A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! This chapter is centered around one major storyline that I'm actually in love with... the Jen/Aidan/Melanie triangle. Hope you guys like it and there will be more coming soon! Keep those reviews coming!

A couple of weeks later, Jen and Aidan were still barely speaking to each other. She had thought of moving out but that would only mean that the kiss had affected her, which it didn't… or so she told herself it didn't.

It was almost March and Aidan's first soccer game was right around the corner. Jen didn't want to be the reason why he wasn't able to focus but talking about the kiss was out of the question.

"So, um, are you nervous?" She asked, as they sat in the kitchen, eating supper. He looked up at her, surprised. "For your first game, I mean."

"Oh, um, yeah, I guess…" He trailed and she nodded, looking away. He sighed. "Jen, I can't do this anymore."

"Aidan, don't," She said but that wasn't going to stop him.

"I can't keep pretending like nothing happened, I just can't," He said and she sighed. "We kissed and I cheated on Mel, we can't just pretend like it never happened."

"Well, what do you want me to say?" She asked. "I'm sorry we kissed but Aidan; I'm not going to feel guilty about it because it didn't mean anything."

"You sure about that?" He asked and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course," She said, and then softened her expression. "You're dating my sister and you love her."

"Don't say that to try to shut the feelings out, Jen!"

"That's not what I'm doing!" She shouted, standing up. "I don't have feelings for you, Aidan, okay?"

"Really?" He asked, doing the same. "Then why have we barely spoken a word to each other since the kiss? If it didn't mean anything, things would be normal between us," He said and she sighed. "I know there's something between us, Jen… I just, don't know how to explain it."

Jen went to speak but there was a knock at the door.

"Who the hell could that be?" Jen asked, running towards the window. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she backed away from the window.

"What?" Aidan asked. "Who is it?"

"It's Mel," She said and his eyes widened too. "I just… I'm gonna go hide in your bedroom!"

"Try not to leave this time," He said and she glared at him before running into his bedroom. He took a deep breath and walked over to the door. He opened it and there stood Melanie, looking as guilty as ever. "Hey, baby… what are you doing here?"

"My dad and I… he drove me here because I have something to tell you," She said, looking up at him. "Something that I couldn't say over the phone."

"Okay," He nodded, letting her in. "What is it?" He asked, sitting her down on the couch.

"Just please remember how much I love you and I would never want to do anything to hurt you, okay?" She told him, tearing up. He nodded, worriedly. "I… there was a party at Nora's and I got drunk, like really drunk and Ethan was there and he was telling me all about how he was sad because Nora was in love with someone else and I felt bad for him so," She said but he already knew what she was going to say. "He kissed me to make Nora jealous and then we went upstairs and we…"

"You slept with him?" He demanded, standing up and she started crying.

"Aidan, please, I'm so sorry!" She said, getting up and walking over to him. "It was the biggest mistake of my life, I wish I could take it back, I'm so sorry."

He shook his head and looked away, not knowing if he was hurt or relieved.

"Aidan, baby, please say something," She whispered and he finally looked at her.

"I think maybe… you should go." He said and she nodded, slowly making her way to the door. "Wait," He said and she looked at him. He swallowed. "I kissed Jen."

"What?" She asked and he took a deep breath.

"After you left, Jen came back and she's been living with me ever since," He told her and her eyes widened. "A few weeks ago we got drunk at a bar and kissed but it never went any further than that because we both knew it was wrong."

"I can't believe this!" She said and then looked at him. "How could you do this to me?"

"Me? You slept with another guy, Mel!" He shouted.

"You kissed my sister!" She yelled back. "And besides, I was all alone back home, I was lonely without you… but you weren't so lonely, were you?" She said and he sighed. "I always knew I would never be good enough for you, Aidan, you've always been in love with her but I just thought that you would love me more…"

Aidan sighed and he heard his bedroom door swing open, Jen walked into the living room, livid.

"That's bullshit, Mel and you know it!" Jen shouted and her younger sister stared at her. "You've always taken everything from me, ever since we were kids! You always had to be better than me and show off to Daddy!" She shouted and Melanie lowered her eyes. "And the one time I actually have a chance at really being in love with someone, you took it away from me!"

"Jen?"

The three teenagers turned around and saw Fulton standing at the doorway. Jen swallowed and approached her father.

"Dad," She said, dryly but Fulton just ran up to her and hugged her.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy you're okay," He said, hugging her even tighter. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I want you to come home, okay? You need to be part of this family; we don't want to lose you again."

Jen sighed and looked over at Aidan, who gave her an encouraging nod. "I don't know if I can, Dad," She told him and he looked at her. "I'll have to sleep on it."

"Not here you're not," He said, firmly.

"Uh, Mr. Reed," Aidan spoke up and Fulton looked at him. "Jen's been staying here for so long, what's one more night?"

"He's been taking care of me, Dad, I promise." Jen told her father and he nodded. "But I guess we'll give you two some privacy first…" She said as her and Fulton walked out.

"Well, that was pretty intense," Aidan said, sitting on the couch.

Melanie walked over to him. "What are we gonna do, Aidan?" She asked, through tears. "About us?"

"I just think that it's clear that we don't feel the same way that we used to," He said and she sighed. "At least I don't… I care about you, Mel, but I don't want to lead you on or anything,"

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" Melanie asked, through tears and he looked at her.

"I don't know," Aidan shook his head and Melanie gave him a look. "I could be, but I really don't know right now." He said and she nodded. "I'm just sorry it had to end like this, I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know," She said, with a sad smile. "I'm gonna head out," She told him.

"Wait," He said, as they both stood up. "Give them a minute."

"Right," She nodded.

"What's been really going on, Jen?" Fulton asked, as they stood in front of his car. "What's really the reason you've been doing all this?"

"Like you don't already know," She told him and he looked at her, clueless. "You're the reason, Dad."

"Me?" He said, surprised. "I mean, I know I haven't been the best father to you but…"

"Exactly! You've always put all your energy and love into everyone else but me, because I haven't accomplished anything that you consider worthy,"

"That's not true, Jennifer and you know it." He said but she shook her head.

"It is, Dad," She said, holding back tears. "You're so proud of all your children except for me! Casey with hockey, Zach with his brains, the twins are top of their class and let's not forget Melanie, your trophy daughter!" She told him. "I've never done anything that you can be proud of, have I?"

"Of course you have, honey,"

"When was the last time you came to one of my cheerleading competitions?" She asked. "It may not require super intelligence or knowledge about what's going on in space but I'm really good at it! And you never even cared enough to come watch me compete!"

"I'm sorry, I had no idea…" Fulton trailed and Jen sighed.

"All I wanted was for you to be proud of me for once and not compare me to Mel or Zach or the twins…" She told him. "I just wanted you to be proud of me for me."

"I am proud of you, sweetie," He sighed. "I'm sorry I never showed it."

"Maybe I should just stay here,"

"No, please, Jen, we all want you to come home," He told her and she looked at him. "I know I haven't been the greatest father to you but if you come home, I promise you I will be better, I'll show you how proud I am, okay?"

"It's too late, Dad…"

"Jennifer, please, I'm trying really hard here." He told her and she nodded.

"Okay, I'll come home," She said and he hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, baby," He whispered, kissing her head. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, Daddy." She whispered, hugging him back.

The next morning, after the three of them had spent the night in a hotel, Fulton and his daughters were heading home. They packed up Jen's stuff in the car and were getting on their way.

"Do you want us to stop at Aidan's so you can say goodbye?" Fulton asked and Jen looked at Melanie.

"Uh, no, I just wanna be home," She told him. "No pit stops." She said and he nodded as they got into the car.

Jen hated that she had to leave North Carolina, but what she hated more was what she was leaving behind.