The Institute ~Completed~

Chapter Forty-Two: The attic and basement

It had been a few months since Jessica's father had been shot down in attempt to save everyone involved. Jessica was starting to get depressed and upset. She actually missed her father. Despite the fact, he used her and everyone around them. She also felt Jake was drifting apart. He doesn't talk to her as often as he used to. His therapy was helping him get back to normal. But Jessica knew he'd be walking around and possibly having an affair with some random girl. Cotton, she was still getting over her sickness and it'd be not long before she is better. She'll end up drifting away if Jake does.

Jessica sat in the window ledge of her bedroom window. She had her head up against the window. She felt a cold sensation run through her body. "Jes?" Jake touched her shoulder. "Yeah?" She asks not daring to look at him since he could read her mind using her eyes. "You okay?" Jake asks her. She looks at him. "So much is happening, what if we were wrong about Cotton? What if you never walk again? What if we lose everything? What if we lose her?" Jessica asks. Jake knew that was so many questions but so many unanswerable questions. "Jes, don't worry. We'll be okay." Jake rubbs her back. The thought of him losing his abilities to walk and to be like this everyday for the rest of his life was heart wrenching. Cotton heard every word. She heard what Lou said about her. She didn't want her family to give up on her and she definitely didn't want to give up on them. "Are y-you positive we will be?" Jessica asks quietly.

"Mummy, Daddy?" Cotton spoke before Jake could answer. "Yes baby?" Jessica asks. "I know you don't want to lose me." Cotton walks in and sits on the bed. "And you won't, I promise."  Cotton adds. Jessica and Jake exchange a glance before going to her. "Baby girl, that's a promise even you can't make." Jake says to her. "But I can try. I'm not giving up. Not yet." Cotton says to him.

"You're such a great girl you know that?" Jessica asks laying in Cotton's lap. "I just don't want to leave you behind." Cotton replies. "You won't. Just have a little faith. You're a fighter and a fighter never stops fighting." Jake gave her a kiss on the forehead. Everything they've been through together made them inseparable. Jake was so strong and Jessica she was almost as strong. They were made for each other. Cotton was the first child they had together. They would never give her up. Not for a million dollars. "And you are my reason for fighting." Cotton says to them. "And you're ours." Jessica whispers and looks at Jake. Jake smiled a small smile. His heart was twisted in three different directions. He loved Jessica, he loved Cotton but he fell in love with Ella a long time ago. He looked out the window. He felt the clouds turning into a face. Or was he just imagining things. Young love wasn't meant to last forever. He knew that but he had children with his first love. He wanted her to be his last. Cotton curled up into a ball next to Jessica taking her hand. Jake looked back at his girls. They were exactly what he wanted. Exactly what he needed. The thought of leaving them was disturbing. They wouldn't last a minute without him. He wouldn't last a minute without them.

Cotton looks in Jessica's hazel-green eyes. She saw so much love in her eyes. She never wanted this to end. "We make our own luck in this world." Jessica whispers to her. Cotton smiles at her before she buried herself in Jessica's chest. Jake took his camera and snapped a photograph of his girls. The picture printed right away. He let it develop before looking at it. He smiles at the photograph. He took a sharpie and wrote: Cotton & Jessica, December 21st. He took some tape out of the nightstand draw and placed a piece on the back of the Polaroid. He put it on the wall next to all the others. He had a really large collection of Polaroids of his family and the dogs. His girls had fallen asleep in each others arms. He went over to them and pulled a soft blanket over them. He gave them both a kiss before leaving the room. He left the house and went to find Ella. Ella was exactly where she was. "Hey Ella." Jake walks up to the girl who was reading a book. "Oh hi Jake." She greeted him with a smile. "We gotta talk." Jake sat next to her. "Um okay?" Ella's smile faded. "I can't see you anymore. I need to be with my family." Jake says to her. "But I thought you loved me?" Ella started to tear up. Jake instantly felt bad. He did love Ella. But he loved Jessica more and Cotton more. "I do but I love Jessica and I always will." Jake says looking away. "I understand. I have to go. Bye Jake." Ella got up and started walking away. "Wait!!! Ella!!! Can we do it one more time??" Jake asks while running to a cry Ella. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry, Ella." Jake adds giving her a hug.

Ella forgave him and lead him back to his house. Jake pushed Ella onto the bed and ripped off her clothes. He pushed himself inside her and began thrusting. He started kissing her neck as she started moaning letting him know he was hitting the right spot. Soon enough she gave into the pleasure and released. Jake eventually did to but he didn't pull out like he usually did. He figured if he got Ella pregnant, Jake would come and be with her without Jessica getting suspicious of him. Jake pulled out when he was done. Ella gave him a quick kiss before letting him go.

Jake went home to an angry Jessica. "Where the hell were you!" Jessica yells when he came inside. "I was out. Why are you yelling?" Jake asks confused. "Cotton woke up and she had a panic attack. Because you weren't here!" Jessica snaps at him. "Well sorry, I can go out when I want." Jake replies calmly while sitting down. "Jake, that's not the point, the point is your family needs you!" Jessica snaps before leaving the living room. "Can yall just leave me the hell alone!" Jake yells after her. Jessica stop dead in her tracks. "Well if you want us to leave the we will." Jessica says to him. "Go ahead but that little girl stays!" Jake retorts. "Daddy?" Cotton says quietly. She was rubbing her tired red eyes. They were puffy and red because she was crying. "Come here princess." Jake pats a spot next to him. Cotton gladly ran to him and crawled into his lap. "Jake, you can't take her." Jessica says quietly to him. "This begs to differ Jessica." Jake pointed at Cotton who curled up into a ball in his lap before closing her eyes. "Just because she came to sleep with you doesn't mean she's yours." Jessica rolled her eyes. "You're just jealous because you don't have a bond with the child." Jake smiles at her. That hurt Jessica alot. Because Cotton and her did have a bond. Jessica just walked away and started crying. She loved that little girl almost as much as Jake did. Jake picked up Cotton and went into the bedroom to find a crying Jessica. "Jessica?" Jake asks putting Cotton under the blankets. "Go away Jake!" Jessica hissed. "What's wrong?" Jake asks.

"I get it! Y-you don't love me!!! So go be with your mistress! I can take care of her and the babies on my own." Jessica cried into her arms. "I broke things off with her. I love you baby. I love you!" Jake smiles at her. Jessica looks at her with tears in her eyes.

"I love you too. Please promise you you'll never see her again?" Jessica asks him. "I promise baby." Jake picks her up and throws her onto the bed causing her to push Cotton off and Jessica to giggle. "Ow!!!" Cotton says before looking at them. "Oops! Sorry you okay?" Jake says picking her up. "Yeah I'm okay." Cotton says rubbing her arm. "You hurt your arm didn't you?" Jessica asks as Cotton and Jake got on the bed with her. "I just hit it, when I landed on the floor." Cotton replies with a smile. "Oh good baby." Jessica says to her and gave her a kiss.

-

The next morning, Cotton woke up to a swollen arm. "Mummy!" She shook Jessica. "Yes?c