God, she's so infuriating at times. Jack thought as he pulled the blanket over his shoulder. He couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the crazy house maid who conned his mother. Maybe it was the 40 year old couch covered in plastic wrapping. Or maybe, just maybe, it was his argument with Liz a few short minutes ago. No, it definitely had to be the couch. He hadn't slept on a couch since…wow, since he was married to Avery. He takes a few minutes to think about what Liz had said earlier. If I were a different person, would you have hit on me? Did nothing ever happen between us because I'm not fun? Jack had always wondered why something had never happened between them. It wasn't because she wasn't fun, and definitely wouldn't have happened if she were a different person. Although, maybe it would have. If she didn't over analyze everything, and if she would just admit to having a thing for him 4 years ago, when he told Gavin she did, maybe he would have taken her up on her offer. Oh God, what if she didn't have a thing for him? What if she never did and he was making it up to sooth his own ego? Would that make him the crazy one in this relationship? No, Donaghy you have too much money to be crazy. He thought, mentally talking himself down from the proverbial edge. Hmm, who is normally here to do this for me? Oh right, Lemon.

Okay, he just needs to clear his mind, close his eyes, and eventually sleep will come, right? It doesn't. He tries to think about something else. His dream job that he just recently received. Which tuxedo he was going to wear to the party waiting back at home, and which one of his 7 women he was going to ask to accompany him. His thoughts always returned to one woman though. The one right down the hall. He turned on his side and faced the back of the couch. His eyes focused on the flowery pattern of the couch under the thick plastic, while his mind replayed the entire argument from start to finish. Her calling him a slut and his admission to sleeping with Jenna, on numerous accounts, during season 3 of TGS. He pretty much told her that he didn't find her attractive, which was a total lie. He was hoping that she would just drop the whole conversation at that point like she normally did. She kept on.

The last woman he fought this passionately with over minor and trivial things was Avery. Of course, their arguments always led to sex. Sometimes the argument was the sex. He could never get used to that. Don't get him wrong, it was always hot and enjoyable for both parties. But as he was getting older, he just wanted someone to be happy with. Someone he could argue with, make up with, and then have regular sex with. Was that too much to ask for? Drop it Donaghy. I am happy. I'm almost the CEO of a multibillion dollar company. My mother never calls me anymore. I have a different woman every night. What more could I ask for? He continues to focus on the pattern of the old couch, now tracing the flowers with one of his fingers.

Down the hall and to the left, Liz laid on the old mattress, in the middle of course, tossing and turning. Stupid Jack. Stupid mattress. Stupid Florida. Jack was right. We should just cut this state off and let it smash into Cuba. NO! Jack wasn't right. Jack wasn't right about anything. Stupid Jenna. How could she sleep with Jack and not tell me. It's not like I would care or anything. I'm going to text her. Right now to show here how much I don't care. Liz grabs her phone from the nightstand and starts typing.

2:39 AM

Liz: So Jack just told me you two slept together.

Yeah that will show her how much Liz Lemon cares about that! Oh there's a voicemail. I didn't even hear it ring. Liz presses buttons frantically, hoping nothing is wrong with the show. She told the writers to call her for anything, and she really meant anything. She put the phone up to her ear, it was Criss.

Hey Liz, it's me. I know I was suspicious about you taking this trip with Jack earlier today, but I just wanted to let you know I've put it all behind me. I mean I know you. You aren't going to sleep with Jack. I'm crazy for thinking that in the first place. You would never do anything like that. Except now that you aren't answering does bring up a little suspicion. No you know what; I know you would never do anything like that. Okay well I'll talk to you tomorrow hopefully. Love you! Click.

Ugh, Liz sighed, Tracy was right. I'm not spontaneous. I don't have a spontaneous bone anywhere. If I was spontaneous I would have made out with Jack just now. Whoa where did that come from? No I don't want anything from that man around me. Especially not right now. And how does Criss know me? He doesn't know me. If he knew me maybe he would realize how scared I am about starting a family with him. Liz reaches down to her neck and plays with the third charm she just recently added to her shakes her head and lies back on the mattress, returning to the center of the bed. She grabs the blanket and pulls it over her. She needs to get some sleep, but she can't stop thinking about that fight. She doesn't care about that message from Criss. Right now she is worried about one man. The one down the hall. Her boss, her mentor, her work husband, her ex-husband, her best friend. She never could stay mad at him for very long, except for some very few occasions. To be honest, Liz did have a thing for him. It started in season 3 and ran to about last season. She decided to stop holding out for him. She realized it would never happen and if it was meant to happen it would have already. Liz had finally gotten the courage tonight to ask him why it never happened. Maybe it was the fact that they were sharing a bed and had rolled into each other that made her think about it again. All those repressed memories she had, conjured back to reality. Her phone goes off on the nightstand. Nerds! I really sent that text. She thinks, realizing a little too late that it might have been a bad idea. She rolls over, grabs her glasses, and reaches for her phone, anxious to see what Jenna has said. Liz unlocks her phone and goes into her messages.

2:51 AM

Jenna: Liz, I'm so so so so sorry. I never meant for you to find out.

Liz: Jenna Its fine really. Wait why didn't you want me to find out?

Jenna: Well you've obviously have had the hots for him since the two of you met. Actually I'm surprised you two haven't done it yet.

Liz: No Jenna it's not like that. Jack and I are friends. Nothing more. Besides I'm married now remember?

Jenna: You never invited me to your wedding so I don't recall that ever happening. I just didn't want this to drive you crazy because I knew it was going to.

Jenna: And also, marriage never stopped anyone Liz.

Liz: Jenna, this is not driving me crazy, really.

Jenna: Liz, it's 3 in the morning, and you are texting me about having sex with Jack 4 years ago. That's a little crazy. And it only happened 3 times.

Liz: I'm texting you now because he just told me. Which times?

Jenna: When you were dating the little person, that time Dennis told you he also slept with me, and when Jack was faking my death for Jackie Jormp-Jomp, which could still happen Liz. We are so close to getting the life rights. Wait why did he just tell you now?

Liz: We were fighting. Not that it's any of your business. How do you remember all of those?

Jenna: OOOOO fighting, huh? I thought you said you were just friends? Trust me Liz, I remember him.

Liz: Gross Jenna. Shut it down. Go back to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Jenna: Really Liz are you okay about this? I don't want you to be upset over it. It was nothing. It never meant anything to me or to him.

Liz: Seriously Jenna I'm fine. Now go back to bed. We have a show tomorrow.

Liz tossed her phone onto the nightstand and rolled back under the covers facing the opposite direction. She was looking at the door. Mainly because if she looked anywhere else she would be reminded of Colleen's late in life "change" and she really didn't want to think about that right now. She especially didn't want to look at the "flowers" on the wall next to her. Liz found herself hoping Jack would burst through the door, get on his hands and knees, and beg her to forgive him. And she would, she already had. She thought about getting up and walking to the living room, but no, he needed to be the one who came to her. She continued to focus on the closed door until her eyes closed and she was in a light sleep.

When she woke, Jack was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, still dressed in his pajamas. She reached out to touch his arm, but he shyed away from her touch. He lowered his hands and looked at her. He moved back towards her hand as she sat up in the bed.

"I'm sorry Lemon; I didn't mean to wake you." He said as he looked at her face. Clearly she didn't go to sleep right after he left the room that night.

"It's okay Jack. I'm sorry I made you sleep on the couch. You look horrible by the way. Did you sleep at all?" she reached up to flatten his hair, but it popped right back up.

"Liz, I'm really REALLY sorry about last night. You are a very attractive, beautiful, fun person. And to-"

"Jack, it's okay you don't have to do this."

"Please let me finish?" She nodded. "I was going to say, to be honest, I'm not sure why nothing ever happened between the two of us. I thought that it was you who had a thing for me all this time, when in actuality, it was me who had the thing for you. And this is the absolute worst time to tell you this, but I still have it. I still feel it every time I see you. Every time I smell the scent of your cheap, store brand shampoo. At your wedding, when I had to watch you marry another man, it almost killed me. But I was there because I knew you wanted me to be there. You're the only real friend I've ever had in my entire life. The only person who would do anything for me, and I would do the same for you. Perhaps I never wanted to ruin that. Perhaps it was a mistake that I didn't want to make, because the consequences were too dire. If I had screwed something up and had lost you, I wouldn't be here today." Jack saw her eyes tearing up and he had to look away, his own eyes getting a little misty from the declaration. God, Mother would not be happy with me right now if she were here to see this whimpering mess I've become. He looks back into her eyes, "I love you, Liz. And I know it doesn't change anything and that it shouldn't change anything, but I wanted you to know. I still have some business to take care of here in Florida, but you are more than welcome to leave if you like. The jet is at the airport waiting for you if you are ready to leave."

Liz looked down at her horrible pajamas. She sniffed and looked back up at him. He was still sitting on the bed, looking at the tools on the wall across from it. She grabbed his hand and he looked at her. "I don't know what to say, Jack."

"You don't have to say anything, Lemon. It's okay, I'm okay. Now, would you like to stay, or would you like to leave?"

"Jack…..Do you want me to stay?" She asked him. No matter what his answer was she was probably going to stay anyway.

"Yeah I do actually. I would love it if you stayed," he smiled at her "but it's up to you." He leaned a little closer to her.

"Okay, I'll stay." She whispered. Jack leaned a little closer, but Liz pushed him away before their lips touched.

Jack stands up from the bed. "I'm sorry, Lemon. I shouldn't have—"

"No Jack it's not that. It's just; I don't feel comfortable doing anything in your dead mother's bed. Or next to her 'flowers.'" Liz looked over and made a face at the atrocious pottery pieces.

"Lemon don't you understand that Colleen set this entire thing up from the grave?" He looked at her and smiled again. Liz looked confused. "She knew that out of all the people I know, I would bring you with me. Her last words to me were that she 'just wanted to see me happy'. She was happy here with Martha and she just wanted me to experience it." He sat back down on the bed, and moved a piece of her hair behind her ear. "She knew that you would be the one to make me happy."

"What am I supposed to do about Criss? It's not like I don't love him. Although, ever since we got married, things have seemed to have gone downhill." Liz looks away as she realized the mistakes she has made. Criss doesn't have a job. He doesn't plan on getting a job, and her only source of income is TGS, and who knows how much longer that's going to last. She actually wants to start a family with that guy?

"Well Lemon, it seems to me like you are more spontaneous than you think." Jack looks away again. "You got engaged and married in less than a day. You had already decided to start a family with this 'man' before you even considered marrying him. You put up with his laziness day in and day out because deep down you want to have that white picket fence with 10 kids in the front yard, and you will do whatever it takes to get it. I can give you all of that if you would just give me a chance." He let go of her hands and put his hands back in his lap.

Liz studied him for a few seconds. This man was already everything to her. Why couldn't he be more than just a friend? More than just a best friend? He was very successful, he already had a kid who was still somewhat of an infant, he was handsome, and he apparently loved her as well. After she finished staring at him she reached up, grabbed his face, and planted her lips on his. It was a brief, closed mouth kiss, but she poured everything into it, and he responded. "Jack, did you really mean what you said about the 'white picket fence' and '10 kids in the front yard'?"

"Yes Lemon. I may be biased here, but I truly believe I can make you happier than Criss could ever imagine. I know it's a lot to ask from you. If you need time to think about it, then please take as much time as you need."

"No I don't need time to decide. It's you that I want Jack, but I don't know how to tell Criss. I don't want to hurt him. He's really been through a lot with me in the past year. With the adoption agencies, the hormone injections, my sex schedule. But you've known me for 7 years. We've been through everything together. We might as well be married. I love you Jack. I should have said it much sooner, but I really truly deeply passionately love you." Liz looks back at him. He's the one to initiate the kiss this time. It starts out slow just like the first one, but he soon parts her lips with his tongue. The kiss grows and soon she is reaching towards his pajama buttons and releasing them.

He releases her lips to take a breath, and to see what she's doing. He grabs her hands and pulls them to his lips. "Liz, are you sure you want to do this? We don't have to. We can wait until you tell Criss if you'd like."

Liz looks at him, "No I don't want to wait. I think we've waited long enough."

"You aren't just doing this to prove that you are spontaneous?"

"No Jack, I'm not." She rubs the little bit of his chest that is exposed. "Now come here before you make me change my mind." She lies back on the bed and pulls him with her.

On the plane ride home, she is silent. Trying to figure out how she's going to tell Criss. Definitely don't tell him I slept with Jack. That would be a huge mistake. Just tell him it's not working out like I expected it to. She looks down at Jack's hand in hers. At least she knows Jack will be there waiting for her. He always has been and always will be.