Brian’s POV
I already had the door handle in hand, soooo close! I was really this close! And then Matt’s loud voice called me back, and it didn’t really sound good. I heard the doorbell but how could that be anyone for me?!
And why did Matt sound so panicked...

“Shit... that must be your Dad!” I said quietly but Jacky heard me anyway.
“What?” Jacky looked confused but it made perfect sense, why else would Matt call me back and why else would Matt sound panicked...

But I needed more time.. Needed to prepare myself for the talk... I hadn´t even had Jacky back for 24 hours and now I already had to have this important talk... fuck fuck fuck.

“Are you worried?” Jacky looked at me curiously and I let go of her hand and patted my damp hands on my thighs.

“How does it look to you? I mean... he is your Dad, he didn’t get to know us under the best circumstances, not on our top game, either... and you are his little princess... I can never be enough, never be good enough for his little girl... shit!” I sighed loudly but Jacky already pulled me towards the stairs.

When we arrived downstairs I saw Matt and Joe talking to Joseph half way to Matt´s office. Jacky let go of me and ran into her Dad’s arms, he smiled down on her but then his eyes met mine and he narrowed them, oh shit.
I quickly looked away and met Matt eyes he looked about as happy about all this as I was.

“Pumpkin, we will talk to you about Joanne later on, right now I want to talk to Matt and Brian first. They knew this would come, so please excuse us for a second or two.” Joseph smiled down on her and also looked over at Joe before motioning us towards Matt’s office.

“Damn, I am not prepared for that, Matt... I mean not at all.” I whispered towards him while we followed Joseph to the office, why didn’t Jacky say something to stop him, maybe she could say something to convince her Dad I was good for her?
Even though I questioned it myself sometimes..

Joseph sat down in Matt’s office chair behind the desk and I was a little confused, what was going on now? I looked over at Matt for direction, but he just shrugged which probably meant, go with the flow.

“I would have asked you to come to my home, or office to talk to you, but I know you probably don’t want to leave the girls right now, which I totally understand. But as I already announced, this talk is needed and I want to talk to you about my girls and your intentions towards them and what I think about all this.” Joseph said and I swallowed thickly while Matt and I took place opposite of him.

“Okay.. so what do you wanna know?” Matt started but Joseph held his hand up.
“Wait Matt... I wanna start with Brian first. Tell me about your feelings for my daughter and what you plan?” I looked a little shocked, but I would just tell him what I really felt and that had to be enough.

“I love Jacky, I really do... just as Matt loves Joe. I mean, we would do anything for them, we were so scared for them that we couldn’t breathe when they were in danger, we would have given our lives for them... If anything had happened to Jacky, I didn’t know how I would have continued, I love her from the bottom of my heart and I will ask her to permanently move in with me of course, I want her by my side... and don’t want her to leave me again.” I finished my monologue and Matt nodded.

“I feel the same about Joe, she owns my heart, she is everything I ever wanted and more... I will ask her the same, to move in and stay with me.” Matt added to my speech and I nodded, we were on the same page here and I would have his back of course. I knew he was honest about Joe and loved her as much as I loved my Jacky.

“Okay, Brian... I called your father.” Joseph said and I gaped at him did he just really say, call my father?
“What?” Matt asked and I saw the same expression on his face, too.

“I knew you would tell me something like that and I know you would tell me that you would treat my girls right, but I wanted to hear from someone else how you treat women, how you treated your ex-girlfriends.” Joseph clarified and I clenched my fists, he had no right to that, and I knew my Dad would have probably made my chances of Joseph to like me even worse than before.

“He told me some interesting things about you and women...” Joseph said and I closed my eyes, oh shit!
“And after a while I noticed he was making jokes... your father is a funny man, but you can believe I didn’t really like jokes about how you treat my little girl, but then a woman came on the phone, your step-mom Suzy, if I’m not mistaken, she told me the fact that I really found interesting.” He mused and I swallowed, oh oh!

“She said, she felt this was the first time ever that you were head over heels for a woman and that my Jacky is the first woman you ever introduced to your parents...” He smiled at me but then his eyes narrowed down on Matt.

“And you... of course I didn’t call your parents... because I know stories about you and your women, from before... I talked to your Dad every now and then... They always keep me updated, so that wasn’t really necessary. But now you tell me Matt, what makes my Joe so special and why are you the right man for her?” Joe asked and I turned over to Matt, thank god, now it was his turn!

Matt´s POV
Brian was looking at me with a smirk on his face, that fucker! He was so happy he seemed out of the woods in the interrogation, now all the heat was on me. But I wasn´t scared. I knew exactly what I felt for Joe and to be honest, all the women that might have been before… none were as important to me as Joe was. I might even say Joe was the first woman I ever really loved. I wasn´t scared.

“Well? I don’t have all day? I thought you of all people would understand” Joseph’s impatient tone made me look up to eyes that had something in them I couldn’t really place. Shit.
Okay, fuck, I was scared, it was important he would like me.

“Matthew!”

“Yes.. Uh…” I stuttered, and I heard a chuckle next to me. I shot Brian a death glare before I turned to Joseph again.
“I love her. I can tell you everything I love about her, but I guess all you have to know is that I love her, forever and always. She will always be my one and only. I will be by her side in good times and bad times. I will cherish her, comfort her, in sickness and health” Brian looked at me with wide eyes, barely able to hold his laugh and Joseph smiled at me. It was only then I realized what I said.

“Well, Matthew, we normally save that speech for another time, but I guess it is clear enough. I am convinced you love my Joe, just as Brian loves Jacky. Oh and it might have helped I talked to your mother.” He winked at me as he got up, heading for the door.

“This is done as far as I’m concerned, now let’s find my girls. Or I guess they will be yours know huh?” He smiled and nodded, a little lost in thought now.

The three of us walked over to the living room, Jack and Joe were waiting for us at the dinner table. Joe looked at me with wide expecting eyes, I nodded and she smiled back at me and quickly got up to get to my side. The four of us sat down as Zack came walking in.
“Is it okay for us to join you? I want to know what happened after we left” Joseph nodded and Zack, Johnny and a little later Arin, joined us.

Joseph told us they waited for the police and handed over Joanne’s helper. Joanne had been taken to the police station too but Joseph pulled some strings. The judge agreed to let her go, but only under the condition she was admitted and got some help. She had some kind of mental condition she really needed help for. Joseph said that it was his idea the entire time to get her help, maybe give her a more normal life after she got better.

He had the whole story now, about Joanne’s plans and her motives, but I barely listened to a word he said. It wasn’t important anymore, the important thing was that these girls were safe, by our side. And that Joanne would get some help. I didn’t care much for her as she put my Joe in danger and a few glances over to Brian showed me he thought the same, but our girls were determined to build a relationship with their sister, so we would support them. Just like a good boyfriend was supposed to do.

After a few hours of talking, Joseph got up “I think it’s time for me to leave”. He first hugged Jacky and took his time to have a whispered conversation with her, which I couldn’t really follow. Then he moved over to Joe and I could see them being a little uncomfortable. Another hushed conversation, which I only got snippets of. But I saw Joe’s face soften and I guess she took my advice. She would forgive her father, at least for now. They closed off with a hug and Joseph shook all our hands, while Joe moved next to me.

I put my arm around her waist, pulled her to me and kissed her cheek “Why don’t you and your sister show your dad out?” she smiled at me and hooked her arm in her father’s, Jacky following her example.
“Good. Thanks again to all of you for saving my girls. I guess we will see each other again soon” Joseph gave me and Brian a nod and turned for the door. As soon as they stepped into the hall way I closed the door and looked at my friends, one after another.

“I don’t have much time before the girls come back, but I wanted to consult with you first. Brian and I want the girls to move in. I don’t want to be without Joe and I’m pretty sure Brian feels the same about Jacky” I looked over to my friend, receiving a smile and a nod “You guys live here too, so, what do you guys think? Can Brian and I ask them to move in?”
“No” Zack said immediately. I almost snapped my neck turning to him. No? I didn’t expect that to happen.
“What no? I know I was asking, but I wasn’t asking permission, I’m doing it anyway”
“Me too” Brian said, having my back. Then Zack began to laugh and looked at Johnny and Arin.
“You guys are not going to ask them, we all will. On your knees, both of you” He ordered Johnny and Arin, following them to the floor, leaving Brian and me staring at them with open mouths, what the hell are they planning.

We heard the girl’s chatter as they returned to the living room
“Don’t worry, we got this” Arin said with a wide smile.

Joe and Jacky came walking in, stopping death in their tracks as they saw the three guys sitting on the floor. Brian pulled Jacky to his side and I did the same to Joe, as we looked down on the three stooges.
“Will you both” Zack started, followed by Arin
“Please move in” closing the line with Johnny
“With us?”
“Pleasssseeeeee??” They closed in unison.

I looked down at Joe, and saw Brian do the saw from the corner of my eye. Joe had a enormous smile on her face and I put my hand to her face, softly brushing the strand of hair out of her face.
“Will you? Move in with me? And those four crazies?” I pointed to my friends over my shoulder.
“YES! Of course!” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me softly “I never want to be without you, Matt, I love you”
“I love you too, Joe”

“Where is our love? We are on our knees here!” Johnny yelled. I looked over at Jacky and Brian, who were kissing heavily, completely forgetting about the world around them. Joe moved away from me and looked at the three on the ground, putting her hands on her hips, shaking her head. Then finally Brian and Jacky moved away from each other and looked at the rest of us. Jacky was smiling just as widely as her sister and joined her in staring at the other guys. Then they both rushed forward, crashing down on the pile of men they were creating. Brian got a little green and jumped in too.

I took my time to take everything in. I loved the fact that Joe was relaxed enough to have fun with my friends. What a difference with the Joe I first got to know. Brian looked very happy too, never would have thought he would settle for one woman, but look at him. And my friends got along with them too….

This was perfect… Just amazingly perfect.

Notes

Well, lovely readers of ours, that was it... the last chapter of this amazing story. But don´t despare. We are writing an epilogue and that will follow... Not sure if it will be tomorrow, but this week for sure!

I will take my chance to thank my lovely co writer here!
Mei, you are definitely amazing and who would have thought that we would write such amazing stories together. You with your crazy ideas that get totally out of hand when we get to brainstorming about it!

Thanks to you for being such an awesome co writer, but most of all a great friend!

<3