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

39

Joe sits next to Amber as they watch their baby on a screen in her doctor's office. He holds her hand and can't keep a couple of tears from falling down his cheeks.

"Would you like to know the sex?"

Amber and Joe both look up at the doctor, then at each other. They smile at one another. "Well Daddy, do you want to know?"

"Of course I want to know, but I can wait if you want to babe."

Amber laughs, "No. I don't want to wait. Let's find out." Amber looks up at her doctor and nods. He moves the device around on her belly until he gets to the perfect spot. "Well you two let little Joey know he's going to have to be a good boy and share his toys with his baby brother." Amber's ecstatic, she'd wanted another boy. Joe's happy of course, but he's a tad bit disappointed, he'd really wanted a daughter to spoil. He'd secretly already bought a couple of really cute onesies that said "Daddy's Girl" on them. But he'd be happy with with whatever as long as it was healthy.  "Another boy in the house. You're going to be really outnumbered now Mama."

"I know. I can't wait." Her smile is so infectious, Joe finds his cheeks aching by the time they walk out of the doctor's office.

As they walk out of the building her doctor's in, they hold hands and giggle about what boy's names they like. Joe loves how happy Amber is. And he's overjoyed that she and their son got a clean bill of health to go on the cruise with him. "So I was wondering if you'd kick off Duets at Dusk with me this year?"

Before she can answer his question though, "Hey you two. Amber I didn't know you had an appointment today. Hi Joe, how are you? Ready for the cruise?"

"Hi Sam. I'm doing good. How are you? Do you have a doctor's appointment today?" Joe takes a good look at Sam and be can see what Amber meant by she didn't look good. She looked way too thin. Her hair looked a little dirty and was pulled up in a messy bun. She looked really pale too. He became immediately concerned and worried about her.

"Yeah just a routine check up." She barely looks at Joe when she answers him. "I better go, I don't want to be late. It was really good seeing you, both."

Joe looks at Amber, then back at Sam. "You mind if I tag along?"

Sam smiles, "That'd be great. If you're not busy."

Amber speaks up next, "He's definitely not busy today. Please take him off my hands for a little while. I've got a few errands to run this morning and he'd only slow me down. Besides it's time he see you two's little one on screen. I want a picture for the frig too."

Sam seems genuinely happy to hear Amber say this. "I'd like that too."

"Good then it's settled. Sam can help me figure out how to get Amber to agree to one of the baby names I like. It's between Grant, Cooper and Frank." Joe smiles and winks at Amber. She just rolls her eyes. "Sam please don't encourage any of those names."

"So you're having another boy? That's great, congratulations. Well Joe if you're coming with me we better get going. Thanks again Amber."

As soon as Amber walks away and Joe's alone with Sam he feels the uncomfortableness sink back in. He does his best to push it away. Sam can tell though. "Look Joe, you don't have to do this. I know you don't want this baby. I'd have to be stupid not to know that. I also know you're too nice of a guy to say it to me. But I'd understand. And I wouldn't hold it against you. Hell I wouldn't even hold you responsible. If you want to relinquish your rights and have nothing to do with us, it's okay."

Before he can even think about it the nurse calls them back. And it's all such a whirlwind of activity that before he knows it he's sitting in the same spot he was when Amber was on that same table. The doctor comes in and says hello to Sam, then his eyes meet Joe's. But he remains ever the professional and doesn't say anything.

When their baby comes on the screen Joe can't help but think about how he can't tell the difference between the baby on the screen now and the baby that was on the screen earlier. They looked the same to him.

"Do you want to know the sex?"

Sam looks at Joe and he tells her it's up to her. "Yeah I want to know."

"Looks like you're having a girl. Congratulations." Joe's heart leaps. A girl. He can't stop the smile from  spreading across his lips. A little girl. He'd wanted a little girl so badly. And here she is, his daughter. Joe can't take his eyes off his daughter. "Could you print us out a couple of pictures of our little girl?" Sam's eyes fill with tears when she hears him say "our little girl". It's the first time he's acknowledged they were having a baby together. Hell Sam thinks it's the first time he's acknowledged the baby at all.

"Wow, a little girl. Don't get me wrong having a son is great, but there's just a special place in a Dad's heart for a little girl. I remember how my Dad was with each one of my sisters. He had this special bond with each one of them. All seven. Dad loved his daughters fiercely. He loved Tommy and me too. But we were Mama's boys. I always admired Dads relationships with my sisters, I always wanted to have that someday. Now I'm going to."

Joe gets this faraway look in his eyes and Sam can't help but stare at him. He's got this look on his face that she can't describe as anything other than beautiful. Sam finally laughs and pulls Joe out of his thoughts. "You still with me Joe?"

"Yeah I'm right here with you both. Sam I'm sorry I've been such a dick to you." Joe tells her as he moves his hand over onto her tiny belly. Sam puts her hand on top of his. "Joe, it's okay. I understand."

"No Sam it's not okay. I've treated you terribly. You're one of my best friends and I owe you so much more than this. I promise things will be different from here on out. You and our little girl won't ever want for anything. I'm going to be more involved. Now let's go celebrate. Maybe do some baby shopping?"

Sam isn't sure what to think about Joe's new attitude towards her and the baby, but she likes it. She hopes this is how it'll always be. Deep down Sam wishes Amber was here with them. She's grown to really like Amber and to depend on their friendship. She's beginning to see what Joe loves so much about her. Sam realizes Joe was right all along, Amber is an amazing person. "We should call Amber and have her and Joey meet us for lunch. We should celebrate as a family."

Joe smiles, thinking, Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Maybe we can make our blended family a happy one.

For the first time, in several months, Joe feels optimistic.