You've Given Me Strength To Find Home

Joe lay his head against the back of the couch resting for a bit since they've been busy getting ready for their tour in a few weeks. Soon Alex would be leaving for work. He didn't understand why she never asked him for a ride. He heard her bedroom door close before he jumped up. "Alex I'll take you to work", he said quickly from the bottom of the steps.

"No it's fine I'll catch the bus", she replied calmly as she tugged on her shoes and grabbed her bag that she always took with her. Rolling his eyes he pulled on his grabbing his keys. He followed her out the door following her. "Joe it's really fine the bus is fine"

He saw some neighbors eyes following him as he walked. "Seriously whats the deal with the bus when I've got a perfectly good car!", he chuckled with his hands in his pockets.

She laughed rolling her eyes before sitting at the bench soon joined by Joe. "There's no 'deal'", she said using air quotes. "-I just don't want to bother your family with rides, you have enough going on. Besides the bus is like home for me", she smiled.

He still didn't understand. "Alright...I'll ride with you!", he said nudging her with a smile. Soon the large white bus turned the corner and stopped in front of them. "Is this it?", he asked. "I thought buses were yellow!"

Alex laughed paying for the both of them. "That's school buses Joe...", rolling her eyes she sat in her usual spot in the middle as the bus drove off. She smiled as other passengers got on at the next stop. "Morning Mackenzie!", she smirked as a woman walked on the bus.

"Morning dear", Mackenzie said in a deep manly voice making Joe jump. The woman just nodded to the young girl as she walked to her seat in the front wearing her summer dress and blonde hair flowing in the air from the windows. Her dark blue eye shadow and ruby red lipstick made her seem so plastic, but hid her secret well enough.

Alex smiled shaking her head as she fixed her glasses and looked to a still shocked Joe. "Mackenzie...she well, she's working on making herself more...girly", she softly giggled knowing this shocked him to see a drag queen. Alex ran her fingers through Joe's hair to get him to look at her. "Not all of us were made to be how we came out, God understands that right?"

He was still shocked that she didn't believe in God. He never forced her to believe what he did which made her happy. He smiled and nodded. "God knows all of our stories Al, he loves us no matter what we do. Just like our parents do", he said looking into her eyes.

Others continued to fill the seats soon an older Chinese woman sat in front of the two and smiled to Alex. "Hello Whin, how is your husband feeling?", she asked softly handing her a sandwich and a thermos from her bag that she carried. The woman talked in her native language to Alex. Joe could tell she didn't understand a word, but she just smiled and listened trying to understand her. It was as if they spoke their own language as they used hand motions and a little of each others words to keep a conversation going. Soon the woman was off the bus and Alex sat back in her seat.

"What did she say?", he chuckled.

She simply smiled and lay her head on his shoulder. "Her husband has the flu, I have been giving her soup for it to help him. And her kids are home in China...but that's all I could understand with what I've learned", she giggled. Soon the bus stopped again. "Well I'm here at my stop, want to come and help?", she smiled.

Joe was hesitant as she took his hand tugging him off the bus. "Can't I ride the bus all day? I mean it'll pick you up eventually right?", he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Nuh uh Bob gets me only on the week days, and at night Greg gets me, then the weekends is Jim, so you're better off following me for the day Rock star", she laughed walking him down an ally to the back of a restaurant. His eyes searched where he was as they entered through the back to a room full of steam and dishes. "HEY EVERYONE!", Alex shouted over the running dishwasher and radio as it played. Three heads looked over and waved with smiles as Alex hung her bag and pulled on an apron and put her hair up. She looked back at Joe who stood confused. "Come on get on an apron, if you're staying you might want to work or they'll kick you out", she said throwing him an apron.

Joe put it on and walked over to where she stood watching as she lifted a stack of fifty dishes and began walking to the door. He quickly ran over and opened the door hearing a soft. 'Thank's Joey' before she walked up the steps with ease to another door that she opened her self at the top of the steps. He followed after her to help and watched as she stacked them up above her head. "Hey Alex, who's this?", asked the manager as he stood beside her with a clip board.

"This is my friend Joe, he's hanging with me today, think that'd be a problem?", she said with a pout making the tall man melt. He smiled and shook his head as he helped her put up the final plate before she ran over and clocked in and wrote the time down for Joe before she ran back. "Ready to have your first actual day at work?", she giggled. The brown eyed Jonas smiled and nodded as they grabbed some tubs and headed back down stairs.

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The whole day Joe helped Alex with washing dishes, he sweat and his face was still a mess from falling face first into his chocolate desert that Alex brought down for them to share. As they cleaned up for the night crew the manager came down holding money. "Fifty bucks should do it don't you think Al?", he asked holding the money in his hands.

"For Joe?", she smiled looking over to him seeing he worked hard. "I'd say fifty-five, he did well for his first day", she giggled as he pulled out an extra five and handed it to Joe.

"You did good kid", the manager stood there for a minute looking at Joe as if he recognized him. "Don't I know you?", he asked. Joe simply shook his head as the manager nodded and slowly walked off. "See you tomorrow Alex", he shouted.

She nodded as she removed her apron and turned to Joe as he removed his. "So how was your first real job?", she asked helping him remove his before throwing it in the laundry bin. She wiped some sweat off her head then turned back to him.

He laughed seeing she had some black smudge on her nose and head. "It felt good, but I think I'll stick to singing"

She looked at him confused as he laughed until his finger brushed across her nose when she noticed a black mark on his fingers. "Oh hahaha thanks", she smiled as the butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "Let's get out of here before we miss the bus", she smiled grabbing her bag and running upstairs to clock out. Joe followed behind her as they walked back out the way they came and ran through the ally to the corner where the bus dropped them off.

"Can we go some place to eat instead?", Joe asked as his stomach growled in agreement.

Alex nodded and smiled. "Sure come on there's a great pasta place down this way", she said running ahead of him soon being chased by Joe. "Seriously Rock star I thought you could keep up!", she shouted behind her before she tripped.

He ran up to her and picked her up breathing heavy. "You ok?", he asked. Nodding she looking up into his eyes leaning close. He was about to close the gap, until his phone rang. It read 'Lisa' on the ID as Joe answered. His arm was around Alex's waist but soon dropped.

She sighed and tugged on his shirt pointing to the small eatery in front of them as he talked. She got them seated as he continued talking to Lisa telling her he loves her. "Yes baby I promise I'll see you tonight", he smiled. Alex just rolled her eyes as she ate a bread stick. "Love you too", he said before hanging up.

"Sorry, forgot to warn you, where I work there is no really good signal for cell phones", she stated in a mono tone looking out the window. Joe shrugged as he ate his own bread stick.

He laughed and nodded to a sign behind her head in the booth. "So who's paying?", he laughed. The sign made her laugh as she shrugged.

"This place is pretty cheap I can pay if you'd like", she smiled. He shook his head."What about halvesies?"

He nodded trying to finish his bread stick. "Founds wike a wan!", he said with bread stick still in his mouth. She giggled seeing his face.

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After dinner they took the bus home. The bus was empty other then the two as Alex lay her head on Joe's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her waist shoulder and watched the city pass by him. He felt his phone vibrate as the bus continued to ride. He slowly pulled the phone out trying not to wake his friend. "Hello", he whispered not even looking at the ID.

"WHERE ARE YOU!? Mom and dad are freaking out!", Nick shouted into the phone waking Alex beside him. She sat up and removed her glasses before rubbing her eyes.

Joe sighed not wanting to wake her before she tugged on a rope signaling their stop. "I'm almost home, I'm with Alex what's wrong?", he asked.

"Well you were gone all day, then Lisa showed up and mom is NOT happy about that", he began, but Joe interrupted before he could continue as he and Alex walked to the Jonas home.

"-I'm almost home tell mom I'll have a home date tonight alright?", he said as they turned a corner almost to the house.

Nick laughed. "You're girlfriend will not be happy...but I'll see you soon-" , he laughed as Joe, and Alex walked in the door. They both hung up as Mrs. Jonas ran to the door and hugged her son.

"Joseph!", she shouted wrapping her arms around her son. Lisa clomped in to the room with her high heels tight jean skirt and tee shirt. As the family and girlfriend all fought for Joe's time Alex walked upstairs quietly to check on her brother and sister not knowing eyes followed her upstairs.

She laughed softly seeing Raeanne jumping on her bed singing to her TV. She looked over and saw Joe on the screen with his brothers singing Love Bug. "Haha alright Jonas girl no more jumping", Alex said tickling her sister. She lay her sister down for bed and smiled about to sing her a lullaby when a very angry scream was heard.

Alex ran to the top of the stairs and listened as Lisa yelled at Joe. "I wanted to go OUT tonight! Joe don't you want to be out with me?", she pouted.

"Um excuse me, we have a five year old going to bed, and people studying could you keep it down?", Alex said from the stairs earning a glare from the blonde.

Joe nodded to Alex. "Sorry, we'll be in the den watching a mo-"

"NO! We're going out! Come on Joe this isn't fair", Lisa shouted grabbing Joe's shirt.

He groaned as he walked to the den and began looking for a movie to watch. Lisa fumed before stomping out the door and slammed the door. Rolling her eyes Alex went back to her sisters room to find her asleep already. Turning off the light she walked down stairs to find Joe watching Liar Liar not even laughing. "mind if I join?", she whispered standing behind him as he sat on the couch. He turned to her and nodded and smiled. She sat beside him and laughed until her eyes began to get heavy again. She fought hard to stay awake.

Soon Joe's arm pulled her to his chest. His soft scent made her sleepy. She fell asleep followed by Joe. Kevin walked inside after a late night of hanging with friends and smiled seeing the two asleep on the couch. He covered them with blankets and turned off the movie before heading off to bed. Next week would be a long week.

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"Alex come on the SUV is here!", Joe shouted from the stairs. Demi stood next to Kevin laughing.

Alex was going with Demi as a guest to the American Music Awards so that they could have fun. Lissa stood beside Demi angry with her arms crossed as Nick ran down stairs. "She's almost done! Mom is bugging about her hair"

"Mom's not going!", Joe and Kevin laughed.

The youngest Jonas laughed. "No mom's bugging about Alex's hair", making everyone laugh.

"What's so funny", Alex asked from the top of the steps. Everyone turned and smiled seeing her, she didn't look drop dead beautiful, but was still new girl. Her long brown hair was now a waterfall of curls. Her glasses for tonight were traded with glasses and her normal jeans and tee's were transformed into a black cocktail dress and black heels. Her normal eye makeup now made her look like a rock star in training.

Demi ran to her at the foot of the stairs and hugged her. "OH MY GOSH I have the hottest date for my first AMA's!", she giggled as Alex rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"Ditto", Alex replied. Lisa elbowed Joe and as Kevin and Nick all nodded.

"Uh-oh no Dem you forgot about me and my date!", he laughed rubbing his ribs.

The two girls walked to the SUV without another word soon followed by Kevin, Nick, and Joe with Lisa trailing behind.

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Demi gasped as she saw some of her favorite artists around her. Alex giggled with her as they walked the way down until she ran into someone. "Oh so so sorry", a voice said.

"Oh it was all me", she giggled and gasped looking into the blue eyes of Jessie McCartney. "Sorry I can be a klutz", she blushed.

Shaking his head Jessie smiled. "No it's fine, you and Demi friends?", he asked. Demi nodded for Alex since she seemed to have lost all sense of movement at the moment. "Cool, maybe I'll see you in there? Or tonight?", he said with a smirk. Alex nodded and smiled as he rushed off to another location.

"OH MY GOSH!"

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Alex watched the boys perform from her seat and smiled as she followed them all on stage with her eyes. Lisa was in the bathroom during it fixing her make up for tonight. The boys were so pumped, she wasn't sure if it was because they had just won an award, or because of tonight. She didn't care she just rocked out as she stood and sang along to the song as fans screamed feeling the chords and song run through her vains.

Kevin, Nick, and Joe played hard and were smiling, their nerves were gone compared to last year. TONIGHT!

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"Alex do this it'll be fun! And it will get you ready for my tour!", Demi said trying to get Alex to sing back up for her.

Kevin nodded in agreement wrapping an arm around his friend. "Yeh do it, it'll be a quick song...and it'll help you", he smiled and hugged her. Relaxing Alex took Demi's hand and walked on stage.

"HOW YOU DOING HOUSE OF BLUES!", she shouted into the mic as Alex went to the back. Screams were echoed around the room as Get Back began to play from the guitars. Alex closed her eyes as she sang the first chorus quietly with Demi.

"Ok ok wait wait...", Demi stopped the song. "Ladies and gentleman I want you to meet a friend of mine!", Alex's face went red as the spot light was on her. "Her name is Alex and I want you all to hear it for her!" the crowed screamed as she blushed seeing the boys, Jessie, Dan Ackroyd, and others were cheering her on. "Now let's try this one more time shall we?"

Demi smiled looking back as her and smiled. "But I gotta
Let you know..."

I WANNA GET BACK to the old days..., Alex sang with Demi face to face as the two rocked out. Demi in her jeans and Alex in her dress. The crowed roared as the two ran off.

"AWESOME!", Jessie shouted pulling her into a hug and smiling.

Alex blushed until Joe broke the hug and wrapped his arms around her. "That was great!", he said holding her tightly. She felt safe as she wrapped her arms around Joe feeling like herself again. "The next one is for you cause I know you like it!", he said in her ear and ran on stage with his brothers.

Alex swayed to the song as fans sang along. Soon the night ended and they ended the show with one more song.

I've always been the kind of girl who hid my face so afraid to tell the world what I've got to say..., Demi sang, but not before pulling Alex out with her to sing the next verse.

As Alex sang she continued to with Demi. Joe soon joined and Demi stopped singing making Joe and Alex sing the song. This is ME she looked into Joe's eyes and felt butterflies, what she didn't know....was so did he.