Is He A Lover or A Fighter {guitarfan2810 & WrittenFantasies}

"That's actually isn't true. Chocolate milk is actually a good post work out drink. It is good on protein." Jake did the research on it.

Jake cleaned Owen up while Adri did her thing on the phone. He picked him up and headed out to the car with him. Before walking out Jake paid the bill.

When they arrived at therapy and Jake saw Liam he just rolled his eyes. He got out and kissed Owen. "Bye buddy. I'll see you in a bit big guy." Jake didn't really think it would be fun plus he wasn't thrilled with the kiss on the cheek and would rather one on the lips but he'd take it. "You too."

Jake headed up to the therapy office and let the receptionist know he was there before sitting down in the waiting room.

"Owen had a great work out today." She teased. "Look at those great muscles." She said and squeezed Owen's arms.

She walked around with Liam just to test him out and he did a really good job of keeping the sidewalk clear of paparazzi while letting them take a picture of Adri from a distance. There was already buzz starting about Adri's hot new bodyguard. A few paparazzos asked why she hired him and she said clearly it was because they were relentless.

They went to Central Park and walked around u til John called and asked where they were and they met up and continued their walk.

---

"So jake welcome to our first one on one session. Like I told you yesterday, we might touch on subjects that we talk about on on one but I won't tell Adri anything you said. Alright?" She smiled and got comfortable.

"So, tell me, honestly, what bugs you the most about your relationship?"

John was excited to see Owen. He looked Liam up and down though and asked Adri who that guy was.

Adri's agent started to call her again. He wanted her to sign the papers to stay for the other job within the hour. He didn't care she had therapy. Therapy could be rescheduled.

--

Jake nodded. "Okay. Thank you." He sat down and got comfortable as well.

That seemed to be a pretty easy question to answer. "Honestly? Well her work...or better yet her schedule because of work. I don't mind her actual job. I did at first. It's not easy knowing a bunch of guys are checking out your woman...I got over that though. She's traveling a lot. She's not home a lot. She seems to want to be everywhere but home. I like Vegas. My gym is in Vegas. She wants to be in New York or LA or Paris or Tokyo or anywhere there is a job." He shrugged. "Even in Tokyo she thought her schedule was one thing then got another job. I'm pretty sure she got another just this morning at breakfast. That's another thing, she can't put her phone down long enough to even have breakfast with me and Owen. I swear her agent hates me and is pulling half of the jobs just to make it harder us."

Adri grimaced, "I don't know if I can take it yet. I don't even need it." She argued over the phone with john and Owen a small distance away and Liam by her side. "Jake will kill me if I get extended again. Especially for a week or two."she rubbed her forehead. She didn't need the money. The job was alright but nothing spectacular that needed to be locked down and signed for without letting Jake know.

"Tell them I'm sorry but my schedule isn't ready for another job like that. I need to be home win Jake and Owen. I told you I'm taking time off until November. I need to focus on the fashion show."

--

"What were you like when you were twenty two? Did you want to stay in one spot or did you want to go everywhere possible?" She asked and looked at Jake. "From what I have read you were in a very decent position in life, you were young and had some. What were you like at that age?"

Her agent sighed. "It's for two weeks max. What's two more weeks. A great opportunity. It may not come back around. You need to jump on it now." He got quiet a moment. "You're already in New York..."

--

Jake nodded. "I understand what you're saying. I do. She's young. I understand she wants to travel and work...but then maybe..." he shrugged. "I was in Vegas at that time. Training for the UFC. I wasn't traveling around. Was I doing my own thing yes. But I have Owen now. I don't want to travel all the time where he is confused where home is..."

Being honest he couldn't entirely blame Adri for picking her work. But she also picked Jake and Owen and work winning over the other. Maybe their wasn't room for both. "I understand she loves her work. I would never ask her to stop. I'd quit fighting before I'd do that. But she wouldn't even being working in modeling if it wasn't for a fight between us. She thought we were gonna break up so she thought she needed a job. If the fight never happened then she probably would still be working for me. But she left like she always does and turned to her work."

"Two weeks more is a lon time away from Max and Jake swears Owen will forget where home is if we stay I New York too long. Plus he has surgery coming up. Tell them I'm sorry but my family needs me. If they can bump it up so I can do whatever it is they want while I'm already here then fine but I'm not staying longer."

--

"Is that what you really think will happen? That Owen will forget where home is? Or is that Adri may not want to be home anymore?so you would rather have her not work at all or work only for you? At least when she worked with you, she was with you all the time. Right?" She asked and shifted in her seat.

"I need you to step into her shoes. She's 23, she hasn't been independent and on her own very long. She started dating you, two months later she's living in your house, five months later, you're buying a new house and three months. After that you have a baby and then you're engaged. She gets to work and she gets to taste the freedom, that's she's never tasted before. Then she comes home and she's the mom again." She explained.

"What if you were back in your early twenties and you fell in love with a woman with a child and you were still training and working and doing everything you need to do for your fights. Be honest. How would you feel? Were you ready for a kid back then or would you be scared? Then we can add the child's other parent, how would you feel about the other parent?"

"Adri...you shouldn't pass this up. Your family will understand. It's work. Jake can fly home for those two weeks..." He sighed. "If you really want to pass this up because of Jake...then I'll make the call."

--

Jake was feeling a bit attacked but stayed calm. Jake shook his head. "No. I don't want her to quit working. She loves her job. I'd never do that to her. I don't mind if she has trips here and there. Hell I'll travel with her. It's the trips that come up without warning. Trips that force us to change other plans. I'm a planner thats why I have an assistant, I like things organized."

Jake looked down. So this was all his fault. "Honestly, no I probably wouldn't want to settle down at 23. But if it was with someone I loved as much as I love Adri and a kid I was raising as my own I would. I guess I'm different. When I die am I gonna find comfort being a champion in my 20s and wear all my belts. Or find comfort knowing I was able to love an amazing woman and have a wonderful son."

Jake rolled his eyes a bit. "Owen's mother hardly comes around. She's seen him maybe 3 times...that's even pushing it...but fine...if she doesn't want to be a mother or a wife she's had plenty of opportunities to tell me. It's not right to be a family part of the time and only when she doesn't have work. We're put on the back burner a lot. If sge wants out...I'll move Owen and I's stuff out..." He sighed and looked away.

"It's not because of Jake. I have obligations at home. I have things that I need to do and taking another job is not one of those things."

--

"Does Adri have an assistant?" She asked. "Do you think that it would be beneficial to your relationship if she had one? What do you think will fix the probably them you have now without ending the relationship? You seem to always resort to letting her go but I don't think she wants that, but you bring it up quite a bit..." She raised her eyebrows and looked at Jake, asking without really asking. Did he want to be in this relationship anymore?

"What if she doesn't want out? You clearly aren't happy. You can't keep pushing this on her. Your happiness matters too. How much longer do you think you have at this rate before you say you can't handle it?"

"Okay...I'll make the call..." He sighed and hung up.

--

He thought about her getting an assistant. "It may. I asked months ago to sync up our calendars. Thinking that would help me know when she's coming and going." He shook his head and rolled his eyes a bit. "I don't want to break up with her but I don't want to hold her back either. Your questions make it seem like she's only 23 and shouldn't have to settle down...so what it's either let her do go or suck it up and let her just work whatever." His hand ran through his hair.

"I guess I just need to suck it up..." He let out a sigh. He felt like she was making it seem that he was in the wrong for wanting his fiance to spend time with her family. "I already told her I'd not fight around fashion weeks to travel and be with her...I've never told her not to turn down a job...I didn't realize having my fiance want to be around her family was a crime. But I just have to travel for that to happen but then she's not always there.
."

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm trying to figure out the best way to steer you both in the right direction. I need to know that you are both willing to work this out together. I realize that her demanding schedule is a problem for you. That's a subject we will touch on. We will figure out a way to make her schedule and your relationship work. I'm just asking,how much longer do you thing you have in this relationship, going the way you are going?" She said calmly with a soft voice. She wasn't trying to get him angry. She was just trying to understand.

"What do you like to do when you aren't with Adri? What are your hobbies?" She asked changing the focus to him. "When was the last time you did something for yourself and what did you do?" She smiled.

Jake sat a moment and really thought of her question. "Well...I've never been the one to want out. Or get upset and leave. I can't and don't picture my life without her. I wouldn't have asked her to be my life if I didn't see forever with her. When things get rough, I don't look to bail out. I'm a fighter. So I fight. I fight for us. I fight to make it work. This was my idea. She never apologizes unless it's something I first bring up. If I'm out of line, the next day I go and apologize. I could not tell you a fight that she came to me to make up. It's always been me. Maybe that's why I keep bringing up giving her an out. Because I feel maybe she wants one...I don't. I'm in this. I'm in this till the end. I know what I want. If I have to give up fighting to travel with her just so I can spend time with her, I will do that. It's just a job. I'm starting to feel like that is the only option we have..." He shrugged. Jake knew it made him sound a bit like an ass but it was how he felt.

"I work out. I watch fight tape. That's basically all I do. I like to spend time with Owen and our dog Max. I do like to read about fitness and check out new gyms. My fitness is big in my life. Before I used to play poker. I haven't really had the time to since Owen. I don't feel right to ask her to watch Owen to go do things for myself. She's already mad we leave him with our family so much. She gives me a hard time because my sister just married my best friend. So I shouldn't be asking him to hang out and play video games or go to the casino, if he wasn't my trainer I probably wouldn't get to spend time with him." Jake realized he really didn't do a lot that wasn't work related for himself. "I couldn't tell you the last time I did something for myself. Maybe my friends bachelor party I guess...if that counts. I couldn't drink though cause I had a fight..." He shrugged.

He let out a sigh. Jake always thought it was supposed to make him feel better going therapy, instead he felt pretty shitty.

"it's not the only option you have and I will work to make sure that at the end of these six weeks, you will both be at a better place. My goal isn't to ruin relationships. It's to help them. I want to help you both. You are a beautiful couple." She told him. "Your probes with her is work and her selfishness. Now I know what's bugging you and I can help you tell her that." She smiled at him, "Thank you for being honest."

She listened to what he did and realized that he was focused a lot on work but not in the same way Adri was. He was able to work from home and she was not. "My homework for you is to do something for yourself this weekend. Whether it's go shopping, go for a walk, get a massage. I want you to do something that makes you feel good. That isn't work related. That's your homework." She told him. "And when we meet on Monday as a couple, you'll tell me all about it. I want to see you do something that makes you happy. Alright?"

She checked her watch and looked at Jake, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"I've tried to talk to her about work...she just get mad and defensive and then goes and works more. There's times that she tries. She does. I think she's so worried about letting these companies down and never getting them to want her again. She knows I'll always be there...so she can do what she wants..." He shrugged and let out a sigh. "It would be different if I had her full attention when she was home."

Something for himself. "I don't normally like to take time away from Adri. Sometimes it's limited and I want that time with her. But okay. I'll find something to do. I went on a walk the other day but it was more because I was frustrated." He shrugged.

"Yeah kind of...this bodyguard she hired...she just did it. Without talking to me about it and then when I just said 'Okay.' She seemed mad. She doesn't want me to bring up the negative but gets mad when I just go with it. It's for her safety so I didn't argue. But I'm jealous of this guy. He's going to be spending time with her, getting close to her and he can work out be fit and here I am with messed up ribs and lungs. We're trying to focus on us and I don't trust this guy. I voiced my concerns with her but still need to get them out. I feel broken and like she's replacing me with someone better." He looked down. "I should be the one to protect her. Not someone else. It makes me feel less like a man. Like she doesn't feel safe with me..."He didn't share that last part with Adri.

"I understand that but I thinks you need time to yourself and she needs some time at home with Owen. We are going to give her some responsibility. A responsibility that you always have. She goes out and has her fun and leaves you with Owen. Let's reverse that."

She looked at Jake and nodded her head as he spoke. "We will talk about this bodyguard with her. We will find out why she chose to hire him and hear the full story. She has seen you fight though, so I think her not feelings safe around you is something that's just in your head because you are injured and maybe a little insecure about that." She said softly, only saying what it sounded like not trying to attack him.

"You have protected her for a long time. You can't be with her all of the time though. If she was I. A position where she felt unsafe, wouldn't you want her to have a bodyguard to protect her? That's probably all he's there for. When you are not around, right? Don't you think?"

Jake shrugged about her having more responsibility. "I don't want you to think she doesn't help with Owen. Because she does. A lot. She's wonderful with him. She deserves time for herself too. I feel like if I take time I'm just being selfish."

"It may be in my head but she may also think because I'm injured I can't protect her." He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

He sighed. "Of course I want her protected. That's why I went with it. I understand I won't always be with her. But this guy gives me a bad vibe. The last guy to do that kissed her...just saying. And the whole time I voiced my feelings about it I was an asshole who was just jealous....Iread people. I trust her...him...no. He already wad eyeing her." He let out sigh and figured she'd tell Adri that and hoped it didn't start a fight.

"Then be selfish." She told him. "You haven't done anything for yourself in a long time. "Be selfish. Do something for your self. It's not a bad thing to do. Sometimes you need you time. So go do something for yourself."

She nodded her head, that was a valid thought but she was sure it wasn't the truth. "It's alright. We will talk about it today." She wrote some things down on a new piece of paper. "He gives you a bad vibe because he was checking out Adri or do you think there is more to be worried about?" She asked and wrote down his answer.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about?" She asked and a little later her secretary knocked on the door and let her know that Adri was here.

Jake nodded. He could do that. He wasn't sure what he'd find to do, but he'd find something. Something that he could do injured and in New York where he didn't really know the area. "Okay. I can do that."

He thought it over. "Maybe a bit of both..." He wasn't sure how to answer. "I don't really know him. She doesn't know him. Plus...I get a feeling if we break up...she'd get with him." He looked at the therapist. "And before you ask...yes...I think about us breaking up. With how things have been going it's hard not to have that in the back of my head. Even you said...she's 23. She wants to travel and work. She wants her freedom. What's stopping her from realizing that she doesn't have to settle down? She could work and travel with this guy by her side...she doesn't have to be a mother or a fiance or a wife." He looked down. "I know what I want...it hasn't changed...I don't think she knows what she wants. I think she has an idea. I don't think she knows how to balance work and a family, so family gets pushed back." He let out a sigh and shrugged. "But I could be wrong..."

He shook his head. "No...I can let her have her turn." He got up and headed for the door. "Sorry if I seem like a jerk at times...I really don't mean to be... I do appreciate you trying to help us." He shook her hand.

"Why do you feel like she would get with him if you broke up?" She asked. She was happy to hear that he understood that Adri was young and she may not know what she wanted exactly. "What if she doesn't want to break up but does want to take a step back? Would you be willing to do that with her?"

She smiled and walked Jake out, "It's alright. You are allowed to be a jerk. I need you to be honest and honesty hurts. I will pull you back if you go too far but I do want you to express how you feel or she will never know."

She shook Jake's hand and called Adri in. Adri smiled at Jake. "Your dad is downstairs with Owen. Liam said he will stay ehre or go with you, whatever you want him to do." She told him and rubbed her lips together.

Jake looked at the therapist. "If you saw this guy..." He gave her a look. "Plus, I know how amazing she is, he would be an idiot not to try to get with her. Maybe they wouldn't last but they'd at least go out I think." He shrugged. Then came a hard question. "Depends what a step back means. Either way yes...but that doesn't mean I won't be upset. She already took a break...went away for work to decide if she wanted to do this. She got me a watcg with dual time. To help with her being here or somewhere else...it was her way of saying she's in this. If she wasn't she should have said something then. Or hell even when I proposed. Yes I'd be upset and hurt but I wouldn't force her to do anything she wasn't ready for."

He smiled and thanked her again.

Jake smiled at Adri. "Okay. I'll go see what trouble we can get into." When she mentioned Liam, Jake's face fell. "Thanks but I don't think I'll be needing him." He kissed her cheek. "Have fun in there. She's tough." Jake then headed to the elevator to head down to see Owen and his dad.

She nodded her head, "Have fun just tell Liam he can go. I'll see him tomorrow." She shrugged her shoulder. She didn't know how it was supposed to work. She figured he'd leave if he got bored. She would be here for the next two hours so she wouldn't really need him.

John and Owen were waiting outside of the elevator for Jake to come. Liam was standing not too far away watching everyone and making faces at Owen to get him to laugh. Owen even copied when Liam stuck his tongue out.

John smiled at Jake, "We fed some ducks. Well Adrii and I did. This one stuffed his face. Tried to clean him off but there's probably some in the stroller."

He gave her a nod before leaving. When he got down to his dad and Owen, Jake light up. "O! Hey big boy!" He leaned over and attacked his face with kisses. "You have fun with mommy and grandpa?" He stood up and looked at Liam. "Thanks for you services, but we won't be needing you anymore today. Take the rest of the day off." He smiled at him and was polite. More polite than he wished to be.

"Did you feed the ducks? Or did you feed yourself?" He tickled Owen's stomach. "Did you make a mess? What did you feed them? Bread?" Jake decided to walk with Owen to get some coffee for him and John. They made small talk as they walked to a Starbucks. Jake got a coffee and pastry. They found a table and Jake shared his pastry with Owen. "Adri threw a fit I gave him chocolate milk at breakfast. He likes it though. I think that's the only sweets I will let him eat." He said with a smile. "He's like a garbage disposal."

John took a drink of his coffee and laughed, "Jake, he is your son..." Jake laughed.

--

The therapist led Adri into her office. "Have a seat." She sat down herself and got comfortable. "What would you like to talk about today?"

Adri walked in and took a seat across from the therapist. She smiled and crossed her legs, "What did you and Jake talk about?" She asked curiously but knew she wouldn't get the answer she wanted.

"I got another job for Americas Next Top Model. I'd be a guest judge and I wanted to take it but I said no. The timing isn't right. Jake would have a fit because I'd be back a couple days before his surgery, at the latest. I could be back earlier but he wouldn't see it that way." She said softly.

"I think he wants a housewife. I think he wants a girl he can come home to and have dinner on the table and a clean house and my mom was that. She was happy with that. She had six kids to look after as well. I don't want six kids. I don't want to sit around all day and be a housewife. It is bad to want to have a career and a family? It's not my fault I am successful at this. I have something to fall back on if anything happens to Jake and I."

She smiled, "You'll have to ask Jake about that."

"And how does that make you feel that you turned it down because of Jake? Do you resent him or that? Do you wish you could do more jobs than you do because of him? Like he's holding you back in a way?" She scribbled a few things down on her pad.

She shook her head. "No it's not bad to want a career and a family. Many women do it. You just have to find that balance. Have you found that balance?" She scribbled a few more notes. "So you turn to work as a back up plan if you and Jake don't work? Is that why you went from being his agent to a model? Was there much of a transition there? From his agent to his girlfriend to a model and his girlfriend?" She used her hands to talk a bit. "Maybe you didn't allow yourself enough time to be his girlfriend before moving from one job to another. I believe anyone can handle work and a family but you have to keep that separate. Work on your family when you are with them. And work on work while you are at work. Do you do that? Or do you try to juggle work when you're with your family or Jake?"

"I don't resent him. I want to do the job but he needs me at home more. Do I wish I could do more jobs, yes. Do I blame him for not being able to do more jobs, no. He wants me home. I can't be mad at that. It's what I agreed to when I agreed to marry him." She said softly and looked at her engagement ring.

"Obviously I haven't found a balance if we are here. I try, contrary to Jakes beliefs I do try. He only sees that I have to work. He doesn't see the list of things I turn down to be home. I could be gone for months but I come home for him and Owen and Max. I do try."

She srhugged her shoulder, "I can't remember." She said to there being a transition time. "Probably not. We were millimeters from breaking up and I found a new job because I needed too if I was going to live on my own and then we didn't break up and I choose to be a model instead of his assistant. Thats probably what he's angry about, I chose something over him that once and now he keeps thinking I'll do it again." She rubbed her lips together.

"I try to do it all at once because I don't have a choice. I told Jake I'd find an assistant and I will but I can't do that now. I have a lot on my late already and doing interviews for an assistant takes time. I need someone I can mesh with and someone in Vegas, not here. So until we get home, I can't transfer power to an assistant."

"Have you tried talking about the jobs together? Instead of you picking and choosing which jobs you do, maybe it could be something you both sit down together and weigh the pros and cons of each. That way he can see what you turn down. But it's also a decision you make together. It seems he has no say on when you are coming or going and maybe he'd like to be a part of that? You are getting married, you should work together as a team. How would you feel if he scheduled an...interview," She had to think of something that would make Jake have to leave Vegas for. "or a training session out of state, and he just told you, 'Hey, I'm leaving in a week for this interview. I'll be gone for a few days.' With no warning, or no discussion with you about it? How would that make you feel? How would you feel if the roles were reversed, Jake had a job that made him travel all the time and you were kind of anchored down in Vegas?"

She wrote a few things down and looked at Adri, "How did you go from millimeters from breaking up to where you are now? What caused you to be on that verge and then what saved the relationship? Was this before or after Owen?"

"I want you to try to separate the two. When you are home with your family, you need to be focused on them. Not on work. If that means turning your phone off or not getting on a computer than I want you to do that. Does Jake brother you when you're at work? Does he text often or interfere with that time?" She wrote down Adri's homework for the next few days until they met again.