Love over Hate

Weekend Fun

You hadn't planned on spending your entire weekend with Jared and his boys. Truthfully, you had planned on spending it in your small apartment, eating takeout food and catching up on the shows you had missed while filming. You hadn't expected to be having a great time, spending it at the aquarium, or the huge play park where you currently found yourself.

It was Sunday, and you were currently sitting on a park bench, sipping on a cold latte as you watched Jared's boys playing on the toys. Jared was off to the side, near a tree, talking on the phone. Yawning, you realized that this weekend had worn you out. It had been nonstop going since that morning they had been dropped off, on top of last week being a busy filming week. You truly couldn't wait until you could relax tonight in a bath before going to bed early. 

"Y/N!" Shep exclaimed, running over to you with tears streaming down his face. Thinking quickly, you scooped him up, just as Tom came rushing over to join you. Quietly murmuring to the boy, you spotted the problem. He had a small gash on his elbow, a big deal for a little boy. Pulling your purse to you, you pulled out the small plastic bag you always carried with you. You always seemed to be needing bandaids yourself, so it came in handy today. After placing it on his wound, you continued to rock him in your arms just as Jared came back. 

"Hey buddy, you want to come here." Jared asked, and you fully expected Shep to leave your lap and go to his daddy. Instead, he stayed tucked in your arms, and you shrugged your shoulders at Jared. 

After a couple of minutes, Shep and Tom were off running again, leaving you and Jared sitting there once again. "Thanks for taking care of him." Jared told you, but you just shrugged it off. 

"It's no big deal." You answered, but he leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours. 

Yes it was. You kind of got thrown into all of this. Me, the kids, everything. And you've been such a trooper, and I wish I could show you how much I appreciate it." He said, his lips still close to yours. 

"Maybe you could take me out on another date sometime." You suggested, just as his lips connected with yours once again.

Finally pulling away, he kept his hand gently cupped around your neck. "How about this weekend? We're both heading to the convention this weekend. Why don't we go out for dinner Saturday? Make it back in time to watch the rest of the concert?"

Nibbling on your lip, you agreed just as both boys, tired and ready for a nap came over. Grabbing all the items laying around, you ushered the boys towards Jared's car. After buckling them in, you climbed into the passenger seat. Jared hadn't even pulled out of the parking lot before both boys were sound asleep. 

"Jared, do you mind dropping me off at my place? I really need to get some stuff done before we go back to work tomorrow." You asked him as he concentrated on driving.

Glancing over at you, you noticed guilt in his eyes. "Of course. I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about the fact that we took up your entire weekend."

Reaching over, you grasped his hand with yours, needing to assure him. "Jared, don't be sorry. I had a blast. I really got to know you this weekend, and you're boys are amazing."

It wasn't much later that Jared was pulling in front of your apartment building. Leaning over, you pressed a light kiss to his cheeks, before moving to climb out of the car. As soon as you went to lightly shut it, Shep had woken up, looking at you with sleep filled eyes. "Y/N, where you going?" 

"Home." You answered, watching as a pout filled his face.

"I don't want you to leave." He begged, and you felt your heart fill with love for these tiny, but wonderful boys. 

"We will hang out again soon. I promise." You assured him, turning to leave. Watching as Jared pulled out of the parking lot, you made your way to your apartment. Shutting the door, you slipped your shoes off, before heading straight for the bathroom. Filling the bathtub, you checked your phone, noticing a lot of twitter notifications. Thinking nothing of it, you sat your phone down off to the side, slipping into the hot water. Relaxing, you let your eyes drift shut, letting the water soothe your tired body. 

Sitting there, relaxing, you kept hearing your phone buzzing on the counter. Wondering what was so important, you sighed, slipping out of the cooling water. Throwing on a fluffy robe, you grabbed your phone, noticing more notifications, along with a couple of text messages, especially from your best friend, Addy. Heading out of the bathroom, you poured yourself a glass of wine before opening the first text. It was from her, begging you to call her as soon as you got her text messages. Ignoring the rest of the notifications, you called her up immediately, hoping nothing was wrong.

"Y/N!" She exclaimed, her voice higher pitched than normal. Addy was your friend from high school, and through college. While she still lived in your home town, the two of you stayed in contact constantly, spending at least one weekend together a month when you could swing it. But with convention season heating up, the two of you hadn't hung out in almost two months. 

"Hey Addy, everything okay?" You asked her, taking another sip of your wine. 

"Not really." She answered. "Have you been on the internet lately?"

Wondering where she was going with this, you answered her. "No, I've been busy this weekend, and I can't wait to explain why."

You heard her sighing in the background. "Y/N, I have an idea. You're seeing Jared, aren't you?"

"How did you know?" You questioned her, knowing you hadn't said anything.

"There's new pictures of you floating around the internet. With Jared, and with his kids." She explained, but you still couldn't understand why that was such a big deal. 

Sitting down on the couch, you waited for her to continue. And she didn't disappoint you. "Y/N, I'm glad you found someone. But, Y/N, he's so much older than you!"

"And that matters?" You asked angrily, hoping that she would have been on your side.

You heard her moving around in her apartment, hearing another sigh before she continued on. "It doesn't. Not to me. I know you, I know that you wouldn't have a relationship with an older man unless he truly mattered to you. But it's the people that don't know you that are having a problem with it."

"What are you trying to say?" You asked her.

"Look at your notifications. Just a warning, they are not pretty. Most people are hating on you right now. Not just because of the age difference, even thought that's huge. Also because they think you're stepping in to his ex wife's place, and she's still really liked in the fandom."

After thanking her for the heads up, you hung up the phone, before looking at the blinking light showing your notifications. Taking a deep breath, you clicked on it, surprised and hurt when you started reading them.