PROJECT ANDERSON

CHAPTER 74: ANDIE/SARGE

"Are you sure that you are going to be okay with everything going on?" Jesse asked as he placed the book on the table next to the CB.

"I have to." I said as I got up and headed towards the kitchen. "I'm going to go check on Ash."

"She's sleeping...I already checked on her before I came in here." He said as he came up behind me. "She's fine, I know you're worried about her; but she's fine."

"That's what you think, but I know better." I argued as I headed towards the hallway. "Lavender did something to her other than just injecting her with his blood...Ashley doesn't want to talk about it, but I know that something happened."

"Andie stop, you aren't going to force her to tell you what happened, because she won't fully understand." He argued back as he continued to follow me. "Just wait until all of this is over with and she might open up to you."

"I'm not going to allow him to ruin her life like he did mine." I said as I stood outside her door. "And I'm not going to make her tell me anything that she doesn't want to...I am however going to examine her."

"She won't let you...I've tried." He protested.

"No offense Jess, but you are a man and she hasn't known you that long...she's known me her whole life." I retorted softly.

"Who's fault was that?" He asked before he stormed off towards our room. "Because if I recall correctly you didn't give me a choice!"

Umm...what the hell was that, Jesse?- Steven

He was trying to protect me.- Andie

From what?- Sarge

You'll know soon enough- Jesse (sighs)

I headed after him, because I needed to know why he just exploded like that.

"Jess, what's going on with you?" I asked as soon as I entered the room.

"Would you have told me if I didn't break up with you?" He asked as he looked at the picture of me and Ash.

"I probably would have." I answered worried. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."

"Then why didn't you tell me when we were broken up?"

"Because I knew that nothing was going to change...you had already made up your mind." I sighed. "Plus I was never going to keep her."

"Not even if I wanted you to?"

"It didn't matter what I wanted or you wanted...it was about what was best for our daughter...plus they didn't really give me much of an option...I either allow them to adopt her or live on the street."

"I don't believe James would have kicked you out." Jesse defended.

"He wouldn't have, but Olivia would have...she might have been lovely in the beginning, but that all changed when my brother put a ring on her boney finger." I argued. "And I know damn well your mother wouldn't have welcomed me in with open arms." I sat down on the bed. "I know how much you wanted to be a dad and I'm sorry I took that from you when Ash was a baby, but there really was no getting around it."

"This time is going to be different...this time I am going to be there through everything." He sounded determined.

"You'll have to get me pregnant first." I laughed.

"That shouldn't be too hard now." He said with a suggestive smirk.

"Not tonight Jess." I said before pulling a envelope out of the box. "My mom kept a memory box just like this...except her's was locked, so no one could snoop around in it." I said as I unfolded the paper inside the stained envelope. "I guess that was one of the traits I got from her."