Hey everyone! Welcome to the second chapter. Thank you to everyone that has checked this story out.

I can't say how often I will be updating this one. I would like to say once a week, but I can't be certain about that, as I am working on a few other things and just life in general.

Enjoy!


"You can do this," Jack muttered, pacing around the living room in a full circle. He rubbed his temple, feeling the start of a headache starting to form in his head. He doesn't know what he's so afraid of. He's old enough to know what it is he wants, and what it is he needs to do for himself. Making this choice had been easy for him. Telling his parents what he had done, well, he didn't think it was going to be difficult at all. "You can tell them," he said, steeling his resolve.

"This is a nice surprise," Zoe said, entering the living room. She had been upstairs, putting the laundry away, when her husband came into the room to inform her that their son has returned home with news that apparently couldn't wait. "Come here," she smiled, pulling her oldest in for a hug, rubbing and patting his back. No matter how long he's been gone, she misses her son greatly. Getting the chance to see him before his schedule allowed, she would take it, no matter the circumstance surrounding the why.

"What's so important that it couldn't wait a few more weeks?" Wade questioned, taking a seat. Don't get him wrong, he's happy to see his son. Worried about what it is Jack has to tell them, that couldn't wait. He'd rather not sit around feeling anxious about what is going on with his oldest child while they made small talk. They can make small talk after they have figured out what's going on with Jack. And part of him believes that Jack doesn't want to sit around making small talk all afternoon.

"What does bring you home," Zoe commented, taking a seat on the couch next to her husband. She too wants to get to the root of the problem that brought their son home when he should be working or studying. Certainly not partying, because she refuses to believe that he hasn't been taking his studying seriously.

"About that," Jack nodded, sitting in the chair kitty-corner to his parents. Much like his father, he'd rather get straight to what is going on than avoid the topic altogether. The longer they talk about other things the bigger the risk is that he'll back out on telling them what's really going on with him.

"What did you do?" Wade asked, taking a deep breath, gearing up to hear the worst news possible. The idea of him being a father, of him joining the military, of him being deadly sick, to him straight up being in trouble with the law, were thoughts that have been running through his mind. He couldn't take the suspense of not knowing what was wrong with his son.

"I know how important school is," Jack said, nodding trying to find the right words to tell his parents of what he had done. "I know how huge it is that I had gotten into Stanford," he started to say, growing quiet.

"Damn right it is, with them only having a 4 percent acceptance rate, you had to work your ass off to get into Stanford, you deemed it your dream school," Wade stated, feeling his anger taking hold, fearing that his son has some news that he isn't going to like. "Some would say it's harder to get into Stanford than Harvard or Yale, yet you did it," Wade pointed out.

"I know," Jack sighed, nodding. Ever since his first year of high school, he's worked his butt off, to get into the college of his dreams. Spent many of his nights and weekends studying. When he wasn't studying he was involved with plenty of extracurricular activities to help his application form. He studied hard for over a year for his SATs. He did everything he could to make sure he got in.

"What are you saying, Jack?" Zoe asked, placing her hand on her husband's leg, helping to keep him grounded and not jumping up to freak out over something they can't control. She's afraid that she knows where this is going, and she knows that there isn't anything she can say that will make him change his mind on what he has decided to do.

"What I'm saying is that I've dropped out," he blurted.

"What?" Wade yelled, jumping up to his feet, his anger at his son, coming out. "Are you being serious right now?" Wade asked, pacing around the living room, running a hand through his hair. "You've been given this great opportunity that not many get and you're quitting?" Wade asked, shaking his head. "Like hell you are!" Wade snapped, turning to look at his son.

"Wade!" Hissed Zoe. "This isn't our choice to make," she stated.

"Like hell it's not," Wade yelled. "We did everything to make sure Jack was given the opportunities that he wanted to have, and why should we let him throw it back in our faces?" Wade questioned. He was prepared to have a grandkid or to help him out with legal fees or support him when he got shipped off after boot camp. But he was not prepared to learn that his son was giving up on the future he always wanted to have.

"Because he's the only one that knows what it is he needs to do," Zoe said calmly. "We may have helped him in giving him this opportunity, but it is up to him with what he does with it," she stated, turning to her son. "What is it you want to be doing, Jack?" She asked, softly.

"That's the thing," Jack sighed, looking at his mom with a nervous look on his face. "I don't know what it is I want anymore, all I know is that I don't want to be an engineer any longer," he confessed.

"I see," Zoe nodded. "And there aren't any other courses at Stanford, you could possibly take?"

"I'm sorry," Jack said meekly, darting a glance at his father, who paced furiously off to the side of the living room. "I've put a lot of thought into what I want and what it is I need to do for me. I will figure everything else out within time," he stated with determination.

"Damn right you're sorry," Wade quipped out, taking a deep breath. "If you want to ruin your life then so be it," he stated in a huff, storming out of the house. He had given Jack everything to have a better life than he had growing up. Gave Jack the option of going to college to make something of himself with an easier path than he had, and yet it wasn't enough.

"I honestly thought Dad was going to be on my side and we'd have to talk you around to my side of things," Jack said, letting a small chuckle escape. His hardest critic growing up was his mom. She had spouted the need to have a college degree with a career they saw as more than a job to be done. His dad had been the nonchalant one when it came to any type of schooling.

"Dad, played it off as he didn't care, but he did," Zoe said, with a tight smile. "You've got to understand that he wasn't given the same opportunities as you have. After your uncle Jesse left, he was left to take of Grandpa Earl, he didn't dare go after his dreams. He didn't want anything to stand in his kid's way of going after their dreams," she told Jack.

"Well, if it means that much to him, I can power through it," Jack sighed softly. He doesn't want his dad to be mad at him or to think less of him.

"You're not doing that," Zoe told him sternly. "I love being a doctor, but I did it because it was the family legacy and to prove a point that I could make it, it wasn't until I showed up here that I really learned how to be the best doctor," she shared. "And the last thing I want for you, Jack, is to suffer through classes you want no part of. You're the only one that knows what is right for you," she stated.

"But, dad," he sighed, shaking his head. It sickens him to disappoint his father.

"Your dad is going to be proud of you no matter what you do, Jack. He will come to his senses soon enough. You are more than welcome to have your old room back for as long as you need it," she informed him, getting up.

"Thanks, mom, but I don't need it," he told her leaning back in the chair. "I may be dropping out of school, but that doesn't mean I am giving up my life in Stanford. I will be going back once I smooth everything out with dad," he informed her.

"Okay," Zoe nodded, pulling her son in for a hug. "We learn things every day, Jack, and you just might learn more about yourself and life by not going to college. It is you and only you that knows what you need, not I and not your dad. We want you to do what is right for you, always have," she told him. "Now what would you like for dinner?" She asked, pulling away.

"Oh uh maybe a stew with cornbread," he said.

"I will inform your father, once I find him," she shared, leaving the living room and heading outside to find her husband. Over the years she had learned to cook little things. She wanted to be able to make meals for her family and that meant she had to learn the basics of cooking, with the help of her husband.

Jack dropped down in the chair, closing his eyes, as he tipped his had back. He feels lighter now that he has gotten it all off his chest. Told his parents the truth. That his dreams have slowly changed in the past 2 years. He was being honest with his parents when he said that he didn't know what it is he wants to do with his life. He figured he would figure it out as he goes. All he knows is that being an engineer like he thought isn't what he wants, and it took for him to be in his classes to realize that his dreams had changed. And like he told his mother, he'd suffer through the remaining two years of his schooling if it made his dad happy.

"I hadn't thought mom would be the calm understanding one in this situation," Lynn said, joining her brother in the living room. She had heard her dad yelling and shouting. She couldn't hear a peep that her mom had said. Once she heard the front door slam shut, she snuck out of her room and down the stairs, avoiding the two steps that liked to creak under your weight, to hear what was going on. Once her mom left, she waited for a beat until she entered the living room.

"Same," Jack laughed, looking at his sister. "I figured she'd have freaked out worst because it's the world she comes from," he shared.

"Funny isn't it?" Lynn asked. "But I think it's because she comes from that world that she understands. Dad doesn't so all he can see is that you've thrown your life away," she commented, shrugging.

"I don't think we give Dad enough credit," Jack said, shaking his head. "He knows what it's like to not have the same chances in life we've been given. He knows how hard life can be and it's like I've thrown that right back in his face," Jack said, sharing his thoughts with his sister.

"Are you saying that dad isn't mad at you, rather the situation as a whole?" She asked her brother.

"Something like that," Jack nodded. He'd have to have a private chat with his dad, once his mom got him to calm down enough to see reason. And try to explain things to him in a way that he'd understand. All he's doing is going after what he wants, and his dad should see reason to that. He had to.