When the Walls Come Crashing Down

*Joe’s POV*

Joe woke up the next morning and felt the warmth of Faith’s body pressed against his. He smiled to himself and rolled his head to the side to look at her. She was still asleep and he watched her like that for a minute, relishing the moment before gently shaking her awake. Her eyes fluttered open as she stretched her arms and let out a yawn.

“Hi,” she said softly, her voice heavy with sleep.

“Hi,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her.

“What time is it?” she asked, rubbing her eyes. Joe turned his head to look at the clock on the side table.

“A little after ten,” he responded.

“Perfect timing,” she said, standing up. “Your parents want to go out to eat at 11:30 and then we have to be at the church by 1:30 at the latest.”

“Sounds good,” Joe said, standing up and stretching. “You go shower first.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I want to hang out with Bryson for a bit,” he said, a smile on his face.

“Alright,” she said, nodding her head. Joe waited until she closed the bathroom door before going downstairs. He could hear Lizzy and Meg talking in the kitchen. He rounded the corner, a smile on his face, until he saw Nick and Charlotte sitting at the table, Bryson in Charlotte’s arms.

“Good morning!” Meg said brightly when she saw Joe. She walked over and gave him a hug that he returned before she headed upstairs to get ready for the day.

“Want some coffee?” Lizzy asked and he nodded his head.

“Please,” he said. She reached up and got a mug for him while he got cream and sugar. He heard Charlotte laugh and turned his head to see Nick smiling at Bryson, who had a tight hold on his finger.

“You okay?” Lizzy whispered as he sat next to her at the counter, his shoulders slouching forward. He shrugged his shoulders and poured some sugar into his coffee.

“Things are just… different,” he muttered, glancing over his shoulder to the table. Nick now had Bryson and was holding him up at face level, one hand on the back of his head and one underneath him, supporting him.

“Who’s my little guy?” Nick asked, lowering Bryson to kiss his cheek.

“I know it’s weird for you but I promise, he’s really doing well with him,” Lizzy said, shrugging her shoulders.

“I was just hoping to have some time with Bryson while Faith got ready,” he said and Lizzy nodded. He furrowed his eyebrows when she got up but he kept his eyes on his coffee.

“Hey guys want me to take him so you two can get ready?” she asked.

“Uh, sure,” Nick said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. Joe kept his eyes forward as he sipped his coffee.

“Morning Joe,” Charlotte said, putting a hand on his shoulder as she and Nick walked by to go upstairs to change.

“Morning,” he said, waiting until he heard their footsteps on the stairs before turning to Lizzy a smile on his face. She handed Bryson over and sat back down next to him. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” she said with a smile. “I like Char and all but you deserve more time with him because we know you’re definitely going to be in his life forever.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” Joe said as he cradled Bryson in one arm and used his other to drink his coffee.

“So when is that going to happen by the way?”

“When is what going to happen?” he asked.

“You proposing to Faith,” she said, a large grin on her face. Joe nearly choked on his coffee and had to hand Bryson over to Lizzy in order to cough violently and catch his breath.

“Are you alright?” Faith asked in a panic, walking into the kitchen with her hair wrapped in a towel and her robe on.

“I… I think so,” Joe said, clearing his throat and taking deep breaths.

“Here,” she said, handing him a glass of water. Slowly he took a few sips.

“Thanks,” he said, taking Bryson back from Lizzy.

“What brought that on?” Faith asked and Lizzy started laughing causing Faith to raise an eyebrow. Joe glared at Lizzy and she smiled as she propped her head up on her hand, her elbow resting on the counter.

“Yes Joe, do tell what brought that on,” she said, amusement in her voice.

“Nothing, wrong pipe,” he said, taking a few more sips of water before picking his coffee up again.

“Okay then,” Faith said slowly. “I’m going to get dressed now. Shower’s yours, Joe.”

“I’ll be up in a minute,” he said, nodding as she turned and left the room.

“Dude what was with that reaction?” Lizzy asked. “We all know you and Faith are going to get married so why did you act like it was such a weird question?”

“Because it’s something Faith and I have talked about. I didn’t think the rest of you were thinking about it,” Joe said truthfully.

“I’m her sister so not only have I thought about it but she, Dani, and I have talked about it,” she said and Joe rolled his eyes. “So when is D-day? Or should I say… E-day!”

“E-day?” Joe asked.

“Engagement day, duh,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Spill.”

“I don’t know yet… Christmas?” he asked shrugging his shoulders and Lizzy made a face. “What?”

“Too cheesy,” she said, shaking her head. “Maybe… when you get back from the tour! For good! You know you get home you have your hugs and kisses and I missed you so much blah, blah, blah and then before you come into the house just stop her for a second and get down on one knee.”

“That’s not a half bad idea,” he said and Lizzy scoffed.

“No, it’s a freaking genius idea is what it is. Have you looked at rings yet?”

“Kind of, yeah. I’ve looked around online trying to see what the most popular cuts are.”

“Look at you trying to sound all professional talking about cuts,” she said, a grin on her face. “Well listen, I really want to help you out somehow.”

“And how are we supposed to do that being hundreds of miles apart for the next two months?” he asked.

“That’s what camera phones are for,” she said with a sigh. “We check out jewelry stores when we can, look online, and hopefully we’ll find something she’ll really love. And it will be so much easier that I’ll be at college so Faith doesn’t go snooping.”

“It’s a deal,” he said, sticking his free hand out for Lizzy to shake.

“Good talking with ya bro,” she said, standing up and clapping him on the back as she made her way back to the basement to get ready.

Joe took the last few sips of his coffee before placing his mug in the sink. He rinsed it out and carried Bryson upstairs, making silly faces the whole way. He bounced him in his arms as he pushed his way into the bedroom. Faith was standing in front of the mirror straightening her hair. She smiled at Joe when she saw him in the reflection and set the straightener down.

“There’s my little man,” she said, cooing at Bryson, reaching out to take him from Joe’s arms.

“Five more minutes,” Joe said pleadingly and Faith laughed.

“Joe you have to get ready. You have plenty of time to hold him,” she said as Joe’s arms relaxed and he handed Bryson over.

“Fine,” he sighed, stripping his shirt off and tossing it on the bed as he headed to the bathroom.

****

Once everyone was ready they headed out to the cars to meet the rest of the family at brunch. Charlotte insisted that she, Nick, Faith, Joe, and Bryson all go together in one car with Lizzy and Meg in another. Joe glanced at Faith uncomfortably in the back seat, Bryson in a carrier between them. It was silent as Nick drove. Charlotte cleared her throat and turned her head to look at them.

“He’s gotten so big, Faith, I can’t believe it,” she said, reaching out to grab Bryson’s foot.

“That’s what Joe said,” Faith said with a laugh.

“Is he really that much different?” Nick asked, glancing up in the rearview mirror.

“When you haven’t seen him for a whole month, yeah,” Joe said with a hint of bitterness. Faith glared at him and Joe cleared his throat and looked down at Bryson, holding his finger out for Bryson to grab onto.

“Strong isn’t he?” Nick asked lightly and Joe looked up and nodded.

“So Charlotte, how has life on the road been for you?” Faith asked.

“It’s been a huge adjustment that’s for sure,” Charlotte said with a sigh. “I give you boys credit for doing it for so long.”

“Actually it’s been a bit of an adjustment for me too. It’s been a few years since I’ve had to live on a bus and in and out of hotel rooms,” Joe said with a laugh.

“I do not miss that,” Nick said, shaking his head. “I miss the fans and all that but I’m glad I don’t have to do the crazy schedule for awhile.”

“Doesn’t the tour for the new album start in February?” Charlotte asked and everyone fell silent. Nick grabbed the steering wheel a little tighter and cleared his throat. “Nick?”

“Um…” he said, turning into the parking lot of the restaurant. Faith looked over at Joe who raised his eyebrows.

“Nick, what aren’t you telling me?” she asked.

“I uh… I postponed the album and the tour,” he said and Charlotte’s jaw dropped.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I was in the studio the other week working on mixing the album and then it hit me.”

“What did?” she asked, reaching out and putting her hand on his arm.

“Reality,” he said, glancing back at Bryson. “If I had stayed to finish the album then I would have had to gone on a press tour and done countless interviews and appearances, not to mention the full on tour afterwards. The arrangement with Faith would have been pointless.”

“Nick,” she said softly. “That was an amazing thing to do. I’m proud of you. But why didn’t you tell me when it happened?”

“I didn’t want you to be mad,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Well I have to say, I really appreciate it, Nick,” Joe said, glancing up and catching Nick’s gaze in the reflection of the mirror.

“Thanks, Joe,” Nick said nodding.

“Well now that we’re all caught up we should get inside so we’re not late for the baptism,” Faith said, opening her door.

****

*Nick’s POV*

When they got to the church they had to wait in the foyer for another baptism to be over. Nick was standing with Charlotte and his parents while she talked about her time on the tour so far. Getting slightly bored with the conversation he’d heard two or three times already he looked around at the rest of his family.

Joe and Faith were talking with Frankie and Kevin. Joe had Bryson in his arms and was rocking him slightly when suddenly he started to whimper. Nick flinched at the noise but waited. It was when the full on cries happened that he excused himself from Charlotte’s side and started to move over to his son. He was almost there when the crying started to subside as Joe bounced him in his arms and made shushing noises.

Nick stopped in his tracks and frowned. He watched as Faith crossed her arms and smiled at Joe holding Bryson and he winced when he felt a pang in his chest. He looked down at his feet and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking up when he heard heels clicking towards him.

“You okay Nick?” Dani asked softly, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“I’m fine, Dani,” he muttered and she frowned. He glanced towards Joe and Faith and she followed his gaze.

“Oh,” she said slowly and he glared at her. “He’s still your son, Nick.”

“I know that,” he sighed. “If you had asked me ten months ago if I’d be jealous of my brother becoming the step-father of my son with my ex-wife I would have said no. But now…”

“Things have changed,” she said and he nodded his head. “I don’t want to sound like a bitch but you kind of dug yourself a hole when you and Faith were married. And you were in too deep to climb out. She’s moved on. And I thought you had too.”

“I have,” he said quickly and Dani furrowed her eyebrows.

“Next time say it like you mean it,” she said and he huffed. “Don’t do this to yourself Nick. Don’t start thinking of what could have been and instead focus on what you have. Charlotte’s a great girl and she loves you a lot.”

“I know all this Dani,” he sighed and she shook her head.

“I don’t think you do, Nick,” she said before walking away over to Kevin and the others, leaving him to stare after her with a look of confusion on his face. He jumped slightly when the doors to the left of him opened and the people from that baptism started to leave. He walked over to an empty chair and sat down, waiting until it was their turn to go inside.

Loud chatter from the previous group started to die down as they slowly left the church. The priest soon came out and Nick stood up and walked over to him, Faith and Joe behind him. The priest waited until they were all close to him before he spoke.

“This is the Jonas party, correct?” he asked.

“Yes father,” Nick said, nodding his head.

“I’m Father Crowley, please come in,” he said, holding the door open for the Jonas’ and Dougray’s to enter. Once they were all gathered on the altar around the holy water, Fr. Crowley stood in the center of the group.

“Can I please have the parents, the child, and the godparents up here and the rest of you take seats?” he asked. Everyone walked down to the pews except Joe who seemed hesitant.

“Um father,” Faith started and Fr. Crowley turned to her smiling. “We kind of have a unique situation here. Bryson here is my son with Nick but we’re divorced and I’m with Joe now and we intend to get married so can he stay up here as well?”

“I don’t see why not,” he said, shrugging his shoulders and Joe smiled. Nick felt disappointed but he didn’t show it. “Now you said his name is Bryson?”

“Yes, Bryson William Jonas,” Faith said.

“Okay, I need the parents and… parent-to-be on this side here, and the godparents on the other side with Bryson,” he said as Joe handed Bryson to Danielle.

Nick stood to the left of Faith, Joe on her right. He looked over to see them holding hands and again he felt a pang in his chest. Something inside of him told him that it should be him holding Faith’s hand, that Joe shouldn’t be standing up there. The conversation with Dani replayed in his head. He knew she was right and he had dug himself a hole and he regretted it every single day, ever since he found out about the pregnancy. He had screwed up. But now he had a second chance to try to climb out of that hole and make things right again.

He looked up from Joe and Faith’s hands to Faith’s face and took in her soft features as she smiled at Bryson in Dani’s arms. She still looked as beautiful as the day he met her. Looking over to their family in the pews his eyes caught Charlotte’s and she smiled at him. He smiled back briefly before his eyes went to looking from Faith to Bryson and back again as discreetly as possible. At one point he caught eyes with Dani and she pursed her lips, slightly shaking her head before looking down at Father Crowley and holding Bryson over the basin, Kevin’s hands joining her. Bryson started to cry as Father Crowley poured some of the holy water over his forehead pulling away from his thoughts and letting him focus on Bryson.