My Hero

Isabella

I've been in Los Angeles for about a week now and Joe gets back in two weeks. Since I've been here, I've been unpacking and getting my house-- yes house --into a livable state. My brother and his girlfriend have been over whenever they can to help with my house, but other than that, it's all me. And let me tell you, it's a lot of work.

I thought that I was getting a nice sized, two bedroom condo, but no. My father bought a two million dollar house in the Hills, but I love it to death. It's a beautiful two-story, six bedroom, four and a half bathroom home. The house itself is about thirty thousand, five hundred square feet including a finished basement and three car garage. My favorite part though, was the huge backyard. There was a nice salt water pool with a slide and a waterfall, a huge stone patio that I could use for parties, and there was a great privacy system-- trees --surrounding the property. In all, the yard added up to about thirty acres. This place was perfect for a family.

Anyway, I had just got back from a rather extreme grocery shopping trip with my brother's girlfriend, Layla, and we were now working to put things away in the kitchen. I loved the kitchen. There were black granite counter tops with black appliances to match. There was a breakfast nook off to the side that would be very convenient once the baby got a bit older, this way, he wouldn't have to eat in the formal dining room. 

"Me and Eli are totally having dinner here tonight now that you have food," Layla smiled as she put drinks into the fridge. 

"If you bring Elias here for dinner tonight, then two of us aren't going to eat," I joked. "He has an endless pit for a stomach."

"He isn't that bad at all. He would probably be willing to cook too. You never know." 

I laughed as I opened a Hershey chocolate bar. "I know you've lived with Elias for about a year now, but no. He can't cook."

"He can, I promise. He actually cooks really well." 

"You really love him, don't you?" I asked, before sticking a small piece of chocolate in my mouth.

"I've loved him since we met," she admitted.

I've always wanted to be like Elias and Layla or Kevin and Danielle: young and in love. I wanted to meet "the one" when I was in my early twenty's and start a family, but that doesn't really mean I wanted kids so soon. I just want to be with my husband and know that he would support me through nearly anything. But now that I'm with Joe, I can see that happening sometime in my future. Maybe.

"I really just want Eli to propose," Layla cried. "I know I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with him and I mean we aren't getting any younger. I've been with him through so much. When he wanted to move out here, I jumped up with him. When he got extremely sick a year ago, I was there at his side. I just want to get married already."

I knew that Eli was planning on proposing, but he was waiting for the right time. He had gone all out though. He had asked Layla's parents for their blessing, and he had even started to save up for a house and everything. Eli was set. 

"Don't worry about Eli. He knows what he's doing," I winked. 

***

"Hey, Isabella," Daniel's voice rang out through my cell phone.

I sighed and sat against the headboard of my bed before responding, "Hi, Daniel."

Since Daniel found out I was with Joe, he's wanted to get back into our baby's life. I don't know if it's because he is trying to win me over or just prove that Joe will never be the baby's real father, but either way it was annoying. 

It was almost like my baby could sense the tense situation I was in because his soft kicks soon stopped. Every time I would talk to Dan I felt tense like this. My heart rate increased and I went into panic mode. 

"I wanted to talk to you about joint custody." 

"No," I simply replied. "It's not going to happen. We live on opposite sides of the country. I'm not flying my baby back and forth across America."

"It's our baby." 

"You have no proof and you can't make me have a DNA test done before he's born. Even if you went to court for it, they wouldn't go for you," I explained. "First, I'm his mother, they tend to lean towards the mother. Second, I have a way bigger income and a more stable home than you do. Third, I have better lawyers that wouldn't allow it." 

"Speaking of that whole across the country thing, you know I could sue you for kidnapping."

I just scoffed, "You. Are. An. Idiot. I moved because there was a better job offer out here and I'm having a baby, I need the money. Plus, there is no set out proof that he's your kid. I thought we went over this?"

"I promise that kid will be with me as soon as he is born, Isabella." 

"His name is Jake-- Jacob Adam to be exact --not 'that kid'," I hissed. "Maybe once you learn how to respect him, you'll have a better chance with him."

And with that I hung up, but I knew our drama wasn't over yet. It never was. 

*** 

Joseph

Two more weeks. Two long, drawn out weeks until I saw Isabella again. I couldn't wait. 

Sure, I was doing the thing I love, touring and performing for thousands upon thousands of fans every night. But...I missed my Baby Bell. 

I had a small fifteen minute break between a radio interview and another with People Magazine, so I decided to call her, just to see how she and Jacob Adam were doing. I smiled thinking of them. Isabella and Jacob. They were the ones I cared most about. The ones I loved to death. And I couldn't help but continue to think I was Jake's father. Even Bells had said it: I was more of a dad to him than Daniel. 

God, that jerk. What an idiot. Why would he leave her, and for another girl? Isabella was perfect. She made my heart soar, she made my mind go blank when we looked in each other's eyes. Bella was my one and only. And in my heart, I knew she was the one. The one for me. The one I wanted to be with until I died. 

I kept thinking this until she finally picked up her cell phone.

"Hey," she said in a swift breath, after letting out a small sigh, probably adjusting herself to get more comfortable. 

I smiled, "Hey Baby Bell. How're you and Jakey doing?"

She giggled, "We're doing fine. He's kicking now, actually."

"She's probably kicking because she hears me," I said, in a factual voice. 

"Joseph, how many times do I have to tell you?" She laughed. "Your chil-" she paused. "My child is a boy. I don't need a gender confused baby, okay?"

"She won't be confused," I told her. 

"He."

"She," I repeated, smirking.

"He," she giggled again, making my heart flutter. I loved listening to her laugh, especially when it was because of me.

"She."

"She."

"He."

Crap.

"Gotcha!" she said in a victorious voice. "I win! Haha," she teased. 

"You and your tricks," I said in a soft voice.

"Yep. But you love me because of that." I could tell she was grinning widely.

"Hmm. You can say that," I joked.

She scoffed and began to laugh loudly. "I love you Joseph."

"I love you more, Isabella." 

"Impossible. It's impossible."

"Okay, if you say so."

"Joseph," I looked up to see my mother, smiling. Isabella fell silent, knowing she had heard my mom. "We've gotta go, dear."

I nodded and let out a small sigh. She left, touching my cheek with a smile before leaving. "Bells, I've gotta go."

"It's fine, Joe." I could tell she meant it too. And she began to sound exhausted. 

"Okay. Well you go take a nap, alright?" 

"I'm not tired," she yawned.

"You just yawned," I pointed out. "I love you, baby." 

"Jakey loves you too."

"And I love you Baby Bell," I smiled one last time.

"Love you," she took in a breath. "Joseph, I've gotta tell you something."

"What?"

"Joseph, come on, we have to go!" I hear Big Rob yell after me.

"Never mind," she said, laughing at the anger in my bodyguard's voice. She loved Big Rob, and they were cool, but she found some of his crazy antics comical. Especially the "Bounce" video. "I'll tell you when you come home."

"Or tonight." 

"It's 5 am here," she told me, another yawn slipping out. 

I wanted to know now, but it was early for her. I longed to hold her in my arms, my head in her long hair, and fall asleep. I was tired just thinking about it. 

"Alright. Then..."

"When you come home would be better," she cut me off.

"Okay. I love you."

"Love you too."

After we exchanged goodbyes, I hung out and took a breath. 

"Coming!" I called, jumping up and walking to where the others were. 

It looked like I'd just have to wait to see what she wanted to tell me. 

***

"...Now Joseph, how are you?" the interviewer from People asked, flicking her eyes from me to her notepad, scribbling down words and such.

"I'm doing great!" I beamed. I knew that if I showed the slightest ounce of negativity, or said I was just doing "fine," they could analyze it to the extremes and start rumors, or reinforce them. 

"Oh, okay," she nodded. "And what about the pregnant woman...you're baby's mother?"

"Her name is Isabella," I snapped, trying to bite my tongue. "And she is not my baby's mother. I have no children. She was  pregnant when I met her. I don't want to go into details about our relationship. I don't have permission to, nor do I want to have the media following her and I around." I let out a breath, calming myself down. 

She wrote down every word, looking slightly offended at the harshness in my tone.

***

"Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions," the woman said coolly.

"You're welcome," Nick and Kevin said simultaneously.

"Er," I said. "I apologize for snapping at you, Ms. Johnson."

"It's fine, Joe," she replied. "I understand that you'd enjoy having some things private."

I nodded, smiling. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome." She shook me and my brothers' hands. "The people at People"-haha, funny-"wish you all happiness."

"Thank you," we said, smiling. 

***

I laid in the couch in the tour bus. Closing my eyes, I debated whether or not to call Isabella. I lifted my phone up, but then let out a large yawn. I was exhausted, and it was almost time to put on a show. 

I decided not to call, and put it back into my pocket. 

I began thinking about Isabella and Jacob, and how her life would be so different once he-or she!- was actually born. But I would be there for her. She was my all. They were my all. There was no way I'd leave them. I'd be there for her as long as she wanted me to be. I smiled at the though of her and I, holding the baby in our arms, happy as ever. It was the picture perfect family. I want that, and I want Isabella. I wanted to be the father of her child. But I knew it'd never happen. She was having that jackass Daniel's son, and not mine. But like I said, and like she said, I was being the father rather than him. 
But I knew to take it slow. I was helping Isabella pick up the pieces of her shattered heart. And maybe then, when her heart was mended, then I could be there for her for life. 

Then I would propose to Isabella.