#dramaaaaaaaaaaa

JOEY: With the Thursday game out of the way and Joe actually having some time to himself for the weekend, he figured it would've just been any other normal off weekend. However, all those plans to do absolutely nothing came to a screeching halt when Vanessa texted him in the morning and told him that he needed to come out to LA for the weekend. Something to do with needing to talk to him in person. If Joe were being honest, the tone that came off of her texts worried him, so he had no idea what he was going to be walking into. The last time they had a serious conversation was when he was in LA a month ago, but it was also the same night they had finally decided to end their physical relationship. Since then, things between them had been nothing but great and he was glad that they could still share that incredibly strong friendship connection they had, outside of the intimacy. Joe found himself on the next flight out to Los Angeles, but not before being stopped by a few fans that wanted a picture or his autograph. Hours later and after Vanessa texted him the address to her Airbnb, he picked up his rental car and found himself on a scenic drive to where she'd been staying long-term. Twenty minutes later, Joe was pulling into the driveway of the Airbnb and before he got out, he was mentally preparing himself for what he was about to walk into. Even though, he had absolutely no idea what the urgency to talk to him in person was for. Finally getting out of the vehicle, Joe walked up the long pathway to the front door and knocked softly, announcing his arrival.

VANESSA: To put it simply, Vanessa was freaking the fuck out right now and didn't know what to do with herself at all, just pacing the living room of her airbnb like crazy at the moment. The past few days she hadn't felt the best, and didn't think much of it until around midnight when she got back home after Kehlani's show in Oakland. Taking a flight home immediately since she wasn't feeling well at all. Her period was nearly a week late, and had been feeling nauseous for days now which could only mean one thing and that made her feel even more nauseous than she had previously been feeling. The first thing she had done was go buy pregnancy tests from a 24 hour pharmacy, hoping to ease her own mind and realize that she definitely wasn't pregnant so there was no reason to involve anyone else. That had backfired though, when one of the tests showed a second line and the other didn't, which is the same thing that had happened the first time she got pregnant with River. Immediately she had texted Joey at 1 in the morning, needing him to get here to help calm her down and so she could tell him this life changing news, or life shattering depending on how he took it. Thankfully he didn't question it and she was both relieved and terrified when there was a knock on the door later on in the day, knowing that it was about to get even more real for her and for him in just a matter of moments. Vanessa went to open the door, trying to calm her own hysterics so she wouldn't scare him immediately but that failed the second she saw him standing there and immediately lunged into his arms for comfort. "Joey, I'm sorry," she told him, sniffling as she tried to fight back tears, "I have to tell you something, or show you something. Both, I guess."

JOEY: Naturally, Joe had a smile on his face as he shoved his hands in his pockets and waited on Vanessa to open the door. However, when it swung open, his smile instantly vanished and the expression on his face only turned concerned when she immediately enveloped him in a tight embrace before he could even walk through the door. Confused, but not questioning it, Joe wrapped his flexed arms around Vanessa and held her as close as he possibly could to his body. The confusion only grew more when she began to apologize and the sniffling rang in his ear. More concerned than ever now, Joe pulled back from the embrace only slightly and could see the tears shining in Vanessa’s eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong? Did something happen with you and Kehlani? Please tell me everything is okay.” His mind was running at a million miles a minute as he searched for an answer just by gazing into Vanessa’s eyes, but he came up short every time. However, she then explained that she had something to tell and show him. Joe’s heart sank into his chest, unsure of what she could possibly be hinting at. “Come on, let’s go inside and talk,” Joe encouraged, breaking away from Vanessa completely, but not entirely. He kept one arm around her shoulders and led her inside to the living room, so they could both sit down on the plush sofa. “What’s going on, Nessa? You’re being way too quiet.”

VANESSA: Vanessa had planned to hold it together a lot more than she was doing right now, wanting to be able to explain it and tell him without being hysterical. It changed the second she saw Joey though, the familiar sense of safety she always felt with him overpowering everything else as she cried against his chest until he pulled away to look at her. "No, no. It's not me and Kehlani, we're okay. Or at least I hope we will be, I don't really know," she admitted, sniffling as she allowed him to guide her inside. Just hearing how concerned he was and how soft his voice came across only served to make her emotions run higher, not wanting to worry him or upset him with what she was about to tell him. "I'm sorry, I'm just scared," she admitted, as they sat down and she tried to get comfortable but was too fidgety to do so. Vanessa looked him through her tears and then turned around to grab the two pregnancy test sticks, covering them with her hands while she tried to formulate her thoughts in some way. "I haven't been feeling well this week. No energy, really nauseous a lot. I thought I was getting sick, and then I realized I was late. Almost a week late and...." she trailed off, hoping that Joe understood what she was trying to say but then handed him the tests so that it would hopefully explain it to him fully. Vanessa ran a hand through her much shorter than usual brown hair, terrified for what the next couple of moments could bring. "One of them shows as positive, not the other. Just like last time," Vanessa explained the best she could, her emotions boiling over once again as she fell back into the couch and cried, "I'm sorry, Joey. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen."

JOEY: “You hope you will be?” Joe questioned. Because that was an odd thing to say. To him, at least. Especially when things seemed to be going so well for the two of them. He wasn’t sure where this conversation was going, but to say he was more confused than ever was more than and understatement. Then, Joe noticed how fidgety and uncomfortable Vanessa was, and the more he was in her presence, the more he felt as if whatever she was trying to tell him had something to do with him. Now being confused was out the window, he was more concerned and worried than anything. Joe placed his hands on top of Vanessa’s for a second, just for comfort and reassurance. “Hey, whatever you need to tell me, it’s going to be okay. I promise you that,” he assured. Then, she had pulled her hands away from his to grab something from behind her, though, he couldn’t make out exactly what it was because she was attempting to shield it from him. Vanessa then began to explain that she hadn’t been feeling well lately and at first, Joe was confused all over again at why she would be so upset to tell him she wasn’t feeling well. Then, everything suddenly hit him all at once when she said she was late and handed him what appeared to be two pregnancy tests. Joe was stunned, rendered speechless as he looked down at the two tests; one was positive and the other was negative. He had never been in this type of situation before, so naturally, he didn’t know how to react. The only thing he could think of was how incredibly fucking stupid he was to have even let this happen. And of all times, it just so happened to be the last time they had sex together. When they were finally moving on from their physical relationship. Joe just sat there and stared at the tests, unable to truly formulate any words as he listened to Vanessa apologizing — though, it was nothing but muffled sounds to him. Of course, he had always wanted a family, but he was only twenty-five years old and he hadn’t imagined it would be happening this way. He had so much life to live, so much to do and accomplish before he even wanted to think about having kids. But maybe everything happens for a reason, he thought. He would be okay, so would Vanessa. They’d get through this together and they would make it work, no matter what. “Vanessa, I—“ Joe stammered, his eyes failing to look away from the tests in his hands, “This is not your fault. Don’t blame yourself.” Of course those were the first words he had managed to get out after being so quiet, to make sure she knew it wasn’t her fault. Joe finally set the tests down on the coffee table in front of them, then went to immediately envelope Vanessa in a warm, tight embrace, holding her close to his chest as she cried. “It’s okay, it’s going to be okay. We’ll figure it out.” Joe sighed, finding it hard to believe his own words at the moment, even though, he wanted to so badly. He caressed her back in slow, circular motions to hopefully aid in comforting her, even if there wasn’t much he could do. “I didn’t imagine I would become a dad this way, but I’m not going anywhere. I promise you that. I’m right here and I’ll be here every step of the way.”

VANESSA: Vanessa couldn't hold herself together at this point, all of the emotions she had been trying to hold in since the middle of the night seemed to be pouring out now that she was next to Joey and telling him everything. The silence from him at first only made it worse, even if she didn't blame him for having nothing to say after she had just changed his entire life in a matter of seconds. It was basically the same reaction she had when she first looked at the tests before the sun was even up that morning, and she had been mostly silent all day except for whenever talking had been necessary. Mostly due to not trusting herself to speak much without it leading to exactly the way she was currently acting. The second that Joey wrapped his arms around, she sought out the comfort and safety she always felt with him, hand twisting into his shirt as a way to try to draw him closer even if it wasn't physically possible. "We have to go to the doctor to be sure, get their pregnancy test and confirmation. But false positives are rare, I've been researching all morning,"  she managed to explain to him after calming down slightly. It didn't last though. Because the last time she had told someone they were pregnant together, it had gone so horribly and lead to her divorce, and deep down there was a part of her that was scared it would lead to something similar this time. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she told him, thankful for having her face buried into his chest so that she didn't have to look at him. Her voice smaller than she was sure it had ever been with him, even after their last emotional talk, but the trauma from her ex-husband still ran deep and she couldn't help it. Even with Joey promising her that he wasn't leaving her to deal with this alone, she found herself gripping tighter onto him despite offering him an out. Though she quickly regretted even doing so, the idea of him leaving her nearly causing her to hysterically cry at this point. "Please mean it," she ever so quietly begged through her tears, "I can't..I can't do this alone again, I need you to be here with me."

JOEY: Joe just remained silent while he let Vanessa pour out any emotions she had been currently feeling. While he also had some of his own emotions he wanted to let out, he held them back because he knew at least one of them had to appear to have it together. So many different things were running through his mind; what would his parents think? Would the media and the public find out about it? Would he be a terrible father? It was endless and he couldn't get his mind to shut the hell up. Though, he tried to push all those questions and thoughts aside as he continued to hold her for as long as she wanted to be held. It honestly broke Joe's heart listening to how incredibly broken Vanessa sounded, and it was all thanks to the way her ex-husband left her the first time she found out she was pregnant. Joe didn't know what to say or do to make it better, to show that he wasn't the same kind of person. All he could really do was continue to comfort her as he'd already been doing. He nodded in agreement when Vanessa pulled away from him, his fingers brushing away some of the loose strands that had fallen into her face and eventually wiping away the tears that had stained her cheeks. "I don't know how any of this works, but if that's what we need to do, then I'll be there. Whatever you need, I'm here," Joe assured, though, it wasn't long until Vanessa was breaking down again and telling him that he could have an out if he wanted to. If there was one thing that broke his heart more than anything, it was definitely that. He completely understood that being abandoned may be something she was used to and he'd never fault her for that, but he was going to do his absolute best to show that he was here to stay and never going to leave her side. Not at all. However, she had done a complete three-sixty and was now begging him not to leave her after having just attempted to push him away. Joe only embraced her petite frame tighter, even if it was damn near impossible with how close they were already. "Vanessa, I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here and I mean that with everything in me. I may be just as scared as you are and have no fucking idea what I'm doing or how to navigate this, but I'm not leaving you alone when you need me the most. You have me, always. I've always wanted to be a dad, I've always wanted a family... I didn't think it would happen this way or for a long, long time, but life likes to throw you curveballs like this and you can't exactly avoid them," Joe said through her hysterical crying, although, he wasn't even sure if she could hear him. He could even feel tears pooling in his own eyes the more he listened to her, the more he tried to calm her down and reassure her. "I've got you, I promise."

VANESSA: It was much harder than Vanessa could have ever imagined to listen to the way Joey was trying to comfort her, her own insecurities and trauma finding their ways out even after all the work she had been doing to move past them the last few weeks. There wasn't a single part of her that thought he could ever do what Michael did, but the trauma ran deep and it was hard to get it out of your head once it was already in there. Add on to the fact that she was feeling guilty for making it all about her and not even letting him have whatever time he needed, and Vanessa was even more of a wreak than she could have imagined being. As much as she wanted to speak and reassure him the same way he was doing for her, she was having trouble calming her breathing or mind enough to do so, instead just trying to focus on the way he was physically trying to soothe, trying to match her breathing to his in order to calm herself down. The silence probably lasted for way too long, yet another way she was being unfair to him, but she was finally able to remove her face from his chest to look up at him. The tears in his eyes were clear now that she let herself focus on him, and she reached to wipe his away the same as he had done for her. Her own fears and freaking out seemed to mirror so clearly in his eyes, they were both going through it and she had been selfish the last half hour since he had arrived. "I'm sorry," she whispered, the words trying to encompass so many different things and she had no idea if he'd understand each of them. Vanessa wiped at her face, trying to clear the wetness from her cheeks so that she could focus on him and less on herself for once. "Are you okay?" she asked honestly, her voice weaker than usual from the crying she had been doing all day, "I didn't mean to make it all about me...what you're feeling is important too." Vanessa reached for his hand, holding it in between both of hers to show that she was ready to listen to what he needed or wanted to say now, even if her control over her emotions was ridiculously thin. "And I know you won't go anywhere, I know you wouldn't. It's just..him, what he did. It's hard to forget, but I wasn't comparing you to him again. I hope you know that, you're nothing like him and I've never thought you were."

JOEY: “You have nothing to apologize for, Nessa. You’re the one that’s going to be going through this, so if anything, I should be apologizing for not being more careful. That’s completely on me. It was so easy to get lost in the heat of the moment,” he quickly said, because he wouldn’t allow Vanessa to take the blame for anything. Joe didn’t realize how much of a comforting gesture it was to have her wiping away his own tears just as he had done for her, but it was. He even found himself leaning into her touch just the slightest bit. “I’m alright, don’t worry about me. It’s definitely a shock and I don’t even know how my parents are going to feel about it, but it’ll all be okay. You just tell me what we have to do and I’ll follow your lead.” Joe offered Vanessa a weak smile as their hands found one another again. Though, as much as he wanted to deny it was fine, deep down, he was actually terrified of the whole thing. Because it meant his life would be changing in the blink of an eye. He would have to try and be there Vanessa as much as he could while also trying to balance his grueling work schedule. “I know, trust me. And you have every right to be terrified of someone up and leaving you, but that’s not me. I know saying it time after time isn’t really the kind of reassurance you need, but I’ll do whatever I can to prove I’m not going anywhere by not just saying I’m not. I have to show it, too. And I promise I’m going to do that for you.” Joe pulled Vanessa in for another warm embrace, holding her close to his chest for a moment until he broke away again to hold her gaze. “So, let’s get this thing going, yeah? What do we do first? Do you want to take anymore tests or do you just want to go straight to the doctor to find out for sure? Either way, I’ll be there for you for both. I don’t know much about any of this, so you’re gonna have to help me out a little bit,” Joe teased, hoping to lighten the mood a bit even though he was telling the truth.

VANESSA: "It really means a lot to hear you say that, because I've heard too many horror stories of men thinking the opposite but it might be my body, but you're just as much a part of it as I am. I could have stopped you, but I'm on birth control so I didn't think we'd be that like 0.01 percent chance," she told him with a defeated sigh. They had both been stupid, that's for sure, but she wasn't going to let him give himself the brunt of it at all. Vanessa could only nod with the smallest of smiles, her mind already racing through all of the different options to try to determine what the plan should be and only stopping to listen to him. The people they'd both have to tell all of this to were definitely enough to get her anxiety running high, including her own parents and especially Kehlani. Vanessa shook her head, trying not to worry about those conversations just yet until she absolutely had to, the last thing either of them needed was additional anxiety on top of what they were currently dealing with. There really was no doubt in her mind that he'd never do that, not after everything they had already been through and he'd yet to ever truly leave her side even after a brutal fight between them. "I trust you, Joey. I always have, I know you're not going anywhere. This isn't exactly something I would have wished for, but if it had to happen, I'm glad it was with you," she nodded softly, easing even more the second he had wrapped her up once again. He had truly become her safe place since they had met all those months ago, and she was thankful that they had each other through this. "We could go to an urgent care, have them do a pregnancy test there. I'm not sure if it's more accurate than the ones I already took, but at least it would give us better confirmation if it is since these weren't exactly conclusive. They're open on weekends too, so we wouldn't have to wait," she said, giving him the slightest of smiles at his teasing, "Does this make me your pregnancy Yoda? Not that I have any idea what Yoda actually does." Vanessa reached for her phone to look up the address to the farther urgent care from where they were, not wanting it to be easily linked to them if they want and showed it to him. "Tell me you packed a hat and stuff so we can try to hide ourselves."

JOEY: It was crazy to think how much Joe’s life had changed in the span of fifteen minutes. When he flew out to LA, this was definitely not what he was expecting to walk into when Vanessa said she needed him there, but there was no backing out now. It was time to put on a brave face, no matter how terrified he was at the thought of becoming a father so soon. “I could never think the opposite. I’m lucky I was raised with good morals and values, and was taught how to properly treat a woman. I’m just sorry you had to deal with that in the past because you didn’t deserve it,” Joe said, his hand coming to rest on top of hers again for comfort and reassurance. “Is it seriously that low of a chance for this to happen while a woman is on birth control? That’s fucking crazy.” He said it, but didn’t want to believe it because of wild it sounded coming out of Vanessa’s mouth. He was dumbfounded and sat in silence for a minute upon the discovery that they were the part of the percentage of this even happening. “Guess my swimmers are just that strong, huh?” Joe couldn’t help but to crack the silliest joke to lighten the mood even more, unable to contain the laughter that escaped as he caught Vanessa playfully rolling her eyes at him. But he saw it, the grin on her face that he was sure matched his own. “I’m sorry, it was right there.” After his laughing fit, he managed to calm himself down to continue the serious conversation they were having. “I’m glad you trust me, that means a lot to me. Because I trust you just as much. This isn’t anything I could’ve wished for at the moment either, but I’m also glad it’s with you.” And it was true in every sense of the word. Joe already knew the incredible mother that Vanessa was and he knew that it would be proven once again if she were really pregnant. “Then, let’s do that, yeah? I can take you to an Urgent Care. Those blood tests have to be more accurate than these store-bought ones. I always have hats and other things to disguise myself with when I don’t want to be recognized. Which is funny because a year ago, I probably wouldn’t have even needed to do that. But here we are, I guess,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. Because it was a bit irritating that he couldn’t go anywhere now without someone recognizing him. Not that he minded because he always loved meeting fans, but there were times when he wished he could avoid it to have time to himself, or with his friends and family. Joe’s eyes scanned over Vanessa’s phone screen, nodding at the location of the Urgent Care that was a bit of a drive away. “Let’s go, then. We can grab something to eat on the way, if you’re hungry, since it’s a bit of a distance,” Joe suggested as he stood from the couch, then held his hand out for Vanessa to take.

VANESSA: The last thing Vanessa was expecting to do right now was be laughing, but with the horrible joke coming from Joey, she couldn't resist even as she rolled her eyes. "You're such a guy sometimes," she said, playfully pushing at his chest to push him away from her. It felt good though, to be laughing and not just crying or freaking out like she had been doing for hours now. And would likely be doing for awhile if the tests confirmed she was pregnant and had to tell everyone, especially Kehlani. "They'll probably do a urine test, and if that's weird like these were, then they'll go for a blood test to be sure. Those just take longer, so I'm hoping the urine test gives us a for sure answer," she shrugged and nodded her head, "I'm not really hungry with feeling nauseous and everything, but I can get some fruit and tea if you want to eat." Now that they had made the decision, she grabbed his hand and showed him to the guest bedroom so that he could get himself ready. "I don't know how long you're staying, but stay here? I don't really want to be alone with everything going on," she admitted with a small frown. Hoping he'd agree to stay and get himself set up here until he had to leave for practice and his next game. Vanessa then walked into her bedroom to get changed into the baggiest clothes she had, including her hair in a bun with a hat and her biggest sunglasses, not wanting to be spotted by anyone while they were out. Probably taking a little too long to get herself ready, as if taking longer would put the truth of the situation off longer and keep it from becoming their reality for sure. Once she had stalled for as long as she could, she walked back into the living room and grabbed her purse, sitting down on the edge of the couch to wait for Joey to be ready. "Let's do this, Joey," she told him, leaning into him as they left the airbnb to get into the car. The drive was going to be a long one, and feel even longer than it normally would, so she was ready to just get it over with after stalling for longer than necessary.

JOEY: “I know you thought it was really fucking funny, don’t lie to me.” Joe was glad that he felt comfortable enough to even crack jokes with Vanessa at the moment, that’s how well their friendship dynamic worked with one another. No matter how serious or dire the situation was, there was always a little room for one of them to find the light at the end of the tunnel. “I never realized just how much y’all have to go through when it comes to this. I mean, I know it’s a lot, but all these tests? It’s wild to me.” He shook his head in disbelief, unable to truly fathom everything that Vanessa already had to go through and she wasn’t even one-hundred percent sure she was pregnant. “Alright, but if you end up getting hungry after the fact, then I’m gonna be pissed at you,” Joe teased. Eventually, Vanessa had showed him to the guest bedroom where she staying and although he didn’t bring anything with him inside, he didn’t even hesitate to nod his head in approval at her questioning him to stay. “Of course. I’m right here. I’ll just have to cancel my own AirBnB.” Just so he wouldn’t forget, he quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket to do just that before himself ready, as well. Luckily, he’d already been wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, so he didn’t really have to chance. But decided to throw on a monotone hoodie, a beanie, and a pair of sunglasses that left him practically unrecognizable. Joe then met Vanessa back in the living room and they were well on their way to the farthest Urgent Care they found. Of course, Joe did stop for breakfast on the way since he hadn’t managed to eat yet. Midway through the drive and after he took a sip of his repulsive black coffee, he glanced over at Vanessa briefly and cleared his throat. There were several things weighing on his mind that hadn’t pertained to this current situation and he knew if there was anyone he could talk about it with, it would be with her. Joe did always have trouble talking about his feelings, but with Vanessa, it just came naturally. “I, uh… I don’t mean to make this about me, but can I get your opinion on something? It’s just,” he paused, struggling to find the right words, “I think I’m starting to fall for someone.”

VANESSA: "Oh, honey. It's so cute that you think this is a lot, you should see the thing they shove up my vagina for the first ultrasound if I am really pregnant. And don't forget the labor itself, real rough that one," she teased right back, giving him a taste of his own medicine from his joke before. Vanessa was thankful that he agreed to stay here with her, because she really didn't want to be alone while going through all of this until they had the results, and Joey was who she needed with her since they were going through it together. The drive was quiet, likely due to both of their nerves, and Vanessa snacked on some fruit as promised even if it wasn't at all appetizing right now. The nausea she had been feeling for days mixed with the feeling sick from anxiety were making it difficult to eat, but she did her best because she knew she needed it. It wasn't until Joey spoke up that she even realized just how long things had been quiet for, but the words leaving his mouth immediately sparked her interest with her eyebrows completely raised. "Please make it about you, any sort of distraction is good right now," she told him honestly, a grin peaking out the more he explained, "Really?" It was a genuine shock and excitement that coursed through her at this revelation from him, definitely not something she had expected but so happy to know that he was possibly finding something just like she had. "Madelyn?" she questioned, even if she knew there had been other people around him lately, but Madelyn had also been part of the TMZ article from a few weeks ago and she had been the one to answer Joey's door back in Italy over a month ago. It didn't take too much sleuthing on her part to notice it, not that she ever would have commented unless he said something himself. "What opinion do you need, Joey? Are you scared? Because if so, you definitely came to the right person there."

JOEY: Joe couldn't help but to laugh at the fact that Vanessa was so persistent on changing the subject to make it about him. Though, talking about himself was one of the things he despised the most. Especially when it was something he did every damn day at work. Lifting his shoulders into a shrug, he suddenly went quiet again after she began to question him. Only because admitting his feelings was something he hated doing, something he feared the most. He still didn't really want to be in a relationship, but the more his feelings developed, the more it was becoming difficult to hide them. However, at the mention of Madelyn's name, a smile was instantly brought to his face and he knew if he couldn't stop himself from smiling just at the mention of it, then he knew he was doomed. "Yeah," Joe finally said, letting go of a deep breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. "How'd you know?" Dumb question, but if even he couldn't see how incredibly obvious it was, then he didn't think it would be obvious to anyone else. Even if his teammates liked to tease him about it every now and then. "I guess I am, yeah. It's just... I didn't really want to be in a relationship again. I think you, of all people, know how hard I've been trying to stay away from one this entire year, but I don't know..." Joe paused, allowing the sentence to hang in the air as he came to a red light, his eyes focusing on nothing but the road ahead of him. "She makes me feel things I haven't felt in a while and I don't know if I want to admit to that."

VANESSA: This was exactly the distraction Vanessa needed to take away from everything else currently going on, and for the moment it was easy to forget just where they were even driving to. "Because I know you better than I know most people, and I saw the instagram posts. Plus the look she gave me when I went to your room in Italy, it's been pretty easy to piece it all together. I wasn't positive on any of it, until you just confirmed it," she grinned, genuinely happy for him. It was almost a weird sense of deja vu happening right now, the roles reversing from just barely a month ago, and she was happy that she could be the same for him that he had been for her. "Trust me, no one gets it more than me. It doesn't matter how much you don't want it, sometimes that person just sneaks the fuck up on you," she laughed but then looked at him softly, "It's okay to be scared though. And it's okay to not be ready, lord knows I wasn't for a long time. You can take your time to work through it all." Vanessa reached over to grab his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze and holding it in her own, a gesture that really had become a comfort between them. "Just remember everything you told me, okay? Don't let your being scared keep you away from something that could be really good for you," she spoke gently, a soft smile on her face as she did so, "Doesn't mean you have to run confess your feelings right now, but just don't pull a me and make a complete fucking mess of everything. Be better than me." Vanessa laughed a little at her own expense, hoping it would make him laugh too and squeezed his hand once more. "You're the best guy I know, Joey. And I'm not just saying that, you really are. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

JOEY: "Italy doesn't count, I didn't really have any feelings then because there were still some I had for you that were lingering. You don't think she had feelings for me all the way back then, do you? It was so early and she hadn't even really been to Cincinnati that much around that time because we were only going through training camp, so I can't see feelings developing that quickly." As he said this, Joe finally glanced in Vanessa's direction, holding her gaze for a moment just until the light turned green and he had to focus on the road again. Joe laughed incredulously, shaking his head in disbelief the more they talked about Madelyn and his feelings for her. It was funny how he seemed to be this shell of a person with everybody else, but with Vanessa, it was so easy to talk to her and let her know what was going on inside his mind. "I don't know when I'll be ready for it, honestly. Maybe I just have to let it happen organically instead of forcing myself to want it. I can only see that being disastrous in the long run," Joe said with a shrug. He noticed that they had a little under fifteen minutes until they would finally arrive at the destination as he glanced at the GPS on his phone and he was glad for the fact that it meant they wouldn't have to continue this conversation much longer. "Oof, now you're hitting me with my own advice, huh? Just wish I could find it in me to follow it." The gesture of Vanessa taking his hand in hers took him by surprise, but it comforted him in a way he wouldn't have thought possible. He was truly grateful to have someone like her in his life, he didn't know what he'd do without her. "But don't worry, you'll never catch me pulling a you. Not all of us deny things for as long as you like to do." Joe couldn't resist teasing her, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he squeezed her hand back, just to show how much he truly appreciated her. "I know you're already with someone now, but you know the same goes for you. No matter who you're with, just know they're incredibly lucky." With all the talking back and forth between them, he hadn't realized that they had quickly arrived at the Urgent Care until he was literally pulling into the parking lot and finding an empty space. "Well... Guess we gotta go do this, huh?"

VANESSA: "No, it's not that I knew then. Not at all. It's all of it adding up together, starting with back in Italy. It makes it pretty easy to figure out when I know you as well as I do," she shrugged, the smile still on her face as he talked about everything, "Whenever you are ready, you'll know. And I'll be here for you to talk to about it until then, whenever you need me." Vanessa understood it all way too well, and wasn't about to pressure him into anything unless she knew it was needed. Just like he wouldn't have done to her until he knew it was the right time to do so, they just got each other in a way most others didn't. It's why they clicked so well, and why they could still be best friends even after everything they had been through. "Shut up, I swear I will leave your ass on the side of the road somewhere," she rolled her eyes playfully, letting go of his hand to playfully smack him on the shoulder. It wasn't until Joey mentioned it that she realized they had arrived, reality coming back almost instantly and all the ease she had just been feeling slowly seeping out. "Yeah, I guess so," she nodded as they got out of the car. They quickly made their way inside, Vanessa filling out all the necessary forms and waiting until they were called back. As she suspected, they started with the simple urine test and she only hoped this one would come back completely negative. It would make all of this go away and be so much easier if it was just negative. Of course that didn't happen though, their results showed as inconclusive the same as the home tests did, leaving them with only the blood test option. The one that would make all this drag out even longer, and would mean she'd have to tell Kehlani at least because she couldn't avoid them for several days or lie to them about it. Vanessa's foot constantly tapped against the floor, her nerves getting the best of her as they drew the blood and filled out even more paperwork. All of it really overwhelming her and she leaned into Joey for support more times than she could count, so grateful that he was there with her. The doctor explained that it would take several days to get the results, as the lab didn't even open until Monday for them to start running the necessary tests so it would be Tuesday or Wednesday before they got the answers they were so desperately seeking. Nearly two hours later, they were sitting back in the car and Vanessa had been quiet for awhile again, not really sure what to say or do. "Will you be able to stay until we get the results or do you have to go back for practice? I can call you when they come in, if you have to go back," she told him, her voice quiet but understanding as her thoughts raced a million miles per hour through her head. Her hand instinctively going to rest on her stomach, at this point just choosing to treat herself as if she was actually pregnant because that seemed like the truth of the matter now. "I have to tell Lani," she whispered, the fear of the conversation beginning to settle within her.

JOEY: “I’m the one that’s driving, so good luck trying to do that,” Joe grinned, pretending to act hurt over Vanessa playfully slapping him on the shoulder, which only elicited a small fit of laughter from him. He was so glad that even in unprecedented times, they could still find it in themselves to joke around with one another. Eventually, they found their way inside and Joe did his best to keep himself disguised, even though he was positive he wouldn’t be recognized by anyone around here. Last thing he needed was another TMZ article that questioned him on what he was even doing at a medical clinic with a woman. But he made sure he was by her side through everything, intending to keep his promise. When the first test showed up as inconclusive, Joe couldn’t have been more worried because it could mean so many different things. And even if it was only hours ago that he had just found out about everything, he still wanted to know right away for his own sanity. But since they were out of options, the only one left was a blood test and that was going to take several days for the results. Through everything, Joe allowed Vanessa to lean on him for support and even offered up his hand for her to hold when they were drawing her blood. Honestly, he wished he could reverse the roles and put everything on himself because she didn’t deserve to be going through this. Not at all. After what seemed like forever, they were finally back in the car and headed back out on the road. “I can try to stay until Tuesday, but that might be pushing it. But I don’t really want to hear life-changing news over the phone, so I can just tell everyone I had a dire family emergency. And it’s not like that’s a lie, anyway. I’d only be lying about not being in the state of Ohio. Maybe we’ll be lucky and they’ll call you on Monday with the results so I don’t have to miss too much work and have to stay until Tuesday,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. It wasn’t something he liked to do, missing practice and other work obligations, but this seemed more important than anything right now. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. I’m sorry that you’ve barely gotten together and your relationship is already being tested with this.” Joe let out a sad sigh as he pulled one of his hands away from the steering wheel, running his fingers through his dark blonde hair in frustration. A habit of his whenever he was frustrated. “Will you please eat something, though? They just took your blood and I don’t want you passing out on me. And I know that little bit of fruit you had is not going to hold you over. Just name a place and I’ll go there. And whatever you want, it’s on me.” 

VANESSA: It made sense of course, that Joey might not be able to stay the entire time, if she were already filming for work it would be the same for her. Vanessa completely understood even if the idea of potentially getting the news by herself was terrifying. "Whatever you need to do, Joey. I get it. Our careers are time consuming, so if you can't stay, it'll be okay. We'll figure it out," she assured him with a nod. Not wanting him to feel bad whatsoever for if the team required him to head back before the results came in. Vanessa wasn't sure how the talk with Kehlani was going to go, but she knew it was one she needed to have sooner rather than later, and definitely before she chickened out. "Don't apologize, it's not your fault. I just hope they're still as understanding as they've been with everything else, that the understanding hasn't run out of her system yet," she shrugged and looked out at the road in front of them at his next request, "There's a place with good vegan on the way back to mine, I'll get something small. No promises on how much I eat though." It meant a lot to her that he was so concerned, and she offered him the smallest smile she could muster in response to it. Vanessa put the address for the restaurant into the GPS on his phone and called in a to go order on her phone, not wanting to actually go in public anywhere right now. "I'll eat what I can when we get back, and then I have to go to Lani's. If I put it off, I'll never go tell them." Luckily the restaurant she chose was small and not a very popular one, especially this early in the day, so it wasn't crowded whatsoever that anyone would notice them pulling up. She allowed Joey to go in and grab the food, waiting in the car until he returned and drove them the rest of the way back to her airbnb. Once inside, she grabbed the food and made herself comfortable on the couch, attempting to eat the impossible burger she had ordered and the fries that came with it. "Are you going to be okay here while I go over there?" she questioned. It was probably a dumb question, he was a grown man after all, but she still felt bad leaving him alone with everything they had going on. Especially knowing he would never do that to her. "I can just call Lani, if you don't want to be by yourself."

JOEY: “It’ll be fine, I promise. Let’s just hold out hope we’ll get lucky and they’ll call on Monday. Because I will stay here through the weekend, I’m not leaving your side,” Joe reassured as he glanced over at Vanessa in the passenger side, offering a half smile. “If Kehlani has been patient and understanding with you this entire time, then I don’t see why she wouldn’t be now. I don’t know them as well as you do, but I don’t have to in order to know that she’s a great person.” The smile on his face grew just a little bit once Vanessa finally obliged on eating something, “Thank you. I know nothing sounds good to you right now, but you need it at the moment.” After she had put the address in the GPS and called to place an order, they had arrived in no time after some small talk between them. Joe went in to pay and grab the food, then they were on their way back to Vanessa’s AirBnB. He was glad it wasn’t too far from where they were because after the day they both had, they definitely needed to get back as quick as they could. Arriving about ten minutes later, Vanessa headed inside first and he grabbed his luggage from the trunk of the rental car that he had yet to even bring in because of how rushed things became earlier. Walking through the door, Joe pulled the beanie off of his head and the sunglasses from his face just as Vanessa inquired him about being left alone. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be alright. Take as long as you need, do what you have to do. I can find something to occupy my time with. And if you end up needing me if things go south, you let me know and I’ll be right there in five minutes. Speed limits be damned,” Joe teased as he let out a brief chuckle. “I’m just going to go get settled in, probably take a shower because it’s been a long day already. Let me know if you need anything, yeah?”