Though the rest of the trip to the store had been utterly silent between Keeley and Joe, there was the teddy bear disaster:

“Why can’t she name it Joe? Or O, rather?” Joe demanded holding the medium sized bear that was actually quite big in comparison to the child in question.

“Because she can’t.” Keeley insisted.

Joe sighed, not wanting to fight with her anymore. “Okay, Cara, name him something else,” he instructed.

“O-ro.” Cara said.

“How about Jonas?” Joe asked Keeley, hoping to compromise with her. “I don’t think you want her naming him JoBro either.”

“Fine.” Keeley begrudgingly gave in.

Joe lifted Cara our of Keeley‘s arms, and asked, “Cara, can you say Jonas?”

“Own-is.” Cara grabbed the bear from Joe’s other hand, hugging him tightly. Joe smiled down at her.

Aside from that argument, nothing else was said between Joe and Keeley on the rest of the shopping trip.

Cara and Keeley went food shopping with Denise while Joe stayed behind. Keeley would unpack her clothes later. In fact, she hadn’t even seen her new room yet. After they put the food away, Denise began making cookies.

“Kiwi. Ing.” Cara demanded when Keeley had begun humming to herself. Denise smiled, recognizing the tune.

Keeley smiled and began singing the song for Cara. “And I know… we get a little crazy… and I know… we get a little loud… and I know… we’re never gonna fake it… We are wild, we are free, we are more than you think… so call us freaks, but that’s just the way we roll.”

Denise chuckled hearing her sons’ song. “You could give my boys a run for their money.” She teased.

Keeley smiled picking up Cara, “Nah, I’ll leave the spoiled pop star life to them.” She headed toward the stairs still humming the song. “We’re gonna go find our rooms.”

An uneasy look crossed Denise’s features as she watched Keeley and Cara disappear. It was obvious that Keeley had a preconceived notion of her sons, and she couldn’t help but feel as if Keeley had a reason for them. The celebrity life was something she and Kevin Sr. feared would take over their sons. They’d always tried to raise good, moral children. It was why all of their sons wore purity rings. It was why they all still lived in one house together. Both Kevin and Joe were more than old enough to move out on their own, yet somehow they’d convinced them to stay at home with their parents.

With Kevin, she feared he’d never find a real career after the Jonas Brothers time came to an end. With Nick, she feared he’d never date a normal girl again, and not a celebrity. With Joe, though, she feared him becoming too dependant on their current way of life. She was thrilled that Joe offered to come with her for this, but now it scared her that he would ruin his chances of living a normal life by upsetting the teenage girl living with them. She did not want him getting involved with her romantically, of course, but she wasn’t completely opposed to the idea if Keeley could ground some of Joe’s typical celebrity ways. The fact that she wasn’t blonde was just a bonus. She could only hope that Joe would prove himself to Keeley as the person he was at heart and not the celebrity he was becoming.

Cara was mumbling the song in her baby gibberish as Keeley danced around the hallway with her. There were four doors in the hallway, one was the bathroom, and the other three were the bedrooms. The first door she opened was furnished already and looked like a master bedroom, so Keeley closed the door again, assuming it was Denise’s room. The next door read “Kevin & Joe’s room” painted on the door. Cracking a smile, she pushed the door open and was surprised at what she saw.

Joe sat on the floor next to a large box with various crib pieces spread around him. He was concentrating rather hard on the directions and Keeley couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.” She commented from the doorway. She opted to ignore the fluttering cause by the sentiment of him putting Cara’s crib together himself.

He jumped slightly, having been so caught up in trying to put the crib together. He scratched the back of his neck and smiled, “Yeah, my contacts were starting to hurt. I usually wear my glasses around the house.” He explained. “What are you doing up here? I didn’t realize you guys were back.”

Keeley shrugged. “We were coming to see our new rooms. I see Cara has your old room?” She nodded toward the door.

He smiled. “Yeah, me and Kev once upon a time. You’re in Nick and Frankie’s old room.”

“Where are you staying, then?” Keeley asked, suddenly worried that they’d taken over his room.

“Well, originally, Mom was going to put the two of you in here, and put Frankie in his old room. This one is bigger, so better for two people. Then when I decided to come, I opted to stay in the guest room down in the basement,” he explained, still fiddling with the crib.

“Do you need help?” she asked, placing Cara on the floor.

“Nah.” he smiled cheekily at Keeley. “I’m determined, now. The delivery guys offered to set up, but I don’t know, I wanted to. But you’re more than welcome to keep me company.”

She smiled as sat down next to him, keeping an eye on Cara with all of the small pieces around.

“There’s a guest bedroom in your basement?” she asked, going back to their other conversation.

“Yeah. It used to be a… family room, I guess. But we opted to turn it into a bedroom when we moved out to LA. This way if we brought people back with us, they could stay there. Like, Demi and Selena, or whatever.”

“Oh. You’re close with them?” She asked.

Joe chuckled. “Well, I did make a movie with Demi as well as toured with her, and Nick is dating Selena.”

She glared at him slightly. “Plenty of co-stars don’t get along. And it’s only rumored to the rest of the world that he’s dating her.”

Joe laughed again, “Right. Sorry. We’ll, Nick has dated Miley, is dating Selena, Kevin’s dating Danielle, though, I’m not really sure how that works if she’s here and he didn’t even volunteer to come with Mom, I was with Taylor, but…” he trailed off. “What about you?”

“I haven’t had a boyfriend since I moved to Rahway and left Franklin Lakes 2 and a half years ago.” She admitted.

“Rahway must have sucked.” Joe commented playfully, still putting the crib together.

“No, I just got caught up with Amber before I had time to find a decent boyfriend. She may have seemed like a horrible person, but she was the only person to talk to me my first two weeks there. And we just clicked. She was my best friend. Better than the ones I left in Franklin Lakes.”

Joe nodded, “I see. So, you were from around here to begin with?”

She shrugged. “You could say that. I had a lot of friends in Wyckoff, too.”

“I probably don’t know them. You’re a senior, so you were between Nick and me.”

“Hopefully not. They were as- not nice people.” Keeley caught herself before she cursed in front of Cara.

Joe shrugged. “Yeah, well, we lost touch with a lot of people either way. But from what I remember, Ramapo High’s not bad. You might meet some cool people there. Maybe even reconnect with the ones who weren’t so…. A-S-S-ish. Wyckoff and Franklin Lanes go to the same high schools. I think Mom was going to have you go to Ramapo.”

“Do you ever regret not going to High School?” She asked curiously. “I mean, giving up your high school years to be on tour?”

Joe smiled and shook his head. “Nah. Maybe missing things like Prom and Graduation, but in general, no. Being on the road, playing music with my brothers. It’s the greatest feeling. Maybe if you’re still around when we start our next tour you’ll come with us.” Keeley stared, slightly dumbfounded at his words. Joe looked over at her, having not received a response. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah. That’s um, a uh, nice offer, Joe.” She stuttered. “Oh, look, you almost have the frame completely together,” she changed the subject quickly.

“Yeah. See, Cara, Uncle Joe is good with his hands.” Joe smiled at the little girl who was playing with one of the screw drivers Joe left on the floor.

Keeley raised an eyebrow at his words. “Oh really?” she asked.

Joe smirked at her and leaned in closer to her. “Yeah.” he unconsciously licked his lips.

Keeley turned her head away and asked, “Uncle Joe?”

Joe pulled back and blushed slightly. “Um…”

“Un-ca-O.” Cara clapped her hands and pointed at Joe. “On-Kiwi.” She pointed at Keeley.

“Good girl.” Joe ruffled her curls. He ran his fingers through her soft hair a moment later, “She really would pass as a Jonas, you know. She’d be the dark-haired curly one. I’m the odd ball with dark hair.”

Keeley stopped smiling. “You seem to have little to no confidence in my ability to take care of her.” She sounded dejected, looking at the ground.

Joe immediately lifted her chin up again. Somehow Cara was now sitting in his lap. “I never said that,” he argued softly. “I’d like to think you’d stay with us either way.”

“Joe…” Keeley sighed, moving her face from his hand. “You’ve known me a day. How do you know I won’t be a massive bit-, ya know? And that you won‘t want me gone after this first week?”

“Keeley, why are you fighting so hard for her? Is it really worth all of the stress you’re putting yourself under?” Joe asked, seemingly confused.

Keeley glared at him intensely. “If you had to choose, give up your world for an innocent child or turn your back on them to keep your happy life, what would you do? I could never turn my back on a baby I’ve done everything but breast feed.”

“Exactly.” Joe smiled at her, confusing her to no end. “Someone with that much dedication and passion cannot possibly be a… it’s just not possible. And I don’t think you can’t take care of her, Key, I think you’d be sacrificing more than you need to. There are people willing to help now. I don’t understand why you won’t let us.” His gaze turned to Cara. “She’s been screwed out of a proper family for the first 2 years of her life. Let us help you give her a real one.”

“Wow, Joe. A day, and you’re already laying it on pretty thick.” Keeley quickly took Cara from him and turned to leave. “You know, using Cara against me isn’t going to get you anywhere.” She left the room and headed across the hall to the last bedroom. Joe followed.

“Excuse me?” he asked, as Keeley placed Cara on the newly placed bed. Joe had obviously let the movers put her furniture together. “What is your problem?”

“I’m not here for your amusement. I’m here to prove I can take care of Cara,” she replied, stepping up to him so they were face to face, despite that he towered over her by a few inches.

“What makes you think you’re my amusement?” he demanded. “I’m being honest. When Mom told us what Judge Whitlock wanted, we all wanted to help you out any way we could. We like helping people. My father was a pastor! My brother started a charity! You’re not just amusement.” Joe argued, staring down at her intently.

“Then why do you keep making it seem that way? And maybe if it was one of your brothers who wasn’t known as a flirt and occasional whore, I would believe everything you said.” Keeley argued back.

“Oh, so that’s what you think of me?” he asked, nodding angrily. “Of course. Because appearances can’t be deceiving, right? Besides, why would I want you? You’re not my type, at all.” Joe made the mistake of letting his ego do all of the talking now that it was bruised. He turned to leave the room. “You know, I thought you were different. You knew who I was and yet you didn’t fawn all over me. You wouldn’t let me spend too much money on you or Cara. But it didn’t make a difference. My persona as Joe Jonas wins out as always doesn’t it? Joe doesn’t matter.” he quickly left the room, not taking the time to stop and look at her face.

Keeley was in a state of shock. She didn’t move for a good two minutes before Cara brought her out of her thoughts. “Kiwi?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Wha?” she shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Come on, let’s make Kiwi’s bed, okay?” Keeley distracted herself for the next two hours with making her bed and putting her things away. Cara was playing on the bed occasionally asking for Joe, but Keeley ignored it.

In truth, she felt remotely guilty for assuming Joe was simply trying to get in her pants. She couldn’t help it though. The things he said made her feel like swooning. But she was determined not to get caught in that trap. She almost felt like Joe was here, simply to provide a distraction from taking care of Cara. To prove that she was still only a teenager and that as good as her heart was, she wasn’t fit to be a mother just yet.