Kids manager, says as he approaches them. "Have you seen TMZ today? They published a story about you."

Joe laughs, it's been years since there'd been any tabloid stories about him. He couldn't imagine what bullshit story they were telling on him. "About me? Really?"

"Yeah about you and Amber. Looks like someone found out Amber had the baby. And your absence has been noticed." Joe's face gave away how much this bothers him. He hates Amber  being dragged into it. Joe looks at Jordan, he doesn't look very happy either. "There's more Joe. They also published photos of you. With another woman, drinking together at a bar and looking very close." Joe laughs, "Well those can't be real. Show me. Let me see  the story."

Joe feels sick to his stomach when he sees the story. The headline alone is enough to make him want to throw up.

Pop Sensation delivers baby boy; Pop Star husband is a no-show

Joe cringes when he sees the photos  just under the headline. It's a picture of Joe and a pregnant Amber, Joe's hand on her baby bump. But the picture is made to look like it's ripped in half, right between the two of them. "Fucking bastards."

Joe scrolls through the article. It mentions that Amber gave birth to a healthy baby boy in Queens, New York. "Looks like Amber's been staying in Queens. I'm betting with Sara Beth. Jordan did you know this?"

Jordan thinks about how many times he'd talked to Sara and how she lied to him. She'd known all along where Amber was, she was with her. Anger began to burn in Jordan's gut. "I had no idea Joe. I asked Sara so many times if she'd heard from Amber. She told me no every time."

The next thing Joe sees on the page are pictures of him and Sam the night they'd gotten so drunk together. "Holy shit. Jordan these look so bad. TMZ is making it look like I was out with Sam having an affair while my wife was giving birth. Fuck this is bad J. I have to go find Amber. If she sees this she'll think it's true, she'll think I had an affair."

The next day Jordan goes with Joe to Mount Sinai in Queens. The nurse on the OB/GYN floor almost falls over when she sees Jordan and Joe. She's a fan, a big fan. She's very helpful, taking them to Amber's room herself.

To say Amber's surprised to see them both is an understatement. She's in her bed, feeding the baby. She's not expecting anyone, so to look up from her son to see her husband and father is a shock.

Joe can't take his eyes off them. It's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. "Hello beautiful."

Amber pulls a blanket up over herself and the baby. "Joe. Hi. This is a surprise. Aren't you still on tour?"

"Amber you're more important than any tour. I mean you are my wife and you gave birth to my son. Where else would I be? I should have been called as soon as you went into labor. I should have been given the choice to see my son come into this world. But instead I had to find out where you were from the internet." Joe tries to calm himself, he's mad and he's hurt but he doesn't want to fight with Amber. He just wants to be a family with his wife and son. He really just wants to hold his son right now. "Can I see my son? I'd really like to hold him." Amber feels terrible for keeping Joe in the dark about everything. She knows he's right, he should have been allowed to be here when be was born. She visibly softens towards him.

"Of course you can hold him. He's been pretty anxious to meet you. He's also been wondering what his name is." Joe moves over to her side and she hands him the baby. Joe's heart swells with love. He's already in love with this little guy. "What do we name such a perfect little boy? I mean is there even a name for such perfection?" He looks at Amber just long enough to see the tears in her eyes. "I think there is such a name, Joseph."

"So what do you think would be a good enough name for our beautiful and perfect son?"

"Joseph."

"What?"

"I think the only name good enough for our beautiful son is Joseph."