Jax pulled away from his hug with Keesha. He gave her a small smile, and then in one swift movement, lifted her into his arms.

"Nap time," he decided.

"Nap time?" Keesha looked at Jax incredulously. "But we just got up."

"Not for me," Jax replied as he carried Keesha up the stairs. "But for you. You need to be well rested."

"I feel fine, Jax."

"True." Jax walked over to the bed. "You have no idea how wonderful you do feel in my arms. It's been so long..." his voice drifted as he laid Keesha down in the bed. He cleared this throat. "But right now that's neither here nor there. We've just had an emotional time, and I don't want to take any chances with your health. So you are to stay in bed all day."

"All day?" Keesha groaned, even though she realized Jax was probably right. She had barely gotten over the flu...

"All day. I'll send the kids in to say goodbye later today." Jax tucked Keesha in. "They'll go back with Jerry this afternoon."

"And then?"

"And then, my parents will leave and we will have the whole place to ourselves tonight."

"So, what are you going to do all day?"

Jax flashed a wicked smile. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it."

Keesha laughed, shocked. " Don't worry my pretty little head.? Jax..." she watched as he backed away, heading towards the door. "...where are you going?...Jax..."

"Bye." Jax waved, leaving. He jogged down the stairs, smiling as he heard her calling after him.

Keesha came into the bedroom, fresh from a bath. She looked over at the clock. It was 5:00 in the evening, and everyone was gone. At 2:00, Jalyn and Jordan had left with Jerry to go meet Tiffany back in their home in America.

Keesha turned on the lamp next to her bed, sitting up.

And just an hour ago, Jax had driven his parents to the airport. He hadn't been back since.

Keesha reached over, picking up the phone and dialing.

"Jacks residence." came the voice on the other end.

"Hi Tiffany."

"SWEETHEART! Where are you?"

"I see you got there safely. I'm sorry no one was there to meet you. But Jax's brother, Jerry will be there tonight with the kids."

Tiffany couldn't help but smile. After all of these years of pictures, she was finally going to meet her grandchildren in person. "When will you be coming? I miss you."

"I'm not sure. Jax and I have...I want to spend time with Jax right now...Tiffany?"

"Yes?"

"You've missed a lot. And I want to fill you in before anyone else does." Keesha looked up as she heard the slamming of a door coming from downstairs.

Jax was back.

Jax looked in the refigerator. Jane had said all of the vegetables he would need for the chef salad were already there...

Keesha would be very surprised to find he had actually fixed their dinner himself. Jax smiled, taking out some vegetables and walking over to the sink. He turned on the water to rinse them.

Jax looked at his watch. He wanted Jane to run the instructions by him one more time for the spaghetti sauce...and if he hurried, he would catch her before she borded the plane. He looked around for the phone-and saw the empty cradle. He walked over, pressing the find button-waiting to hear a beep that would lead him to the receiver.

Instead a recorded voice came across the speaker.

"In use.".

Jax paused and with a shrug, headed upstairs to use his parents line.

"You can't let that woman into your life Keesha!"

"I know Tiffany..."

"I need to see you..."

"I'll be home soon."

"When?"

"I'm not sure...but soon enough."

"I know Lark has filled your head with so many lies...as if we don't have enough problems as it is. I'm surprised you even let me into your house now."

"Oh, Momma..."

Keesha's exasperated sigh drifted out into the hallway, where Jax stood, his parents phone in his hand.

Which mother was she talking to?

"I don't see why you can't come home now."

"I just can't...yes, I miss you, of course I miss you! Tiffany...don't yell at me, all right...*Yes* I want to see you..look..." Keesha closed her eyes, already wondering how she would deal with having Tiffany living with her. She wanted off the phone already, so she added..."I will talk to Jax and see if we can leave early."

Jax took the phone downstairs.

He walked into the kitchen, tossing it on the table.

He and Keesha had just decided to spend time together - and now she was going to see if they could leave early.

Jax understood her need to get to Tiffany. He had just hoped...

Barely paying attention, Jax started slicing the vegetables...

...that he would have been able to spend some real time alone with Keesha before they had to go back to the maddness that awaited them in America.

But she wanted to go...so, he would make the arrangements and they could go tomorrow.

He just wished...

"DAMN IT!" Jax tossed the knife on the cutting block, looking at his finger as it bled. He winced - it stung...but it wasn't bad as it could have been. He just wasn't paying attention...luckily he had just knicked it. He sucked against his finger, walking to the bath.

"Need some help?" Keesha asked from the doorway.

"Was I that loud? Sorry. Don't worry, I've got it. Go on back to bed." With his free hand, he opened the medicine cabinet...

"Are you sure?"

"I just cut myself, it's no big deal. There's nothing you can do to make it better."

"What happened?"

Jax closed his eyes at the soft whisper now coming from directly behind him. He shut the cabinet door.

Keesha ran her fingers through the back of his hair, and his head dropped at the innocent, yet seductively intimate touch. She drew closer to Jax, placing slow, lingering butterfly kisses across the back of his neck.

"Let me see." she breathed as she took his hand, moving to his side. "How did you cut yourself?" she grew serious.

"Cooking."

Keesha smiled. "Cooking? You don't even make salads." she let go, bending to look into the cabinet underneath the sink.

"Yes, but it doesn't mean I can't. Just that I don't."

Keesha stood straight again. "This will burn." she warned.

Jax looked down, watching as Keesha disinfected his finger with some alcohol. Using her teeth she tore open the bandage packet.

"You do that without blinking."

"I'm a mother of a very rambunctous little girl. She takes after her father in more than just looks you know." Keesha continued looking at Jax's hand as she placed the bandage on his injured finger. "All done. So, did I make it better?" Keesha teased Jax with a wink.

"The old distraction method...I should have known."

Keesha tilted her head, looking at Jax. "I am so glad we have this time alone. Even if you do plan to make me spend it in bed...I just like being with you." she stood tip-toe, placing a small kiss on his lips.

Jax turned, watching as Keesha left him in the bath alone.

He sighed, a smile tugging at his lips.

She didn't even mention Tiffany.

Keesha wanted to be there with him.

Jax sighed again, content as he headed back towards the kitchen.

Keesha would never know how much her last words had touched him.

Even Jax had no idea until now.

But right now, hearing Keesha say, just say, with no prompting

Not as a way of reassurance for Keesha to just say for no reason, that she was happy just being with him

Were the most wonderful words Jax had ever heard.

He would never forget them. And even if she never said it again, he would always know just where he stood.

Jax stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking up.

"Keesha..."

Keesha turned away from the window as her door opened. "I am going back to bed right now...I'll have you know though, I feel perfectly fine..." she walked over to the bed, looking at Jax, watching her from the doorway. "...and I *know* this is all some big precautionary measure and I love you for it..." she sat down at the edge

In three strides, Jax stood at the far end of the bed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Keesha watched as Jax knelt on the bed.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not..."

Jax closed the space between them

"...particularly..." Keesha finished her sentence, her eyes locked into his. She reached out slowly.

Jax's eyes searched her face as Keesha touched his lightly. She stroked his cheek with her fingertips, managing to draw even closer.

Jax finally spoke. "I came up here to thank you."

"For what." Keesha cupped his face into her hands, mesmerized at just how beautiful he was.

"Reminding me how much you love me. I promise I will never forget again."

Her hands left his face and Keesha looked into his eyes. Again she inched closer to Jax. "Well...I'm glad, though I am not sure what you mean. But you know, you'll never truly understand just how much I love you."

Jax closed his eyes, leaning in to brush his lips across hers. Keesha traced the outline of his lips with her tongue, and this time he cupped her face with his hands. With a small moan, they surrendered to each other, kissing slowly.