Always

After talking to Jack, they made plans to move to Maryland so they can be together and be a proper family. Jack was going to be back to Tennessee only a few hours after their conversation and then they needed to catch a flight to Maryland.

It was a sudden change in plans but Maeve agreed. Leaving Melinda, Holly and Grace was hard. But Maeve knew she would be back. She knew it would be okay.

Besides, she had a new family to get settled with. Whether she liked it or not.

Which she hated it.

She hated Alex.

She hated herself for Jack giving up his life for her. Which he was by saying the child was his. She just didn't want it to ruin the band. Maeve hoped and prayed the baby could just be kept a secret. Plus, she doesn't want it in the limelight.

No child or hers would have that in their life.

Jack and Maeve had just landed in Maryland and they were on their way to the ATL house. Which, sadly enough for Maeve meant that she would have to live with Alex. She didn't want to deal with him as it was.

He was just a nuisance.

Nobody knew she was pregnant yet either. Soon they would know. Plus she isn't exactly the petite girl they met four months ago. Her pregnancy is clearly noticeable.

And she hates it.

Every moment in the mirror she just hates herself more and more.

Oh how disappointed her parents would be.

God, she missed them.

Seven years doesn't stop the hurt.

They arrived at the house. Finally. Even though that brought relief, Maeve knew she still couldn't relax. There was a lot to talk about and a lot to get settled. All they knew, was Maeve was going to be living with them. They didn't know why yet. Maeve and Jack still hadn't go the story straight.

Jack pulled his car into the driveway and turned to look at Maeve.

"What's the story?" She said placing her hand on her stomach.

"We can say we're friends with benefits that went wrong or that we have been in love all this time and just hid it?" He suggested.

Maeve shrugged.

"Well, I think the friends with benefits just sounds bad for us. So we can just pretend to really love each other. We can just say that I got you pregnant on one of my visits. Now we decided to actually be together for the child. We want a family."

She nodded with her eyes full of uncertainty.

"May."

'Jack."

"What's wrong?" He asked her gently.

Maeve stared out of the car window. She still didn't want this to be happening. If she just got the abortion. But she couldn't. She wouldn't. Things like this shouldn't be allowed to happen. "Jack, I don't want you to give this all up for me. If you do this, there goes your whole life. Just think about it. You have an option." She didn't need a father for the baby. She could do it. Well, she hoped she could.

With a groan Jack stared into Maeve's chocolate eyes. "I don't have an option, Maeve-"

"Don't say that! yes you do! Jack-"

He stopped her. "No, Maeve, listen. I love you. I'm your best friend. I have to do this and I want to. I'm not worried about my life. It will be fine. The band will be fine. This changes nothing about the band. You and this baby are important to me. Let me help you."

"I don't want fame in the babies life. At all. Okay? I don't want anyone to know about it for a while. If even at all."

Jack grabbed her hand. "Whatever you want, My-eve. I have your back. And can we not call the baby 'it' anymore. That makes me feel like we don't care about the baby. Let's call it... baby Jack."

Maeve laughed half-heartily. "What if it's a girl?"

"So."

"No." Maeve said. "Not Baby Jack... how about baby... Maeve?"

"NO! Alright, fine, baby Barakat?" Jack pushed.

"Perfect." A big smile appeared on Maeve. And this smile reached her eyes. That made her genuinely happy. Maeve loved Jack. And not just as a brother. She had strong and real feelings for him.

But sadly, she knew he would never feel that way about her. He was just helping her to be nice and because their friends. She just wished it meant more to him.

Honestly, sometimes she did wish it was his baby. Then things wouldn't be so broken.

Things would be okay.

But, she had to pretend that she was having his baby, so she could pretend it would be okay.

It would be a long five months.