So... hi :) For people who were reading this a long time ago, well, it's back. I really wish I had a better explanation for how unreasonably late this update is, but I don't except that I didn't feel like writing anymore. Honestly, I was going to give up on this, but I've been thinking about it so much and I've got so many ideas for it, I had to keep writing. And of course, the fans of this story. You guys are the reason I didn't give up on it completely. So thank you gusy.

Oh, and if your a new reader, well, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 10

"What!" Jake blurted out at last.

"What!"

"You just repeated what I just said!" A hint of surprise noted in his voice.

"I don't know what to say!" I blurted out after half a second.

"You just said you loved me!"

"You said it first!"

"What is going on here?" Jake's mom walked into the room and my entire body tensed up.

The entire room was silent for a few moments before at last Jake spoke. "Everything's fine, Mom."

Ms. Valentine smiled. "Did you finally say it Jake? Oh that's adorable!" Jake turned a bright shade of red as Ms. Valentine turned to me, "He's been talking about you since the first day of school you know; he's head of heels and I can see you are too." Now it was my turn to turn red.

"Mom!" Jake got out at last, still pink.

"I can't help but recognize young love!" Jake's mom said, some sarcasm laced into her voice. "Now get ready to go you to; I don't want you two to rip off each other's ..."

"Mom!" Jake practically yelled, both of us turning a deep shade of pink.

Ms. Valentine just winked. "It's not a big deal, dear, when I was your age..."

"Mom!" Jake practically screamed.

Ms. Valentine just rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine play innocent. Just don't make me out for the fool. Oh, and Jake can you help her out to the car. We need to get her to our house; I've already had Miry fix up the guest bedroom, and I'm sure you can wear some of my old clothes, Jessica."

I smiled, relieved I wouldn't have to wear the hospital robes. I had no idea where my original outfit was, and I didn't want to wait around to get it back. "Thank you so much."

She smiled back, "No problem, dear. Just remember, five minutes; I don't want anything going on in here while I'm..."'

Jake's blush got deeper. "Yeah, we got it Mom, be out in a minute." Ms. Valentine just shrugged and left.

There was a pause of silence before I spoke, "Well, you're mom seems...nice."

Jake snorted, "That's one way to put it. But thanks for being nice." Then, just because he couldn't have a nice, romantic moment, he added in a teenage-girl voice, "Even though your just saying that to try and get in my pants."

"What, you..." My cheeks heated up, "that's it, I take it back. Loving you is too much work!"

Jake raised an eyebrow, "You can't take it back."

I leaned in closer to him, so close I could smell his after shave, and pretended to debate this. When I was only about a centimeter from his lips I whispered, "Oh yeah, watch me."

Jake , now even more flushed, leaned back and muttered, "Tease."

"Pig."

"Prude."

"Jerk."

"Christ girl, let's just go!" He finally said, "You're impossible!"

Giving and letting him help me up, I smiled and replied, "I know."

He smiled and said, "Two can play at that game." With that, he swept me up bridal-style and carried me out of the hospital. Right to his mom's car. Though if she thought anything was odd when he set me carefully down in the back of the car, she didn't show it.

When we were driving away I said in the most dead-pan voice I could muster up, "If you ever carry me like that again, I will personally see that you will never be able to reproduce."

"I wouldn't dream of anything else." He responded without missing a beat, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

Ms. Valentine stayed silent through the entire ride, which was both a blessing and a curse. After all, who knew what was going through her mind at any given moment? She might have said something, also, if the ride had been longer. But after only about ten or fifteen minutes we were pulling up to a decent-sized suburban house. The walls a light pink-tan shade (which I'm sure thrilled Jake) and a little porch swing.

A.K.A, the most adorable house I'd ever seen.

"This is so cute!" I couldn't help but exclaim. With all the time I'd spent with Jake, most of it had been in public, and neither of us had really suggested going over to each other's homes. So seeing his now felt, well, nice; like I was finally getting to know him a little bit better for the first time.

Jake winced, "Please, don't stab my pride too hard; I bleed easily."

I rolled my eyes, "Sure..." And then I slowly (and some-what painfully) tried to get out of the car. Honestly, without Jake holding the door and the fact that the little car was so close to the ground, I never would have made it.

Begrudgingly, I thanked him and for once, all he said was a gracious, "Your welcome." Of course, that could have something to do with the fact that his mom was standing only three feet away, but I'd always been optimistic.

After I'd been given a quick tour of the house (two bathrooms, a small living room and kitchen, and three small rooms that served as bedrooms) it was almost seven at night. And like clock-work, my stomach began to grumble. Jake laughed when he heard this and said, "I think we have to get some food in her."

Ms. Valentine replied from the kitchen before I could counter, "Well, you two are lucky that I had some leftover roast; you're not a vegetarian, are you Jessica dear?"

I smiled, hobbling over on my crutches at the delicious smell of food. "No, ma'm."

Ms. Valentine smiled, and I turned to sit down when Jake helped me with my chair. I was about to shoot off another insult when he replied, " Let me do this one thing for you without insults, please," and I had no choice but to shut my mouth.

We ate in a some-what comfortable silence before I smiled and tried to make conversation, "How long have you guys lived out here?"

Ms. Valentine smiled, "About ten years. I started working again a couple of years after I'd adopted Jake here."

I didn't mean to, but I couldn't help but blurt out, "You're adopted!" Then, realizing my mistake, I blushed and tried to correct myself, but Jake just waved me off.

"I don't have any hard feelings on it Jess, don't worry. After all, I was left somewhere when I was five; you can't really pretend like that didn't happen. Plus, I mean, we don't look anything alike." He replied gesturing to his mother and himself.

"A lot of kids don't look like their parents, though." I replied back, thinking of my dad and myself. We hardly resembled each other at all.

Jake, obviously coming to the same conclusion I did, just replied, "Sometimes."

The rest of the meal was mostly light conversation from Ms. Valentine. Talk of anything serious vanished, and once the meal was over, neither of them even considered letting me help with the dishes on account of my injury. And, before I knew it, my eyes were feeling heavier and heavier. A yawn escaped my lips.

Jake, almost out of thin air, came up to me, and whispered, "You should probably sleep, you've had a rough day."

I tried to protest, but another yawn managed to escape me, so I only shrugged.

"Will you allow me carry you to your bed?"

I looked at him like he was on drugs. "Hell to the no!" And, somewhat unsteadily, I grabbed my crutches and hobbled off to the guest room reserved for me. I was too exhausted to change into the cute pink pajamas that Ms. Valentine had certainly laid on my bed, so I just slid off my sock on my uninjured foot any laid down.

Jake walked over, so close yet again, and this time kissed my forehead. "Goodnight, Jessica."

I smiled, letting the drowsiness overtake me. But not before saying, "I love you too."

So not a ton of plot in this chapter, but there's some important things I had to get out there. And now it's spring break for me, so I will be trying to update this as often as I can. But, as stupid as it sounds, comments really do help make me want to update faster. So please, comment telling me anything you thought about before, during, or after you read this chapter :)