Author's Note: Okay. I am SO sorry for not updating this sooner. Life has just been so busy lately. But hopefully the updates will be much more steady from now on. Enjoy!

On the car ride back to his home, James filled Adam in on a few things.

He told him that Jesse had also told Terry about them and that Terry had been more than fine with it.

Adam was happy to hear this. Once the Ducks had started warming up to him, he and Terry had gotten along very well.

He also told him that Jesse would most likely just be waking up. He would let Adam in and then he would have to go to work. He'd be back around 6:30.

As they got closer, the anticipation was building within Adam. Once they reached the building, he began to smile at the memories of the times he had spent here. As James opened the door and Adam stepped through, he couldn't help but think, again, how much he loved this place. It was so much smaller than his house, and yet, this place felt like a home. It was so warm and inviting...to him, anyway. His house never felt like that.

James told him to help himself to anything he wanted and to make himself at home as he grabbed everything he needed before heading out the door. Adam simply stood in the same spot for a few moments, taking in all the events of the morning, and realizing that he had ended up here. He turned his head in the direction of a sound and was met with the sight of someone barely awake, in a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, rubbing his eye sleepily.

Jesse.

Adam couldn't contain his smile. He'd missed that. While they were in California, he'd learned that Jesse was far from a morning person...but he had so much self-discipline that if he needed to get up for something, he would...though it usually took him a while to become "fully awake".

He watched in amusement as Jesse stumbled over to the refrigerator, eyes barely open, and pulled out a carton of orange juice. He turned around, about to take a swig from the carton, when he caught sight of Adam.

The carton of juice plummeted to the floor.

If Jesse had known what that day would hold, he would never have gone to sleep the night before. He woke up the same time he usually did when he was planning to go practice, trying to be as quiet as possible so he wouldn't wake his brother while also attempting to maneuver around their room while barely conscious.

He slowly made his way towards the kitchen, knowing some juice would help him wake up before he got ready. He was just about to take a drink when he saw someone standing across the room.

Adam.

The juice slipped from his hand in his shock, but he didn't notice. He blinked a few times, certain he was either dreaming or hallucinating.

Adam's laugh made him realize that this was real. Adam was really there...just standing in the middle of his apartment.

Adam had to laugh. Jesse just looked so surprised and confused. He walked over to him, his relief that he was here only increasing.

"Hey."

"Hey, cake-eater," Jesse huffed out in his still-shocked state.

They hugged for a good minute before they pulled back and Jesse's inquisitive mind got the better of him.

"What are you doing here?"

Adam's first response came in the form of him placing his lips against Jesse's. It had been so long for both of them since they had touched that that first hug and first kiss were cherished, savored.

When they pulled back, they went over to the couch and Adam told Jesse everything about James' plan.

Jesse couldn't believe it. He'd never be able to make this up to his dad.

But he was determined to try.

They decided to use that day to just lay around and enjoy each other. They'd go out practicing tomorrow. Adam was nervous about playing with a bunch of kids he'd never met and who he knew probably saw him as a stuck up little rich boy, but he knew that with Jesse, he'd be okay.

So they both kicked back on the couch and watched some movies, Adam tucked into Jesse's side.

When Terry woke up, he was first surprised to see his brother home, and then even more so when he caught sight of Adam. His shock only lasted a moment, though, before a smile graced his face, relieved that his brother would be much happier now.

He talked to the two of them for a while before getting dressed and heading over to Tammy and Tommy's.

That left the two of them alone for the rest of the day.

And they couldn't have been happier.

TBC

I know this chapter wasn't much, but for some reason it was a really hard one. The next few should come more steadily. Also, just to clarify, the way I see the films is that in the first film, Adam and Jesse are 11 in the winter of 6th grade. The second movie is the following summer before 7th grade, and 8th grade is skipped over (though I will be covering it a little bit) and the third movie is 9th grade and both boys are 14. Thank you for reading!