Always There - Part 2 || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 247: Just Us

"W-what?" I exhaled, the only thing I could manage. It was happening again, everything he had ever wanted, and he had done it. I was thrilled for him, the look in his eye, something I hadn't seen in almost a year.

He looked.. so excited.
I couldn't take that away from him.

"I did it!" He yelled, now pulling me into a tight hug. By habit, I wrapped one arm around his neck, squeezing him tight, nuzzling my face into him. I was so proud of him, so happy for him, but.. there was still a small, selfish part of me that wanted him all to myself. And his dream entailed anything but that.

I would have to share him with the world again.

"Well, I've almost done it." He laughed, finally moving away. "I don't think Sam and Danny will need much convincing but.." and then he stopped, giving me that look he always gave me, whenever he needed something.
"But.. what?" I asked. He hesitated for a moment, holding his stare on me, I'm sure begging me to read his mind so he wouldn't have to actually ask for what he was about to ask for.

"Jake.."
"I need you to ask Josh to agree to this." He said softly. "I.. I know I've asked this of you before, but.. this is the only way and.. if he doesn't do it then.. I'm screwed. I need him, and-"
"Then I think you need to ask him." I said, knowing I had lost any of the bargaining power that I had once had. His face dropped.

"You know he won't do it for me." He said softly, avoiding my eyes as he took my other free hand. "But for you-"
"That's not fair." I said, gently pulling my hand away. "After everything that's happened, I just.. I think it needs to come from you this time. That's what would matter to him."
"Jaime, he's going to be working on your movie. He would do anything for you."
"He would've, but not n-"
"Even still."

Even if he was right, I still wouldn't be able to ask that of him. Not again. He had helped with Jake's dream his entire life, and now it was finally time to pursue his own, even if it was with me. I couldn't ask him to give that up again.

"Jake, I just-"
"This means everything to me, Jaime." He said, his eyes dropping into a somber gaze. "Please." My heart sunk. Everything. I knew that this would always be his everything, and as badly as I wanted to tell him about my new everything, I knew that now just wasn't the time.

I let out a deep sigh, gently running my fingers through his hair, my eyes moving down to his lips which instinctively curled into a subtle grin.
"You know that.. I would do anything for you." I said. "I just-" He then leaned into a gentle kiss, making my heart feel like it was going to explode. I knew what he was doing, and even still, I fell for it every time.

I knew I always would.

"And I would do anything for you, but.. this time I need you, so-"
"Fine." I sighed. "I'll do it. But you have to talk to him first. He needs to hear this from you." He was quiet, holding his stare on me before eventually nodding.
"Okay." He said, leaning into another long kiss. I kissed his back harder, having counted down the seconds until I could have him again, ever since he pulled into the driveway.

"But.. right now, maybe we could just.." He trailed off, motioning up towards my room. I bit down of my lip, feeling my cheeks burn as I nodded, taking his hand and leading him inside.

"Jaime!" My mom then called out from the kitchen. "Are you and Sam hungry? I figured-" She then stopped, now seeing Jake standing in the doorway.
"Oh, Jake. I thought-" I quickly shot her a look, waving her off. She understood.
"Sorry, my brains been all over the place these days. You know who I meant. Jake, are you hungry?" She asked. He shook his head reluctantly, seemingly not buying it.

"N-no, that's okay, thank you. Jaime and I were just.. we're gonna head upstairs, if that's alright."
"Of course, honey. I'll be down here if you guys change your mind." She said cheerfully. I avoided her eyes as I quickly guided him upstairs, shutting the door behind us. He stayed quiet, going over and plopping down onto my bed. I made my way over to my end table, carefully placing the flowers within the empty vase. It had been so long since I had had fresh flowers in my room; I missed the strong floral scent in the air, always reminding me of the one who gave them to me.

"That was weird." He muttered, propping his head up onto his hand, watching as I crawled over next to him.
"What was weird?" I asked, cuddling close. I knew exactly what he meant.
"Why would she think I was Sam?" I felt my heart start beating faster.
"You know how she's been lately, I'm sure it was nothing." He nodded, staying quiet.

"So.. if this all works out.." I said, now trying my best to change the subject. "When do you think you'd be leaving?" I felt him shrug, now wrapping his arm around my stomach, cuddling his face into my neck. I held him tight, suddenly appreciating every second I had with him that much more.

I knew I couldn't handle going through how I felt the last time he was away, but in what world would I be able to go with him, and work on my movie, and be pregnant on top of all of that? I'm sure he'd want to be as involved as he could be, so now everything was just starting to feel.. impossible.

There was no way we could all get what we wanted.

"Well, that's one good thing about all of this. I think that it'll pretty much be during the same time you'd be making your movie, so we'd both be preoccupied but.. then when you're all done and I come home, I can come to you and I can see everything you've done and.. well, it'll be much better than you having to sit at home all alone like last time."

No matter what we were doing, I hated the idea of us being apart any longer. We had waited what felt like our entire lives, and now what was the most exciting thing was happening to us, and he still didn't know. How was I even supposed to tell him something like that with all of this about to happen for him?

Despite having prayed for this for months, this couldn't have been worse timing. And when I did tell him, because.. I had to, it should be.. big, and exciting, because that's what he deserved. I still regretted how I ran out on him the day he confessed to wanting a family, something I never imagined I would hear him say, let alone with me, but now it was happening.. and he deserved the world.

And Sam was right, no matter what, my baby deserved to know who their real father was, and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't dreamt of what it would be like for him and I to finally have a family together.

But as far as he was concerned, right now, it was just us. He wasn't leaving yet, and there was no baby. There was only us, and I wanted to enjoy that for as long as possible.

I gradually moved my hands into his hair, tangling my fingers within, gently massaging the top of his head, slowly making their way down. I felt him let out a deep sigh, his grip on me getting tighter as his lips moved up my arm, making their way to my neck where I felt the gentle curve of his eager grin.

"You know I don't need much convincing." He giggled, leaning into a passionate kiss. I couldn't help but smile, kissing him back harder as I climbed over, pressing my weight onto him. He let out a gentle moan, his hands moving to my waist, as they carefully grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it over my head.

"I don't think I've seen you like this since our wedding." He giggled, staring up at me in a lovestruck gaze. I playfully rolled my eyes.
"That wasn't our wedding." I sighed, as badly as I wished it was.
"Well, you could've fooled me with the way you were on me." He joked, his smile growing into a giddy grin.
"Jake!" I laughed, playfully hitting him. But he reached up, pulling me back into a passionate kiss, and suddenly I was putty in his hands, electrifying me from the inside out. I slowly moved my hands down his chest, stopping at his pants, unbuttoning them when he quickly reached around my end table, frantically looking for my radio.

But he found something else.

"Jaime?" He asked. "What's this?" I sighed, moving away only to see him now holding up the pregnancy test.