In the Rose Garden

Nineteen years ago

Seventeen year old Ted Turner paced the living room of his girlfriend's parents' house while holding onto his newborn baby girl. There was a heated discussion going on between him, Cassie, and her parents and he seemed to be the only one on the losing end. He just simply didn't agree with what they had proposed. They wanted to adopt one of the twins so it'd be easier for Cassie and Ted. Later on, Donald and his wife, whoever she would be, would adopt the kid from them.

"That's probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard! I won't do it," Ted said incredulously.

Cassie stood up and looked at her boyfriend. "Ted, it'll be best for us and the babies."

"No, what's best for us and the babies is that we remain a family, all four of us together forever."

"You guys will still be a family… you just won't be under the same roof. Plus it'll be easier on you two and you can still go to school and work and everything…" Mrs. Russo told him.

Getting impatient, Cassie said, "Ted, look, it's going to happen. The papers are drawn up, all we have to do is stick a baby name on there and sign. So pick which one goes."

Ted stopped and looked at her. "You just might be making the biggest mistake of your life. Actually no, you are making the biggest mistake of your life."

Cassie just shrugged her shoulders and transferred baby Finn from one arm to the other. Ted left the room with baby Addison and sat in the dining room.

"You haven't even been in this world for a week and I love you so much already. So many people have been telling me that I've made a mistake by becoming a parent at such a young age but how can I regret you and your brother. You two are amazing and now I have to pick one of you two. How am I supposed to do that? This isn't fair."

After a few more minutes, Ted walked back into the living room and said, "Addison, we're keeping Addison."

Cassie opened her mouth to say, "I don-"

"No! After what you just did, you don't get to tell me which one of my kids I get to keep. We're keeping Addison and that's that." Ted took his daughter and left the room once again. He looked down at her and whispered, "For some reason I get the feeling it's going to be just you and me."

* * *

"So Addison, how's your mother doing?" Grandpa Michael asked as he sat next to her at the breakfast bar.

Addison shrugged her shoulders and responded, "I don't know. I haven't talked to her in a while to be honest."

"Why haven't you talked to her in a while?"

"She doesn't care about me anymore. She stopped being my mom a long time ago."

Michael couldn't disagree with that because he felt the Cassie he knew stopped being his daughter a long time ago.

"I'm sure she cares. She's probably just forgotten how to show it."

"I don't think you can forget how to show someone you care, especially your own child."

They continued to talk about Cassie until Addison dropped a bomb that hurt her grandpa's heart a little.

"I don't need her anyway. The only people I need are my dad and my new family. I don't care about her anymore. I don't need her in my life."

Cassidy Turner may not be the same woman she was a couple years ago but she was still Michael's daughter and Addison's mother.

"Addie, she's still your mom."

"I don't care," she said as she quickly glanced over at him.

"If you truly didn't care then it wouldn't bother you so much."

Addison knew he was right about that. Cassie was her mother. She would always love her no matter how bad Cassie got. It's only biology and life.

"Can we not talk about Mom anymore? Please?" Addison asked.

"We can talk about anything you want," he responded.

Finn cut in and sarcastically said, "Hey, I know! We can talk about Addison's amazing new hunky boyfriend!"

"Finn, shut up!" Addison shouted and jumped off the stool she was sitting on to chase him around the kitchen.

"Grandpa, Addison's running in the house!" Finn shouted as he darted around the kitchen.

Michael just shook his head and walked out of the chaotic kitchen. Finn stopped running and Addison bumped into him.

"Hey, since Joe Jonas obviously isn't dating Taylor Swift anymore, you boyfriend stealer, do you have Taylor Swift's number?"

"First of all, I am not a boyfriend stealer. Joe decided he likes me more. Second of all, no, I don't have Taylor's number. We're not exactly friends and even if we were, I wouldn't give it to you… dirt bag."

"Oh! You so told me!" Finn exclaimed. "Well hey; no one said I couldn't try." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Better luck next time," Addison said and patted his back.

Later on that day just before dinner, Addison had done more journaling in her composition notebook. The main topic of the three page entry was Joe and their relationship. She had just finished writing when her grandpa walked into the guest room. Seconds later, Rowe, his feline companion, jumped onto the bed and head butted Addison in her face. Michael picked up the cat and sat with him on his lap. The calico cat started to purr loudly when Addison stroked his head and back.

"If you don't mind me asking, and yes, I know it's a little late to be asking, but to what do I owe this visit?" Michael asked.

Addison sat up. "I just needed to get away from it all."

Michael just looked at her so she got the idea that she had to explain.

"My boyfriend is Joe Jonas. He's one-third of this band, the Jonas Brothers. Well, the Jonas Brothers are a pretty big deal worldwide. I guess people feel that Joe's personal life is their business so I guess to them that also means that my life is their business too. Sometimes, it's just too much. The whole world knows my name. A year ago, I was just Addison Turner. Now, I'm Addison Turner, the girlfriend of mega superstar Joe Jonas. I just needed a break even if it's for one night. I just want to be Addison again."

"Have you told Joe any of this?"

"No. I don't want to put any more strain on our relationship."

"Maybe you should talk to him about it."

"There's nothing he can do about it though, Grandpa. It comes with the territory. Yes, it makes me uncomfortable but I love him and if being with him means I have to deal with people following me around and taking pictures of me, then I'm going to do it. Like I said though, I just want to be Addison for a few minutes."

"I really do hope that he knows that your love holds no boundaries. So it's dinner time," he said and stood up. As they walked out of the room, he asked, "When do I get to meet this superstar boyfriend of yours?"

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Joe was sitting at his desk scanning through some photos on his laptop that Neil Lane had sent him when there was a light knock on his door and it opened. Addison stepped in and just stood where she was. Joe didn't say anything as he stared back at her.

"Joe, I'm really sorry about everything," she finally spoke and started closing the gap between them. "I was acting stupid and childish and I know it's no excuse but I really am sorry."

Joe wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "It's all right, Addison." He tightened his grip around her when she did it to him.

"Addison, please don't ever do that again. I don't ever want to go another day without you," Joe whispered. "Promise me."

"I promise," she responded and then because she couldn't help herself, she added, "I promise I'll never let go."

Joe laughed and pulled away from her. "You're a dork!"

"Only yours," she said and kissed him.

"And I wouldn't change a thing. I love you, Addison."

"I love you, too, Joe," she said just before he kissed her.

Ten minutes later, they heard someone clear their throat. They pulled away from each other to see Joe's brothers standing the doorway. Kevin had his hands over Nick and Frankie's eyes while he [Kevin] looked at the floor.

"Guys, what?" Joe asked as he stood up from his bed. Kevin told Joe that they had gotten the latest video game they all had been waiting for and wanted to know if he wanted to check it out with them. "Heck yes!" Joe said. He followed Frankie and Kevin out of his room leaving Nick and Addison in an intense stare down. Joe popped back in a moment later to shut his laptop before anyone could see what he was looking at. He grabbed Addison's hand and walked her out of the room.

"Addison! You're back!" Mrs. Jonas said.

"Yep, I'm here again," she responded.

"It's good to see that you and Joe kissed and made up."

"Kissed and made up? Try kissed and made out," Kevin said.

"Shut up Kevin!" Addison shouted.

"Actually no, scratch that. It's kissed, made out and sucked each other's faces off!"

"Kevin! Put the shut to the up! Shut. Up."

"Awe, come on Addison, what kind of big brother would I be if I didn't embarrass you?"

"Gee Kevin, I don't know, an awesome one?"

"Dude, you got burned," Frankie said to his oldest brother. That made everyone laugh.

Addison looked at her watch. "Oh shoot, I have to get going. My dad and Katie are going to look at a house and my dad wants me to be there. So I guess I'll see you later," she said to Joe and then suggested, "unless you want to come with me."

"Uh…" Joe thought about it for a moment. "Sorry bros." He grabbed his jacket off the back of a chair and headed out the front door with Addison. He got into Addison's black Lexus and she drove to her dad's.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Mr. Turner and his family pulled into the long winding driveway that led to a big two-story house. Sandra Rinomato, Mr. Turner's real estate agent, was already waiting by the front door.

"Hi, Ted, Katie," she greeted them cheerfully.

"Hey, Sandra, how are you?" Mr. Turner asked her.

"I'm doing great. How are you?"

"Good, thanks. This is my daughter, Addison and her boyfriend, Joe."

She exchanged hellos with Addison and Joe before unlocking the front door to the house.

"So, I'm pretty sure we're going with this house but I wanted you to see it first," Mr. Turner told his daughter as they walked around. Katie stayed behind with Sandra.

"It's really nice. I like it," Addison said, looking around the four-bedroom house.

"Good, good," he responded and nodded his head. They walked through the kitchen and he opened the patio door. "But one of the main reasons I want to get this specific house is because it has a guest house," he said unlocking the door to the two-bedroom one-story guest house. "I thought that it would go to you so then you and Joe would have your own space but I can still keep an eye on you."

"Keep an eye on me? Dad, I'm not five years old."

"I know! But it's not like you're getting married anytime soon so I can still worry and still not want to let go for a while."

"You know what, Dad? I'll give you that," she said and hugged him. "I mean, at least until I get married and start a family anyway."

"I'll take it then," he responded.

After a quick tour of the guest house, they headed back inside and Mr. Turner announced that he wanted to put in an offer… if it was all right with Katie. It was.

"Great! Tonight I'll do up the paperwork and tomorrow we'll get together and sign and keep our fingers crossed," Sandra told him. "So I'll call you tomorrow morning and we'll talk then."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Mr. Turner said.

Everyone then got into their cars and pulled out of the driveway.

"You're technically going to have your own place. Are you excited?" Joe asked.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet. I'll let you know when it does."

"The kitchen wasn't bad," he commented.

"Dude, it's my kitchen. I call first dibbs!"

"Darn," Joe said sarcastically.

"Ha! You can use it the second time though."

"Do you promise that?"

"Do you really want me to promise again?"

Joe thought about earlier. "No, that's all right. I'll take your word for it."

"Good choice, buddy," Addison said and winked at her boyfriend. He stayed silent for a while and thought about the song he had written with his brothers last night. They would be heading into the studio in a few days to add it to the album as a last minute addition. He just wondered if she would put two and two together and get Oh my god, that song is about me. He then got a text from his dad as his manager.

We got a couple of the scripts from Disney finally for Jonas L.A. Those will be waiting at home for you to read through.

"Sweet, we finally got some scripts for Jonas L.A.," Joe said. He texted his dad back.

Okay, thanks. I'll get to it when Addison and I get back.

"How is that going to work? I mean, you have a new album coming out so obviously you're going to have to tour to support it. So how are you going to do that and Jonas L.A. at the same time?"

"Before the album comes out, we're going to film as much as we can. Then on the days we're not playing a show, we'll probably jet back to L.A. to film some more and then go back. But the thing is, from what I know, Jonas L.A. won't be happening until around 2010 so we have a bit of time. They're still casting for certain roles and we have to write some music for the soundtrack. You know all that jazz."

"No, I actually don't know 'cause I'm not an actor or one of the world's hottest band members but all right."

"One of the world's hottest band members… don't you mean THE world's hottest band member?"

"No, I said it right. Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low is pretty hot. Ryan Key from Yellowcard is pretty hot. Mitchel Musso is pretty hot. Shoot, Mitchel Musso isn't a band. Nick Jonas from the Jonas Brothers is pretty hot."

"Nick Jonas! Addison, you're funny!" Joe exclaimed.

"I know," Addison agreed. Only she wasn't sure if she was trying to be funny.