Disclaimer : I dont own anything

"So what's going to happen with you and Jes this summer" Derek asked as he and Joey played Xbox.

Joey paused the game and set down his controller, "umm well we're going to stay together and try the distance thing"

Derek nodded, "you guys will make it"

Joey reached for his phone, and quickly answered text, "I hope so I think I love her man"

"How long have you been with her" Derek asked

"since September, but I haven't ever felt this way about a girl man and Jen and I were together for almost 7 months and I never said I love you, I dated Kara on and off for 2 years and I said I love you and she dumped me" Joey replied.

"I don't think Jes is going to walk away" Derek commented standing up from the couch and eyeing the garbage that was over flowing, "Dude who was on trash duty this week".

"Kyle" Joey replied as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Man if we don't take that out it won't get done on time" Derek mumbled as he pulled the garbage bag out and then checked the rest of the garbage cans. Kyle wasn't the best at keeping up with the roommate chore chart, so sometimes the guys picked up his slack.

Otto was curled up on his bed in the living room taking the scene and waiting for Joey to go for his late night run so he could go with him.

"Otto let's go boy run time" Joey said as he helped Derek with the garbage.

1 month later

"So where is Jes moving next year" Derek asked.

"She got an apartment with Kelli,Becca,and Dana"

" Joey you almost packed your dad and uncle are here" Jes said walking into the apartment.

"I am all packed Lover, just got to start to take things down to the car" Joey replied.

Joey was moving home for the summer but not back into his parents' house, he had found an apartment for the summer close to the firehouse and he was going to live there. As part of growing up he felt he needed to be out on his own at home to. He was moving in with his cousin Meg,because Meg's roommate had moved out.

"Alright" Jes said as she stood up on her toes for a Kiss. Joey was almost a foot taller than her so she always had to stand on her toes if he didn't pick her up off the ground or lean down. See Jes stand on her Toe's Joey bent down and kissed her.

"You all packed" Jimmy asked as walked in followed by DK.

"Yeah my rooms all done and I filled my car" Joey replied.

2 hours later everything that Joey had in the apartment was all packed into Jimmy's truck and his car. He was moving into Meg's apartment in the morning.

3 weeks later

"What time did you get home last night" Meg asked as she looked from her spot on the couch.

"I don't know it was late there was a big fire and we got busy" Joey mumbled as he reached for the coffee pot.

"You working today" Meg asked.

Joey nodded, "when haven't I worked in the last 2 weeks, Carlos keeps continually scheduling me and giving me doubles I don't want to work" Joey mumbled.

Meg nodded, "so tell him then that you're working too much".

Joey shook his head, "complaining will go nowhere"

Meg stood and walked to the kitchen, "when is your next day off"

Joey sighed, "I have no idea, but I'm seriously sick of pulling double's"

Meg closed the fridge and made her way back toward the living room, "alright well you get some sleep before 3,and I have to go work so I'll probably see you at some point".

Meg was a nurse at Mercy and worked in the ER.

Joey nodded, "yeah I'm sure you will I have to work another double"

Meg grabbed her bag and headed out the door, "have fun with that".

At work

"You're not working next week right" Carlos asked

Joey shook his head as he ran upstairs to change, "no I'm not I'm going to Myrtle Beach to see my girlfriend"

"So you're not going on the family beach trip"DK called up the stairs

"No I am but that's not for a while" Joey replied as he quickly got changed for work.

2 hours later

"Have you left at all" Logan asked walking into the kitchen

Joey and Carlos looked from their spots at the kitchen table and shook their heads "shah" Joey then knocked on the wooden table as to no jinx the quietness of the shift.

"Don't say that Logan" Joey replied as he got up and wandered over to the refrigerator grabbing the container with his name on it that was full of left over mac and cheese.

"Who's cooking tonight" Logan asked.

Joey put his mac and cheese in the microwave and then turned to grab a bottle of water, "the new guy". As Joey sat back down at the table his radio crackled, "you're kidding me".

Carlos stood up, "Let's go".

The rest of the night was nonstop and back to back calls, there were 3 big fires and 2 big accidents. Joey was completely wiped out by the time he got to leave at 8 am the next morning.

"You have the night off go enjoy yourself" Carlos said as they got ready to leave.

Joey sighed in relief "I was hoping you would say that I'm going to my parents for the weekend, before I leave for South Carolina, and I'm turning my phone off as soon as I get there".

Carlos laughed, "You are aware I have your parents' home phone number".

Joey groaned and rolled his eyes, "seriously I don't want to come in unless I have to I'm so wiped out from the last 2 weeks of non-stop working"

Carlos nodded, "point made I'll only call if it's absolutely necessary"

Joey nodded pulling his uniform top off and putting on a t-shirt, "good I'm going to get some serious sleep".

At Kim and Jimmy's

"You look beat" Kim commented eyeing her oldest who was watching cartoons with her youngest.

"that's because Carlos has had me working like Crazy this is my first afternoon shift off in like a week and a half and he has had me pulling doubles" Joey mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

Kim laughed, "you poor thing, don't you like the money though so you can pay rent".

"Being a big sucks but I figured I should get used to it since I'm almost done with college anyway, and Jes still has another year" Joey mumbled.

Kim nodded and walked out of the livingroom. Her oldest boy was growing up and it was starting to show, he hadn't been home since he moved out, and it was clear to her he was ready to be done with school, start working and live on his own.

The Drive to South Carolina

After spending two days at his parents' house visiting, Joey left for Jeslyn's house from there. It was 10 hour drive so he decided to drive to drive over night.

Joey was just getting into Myrtle Beach when his phone rang "call from Babe"

"Hey you" Joey said putting Jeslyn on speaker phone as he reached for his sun glasses.

"Hey where are you at" Jeslyn asked.

"Just got into Myrtle Beach I took a detour to Duck this morning to watch the sun come up from the beach"Joey replied.

"Of course you did, well I'll see you soon"Jeslyn replied

"I'm in the driveway"Joey said hanging up.

A couple seconds later the front door flew open and Joey was greeted by his girlfriend, "Hey you, so I should probobly mention that Henry is home"Jeslyn replied as Joey raised an eyebrow at her, "My older brother".

"Lovely"Joey said as he got out of the car and wrapped his girlfriend in a hug.

Jeslyn was 5'4 with a lot of curly blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, she was definitely the girl of Joey's dreams and he was lucky to have found her.

" my parents aren't home yet they are getting in from Hilton Head tomorrow, Henry was hoping you brought your golf clubs, I have plans with Natalya later so you should hang out with Henry and get to know him"Jeslyn said as Joey saw a guy appear in the doorway of the house as they began to walk toward the porch, "Henry this is Joey,Joey this is Henry".

Joey stuck his hand out, "Nice to meet you".

Henry nodded and shook Joeys hand, "nice to meet you to,Jes talks about you a lot" Henry replied.

"Good thing I hope"Joey replied.

"Yeah lots of good things" Henry said as they headed inside the house.

"Good to know and I did bring my golf clubs but I'm not very good I don't play much being from the city and all" Joey commented.

"Brooklyn right" Henry asked.

" Well sort of I grew up there but I was born in Queens"Joey replied.

"Joey do you want something to eat, you've been driving for an awful long time"Jeslyn asked.

Joey nodded, "food sounds good I haven't eaten in a few hours".

Jeslyn led him to the kitchen, "I can make Mac and Cheese".

"I'm kind of sick of Mac and Cheese that's all I eat at work because I'm picky about who's cooking"Joey replied.

"Alright what about Grilled Cheese"Jeslyn asked.

Joey nodded looking around the large kitchen, "Grilled Cheese sounds really good".

"Jeslyn,don't let the size of this place deceive you, we don't have a guest room so you have to sleep on the couch my parents won't let you sleep in my room it's not like at your house"Jeslyn replied.

"it's fine babe I'm just happy to be here with you and away from work for a week, I need the time away I've been working like crazy" Joey commented as he sat down at the table.

"So I guess we never talked about what's happening after you graduate"Jeslyn said.

"we still have a year but my plan would be to stay where you are, I do want to go back to the city and become a firefighter but I'll do that if you want to move to the city"Joey replied.

"Sounds good"Joey said.

On the golf course

"So you and my baby sister huh" Henry said as they drove to the 9th hole of the front nine.

"Yeah me and your sister, and don't tell her but I love her man, she's my best friend my other half and the girl I want to love for the rest of my life" Joey replied.

"You tell her yourself"Henry said.

"Oh I plan to"Joey said.

"When"Henry asked.

" Well I don't know yet, I think want to ask her when we are with my family on the outer banks but I need to talk to your dad first" Joey replied.

"Absoloutly,and I know she loves you to" Henry replied as they teed off.

Sunset

"I love you" Joey whispered as he and Jes watched the sun set

Jeslyn smiled and then wrapped her arms around her boyfriend "aww Joey I love you to, I can't see being with someone else ever"

Joey nodded and pulled Jes closer, "baby you mean the world to me"Joey replied.

The rest of the week flew by quick and before Joey knew it he had to drive home and go back to working.

At the fire house

"So how was vacation" Gibbs asked.

Joey turned toward his friend as he grabbed a bottle of water, "I miss my girlfriend already"

Gibbs nodded, "I'm sure so when are you going to make the move to fire fighter"

Joey shook his head as he sat down at the table, "not till after college and after Jeslyn's all done, I'm not sure where I'm going to be after she graduates"

Gibbs rolled his eyes, "you should move home after graduation and work, get some money for when she has finished school, you can't keep waiting tables in Syracuse knowing you have an opportunity down here I understand that you would be doing that for her but come on man"

Joey took a breath, "your right but I guess we'll see where everything goes, I still have another year of school she still has 2 more years"

DK wandered into the kitchen, "thank god it's a slow night"

Joey nodded, "that goes for myself and Kelli also" Joey mumbled.

DK raised a brow, "you're not with Carlos today"

Joey shook his head, "rookie's training"

"That's right, I forgot" DK mumbled heading back to his office.

"Squad 55 Boyd 55-3,Adam 55-3,respond to an MVa Arthur and 104th"

As soon as the alarm sounded the once quiet firehouse turned upside down as everyone ran down the stairs.

"What the he happened" Joey asked as he got out of the bus

"Punch bug ran the light and hit the van, and then the red car rear ended the punch bug and the black car hit the van" Charlie Yokas said.

The fire fighters began to work quickly, "Joey Kelli over here" Gibbs called out.

Joey and Kelli quickly ran over to the fire fighter and began to work on the patient, ",we need another set of hands Carlos" joey called.

"New kid goes help Doherty" Carlos snapped at the rookie who kept getting in his way, the rookie nodded and ran over.

"What can I do" the rookie asked.

"go to the bus and grab some more 4 by 4s"Kelli quipped as they tried to stop the woman's head from bleeding, she was unconscious and the F was in the middle of trying to free her from her punch bug.

When the new kid didn't come back right away Joey dropped what he was doing and ran to the bus, "if you don't know where something is don't hesitate to ask" Joey reached in and grabbed the 4 by 4's, "what's your name".

"Dan Collins" The rookie replied as they ran back over to Kelli.

"I'm Joey Doherty" Joey said as the new kid nodded.

As the shift went on Joey realized that Gibbs was right, he was doing what he loved even though he had another full year of school left he was going to have a job when he finished and he could count on it. This realization was going to throw a wrench into his relationship and he wasn't sure how Jes would handle it.

2 weeks later In Dennis Mass

"Joey will you come swim with me" Lexie asked as Joey lay out on a beach towel

"Lex I don't feel like it ask Billy" Joey mumbled.

"BJ will you swim with me" Lexie asked.

"Sure kid" Billy Jr replied standing up from his beach chair.

The Dohertys,Kitson's,Walsh's,Nieto's and Lombardo's made a trip to Cape Cod every year,ocassionally Bosco would tag along with his wife Jesse and their 2 kids.

"Thank you" Lexie replied.

"Come on kiddo lets go before I change my mind" Billy Jr said.

Jeslyn flipped over on her towel and glanced at her boyfriend," you couldn't take your sister in the ocean".

Joey shook his head, "I don't like the ocean much"

Jeslyn nodded her head and went back to her book, none of the adults were at the beach yet it was just the kids for now. JJ was building a sand castle, Bosco's oldest Lauren (13) was sitting in her beach chair reading, and 2 of his youngest Adam (10) and Michael (7) were in the ocean with BJ Kevin was sitting by Lauren reading. DK and Dani's kid's Meg,Lilly,Addison and Rachel were all either sitting in their beach chairs or laying on their towels.

" When we were kids you always went in the water" Rachel interjected.

"Alright maybe I'm just a little lazy" Joey mumbled.

Later that day

"Who tracked sand in" Kim questioned grabbing for the broom.

Jimmy laughed a little, "That would be your daughter".

Kim shook her head, "of course it was", Kim swept up the sand and Jimmy went to go make sure Lexie was showering off.

Meanwhile Joey and Bosco were sitting out on the deck talking about life and relationships, Jes was upstairs changing into normal clothes.

"So how'd you know you loved Jesse" Joey asked.

"well it just kind of happened, I mean we had a lot of history before we got married and had Lauren though a lot of on and off and on and off which was really bad" Boscor replied taking a sip of his beer.

Joey nodded, "I'd talk to my dad but he always tells me that he and mom just happened and it doesn't really help me out, I love Jes but I'm just so stuck because she has 2 more years of school left and I have 1 and I think I want to come back and get my promotion to fire fighter when I finish school" Joey said.

Bosco nodded trying to understand where Joey was coming from" Joey you need to live out your dreams and hers to, what is majoring in? What does she think she wants to do"

Joey dropped his head and began to look at his toes "Biology Pre-med she thinks she wants to go to school down here somewhere"

"it sounds like after you graduate you should talk to her maybe you both need to do your own things for a while and come back to each other" Bosco replied.

"I don't think I should be thinking about all of this so soon because we could break up between now and May but I don't see that happening" Joey mumbled.

Bosco nodded, "you will figure it all out kid I promise"

The rest of the week flew by and before Joey knew it he was back at work and now out of know where his relationship with Jeslyn had hit a snag. It seemed that after they had said 'I love you' things were very different and now Joey found himself starting to stray from his relationship. He and Kara had reconciled and now Joey didn't know what he wanted.

A weekend home

Joey walked into his parents' house and let the front door slam behind him, he had just gotten off of work and off the phone with Jes. They had gotten into yet another argument and at this point Joey was done and over her but he didn't want to let go.

Hearing the door slam Jimmy came into the foyer where he found his eldest pulling his shoes still dressed in uniform, "what's wrong with you" Jimmy asked.

Joey shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Women that's my problem"

Jimmy laughed a little, "what happened"

Joey groaned as he unbuttoned his uniform top, "she's pissed because she was going to come up this weekend but Carlos asked me to work so I'm working all weekend".

Jimmy nodded in understanding, "wasn't she planning to visit for a while"

Joey looked up at his father as he sat on the couch, "well yeah but Carlos didn't plan on the new kid from days quitting and now everyone is working crazy hours until downtown fills the position"

Jimmy sat down his chair, "understandable so is she still coming"

Joey shut his eyes and leaned back, "She's almost here because I didn't know I was working until way after she began to drive and she refused to turn around and go home so now she's going to be here all weekend and I'm working 7-11 on Saturday and Sunday and can't trade it off"

"Well that sucks, I think maybe you and her need to have a conversation you know, you and Kara are getting close right" Jimmy asked.

Joey nodded, "I just need space from Jes"

The next few weeks proved to be crucial in Joey's relationship with Jes, They had begun to figure out exactly where each of them stood and how the summer had changed what they had at school. Joey had spent his summer out of his parents' house growing up and working fulltime, Jeslyn had spent her summer sitting at the beach and doing nothing. Jeslyn knew she still wanted to be with Joey but Joey was the one who was unsure of everything, in the end Jeslyn made the decision to break up with Joey because she couldn't be with someone who was completely unsure of what they wanted. It didn't take Joey long to move on and get back with Kara.