Chapter 10

"Who is this Max guy?"

That questioned was easy yet hard to answer. She wasn't sure how Jackson was going to react when he found out that Max was occupying her apartment, which used to be their apartment for a few nights. It wasn't anything romantic, April knew that, but for some reason it made her nervous to have this conversation. Especially considering if she switched this around she should be able to ask him the same about this woman, Cecilia that Jackson might be seeing.

She could see at the corner of her that Jackson was expectantly waiting for an answer. He seemed to be patient though as much as he wanted her to answer. She sighed before looking back at his face, that face that looked to be waiting for her answer, yet scanning her face to see something else. His beard was growing back slowly, and she stared at the 5'Oclock shadow and nodded that she was ready to answer him.

"Okay, but if I am going to answer you completely and truly honestly, I expect the same from you, is that a deal? Because God knows we will be here all night otherwise."

Jackson waited a second before chuckling at her response. It was something April could tell he had not been expecting. He nodded at her but didn't say anything, and she knew it was a form of respect, that he was allowing her to talk without him interrupting.

"Max is one of my bunker mates back in Jordan…" April saw Jackson's eyes shift position, as if he was a little uncomfortable. She knew it was probably the mention of Jordan, every time that she mentioned the place he seemed irritated, but this time it was just a look of discomfort. She understood, but if they were going to be able to be okay with each other, they had to be able to talk about whatever without the other one freaking out.

"I saved his life in Jordan, he almost got himself blown up trying to save a kid, and I was his doctor. Ever since then he thinks he owes me." She smiled, playing with her spoon, but keeping her eyes on him.

"So, you aren't seeing him?"

April shook her head immediately "Nope, but…he is staying with me."

Jackson's eyes went a bit wider, and he then narrowed his eyes at her, trying to make it seem like that didn't bother him.

"Oh, okay." He shifted in his seat which made April laugh. Jackson seemed to be so uncomfortable lately that it was almost amusing at this point.

"What?" April asked, knowing he had more to say from the way he kept making a weird looking face. Placing his hand on his beard and running it back and forth.

"How long is he staying for?" He asked, trying to avoid the reason he was acting this way.

She shrugged "I am not sure, for as long he needs, I suppose."

Jackson furrowed his brow, making it almost comical at the way he was acting.

"Jackson, what?" She crossed her arms now.

It was his time to shrug, looking away from April, and instead staring down at his stale coffee. "I don't know, I guess it just annoys me that he is staying with you in our apartment."

April wanted to scoff or say 'excuse me?' but instead she sighed, she knew what this was all about the jealousy was clearly evident, but Jackson would never admit it.

"He's staying with me because we are friends, and I respect him enough to not allow him to just crash at a friend's place he doesn't really want to be at, or let him pay for a hotel."

Jackson nodded, continuing to look at the floor. "I still don't like it."

"Is it because of me or the baby?" She asked, now trying to get everything out in the open. If they were truly going to be 100% with each other, then she needed to ask the tough questions she wasn't sure she was going to be able to do it.

He shrugged again. "Does it matter?"

She chuckled, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him with all of her might to turn him to look at her.

"Jackson will you please just look at me?"

Jackson chuckled as well, sighing and allowing her to turn him even though he had to do most of the work considering she was smaller than him.

They locked eyes and April felt goose bumps throughout her body. Almost making her shiver, wanting to take her eyes away from his but it was too intense.

"Yes, it does matter. Is it because you don't want someone around the baby that isn't you? Or is it because of me?"

Jackson sighed, he didn't want to answer that question, he would reveal what he really felt and it would become a little more than he was trying or willing to express right now.

"It's both, okay? I don't want a man that I don't even know staying in the same place as you, especially when I met him and he seemed like an ass. I just don't like him, and I would prefer if he didn't stay with you….I'm a little jealous and I just don't like feeling like that."

He whispered the last bit which made April want to laugh but instead she blushed. She could feel the intensity that was this conversation. He just admitted he was jealous, and on top of that he didn't want Max around her or the baby. If it was any other situation she would tell Jackson that he didn't have a say in who stayed with her, but she was in fact carrying his baby; he did have a right to tell her this.

"Okay. I understand everything you have just told me, and I will ask Max to stay with his friends tomorrow, okay?"

Jackson shot up and stared at April as if he saw or heard something crazy. She just basically agreed to ask Max to leave, that didn't seem like something April would do. He gulped and nodded.

"I don't want to tell you—"

"No, I know that you don't want to tell me what to do, I get that Jackson, but I respect your opinion and if it's making you this uncomfortable, I would rather ask him to leave. Yes, he is my friend but you are the father of our child, I do think you have a say in what happens at my home."

Jackson's eyebrows rose quickly and his smile was immediately apparent.

"Wow, are you serious?"

April smiled and nodded "Yes, I understand where you are coming from and I agree. There isn't anything going on with Max and myself, but I see where you would say something to that extent, and if it's making you this upset I would rather undo it."

"Thank you…" He said quietly, staring down again at the coffee.

She nodded, knowing he wasn't staring at her but doing it anyway.

"Okay, now my turn."

Jackson laughed "Oh, are we taking turns then?" He asked smiling and by instinct scooting closer towards her, which in turn made April's heart skip a beat. He was flirting, definitely flirting with the way he was staring at her. She felt like they were at the stage of bliss, that moment where all you want to do is talk with the other person, which she thought was quite funny considering everything they had gone through, she would never have expected them to be here in this moment not even any time soon.

April felt nervous "Cecilia." She finally spoke up, making Jackson's eyes falter a bit. She didn't want to ruin the moment, but she now really needed to bring this up.

He nodded "Okay." He agreed that they needed to talk about that.

"Are you seeing her?" She asked honestly, hoping he would truly tell her the truth.

He tilted his head, it seemed like he was trying to think on how to answer that or go about opening with that.

"No."

April scoffed, but he put his hand on top of hers, which made April stop what she was doing and stare at him again in that soft way.

"I am not currently seeing her, that's the truth. She does want to go out again, that was the reason behind her coming to see me, she is attracted to me and I am not going to lie I am attracted as well….but" he saw April try and move to stare at him a bit better, but he could tell she was not liking this conversation. "Hold on, I'm not done April. Yes, even though Cecilia and I are both attracted to each other, I don't want to see her again, okay? Please believe me when I tell you that is true. I want to focus on this baby, on getting back…." He stopped talking when he realized he had said a little too much.

April's brow rose as she felt her face getting a little warmer and she immediately felt like this was going in the direction she wanted it, but she was nervous.

"Getting back what?" She asked, hoping he would answer.

Jackson smiled and nodded "You know what…"

They stayed quiet because April did in fact know what he was trying to tell her.

"Here you are my sweets." Jackie interrupted, placing the pie in between them and immediately smiled at what was in front of her. Jackson had his left hand caressing April's cheek, and the right hand was on top of April's hands, with their fingers intertwining. "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt this sweet moment." Jackie said, noticing that they moved away from one another as she spoke.

April couldn't open her mouth; she wasn't sure the extent of what would come out if she did. & Jackson looked to be in a trance, so instead he just smiled a thank you to Jackie. Jackie took that as a sign to leave when they both stayed silent.

"April…" He said quietly, as he turned to stare at her again, placing his hands back where they had been when Jackie had managed to interrupt them.

She didn't say anything as they stared at each other. He closed his eyes and shook his head "I um…" He stopped talking as his hands dropped from her body. "I'm sorry." He said staring at her intently "That was inappropriate."

April shook her head, before she could say anything else though his lips crashed onto hers, a little gasp escaped her mouth as he had done so. She closed her eyes allowing him to explore her mouth, the way he used to.

The goose bumps felt even more intense, even more so when Jackson parted with her lips and they stayed in the same position, but with their foreheads touching each other. "THAT was more inappropriate…." He said, making both of them laugh.

April gasped as she looked down at her belly, which made Jackson jump and follow her eyes to where she was looking. "What?" He asked, a little scared since she was looking at her belly.

She shook her head, "No, it's not bad, the baby is kicking." She smiled and looked up at Jackson who also had a smile plastered on his face.

"May I?" He asked, but before April could even give him answer she was already grabbing his hand and placing it on the tip where their baby was in fact kicking her.

Silence was followed by laughter. This night had turned into April's favorite one by far.

TBC….

A/N: Wow, I am in utter shock at the fact that so many of you love my story, my words to you are thank you. It's funny because I am almost speechless at the amount of reviews and favorites, etc. you guys keep doing and I'm a writer so it's a little crazy. I just am truly thankful that you are all enjoying this story that I've put some work into. I hope you love and enjoyed this chapter. J