-Joe's POV-

My eyes flew open with the sound of the phone and I found myself momentarily discombobulated. Blinking a few times to bring my eyes to focus I realized that Delilah, my date, and I had fallen asleep watching our movie, suddenly a wave of panic washed over me. Careful not to wake my sleeping date I checked my watch, 6:05 am.

"SHIT!" I whisper yelled before sliding Delilah's head from my shoulder and reaching for my cell phone. "Yes? Hello?" I nearly growled sprinting up the stairs to check CeCelia's room.

"Joe, its Nathan Burke..."

"Nathan, good morning..." I greeted as politely as I could before pushing open CeCelia's bedroom door and feeling my heart drop from my chest.

"I wanted to let you know that CeCelia is here at the house with me."

Immediately I found myself overcome with a feeling of relief...then anger. "I see..."

"It seems that she and Joshua Davis fell asleep in the pool house last night studying, I always do a sweep of the grounds and clear all the students out before curfew but I didn't think to check the pool house because I always keep it locked."

"Wait," I said rubbing the back of my neck in frustration as I walked back into the living room to find Delilah awake, I quickly brought my finger to my lips to halt her from talking. "You found Cee and Josh in the pool house...together..."

"Yes, it seems she knew where the spare key was and escaped there to get some studying done when she had a run in with Samantha Chase..."

I let out a sigh of frustration.

"Anyway, I knew you would be in a panic and just wanted to let you know that I am bringing her home."

"I appreciate that Nathan," I said trying to sound less tense, "Tell me...when you walked into the pool house...."

"It all looked very appropriate Joe," He said immediately gathering what I was asking, "it appears they just fell asleep studying."

"Thank you for letting me know and for giving her a ride home." I nodded impatiently as Nathan said his goodbyes and then quickly hung up the phone tossing it onto the coffee table with a growl "Fuck!"

"What's going on?" Delilah asked looking concerned, "is everything ok?"

Running a hand through my hair, I looked at her with a sigh. "No. Cee didn't come home last night, she fell asleep in the Burke's poolhouse with Josh Davis. Nathan is bringing her home right now, I hate to rush you out but if Cee walks in ..."

"No need to explain, I understand." Delilah stated sounding dejected.

I sighed fiddling with my hands. "Can I take you out tonight?"

"You want to see me again?" she asked with a hint of shock in her voice.

I chuckled before looking at her with a smirk. Leaning forward I gently kissed her check before nodding. "I would love to see you again."

"Alright, how about you pick me up about 6 at my place?" She asked with a smile before walking towards the front door. I nodded in agreement. "I'll see you tonight. Good luck with Cee."

Standing in the doorway, I watched her walk to her car before getting in and flashing me one last smile, she left. I sighed happily and walked back into the living room. Collapsing on the couch, I let the past 12 hours fully sink in and smirked. There was something about having a woman fall asleep in your arms that was sexy as hell and let me tell you, Delilah Davies was one hell of a sexy woman. I was lost in my thoughts until I heard the door shut and turned to see a timid Cee standing in the entry.

-Cecelia's POV-

"I'm SO sorry Joe," I said immediately on the defensive, "I totally lost track of time, we were just studying and we fell asleep. Josh had nothing to -"

"Cecelia, come sit, we need to talk." Joe said gesturing to the chair across from the couch.

Nervously I made my way into the living room and past my big brother before slumping into the chair opposite him. "You're mad."

"No."

"Angry...furious....livid... Just stop me when I get close." I said, my voice shaking with nerves.

"None of those...I'm not happy that you didn't come home last night but Nathan explained what happened, I believe that it was a mistake."

Confusion crossed my face before I stood and walked over to Joe putting the back of my hand to his forehead. "Are you sick or something?"

He chuckled, "No."

"Are you sure because I saw this little scenario playing out very differently ...I was anticipating that vein in your head to pop out and for there to be yelling or grounding or a belt in my future. What are you on?"

"I'm not on anything." He said pulling my hand from his forehead. "Now sit, we need to talk."

I sat next to him, a wave of panic suddenly washing over me. "Is everything ok? What's wrong? Is someone hurt or something 'cause you are starting to really freak me out..." My mind flashed back to the day I sat on this very couch and my brothers told me that our parents had been killed, suddenly I was the one who felt ill.

"Everyone is fine...its nothing like that."

I let out a ragged breath of relief. "So what is it then?"

"I . . . I had a date last night." Joe stuttered seeming nervous. "Truth is we ended up falling asleep watching a movie on the couch and I didn't realize you didn't come home until Nathan called and woke me up."

My eyes went wide. "Oh..."

"It would be hypocritical of me to punish you for falling asleep and neglecting your responsibilities when I did the same thing..."

I looked around the room for signs of Joe's mystery date, "Where is she?"

"She left just before you got home"

I played with my ring nervously before looking up at Joe. "She doesn't know about me yet does she..."

Joe chuckled, "She knows all about you."

I cocked a brow, "Well if she knows about me then why did she take off before I got home? Why didn't she stick around so I could meet her? Or is she just one of those girls that you date but don't introduce me to because it's just a sex thing....OHMYGOD did you have sex on this couch!" I quickly jumped up brushing off my clothing and feeling utterly disgusted.

"NO!" Joe spat in horror before pulling me back down to the couch, "We fell asleep watching a movie, that is ALL...and for the record I have never been with a girl where it was just a 'sex thing' honestly...what kind of a pig do you think I am Cecelia?"

I shrugged, "You are a big boy Joe, you can special hug whoever you want I just don't wanna ever sit on a surface that it has occurred...and you still haven't told me why she took off."

"She left because she knew that you were coming home and that I would need to talk to you about staying out all night and she didn't want to make it any more awkward than it already was."

"So who is this mystery date of yours?"

Joe hesitated for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "Delilah Davies"

My eyes widened in shock, "Professor Davies?! How long have you and her been seeing eachother?"

"Last night was our first real date...but we have been flirting for a while...we are going out again tonight which brings me to the other thing I wanted to talk to you about...you are spending the night at Cat's."

I furrowed my brows, "What? Why? I don't need a babysitter Joe, go out on your date...hell, bring her back here if you want I will stay in my room with earbuds in..."

Joe shook his head, "This is not up for discussion Cee, Nick is out of town for the evening for some seminar in the city so Cat asked if you could stay the night and have some girl time which I think, considering the situation lately, is a very good idea."

"But..."

"No but's," Joe snapped cutting me off. "She will be here to pick you up at 6 and you are going."

Sighing, I nodded in defeat. "Fine, I'll go but let it be known it is against my will."

"Cee, I know that you are the baby of the family and you are used to us catering to you but can you please try to cut Cat some slack for Nick's sake?" Joe pleaded biting his lip. "He is only used to catering to one demanding woman and now he has two and its wearing him a bit thin."

Shrugging my shoulders, I locked eyes with Joe. "Not my problem...He should have thought about that before he knocked her up. I know you want me to go over there and make nice with Cat so we can all go back to being one BIG HAPPY family but right now that's not going to happen, he made his bed...if he isn't happy that's his own damn fault."

"Watch it Cecelia. I get it that you're pissed but that does not give you free range to be disrespectful and let's not forget that I'm the one on your side." Joe said pointing a finger in my direction.

"Yea...for now" I spat under my breath.

"Excuse me?" My brother questioned cocking a brow, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, what if things with Professor Davies gets more serious? You aren't getting any younger...pretty soon you will want to settle down and have kids of your own too..."

"Woah now...we have been on ONE date"

"Oh please, you two are like...perfect for eachother, pretty soon I will be like any other kid from a broken home shuffling back and forth between houses."

"You are overreacting Cecelia," Joe said shaking his head, "I realize that with all your wonky teenage hormones that you feel like every adult is out to get you and that your life is over everytime something doesn't go your way but you just need to chill out."

"Tell me again how this living situation is 'what's best for me', I don't see how being shuffled between you and Nick is better for me than living with Kevin and Dani...it may be cramped there but at least it's stable."

I watched as Joe lost what little composure he had left and the vein on the side of his head popped out. "Go to your room CeCelia."

"Why? It was just a question..."

"You are on thin ice as it is because of your overnight with Josh and so far I have let it slide but you are seriously pushing it and you are starting to piss me off, now go to your room."

"But...I need to study, I was going to see if Josh could come over..."

Joe cocked a brow at my audacity before jetting a finger toward the stairs.

"Does that mean no?"

"Cecelia.Marie!" Joe's jaw clenched and I knew I had positively pushed him to the very edge.

"Fine!" I spat in defeat before grabbing my backpack and stomping up the stairs.

Chapter End Notes:

I really did mean what I stated in my last post, I have been seriously considering pulling all my stories. Writing is something I do to detox from my day, its how i get my creative energy out. This is not my job, I have two kids and a husband and a mortgage etc. this is what I do in my spare time...and spare time is not always a luxury I have. However, that being said, I love all of my devoted readers, believe it or not I miss hearing from you guys probably just as much as you miss the chapters when they do not post. I have now learned how to block rude readers who find themselves only able to post negative comments so I have decided to keep posting, AT MY PACE...sometimes this could mean a couple times a week...sometimes once a week...could mean every other week, at this point I cannot promise. Now...on to what has been going on with me in my life and why I have been away. For those of you who werent aware, I am a mom of two girls (ages 8 and 11) my 8 year old is autistic and my 11 year old looks and acts like a 16 year old (pms and all)...so basically my life is stressful. They both attend a private school to which I am a homeroom mom and a full time volunteer (time consuming) School is coming to a close so we have had lots of end of year parties,productions,ceremonies,lock-ins etc. (BUSY BUSY!) and last month we found a large potentially cancerous lump on my eldest daughter (enter Molly's mental breakdown moment here) For those of you who are close to me and knew about this, thank you for all your support and prayers. IT IS BENIGN. (I can breathe again...) BUT, its vascular and will require surgery because it could lead to cancerous cells. (GULP) Long story short, my mind has been elsewhere lately, thank you for your patience and understanding.

NOW...onto story stuff...

-Joe had a date (enter ooooooohs and cat calls here), potential new full time character :)

-upcoming slumber party with Cat...what are your predictions?

PLEASE PUSH THAT VOTE BUTTON AND LEAVE ME A LINE BELOW WITH YOUR PREDICTIONS,THOUGHTS. XOXO