Chapter Seventeen – I'll Drag You Kicking and Screaming

Rachel had finally given up on trying reasoning with Jake. She simply just sat there and listened to him bitch about whatever he felt needed bitching. And every couple of minutes Rachel would stand up and pace back and forth across the living room, pretending to be listening, but really just checking to make sure Jenny was still in her room and not snooping. Rachel pushed herself up from the couch and interrupted Jakes hour long ramblings about how his life sucked, why his life sucked, and how he had no idea how to make his life un suck.

"Jake. Stop." Rachel sighed. "I'm tired." She begged. "Cant we just pick this up later?" Jake sighed and sat on the couch. He patted his hand on the cushion next to him and sighed. Rachel sat down next to him. "What wrong with us?" She asked. Even though the question seemed to be directed to Jake, she was also asking herself.

Jake sighed and shook his head. "I don't know." Jake put his hand on hers. "But we need to fix it.

Rachel nodded. "What are we going to do?"

Jake thought about an answer for a while and a minute later a smile appeared on his lips. "Go to Hawaii."

"What?" Rachel laughed at her truly absurd answer. "Seriously Jake."

"I am serious." Jake smiled. "Let's just go. Nothing is stopping us."

"Nothing?" Rachel laughed. "Are you feeling alright."

"I'm fine."

"I seriously doubt that." Rachel laughed standing up. "How can you say nothing is stopping us? You really think we can just pack up our shit and go to Hawaii?" Jake nodded. "No Jacob, we cant. We both have work."

"We can get time off."

"We have stuff to do around the house. I thought you wanted to redecorate."

"It can wait."

"We don't have the money to do both, Jake."

"I can take out a loan."

"And how exactly are you going to pay for that?"

"I'll get another job."

"I hardly see you as it is, Jake." Rachel complained.

"You'll be fine." Jake laughed. "Come on. Please. Go to Hawaii with me."

Rachel sighed and smiled. "Alright."

"Alright?" Jake stood up. "Alright!" He grabbed her into a tight hug and kissed her. "We're going to Hawaii!"

"We're going to Hawaii." Rachel hugged him back. "Wait. What about Jenny?"

"Good question." Jake sighed. "We can leave her with Peyton and Chris. Jenny loves Peyton, and seemed to like Chris enough at the wedding."

"They broke up." Jake raised an eyebrow so Rachel explained further. "She caught him cheating on her again."

"With April?" Rachel nodded. "How about Nathan?"

"Nathan is out of town."

"And Brooke?"

"She's at home. Hold on I'll call her." Rachel disappeared into the other room and returned five minutes later. "I ran it by her…"

"And?"

"And she said it was fine. Haley and Peyton are staying there also so it would work out just fine!"

"Great." Jake laughed. "I'll go tell Jenny, and start packing."

"When are you planning on taking me to this tropical island?"

"I was thinking this weekend."

"Works for me." Rachel laughed. "I'll go pack."

Rachel watched Jake disappear down the hall to Jenny's room and sighed, before going into their bedroom. She opened the closet doors and pulled out everything she and Jake owned. As she sorted through the clothes that they were taking and the ones that they weren't she couldn't help but think that this trip might be a bad idea. Not that she wasn't excited to be getting to spend this time with Jake, but she also feared that if this trip didn't meet all of Jakes hopes, her relation ship would be over. Which she really didn't want to happen. She liked being with Jake. She liked Jake. She loved Jake. And she loved Jenny more then life itself. But staying in this relationship was a dead end for her. Jake didn't seem to be ready to take the next step, and Rachel was. So maybe Jake wouldn't be the one calling off the relationship, Rachel would. Because with out a pair of wedding bands in this happy house hold, Rachel didn't think she could manage being here any longer. Trying to think optimistic she sighed. I'm going to have a good time in Hawaii. She told herself. I'm going to have a good time in Hawaii. I'm going to have a good time in Hawaii. I'm going to have a good time in Hawaii. She thought maybe, just maybe, if she said it enough it would happen.

Rachel walked across the room and turned on to the stereo. An old Stevie Nicks song, Edge of Seventeen, blasted out of the speakers. Rachel wasn't in the mood for the song and shut off the stereo, turning her attention to the TV. She turned it on and turned on Cartoon Network. It was guilty pleasure, that Rachel loved watching reruns of Johnny Bravo and Ed, Edd, and Eddie.

"I don't want to go!" Jenny complained

In a smaller room down the hall from Rachel, Jake tried to persuade Jenny into being excited for her trip to Uncle Nathan and Auntie Brooke's house. But Jenny seemed to be immune to his mind control. As much as she loved Nathan, she could hardly stand Brooke. After all, Brooke was the reason that Nathan and her couldn't be together. In her seven year old mind, she and Nathan were undeniably in love, and Brooke had stolen Nathan from her.

"Come on, sweetie. It will be fun. Peyton will be there too." Jake pleaded.

"No!" Jenny started to wine flopping onto the ground kicking and screaming.

"Jenny!" Usually Jenny's tantrums amused Jake. Sometimes he even found them humorous. But at the moment, he wasn't in the mood. He wanted to go on this trip with Rachel and without his daughter. "Please stop. Daddy has a head ache!" Jake begged. "Stop it."

"I'm not listening. I'm not listening." Jenny said plugging her ears with her fingers.

"I swear to god Jennifer, I will drag you there kicking and screaming. I don't care what you want. You're going!" Jake yelled.

"NO!" Jenny said continuing to kick and scream.

"Fine!" Jake said flopping himself down onto the floor. Mimicking his daughter, he kicked, screamed and pounded his fists on the ground.

It took Jenny a good minute to realize what was going on. Suddenly very self conscious she stopped and stood up. "What are you doing?"

Jake continued to throw his fo-tantrum. "I want you to go!"

"Okay." Jenny got onto her knees and patted her fathers shoulder. "No need to cry. I'll go."

Jake laughed and kissed his daughters cheek. It worked! Thank god! He smiled. "Good girl! Now get out you're Barbie suitcase and bring it to Rachel, okay?"

"Okay." Jenny nodded with a frown. "You tricked me."

"Yes, I did." Jake laughed.

Jenny ran across the room and grabbed her Barbie suitcase, like she had been told, and ran out of the room. Careful not to trip over her feet she ran to Rachel.

"Rachel!" Jenny said putting her suitcase onto the bed next to Rachel. "Daddy said to give this to you."

Rachel turned off the TV. "You're going with us?"

"No." Jenny shook her head sadly. "Daddy wont let me." She pulled herself up onto the bed frowned. "I have to stay with Aunt Brooke."

"I thought you liked Aunt Brooke."

"No." Jenny sighed over dramatically.

"Why not, sweetie?" Rachel laughed.

"Because…" Jenny frowned. "Because she stole Nathan from me."

"What do you mean?" Rachel couldn't help but laugh. "How did she steal him?"

"Because we were in love, but she stole him, and married him."

"Is that right?" Jenny nodded. "Well, you know, me and your Aunt Brooke have been friends so a long time now. She's a nice person, so, why don't you give her a chance, ok?" Rachel patted Jenny's shoulder. "Even if she did steal Nathan."

"Fine." Jenny shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides, I like that Chris guy better."

Rachel snorted, but quickly bit her lip when she saw the look Jenny shot her way. "Well there you go then."

Jenny smiled. "I'm going to go get my milk." She declared and ran out of the room.

Rachel couldn't believe it. Sweet, virginal, seven year old Jenny, had the hots for not only for a married Nathan Scott, but also an asshole rock star named Chris Keller. How did she swing that? The two were complete opposites. Nathan was nice and Chris was…Chris. Weird.