Nikki woke up, ate breakfast with Jack. She went to her suite and checked out.

Suitcases at the door, Nikki fumbled with her purse to find the extra key Jack gave her. Jack saw her struggling and opened the door for her.

He smiled at how adorable she looked. She had her cute frustrated and pouty face on that he knew all too well.

"Well hey there gorgeous. How are you doing?"

"Funny Jack. I can't find the key."
He laughs and she says, "What? What's so funny?"

"You left it here. Anyway, did you want to have lunch somewhere?"

Her face lights up and she says, "Sure, Glowworm good?"

"Uh, Deacon?"
"We're done Jack. After finding out about him and Meggie, I want to kill him. Anyway, I'll just ignore him is all."
With that, they head to Glowworm.

"So, what are you getting?"

"Chicken salad, you?"
"Same…"

"Hello, earth to Nikki? You keep looking at Deacon."

She scoffs "No I'm not. I'm simply looking for our waiter."

"Yeah, you are. Our waiter is behind me and Deacon is behind you. It also is very noticeable when you have to turn completely around to see him."
"I'm sorry Jack. He just disgusts me. He told me he loved me, and he went and plotted to destroy me!"

"Hey hey hey, calm down. He's out of your life. You should be celebrating. I hear there's a new fudge desert here. Why don't we get it?"
"You always have been the sweetest most thoughtful man. How did I ever let you go?"

"All that matters is the present. We're together…kind of. So let's not dwell on past mistakes."
Nikki raises and eyebrow. "By mistakes, you mean Victor?"

Jack is about to speak when he looks out of the corner of his eye. He turns his head and motions, "Don't look now unless you want your day ruined."

She sneers and questions, "Why? Who's there?"

"Well…I guess you can say 'Speak of the Devil'."

She buries her head in her hands and says "Victor?"

"Yeah."

"GOD! Why him?"

Victor sees them and walks over. "Abbott, Nikki."

Nikki looks unimpressed and snides, "Isn't it bad enough you attacked me about Deacon and Meggie in cahoots? Now what?"

Jack gets defensive and says, "Look, Newman, if you're here to make remarks towards Nikki, I'm not going to stand for it."

Victor gets into one of his "Macho Man" attitudes and retorts, "Huh, he's standing up for you. Why is that?"

Jack gets hot under the collar and tramps on Victor's toes. "One more time Newman; she is minding her own business having lunch with a friend. If you have a problem with this, I most certainly do not have a problem showing you the door."

"This is a public place, not the Abbott Mansion. I don't see what you could do. And I highly suggest that you calm down."

A GCAC bell-hop on break notices Nikki and walks over. This is his opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. He was in charge of cleaning Nikki's room and noticed she left some things. He doesn't realize what he's getting himself into, though. "Excuse me, Mrs. Newman; there were some things in your room that you left behind. I took the liberty of sending the items to the Abbott Mansion where everything else was sent. I trust this was okay?"

Nikki's face turns beat red and Jack covers for her. "Yes, that is perfectly fine." HE tips the bell-hop and the young gentleman leaves, or so it appears.

Victor stops the man, "To the Abbott mansion. Where everything else was taken?"

The man nods and walks away.

Victor looks infuriated and looks from Nikki to Jack, then back to Nikki. "So, you're shacking up with Jack Abbott? You went from me, to Deacon, which was awful. Now you go to this scum, Jack Abbott?"
Jack says, "That is IT, Newman! You have 20 seconds to get out of here or so help me-"

"What, what are you going to do?"

Nikki cuts in and yells at both. "Would you two stop? You're causing a scene!"

Victor smiles a devilish smile and says, "Yeah, sure whatever. What so you intend to do Abbott? Hm? Say something? You're wasting both of our time."

The wheels are turning in Jacks head as he looks at Nikki and winks. He walks real close to Victor, brushing up against him and says in a hoarse whisper, audible to only him, Victor and Nikki. "Does it bother you? Does it bother you that she lives with me and not you? That she likes spending time with me and likes my company? Better yet…does it bother you that she and I make love?"

The last question sent Victor over the edge. He says, "Say it again, Jack."

Nikki has an embarrassed look on her face and Jack says it again. "You heard me Newman. Nikki and I are lovers. Does that…bother you?"
Victor moves back a step, turns a little, and lays into Jack with a punch that sends him to the ground. Jack stumbles up and smirks. He brushes off his suit and sits down in the booth beside Nikki. He kisses her on the cheek and says to Victor, "Why don't you leave us alone instead of being a pain in the ass Victor?"

"Come on Jack. Be a real man. Fight me?"

Nikki stands up and walks around the booth to Victor. She looks at him and says, "You should be ashamed of yourself. You're acting like an idiot now. Also, he DOES NOT need to fight you, he IS a real man. Trust me, last night he showed me how a REAL man loves a woman. Maybe you should ask Jack for some pointers?"

Victor looks disgusted and says, "You have fun with him. When he hurts you, I'll be closed off to you."

Nikki says, "I don't need you."

Victor silently, angrily walks away.

Nikki takes Jack by the tie and says erotically, "Forget lunch…take me home, now. I want you."

Jack smiles and says "Uhuh. Check please!"

At "home", Nikki and Jack crash through the door, giggling and kissing. Nikki rushes up the steps and Jack chases her. They close the bedroom door, and Nikki remarks in between kisses, "Wow, it feels like we're twenty-something again." Jack laughs and says, "Yeah, I thought the best was then. But, I was wrong. The best has yet to occur."
"Why whatever do you mean?"
Jack laughs mischievously and says, "Oh, you'll see."

They move to the bed and undress each other.

About half an hour later, Nikki rolls over and says, "Well Mr. Abbott, it's only 3 o'clock. What do you want to do?"
Jack kisses her forehead and says, "Hold you in my arms."
He takes Nikki and she lays her head on his chest.

Nikki tells him sweetly, "You know, even when I was all 'happy and content' with Victor, I always missed you."

He smiles adoringly at her, "I'm here, and I will always be here Nikki."