We've Got Unfinished Business

One month later

Alex packed my last box on to the moving truck for me. I had only taken my and Aubrey clothes, the furniture from Aubrey's room, and a few other keepsakes. I was going to leave my car here at home because I wasn't going to need it with everything in walking distance. Everything else we needed we were going to buy in New York.

I was currently in my house trying not to cry in front of my family. I was starting to regret my decision, I really didn't want to leave them but I really wanted to move in with Alex.

"Are you sure you have everything? I mean if not I can always mail it to you, but did you double check?" My mom asked.

"Yeah I checked last night and I checked this morning, but I'm sure I forgot something anyways." I chuckled.

"Okay well I guess you should get going. I don't want it to get too dark while Alex is driving that huge truck." She said.

"Yeah...I guess I should go." I stood there awkwardly not wanting to move and she pulled me into a hug.

"Don't be sad baby. You're starting a new chapter in your life. That's what you wanted isn't it?"

"I thought so but now I'm not so sure." I whispered so only she could hear me as tears fell down my face.

"Oh Jacky, the toughest part is leaving. I'm sure once you get to New York you won't be so sad. You wanted to go for a reason right?" She asked and I nodded. "Well then go and test it out until your lease is up. If you're honestly still homesick or you truly don't like it then you can always come home. I'll be right here waiting for you." She kissed me on the cheek. "I love you." She said. We pulled away and she wiped my eyes as best as she could.

"I love you too." I told her and walked over to Avery next.

"Thanks for looking after my mom." I told him and he smiled.

"It's my pleasure." He chuckled and we hugged.

May was next and she was just finishing up telling Aubrey goodbye. She was already crying when I stepped in front of her. I couldn't help not crying seeing her like this. "I'll be fine, I promise." I told her.

"Just take care of yourself and Aubrey please." She pleaded and I nodded.

"I will. I love you." I hugged her.

"I love you too." She kissed me on the cheek. She handed Alex Aubrey when we pulled away.
Next was the person I was dreading leaving as much as my mom and May; Kellin. He was sobbing and I hugged him without saying a word.

We held each other for a little while and he finally spoke in a shaky voice.

"I feel like this is all one big nightmare."

"We'll both be back in four months for Thanksgiving. That's all we have to do is make it four months and then we'll see each other again."

"Yeah but then we'll leave each other again. I'll be all the way in San Diego and you'll be on the other side of the world in New York."

"But we'll visit each other multiple times throughout the year. Plus I'm going to call you every day to tell you all about my day and you'll tell me about yours. It'll be like we're not even far apart." I promised and he nodded.

"I love you." He cried.

"I love you too." We hugged one last time and I walked over to his mom.

"Bye Lisa." I hugged her.

"Bye Jack! Be careful there in that big city." She told me.

"I will!"

I was finally finished saying goodbye to everyone. I walked over to Alex and he handed me Aubrey while he went to tell my mom and everyone goodbye too. I watched as my mom whispered something in his ear that made a look of fear cross his face. I chuckled as he timidly walked back over to me.

"Tell everyone bye-bye." I told Aubrey. She raised her hand and opened and closed it like I taught her. Everyone waved back to her and she giggled.

I carried her to the truck and strapped her in her car seat between Alex and me. I waved bye to everyone and stepped into the truck. Alex and I closed our doors and he started the truck.

"Are you ready?" He asked and I nodded. He switched into the driving gear and took us out of my driveway. I watched from the mirror as my family got further and further away until I couldn't see them anymore. I sighed and leant my head against the window before closing my eyes.

***

"Jack, babe wake up." Alex shook me awake.

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"We made it." He said. I sat up and looked around. We were in the parking lot of our condo building.

"Oh that was quick." I said and stretched. It was supposed to be a three hour drive but we made it in two and a half.

"Yeah I was kind of going ten over the entire time." He chuckled. I smiled and shook my head at him. Then I unstrapped Aubrey from her seat. She was sleeping and woke up the second I touched her.

"Hi baby! Let's go change your diaper." I picked her up and carried her out of the truck. I saw Zack, Rian, and Cass standing by the back of the truck with Alex.

"Hey! What are you all doing here?" I asked.

"We came to help you guys move in." Rian said.

"Oh thank you! I’ll be right back, I'm going to go change her real quick." I told them. I grabbed Aubrey's diaper bag and took her inside to the bathroom.

I came back out and they had already unloaded most of Aubrey's furniture. I wanted to help but there wasn't much I could do while holding Aubrey. I couldn't leave her in the car while we carried things up in and out of the building.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked.

"Yeah. Here take the key and open the door so we can just walk in with this stuff." Alex told me as he handed me the key.

"That's it?"

"Yeah Jack, you have Aubrey so you can't exactly grab a box." He chuckled.

I went inside and took the elevator to the twelve floor. The doors opened and I took Aubrey into our place. I left the door open so they could walk in with the furniture with ease. Aubrey looked around and held onto me tighter. She didn't like going into new places.

"Don't be scared, Baby, this is our new home." I told her. I walked her over to the room that was hers. "This is your new room. It's soooo big isn't it?" I said and she stared at it.

I placed her feet down on the ground and held her hands letting her practice walk to the living room. Everyone walked in seconds later holding an item in their hands. Alex and Rian were both carrying Aubrey's crib. I wrote on top of the boxes which room they belonged in so it made everything simpler.

Aubrey began to cry when she watched Alex come out of her room and try to leave out the door again. He stopped and I placed her on the ground and let her crawl to him. He picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.

"Daddy will be right back, love. I gotta help unload the truck." He told her. I walked over and I grabbed her from him. He left back down with everyone else while Aubrey cried in my arms.

"Aw mamas don't cry. He'll be finished in an hour or so with everyone helping.

They were finished unloading the truck two hours later. Rian took Alex to turn in the moving truck and finally came back. He was exhausted when he walked in.

"I need to take the longest shower." He sighed.

"Aubrey said you promised to cuddle with her when you finished." I told him and he laughed.

"Give me thirty minutes, Aubrey."

I ordered us a pizza while he was showering. I wasn't really in the mood for it, but I didn't really know what other deliver places in New York were good. Then I Face-Timed my mom. She answered and smiled when she saw Aubrey and me on the camera.

"Hi babies!" She exclaimed.

"Hi mom." I said and her face fell.

"You're still upset about leaving?" She asked.

"Kind of. I'm kind of over it since we're actually here, but I still miss you all like crazy." I sighed.

"It'll get better each day you're there."

"Yeah I hope so."

"Come on, give me a tour of the place." She said and I chuckled.

I showed her around the whole condo and she raved about how great it looked. She also gave me tips on how we could decorate the living room and kitchen.

"Well I should go, Avery and I are going out for dinner in a few." She told me.

"Okay. Have fun! We love you!"

"I love you two too!" She said and we hung up.

A deliver guy rung our doorbell a few seconds later. I left Aubrey to play with her toys while I paid for the pizza and tipped the guy. We didn't have a kitchen table yet or bar stools for the bar area so we were going to have to sit on the ground. I placed a towel down first so pizza grease wouldn't seep into the carpet.

Alex came out of our room and Aubrey quickly crawled over to his feet. He picked her up and came to sit on the floor by me.

"Thank you for ordering something. I was literally about to die of starvation." He told me.

"You're welcome. I was starving too." I said. "But you might not want to hold her while you eat. She will literally rip the food out of your hands now." I chuckled. I fed her while they were bring boxes in, but she was always up for more food. Alex laughed and sat her down on the ground. She probably would have cried about it if she did see the slice of pizza in my hand. She crawled over to me and tried to reach up for my pizza.

"Aubrey no you can't eat any pizza baby. Your teeth are still growing and are too tiny." I moved my hand away from her reach and she whined. There were no tears in her eyes so she wasn't that upset. Alex pulled a slice of pizza out of the box and she stopped whining and watched him. She crawled over closer to him to see if he would share with her.

"I'm not even going to look at her because if I do she's going to stare at me with big puppy dog eyes and I'm not going to be able to tell her no." Alex said.

Aubrey sat in front of him making a face that begged him for a piece. Alex still did his best not to look down at her.

"Dada." She babbled trying to get his attention and we both gasped.

"Did you just say your first words?!" I asked in excitement.

"Aw Jack I have to give her something." Alex said and I laughed.

"Alright try to rip into to small pieces for her." I told him and he grabbed his slice and pulled it in half. He tore it into tiny pieces and sat it on a napkin for Aubrey. She squealed and picked up a piece and brought it to her mouth. Her eyes lit up with excitement and she picked up another piece.

"Mmm!" She hummed and we laughed.

"It's only our first night here and I already love it." Alex said and I nodded.

"I think I need a few more nights to get used to it, but I'm happy I'm here with you two." I said and he kissed me on the cheek.

"It'll get better." He promised and I smiled.

I knew he was telling the truth.

Notes

Thank You for reading this story and the prequel!!

I still have the five part epilogue to post but I wanted to say thank you anyways. I'm going to post the first part on Wednesday and the second on Friday but I go out of town on Saturday so I don't know if I'll bring my laptop or not. If not then I'll have the third chapter posted on next Wednesday and continue on from there! Thank you again!!