In the Rose Garden

Joe sat quietly in the black SUV as it maneuvered its way through traffic on the highway. He was staring out the window instead of engaging in the conversation his brothers were having. He didn't even know what they were talking about. Joe sighed and shifted his weight which caused his brothers to look at him. It was obvious that he was in his own little world.

"Joe, what's up?" Nick asked. Joe didn't respond so Nick nudged him and asked again.

"Oh, sorry. I have my mind on a lot… well actually just Addison," he responded.

"Care to talk about it?" Nick asked and turned towards him. Kevin leaned forward from the backseat and rested his arms on the seat in front of him and looked at Joe. Joe felt he had no choice really.

"I'm just worried about her."

"Didn't Danielle take care of this?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah but I'm worried about something else. When Addison and I started dating, we weren't really doing anything so there really wasn't a reason for people to pay attention to us. Now we have an album coming out and we're starting to tour so people will be paying attention. Look at how much crap everyone got when Taylor and I were dating. I just worry about how people will scrutinize Addison and what it'll do to her. I don't care if they talk about me. I'm not worried about me. I can obviously handle it but Addison's never been in this position so I worry about her."

"I totally understand what you're saying," Kevin said and nodded his head.

"Addison and Taylor are two completely different people. Taylor's used to the spotlight and people talking about her. Addison… not so much. I know she knows about the people who openly call her names and have no problem voicing their opinion on her. She's never said anything about it to me so I want to assume it doesn't really bother her but it does. She's a girl… not that I'm making a sexist stereotype type of comment… I don't want to be the reason her self-esteem gets messed up."

Nick said, "I honestly don't think you'll need to worry. Her self-esteem seems awesome. She's a very confident girl and she hasn't let the naysayers get to her yet and I don't think she will."

"You can try as hard as you can to keep Addison a private matter but really, it's not going to work. You saw how hard I tried hard to keep Danielle my own private matter and it worked for a while but eventually, it had to come out. Now since she's out of the bag, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It's one less thing you have to worry about. Just stay confident in your relationship with Addison and you won't hear a word they say," Kevin said. "Just talk it out with her and just remember that it's your relationship and no one else's. If they're going to pass judgment on what they don't know, then they're going to pass judgment. You know the truth so don't listen to them."

"Yeah, you guys are right," Joe said.

Kevin then added, "You know what would be funny though, if any of this hasn't even crossed her mind."

Joe looked at Kevin and cocked his head. "Kevin, don't say that. Maybe it hasn't though…"

The boys fell silent for a moment and then Joe started to giggle. "Nick said naysayers."

Nick said, "Wow Joe, wow."

Luckily, they made it to the studio just in the nick of time. A minute more in that car and who knows what else Joe would have said.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Mr. Turner watched his daughter as she spun around on one of the chairs. He was a little surprised over the fact that she hasn't fallen off yet or stopped and thrown up since she'd been doing this for at least five minutes. They were downstairs in the basement in his studio. Joe was working as was Katie so all they had was each other for the time being.

"Addison, what would you say if I suggested that you get yourself a hobby?" Mr. Turner asked his daughter.

Addison stopped spinning the chair and looked at her father. "Ted, what would you say if I suggested that I've found the man I'm going to marry?"

He just looked at her before she quickly added, "And hopefully soon."

"Go visit your brother."

Addison laughed. "That's a new one for a change."

"Tell your brother to come over here. I don't know. Just do something besides spin around in that chair."

"Before you know it, you're going to be telling me to get a job!" Addison threw her hands in the air.

"I'll tell you that when Joe leaves. Actually Kim already knows about Joe leaving for a few weeks so you'll be on the schedule."

"Oh my god Dad, you are so awesome and on top of things," Addison said sarcastically and looked up at the ceiling. She then pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and walked out of the studio. She called Finn and told him to come over stat. She then walked back into the studio and sat back on the swivel chair.

"So Finn will be here soon," she informed her father. She picked up one of the acoustic guitars he had in there and strummed it. "And we're going to jam like 'Oh hot damn, this is my jam.' No, just kidding… sort of."

Mr. Turner just stared at his daughter with a blank face. "Wow Addison… huh."

"Oh Daddy, you so silly-hey! Let's go get some ice cream from Dairy Queen."

"But your brother's on his way over."

"Oh yeah, let's go when he gets here then."

"You know, I'm starting to think we should have had you tested for A.D.D when you were young."

"Again, Daddy, you are funny," she said and looked down at the guitar as she struck a few notes. She then started quickly strumming random chords and singing, "Oh Daddy, you're so funny. Did you get your humor from… Granny?"

Mr. Turner heaved a sigh and quickly walked out of the studio while mumbling, "Sweet Jesus."

"You wouldn't have me any other way!" she shouted after him.

"I know!"

Addison giggled and said, "I love that man." She pulled her cell phone out of her hoody pocket and checked it. She opened up a text and addressed it to Joe.

I know it'll probably be a good minute before you see this but I love you. A lot. I can't wait for you to come home.

She set the phone down and started to seriously play her father's guitar. As she played, a melody came to her followed by words. Realizing what she had, she grabbed the pen and notebook her dad was writing in and flipped open to a clean page. Moments later, Addison's phone made a quick beeping noise indicating she had just received a text message.

I love you more, beautiful. I have a lot to tell you when I get home. We'll be getting off early so you and I will be joining everyone at my parents' house for dinner tonight. Your dad can come too if he wants.

Addison responded to Joe's message.

And Finn too? He's on his way over right now. I don't mean to be shoving him on you and your family…

Mr. Turner walked back into the studio and cautiously sat down while staring at Addison. "Are you good?"

"I'm fabulous, Dad. So, Joe invited you over to his house tonight for dinner. Well, it's probably more like his parents did."

Babe, your family is my family so yes, Finn can come too. I have to get back to practice so I'll see you soon.

"Yay! I get to see Joe in a couple hours!" Addison exclaimed. "Is it weird that when Joe's not around, I don't know what to do with myself? Yet, I knew what to do with myself before Joe ever showed up in my life."

Her father shook his head. "No, it's not really weird, not when you're still considerably early in a relationship."

"Okay, awesome," Addison responded and turned back to her song.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

"We should really probably get ready and go," Joe suggested as he rubbed Addison's back.

Addison looked up at him and made her own suggestion. "Let's not and say we did."

Joe's phone went off on the nightstand beside the bed. He put the phone on speaker and answered it.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hey, honey, when are you and Addison coming over? Ted and Finn are already here and dinner's almost ready."

"Yeah, uh, Addison is taking forever to get ready," Joe responded. He tried to keep his voice as Addison kissed his neck.

"Well, tell her to move a little faster and get your butts over here," Joe's mother said. They then said their goodbyes and hung up.

Joe pushed Addison off of him. "Okay, I missed you, too, today but we seriously have to go. You heard Mom. Everyone's waiting."

"She didn't say that. She just said that everyone else was there but us."

Joe got up and grabbed a blue plaid shirt. Addison got up also and Joe looked her up and down. She gave him a look.

"Why you looking at me like that, homeboy?"

"You're going to have to change your clothes now," he said.

"Because…?"

"I told my mom that you took forever to get ready and it took you exactly three minutes this morning to put those clothes on."

"Ugh! Fine Jonas! I'll be your scapegoat this once!" She unzipped her hoody and pulled it off. She pulled a light purple strapless dress out of the closet and set it on the bed. She pulled off her pants and t-shirt and then undid her bra. That's when she heard the bedroom door shut. She pulled the dress on over her head and straightened it out. She grabbed a pair of black pumps out of the closet, grabbed her cell phone and walked into the living room. She sat next to Joe and put the shoes on.

"Let's go," she said. Joe shut the television off and they were out the door.

"You look really cute," Joe commented once they were out on the road.

"I better! Anyway, so what's some of the stuff you have to tell me?"

"We're doing the photo shoot tomorrow for the album and I can bring you with me. You'll also get to be on the set when we shoot the video for 'Paranoid.'"

"Oh my god, Joe, stop! I don't think I can contain myself anymore."

"But wait, there's more!" he said. "We were invited to a private party this weekend and you get to go to that with me too."

"Oh, who's it for?"

"A friend of the band, you'll obviously meet him when we go." Joe quickly thought about the little white lie he told her and then dismissed it. He's told her plenty of harmless lies but only when he had to keep a secret. The car fell silent for a couple minutes as Joe drove to his parents' house.

"Hey, can I drive your car?" Addison asked. They were in Joe's Range Rover.

Joe laughed. "Really? You want to drive my monster of a car?"

"Yeah, why is that so funny?"

"You can barely get in it. What makes you think you can drive it?"

"I just asked! That's all! Jeezy Creezy Joe!"

Joe laughed again.

Then Addison started quietly singing, "I really hate that stupid old Range Rover you never let me drive. You're a pop rock heartbreak who's-"

"Okay, I'll let you drive if you stop singing that mad-libbed song."

"Yes!" Addison raised her arms in victory. "I win!"

"This time," Joe said as he parked his car behind Nick's. They got out of the car and headed inside.

"Hey, it's nice of you two to join us," Mrs. Jonas said and hugged them both.

"Yeah, sorry, it was my fault," Addison said as she pulled away from Mrs. Jonas.

Mrs. Jonas looked her up and down. "You look cute so I can see why."

Addison scrunched her face up. "I must confess, Joe lied. We're late because I made him make out with me. Sorry."

"Um… that's nice to know… I guess," she said and wandered off into the kitchen. Ten minutes later, everyone was sitting at the dining room table talking and eating.

"Hey, Addie, did you ever make a decision about Taylor?" Danielle asked.

Addison nodded her head. "I have actually. We're going to meet up this weekend."

Joe looked at her. "Really, Addison, really? When were you planning on telling me? Were you even planning on telling me?"

"I was going to tell you tonight, Joe. I swear."

"Seriously Addison, I can't believe you're actually going to do this," he said as he got up and left the table.