The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For

Alex laid Alexis down for her nap, when he returned to the living room Jack was already starting to put the Barbies into their container. He knelt down and picked up all of the scattered clothing his daughter had tossed about as her dolls put on a fashion show. They closed the new doll house and carried it all into her room, quietly setting it down by her stuffed animals that she had left during the middle of her tea party to play with her Alex and Jack.

"Do you really think it's a good idea for Maria to come?" Jack casually asked.

"Why wouldn't it be? She's Alexis' mother."

"I know you're really mad at her, I don't want you guys to fight in front of her; I know you'll be upset about it later."

Alex kissed his fiance slowly and pulled away, "Thank you. Just say something when you feel the tension rising, please?"

"I will."

The older boy took the broom and started to sweep at the living room floor, trying to make the place clean so his ex-girlfriend would have nothing to complain about. He was afraid about Maria coming to his home, honestly. Alex had brought Alexis to a doctor, he'd done his part as far as his ex was concerned, but he wasn't going to give her up.

As a father who had done nothing wrong, he deserved a right to have his child... as much of a right as Maria had. She had three years with Alexis, he needed at least one, if she would be able to survive that much longer. Alex wouldn't ever keep Alexis from her out of spite, but he wanted his baby to live in his house.

"When will she be here?" Jack asked as he walked into the room with the mop.

"She didn't give me a time. I'll call her if she's not here by the time Alexis wakes up," he stared at his boyfriend's expression, "What? Why are you looking at me like that - with that cute expression."

The lanky boy walked forward, setting the mop against the couch. He placed his hands gently over Alex's stubble and ran his thumb over his boyfriend's lower lip as he pressed his body against Gaskarth's. The brown haired boy made a soft sound, like he had been thinking the same thing but wasn't aware that Jack was.

As their lips meshed, they kissed in a way that they hadn't been able to on tour. The kiss that you can't just walk away from without feeling flushed or full of electricity. It was full of hunger, lust, and compassion. Alex tugged lightly at the navy hoodie his fiance was wearing, pulling away from the kiss only to grab his hand and pull him off to their room.

They stood awkwardly at the foot of their bed, somewhat afraid that Alexis would wake up or Maria would start banging on the door the moment they stripped off their clothing. But Jack had had too much of waiting around from all of the stress of tour - he kissed his boyfriend so softly that Alex got weak at his knees. The lanky boy leaned into him and they fell to the bed, he tugged at the belt on Alex's jeans and moved them down so only come of his skin was exposed. Before he could do anything, he found himself rolling over.

"We don't have all day," Alex whispered in Jack's ear before removing both of their jeans, "I'm sorry, I know it hasn't been-"

"You're ruining the mood," his boyfriend replied.

~x~

"Mommy!" Alexis chimed as she ran out of her bedroom, her curls still askew from her nap.

Alex trailed behind his daughter and sat besides Jack on the couch opposite Maria. He could still feel heat radiating off of his fiance as they waited in silence for his ex to stop talking to their daughter.

"How has she been?" Maria asked, setting Alexis on the floor to play with her legos.

"She vomited blood the other night, the doctor said that its normal."

"Kara didn't tell me on the phone and we haven't talked much... Did the doctors suggest any treatment or medicine? Because I looked it up online and found some things-"

"They said there was no cure," Jack pointed out.

"There isn't," she paused again, "It is strictly experimental."

"You cannot tell me that you are honestly thinking of letting someone experiment on our three year old child, are you Maria?"

"It could save her."

"Or kill her right one the spot!"

"We don't have to discuss this, I have legal custody of her. I am taking her."

"You don't have the money to," Alex shot back.

"It's an experiment, it is free, I get paid, as long as I sign the paper saying that I will not sue them."

"Don't make me bring you to court."

"I could have it done by then, you'll never know."

"You left her with me, after keeping her from me for so long, just so I could help her. I don't have a problem with that because she is my child. But Maria, just because you didn't like the answer I got for us, for her, doesn't mean that you can risk her life. For all we know it could cure what she has, but give her something worse."

"You cannot talk me out of this, Alexander," she replied stubbornly.

Jack stood up and placed his hands together, "I think we should all just enjoy the time that we have with her, because Alex is right. Even if I was with you Maria, or still with Mia, I would be agreeing with him right now. You shouldn't cause her anymore harm or offer her anymore pain. Alexis is strong, but she needs our support... She's being strong for us, she knows we don't want to see her in pain."