Jensen's Little Girl

The Next Day

(Tom's POV)

I think the girls all got no more than three hours of sleep last night. JJ was worse. It couldn't have been more than an hour of sleep for her. I stayed up with her all night as much as I could. Each one of the girls headed off to bed one by one, and at four in the morning I assured Daneel that she'd be safe with me. Hallie tried to stay away and completely crashed by six. I remember the conversation I had with her last night and her words still pierce me.

"Why can't I just get over him, Tom?" she said in between sobs. I continued to hand her tissues. I couldn't help but cry myself. "Why am I so caught up with him?"

She laid asleep and I watched her as she lay peacefully on the couch. I had finally gotten her to sleep around seven and Dannee came down about an hour later. "Hey kid, I'll watch her from here. Go get some sleep. I know you probably havent even gotten a minute of it." She laid down on the couch next to JJ, and just as I was about to go upstairs I heard a knock at the door. When I went to answer it, I immediately stepped outside and shut the door behind me.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming here." I almost yelled.

"I know... I know. I just have to see her."

"You must think of me as a stupid ass to let you see her right now. You're just lucky I don't tackle you to the ground right here."

"Tom, I'm sorry man. I really am! I love her! I don't know what I was thinking. Promise!"

"I don't know either, but there is no way in hell I am letting you in that house."

"Tom please!"

"NO!" I was yelling now.

"Screw you!" He shoved me to the ground and ran inside. I chased after him, but it was too late. "JJ!?" he was yelling and waking up the entire house. "Jay, baby, where are you?" He saw her on the couch with tissues all over her, and her face was swollen from crying all night. "Oh my gosh, Jay, I'm so sorry."

He bent down next to her and tried to touch her, and comfort her. Part of me wanted to tackle him to the ground, and the other part wanted to see if he could maybe fix things. As much as I hated admitting it, I loved him almost as much as I loved her. And I wanted them both to be happy.

"Can we talk?" He asked her as she sat up and pulled the blanket over her shoulders.

"About what?" She snarked.

"You know what."

"Fine." She grabbed her slippers on the floor and walked outside to the back porch with him. He slid the door behind him, and we all watched as they stood on the back porch step.

(JJ's POV)

"Alright you've got me out here. What did you come all this way to talk about?"

"Jay, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have never kissed Chelsea, and worse, I should've never broken up with you in the first place. Can you forgive me."

I sat there for a few seconds letting him worry about what I was going to say. "You see Jake. I sat for weeks wondering if you'd ever come around to forgiving me. I went to football game after game after game wondering and supporting you. I woke up every morning wondering if that would be the day. And here you are begging me on day one to forgive you? How does that seem fair?"

"I know. I know, and I'm so sorry!"

"I just don't think I can do it." I sighed, "I don't think I can forgive you."

"Jay, do you love me?" He held my hand in his and locked his eyes on mine.

"I- I don't know anymore."

His head dropped and tears filled his eyes. I knew that I had just stabbed him in the heart. "Well that sucks. I know that I still love you. More than anything."

"Sure didn't seem that way last night." I grumbled.

"JJ! I screwed up! I'll admit that. But I couldn't feel more sorry than I do right now."

"That's just it Jake! We keep having to apologize for every little thing. When are we going to figure things out? I'm so done breaking up and apologizing and breaking up, and crushing each others hearts. Jake, I'm just done." I was sobbing again and tried to talk, but words just wouldn't come out.

"Jay. He held my face in both of his hands. Jay, I'm two years into college, and I am about to start my life. Please don't make me start it without you?" I didn't know how to respond to that. "Please Jay." He begged.

"I can't." I cried. "I just can't do that to myself again."

He wiped the tears from his face and put his hands in his pockets. "I see. Well- this has been a complete mistake. I'm going to go home, and if you want to talk you have my number."