CHAPTER 10

The day after Jessie told Tony her decision, Tony decided to go back to Connecticut. He called Darla and told her everything that happened in the private jet on their way back. Darla looked like she was sorry for them on the outside, but she was actually smiling on the inside. Her plan worked, so her work here was done. She didn't need Tony anymore. She was so proud of herself for finally getting even with Jessie. She was happy knowing right now Jessie is feeling the pain she felt few years ago in Texas. That's all that mattered to her.
When they arrived to Connecticut, they said their goodbyes and went their own ways.

Meanwhile, in New York, Jessie was recording her first song with Jake's team. For the first time since she broke up with Tony, she felt happy. This distracted her mind from thinking about him.
Recording and taking care of the kids took all her time, and day by day Jessie's hurt was slowly fading away. She didn't have any kind of contact with Tony after he left, but Jessie still missed him. She wanted to talk to him, to hear how his life is going, but she was too afraid her feelings of being hurt would come back when she'll hear his voice or see his face. So she decided to move on and focus on her career.

And day by day, Jessie started having less and less time for the kids. She left to the studio the same time the kids left to school and came home late at night so exhausted that she went straight to bed. Usually she came home after the kids' curfew so she couldn't even tell Zuri her bedtime story. The kids noticed that too, but they never wanted to bring it up. Sure, they caused Jessie a lot of trouble and they would be lying if they said they didn't like that, but at the end of the day, they were all so supportive and happy for Jessie for finally getting a chance to make her dreams come true. After all, that's why she's here in New York. They knew she was trying her best to do her job while following her dreams.

One day, around a week later, after the kids came home from school, they saw something different in the lobby. Different, but familiar. They looked at the doorman who was facing them with his back, but they could recognize that dark hair anywhere.
"Tony!" their voices mixed together when they yelled his name at the same time.
The person behind the counter turned around and they all could see Tony's warm smile. The kids ran to him and basically jumped on him because they were so excited to see him.
"What are you doing here?" Zuri asked him.
"I got my old job back," Tony explained, feeling happy he's back.
"Why?" Ravi continued the line of questions that were going through the kids' heads.
"Because it just didn't feel right, y'know?" At this moment all kids let go of Tony and stood around him so they could listen to him. When Tony saw their faces and how they were ready to take in every word he says and he could tell by the sparkle in their eyes they were glad to see him again, he started telling them how he felt.
"It's just.. I loved it there, I really did. And it was my goal to go there, but.. It didn't feel nearly as right as being here. I may have thought I belong somewhere the entire time, but along the way life put me where I feel and know I belong. With you guys."
No one of the kids knew what to say to that. So they just walked around him and hugged him like a tree. He was like a tree to them, since he was very tall.
"Hey, do you guys know where Jessie is?" Tony asked them with hope in his eyes. Hoping that now that he's back where he belongs, she'll take him back too.
"We barely see her lately," Emma started explaining. "She got a recording deal. I'm sure she told you about that." Tony nodded, showing her that he knows what she's talking about. "Ever since that happened, we only see her at breakfast. She usually comes home after our curfew. It's been a while since she told Zuri a bedtime story."
"Wow.. So do you think there's still a chance of us getting back together?"
"Absolutely," the kids said all at once again. Then they looked at each other and started laughing, which made Tony to laugh too. He really missed those guys and he's glad he's back. The only thing left unsolved is his situation with Jessie. He needed to talk to her as soon as possible. He'd rather hear from her mouth that there's no chance of them getting back together than living his entire life with that question unanswered.

A/N: Tony's back! wootwoot! (:
I don't own the characters.thank you for reading.