Ch. 24

Reassurance

When Babe and JR had returned home, Babe quietly left JR at the door and went up the stairs toward her room. The ride home had been a long and silent one.

JR watched her go up the stairs and shut her door, and sighed. He felt bad for Babe, and as he wheeled into the living room, he was a little angry. Angry at Jamie, and at Babe. JR was angry that Jamie had cheated on Babe and had hurt her. But he was also kind of angry at Babe for letting it get to her. She and Jamie were over, and had been over for a long time, and she was now with JR.

Krystal walked into the living room, "Where's Babe?"

"Upstairs." JR said shortly.

"Did you guys get in a fight?"

"No, why?" JR asked.

"Well, you guys are almost always together, I was just wonderin'..." Krystal said.

"No, we didn't get in a fight, but..."

"But what?" Krystal pushed.

"Why don't you go and talk to your daughter, she probably needs you right now."

Krystal raised an eyebrow in confusion, and then without another word she left the living room and walked up the steps.

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JR was still sitting down in the living room when Krystal had come back down. It had been about an hour, and JR had wheeled around restlessly, trying to occupy himself with something.

And as he wheeled around, he kept thinking of different things, reasons why Babe would be upset about Jamie cheating on her. Maybe... maybe she still cared about him. Maybe Babe still loved Jamie. What if Babe was only with JR for money, or Little Adam, like Kendall said?

JR got a break from the swirling thoughts in his head as he looked up at Krystal as she entered the room and sat on the couch. Words formed in his mouth but he couldn't open his mouth to ask them, so he just stared at her.

"So, come on, I know you have some questions to ask me." Krystal read his mind.

JR looked shocked. How did she know what he was thinking?

"How did you..." JR started.

"JR, it's all over your face. I can tell you got somethin' to ask." Krystal explained.

JR sighed and turned his wheelchair towards her. He had no idea where to start.

"Is she OK?" JR asked.

Krystal nodded, "Of course she's OK. I mean it hurt her to find out what Jamie did, but it's in the past."

"But if it's in the past, why does it hurt her?"

"JR... he cheated on her, lied to her durin' the time they were together. She trusted him completely, and he took advantage of her trust. Babe had no idea that he was messin' around on her behind her back, and it hurts her to know that he was lyin' to her face every time they saw each other. He didn't act like anythin' had even changed. You remember how hurt you were when you found out Babe cheated on you."

JR swallowed, thinking about the painful memory, "That was very different."

"A little bit, but it still hurt didn't it?" Krystal asked.

"Of course it did, but that was when we were married and very much in love."

"You don't think Babe and Jamie weren't in love? They were. Just because she was startin' to love you again don't mean she stopped lovin' him."

"But I just don't get it. We are together now, we are in love, and yet this still bothers her."

Krystal shook her head, "JR, she loves you more than life itself, but just because you guys are together doesn't mean it ain't gonna hurt.

She and Jamie had a past. They were gonna have a future too, until you came back into the picture. When everythin' you guys had started goin' to hell and after everythin' that happened, Babe had no one to turn to except for Jamie. Because of that, she trusted him more than she had trusted anyone else. And because she trusted him that much, it hurts her so much more."

JR looked down, trying to take it all in.

"You know you would be upset too if you learned someone that you really cared about cheated on you in the past and you didn't even know about it."

Even though JR didn't answer, he kind of understood now.

"So it's not because she still loves him?" JR asked quietly.

"Of course not JR. She loves you, more than she ever loved him. She wants to be with you and Little Adam. Jamie is not even a little blip on her radar anymore. Stop bein' so insecure!" Krystal smiled and patted JR on the shoulder.

JR watched Krystal walk out of the room and he smiled, feeling better.

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JR was lying on his bed in his room, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't seen Babe since they'd arrived home hours earlier. She was still up in her room. JR couldn't sleep. He wasn't used to sleeping without Babe in his arms.

He grunted in frustration and turned on his side. He tried closing his eyes and hoping for sleep to come, but it didn't work. JR then heard his bedroom door open and he looked towards the noise.

"Who's there?" JR called out.

"It's just me." Babe called, shutting the door quietly and making her way to her side of the bed.

JR stared up at her, and she stood by the side of the bed, looking unsure.

"Is it OK if I stay here tonight?" Babe asked quietly.

JR paused, and then said, "Yes."

Babe nodded, and carefully got into the bed. They both kept their distance from each other, both feeling a little awkward.

"Listen JR, I need to apologize..." Babe started.

"No, you don't. It's OK. You had every right to feel the way you did."

"But it just doesn't seem right though. I should be enjoying my time with you, not thinking about the past."

"Babe, don't worry about it. I don't care."

"You say that, but I know you. Mama came up and talked to me, and told me how you asked if I still loved Jamie. Do you still think I love him?" Babe questioned.

JR shook his head, "I don't know. At first I was confused... and a little bit jealous. I know you loved him, and you left me for him, so if it really a stretch to think you still love him?"

"No, it's not. I don't love him, not the way I love you. Sure, Jamie will always have a small piece of my heart, but you're part of my soul. I have never and will never love another man like I love you."

JR smiled at her, "OK, why are you so far over there? Come here!"

Babe giggled and slid closer to him, and he pulled her into his arms and started kissing her.

Babe pulled back, out of breath, "Wow, we should fight more often."

"I think I can make that happen." JR smiled.

Babe laughed and leaned in to kiss JR again.