Thank you so much to Imagineer1392, too much drama 1225, Bharm, Alisi824, Ctinaisfashion, CFierce116, PassionWriter101, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, mitchy21, Paisley2, ItReignsJustice-619, justkimmy, fenner82, LuxuriaVanitas, caz21, DeeMarie426, the X smashley, Tammy, IRENELOVE83, Chermayne, ChelleLew, caleb's babe, benova13, nikki1335, vegas angel baby and corbettluv for the awesome reviews! I'm so thrilled that you all like ITDE so much. I say it all the time but I truly mean it.

My birthday is on Thursday and I'm trying to figure out what to do with myself in case my friends decide to be mean and not take me to lunch/dinner, lol. But yeah, I have a feeling I will be busy living it up this week so I brought out this update. Sorry I took so long. The new girl Jaida has taken up my time. ;) For those who haven't met her yet, find her among my stories list. You won't regret it. :D

And now, back to Jasha. Enjoy 48!

The next couple of days seemed to go on forever, and T.K. wanted out of the hospital in the worst way. He longed to be back in his own home and back in his own bedroom, not trapped in this disgustingly white, suffocating room with all these annoying machines. However, whenever he tried to turn to his side in an effort to get more comfortable, the pain in his back gave him a stark reminder of why he was there. There was no way he would be allowed to leave the hospital just yet. He was miserable, and his only comfort was that he had his mother around to take care of him and encourage him, as well as Joe and Mia, who was eager to help out her older brother, still blissfully ignorant of the real reason he was injured.

The police showed up at the hospital to ask the bedridden teenager about the shooting. Sasha did not leave his side during the interrogation, a skeptical expression on her face the entire time because she knew this was just lip service and the police would not make that much of an effort to find who did this to her son. This wasn't the first time this was happening around their neighborhood or anywhere else and their track record in solving these cases was not stellar. T.K. told them what happened without actually incriminating himself or Lamar. Sasha could almost understand his reasons for trying to protect the other boy. Friends didn't snitch on friends. She didn't like it, but her only consolation was the knowledge that her son had a code of honor that he evidently took very seriously. She only wondered if Lamar would have done the same for him had the roles been reversed.

T.K. was finally discharged from hospital a week after his admission. The Doctors deduced that he wouldn't fully heal from his injury for another two months, which automatically ruled him out of the basketball Championship finals. The Mason Hill Knights had to go on without him, but the team, led by T.K.'s best friend Steve, dedicated their title-chasing run to him. However, it wasn't enough for T.K. This was Mason Hill High's first-ever final in the basketball championships, and for T.K., the school's star player, to miss it in his final year, was devastating. Coupled with the fact that Lamar's whereabouts were still unknown, the teen was an emotional and physical mess. He withdrew into himself even more and became surlier each passing day. He kept trying to turn down Sasha's help, and his mother, at a loss for what to do to make him feel better, was sure she was experiencing déjà vu, having gone through this with Joe already. And speaking of her boyfriend, he had to leave town again. He may have pushed back his return to in-ring action but it wasn't stopping the WWE from wrangling him into more signings, media interviews and the like. They talked on the phone and Joe gave her as much advice as possible, having been through the emotional turmoil that T.K. was currently enduring. But it only made Sasha wish that he was around.

Meanwhile, high drama was breaking loose in the WWE world, and most of it hit quite close to home. Colby and Lauren had apparently split up in very acrimonious circumstances. There had been rumors – eventually confirmed to Sasha by Joe and Trinity – about Colby having an affair with one of the NXT Divas. Lauren found out, and in retribution she posted nude pictures of Colby all over the internet, from his Twitter page to his Facebook account. Sasha was shocked by the whole thing. She never thought things were that bad between the couple. And she sure as hell never imagined Lauren would retaliate in that manner. Also, CM Punk, who had left the WWE several months ago, had finally broken his silence about his departure and released a podcast during the week. Among other things, he'd accused Joe of receiving favorable treatment from the higher-ups at the company, mostly at Punk's expense. Trinity sent Sasha the clip of Punk talking about Joe and listening to it made her blood boil. She didn't know Punk very well when he was around but for him to make such a remark she thought was wrong and unfair. Joe had worked extremely hard to be where he was in his career, perhaps more so than others simply to prove that he had made it on his own merit. Knowing her boyfriend and his ego, and his tendency to let people's criticism weigh him down, Sasha knew he was not taking this very well. Without a doubt, it was going to be an interesting week in the light of everything that had happened.

When Joe returned to Tampa ten days later, Sasha decided to pick him up from the airport herself, using Pam's car. She very much wanted a break from her claustrophobic apartment and her son's sulking if only for a few hours. As soon as Joe was safely strapped in the passenger's seat of the car, she attacked him, kissing him with a vigor and energy that surprised him. "Whoa," Joe breathed when they broke apart, a bewildered grin on his face. "That's some welcome back."

Sasha blushed, but she gave him another heartfelt kiss anyway. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," he said, his smile fading a little as he peered at her. "Is everything okay? T.K.?"

"He's alright, as alright as he can be. It's just been a tough couple of days."

"Oh you have no idea." He sighed tiredly and adjusted his seat to a reclining position. "Take me home, babe."

"I went grocery shopping for you. What would you like for dinner?"

"Whatever you make will be awesome, baby girl. I'm not choosy."

Back at his place, Sasha rustled up a nice, tasty chicken-based meal. She would have made his favorite pineapple chicken recipe but it would have taken a while and she knew he was hungry. She sat beside him at the dining table, watching him eat. "So what's up? How's T doing?" asked Joe.

Picking at her fingernails, Sasha shrugged. "Not so great. He's still in pain," she said, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "He reminds me of you when you were out. He hasn't handled it very well. I got out of the house for the first time in a while today; just needed a break from home and Ty, and..." She trailed off, shaking her head and tears welling in her eyes. "God, I'm a horrible person. My son survived a shooting and I'm complaining."

"You're not a horrible person," Joe told her. "I know how frustrating it can be and it's totally normal to want a break. Don't feel bad."

Rubbing her nose, Sasha sighed. "I'm sorry. I've never really had an outlet to vent before. It used to be Pam, but now she's so busy with Elgin and the pregnancy and I'm just...forget it. I'll be fine. You must be very glad to be away from all the drama going on at work."

Joe huffed and shook his head. "I don't even wanna think about it."

"I don't blame you," she said, walking over to the kitchen to get him some more water. Joe stared listlessly at his unfinished plate of food, deep in thought. "Nani?"

"Yeah babe?"

"If you're not happy with our relationship, you would tell me right?"

Turning around, Sasha met his gaze evenly, seeing the nervousness in his grey irises, and crossed her arms. "Why, you think I'd go off and post pics of your dick all over Twitter too?" she countered. "You gonna give me a reason to?"

"It's a serious question, Sash," he shot back, then caught himself. He exhaled heavily and rubbed a hand over his face. "Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped."

Sighing, Sasha sat down next to him. "It's okay. You're stressed out. And I don't even have any naked photos of you. And even if I did, I'd never do you like that, so don't worry about me," she said with a small laugh. Gauging her boyfriend's forlorn expression, she gently rubbed his arm. "Look. I know you're conflicted. I know how much you love Colby and Lauren. I'm sure you want to help but this is something they're gonna have to work out themselves."

Joe shook his head sadly. "Not gonna happen. Lauren's gone. She moved out of Colby's place three days ago. Took all of her shit and skipped town. She's not talking to me or Ambrose either because she's so sure we knew what Colb was doing but kept it from her anyway. We know who the girl is, we just didn't know anything was going on between her and Colb. Well I didn't…apparently the stuff started while I was injured. Ambrose says he didn't notice anything. He says he's glad he's single," the Samoan added with a wry chuckle. "Says he don't have to worry about some chick waiting for him at home."

Sasha smiled. "You know Jon's just talking, babe. We all know he's into Renee."

"Yeah. But he's got a point, Sash. That's the crux of the situation between Lauren and Colby, and every other wrestler that's had issues with their partners. We're gone from home for too long; it gets lonely. It's easy to feel the pinch, and I guess Colby did. That's one of the problems being with guys like us babe. We are not exactly ideal partners. We spend so much time away from our families and we miss out on so much. I know you understand it's our job and it's what we gotta do. But is it really fair to you, our partners? I've thought about it, you know, about how you could have someone else for a boyfriend; someone who is always around and there for you when you need him and doesn't have the issues we have. Look at Elgin."

"Elgin? What's he got to do with it?"

"You and him could've been together. That's what Pam said, right? That she almost hooked you up with him?"

"Yeah but that was a long time ago."

"I know, but what if it happened? Maybe he woulda been better for you, you know? He's your age, Ivy League, steady job, seemingly normal and he's around all the time. Pam gets to see him every day. He'll be there for the rest of her pregnancy and I'm sure he'll be there when the baby's born. That ain't me and it's never gonna be me. You coulda been the one in the brand new house with the indoor gym and the slinky neighborhood. And let's face it you could still have it if you wanted. You're beautiful and you can find some other guy who has a stable life and likes kids. That was another reason it was hard for me to be with anyone; women don't get this life, what we do. They want someone home with them all the time. But we can't. We're not regular guys, babe. And we may probably never have a normal relationship because our job just doesn't let it happen."

Oh dear. He was rambling. Joe only rambled when he was incredibly nervous. Leaning into him, she rubbed his arm soothingly. "Babe, you're panicking. Breathe," she whispered, looking into his eyes as she waited for him to do so. "Listen, I understand what you're saying, and I know how crazy it's been, but that's not going to be us."

Clearing the emotion out of his voice, Joe bowed his head. "I do wonder why you're still with me sometimes. Not only because of all the points I mentioned, but the problems I have. You know them. They still nag at me, probably will for the rest of my career. I'm just thinking about you babe, and your happiness."

Wow. All this time she worried that she might not be good enough for him, not ever thinking he was feeling the same way about himself with her. It opened her eyes in a big way. "You wanna know why I'm with you? Because I'm in love with you," she said, smiling warmly when his eyes softened. "Simple as. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here all these months later." She stroked the back of his neck. "Joseph, baby, you're the one I want. You're my man and you make me happy. It's hard not having you here, yes, and I miss you like crazy, but remember I was on my own for a long time. Maybe that's why I've been able to handle your absence better than others. The stuff you do and the stuff you go through was a little hard to digest at first but I get it now. Lauren, Trinity and your sisters helped me; we talked about having loved ones that are constantly on the road, and they've helped me understand better. And I've already said I'll help you as much as I can. And as for me and Gin hooking up?" She laughed. "Trust me, Pamela has no intention for anyone else to be Mrs. Greene, so that's out of the question. I'm not going anywhere, and I sure as hell ain't lettin' this go anywhere either." Flashing him a salacious smile, her hand slid down to his crotch to rub him through his pants.

"Hey, don't be playin' with me like that, or else Mia won't see her mama tonight," Joe warned.

Sasha laughed and kissed his cheek. "I love you. We're gonna be okay."

Gazing at his girlfriend, he nodded sincerely. "We are. And I love you too."

Smiling, she patted his shoulder and stood up. "Should I go up and run you a bath?"

"Nah, I'll just shower. I might fall asleep and drown in the fuckin' tub 'cause I'm so tired. Stay a little longer before you leave?"

"Sure."

Joe finished up with his early dinner and retreated upstairs to his bedroom, taking his shower while Sasha made sure his bed was comfortable. He joined her in bed and they quickly found each other, cuddling together. "Oooh, a Denzel movie," Sasha cooed as she flipped channels. "Can we watch? He's so gorgeous."

Joe pouted. "More gorgeous than me?"

"Of course not baby. Ain't no man as beautiful as mine," she assured him, stroking his bare chest soothingly, and laughed when he nodded his head, obviously satisfied with her reply. Sasha snuggled against him, feeling his lips bump the top of her head as they settled in to watch the movie. A few minutes had gone by when she heard light snoring above her, felt his weight a little heavier against her. She looked up at him and sure enough, he was asleep. Carefully, she untangled herself from his embrace and gently shifted him to a more comfortable sleeping position, drawing the covers up to his waist. She sat by him and took in his flawless features; his long lashes, chiseled cheeks and jawline, and Greek nose, and the warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach she always got when she looked at him resurfaced. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead softly, then quietly left the room and made her way back home.

On the bright side, Joe's delayed return meant that he would be around for Christmas. On Christmas morning, Sasha showed up with the kids to spend time with him. T.K. was feeling slightly better and could move around but not do anything strenuous. After a fabulous breakfast spent exchanging gifts, the foursome went over to Pam and Elgin's, then later to Reggie and Cheryl's, and finished up at Alma's home with her family. Sasha's kids were introduced to Alma's two boys, Jacob and Matai Jr., for the first time. They were both a little younger than T.K. but the three boys got on like a house on fire. It was nice to see them all get along. After a long but fun day, the four returned to Joe's armed with presents and food. Settled contentedly on the sofa surrounded by wrapping paper, Joe watched Mia and T.K. fly the remote controlled helicopter Joe had bought T.K. for Christmas around the living room. Over at the kitchen, Sasha was putting things away in the refrigerator and cleaning up the countertop. Joe couldn't stop smiling at the scene before him. He had talked about it a few days ago with his mother and his sisters. They all supported him and told him to go for it if he thought it was the right time. Well, he did. Now it was her answer that mattered.

Feeling his eyes on her, Sasha turned around and grinned at him walking towards her. "What are you smilin' at, creep?" she asked, finding the goofy grin on his face amusing.

Joe came up to her and gently pressed his body against her own. He breathed in her hair...coconut, as usual. "Nothing much. Just thinking about how much I love you," he whispered.

"Aww, I love you too, big boy," she smiled, cupping his face in her hands and pulling him down for a long, slow kiss, the rest of the world fading away as they got lost in the embrace. Sasha held him close afterwards, closing her eyes and sighing blissfully.

Joe brushed his lips over her temple. "Let's go to bed," he whispered.

"Okay." Handing T.K. his medication, she kissed her children goodnight, told them clean up the living room before they went to bed, and then retreated to Joe's bedroom for the night. Sasha preciously cradled the brand new GoPro camera Joe had gotten her for Christmas, and she made a promise to give him a very memorable Christmas night to go with the portable massage cushion and the Kiehl's energizing men's kit she got him. As soon as she walked into the bedroom, Sasha halted, gasping at the sight outside the room.

The balcony looked so beautiful. There were white and red Christmas lights strung back and forth, high along the ceiling of the space, twinkling in the night sky. Red rose petals were sprinkled all over the daybed. A small round wooden table sat by the daybed, with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two glasses placed on top.

Sasha gazed up at Joe with wide eyes. "When did you do this?"

"The decorations were up before you came over in the morning. I snuck the champagne upstairs about fifteen minutes ago."

She turned back to the scene, filled with awe. Her man was so romantic. "It's beautiful."

Joe wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "I'm glad you like it. Come, sit." He led her to the daybed and they climbed in. He poured them each a glass of champagne and then raised his own. "Merry Christmas, Sasha."

"Merry Christmas, Leati." Clinking their glasses together, they exchanged a kiss, then Sasha drew the bed covers over her legs and took a sip of her champagne. "It's nice tonight," she remarked, feeling the breeze skate over her skin. She leaned back into the cushions next to Joe and looked out into the night sky, counting the stars above. Blessings from God, Pam's mother always called them. It was no coincidence that the midnight sky was littered with them tonight. She had so much to be grateful for. The past several months had been one blessing after the other for Sasha, not least of all the handsome man lying next to her. She turned her head to face him, and was met by breathtaking grey eyes, all intense and serious like always. A closer look told her that something was on his mind. "What?"

His eyes shifted, a frown crossing his features, and Sasha grew concerned. Putting away her champagne and edging closer to him, she cupped his face in her hand as he wrapped an arm around her and drew her close, not saying anything. "Joe, what is it? Talk to me," she implored.

"Move in with me."

Frowning, Sasha looked at him, unsure she'd heard right.

"Move in with me," Joe repeated, holding her gaze.

She sat up, tucking her hair behind her ear. "That is a very serious thing to ask, Joe," she said.

She felt him rise up beside her as well. "I know that, and I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it," he said, as she turned to look at him. "I mean, you're here about eighty percent of the time these days, so why don't we make it official? I can get the two other bedrooms cleaned up for the kids, they'll each have one of their own. And I'll make space for you in my wardrobe and my bathroom and the vanity. There's more than enough room for everyone."

He bit his lip nervously at the look on her face, but he forged on. "I'm dead serious, Sash. I take our relationship seriously and I take you seriously. I want you here. You, Mia and T.K. Not just because of the whole thing that happened with T.K., but I want to come home from the road and see you all gathered in the living room hanging out, just like tonight, just like we always do when y'all come over. I want that. I want to take care of you. You'll never have to worry about paying the rent or looking over your shoulder again. It's what I want, but again, it has to be what you want, too. It's your call. I'll never make you do anything you don't want to."

It was one thing for him to continuously drop a hint or two about moving in over a period of time, but to hear him say it out loud and transparently was another thing entirely. The idea of actually moving in with Joe shouldn't have made her nervous, but it did. She hadn't lived with anyone since Pam, and that had been a decade ago. And now Joe was inviting her and her children – three people – to share his personal space with him. It was scary, but it was also a very intriguing prospect. And the fact that this was what he wanted, that he didn't feel obligated or pressured to ask her, continued to display his level of commitment towards her. Her heart swelled in her chest.

"I have to talk to the kids," she said finally.

Joe gave her a tender smile. "No problem. Take your time," he replied. "Quick question though?"

"Yeah?"

"If T.K. and Mia weren't a factor and it was just you moving in…would you have agreed right away?"

She rubbed his knee idly as she contemplated the answer in her mind. "No," she said truthfully. "I'd have still had to think about it." Leaning up to kiss him, she pressed her face into his neck, suddenly overcome with emotion. "Thank you, baby. Today was amazing. This is easily the best Christmas I've ever had."

"Me too, nani. But you know what will make it even better?" Joe said, his voice suddenly deep and hungry, his heated gaze fixed intently on her own as he slowly undid the buttons in front of her dress with one hand. Sasha smiled back at him, letting him undress her. She did the same with him, taking her time to undress him, and as soon as she was finished she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply, the passion between them ratcheting up several notches as she pushed him back against the cushions of the daybed and straddled him.

I'm sorry for exploiting the stuff going on with Seth. But in all honesty, I wasn't sure how to anchor this chapter until that mess happened. No, I don't have an actual opinion of the incident because we don't know (and rightly should not know because frankly it's none of our business) what really happened.

Finally! Joe has asked Sasha to move in! What will she say? What will the kids say? Anyone expecting a swerve? *grins evilly* I love writing their private talks. They're just as fun as the smut.

By the way, the follow up to 'We Are Fire', called 'We Are Closer', is out. Kindly read and review!

Plenty reviews as an early birthday present, pweety pweese? *bats eyelashes*

Thank you guys for the support! Enjoy Fast Lane!