Bittersweet Chocolate (Jack)

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack forced himself to look away from his father to watch the bride make her way down the aisle on her father’s arm. He wished he could remember watching Rebecca make her way down the aisle on her father’s arm. The father of the bride had tears in his eyes, though he remained composed and Jack knew he would probably do the same for Shayla someday. Just the thought of her being old enough for marriage was terrifying. He couldn’t even imagine trusting her to any man but himself. Hell, he couldn’t even trust himself with her yet! The father of the bride lingered as he passed his daughter over to the man who would now surpass him in importance in his daughter’s life and Jack couldn’t blame him. Had Mr. Taylor hesitated in passing Rebecca over to him? Probably. Sophie placed her hands in Sam’s and Jack smiled at the way they grinned at one another. It was how he imagined he smiled at Rebecca on their wedding day…and this Rebecca probably smiled back with just as much adoration.

Thinking of her, Jack looked over at his wife and was met with a teary-eyed gaze that made him smile gently. She was probably thinking of their own wedding and certainly that her little brother was getting married…and all of those emotions probably weren’t eased by her pregnant condition. It was sweet and touching, which was odd when thinking about the Rebecca he could really remember. If he ever called her sweet or told her that her words had touched him, she would probably punch him. He looked over at Chelsea, wondering if she was getting choked up too about her sister, and happened to find her eyes on him too. But where Rebecca had an almost nostalgic look on her face, Chelsea had a look of longing. That’s when the memory hit him square in the face. He was getting used to the sensation of remembering, but it was still painful and confusing. He saw himself yelling at Rebecca, felt his frustration with her and their situation. She was always leaving to go traveling with her orchestra. That’s why he’d started talking to Chelsea—she was there when his wife hadn’t been. What made his stomach churn was remembering how he wound up in Chelsea’s bed…and the fact that it excited him. She’d been so warm and inviting…

“You may now kiss the bride.”[/i] The words snapped Jack out of his thoughts, making him blink several times. Why was he remembering Chelsea right now?! Just thinking about it made Jack want to go to Rebecca and apologize for his behavior. In that memory he had been a total ass to her, yelling at her and forcing himself on her…Who was he? Jack was so sure he would never do something like that, but…but he had. “May I now introduce the new Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Taylor!”[/i] Jack grinned as he watched the newlyweds make their way from the altar, but he was still deeply disturbed by his new memory. Even offering his arm to Chelsea was a struggle, but he did so with a forced smile when he was expected to. He was stiff walking down the aisle, wishing it was his wife on his arm and not his sometime mistress.

Finally they arrived in the hall and Jack smiled at the newlyweds, using the excuse to let Chelsea go and congratulate the happy couple instead. Sam pulled him into a hug and Jack returned it a little less awkwardly than before, clapping his brother-in-law on the back. Sophie was next for a hug, though his hug was much gentler this time. The pretty little thing had tears in her eyes, which made him smile more, trying his best to forget the memory he’d just regained. He smiled wide as Rebecca hugged her brother and her new sister-in-law, gathering his daughter up in his arms so she could congratulate them too. Shayla even gave sweet little kisses to her uncle and new aunt, giggling after. Jack pressed his lips to her soft little cheek and got a big, bright smile from his daughter in return. Her hands pressed to his cheeks and jaw, her big brown eyes glittering with amusement. “Your beard tickles, Daddy!” He grinned in response, leaning in to bury his face in her neck and blow a raspberry to torment her. Shayla gave a shriek of laughter in response and Jack quickly pulled away with a laugh, not wanting her to get loud again in the church but finding her laughter adorable. He looked down at Rebecca with an exaggerated frown, bearing his lower teeth as he did so while his eyes widened to give her a humorously panicked look. “Sorry,” he said softly before wrapping his arm about her waist, holding Shayla up with his other arm. They would be a good distraction for now so he wouldn’t have to think about the third woman in his life standing nearby.

“Jack!” The deep, rough voice was one he hadn’t heard outside of home videos for what seemed like a hundred years. He instinctively turned toward it with wide eyes and there was the face he’d seen through the crowd, the ghost that had made him pause when escorting Chelsea down the aisle. His father beamed at him as he meandered over, Jack’s mother, sisters and brother-in-law following close behind him. Jack swallowed hard, his heart pounding a hundred miles a minute. How could this be? “Good job escorting three beautiful ladies today, son!” Jack hadn’t realized Chelsea was standing nearby until Vito turned his smile on her and gave a good-natured wink. He was still handsome, but far too old for Chelsea and he was well aware of that. Jack had forgotten his dad was something of a flirt. It was harmless, though, and his mother always kept him in line. Strange how he’d let that slip from his memory over the years…Vito leaned in and gave Rebecca a kiss on the cheek, beaming at her too and Jack simply stared at them in amazement. He never, ever thought he would see Rebecca and Vito together. “You look as beautiful as ever, Becky.” Jack managed a small chuckle, but he really felt like crying. It had been almost twenty-five years since he’d seen his father. Vito turned to Shayla and tapped her nose gently, grinning as she giggled. “And you are the prettiest flower girl I’ve ever seen. You’re going to break a million hearts someday.” Shayla laughed and put her arms around her grandfather’s neck. “You’re silly, Papa!” she piped which earned her a soft kiss on her cheek.

With his father so close and so real, Jack suddenly felt his own arm wrapping around the man’s shoulders. He was just a little taller than him now, but his father was as solid as ever. Jack squeezed tight and his eyes blurred with stinging tears that he tried desperately to hold back. His father was alive and well. It was a true miracle. Vito clapped his hands on Jack’s back and chuckled. “Hey, what’s gotten into you? You looked like you’d seen a ghost when you saw me while walking Chelsea down the aisle, and now you’re hugging me like you haven’t seen me in ages.” When Jack pulled back he could see a little concern in Vito’s eyes, but mostly amusement. Jack forced a smile on and swallowed, shaking his head. “I’m just happy to see you is all. It feels like it’s been twenty-five years since I saw you.” “I just saw you last night, doofus! What, did you suddenly forget?” Jack grinned and pulled back some, letting his father take his daughter. “Something like that…” he answered softly before looking over at Rebecca. She was greeting his sisters, brother-in-law and mother, hugging all of them and gushing over the bride who was laughing with them at something. Well, Andy, Brad and his mother were laughing. Izzy was smiling and chuckling softly, but she looked like she was in pain. Her eyes were wandering over to Sam and Jack couldn’t help but notice the way he looked at her too. His brow furrowed suspiciously. He would have to ask Rebecca about that…Instead he moved to the group and wrapped his arm around Izzy, pulling her into a tight half hug and the smile she gave him was wide and grateful. He could see her eyes misting, but he just smiled in return. He might not know why she was upset, but he could be there to comfort his little sister. The only reason he released her was to plant a kiss on his mother’s cheek and give his other sister a hug as well. Vito came over with Shayla and his mother’s face lit up as she leaned in to kiss her granddaughter. “You did such a good job, Shayla!” she congratulated, earning a big, proud smile from Shayla. “Yes she did!” Andy agreed, tickling her soft, chubby cheek and making the girl giggle. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better flower girl.” Izzy’s two cents and bright smile at his daughter gave Jack some relief that she wasn’t too depressed and he had to smile as she tickled Shayla’s side. Jack took the opportunity to slip over to his wife and lean into her, pressing his nose gently into her temple as he talked in a very low voice. “Is Izzy okay?” he asked, pulling back enough to look down at Rebecca curiously, anxious for her answer.

[CUPCAKE]

Rebecca congratulated her brother and Sophie, glad to have such a sweet girl in her family now. Her attention then turned to her own father-in-law as he came over, kissing her on the cheek. Vito had always been like a second father to her, and she genuinely cared for the man. How many nights had she spent tucked away in his daughters room? And later, hopefully without him knowing, in his sons? He knew her almost as well as her own parents, and she was glad they were there. The Roccograndi's had been family to her and her brother long before they had actually become family. "You look as beautiful as ever, Becky." She smiled at him and wrinkled her nose. "And you're proving to me more and more that you've become senile." She teased back, receiving a grin from the man. "It's good to see you, dad." He turned to his granddaughter and Rebecca watched as h complicated the little girl. Shay had always been very fond of her grandfather, and for good reason. He was good to her in all the ways grandparents could be.

For a moment, Rebecca's alarm was squelched, but it didn't take Jack long to make it ring in her ears again. Jack gave his father a deep hug, something he didn't do, not often anyway. Sure when he found out the cancer was in remission he hugged the man, but they weren't the type to hug like they were now. It wasn't the hug the alarmed her, though. It was what he was saying, talking about how it felt like twenty-five years since he'd seen his father. They'd spent three out of the last seven nights in each others company. It just felt off and Rebecca had to do what she'd been doing since she woke her husband up that morning; pretend like everything was just fine when it was anything but.

Jacks exchange wth his sisters was pretty normal and she let her attention fall on some of the other guests as they flooded out of the church. Most were already heading to the reception hall for cocktails and hor d'vours. The white limo would be taking all of them down shortly, and Rebecca couldn't be happier. She was starting to get hungry. Jack suddenly came around to her and she smiled weakly as his nose nuzzled into her temple. Her body pressed into his, glad to have something to lean into considering how much these heels were hurting her swollen ankles. "Is Izzy okay? He looked down into her eyes and she gazed up a little confused. Did he think the wedding would be easy for Izzy? "She will be." She answered, her hand sliding up his arm. "You know she's still in love with Sam. This was like their official farewell, but she'll get over it. Once she remembers all the bad stuff again she'll be fine." She squeezed Jack's elbow and hesistated before rising to kiss his lips gently. "I love you, Jackie.." She said softly, looking into his eyes as the worried expression slipped over her face once more. He returned the sentiment and her smile was soft as her hand found his. "Let's go get Shay and get into the limo." She said, seeing the toddler dancing around with Jack's sisters not very ar from where they were.

The group in the church disipated as guests took to their cars and headed towards the party. The bridal party made their way to the limo, climbing in and a bottle of champagne was opened and passed around. Everyone took sips, even Rebecca had a taste before passing it on. He atmosphere in the limo was moe lighthearted, everyone laughing and teasing and celebrating, though everyone kept their language PG for Shayla which Rebecca appreciated. It was there in the limo that Jack's head Throbbed in the familiar way it had been throughout the day.


The crowd cheered, Jack included. He and his father were t the opening for ther favorite baseball team and they'd hit the first grand slam of the season, pulling them into a six run lead in the seventh inning. As the crowd settled Jack waved the beer guy over and ordered two for him and his dad. He handed the amber colored cup to his father and took a sip of his own as he sat down. "If they can keep this up we might be able to make it all the way this year." Vito teased and Jack grinned rolling his eyes. "They have to win this game first, dad." He countered shaking his head. "Someone needs to be more optimistic." Jack laughed, "How about his; If they make it to the world series, I will buy us top notch tickets and new shirts and season tickets for next year, how about that?" Jack asked, teasing his father who nodded slowly. "I think that sounds a little more like it." Jack shook his head and watched the game in silence for a moment. It was his dad who spoke up though, his words casual even though the stateent was not. "When I die I need you to promise you'll take care of your mother, Jack. And your sisters." Jack turned his head and stared at his father who was aching the game. "Shit, Martins at bat, there goes the lead.." "What do you mean when you die?" Jack asked, furrowing his brows. It wasn't smethin his father would say. Vito laughed. "What, did you think I'd live forever?" Jack was confused, and his father still refused to look at him, so he grabbed the mans shoulder, his father finally turning. "Why would you ask me that?" "Because it's important." the mood was suddenly more serious, Jacks eyes searching his fathers. "Is everything okay, dad?" He asked slowly and Vito faultered before smiling and waing Jack off "I'm fine. Just a little cancer, but the doctor thinks I'll be fine." Cancer? The word alone sprouted fear in Jack's heart. Worse he knew his father wouldn't have asked him to wach over the women if everything was fine. "What kind?" Jack insisted, the crowd around him booing but he had no idea why. "Liver, but listen, Ikm going to be fine. I didn't want to worry you, and don't you dare tell your sisters. I just wanted to make sure you knew, just in case something happens, that I expect you to be the man of the family." Jack only watched his father, hot tears stinging unshed in his eyes. Vito looked over at him and then rolled his eyes dramatically. "You're missing a helluva game here, Jack. Stop sulking, I'm not going nowhere if I can help it, okay?" Jack only nodded, turning back to the ball game, though he didn't really see it. "And don't tell Becky. You know how shelgets, and stress and pregnancy don't mix. That baby girl of yours will come out with six legs and two noses." He teased and Jack nodded, suddenly feeling alone and afraid with this strange information that he couldn't share with his wife or sisters.


Rebecca giggled as she passed the champagne to Jack, not taking a sip this round. She had a silly gleam in her eye as she leaned into her husband, moving her body up so she could reach his ear as the bottle slid into his hands. "Remember when we went to Jenna's wedding a few years ago?" She asked, her voice bordering on sultry, "And we found that coat closet?" Her hand slid onto his thigh as she whispered into his ear. "Maybe we can find another coat closet today.." She suggested, though only she had the memory of being fucked senseless. "Sneak away for twenty minutes together, like we're kids again.. not like you'll knock me up or anything." "Hey!" Sam yelled from the other side of the limo. "No secrets!" Rebecca raised a brow. "I was trying to tell Jack privately how you have a booger hanging out your nose, but I guess the gigs up." Rebecca teased and Sam wiped his nose though he knew there was nothing there. "Don't make me hit a pregnant woman." He teased and Sophie hit his arm. "You wouldn't!" the girl laughed and Sam eyed his sister playfully. "I might.."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Rebecca gave him a confused look and Jack knew this was an answer he should have known. What was wrong with his sister? “She will be. You know she's still in love with Sam. This was like their official farewell, but she'll get over it. Once she remembers all the bad stuff again she'll be fine.” Wait…what? Izzy was in love with Sam? Jack went slightly wide-eyed at the thought. But…but she was married to Brad! His eyes quickly glanced down to Izzy’s left hand and saw only an engagement ring. The connection between the Roccograndis and the Taylors must have been more than he thought. And there was bad stuff…he didn’t like anyone who hurt his little sister and suddenly that now included Sam. The young man was supposed to be like a little brother to him, but how could Jack just forget that he had broken Izzy’s heart? Before Jack could ask about it, Rebecca was gripping his elbow and rising up to kiss him, a kiss he distractedly returned. “I love you, Jackie…” Hearing Rebecca say those words and seeing her lips forming them made Jack’s stomach clench excitedly. Those words shouldn’t have been new to him, but with his mixed up memory, they sounded new and fresh. “I love you too, Becks.” His smile was warm and he relished in being able to freely say those words. Even though her words were tinged with worry, he was happy to hear them. “Let’s go get Shay and get into the limo.” Jack nodded and let his fingers wrap around his wife’s. The memory of Chelsea was far in the back of his head now.

They piled into the limo and everyone else soon followed. It was time for the reception and the group decided to do a little pre-gaming in the back of the limo. They passed around a champagne bottle and Jack found himself laughing and genuinely enjoying himself at last. His memory was coming back in bits and pieces, but this was a happy day and Rebecca was happy as could be. How could Jack be down? He took a sip of champagne before passing the bottle, but immediately after he’d passed it on, another memory trembled through his brain. He’d just been enjoying a Mariners game with his dad on a special trip to Seattle when he dropped the C-bomb on him: cancer. Liver cancer, even. Jack remembered the dread of losing his father and promising the old man that he would take care of his mother and sisters. It was a feeling he had experienced before, but he was much older this time—and this time his father dodged the bullet. Tears stung his eyes looking back on it, swallowing the hard knot that was rising in his throat. Why would he remember that now? He’d just gotten his father back and now he was remembering when he’d almost lost him again. Actually…it would be the only time he would have really lost him. Right? It was all getting muddled now…

Rebecca giggling and leaning into him snapped him out of his daze and he looked down at her beside him with a slow-growing smile. She passed him the bottle, passing on her turn to drink, but as she placed the bottle in his hand she leaned into his ear. “Remember when we went to Jenna’s wedding a few years ago?” No, but something in her voice made him wish he did. Still caught between reality and his changing memory, Jack gave a nervous smile and glanced to his brother-in-law and new wife in the car. “And we found that coat closet?” Her hand slid to his thigh and he swallowed hard, using the bottle to disguise the mild tightening in his pants. He wasn’t used to Rebecca coming on to him in front of people. “Maybe we can find another coat closet today…Sneak away for twenty minutes together, like we were kids again…not like you’ll knock me up or anything.” Jack’s heart was thumping in his throat, his hand clenching the bottle as he tried not to get too excited at the prospect of getting Rebecca in a coat closet. He got her into a dressing room once…but that was a different Rebecca. Thankfully his brother-in-law interrupted. “Hey!”[/i] Jack snapped to attention, intentionally trying to look innocent. “No secrets!”[/i] Jack gave a smile, letting the break ease his nerves. “I was trying to tell Jack privately how you have a booger hanging out of your nose, but I guess the gig’s up.” Jack laughed loud, finally taking a swig of the champagne and passing it along as Sam brushed his nose. “Don’t make me hit a pregnant woman.”[/i] Sophie hit Sam, making Jack laugh as she squealed, “You wouldn’t!” “I might…” Jack adjusted himself in his seat to draw attention to himself and raised his eyebrows at Sam. “Don’t make me arrest you on your wedding day.” The joke settled the argument, but that didn’t stop the lighthearted banter to the reception hall.

When they arrived, the party was ready. Andy escorted Chelsea and Jack escorted Rebecca and Shayla into the party hall to the music of Sophie’s choosing while the DJ introduced them to the hall. Sam and Sophie entered after them and the crowd cheered, starting the party in earnest. The food was good, as was the champagne and speeches were made all around. Thankfully, Rebecca was allowed to do the “best man’s” speech, an honor that Jack had apparently already turned down. It was better for his sister to do it anyway. Rebecca got a little choked up and Jack could only smile warmly. The Rebecca he knew so well wouldn’t have made such a heartfelt speech. Soon after the speeches were complete, the cake was cut, served and enjoyed by all. Rebecca made sure Shayla didn’t ruin her dress. Finally the dancing began with the bride and groom dance, followed by the father and daughter dance. Once again Jack wondered about Shayla doing that dance with him someday and again he had to stop thinking about it. He couldn’t even consider giving her away and dancing with her one last time. Before long other couples were invited to the dance floor and Jack pulled Rebecca up with him. Soon Shayla was in Auntie Andy’s care, though Jack did take the time to dance with Shayla standing on his big feet. She laughed and giggled and had such a ball that Jack let her do it for another song. He relaxed finally and let himself have fun with his small and growing family.

Half an hour into the dancing and Jack was feeling a little tipsy. As he held his wife close and swayed her to the sound of Old Blue Eyes, he leaned into her ear and said softly, “So you said something earlier about a coat closet. I happen to know that the bathrooms are one person bathrooms and quite clean.” He’d been in one of them earlier in the evening and he smiled against her ear. “It looks like Shayla’s having plenty of fun with Sophie’s cousin’s kids. She’s being watched. Want to sneak away?” It didn’t matter that his wife’s stomach was swollen with baby. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever encountered and he couldn’t get her teasing off his mind. Not to mention the guilt of sleeping with Chelsea was still gnawing at the back of his mind. He needed to forget that and blowing off some steam with Rebecca was the best way to do it. It didn’t take long to convince her to sneak away. He was hiding his mischievous smile as they snuck down the quiet halls, hand-in-hand and acting like kids. When they reached the men’s restroom, he looked both ways down the hall while Rebecca darted in. The coast was clear when she suddenly yanked him into the bathroom and he was forced to stumble in after her.

Once inside, Jack spun her around so her back pressed against the door as it closed. He reached out quickly and locked the door as his body pressed against hers with need. The kiss he delivered was hard and deep, one hand coming to the back of her head and burying in her blonde hair. His other hand found her waist and pulled her tighter against him. “I love you…” he breathed against her lips before devouring them again. His hand slid up over her belly and then to her breast, grasping it gently over top of her dress. It was heavier than normal and her reaction to his touch sent a surge of electricity through him. When he kissed back along her jaw, he stopped at her ear and caught the lobe between his teeth. “Even if I’m having trouble remembering right now, I know I love you.” His lips slipped down her neck and for a moment it felt just like the Rebecca he remembered.

[CUPCAKE]

Rebecca loved weddings. She always had, especially when they were for people she genuinely liked. Th atmophere was fun, festive and always happy. She had never been to a bad wedding, and Sam and Sophie's wasn't the exception. Even Jack was truly enjoying himself it seemed, which was a relief considering how distant he'd been the last few months and with his sudden claim of some memory loss. He was more attentive and affectionate than he'd been in some time, and she wondered if whatever rift had slid between them was finally beginning to ebb away. The thought made her heart lighter; maybe he'd finally forgiven her hormonal moodiness.

Jack's body felt good pressed against hers on the dance floor, and though she was glad to be with child, she wished her swollen stomach wasn't so in the way of getting closer. "So you said something earlier about a coat closet. I happen to know that the bathrooms are one person bathrooms and quite clean."[b/] Rebecca's cheeks turned hot at the comment and she bit her lower lip, looking around as if making sure no one could hear his dirty words. "It looks like Shayla's having plenty of fun with Sophie's cousin's kids. She's being watched. Want to sneak away?" . There was a devious glint in his eyes, and she couldn't deny how horny he was. She had finally hit the third trimester horndog blues and the spark between she and her husband had, at least momentarily, reignited. She gave her own mischievous look and then nodded. "Quick, though." She said, feeling like a teenager all over again.

Jack grabbed her hand and led her to the clean, on stalled bathroom. There was something disgusting and sexy about what they were about to do, and she was surprised how willing she was. Bathrooms were filthy, after all. Jack wasted little time messing with her hair, the bobby pins making it hurt ashe pulled, but she only whimpered in response, hungry for the kiss he was delivering which tasted deeply of spiced rum. There was a deep neediness in his touch that she hadn't felt in ages. Sex had become so boring, but this.. this was exciting! "I love you.." he breathed against her lips and her stomach squirmed excitedly. He didn't even scold him for playing with her over sensitive, tender breasts as she normally did. In fact th pain from their sensitivity excited her further and she gasped in reply. Her hands moved to his waist and slid around front, finding the button to his pants. She undid it with ease and slid the zipper down, her lips leaving his while her teeth scraped his bottom lip. "Know what I haven't done in ages?" She asked, though he knew how long it had been. The devious smile returned as her hands moved over his hips, using his body to keep her steady as she squatted down in front of him.

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[CUPCAKE]

The way Jack slid his ars around her made her feel whole in a way she hadn't in some time. "I love you too, baby. More than anything." It wasn't as though he hadn't told her he loved her recently, but something about the way he uttered those words now felt good. Really good. She shut her eyes as he kissed her cheek and then nuzled his chin to her shoulder. His hands rubbed gently and soothingly up and down her back making her feel warm inside. When he pulled away, he didn't go far, cupping her face in his big hands. "And you don't have to be sorry. I may not remember everything right now, but I know I haven't been easy to deal with either. At least you have an excuse for being moody." What else didn't he remember? The worry encased her again and she bit her lip, ignoring his comment about her excuse to be moody. She hated when he said she was moody because she was pregnant. "I love you, Becca. All I want is for you to be happy." Rebecca gulped and tried to hold back the tears, but they welled in her eyes anyway. He kissed her forehead, then the bridge of her nose, and finally her lips, showering her with affection in a way she couldn't remember him doing in ages. "It's just a stressful time right now. We'll get through it, I promise." Her eyes were hopeful as they met his and she nodded, sniffeling as a tear trickled down her chek, finally escaping the confines of her eyelid. "Now stop crying. I hate to see you cry." He smiled before pulling her into another gentle kiss, lingering for a long moment. Since when did he hate seeing her cry? She felt more tears trail down her cheek as they kissed, wishing they could stay locked in this moment forever.

Finally he pulled back and teased about having to go back, which she agreed they should do. If they disappeared too long, people would start to worry and look, especially since they left their toddler behind. They took turns cleaning themselves up, and Rebecca found herself looking over at him every now and then finding it hard to believe he was being this way. "Think anyone heard us?" he asked and Rebecca blushed. "Probably." She offered, grinning much more bashfully in return. "But hopefully not." His devilish grin made her feel a little more at ease, lIke they were teenagers again.

It took a few minutes for Rebecca to really straighten herself out. She readjusted her hair pins and wiped away the sweat. She wished she had more makeup to reapply with, but her handbag was back at the table. When she was finally straightened up and satisfied that she did't look freshly fucked, she made her way back to the wedding. Rebecca was sure they got some funny stares, but Jack seemed at ease about this, even if she didn't. She never saw the hopeful looks from Chelsea directed at Jack, or the scathing looks from Chelsea and Sophie's cousin Vanessa who knew about the affair, though she swore not to say anything. Not at the wedding, anyway. Shayla was happy to have her parents back and Jack happily danced with the toddler while Rebecca mingled with out of state family. She even received a few gifts for their son.

The party lasted late into the evening, and Jack received a handful of memories as it went. Mostly very short snippets; an argument with Rebecca where she was seemingly angry over nothing, a trip to the ER with Shayla as an infant, Rebecca waking down the aisle towards him, a lunch date with Chelsea, and a heart to heart with his dad about his maritual issues, which gave him a more clear glimpse into their problems. Jack had tried before, but Rebecca wasn't always so cooperative. She blamed Jack for all the wrong things in her life, and though she didn't mean to, she couldn't stop her behavior. Their son had been an accdent, one they welcomed with open arms in the hopes it would help mend some of their troubles, but it only seemed to make them worse. By the time the party was dying down, Jack had a better idea of the life he'd lived. Yes, he'd cheated on his wife, but she wasn't the innocent, delicate flower he'd originally thought she'd been. She had a mean streak and a sharp tongue, but it was clear that neither wanted the distance to continue to grow. Despite their many issues, they were still madly in love.

Shayla was asleep on two chairs pressed together by the time Becky's mom was ready to drive them to Sophie's parents house to get their car. The ride was quiet mostly with Rebecca talking about her relatives she hadn't seen. They easily transfered Shay from one car to the other without waking her, and Rebecca drove home, insisting Jack had too many drinks. She let him take her hand as they drove, glad for the short drive. Jack put their baby to bed and Rebecca slid on some shorts ad a tanktop that made her blly poke out the bottom. She hated how fat she looked. When Jack came in to change, Rebecca smiled, starting the process of pulling the dozens of pins from her hair. "Do you want to watch a show or anything before bed?" She asked, wanting to spend more time with Jack, hoping he would't brush her off to do his own thing. After a long day of dealing with family, she knew he'd probably want some alone time.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Probably. But hopefully not.” Jack grinned wider, noting how bashful his wife looked now. That was more of a look he would expect from Rebecca Taylor…err, Roccograndi. He watched her with complete adoration as she straightened herself out. Though it wasn’t the life he remembered, it was the result he wanted—married to Rebecca with their second child on the way. There was something to be said for being able to tell Rebecca how much he loved her and seeing the product of their passions. And his father was alive…if he could keep his affair secret, this life might be vastly better than the one he could remember living. Rebecca had her family here, and he had his, and they had their own…What wasn’t there to love about this life? Besides what he’d done outside of their marriage…He still didn’t feel like he had done that, though. Like he had been someone else that looked just like him. Or maybe that was just an excuse. He still couldn’t decide whether it was horrible to keep it from Becca or if it was the wise thing to do. As she turned back to him, smiling and practically glowing from their sex, he decided he wouldn’t think about it now. He would think about it tomorrow. Exiting the restroom, he took his wife’s hand and they made their way back to the party.

The party went on for hours. Jack’s mind was visited by many memories, mostly reminding him of what his marriage was like. It was hard realizing that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows like it had been today. The memory that was the most telling was the one of having a heart-to-heart with his father. Vito had listened to everything and told him to stick it out for a year or so longer before he made any decisions. He had to exhaust all other options and Jack had agreed. But had he exhausted all the other options before he ended up in Chelsea’s bed? He didn’t think he had…and that made him feel all the more guilty. Not only had he broken a promise to Rebecca, but a promise to his father. For several minutes he sat and pondered his guilt, happening to flash a look at Chelsea across the room. She was watching him too and she blushed when their eyes met. His stomach fell to the floor and he forced himself to look away. If his daughter hadn’t come over to him then, he might have fallen into a sour mood for the rest of the evening. He couldn’t deny her bright smile and the way her dark curls bounced as she hopped in front of him excitedly, begging him to dance. Jack had to grin and he got to his feet, slouching to guide Shayla out onto the dance floor. He balanced her tiny form on his big feet and her hands gripped tight around his forefingers. It made him feel like a giant dancing with his baby girl, but it only made him smile wider. She laughed and giggled and his whole mood was brighter. He had a feeling Shayla had a unique ability to cheer him up no matter how bleak his mood was. When he wasn’t with Shayla, he was with his father, enjoying the man’s company for the first time in twenty-five years that he could remember. He had forgotten how alike they were and yet how very different. Jack considered himself an introvert, but Vito was definitely an extrovert, and he was reminded of that as they talked through the party. A couple times he went up to dance with his wife and even joined her for a little while as she mingled with her family. He’d never known them and it was good to see Rebecca so very happy. Even though he knew their issues now and could remember how sharp her tongue was, he was still madly in love with her and he knew she felt the same.

By the time they were ready to leave, Shayla was passed out on a couple of chairs pushed together. Rebecca’s mom drove them back to the house and Jack got a better feel for her. She was a sweet and nurturing woman and he listened attentively as she and Rebecca talked about the relatives that were at the wedding. When they reached the house, Rebecca demanded to drive, insisting he had drunk too much, but Jack didn’t mind. The Rebecca he remembered always insisted on driving anyway. He took her hand as they drove, kissing it occasionally and taking this time to really adjust his mind. This was his life. Whatever dream he’d had, that wasn’t his life. And right here, in this car, the most important things in his life surrounded him. He was determined to remember everything, if only to put Rebecca’s mind at peace and be the father Shayla had come to know. No, he would be a better father and a better husband. He would learn from this. To start down that path, he offered to put their daughter to bed when they got home. He carefully shifted her out of her dress and into a pair of footed pajamas, laying her down gently in the barred up bed that looked similar to an oversized crib. So this is what they called a “big girl bed.” Throughout the whole process, Shayla only fussed a little, quickly settling into bed and snuggling her treasured blanket. For a long moment Jack simply watched her, marveling at this beautiful little creature he helped create. When he finally left, he planted a gentle kiss on her sweet-smelling hair and silently crept out of the room.

Rebecca was waiting for him in shorts and a tank top that showed off her big belly, plucking pins from her hair. He smiled at her and leaned on the doorjamb, just admiring her for a moment. “Do you want to watch a show or anything before bed?” He looked at her reflection in the mirror and then shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, why not?” He walked up behind her and rested his hands against her bulging belly from behind, leaning his chin down onto her shoulder. “But how about I help you get these pins out first?” His grin grew from her shoulder before he planted a kiss on her neck and released her to let his fingers find their way into his wife’s hair. How did women get so many pins in their hair and make it look like there were no pins at all?

_________________________________________________

Jack had been afraid that falling asleep would send him back to the life he remembered so vividly. As he opened his eyes, he was glad to find that wasn’t the case. The wife that had been so comfortably snuggled in his arms all night had vanished, though. He stretched and yawned, rolling onto his back. That’s when his dark eyes found the disappearing wife at the end of the bed. She looked upset. Immediately his stomach sank. “What’s wrong, babe?” He was afraid of the answer.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

"Sure, why not? Rebecca watched Jacks reflection behind her, butterflies stirring up for the first time in a while, or at last something resembling butterflies. They made it through an entire day without a real argument, and a day that was supposed to be stressful, and Jack still wanted to hang out with her. He lovingly caressed her stomach and she wondered if he was starting to get really excited for their sons arrival. "But how about I help you get these pins out first?" His grin grew and so did hers. After a moment she nodded and sighed, content for the first time in what seemed like ages.

---

"Okay.." Rebecca huffed, watching Jack intently. "I'll sweeten the deal. If you open your eyes today i'll not only let you hold my hand in public, i'll let you tell the guys we're an item." Rebecca had been trying to bribe Jack awake since yesterday, but so far it wasn't working. Nothing was working, and the doctors were all stumped. He was perfectly healthy other than the coma. Well, maybe not perfectly. His body was showing signs of slowing down. His heart beat slower and his breathing was slowly becoming more shallow. Of course the doctors didn't tell her a damn thing, it was Andy who passed the info on, who had been told by her mother who was the only person the doctors would confer with. She swept her hand over his face and sighed. "If you open your eyes now i'll even go get the sexy panties from that Victoria's Secret store and wear them tonight." She offered, but he didn't budge. The door suddenly opeed and Rebecca jerked her hand away from Jack, looking anxiousy at the nurse as she came in. She smiled at Rebecca who blushed and half smiled back. She came over, injected something into Jack's arm, looked at his eyes, wrote her notes and left. Rebecca watched her go and then stood up. She leaned over the unconscious mans body and pecked his cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow. My offers still stand till then so wake your ass up, Roccograndi." With a heavy heart she left him there, knowing Izzy would be by in a bit and she didn't want to make anymore forced conversation

---

Rebecca always kept her phone on vibrate so as not to wake Jack or Shay in the mornings if it happened to ring, which this morning it did. The slight noise woke her, and the ache in her bladder really aroused her. The number was private but she thought it might be the doctors office or lab asking information, so he grabbed the phone and whispered a greeting as she made her way to the bathroom. The girl on the other end refused to give her name, but she informed Rebecca that she should consider talking to Jack about some of his extra curricular activities. Annoyed Rebecca asked who it was again and what did she mean by "Extra carricular activities." The young girl still refused her name, which made Rebecca question the information being given. "Last week, when Jack was at the baseball game.. ask if that's here he really was. Ask for his ticket stub. He won't have one because he asn't at the game. He was at the Comfort Inn!"
Her words struck a chord and Rebecca felt her heart hammering. "Who is this!" She insisted but the line went dead. She sat on the toilet for a long time before she got up and flushed, moving back into the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed, the sound of Jack's even breathing the only sound louder than her heart pounding in her chest. Was he cheating on her? How many times had she shot him down over the last few months? Would he really seek another woman's love? She heard him rouse, but she stayed still, staring at the ground.

"What's wrong, babe?". She sat for a long moment in silence before her dry mouth opened. "Where were you really on Wednesday night?" She turned and looked at him, her eyes pained. He looked confused and upset, which was almost answer enough. "You weren't at the game with Chris, were you." Her eyes welled with tears, her hand slipping to cover her mouth. "Oh, god.." She whispered, unable to look at him. Her breath came out labored as her pinkened eyes came back to him. "Jack, are you cheating on me?"

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack was getting very worried as Rebecca simply stared at him from the end of the bed for a long, tense moment. “Where were you on Wednesday night?” Where was he? Was that the night he’d slept with Chelsea? He couldn’t even remember. He just knew that it had happened. His brow furrowed as his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. What could he say? That he didn’t remember? How many men ended up dead by saying that? “You weren’t at the game with Chris, were you?” He didn’t know. Even worse, it left him unable to answer as tears welled in her sea-colored eyes. “Oh, god…” She looked horrified about something and Jack knew it was coming. He tensed, waiting for the glare he would get from her. Finally their eyes met again, but she looked more heartbroken than angry. He stopped breathing as she opened her mouth.

“Jack, are you cheating on me?” And there it was. The question he had dreaded her asking since yesterday when he remembered what happened. With a heavy sigh, he hung his head, his guilt weighing him down. How could he look at Rebecca and tell her what had happened? But he owed her at least that much and so he forced himself to look her in the eye again. “I did.” Her reaction wasn’t what he expected, but it certainly pushed him from the bed and to his feet. He rushed around the bed before she could get to the door, grabbing her arms firmly, but not enough to hurt her. “Becca, please listen. Please! It wasn’t…I didn’t mean for it to happen. I wasn’t myself. Everything has just been so tense for us lately with all of your travel and all of my work. After we fought I went to the hotel for a drink and met…I saw Chelsea there. We got so drunk and one thing led to another…I know it’s not an excuse, baby, but you have to know that it meant nothing. I told her yesterday that it can never happen again, that I love you and I want to work things out. Please, please believe me, Becks. I’m so, so sorry.” His voice was pleading and desperate, needing her to hear how sincere he was. She had to know that he was sorry.

But it wasn’t enough. He held her a little more tightly, trying to keep her close, but she fought against him. “Becky, please! I’ll do anything to show you how sorry I am, you just have to believe me!” He’d never called her Becky that he could remember, yet he used it now as a reminder for how long they had been together, everything they had been through. Jack didn’t want to live without Rebecca for one stupid mistake. He couldn’t bear that thought. “I love you. If I had been in my right mind, I would never have done that.” Tears were going to start stinging at his eyes soon if he couldn’t convince Rebecca to calm down and believe him. How could he have thought she would never know?

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Jack didn't even try to deny it. There were no attempts at all to cover it up, he just simply sighed and hung his head giving Rebecca all the answer she needed. Her heart ached in a way she couldn't recall it ever aching before. The hurt she felt was second to none and she thought she stopped breathing. Maybe she had.. The world had stopped spinning, yet it felt like it was going at a dizzying rate. “I did.” She let out a choked sort of sound, turning away from him. Her hand slid up to her forehead as the gasping choke came again. This couldn't be happening! They'd been together since.. Jesus, forever! How could he? She got up and started to the door, wanting to believe this just wasn't true and wanting to get away from him before she flipped out, but he was hot on her heels.

“Becca, please listen. Please! It wasn’t…I didn’t mean for it to happen. I wasn’t myself. Everything has just been so tense for us lately with all of your travel and all of my work. After we fought I went to the hotel for a drink and met…I saw Chelsea there." "Chelsea?" She gasped, the hurt making her eyes sting with tears. He'd screwed her brothers new sister-in-law? "We got so drunk and one thing led to another…I know it’s not an excuse, baby, but you have to know that it meant nothing. I told her yesterday that it can never happen again, that I love you and I want to work things out. Please, please believe me, Becks. I’m so, so sorry.” The tears finally came and she shook her head. "How could you do this to me!" She insisted in a cracked voice, struggling against him. "After everything we've been through!" How could she ever find someone else? He was all she'd ever known! She wouldn't even know how to find someone else, and with two small children.. Shayla! "And the kids!" “Becky, please! I’ll do anything to show you how sorry I am, you just have to believe me!” "Get off me!"

The tears flew down her face freely and she only wanted to get rid of him, not even hearing his words anymore. She kept thinking how stupid she was for not catching on herself, how she could have been so stupid. She'd trusted him! They were about to have another child together! "I love you. If I had been in my right mind, I would never have done that.” His right mind? Was he going on about the whole forgetting thing? She suddenly felt furious that he would try and play dumb now! "If you loved me at all you would have never have done this you son of a bitch!" She snapped, not even sure the last time she raised her voice like that to him. She managed to free an arm and slapped him hard across the face, just as she saw the scared. wide eyed child standing by the doorway. She immediately pulled her hand to her mouth, the choking sob escaping as she wriggled out of Jack's grasp. "I hate you for doing this to us!" She snapped, moving to grab Shayla's arm who was beginning to cry and protest. "I want you out of this house!" She yelled as the little girl began to really cry. Rebecca leaned down to pick her up, but her hand came up suddenly to her stomach instead, sucking in a sharp gasp. Pain seared through her abdomen and she caught herself on the wall, holding her stomach. Jack was there in a second and she swept her free arm at him. "Don't touch me!" She bellowed, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her stomach. Was she having a contraction? It was too soon! She had just over seven weeks! That's when she felt the dampness between her legs. "Momma's bleeding.." Shayla said nervously, pointing to her mother. Rebecca looked down and saw the growing spot on her shorts. "Oh God, no, no, no, no...."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“If you loved me at all you would never have done this you son of a bitch!” The way Rebecca snapped the words made Jack cold with fear. No…no he did love her. More than anything. If she thought he didn’t, she would leave him. One of her arms ripped from his grasp and Jack saw the flash of her arm before the hand popped across his face so hard it felt like it was on fire. “I hate you for doing this to us!” He turned, trying to grab her again, but he stopped dead when he saw Rebecca reaching down to take Shayla’s arm. The girl was crying in protest. “I want you out of this house!” Jack shook his head, his own protest rising to his lips as his daughter began to cry in earnest. This was his life. He’d put his life on the line for a fling with a pretty young girl and now he was paying the price.

Just as he stepped toward her, she bent down to pick up Shayla when she suddenly gasped and grabbed her stomach. It was enough of a pause to allow Jack to place his hands on her arm and waist. She swatted at him to push him away, but he only stepped back an inch. “Don’t touch me!” He ignored her command as she clutched her stomach once again. “Momma’s bleeding…” Jack looked at Shayla before he followed Rebecca’s gaze down to her lap. Deep red fluid was seeping quickly through her shorts. This couldn’t be happening. “Oh God, no, no, no, no…” This wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t far enough along—he guessed that from the way she moaned the word “no” over and over again. Another contraction hit her and Jack didn’t hesitate a second longer. He looked down at the floor and found a T-shirt sprawled there. Snatching it up, he whipped it over his head as fast as lightning before scooping Shayla up in his arms. With his free hand, he grabbed Rebecca by the elbow and started to guide her to the car. She struggled at first, but he clutched her tighter and tugged her closer for a moment, his face pained and desperate. “We don’t have time for this, Becks! I’m taking you to the hospital!” Even though his voice was angry, one look at his face revealed that he was simply terrified. That was his son inside her—he didn’t want to lose either of them.

Eventually she gave in enough that they hurried out to the car, stopping once as Rebecca was wracked with another contraction. Shayla’s big brown eyes were panicked and watery as she watched her parents scrambling, her mother bleeding in front of her. Jack told her to close her eyes, that Rebecca would be okay. “What about baby?” Shayla asked as Jack slid her into her car seat and his fingers fumbled to buckle her up. His own brown eyes looked into his daughter’s and he simply didn’t know what to tell her. “We’ll see.” With that he kissed her forehead before shutting the door and climbing into his SUV, Rebecca already tucked into the passenger seat. Jack had never driven so fast in his life, but with his family in the car, he never went faster than he could handle. When they pulled up to the hospital, he screeched to a halt and hopped out to help Rebecca out of the car. Thankfully two nurses were standing nearby and helped her into a wheelchair. “She’s in labor too soon. Please, take her in.” He rushed to park the car, snatching Shayla out of her car seat and running with her in his arms to get back into the hospital. The front desk told him where they’d gone and Jack took off as fast as he could. They were just beginning to hook her up to the machines when he appeared panting in the doorway. Rebecca was miserable, tears on her flushed and lightly sweating cheeks, her eyes burning into his. This was his fault. The realization stabbed his gut like a sword, piercing right through him. “Becca…I’m so sorry.” There were tears stinging in his eyes. Shayla’s own eyes were filling up with tears, looking at her mother and father in pain. His eyes looked to the nurse. “Can you stop it? What’s going to happen?” His voice was strained, anxious and panicked. Were they going to lose their baby boy?

[CUPCAKE]

Rebecca was too distraught and full of pain to eaize Jack had picked their daughter up. How could he do this? Was their son going to be okay? Would she b a single mother of two very small children while Jack got to galavant around the city fucking any sweet pair of legs that would spread for him? The thought made her ill.

Jack's arm grabbed her elbow and started dragging her down the steps. "Get off!" She shrieked, though her legs followed. Her sobs were loud and pitiful and she simply wanted to crawl under a rock and disapear forever. She squirmed, trying to free hr arm from his grasp but h clung tighter, the sting in her abdomen briefly doubling. "We don't have time for this, Becks! I'm taking you to the hospital!" Her cries grew. "You don't care about me at all! You just care about the baby!" She shrieked, the hormones and stress of the situation making her more than a little irrational. Her words seemed to bring on a stronger contraction and her feet faltered, crying out in pain. She gripped the wall until it passed, Jack allowing her that single moment before pulling her out of the house.

Finlly outside Rebecca obediantly got into the car, whining with pain and sadness and fear as Jack put their daughter in the car. She wanted her mother and realized suddenly that she didn't have her phone. She didn't want Jack with her, didn't want him with Shay.. Jack drove quickly and they were at the hospital in no time which Rebecca was grateful for. Two nurses brought her in while Jack tended to their daughter and the car. "I don't want him anywhere near me!" She sobbed to the nurses who consoled her and assured her they would ask him to stay in the waiting area. Reassured, the blond nodded and allowed the nurses to ask her questions about her pregnancy as they rushed her to a room.

The doctors had just finished hooking her up to the monitors to keep an eye on the baby's vitals ad her own when Jack came to the door. "Becca..I'm so sorry." she didn't want to har it. It didn't matter what she'd done, she hadn't cheated which meant Jack was the wrong one here. "I don't care! I hate you! I hate you, get out!" She hated yelling in front of her daughter, but her anger forced her to see through the childs pain. One day she would understand. The nurses began to escort Jack out, another staying near to comfort her.

"Can you stop it? What's going to happen? the nurse looked up to the burly man in his pajamas, the tiny girl at his feet wearing a princess nightgown. She didn't know what had transpired betwee husband and wife, but it was her job to care for the woman and that meant getting rid of this guy. "We don't know exactly hat's wrong yet. As of now the baby has a strong heartbeat, but theres a chance today's going to be his birthday. Your wife is 33 weeks along, correct?" She waited for Jack to agree before continuing. "Most babies born at 33 weeks survive, but we don't know the extent of the trauma. It's best for everyone if you wait in the waiting area for now." She sugested, looking down at the little girl. "The cafeteria is serving breakfast right now, you could always go have some and then check back. We should know more by then Mr. Roccograndi." She offered a weak smile and then turned away to go back and assist with the woman potentially in labor. Shay sniffled below, wiping at her eyes. "Momma's sad." She said softly, feeling scared and strangely alone even with her father there. "I don't want you to go away. I don't want baby not to come live wif us." She buried her face into her dads leg, her hair a messy tangle of curls now.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack couldn’t stand that Rebecca was barring him from the room. The nurses were shooing him out to keep her calm, but his panic was making it difficult for him to really comprehend that leaving might be the best thing for his wife and the baby. “We don’t know exactly what’s wrong yet. As of now the baby has a strong heartbeat, but there’s a chance today’s going to be his birthday. Your wife is 33 weeks along, correct?” Was she? He didn’t even know. How could he not know that? Why couldn’t he remember?! He simply nodded, assuming Rebecca had already told the nurse how far along she was. “Most babies born at 33 weeks survive, but we don’t know the extent of the trauma. It’s best for everyone if you wait in the waiting area for now.” He wanted to argue, to push his way back into the room, stay there by his wife’s side…but she didn’t want him there. She and their son were in potential danger right now and they were telling him to wait in the waiting area. How was he supposed to do that? “The cafeteria is serving breakfast right now. You could always go have some and then check back. We should know more by then Mr. Roccograndi.” When the nurse turned away, all Jack could do was look down at the little girl now sniffing in front of his long legs. “Momma’s sad. I don’t want you to go away. I don’t want baby not to come live wif us.” She buried her tiny face in his pants leg, her messy curls looking as if they were growing out of his leg.

It was all Jack could do to not break down right there. This was his fault. He had cheated and poisoned their happiness forever. If Rebecca left him, he would barely get to see his two young children. How could he help raise them the way a father should when he couldn’t live in the same house as them? And now his son might be impaired because of Jack’s stupidity. Could Jack handle looking at a handicapped son and always know it was his fault his son couldn’t live a normal life? His hand slipped into Shayla’s tousled curls, feeling tears burning in his eyes. He had doomed his daughter to living in a broken home. She would never remember her parents being together and happy. He scooped her up in his arms and held her tight, her head nuzzled into his neck and her arms and legs clinging to him like a little monkey. His hand brushed her dark tendrils again, soothing her as best as he could even as he felt his own tears trickling onto his cheeks. “I know, baby. I don’t want any of that either. But I’m not going anywhere right now.” And for a few more minutes he simply held his little girl and hid his tears by resting his forehead on Shayla’s shoulder.

Eventually he took Shayla downstairs to grab a waffle and yogurt that he split with his daughter. He wasn’t hungry, but he forced the food into his gullet, knowing he needed to eat something. Even Shayla didn’t have much of an appetite, though she certainly enjoyed her half of waffle. When he had cleaned her up, he carried her back upstairs to where his wife was being cared for. He came to the door and one of the nurses noticed him before Rebecca did. The nurse came sweeping out into the hallway and Jack gave her a pleading look. “Is she okay? And my son? What’s going on?” The panic had ebbed just slightly at breakfast but it was all flooding back now. It was written all over his weary face.

[CUPCAKE]

Rebecca was curled up on the chair in Jack's room, her eyes shut as troubled dreams floated through her mind. She wasn't completely unconscious. There was a fine line between sleep and awake, where you're aware of both worlds though dreams still pass through. This was Rebecca's reality as she waited for any positive sign from Jack. His heart rate had slowed significantly over the days and the doctors were starting to grow concerned. They began investigating the care the patients were getting, and their findings weren't anything they had ever expected. A nurse had been injecting the patients with a serum, one that apparently baffled the doctors. They hadn't found any toxins in the patients bodies, but upon investigation it was found that the nurse in question had blood samples in her home of all the coma patients at various times through their comas, and what looked like a small laboratory where other tests were being done on the blood samples she had illegally taken. The investigation was still underway, but it had been kept very quiet, and Rebecca had the sinking suspicion it was because they questioned if the woman was actually human or not. She knew very little about the case considering her time had been spent in the hospital bouncing between Jack and Maxi, and she wasn't on the case. It was too close to home and Hagan knew it, so she would have to get her information when she had the chance. For now, she was waiting to see what happened to Jack once the drugs, whatever they were, leaked from his system.

It had been just over a day since the nurses arrest, and no one was completely sure how long since the patients had been administered the illegal drug. Jack and Maxi still weren't showing much sign of waking, but their hearts began to beat stronger once more, coming back from their slow decline towards death. Rebecca hadn't really slept properly since the nurse had been caught in the investigation and right now wasn't an exception. Every sound made her stir, but for now the room was quiet other than the gentle beep of Jack's heart monitor and his slow breathing. Nurses came in now and then to check on him, but Rebecca had learned to simply ignore them. After nearly a week, it was becoming easy to do.

---

Miserable wasn't even close to how Shayla felt as she ate breakfast with her daddy. She was scared and confused and didn't have all the words to ask the right questions. She didn't know what was going on, and she was scared that her mommy was bleeding. It didn't help that daddy was especially sad. The waffle was yummy though, and it made her feel better. When they got upstairs she saw her grandpa and ran to him, jumping up into his arms as he held her close. Clearly Rebecca had her parents called to come to the hospital.

Rebecca was a blubbering mess in the hospital room. Her mother was there by her side, holding her hand, and Rebecca begged here to stay with her through it all and not to let Jack in. She couldn't bear to look at him. Her mother couldn't believe Jack would do what Rebecca said he had. She'd known the boy since he was actually a boy, and he'd been like a son to her. How could he betray her daughter that way? Sure, things weren't great, but to cheat on Becky? When he showed his face in the doorway she had mixed feelings, but said nothing and luckily the nurse got him back into the hall before Rebecca could have another melt down.

“Is she okay? And my son? What’s going on?” The nurse actually felt a little bad for the guy. She didn't know the whole situation, other than what she'd heard in the room, but his wife was in labor early with their second child, and it was a scary thing. Then to be blocked out? Deserved or not, she felt for the guy. "Your wife has a case of partial placenta praevia, which is where the placenta covers part of the cervix. Sometimes it develops later in the pregnancy as the placenta grows." She explained. "We understand that you and your wife had intercourse last night?" When Jack agreed she continued. "The placenta is starting to detach from the uterine wall which is what's causing the bleeding. At this point there's nothing we can do to stop it, especially since her body has reacted by bringing on contractions. We're still evaluating, but Rebecca will most likely have a c-section sometime today. We're still waiting on approval from her gynecologist office since her doctor isn't here today, but neither she or your son are in any immediate danger." She explained. She saw the worry in his eyes ease just slightly. "Children born at thirty three weeks very often do just fine. Most of his major organs have developed at this point, and after a short stay in the NICU I can almost guarantee, if nothing goes wrong, you'll be bringing a healthy baby boy home. But.." She swallowed, "Rebecca has requested that you don't come in for the surgery. We have to follow the woman's wishes in order to keep stress down. I'm sorry." She gave a weak smile and turned to go back into the room.

A few yards down Mr. Taylor was sitting on a chair playing with Shayla, dirty looks passing to Jack every now and then. He blamed Jack fully for this, and was more than a little pissed at the boy. Jack was like his son, but he'd hurt his baby in a way she hadn't deserved. When Jack took a seat he took Shayla's hand and brought her down through the hallway and out towards the waiting area. Just looking at Jack made him angry, and he didn't think Shayla should be around him right now, anyway. Alone, Jack got to seriously contemplate what was going on and to try and understand. It had been accidental, causing the bleeding. It wasn't the stress from what he'd done, but simply an undiagnosed problem. As he thought about it all the room began to grow dim. The gentle sound of a heart monitor could be heard, but where the hell was it coming from? "Jack?" The voice was distant and echoey, but it was without a doubt Rebecca's. Jack tried to get up and run to her room, but everything around him was growing feint and dark, and his legs felt like jelly. He was falling...

---

It was the soft sound of feet moving under sheets that roused Rebecca. She looked up at the sleeping man, groggy eyed. No. She'd made it up.. but then his foot moved again, and then his fingers and hand twitched. "Jack?" She asked softly, getting to her feet and standing beside the bed. She leaned down, her face hovering a couple feet over his as her eyes swept down his body. His feet were moving again, just barely and her heart began to race. Was he actually waking? Was Maxi? Excitement flooded her as she looked back up at his face, noticing his eyes slipping slowly open. "Jack!" She called in a relieved, soft voice as her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging her awkwardly before pulling back and looking down at him again to make sure he was actually awake. "Can you hear me? Can you see me?" She asked, her voice excited and almost panicked sounding. Jack had woken up!

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Your wife has a case of partial placenta praevia, which is where the placenta covers part of the cervix. Sometimes it develops later in the pregnancy as the placenta grows. We understand that you and your wife had intercourse last night?” Jack nodded, anxiously waiting for the point of this. All he wanted to know was whether Rebecca and their son would be okay or not. Then he could listen to the explanation. “The placenta is starting to detach from the uterine wall which is what’s causing the bleeding. At this point there’s nothing we can do to stop it, especially since her body has reacted by bringing on contractions.” His heart was racing. So it wasn’t the stress… “We’re still evaluating, but Rebecca will most likely have a C-section sometime today. We’re waiting on approval from her gynecologist’s office since her doctor isn’t here today, but neither she nor your son are in any immediate danger.” He let out the breath he’d been holding in his lungs, not realizing before now that he wasn’t breathing. At least they would be okay. “Children born at thirty-three weeks very often do just fine. Most of his major organs have developed at this point, and after a short stay in the NICU I can almost guarantee, if nothing goes wrong, you’ll be bringing a healthy baby boy home. But…” His eyes snapped up, terrified what the “but” would be. Just like that, his heart was racing again. “Rebecca has requested that you don’t come in for the surgery. We have to follow the woman’s wishes in order to keep stress down. I’m sorry.” The ground was shifting beneath his feet. How was he supposed to sit out here while they cut his son from Rebecca’s stomach? How could he handle that anxiety? How had he fucked up so royally?

The world was swaying as he realized this life was crumbling around him. True, it was a life he felt he had just fallen into, that he couldn’t remember completely, but it was one he knew could make him happy. But this was his own fault—he knew that. His guilt was confirmed when he glanced up to see Rebecca’s father glaring at him from down the hall. Jack simply hung his head and looked at his feet, not able to look Mr. Taylor in the eye. His feet shuffled towards a chair in the hallway near where Shayla and Mr. Taylor were standing, not really paying attention to what was going on around him. He wanted to hold Shayla, take a few moments to comfort each other while he could. As soon as he sat down, however, Mr. Taylor was tugging his baby away. Jack watched them, angry that he would presume to take his own child away from him but knowing it would be better for Shayla if she didn’t see her father like this. So he choked down his anger and looked at the ground instead. Rebecca’s labor may have been due to an undiagnosed problem, but he was still responsible—he had been the one to tear the placenta. He dragged his fingers through his short hair, tugging at the strands until it hurt with his frustration. Why couldn’t he remember everything that had led up to this? As he closed his eyes and fought the urge to punch a wall, he focused on the even sound of a nearby heart monitor. Beep…beep…beep… It was a soothing sound and he could feel it steadying him as it grew louder. Wait…how was it growing louder? He looked up and saw he wasn’t even sitting anywhere that he could hear a heart monitor. But as his eyes shifted, he noticed his vision was dimming. Panic was setting over him as he heard his name. “Jack?” Rebecca? Was she calling for him? He jumped to his feet in an instant before he realized that the sound was too soft for Rebecca to have called for him. Trying to make his way to her room, the lights were getting darker and his legs were buckling. He was falling…

___________________________________________________

Jack lay in blackness for a long moment, simply hearing the steady beeping of a heart monitor again. There was something hovering near him. A person…he could hear breathing, feel their warmth close to his face. He willed his eyes to open but he felt so weak. What had happened to him? Finally a dash of light entered his eyes only to be blocked out again in pain. It felt like he hadn’t opened his eyes in days and the light was harsh to him. “Jack!” Rebecca. It was Rebecca standing over him. In a rush to see her, to tell her again how sorry he was, how much he needed her, he forced his eyes open again and this time blinked continually against the burning light. Before he could see her face, she was hugging tightly around his neck and his hands slowly came up to touch her back. Why did his arms feel like jelly? How long had he been out? His eyes watered as they finally came into focus and adjusted somewhat to the light. Suddenly Rebecca shot back, looking down at him, and the sight of her made him blink again but this time in confusion. Her hair was brown. That couldn’t be right. It hadn’t been brown since… “Can you hear me? Can you see me?” Jack reached up with both hands to cup her face, studying her with his heart racing. The beeping of the monitor was speeding up in time with his heartbeat. Her hair was brown. She was excited and worried and though he didn’t know why, she looked happy. Had she forgiven him? He slipped one hand down to grab her left hand. There were no rings. Not even the marks of ones recently removed. His left hand didn’t have a ring on it either. What was going on? His confusion was written in his dark eyes, but when he tried to talk, his throat stuck. It was like he hadn’t used it in ages. Immediately he started coughing to try and loosen his throat, releasing Rebecca to sit up some and cover his mouth. She was pressing a bottle into his hands and when he saw it was water, he twisted the cap off and drank hungrily. Why did his stomach feel so empty? One swallow and he suddenly realized there was a tube in his nose. That was uncomfortable.

After chugging all the water in the bottle, he finally felt like he could talk again and he looked up at Rebecca. He brought his hands to her face again and cupped her cheeks, running his thumbs over her cheekbones. The last time he had seen Rebecca, she was practically glowing. True, she was pissed at him and in pain, but even before she’d gone into labor she looked dazzling. It was like no clouds hung over her. She was happy and had a happy life up until she and Jack had fallen on a rocky road. But she looked different now. Darker and harder with a secretive sort of beauty. This was the Rebecca he remembered. The one he really remembered. “Becca…” he finally managed in a hoarse voice. He’d never seen this Rebecca so worried and upset. But she was happy too. He didn’t know why, but she was happy and soon her arms were around him again. He returned the gesture, hugging her tightly and wondering if this was real. Was he really holding his Rebecca? He nudged her back just enough to see her face, it finally hitting him that he might be back in the life he remembered. “Quick. How long have we known each other?” The look Rebecca gave him revealed her confusion at the question. “Just tell me. I’ll explain later.” Then she said it. Just over a year. With a heavy sigh of relief, he actually let out a soft incredulous laugh. He was back. He was really back. Without hesitation he pulled Rebecca into a hard kiss. It wasn’t terribly deep, knowing his breath probably wasn’t the best, but it was long and desperate in how hard he pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers and buried his fingers in her hair on the back of her head. “I love you.” The words came out so easily and he was relieved to finally say them. He’d said them to her before, but it wasn’t the right Rebecca he said them to. This was the Rebecca he loved and she needed to know how he felt. “You have to know I love you.” He stared into her sea-colored eyes and hardly cared if she never said the words back to him. At least she knew he loved her.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Jack's normally strong, warm hands seemed almost weak as they cupped her face. One of the things she liked most about Jack was his strength, though she was shy about admitting it, even to herself. She felt secure with him in a way that she didn't with anyone else. The monitor was beeping more quickly now as his heart began to beat more rapidly, but she was captivated by his eyes which searched hers desperately, but for what she wasn't sure. Suddenly he grabbed her left hand and studied it, causing Rebecca to furrow her brow in confusion. What was up with him? He was obviously disoriented. "Jack?" She murmered softly, trying to figure him out, though it was becoming increasingly clear that he was the one trying to figure things out.

He tried to talk and then when that failed, cleared his throat and coughed. She watched patiently, ready to explain what had happened knowing he would have questions, though she knew she should get a doctor to come in. She sat back as he sat up, her hand out to steady him if he needed it, but she would shove him back if he tried to get up. Last thing she needed was for him to try and walk and collapse! Instead she offered him water in the hopes it would help his throat and and keep him put until she could explain what was going on.

Rebecca's heart was matching that on th monitor as she came to terms with the fact that Jack was oka. Se as relieved nd elated and had no idea how to show any of that, but just seeing him alive like this put her at ease. When Jack finished the water he reached for her face again and he alowed him to, her sea colored eyes meeting his. What was that look? Did he hear everthing she'd said? Did he expect her to mak good on the promises she'd made? "Becca.." She was surprised how deep the sound hit her. She let out a breath she seemed to be holding since she found him unconcsious. Her brows furrowed gently, glad he was okay, glad the ordeal was over. Her arms came around him again because she did't know what else to do andwords escaped her. It was good to feel his arms folding around herin return, having been afraid she might never feel it again. Suddenly Jack nudged her back andher eyes met his shyly. "Quick. How long have we known each other?" she cocked a brow questionably. That was a eird question to ask.. "Just tell me. I'll explain later." she shook her head slightly and rolled her soulders. "I guess a little over a year? Since Maxi went missing." She explained. He just laughed and sighed and all she could do was stare. Of all the things to ask! She was about to ask why when his mouth pressed hard into hers, and she simply allowed him to kiss her, glad he was even able to, though his breath wasn't that great. When he did finally pull away, he rested his forehead against hers and buried his fingers in her hair on the back of her head. I love you. itwas the last hing she expected to hear and her cheeks turned a violent pink. Loved? They'd only been datin a few months, and now he loed her? She'd jus gotten used to him being her boyfriend! "You have to know I love you.". Rebecca felt sick. Why on earth did he need to stare at her that way? Why on earth had he said those thee dumb words she had always been afraid to hear? Her mouth opened to say something but words failed her so she shut it again, bitin her bottom lip. She watched him for a moment trying to think of something, anything to break the silence that she had been wishing would end for nearly a week.

Suddenly the door opened and a nurse came in an Rebecca felt deep relief at the interuption. The nurse swept over and was followed by a doctor who immediaely began to examin Jack and ask him questions about his health. Rebeca sat back, watching silently as the doctors explained he had been in a coma and allowed him to ask questions. They answered what they could, but Rebecca knew more than the doctors did on the case against the nurse who had been drugging him. When Jack was semi satisfied they took his blood and explained he would be on a liquid diet and they would need to keep him a few more days. Rebecca waited for them to leave before cimbing back onto the bed with Jack, taking his hand and holding it in her lap. "I'm really glad you're alright, Jack." She said softly, looking into his eyes bashfully. "I was worried.. I wasn't sure if.." She sucked in her bottom lip and chewed it, tearing her eyes away. "I really do care about you. Okay?" Her voice wavered with nerves as she looked back up at him anxiously.