"Yes." John came down the stairs.

"Thank you for meeting me," Keesha answered.

"Yes?" John repeated.

"I wanted to give you a few days to calm down, before I..."

"Is this where you tell me that I am an awful father...and try and guilt me into calling Jax? Because if so, you've wasted your time coming here."

"Well...yes, I think you're being horrendous to your son, and yes I know, not think, but know that Jax deserves a huge apology from you..." she admitted. "...but that is neither here nor there at this moment. My question is, what do you want from me?"

"I want you to leave Jax alone. You say you love him, then I would guess you can look at him and see that he is completely miserable. If you loved him, you wouldn't want him feeling that way."

"You're right. I don't want him to be unhappy. That's why I'm here. But I am telling you now, I am not leaving Jax. Ever. So what else do you want from me..."

"Then this conversation is pointless..."

"No actually it isn't. You love Jax I assume. In your eyes you love him so much that you're willing to hurt him because you think that I will...which is the most backwards thinking I've ever encountered...however, I need for you to know that I want Jax to be happy, just as much as I guess you do. So, what can I do...aside from leaving...which will help you to give me a chance and let your son back into your life."

John stared at her for a moment. "You can start by moving out."

Keesha sighed. "Yes...why don't I move out and also abandon Jax? That will make him feel a lot better..."

"Do not get saracastic with me..."

"My relationship with Jax is between me and Jax. I am not leaving him, I am not moving out, I will not promise never to marry him or have his child or any other thing that is a choice between him and me - either now or in the future."

"Then as I said, this conversation is pointless..."

"Let me get this straight..." Keesha's voice grew deep and quiet as she tried to control her anger. "You realize that Jax is miserable, however you think that by you making him miserable it's the only way to get him to realize that I am going to make him miserable..."

"Ms. Ward..."

"...which as I said, is completely backwards logic...because what you're doing is alienating him, making it so he has no one to turn to if in fact you are right about me and I am the biggest gold digging...commoner...that has ever lived...I mean if he can't turn to his own parents, then who is there? Which means that he's stuck."

"Jax has made his choice. He will live with the consequences. And if I am wrong about you, and you love him as much as you claim, then I am wrong and he has you and he's no worse off now is he?"

"You believe that? You are his father for God's sake...even though you're nothing but a bullying control freak...Jax is your son-and you've basically disowned him because you don't like me. Yet you can sit here and say that if you turn out wrong, at least he has me, and he's no worse off...even though he doesn't have you? And this makes sense in your head?"

"I think it's time you left..." John began to go up the stairs again.

"What do you want from me?!" Keesha called. John looked at her. "You want me to promise never to ask Jax for anything, then I will promise that. I will refuse anything he tries to give me...I will stay away from here and from you, I will tell Jax not to even mention my name if you want...I will...sign some sort of contract if you want...I don't care, I just want to know what I can do to make you go and see your son!"

"But...I see Jerry all the time." John answered coldly.

Keesha shook her head. "Fine. You win...I'm leaving. I am leaving here to be with Jax and I will do my very best to make this okay for him, because I love him and his happiness means everything to me. And for that reason, no I won't leave him, and no I won't move out..." Keesha went to the door. "You are wrong about me, and all you've done is alienate your son...and the longer this goes on, his hurt will turn to anger, and then that will fade, until he's numb when it comes to you. And one day all of the apologies, that you do owe him, will fall on a hardened heart and he won't even care...and you will have no where to turn. But...at least you'll get to see Jerry all the time..or at least until he's sick of you controlling his life and he stands up to you and tells you to go to hell." She left, slamming the door behind her.

"I'm going away tonight." Jax looked across the table at his mother. "You shouldn't be here..."

"Don't tell me I shouldn't have lunch with my own son...how are you?"

"Just fine."

"You're stubborn, just like your father..."

"I don't have a father."

Jane sighed deeply. She decided to change the subject. "Where are you going?"

"To spend the weekend with a friend. She was hurt-her daughter is leaving today, so Keesha and I are going to check up on her."

"Do I know her?"

"No. You would like her though."

"Maybe I should meet her...hold on...hello?" Jane answered her cellular.

"Where are you?!"

Jax looked up as he heard his father's angry tone.

"I'm having lunch."

"With who?"

Jane looked at Jax. "What's wrong..."

"I thought we agreed Jane..."

Jane left the table. "I never agreed not to see Jax...this whole thing is ridiculous..."

"In order for Jax to learn, he has to face the consequences. Unless you're all of a sudden approving of his choice?"

"No, but..."

"Then come back and stop babying him!" John hung up. Jane went back to the table, but Jax was already gone.

"I'm going, are you ready?" Jax leaned up against Keesha's office door.

Keesha looked up from her work. "No. But I packed last night. And actually, I can drive myself up to Mrs. Sellers if you want to go early."

"No, I'll wait for you at home. You look...drained." Jax noted.

"I am...but I'll be fine. How are you?"

Jax shrugged. "Fine. But you've looked this way for a few days now..."

"Thanks, it's so nice knowing my lover thinks I look like crap."

"That's not what I mean, I'm just worried about you."

"Don't be. I am fine. Now I'll ask again, how are you?"

"I had lunch with Mum today."

"Jax, that's wonderful...no? Why are you shaking your head like that."

"Because it made my father angry. Which means she had to go home and listen to him moan and groan. She shouldn't have done that..."

"She loves you. Of course she should have."

Again Jax shrugged. "I'll see you at home."

Keesha nodded, looking back down at her work. Jax watched her for a moment, sighing deeply as he thought of how much he had put her through. No wonder she was so emotionally exhausted...

"Don't you dare blame yourself," Keesha noted even as she continued working. She glanced up at him. "I know you, and you're standing there upset because of me, and I won't have it."

Jax smiled. "Yes ma'am." He winked at her, leaving the office.

Jax zipped up his bag and left the bedroom, sitting down in the living room to wait for Keesha. The phone rang and he picked it up. "Hello...no she's not...she is?...no, I don't know how to reach Keesha right now, but I'll handle it...now." Jax hung up.

The nurse hung up. "We've found the number..." another nurse handed her a slip of paper.

"Anders Enterprises, Keesha Ward speaking."

"Yes, Ms. Ward, this is Nurse Meredith, your mother's nurse here at..."

"The new place. How is she settling in."

"Fine..."

"What is she asking for?" Keesha groaned.

"A bigger room...maybe you can come down."

Keesha looked at her watch. "Okay...I'm on my way."

"Keesha can you believe how small....oh..."

Jax finished the walk over to Tiffany. "Something wrong?" he asked simply.

"No. Everything is fine."

"That's not what I heard."

"I didn't ask you for anything."

"No of course not. And I'm sure Keesha appreciates it. Especially given the week she's had, dealing with you...and other things. She's extremely tired you know. I'm sure you've noticed."

"She works hard."

"Yes...she gives everything she has to everyone. So...what do you need from her...a bigger room I hear?"

"Well..yes..."

"The only bigger rooms are in the private area."

"Oh...I didn't know that..." Tiffany lied.

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

Keesha stopped in the doorway, not seen by either Jax or Tiffany.

"What's wrong with this room?"

"I just thought it was small."

"Didn't she show it to you before you moved in...I distinctly remember her taking a long lunch this yesterday to show you around..."

"Yes."

"And you didn't notice that..."

"I want to see my daughter..."

"That's fine. If you want to see her. But today is really not a day for you to...ask her for something she cannot give to you. But I'm sure you can tell that by looking at her yesterday. Right?"

"I suppose."

"So...you really want to think before you ask her something, don't you?"

"Are you trying to control me?"

Keesha left quietly.

"I'm just taking care of Keesha. Call it running interference."

Keesha continued to pace. She finally stopped, sitting down on the couch. "Then why did the nurse say you wanted something Momma?" she said into the phone.

"Oh, you know me. But everything is fine."

Keesha shook her head, confused by her own non-reaction. She should be mad....she should be furious....but she wasn't...

Why wasn't she angry?

"Okay then, I love you....bye." She hung up, staring at the wall ahead. Trying to figure out why she just didn't care...what was happening to her?

Jax walked in. "Hey."

"I figured you would beat me home." She stood, looking at Jax as he came over to her.

"I had something to take care of," he answered. He bent, kissing Keesha softly.

Keesha relaxed, returning his kiss gently, letting out a small sigh as he pulled away. Jax reached up, playing with the edge of her curls absently. Keesha stared into his eyes.

She was too appreciative of Jax to be angry at him over her mother. Why should she be mad...Jax saved her an argument with her mother, one that would likely have ended with Keesha's feelings being trampled on...

"What?"

"I was thinking how nice it is...having you in my life." she stated quietly.

Jax smiled. He placed a kiss on her cheek. "We should go."

Keesha nodded, watching as Jax took both their bags and headed to the door. She opened it for him and then followed him out. She locked the door and waited with him at the elevator.