Miss You More (A Joey McIntyre/Jordan Knight Fanfiction)

24

The first day of any tour is always the toughest. Getting everything just right and making sure the show goes on without a hitch. Amber stays on the bus with Joey most of the day. She heads out to find Joe around lunchtime.

The arena is huge. Amber's a little unsure where Joe's at right now. But if she had to guess she'd say either backstage or somewhere near or on the stage prepping. She decides to look out by the stage first so she can show Joey where Daddy works. Joey runs around the stage singing and dancing. Amber watches and laughs as he sings old New Kids songs.

Jordan comes up on the stage with Amber. "He's getting so big. His birthdays coming up soon. We should throw him a party."

"Yeah I think he'd love that."

Joey finishes his song and takes a bow. Jordan and Amber both clap for him. When he finally turns and sees Jordan he gets the biggest smile on his face. "Pops! Did you see me? Did I do good?"

"Oh yes, you did great kid." Jordan lifts his grandson up into his arms and hugs him.

Jordan and Amber sit on the stage and talk, like they haven't talked in so long. Amber feels their bond again. It makes her happy. She'd really missed him.

"Have you talked to Sarah lately?" Jordan asks curiously.

Amber bows her head, a little ashamed of what happened with she and Sarah. "No. We had a bit of a falling out."

Jordan reaches for her hand and she lays her head on his shoulder. "You want to tell me about it?"

"I was a bitch to her. I didn't like her opinion about something and I more or less told her I never wanted to talk to her again." Amber can feel Jordan looking at her, waiting for her to say more. "I called her before I got out of the hospital and she told me I shouldn't have left like I did. I should have stayed and worked out my issues with my husband. She scolded me for leaving my son. It was hurtful and made me angry, so I lashed out. I told her that she of all people shouldn't lecture me on what a mother should do. What would she know about being a mother? I said a few more really mean and hurtful things, that I'd rather not repeat, before I told her I never wanted to see or speak to her again."

Jordan isn't sure what to say. It's Amber's business and he's not trying to butt in. But at the same time he feels like he should encourage her to make things right with Sara. She's been so adamant about fixing all her other relationships.

Almost as if she can read his mind Amber says, "I regret what I said, deeply. And I want to make it right. I'm just scared to call her. It would really hurt if she didn't answer or hung up on me. I'd completely deserve it, but it would still hurt."

Jordan pulls his daughter closer to his side, squeezing her tight. "Oh baby girl, Sara loves you, with all her heart. There's no way she isn't hoping and praying you'll call. So whenever you're ready to make that call, know she will answer the phone and she will forgive you. If she hasn't already." He kisses the top of her head and they just sit there together, quietly enjoying each other's presence.

The sound of foot steps and voices pull their attention over to the left of the stage. It's Joe and Sam, they are quietly arguing and haven't noticed them sitting on the stage.

"Damnit Sam, I already told you. Now stop bringing that shit up. And don't talk about my wife anymore. To anyone. Am I clear?" Joe's angry, but he's trying to keep his voice down.

Sam's a little louder than Joe, but seems to know not to yell at him. "Joe I just don't get it. How can you go from fucking me the day before the marathon to fucking her the day of? Don't you know how that makes me feel? It makes me feel like you were using me to keep your fucking bed warm until Little Miss "Perfect" could find the time to crawl back into it. It's bullshit Joe. I deserve to be treated better than this." She's right up in Joe's face now. Amber can't tell if she's going to kiss him or spit in his face. It's making her feel very uncomfortable though.

"I'm sorry Sam. You're right you do deserve to be treated better. But you knew going into this that I loved my wife and that all I ever wanted was her back. I never led you on to believe sex between us was anything more than simply that. We agreed, we were friends who occasionally had sex. You were perfectly fine with that when it began." Joe takes a step back from her.

Tears fill Sam's eyes and her voice trembles when she speaks again. "Yeah I was fine with that, at first. But after a year of just you and I, well I thought things had changed. I thought you cared about me. You knew I loved you. You knew I'd fallen in love with you. I put your pieces back together after she destroyed you. Now she gets you back whole because of me. And all I get is a big fuck off from you. It's heart wrenching Joe. She doesn't deserve you."

Amber tries not to look at Joe right now. She's afraid of what she'll see. He's a good man and he'd never purposely hurt anyone. So she can only imagine how her words are making him feel. Amber looks at him anyway. She can see the sadness in his blue eyes. And those eyes are fixed on Sam. "Sam, please don't cry. I'm sorry I hurt you. I never meant to. You know how grateful I am that you were there for me when I needed a friend the most. I'll never forget what you did for me. But Sam you knew I'd never love anyone but Amber." Joe's trying to be as gentle as he can, but she turns on him when he says this.

"FUCK YOU JOE! You owe me more than your pathetic "I'm sorry". I'll never forgive you for doing this to me. You'll regret it. She'll break your heart again, but I won't be there for you next time. Fuck you, fuck your wife and fuck your friendship. But most of all, fuck your happiness." She pushes him out of her way and storms off.

Amber sees Joe exhale heavily and run his hands through his hair. That's when he turns and sees Amber and Jordan sitting there, both looking at him. Amber looks down at her hands in her lap. She feels like she just got caught eavesdropping on a very private and personal conversation. She stands up and takes a sleeping Joey off Jordan's lap and walks off the stage.

Jordan hops down off the stage and stops Joe when he starts to go after her. "Joe, wait a minute. Let her have a few minutes, I need to talk to you." Joe watches as Amber disappears behind the stage. He turns to Jordan but doesn't say anything. So Jordan says what he needs to say. "This girl, she needs to be let go. She's going to be a problem. If you don't want to fire her, then I will."

Joe rolls his eyes at Jordan. "She won't cause anyone but me any problems. So calm down Jordan."

"Her causing problems for you, causes problems for my daughter. I won't have it Joe. If she hurts or upsets Amber again I'll fire her, no questions asked."

Joe understands how Jordan feels, he wants to protect Amber too. "Trust me Jordan, if Sam causes any problems that effect my wife, I'll fire her. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go check on Amber."