"I'm gonna get you, I'm gonna get you, I'm gonna-" I was chasing Dalton around our living room, I stopped and ran over to where my phone was playing music,on the coffee table. I looked down at the collar ID and saw it was my dad.

Me: What's shaken bacon?
Dad: Paige, it's been a really tough day so I'm just gonna tell you alright? Your mom passed away last night in her sleep.
Me: Oh no, dad I'm so sorry. What can I do to help? What happened?

I sat down on the couch. My mom and I were never close like my dad and I were, not to say I wouldn't miss her. Dalton continued to run around the room.

Dad: The cancer and the treatment was just too much for her, and you don't need to do anything baby. I just thought I should let you know were doing her funeral this Thursday.
Me: Alright, I just gotta call work they wont mind-
Dad: Paige, you can't come.
Me: Dad, it will be fine. I can handle it. I just feel really bad for keeping away so long now.
Dad: There's no need to feel that way. We know why you left, you did what you thought was best.
Me: Yeah, I'll see you later on today then. We'll catch a flight and-
Dad: We? You're gonna bring JD?
Me: Yeah, I think it's about time he met you face to face.
Dad: I would love that.
Me: I'll talk to you later dad. Love you.
Dad: Love you, too.

I hung up and put my phone on the coffee table. I ran my hands through my hair. "What's wrong mommy?" Dalton asked. "Nothing baby, you remember Grand?" He nodded. "Well, she went to Heaven. We're gonna go visit Pop, though." He looked confused like whether to look happy or sad. I picked him up. "Come on, lets get dressed." "I just put on my Pjs." I started up the steps with him draped over my shoulder. "I know but it's gonna be morning time when we get there." "Ok." He said. I took him into his room and tossed him gently on the bed.

"Alright, get your shirts and some pants and stuff." I said as he went to his dresser. He came over with a few shirts and some shorts. "Baby, Long sleeves and long pants." "No, it's hot." "Not over there, we may see snow over there." I warned him. He walked back over taking all the clothes from my hands and putting them back in a drawer. He pulled out some more and I got out a bag. I folded his clothes and put them in. "Alright, you need your tooth brush and tooth paste." He ran out of the room and over to his bathroom.

He followed me to my room and put his tooth brush in his bag. I walked in and grabbed some of my clothes out of my dresser and put them in my duffel bag. I looked at myself in the mirror. "Right clothes." I said and picked Dalton up and carried him back to his room. "Which shirt do you want?" "Nina Turtles!" He yelled. I pulled out the red long sleeve shirt and pulled it over his head. "Here, put on your pants." I said and tossed them at him.

He tried to catch them and tried to put them on. I laughed and sat on the floor. "Come here goofball." I was still laughing. "You got them on backwards." I fixed them and he sat down and I put on his shoes and socks. We got up and walked back to my room. He tried to crawl onto the bed but I always have to help him. He's taller than the average three year old, but not that much. He's 3 foot 7. I turned to my dresser. "Mommy! Music please!" He says while jumping on my bed. "Okay!" I say back walking over to my doc, plugging up my phone.

He danced around in circles and jumped around singing various words that he knows. I got dressed pulling on a pink sweater and some jeans. I pulled on some socks and looked over at Dalton. He looks just like Jack. Beautiful big brown eyes, and almost black brown hair. He doesn't look like me at all, except for the nose, he got my nose. I was staring at him dance around when the song changed and Love like war came on.

He picked up his hands and pretended to play the guitar. I walked over to the edge of my bed and sat down pulling on my shoes. "Come on, child. We must catch a plane." I said. He walked over and wrapped his arms around my neck. I picked him up like that and grabbed our bags. I walked down the steps. "Ok, say bye to the house." "Bye, see you when I get back." He said and jumped down off my back. I opened the door and he ran out to the car. I buckled him in and pulled out my phone hopping in the front seat.

Me: Hey Ali, it's Paige. I'm sorry short notice but I need to take the rest of the week off my mother died and I'm heading back to the states with Dalton, Thank you. Bye.

I hung up and pulled out of my drive way. I looked back at Dalton. "Where did you get that sucker?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, so it just magically appeared in your mouth?" He shrugged again while shaking his head. I turned back to the road. "Is it good at least?" "Yeah... want some?" He said holding out the sucker. I looked back at him. "Sure." I took it from his hand and put it in my mouth then handed it back.

"Thanks for sharing." I said pulling into the air port. "Any time, mommy." He had and put the sucker in the cup holder of his car seat. I got out and grabbed our bags. "Hand." I said as he held my hand. We walked into the air port and up to the desk. "I need two tickets to Baltimore, Maryland." "Sure thing." She said and got our tickets. "Here you go." I handed her my credit card. "Mommy, I'm tired." Dalton said. I looked down at the boy, almost sleepwalking.

I picked him up and my duffel bag slug over my shoulder with his back pack on my back. I made my way to the bag check. We checked our bags and went to get checked ourselves. He was asleep in my arms. I pulled all 5 of his Hot Wheels out of his pocket and put them in the little bucket along with his shoes and mine. We walked through and I reclaimed our things. I didn't bother putting on his shoes yet. I walked through the jet way and on to the plane.

I found our seats and lifted one arm rest so he could lay down. I sat down and put him next to me. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Are we there?" I laughed a little running my finger through his hair. "Not yet, baby." He closed his eyes and crawled into my lap. He straddled my hips and rested his head on my chest. I ran my hand from the top of his head and down his back. He fell asleep again very quickly.

I leaned my seat back a little some time after take off and closed my eyes. Considering we're gonna land around 8am...yesterday. "Mommy, I think we're here." I heard Dalton say. He was also poking my cheek. "Stop that." I said and turned my face. "Mommy!" He whined. "Okay." I said and sat up opening my eyes. People were exiting the plane. I stood up and grabbed Dalton. "Come on, Rock star." I said and threw him over my shoulder. We walked into the air port. I looked around, I haven't been back in America in 3 years.

I pulled out my phone looking through my contacts for Chris. He would come and spend time with us in Australia,some were business trips some were for fun.

Chris: Hello, Chika! How are you?
Me: I'm good, how are you?
Chris: Great, so what's up?
Me: Well, I have a favor to ask?
Chris: Ok, go on.
Me: Well, Dalton and I are in the air port and need a ride, would you be willing to come get us?
Chris: Wait, like the Baltimore air port!?
Me: Yeah, why else would I call you?
Chris: I didn't know you were coming! I'll be there in 10.

He hung up and I looked down at Dalton. "Come on, let's grab our bags. Uncle Chris is gonna come get us." He jumped up and down. "Yay!" We walked over to the baggage claim and stood around waiting for our bags. His came around with in a minute or two but mine was taking forever. "JD! My main slice!" I heard Chris yell. Dalton and I turned around and looked at Chris. Dalton looked at me and I let got of his hand. He ran over to Chris and jumped into his arms.

"I missed you, turkey!" Chris said while ticking Dalton. One more thing Dalton got from me, he snorts. It's cute on him but not me. Chris walked over to me and gave me a hug. "Hey, It's nice to see you again." I said. "You too. As always though." We pulled away and I saw my bag. "Aha!" I yelled and ran over and grabbed it. I walked back over. "Ready." I said slinging mine on my back and Dalton's. We walked out to Chris's car. I buckled Dalton in and we got in the seat ourselves.

"You know he looks just like him." Chris said keeping his eyes on the road. "I know... and before you ask no, probably not. I'm not ready, he's not ready... eventually Dalton will be but... it's a lot more complicated than that." He turned and looked at me. "I respect the fact that you realize that but he really should know, BUT that's all I'm gonna say about it." "Thank you." "Where am I taking you?" "My dad's." "Yeah, I'm sorry to hear about your mom." "It's ok, I'm sure she's much happier where she is." I said as we pulled into my old neighborhood.

I pulled Dalton out of the car when we pulled up. It was a short drive but he still fell asleep. Chris grabbed our bags. We walked to the front door and I opened the door. "Dad?" I said. I closed the door behind Chris. My dad dame running around the corner, he's only 52 so he can still move semi-fast. "Paige!" He said a little loud, still trying to be excited but trying to to wake Dalton up. We gave each other a side hug. "I'm gonna go lay Dalton down." "Ok, guest rooms all ready for you." He said. Chris followed me putting down our bags.

I laid him down pulling a blanket over him. I shuffled some hair out of his face and kissed his forehead. I left the room closing the door behind me. I walked into the living room where my dad and Chris were. I sat down on the couch. "So, how you holding up dad?" I asked giving him a smile. "Not that I wanted her gone or anything like that but it was here time. She couldn't move hardly and she wasn't making sense anymore. She's in a better place and for that I'm happy." I leaned over and took his hand in mine. "A lot of people have stopped by to offer condolences."

"It's gonna be ok." I said squeezing it gently. He squeezed back and wiped a tear from his eye. "Thanks for coming home." He said tears gonna escape his eyes. "I'll be here whenever you need me dad." I said and stood up and pulled him into a hug. We pulled away and he wiped his face. He looked at me and cleared his throat. "Let me gain my manliness back. Here Chris let me show you my new grill." "Sure, Mr.Jon." He said and followed my dad to the garage. I sat back down on the sofa and leaned back closing my eyes remembering little memories from this house, my childhood home.

The door bell rang. I looked over at the garage door and rolled my eyes. I stood up and walked over to the door. I unlocked it and opened the door. "Hey Mr.Jon I jus-" I froze, Alex froze neither one of us said a word. "Paige?" Alex broke the silence. I heard him gulp. "I have to go do something!" He yelled while trying to run to his car. I ran out after him and tackled him to the ground. "Alex, wait let me explain." "There's no explaining! You broke your/MY best friend!" He yelled still trying to crawl away to his car. "Alex, just listen!" I said sternly.

He stopped moving a little, and looked at me, almost like he was afraid to get in trouble. "Please?" I asked. "Fine but it better be good." He said as I got off him. I stood up and offered him a hand. I started back into the house, Alex followed behind. I closed the door. "Alex, I'm about to show you the reason I left, please don't freak out in the other room wait until we come out here..." I trailed off. He looked at me confused.

I took his hand and led him to the guest room. We walked to the other side of the bed. I moved the blanket form Dalton's face. I looked at Alex who at first was confused, but then like someone switched a light on his hands shot up to his face. I pushed him out of the room closing the door carefully behind me. "That's... But you and Jack... That one time?! I thought you guys were smarter than that? He looks just like him... minus the nose. But why didn't you tell him?" We walked into the living room.

"I was going to but then I started thinking about it. Jack doesn't like me like I love him and this would have ruined you guys's careers and I could be the person, his best friend being there for all the talks about our future, and be the one to take away his dreams. What kins of best friend would I be?" I said to him. "Paige, you left and Jack didn't know what to do, he almost died. He stopped eating and drinking, I found him one day and had to call an ambulance. You leaving killed him." I stared at Alex, tears in my eyes.

"Alex, I know you know that I love him. I wasn't ready when I found out, do you really think Jack would have been?" "No but, he would have been there through out the whole thing." I stared at Alex yet again and we just kept staring at each other. I lunged at him burying my head in his chest. "Alex, I-I missed you guys so so much." He gave me a hug back. "I'm glad a decided to come today and not yesterday, then." I laughed and so did he. "So...when are you gonna tell him?" He asked. I pulled away and looked at him.

"You're not gonna tell him?! Paige, you've waited long enough, he needs to know. I would want to know." I ran my hand through my hair I know but it's...it's harder than you think." "I can help you figure something out, but please promise me you'll tell him?" I looked at Alex. I took in a deep breath. "Ok, I will..." I heard the door open. "Mommy, I'm hungry." I heard Dalton say coming around the corner. "Hey, baby. Come here." I said and held my arms open. He walked over and crawled into my arms. "This is Uncle Alex, he's like mommy's brother." "Nice to meet you, do you like Cookie crisp?" He asked Alex still rubbing his eyes.

Alex looked at me and then at Dalton. "Yeah, so what's your name?" "Well, mommy calls me Dalton and Uncle Chris and Pop call me JD, but I know my full name." "Oh yeah." "Yep." "And it is..." Alex asked trying to get him to continue. "You tell me yours first." He said squinting his eyes at Alex. Alex huffed. "Alexander William Gaskarth. Your turn." "Nah, we never pinky promised." He said turning to me and jumping down heading to the kitchen like he knew where he was going.

"Mother of God, It's like another Jack walking around. Except this one has an excuse to act like a 2 year old." "He's 3 now, Born February 18th." "So his full name is?" "Jack Dalton Barakat..." I said with as much confidence as I could muster. "It's cute, and I like that they call him JD. So why do you call him Dalton?" "Cause I wanted to name him after Jack but I couldn't say his name with out crying so I chose two first names and I call him by his middle name." "Mommy! Cookie Crisp!" "Say Please!" I yelled back. He sighed super loud. "PLEASE!" I stood up and Alex laughed.

"Yeah, he's definitely Jack's." He followed me to the kitchen. I poured the cereal in the bowl and some milk. I set him up at the breakfast bar. "Hey, Alex wanna see something cool?" "Yeah." He said. I turned to Dalton. "Listen to Uncle Alex, alright?" Dalton shook his head and looked at Alex. I stepped closer to Alex and leaned into his ear. "Sing Love like war." "Why?" I looked ta him. "Just do it!" I said. He looked at me and then to Dalton.

"Make a wish on our sorry little hearts, Have a smoke, pour a drink, steal a kiss in the dark, Fingernails on my skin like the teeth of a shark..." Dalton's eye got big and he spit out some Cookie crisp. "I know that song! I know that song! We go together or we don't go down at all!" Dalton sang. I looked at Alex, his face priceless. He turned to me. "He's been listening to this stuff since he was in here." I pointed to my stomach. "He used to kick really hard and I would just hum this song and he would stop. Tell Uncle Alex your favorite band." I said to Dalton.

"I like Green Day, I like Blink-184, I like Bring Me... And some more but I can't remember." He said taking another spoon full of cereal. "It's Blink-182, baby." Alex covered my mouth. "No it's not." He leaned into my ear. "That was too cute to change." He looked at Dalton and stared. "Will you really help me tell him?" I asked. Alex turned to me. "Who? What?" "Jack..." I said "Yeah, yeah, I promise. Can we bring Zack and Rian over here, I need them to meet this kid." Alex said staring at Dalton.

"I guess, but they have to promise not to tell Jack until I do." "Yeah, of course." Alex walked into the other room and called Zack and Rian. I turned to Dalton. "Done?" I asked. He nodded and jumped down from the stool. I put his bowl in the sink. Alex came back in. "They'll be here in like five." "Ok..." I said. Dalton ran threw the kitchen with a car in his hand bouncing off the cabinets making noises. "Yep, even has Jack's motor skills." Alex said. I punched him in the arm. "You leave my baby alone." He laughed we left the kitchen and went into the living room.

The door bell rang and Alex jumped up to answer it. "Hey." "What are we doing here, Alex?" Zack asked. I walked around the corner. "Hey guys..." I said and waved. Both their eyes were wide open. "Oh my god!" Rian said walking over to me pulling me into a hug. "What are you, doing here? Where have you been?" Zack asked pulling me into a hug. "Around... How are you guys?" "Great, enough about us. What have you been doing?" Rian asked. "Still doing photography just with a big company now." "Alright, as nice as this whole catch up is that's not why you're here." Alex said.

Then like clock work Dalton ran into my leg and tried to climb up me. "Be the empire state building, I'm the big monkey." He said making a monkey noise. "That would be Kink Kong." "It's a really big monkey, mommy. Not a king, he doesn't wear a crown." "WAIT!? Mommy?!" Zack said. Dalton turned to them. "What else would I call her?" Rian and Zack looked at me, Dalton then each other. Then both their Jaws dropped. "Oh my god!" Rian said. "Yeah, Go ahead ask him his full name." Alex said. "First thing first, this is Uncle Rian and Uncle Zack, baby." "Cool, I have like elevendy seven Uncles now!" Dalton said.

"What's your full name?" Rian asked him. "Jack Dalton Barakat. I can even spell it J-A-C-K D-A-L-T-O-N B-A-R-A-K-A-T." He finished and squirmed out of my arms. "Mommy, can I have a juice box?" "Yeah, they're in the fridge." I said. Rian and Zack looked confused and sad and happy all at the same time. "How old is he?" Zack asked. "He just turned 3..." "Is that why you left?" Rian asked. "A little more complicated than that but yes in a nutshell." "Mommy, I can't get the straw- Never mind!" We walked around the corner to see juice all over the floor and Dalton had the straw drinking it up.

"Gross, dude!" I said and grabbed a rag. The guys were in stitches. "Can I have another?" He asked. "Yeah, grab it and bring it to me." I said wiping up the mess. "Her I got it." Zack said taking to juice box from him. "Wow, don't rip it in half." Dalton said doing and strong man pose, trying to show off his muscles. The guys and I laughed and Zack chuckled. He handed him the juice box and he sucked the bottom out of it. He was blowing air in and out of it. "Throw it away, weirdo." I said. He looked at me.

He walked over to the trash can and squished the juice box against his head, with an "AAAGGGHHH." He threw it away. He ran past me and into the living room, I could see him jumping on the couch. "He is JUST like Jack." Rian said. "And looks just like him." "I know." I said. We walked into the living room. "So, JD. Who's your favorite bands?" Alex asked. "Bring me the horizon, Green Day and Blink-184. I told you that already." "I know, did you hear hos cute that was?" Alex said as the guys just stared at Dalton.

"I'm not cute! I'm a babe magnet." Dalton said smiling really big. I laughed. "I see none of you in him, just Jack." Zack said. "Yeah, he got lucky. But he did get this watch." I walked over to him and pinned him on the couch. I started to tickle him. "M-mommmmy! Stop!" He snorted a couple times. "That is just... hilarious." Rian said. I stopped tickling him and let him sit up. I pushed him back over, then again, and again. "Mommy! For real?!" He yelled rolling off the couch. "Yeah..." I said.

"Hey, JD." Alex said. Dalton stood up and walked over to Alex. "Yeah?" "I'm gonna sing and you're gonna finish ok? Watch this?" Alex said to Dalton, Zack and Rian. " For the thrill of your touch I will shamefully lust as you tell me we're nothing but trouble..." Alex sang. "Heart's on fire tonight, Feel my bones ignite, Feels like war, war." He sang. "That's hands down the cutest thing I've ever seen." Rian said, Zack was in awe. "You sing just like him." Dalton said, confused. "I am him, I wrote that song. They play with me."

Dalton's eyes lit up. I knew his next question. "Who plays the beginning?! The slidie part?!" He looked at Rian and Zack. They looked at me. "You'll meet him soon, I promise." I said looking at Dalton. "Really?" Rian asked. "You're gonna let them meet?" "Yeah." "Why did you run in the first place?" Zack asked. "I was barely grown up enough to do this, I didn't think Jack was either. Plus I didn't wanna ruin his dream, this would have crushed it. It wouldn't be fair."

"I can see where you're coming form but he would have been there and deep down inside you know that and wish you would have stayed." Rian said. I looked at them all. " Yeah, I do wish I'd a stayed but I didn't and now I have to deal with this situation the best I can. One thing at a time, now I gotta get Jack to see me and meet Dalton." Was this really gonna happen? Can I really do this? Alex said he'd help, you can do it, no you can't. Yes you can, no, yes... yes...

Notes

Comment please! Let me know what you think... I know it's a little rushed (not compared to the last two chapters but) Jack will meet Dalton and Paige soon.... Let me know what you think. The more comments I get the faster I update but really I'll update regardless... LOVES :P

Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=104576795