Chapter Fifteen: Together

The next day, Manny woke up early to cook breakfast for everyone. She wanted Emma to take it easy for awhile. Before cooking, Manny decided to get the newspaper. When she opened the door, she almost screamed. Sprawled out on the front steps, with a bottle of whiskey in his hand, was JT, fast asleep. Manny nudged him with her foot and woke him up.

"What are you doing here?" she asked angrily.

"I…I came to see Emma," he confessed.

"So you got drunk and passed out on my steps? That was a really stupid thing to do JT."

"I was nervous, so I started drinking. I'm sorry okay? At least I didn't drive here," he pointed out. "Can I talk to Emma?"

"No you can't," Manny told him.

"Why not?"

"Because she's sleeping, and even if she wasn't, she wouldn't want to talk to you. She came here to get away from you. Why don't you understand that?"

"Because I love her!" he yelled. Manny felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped. She turned to see Emma on the steps.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I do," JT said sincerely.

"We have to talk." Manny took the hint and went inside to make breakfast. Emma led JT over to the bench swing on the porch. They sat down and turned to face each other. "JT…" Emma began.

"Wait Em. Before you say anything, I didn't even know that I had been hurting you. I have not been myself ever since I lost my job. I just wanted to be able to provide for you and I felt like a waste of life when I was laid off. Manny told me what's been happening, and I'm so sorry. I know that may not be enough, but I love you and I want to change." He sighed after he finished.

"I appreciate that, I really do. But how could you forget that you've been beating me?" she started to cry. "You did this to me," she said, pointing at her eye. "And this, and this, and this," she began pointing out all the fading bruises that JT had put on her. "And you did this," she put her hand on her growing stomach.

"I don't understand…" JT trailed off.

"JT, I'm pregnant," she said flatly.

"But…we've used protection. And…" But Emma cut him off.

"You raped me," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. JT's eyes widened and he gasped.

"Emma, I…"

"You're sorry? You didn't know? JT, how many excuses can you make?" JT sat there, speechless, his head in his hands.

"Emma, I know that I've made some horrible mistakes, but that's what they were: mistakes. I also know that I can't change what has happened, but I want to change. I want to get better. I want to be with you and our baby. I need you," he said, beginning to cry.

"I found this online last night," Emma said, unfolding a piece of paper that she had in her hands. She gave it to JT and he read it silently. "It's a three month program." The paper was all about 'The Freeman Institution' in Montreal. "It will help you get better. I want you to get better JT."

"I want to get better too. I'm gonna go," he said, wiping the tears off of his face and then off of Emma's. He kissed her forehead and stood up. "I'll pack my things and I'll go right now. I can't lose you Emma."

"I have a lot to think about right now. I don't know if we can be together. You've hurt me so much and I'm not sure if I can go back to that. I'll keep in mind that you're willing to change, but for now, you just need to go. Go get better and I'll see you when you get out. I'm gonna stay at Manny's and you can call whenever you need to. That's the best I can do right now," she explained.

"I'm lucky that you're even going to think about it. I love you Emma and I always will, no matter what you decide. I have to go now." He kissed her lightly and walked away without looking back.

Emma quickly went into the house to find everyone at the kitchen table, eating. A place was set for her so she sat down and started to eat without explaining what happened. Just when she decided to say something, Jonathan began to speak.

"I have to tell you all something," he said, and everyone's eyes were on him. "I've been going to therapy for awhile now, and I haven't gotten any better. I can't even stand up, and I don't think that I'll turn out like Dad," he confessed. A tear formed in Manny's eye, but she didn't let herself cry. "Mom, I don't want you to be sad because I'm not. And I don't want everyone to feel sorry for me either. I'm fully capable of doing anything that I want to."

"We love you no matter what," Jimmy said. "You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do know that. I love you guys too. That's why I want you to know that I'm not giving up; I'm just not going to continue something that's a waste of time. I'm going through different therapy now, but that's a surprise that I'll show you later."

"Jonathan, you sound so grown up," Manny said, still trying not to cry.

"I'm glad that you're not giving up son," Jimmy told him. He reached over and patted Jon on the back.

"Does anyone else have any good news?" Manny asked, obviously looking at Emma.

"I'll tell you later," Emma said, smiling. They all finished breakfast and the kids all got their bathing suits on, including Jonathan. Jimmy put his swimsuit on as well and jumped into the pool with Lily and Lucas. Manny fed Bella and put her down for a nap before joining Emma on the deck. Jonathan was wheeling around the yard, spinning his wheelchair in circles.

"JT is going to The Freeman Institution," Emma burst out as soon as Manny sat down.

"Really? That's great Em."

"I don't know if I'm going to go back to him even if he gets better though."

"That's something that you have to decide for yourself," Manny told her. Jimmy climbed out of the pool and went up on the deck. He walked over to where Manny and Emma were sitting.

"Don't you get me wet!" Manny yelled, laughing. Jimmy sat right down on her lap, soaking her. Manny playfully smacked him and he kissed her.

"I forgot to tell you that I got that restraining order against Matt last night. I called him up and talked to him about it, and I faxed him a copy of it so he would know. He asked me where Paige was, and when I didn't tell him, he hung up on me. I don't think he'll be bothering us," he said.

"And I forgot to tell you that I love you today," Manny said, kissing him.

"Mom, Dad, I want to show you something!" Jonathan yelled from the pool area. Manny and Jimmy looked up to see that he had wheeled himself to the very edge of the pool and locked it in place.

"Get away from there right now!" Manny yelled, standing up. Her and Jimmy began walking towards the deck steps. Without warning, Jonathan pushed himself out of his chair and into the water. Manny and Jimmy went running to the pool.

Before they got there, however, Jon began to swim. They watched as he swam the entire length of the pool, pushed off of the side with his hands, and came all the way back. He wasn't fast because his legs simply dragged behind him, but he did it. When he reached the other side, he pulled himself right out of the pool and sat on the edge.

"That was…" Jimmy began to say.

"Amazing!" Manny yelled.

"I was going to say scary, but that too," Jimmy said, laughing. They ran to their son and picked him up, hugging him between the two of them. Emma joined them and high-fived Jonathan.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Manny asked.

"I wanted it to be a surprise, I already told you that," Jon said.

"You scared the crap out of us," Jimmy said. "But I'm really proud of you," he said.

"We both are," Manny told him. Lily and Lucas were both out of the pool and congratulated Jon too.

"We are too," they said in unison. Bella began to cry on the baby monitor as if she were agreeing. Emma ran inside, got her out of the playpen and brought her to join everyone else. The entire family, including Emma, held each other in one huge hug. They knew they could do anything as long as they stuck together.

A/N: I know it was kind of a sappy ending to the chapter, but I promise you that the drama has not ended.