Everlasting Love

everlasting love [2:02]

**JJ's POV**

I was sitting across from Samantha, watching her eating her chocolate chip pancakes and drinking her third cup of coffee already. 

"I'm sorry that's it's no Starbucks- but it's decent coffee right?" I asked her while smirking over at her. 

She glared back at me, "Coffee is coffee babe. Either way I'm gonna drink a crap ton of it."

It was currently 6 am and my flight to Houston leaves in 6 hours- it didn't feel like today was the day I was leaving, but it was finally beginning to hit me that I wasn't going to live in Wisconsin anymore and I wasn't going to see Samantha as much. Not that were seeing each other all of the time now- it was just going to be even harder than college was. 

"What do you think about moving down to Houston with me?" It just came out of my mouth before I even thought about it in my head. 

She put her coffee down and just looked over at me, looking a little confused and a little shocked that I had just asked that. 

"Move to Houston? Well that's one hell of a commute to my job in New York don't you think?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. 

"Well I mean, I can support you now. I guess, I mean if I actually make it in the NFL."

Now she looked at me like I had to be kidding. "Look, JJ- I appreciate the offer for you to 'take care of me' now, but I've made enough money to live pretty comfortably for the next 20 or so years thank you very much! But, at the same time- do you know how much backlash I would get if I retired now and followed you to Houston? I can see it now, 'Samantha just like her dead beat mother: Quits Broadway at young age for guy!' It would be a nightmare. But, if I'm being honest with you right now- I have been thinking about slowing down this next year. I mean, let's face it...I've been doing this for like 15 years already! Most people retire after 15-20 years right? So how about we make this deal; we'll give each other a year. You work on actually getting a solid foot in the NFL and I'll think about possibly retiring from Broadway while enjoying the shows I am doing now."

I reached out my hand to shake hers to make the deal. She had a good point. I was probably going to live with a bunch of the other recruits anyways and get a house next year. 

"You better come to see me whenever you can though!" I said to her. "And then I'll come see you once the season is over."

"Deal."

***

It was 2 hours before my flight left and I was standing there looking at my whole family- it felt like my feet weighed 2,000 pounds and I couldn't move my feet. They were stuck. My mother came at me first, hugging me as hard as she could. 

"You be a good boy and work hard, okay? We'll come and see you as soon as we can." she said to me. 

Both of my younger brothers gave me a hug at the same time and dad followed, clasping my shoulder and then hugging me. 

Then I looked over and saw my girl, her beautiful blue eyes getting all teary and I walked over to her, kissing the top of her head and then hugging her. 

"Don't cry baby- we've done this before. Hell, we just spent 4 years away from each other." I told her. I could hear her muffled tears as she spoke into my tshirt. 

"I know! That's why I'm so sad that I'm losing you again." 

She looked up at me and then back down at my shirt where she had gotten some of her mascara on my shirt. "I'm sorry!" she frantically began trying to wipe it away, but it was only a little spot and no one would notice really. "I didn't mean to cry all over you!'

I grabbed her face and made me look up at my face and then kissed the tip of her nose. "Listen to me, I love you and you're perfect. Please don't worry about the makeup- I'll keep looking at it to remind me of you. Remember what I told you the day I left for college? This isn't goodbye- it's a see you later babe." 

She smiled up at me, bottom lip quivering again and hugged me. "I love you. I'll see you soon."

This was definitely one of the hardest days of my life. I was half way down the terminal when I looked back at my family one last time. But I knew this had been my ultimate goal in life and I couldn't let my family down now. 

The flight was quick and when I finally landed I was standing there wearing a Texans shirt waiting for my luggage to come across the belt when some older man standing next to me turned in my direction. 

"Think they've got a chance this year?" he said gesturing to the Texans logo on my shirt. 

I chuckled to myself and responded, "Yeah, I hope so." was all I could say. 

"Yeah, hopefully that big white kid from Wisconsin can play." 

This was great, he still had no idea who I was- but I knew I had to make myself a household name around here and prove everyone wrong. 

"You have a great day sir!" I said as I grabbed my luggage and waved as I walked towards my ride.

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**Samantha's POV**

It was difficult saying goodbye to JJ, yet again but I had Connie with me this time. The two of us walked with our arms linked, handing each other tissues. 

"Oh come on you two! He didn't die, he's just moving to Texas!" Derek yelled at us. 

Connie just chuckled, "Well I've still got you around for another year!" she said while messing up his hair. Derek was already committed to playing at the University of Wisconsin next year, just like JJ and I know TJ was hoping to follow right behind him. 

This was my family, I loved every one of them just like they were my own blood. It made me think about how much I wanted to have a family like this with JJ one day and how much I wanted to live with him and get our life together actually started- not just a high school relationship or a long distance relationship. I guess I was making up my mind already about next year. 

***

I was sitting there on JJ's bed before I had to leave for New York later, when he called my cellphone. "Hey! You're in Houston already?" 

"Yeah, I just got to the house- I'm here with a couple other rookies for training camp. I miss you."

I heard one of the guys ragging on him for saying those words to me, but he just laughed. 

"I miss you too, I already wanna come down there and see you. That's gonna be hard to not change my flight ticket from New York to Houston."

"I know, but you're gonna come to our first game next month right?" he asked.  

"I'll be there wearing my JJ Watt jersey and everything!" 

"Good, well- I'm gonna hit the sack now. Got a long day tomorrow. I love you. 

"I love you too." and with that, the line clicked off. 

This was the first time in many years that I was not looking forward to going back to New York and being on Broadway. My heart wasn't in it anymore- my heart and soul was in Houston. My heart belonged to JJ. 

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{{Author's Note}}

Sorry it took me a couple of days to upload! I've been busy with the holidays coming up! Which got me to thinking...I kind of want to write a "holiday special" of JJ and Samantha's relationship- up to date, in 2015- of their Christmas, sorta thing. Would that be cool? Or would it spoil things? Let me know what you think!

Also, keep reading, sharing, commenting and voting!

S.