The Fear of Falling Apart

"You have said basically nothing the entire time we have been here."

"What?" Jessica asked, looking up from the pizza she hadn't touched.

"You speak English to me?" Brendon smirked. "You have a lovely voice. I would like you to use it to make conversation with me while the girls play."

"BDen!" Emily ran up to the table and pulled don her uncle's hand.

"Out of coins?" Brendon asked.

"Yeah." Emily pouted.

Brendon glanced at Jessica for a moment before picking up a cup of coins that was sitting just to his elbow. He handed the cup to Emily but didn't let go for a second. "Share with Amelia? Yes?"

"Of course, BDen." she smiled before running back to the play area to where Amelia was playing a game.

"You're very good with kids." Jessica noted, watching the two girls.

Brendon shrugged. "It's easy being an uncle, your job is much harder than mine."

"What do you mean?" Jessica asked, eyebrows knitting together.

"Being a parent is hard." Brendon answered after a moment. "Having a small person rely on you for everything. Knowing that you are the only person to stand between them and this big bad world. Doing all that on your own as a single parent is even harder."

"I'm lucky to have Nicole help me." Jessica answered. "Claire is lucky she has her brother to help her."

Brendon shrugged. "When I'm in town I do everything I can. I'm just gone so often on tour, that I wish I could just take them with me and keep them both safe."

"Safe?" Jessica asked frowning.

"Claire told you about Danny didn't she?" Brendon asked, looking down at his pizza for a second.

"Only that he was not allowed near Emily."

"They met in high school," Brendon sighed. "He was actually a pretty good friend of mine junior year. It's my fault they even met. They were really close up until she graduated and they started dating. I was mad when I found out, but I have never been one to but into Claire or my other siblings lives. They dated for about six months when we all found out Claire was pregnant. Danny wanted to marry her and Claire refused, she said she was too young to get married but have no problem letting Danny be in Emily's life. Danny freaked and accused Claire of trying to take Emily from him. When she was about one, Danny kidnapped her. it was only a day before the police found him and brought Emily back to us. Danny had all custody rights taken away after that and is not allowed near them."

"That's terrible." Jessica growled.

"Which is why I was more happy that you gave me a hard time about picking Emily up, than I was upset. I could not handle seeing Claire go through that again."

"Where is Danny now?" Jessica asked.

Brendon shrugged. "We don't know. He barely did any time for taking Emily and we haven't seen him since Claire took him to court for a restraining order."

"I'm sorry." Jessica sighed.

"Whats your story then?" Brendon asked, shoving a fry in his mouth. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Darren was about the opposite." Jessica sighed. "We were together for about two years when I found out I was pregnant. I told him and he ditched, even after I told him that if he walked out of Amelia's life then he would never be welcomed back into it. I thought Nicole was going to hunt him down and kill him."

"And you haven't seen him since?"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

Jessica shrugged and took a drink of her soda. "Life goes on, he obviously wasn't the guy for me."

Brendon tore his gaze from her and looked at Amelia and Jessica playing a basket ball game side by side. "I've just never been able to understand how someone could give up their child like that."

"I would rather have had Darren's reaction than Danny's." Jessica sighed. "Amelia is all I really need."

"Look at us." Brendon smiled "Talking about the depressing past. How about we talk about something else?"

"Like what?" Jessica smiled, turning her gaze from the girls and back to Brendon.

"Tell me about yourself." Brendon grinned.

"Not really much to tell." Jessica shrugged. "The last four years have been nothing but Amelia. The life of a single parent isn't really that interesting."

"Strange." Brendon smiled.

Jessica frowned. "What is?"

"You say your life isn't interesting but I find you fascinating."

"You don't know anything about me."

"The unknown is the most fascinating." Brendon answered, smiling at her again.

------------------------

"Are you going to follow me around now?" Nicole asked, placing the strap of her laptop case on her shoulder.

"If you aren't busy." William smiled. "Maybe you, Gabe and me could go hang out somewhere."

"No thanks." Gabe answered, holding his hands up in defense. "I don't enjoy watching you drool over girls."

"There will be no drooling." William answered, "Just friends."

"I'm busy anyway." Nicole answered with a sigh.

"I though you already worked at the hospital this morning." William frowned as they walked out to their cars.

"I did." Nicole smiled.

"But you are working again tonight?"

"No."

William frowned at her. "Then what are you busy with?"

"None ya." Nicole answered, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Isn't that a bit childish?" Gabe asked.

"I spend all my spare time with a four year old." Nicole dead panned. "I am going to be childish from time to time."

"Fair enough," Gabe grinned with a shrug "Let's go William, the girl said she is busy."

"Listen to your friend and run along." Nicole smirked, pulling out her keys as they reached her jeep.

William quickly plucked the keys from her hands. "What are so busy with?" He smirked.

"Remember when we had that conversation where you said you wouldn't be creepy anymore?"

"Maybe."

"I'm going to take a nap." She sighed, snatching the keys from him. "I haven't gotten a lot of sleep recently."

"I could come keep you company." He smirked, trying to take her keys again.

Nicole rolled her eyes and kept the keys out of his reached. "Again you are being creepy. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

William rolled his eyes but smiled. "Fine, you win."

"I always knew I would."

------------------

"Amelia it's time to go." Jessica called into the sea of children.

Amelia look at her mom and pouted, holding up a coin.

"Is that you last one?" She asked suspiciously.

Amelia nodded and Jessica sighed "One more game then."

"This was fun." Brendon smiled.

"All we did was sit here and talk." Jessica answered "and about mine and your sister's exs of all things."

"You know what that means, don't you?"

"No?" Jessica asked, not knowing why her heart was beating so fast.

"We will just have to go on a real date so we have the change to talk about something else."

Jessica pursed her lips. "How about you give me your number and I'll think about it?"

Brendon smiled. "That's better than nothing."

"And what if I don't call you?" she asked with a smirk.

"Then I'll just see you when I drop Emily off at daycare."

"Are you gonna stalk me now like your friend?"

Brendon grinned and shrugged. "I haven't googled you in the hopes of figuring out where you work. So I think I am a step above William."

"I guess you are."