Them. | The Final Installment of the Him Series | Joe Jonas Fanfiction

Four.

"Alright girls, let's go," Jessica says, opening the front door and letting both of the girls enter their home in Miami, following them both suit.

Joe follows behind the three of them, walking through the door and taking a moment to look around, finding it feeling odd to stand in one of their homes without Addison being there. He had expected to feel a little off, but it just feels downright wrong.

"Daddy, where mama?"

He turns, noticing Willa's disappointed face.

A sigh escapes his lips, taking a few steps further into the home and grabbing Willa, kneeling down to her level.

"Princess, mama's not here. Remember? Mama isn't back yet."

She pouts. "I miss mama."

"I know you do," he says, caressing her face gently. "I miss mama too, princess."

"We call mama?" she asks.

It had been something new she had started asking for.

He sighs. "Mama can't answer the phone right now, honey."

She frowns.

"Hey, Willa, honey, let's go outside and play, yeah?" Jessica says, crouching next to them.

"I want mama," she says, turning to Jessica.

"I know, sweetheart," Jessica tells her, frowning.

"Baby, go play," Joe tells her. "I'll try to call mama and see if I can get her on the phone to talk, okay?"

She nods, sadly walking away with Jessica.

Joe sighs, standing and walking over to the couch before plopping down, staring off to their wedding photo hanging.

He can't help but wish there was a book that told him what to do when your wife leaves to protect your family and your three-year-old can't help but ask for the mama she's never been away from for more than a couple of days at a time. It's been over a month, and he still has no idea what's going on, when she'll be home, or how to handle the mental struggle his daughters are going through. Although he knows why and understands why Addie can't be there with them and figure this out at the same time, it doesn't make it any easier... or less painful.

He finds himself continuing to sit in one spot, staring at their wedding photo on the wall, his mind spiraling into a world of what ifs.

What if she never comes home? What if he never hears from her again? What if she never finds answers? What if all of this was a way for her to escape them? What if she doesn't love him anymore? What if she needed an out and came up with a story to have it? What if she finds someone knew while she's gone? What if she figures out that it's the life she wanted all along and she doesn't want their family anymore? What if someone shows up with divorce papers? What if she never loved him? ... What if she dies? What if she gets hurt and losing all of her memory of them? What if she can't find answers and then doesn't come back out of fear? What if she does find answers and still doesn't come back because she's afraid he's too mad at her? What if she does find answers and doesn't come back because she feels like she missed too much, and the girls don't need her anymore? What if she doesn't come back because she thinks his family hates her now?

Joe shakes his head, trying to remove the thoughts from his mind.

You can't think like that. She's going to come home, Joe. She promised.

He lets out a sigh, rising from his place on the couch and trying to get away from the empty room... away from their wedding portrait staring back at him. He grabs the girls' suitcases, pulling them in the direction of their bedrooms, leaving Delphine's outside her bedroom door while pulling Willa's into the room, going through and placing a lot of it in the hamper, taking the tags off some of the new clothes he had gotten her while they were traveling.

He then notices the time, grabbing his phone and ordering pizza for dinner and making his way out of Willa's room, turning the light off before entering Delphine's, pulling her suitcase in with him and placing it on the floor, his eye catching the baby monitor.

He sighs, licking his lips as he wonders if he's losing his mind by even considering it. Shrugging at himself, he looks at the monitor.

"Addie," he starts, sighing. "I don't know if you're watching this or if you even get the notifications on your phone anymore... I don't know if you turned them off but." He pauses, shaking his head and chuckling. "I may be losing my mind talking to a baby monitor right now."

"We miss you, Addie. I miss you. I want you to know that I'm not mad. I was... at first. I was furious that you kept it from me," he gulps, licking his lips. "But then I thought about it. I know why you didn't. I know you were trying to protect me and my career. I know you were trying to protect me because you know I'd do everything to figure it out and let's face it, I wouldn't even know where to start. It would've driven me to insanity."

"Then again, I don't know... this may be my proof that this is driving me to insanity. Being away from you... I never thought I would have to be away from you... The night before you left," he pauses, his brain now wiring together the pieces. "You made me promise to stay present. I'm assuming you knew then that you had to leave. Why else would you make me promise?"

A pause. A scoff. A chuckle.

"Delphine's doing okay... I mean, she struggled the first couple of days. She cried a lot and she asks for you but she's easy to distract with other things, being so young. Willa's taking it harder though. She asks for you all day, every day. She's struggling and I don't know how to help her. I don't know how to explain to her that you're not home right now, but you will be. God, I hope you will be. I don't know how to make her feel better. How do I make her feel better?"

He pauses again, licking his lips for the millionth time, holding back tears.

"It's weird being in this house without you. I just stood in the doorway for like, five minutes, thinking about how wrong it feels to be here without you... Jessica is doing the best she can with the girls. I'm grateful for her, I don't think I'd be doing as well as I am without her help with them. She's in the backyard with them now, trying to tire them out before dinner and bed... Everyone thinks your off getting help for you mental health," he chuckles. "It's what everyone assumed, and I haven't had the capability to correct anyone. I don't even know what I'd say. I think it may just be better for them to think that's where you are. It would be easier than trying to explain the real reason. I don't know."

He continues, unpacking Delphine's suitcase as he does so, placing most in the hamper as he did with Willa's, taking the tags off new items and throwing them in as well.

"Anyway," he sighs as he finishes, taking out Delphine's pajamas for the night from her drawer. "I'm gonna go get ready for dinner, the girls are gonna be excited, I got pizza. But... Addie... please... be careful. Be safe. Don't be stupid. Don't jump. Think about every step you're taking. Do what you need to do, find the answers, put a stop to all of it... and come home. We miss you, my love. We need you. We always will. Please, do what you have to do but find your way home." He says, now looking at the camera. "I love you so much... so do the girls. If you end up seeing this, I'll probably have them say goodnight to you in the cameras tonight if you wanna see them... which I know you do. We love you, baby. Be safe."

He shuts off the light to Delphine's room, walking out and down the hall, feeling somewhat better... even with the idea that she might have heard any of what he just said. He's gotta hold onto that small amount of hope. Anything that'll make the day go a little easier.

**

honestly it kind of broke my heart to write this one.

comment you thoughts, i love to hear them.

all my love,

shan:)