Michael's POV

I'm in the kitchen making breakfast and Jessica walks in. "do you need any help with the children? I can take them to daycare. It'll save you having to rush around to get to work" she smiles at me through pursed lips. "I don't take them to daycare, Ocean does"

"I know, but I thought with her feeling a little under the weather you could do with the help"

"Ocean's not I'll" I frown confused. "oh, I'm sure I heard her throwing up in the middle of the night"

"She's fine" I smile through pursed lips. We still haven't told anybody about the baby and Ocean has only been getting sick at the night, which is pretty weird she'd get morning sickness at bedtime. So nobody has noticed. Jessica is starting notice something, but just assumes she sick. "well you know I'm here if you both need some help. I'm more than happy to maybe take them to the park or something sometime. Give the two of you a break"

"have you manage to look at any more job vacancies or places to live yet?" I ask changing the topic. "Not yet, but I'm gonna head into town later"

"you do remember we said you can stay for one month and it's been two weeks now" I point out and she nods. "of course. Like I said I'm heading into town today" I'm about to speak when DJ throws a teddy bear at Nevaeh making her cry. "Duncan!" Jessica snaps "You Never throw things at..."

"DJ go and take a moment to yourself to calm down" I say calmly whilst picking up Nevaeh to comfort her. "your just going to let him get away with that!? He could have really hurt her and..."

"thank you Jessica" I cut her off "their mine and Ocean's children. we parent not you" I say calm yet sternly. She about to speak when DJ comes back in the room. "Sorry Veah. Can we be friends again?" he pouts coming over and gives her a cuddle and she smiles putting her arms around him. "now isn't it better when we're all friends?" I smile and they both nod and smile back. "now hurry up and finish your breakfast or we'll be late" I motion him back to the table and he does as told then I turn back to Jessica. "by the way we're going over to my parents tonight and won't be back until morning. So you'll be on your own tonight"

"really!? Yes of course! I don't mind!!" She smiles excitedly. "I didn't ask if you minded. I was just telling you" I look at her confused. She about to speak went Ocean comes into the room. "good morning baby" I smile going over to her and peck her lips and she walks over and joins us at the table

**********

Jessica's POV

Ocean dropped me off in town so I could 'look for a job' and once she out of sight I make my way to the coffee shop to meet up with my friend Mollie and let her know about tonight.

"so their finally trusting you alone with the kids? That's great!" She smiles when I tell her. "I know and not just for a few hours. Their gonna be away all night. Plus we've been getting along alot better too. I smile. "aren't they kicking you in two weeks?" She asks confused and I shake my head. "that's what they said. But the fact they want me to babysit all night and with all the housework and stuff I do around the place. There's no way their gonna want me to leave. They clearly need me there" I shrug cockily. "wait. If you gonna be home alone with the kids. what are you gonna do about those vicious dogs they have? Do they let you near them now?"

"I'll just ask Michael and Ocean to put the dogs outside or something. They can't expect me to be able to care for the babies if I can't go near them"

We continue talking for awhile and I realise the time. "I should probably get going. Ocean's supposed to be picking me up after my 'job search' I chuckle slightly. "If you don't have a car. I can always drive you back. It'll save Ocean driving all the way here after college and picking up the kids"

"I would, but I can't get in the house without her or Michael, because of all the security and a alarms they have all over the place" I roll my eyes "those two are so paranoid" she chuckles slightly. "I know! They won't even let people know where they live!"

"well I'll drop you outside and you can wait at the door for them. And don't worry I won't tell anybody the address" she rolls her eyes playfully. I'm about to speak and I get a text from Ocean. "looks like my rides here" I turn to Mollie and she's not there.

I look around confused then Ocean walks into the coffee shop looking tired and annoyed. "have you been sitting in here this whole time?" She snaps coming over. "of course not, I bumped into a friend and I came in here for a coffee to rest my legs from all the walking around looking for a job" I lie. "what friend?" She shrugs confused. "she just went to the bathroom. Why don't you sit down and I'll get these two little ones some food" I coo and Nevaeh and she starts crying. "thanks alot!" Ocean snaps picking her up out of her stroller. "you know I am still your mother, when you've finished with your attitude" I frown. "whatever! I don't have time for this. I have to get back and get ready" she rolls her eyes and turns to leave. "wait I haven't said goodbye to..."

"mom, I don't have time to mess around. Are you coming or not?" She cuts me off and I pick up my things and follow behind her and the children. I feel bad walking out without saying goodbye to Mollie, but I'll just text her when we get in the car and explain I had to leave.

**********

Michael's POV

I get home and Ocean is in the kitchen and I can tell by the way she's frantically cleaning she's pissed off. "is everything ok baby?" I ask walking over and pecking her lips. "no! Actually it's not ok!" She snaps and sits down at the table. "do you wanna talk about it?" I ask softly ignoring the fact she just snapped at me. She been pretty snippy and hormonal all day which is why I've been letting it go and I'm hoping us staying at my parents house tonight will help cheer her up.

"I don't think she's even trying to look for a job" Ocean says after she explains what happened with her mother. "don't worry about it. You told her one month and I told her this morning she two more weeks to find a job"

"but what if she doesn't?"

"then that's her problem not ours. We've done more than enough to help her" I smile at her though pursed lips back she smiles back at me the same way.

***

We're getting ready to leave, but we can't find Nevaeh's teddy bear anywhere. "are you sure it was in the living room?" I ask Ocean still searching. "of course I'm not sure! If I was sure I wouldn't be looking would I!?" She snaps then sighs sitting on the couch. "it's ok we'll find it" I smile sitting beside her. "I'm sorry I keep snapping at you" she croaks getting upset and I pull her in close to me. "baby, it's fine. I understand Your just a little hormonal today"

"I don't mean to keep getting annoyed with you. I've just been feeling so stressed lately" she sighs and I kiss her softly then break away. "it's fine. And we're gonna go to my parents tonight remember? And you can relax and have a good time and you can spend some time with LaToya and Janet" I smile. "I can't relax untill I find this bear" she sighs getting up. And we both continue searching.

"hey, what are you guys looking for?" Jessica smiles walking into the room. "Veah's bear. She won't sleep without it" I mutter still looking around. "where the fuck is it!!?" Ocean snaps throwing a cushion out of the way. "Ocean! There are two young impressionable babies right there" Jessica says pointing to DJ and Nevaeh who are sitting on the sofa eating cheerios. "it'll be around here somewhere. Just calm down and..."

"did you seriously just say that!?" Ocean frowns cutting her off and I go and sit down next to the kids of the sofa. Seeing where this is going.

"do you know what telling someone that's pissed off to calm down is gonna do?... NOT calm them down! In fact all it's gonna do is PISS THEM OFF even more! Calm down! WHY? Why should I calm down!? Something has happened that's pissed me off, so I'M GONNA BE PISSED OFF! Do you think I chose to be pissed off!? Do you think I enjoy being pissed off!? NO! Something's in life you can't control  and HOW I FEEL is one of them! Did you actually think you could just walk over here, stand in the middle of MY living room and tell ME to calm down and just like magic I'd start smiling from ear to ear!? Are you that fucking dumb!? If you really and I mean Really wanna help me calm down then shut the fuck up and leave me alone! And another thing!..... Hey there it is!" Ocean suddenly smiles as Max comes running in holding Nevaeh's bear in his mouth and drops it near her feet. And Jessica stands stunned not knowing what to say.

"ok, guys time to go!" Ocean smiles and the three of us get up off the sofa still laughing. I know Ocean being hormonal and pissed off isn't funny, but when she flips out like that it's the most adorable thing. She's so cute and dainty, but once she starts with the attitude even grown men are afraid of her. Even me sometimes.

"wait! Where are you going?" Jessica says confused as we're about to leave. "my parents. I did tell you" I turn to her. "but, I thought I was babysitting. You said you were gonna be gone all night"

"we are... And so are they" Ocean shrugs walking out with Duncan. "you said you needed me to look after the children" Jessica frowns at me annoyed. "no I didn't. I said we were gonna be staying at my parents and won't be home until morning. I never once said anything about needing a babysitter"

"well why don't you leave them here? It'll just mess up their routine taking them away for the night"

"first off.. Ocean and DJ have separation anxiety and won't spend the night away from each other and second. Do not tell us how to parent our children. We'll be back in the morning" I say calmly and leave with Neaveh.

***********

Ocean's POV

I calmed down a lot after my slight confrontation with my mother, which DJ clearly couldn't wait to tell his grandpa because after five minutes of us being there Joseph pulls Michael and I to one side. "she has to go" he says in a stern tone. "and she is! We told her she could only stay for a month and then she was out whether she had a job an a place to go or not" Michael tells him. "well she's had two weeks, which I'm not happy about anyway and clearly it's causing problems her being there"

"what do you mean?" I frown confused. "well according to DJ. The dogs want to kill and eat her... Not that I'd wanna stop them and he said you went all went all.. In DJ words 'crazy mommy' before you got here" I'm about to speak and Michael start chuckling under his breath. "is not funny!" Joseph snaps at him and he nods pursing his lips "you two are too kind for your own good and I get that you didn't wanna leave someone in that situation, but Neither of you owe that woman shit. And you going over there could have caused you to relapse" he turn to Michael. We haven't told Joseph or anyone about Michael relapsing that night, because we're in a good place and after everything Joseph has done for us Michael is terrified he'll be disappointed in him for what happened so I swore to Michael we'd keep what happened between us. "I want her gone" Joseph says bringing me from my thoughts. "and she will be" I tell him and he shakes his head. "tomorrow. Not in two weeks tomorrow. I bought that house for you both so you can have a fresh start with your kids and her being there is bringing trouble from your past. So when you go home tomorrow, you tell her to pack her things and leave. I'll be coming over to check and she better be gone when I get there" he says sternly and we both nod. "now that's dealt with. Let's get started on this poker game" he smiles handing is both a bottle of beer each and walks away. "don't worry I got it covered" Michael smiles taking the bottle from me and takes a sip. "you two will be sticking to orange juice. He whispers placing his hand on my stomach and kisses me softly.

**

"this is cheating" Randy frowns slamming his cards down "no. Your just a loser" Michael chuckles. "you have your wife sitting on your lap helping you! That's cheating"

"I'm not helping. I don't even know how to play poker" I shrug innocently. "so what was you whispering to him?" Randy raises and eyebrow. "that's for a baby daddy's ears only" I smirk kissing Michael neck, whilst faintly whispering what move to make once a catch a peek of his cards.

**********

Jessica's POV

"that's horrible!" Mollie says on the phone as I tell her what happened. "Michael knew how excited  I was when he said I can take care of Duncan and Nevaeh for the night and then he just walks out with them! They planned the whole thing just to hurt me" I sob. "I always knew Michael and Ocean had an attitude, but I never thought they were this spiteful" she say sympathetically. "and now their over at Michael parents drinking and doing God knows what else around my baby Duncan. And I'm stuck here all alone yet again"

"well why don't I come over so your not alone?" She says softly and I shake my head. "you can't. They have all this alarm system and security cameras set up around the house and at the front gate so they'll know I told you where they live and those vicious dogs will attack you. They almost attacked me last week! I went to check on Duncan while he was sleeping and both of them went crazy and went for me!"

"and they have them around their kids!?" She gasps. "all the time! and I'm always telling them how dangerous they are around the kids and they won't listen and say their the parents and to mind my own business and Ocean's obviously mentally unstable. You should  see how quickly her mood changes! She flipped out at me earlier for no reason. The girl is crazy! One moment she's happy and the next she's trying to kill you!"

"and Michael didn't say anything to her?"

"he just sat watching on the sofa eating cheerios' with the kids. He never said a word! I think he's actually proud he's married to some ghetto little hoodrat! And the poor kids had to sit and witness the whole thing"

"that just shows how little their care about those kids. Putting them in harms way like that"

"that's what I've been saying all along, but nobody ever listened and now I have to sit back and watch them parade Duncan in front of me like he's some kind of prize and I have to stand and smile like everything's fine!... Sometimes I wish I could just pick up Duncan and his sister and take them both far away from this place"

*

After over an hour or so of speaking with Mollie, I hang up and turn to leave the room, but as I open the door the two dogs are standing outside. Growling and baring their teeth at me yet again. I slowly start backing away hoping that they'll walk away like they usually do, but this time they stay and begin slowly moving closer towards me. I back away even further until my back in against the wall and have nowhere else to move and they continue slowly moving closer and closer.