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

Twenty One.

Bouncing back after Christmas was harder than I thought it was going to be. I hadn't expected it to take as much of a toll on me as it did. I didn't expect for it to take me out of my motivated mindset. I expected it to do the opposite completely, and force me into a highly motivated mindset, wanting to get back to them more than ever. I guess the brain has its ways of surprising you, though.

Regardless, here we are, eleven days after Christmas, five after the new year... finally getting back to a cohesive schedule, Stella and I both researching and talking about things again. Only, my research is based on a filing bin while hers is through the database. They still won't allow me a computer to do actual research.

"I'm telling you, Stella, we need to dig," I tell her, walking into the house and to the kitchen to make a post-workout smoothie before my shower.

"Addie, I get where you're coming from. It's sneaky that Charles has a son we never knew about. But it doesn't mean that he's doing this to you. We looked into him, and he seems clean, too."

"Not to butt in here, but I'm with Stells," Hope says, throwing a chip in her mouth.

"Me too," Tori agrees, nodding as she sits at the table, eating a bowl of cereal.

"Guys, Jaclyn didn't even know he existed. Isn't that weird to anyone but me?"

"Maybe they don't have a relationship," Stella shrugs. "I mean, just because he's listed as a relative, because he is, doesn't mean they're working together to take you down, Addie."

"I don't know," I shake my head. "I feel like it's weird. It's off. I know it."

"I think you're reaching for a lead because you miss the girls," Hope says bluntly.

I look at her, a brow raised.

"I do," she says, shrugging at me. "I think that you're desperate for a lead again and this is the best one you've got. I also think it's absolutely insane that you went to work out today after being in a major accident and then poisoned within a 72-hour period. It's only been two weeks."

I sigh, licking my lips and shaking my head. "Guys, exactly! I got into that accident and could've died not ten minutes after finding out about this. All of you even said you didn't think it was a coincidence. I was on my way here to tell you and I get fucking t-boned when no one was around. I swear it. No one was anywhere near that intersection when I went through and all of a sudden a car hit me and I'm unconscious in the hospital for two days with minor injuries and a severe concussion."

"And then poisoned the same day you woke up." Hope mumbles.

I shrug. "I'm fine."

"That's it?" Hope asks. "You're fine? That's all you have to say?"

I sigh. "Oh my gosh, I went to work out today, two weeks after everything happened! I'll be fine, guys, come on, focus here."

Stella rolls her eyes. "I don't think there's any more digging to be done on Charles' son."

I groan, "I- Charles has to have something to do with this. I'm sure of it."

There's a knock on the front door, making my brows furrow.

"Who the hell is here?" I ask, looking around.

"Liam," Stella says, walking out of the room and to the front door, returning only a moment later.

"Hey guys," he grins at everyone.

"Hey," Hope and Tori answer in unison.

"Hey," I greet him, obviously confused.