Jesse sat on the couch his head resting on his arm. He was still looking down the hall. What Becky said yesterday running through his head. 'Don't give up on your music. It's so much apart of you.' He sighed as he got to his feet. He made his way to the door shoving it open. As he looked around he didn't have the same feeling as the last time. He remembered how happy he use feel about music. He smiled at the memory of Becky and the kids surprising him on his birthday with the room newly finished. He couldn't help but think about what his life would have been like without music. Most likely stuck working for his father. After all he'd quit to pursue his music career. Or at the time advertising with Joey. Sure it was a risk but he knew it was the right choice. At least at the time. Was it the right choice now that he looked back. He wasn't sure. Would he have still met and fell in love with Becky he wondered. Their first big fight he'd wrote and sung a song to her. Without that how would he have made it up to her? He glanced at the mess. He knew he was avoiding it fear everyone was right but he needed to know. He just wasn't sure he could handle the truth or everyone's reaction.

"Dad?" Steph said coming into the kitchen. "Shouldn't you be at work?" She grabbed a muffin before sitting down at the table across from him.
Danny glanced at his watch. "I don't have to be there till ten."
Steph nodded. "Did you take Jessica to school?"
"No, Steve picked her up on his way." He sipped his coffee. "You okay?" He asked noticing her expression.
"Yeah. I guess so. It's just...I don't know maybe I'm over thinking it but..."
"But what?" Danny asked.
"I talked to Uncle Jesse the other day. He seemed sort of...I don't know not himself."
"Oh..." He raised his eyebrow. "How so? What'd he say?"
"I was telling him about me concerning staying. Which of course he wasn't thrilled about. But I expected that. Then he said something about him thinking he had problems. He didn't even answer me back right. As if he wasn't paying attention."
"Sweetie, you have to remember he had a head injury. It might have been that."
"It's just the way he sounded. I don't know...I just expected him or Becky to call at least once. But I had too."
Henny nodded. "People deal in different ways. Like last week when you decided to move here."
Steph laughed at him. "Okay. Okay. Don't have a cow."
"I can't tell you what to do. You need to decide what's best for you and Jessica. I'd be sad to see you go but hate for you to throw away everything you worked so hard for." He stood up with his coffee mug as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Hi Steph." Jesse says as he comes into the dressing room. "Listen, we need to talk." He walks over to her sitting on the couch.
"Why bother? I know what your gonna say." Her voice irritated yet hurt as she stands up and paces around him. "You missed your cord chances. Your singing was flat. You have no business being out there." She turns to face him. "Made a total fool of yourself."
"Keep going I'm not finished." He faces her with his hands in his pockets a smug smile on his face.
"It's not funny, Uncle Jesse. I hope your happy cause this was the most humiliating night of my life." She yells. "Just leave me alone." She says her voice now upset as she walks away from him.
Jesse walks slowly over to her and runs a hand through her hair. "Steph, who are you really angry at?"
"Myself. For not listening to you."
"Now we're getting somewhere." He said.
"And you for picking on me." She shouts again now looking him in the eye for the first time before walking back toward the couch her arms crossed.
"Picking? I prefer to call it motivating."
"Call it what you want. You made me feel terrible." She sits down as Jesse nods to himself realizing she's right.
"You know I guess I was a little hard on ya." He walks over to her sitting down across from her. "I'm sorry. It's just that...what happened tonight was exactly what I was afraid of. You going up there on stage for your very first time and being humiliated. The same thing happened to me."
"I bet you didn't bomb like we did."
Jesse switches seats and sits down next to her. "It was our 6th grade talent show, right. It was me and the three Ed's. You know those guys?" She nods. "And all we were concerned about, of course, was our hair. So we're back before the show greasing up, getting all greasy and ready to go, right. I can't hold on to my drum sticks my hands are so greasy." Steph smiles. "So I'm getting ready to do wipeouts, stick goes flying. I wipe out little Ed."
"Are you making that up to make me feel better?" She asks smiling.
Jesse shakes his head. "No. But does it?"
"Kinda. I guess we should have practiced a little more."
"Guess you should've practiced a lot more. Listen Steph you can't exceed at anything, whether it'd be a band or school or whatever your doing at the time without working very hard and having discipline."
"Yeah." She nods. "Guess there's more to being in a band then just looking great. Although we did look great."
"Oh yeah! You looked very good. But you did pay some major dues today."
"Really? Like what?"
"Well, you won't have to go through your first performance again and luckily neither will the audience. Listen I hope I didn't turn you off of music. Cause you do have some natural talent." He says.
Steph smiles at him. "Thanks, Uncle Jesse. That really means a lot to me." She touches his arm.
"Well, listen I'm happy to help you anytime you want but not as your manager as your uncle." He slides over and puts his arm around her.
"How much percentage does an uncle get?" Jesse smiles widely at her showing his teeth before kissing the side of her head.
Steph wraps her arm around him hugging him. "I'm proud of you."

Becky was hoping this afternoon would be different for all the others since returning from Seattle. She sighed shaking her head at the mess. Every dish in the kitchen must have been dirty. The dishwasher was sitting open not a single dish more could fit. There were still clothes laying near the back door even after she'd asked the kids to pick them up. She understood Jesse and the kids needed to deal with what happened but this was getting ridiculous. "Jess!" She shouted. She knew the kids rooms probably looked the same. Last she seen Nicky hadn't even unpacked yet.
"What?" He asked sitting down.
"Did you do anything I asked? This place is a mess. I told you to have the kids clean up after school." She pointed toward the kitchen which seemed to be the messiest. "And did you talk to the kids?"
"I tried this morning but didn't get anywhere. Nicky and Megan left before I could even get started."
Becky nodded. "So how'd it go with Alex?"
"Really good." Jesse smiled.
"Where are the kids?" She realized.
"Alex is at a friend's. Said something about a project. Not sure about the other two."
"Seriously? I don't get it. Why's it seem like you don't care? About anything anymore?" She was doing her best to not get upset. But Jesse's confused expression set her off. "Did you even realize Stephanie's over a week late in coming home?"
"Oh, it's been a week already?"
"Uh, yeah! Did you ever think to check in with her?" She said.
"She's got Danny. And so what if her and Jess wanna stay?" He remarked back. "And for your information we did talk. She's thinking of staying. So I never pressed why she was still there, with her Dad." He stressed the 'her Dad' part.
"It's that attitude. It's annoying when Nicky does does it and it's annoying now." She answered back. "She's got Danny? Really? That's your excuss." She turned to walk away but turned back. "You know I promised the kids everything was gonna be fine. But clearly I was wrong. Especially when you act like Steph's not our problem. She's just as much our daughter as Danny's. She went through the exact same thing as you. Don't you think maybe she's feeling the way you are?" Jesse didn't say anything. "And I'm sorry that your family is such a burden. That we aren't allow to care or worry or help you."
"Oh come on." He scoffed.
"It's how you act. You keep pushing us away." Becky bit her lip to stop the tears. "I love you more then anything. But I'm not so sure you feel the same way anymore. You don't even try."
"Beck?" Jesse said reaching for her hand but she stood up.
"Explain to me why your pushing me and the kids away? You owe me that much. I want to understand." She begged him. But he only looked down at his hands. "Fine." Becky said as she walked away.

Becky layed starring at the ceiling in her daughter's room. Megan was asleep beside her. As she looked at her still wet cheeks she realized her behaviour was rubbing off on her daughter. Walking out before Jesse could talk with her this morning and refusing to even say goodnight to him. Megan had cried herself to sleep and Becky couldn't get what was bothering her out of her. Why was she suddenly so afraid to talk to Jesse she wondered. Then it hit her, the accident. Jesse had wanted to talk to them about what happened. Megan must have not liked being reminded of it. She was no better, she realized. Getting mad at him for pulling away and distancing himself. Her whole attitude changed the minute Jesse starting distancing himself and wallowing in what happened. She was taken aback by his lack of regard for anyone else. And not allowing her to help him. And she blamed him this whole time when really it was never his fault. He had every right to act out. It was just his way of dealing.
As she shifted in bed she let her mind wonder back to three weeks ago. Her own behaviour recently was ridicules. As she thought about it she now understood it. In some ways she was mad at Jesse for being stubborn and acting differently. But she was also hiding her true feelings. She let herself go there. She almost lost him. But by hanging on to that fear she sort of lost him anyway. As Jesse, dealing with his own insecurities, pushed everyone away she'd clung on to her feelings when the accident first happened. By doing so she too had pushed him away. Maybe she was the one who needed to talk not her kids. She glanced toward the bedroom door and thought about Jesse sleeping down the hall alone. She missed him.