The phone ringing stirred Francie from her wine induced slumber. She had fallen asleep on the couch with an empty bottle of Ryan's very expensive wine in her lap. Fuck him. As she frantically grabbed for the phone she saw Nikki in loveseat stir, then rollover.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Francie. Did I wake you?"

James! "Uh, no. No you didn't. What's going on?"

James softly chuckled, "Kendall always said you were a bad liar."

"Oh he did, did he?" Francie rubbed at her eye and pushed herself up off the couch. THE couch where she and James shared that amazing kiss hours before.

"Yeah, he did." James could hear Carlos snoring from the bunk in the front of the bus.

"Well, he's a bad cook." Francie softly laughed remembering a special meal Kendall had made one night when they had started dating. Ugh, that chicken pasta was horrid!

James stifled a laugh, "Yeah, yeah, that he is. Sorry, that I woke you. I just - I had to hear your voice."

Francie took a deep breath. "I'm glad you called. It's late - er, um, early. What are you doing up?" She walked up the stairs and glanced over the bannister at Nikki. Good, still sleeping.

"Thinking. About you."

"Oh, really?" Francie walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

"Yeah, really."

"What about me?" Francie teased. She heard a soft, slow laugh come through the phone.

When James responded his voice was low and sultry "Oh, I see, so our first phone conversation will be phone sex, huh? Alright, you little minx, I'll play…I was thinking about the kiss we shared on that couch of yours, the lusty look in your dark eyes while you were pinned beneath me , your lavish bosom rising and falling with each gasping breath, the urge I had to - "

"Okay…so, where are you?" Francie blushed all the way to her toes. Anymore of that and I'd have come unglued…whew!

"Ha-ha, you're blushing aren't you?"

"Shush it…where are you?" Francie was grinning uncontrollably.

"I love how you blush so damn easily." James took a drink from the beer in his hand then rested the bottle on his knee.

"Leave me alone, Maslow…are you gonna answer me or not?"

"Okay, okay, you spunky little thing, by the way, that's a turn-on…"

"JAMES!" She could hear his laughter over the phone - melodic, warm, and hypnotizing.

"We just passed through some place called Colby, Kansas."

"Did you say hi to the cows for me?"

"They were sleeping or else I would have. How was your wine and chat with Nikki?"

"It was great. Nothing relaxes the Mancini sisters like a glass of wine...or a bottle...or two...apiece."

"Got your drink on, huh? So, did you chat it up?" James killed his beer and sat the empty bottle at his feet.

"Duh…hello, we're girls…it's what we do."

"What did you talk about?" Francie could just picture him grinning.

"Oh, this and that."

"Oh, Logan and James?" James mimicked her sing-song voiced reply.

"Maybe. How's your bus trip been with Carlos?"

"It's been…interesting." James stretched his long legs out in from of him.

"How so?"

James recalled the earlier conversation he had with Carlos just as the bus pulled away from the hotel.

...

"YOU KISSED HER?!" Carlos was stunned.

"Yep." James couldn't help but smile remembering the kiss he and Francie shared.

"And she kissed you back?"

"Yeah."

"Dude! What about Kendall? You heard what he said in the car. He still loves her."

James rubbed his chin, "I know, but I'm pretty sure – judging by that kiss – that she doesn't feel the same. Besides, I think it's the whole 'daddy thing' that has him thinking that he loves her. I have no doubt he still cares for her but maybe that love has changed to a friendly kind of love."

"I don't know, you think?"

"I hope." James looked out the window, praying he was right.

"You need to tell him, Jay. Seriously."

"I know, I just want to talk to Francie again and make sure we have a game plan for it all. I'd like to wait until we get the DNA results back then tell him. I don't want to hurt him, 'Los. Really, I don't. But I don't be without Francie, either."

Carlos nodded his head and looked at his friend. "I know. What if he's Marley's dad?"

"Then he's Marley's dad," James shrugged his shoulders. "If Francie doesn't love him now, that shouldn't change anything."

"Maybe not for Francie but I'm not too sure about Kendall." The friends grew silent.

...

"I talked to Carlos about you. Me. Us."

"You did?" Francie's voice was woven with panic.

"Don't worry, he already knew how I felt about you."

"What? How?"

"Apparently, my poker face sucks."

"I see. So, how do you feel about me, James?" Francie twirled a piece of her hair between her fingers. Oh Lord, I can't believe I asked him that!

James tilted his head back, grinning, and looked at the ceiling of the tour bus. Come on, man. Tell her…"We may have just met, Francie, but I've known you for seven years." James hesitated. How much should I tell her?

"What are you talking about?" Francie didn't follow him at all.

Let her know now, tell her everything before you lose your nerve, Jay!

James took a slow, deep breath and pushed forward, "I didn't realize you were YOU until after the show. I was attracted to you from the start - it all makes perfect sense. When Kendall came to LA he told us about the love he left back home. I listened to Kendall talk about you, every story, every detail, and I fell in love - with you."

Francie was holding her breath. Fell in love…with me?

"I knew I would never have you but I decided that I wanted – no, needed – I needed a woman just like the storybook girl I fell for. Someone to complete me. Someone to make waking up every day worthwhile. A woman that I would miss so much when she wasn't around that I wouldn't be able to think or to function. I had never been able to find that fantasy woman I was looking for because I had never found you. I didn't need just any woman, Francie, I needed you…and now, finally, I've found you." No stopping now, James. Throw it out there see how it goes.

"You want to know how I feel about you, Sweetness? You're the air that I breathe, the blood in my veins, the beat of my heart. God help me, I can't get you off my mind. I love you, Francie, I've loved you for seven really long years."

Francie sat on her bed in a stunned silence, then in total honesty whispered, "James, I – I can't…I don't know what to say." Do I love him already? I just met him a couple of days ago. I mean, it would be really easy to love him. I'm just not ready to commit to those three small words yet. Not yet, I can't.

James sat up quickly kicking over the empty beer bottle on the floor. "No! Francie, no, I don't expect you to say that, or to say anything. I mean, that's not why I sai-,"

*face palm* Dumbass! "Aw shit!"

"Jame–"

"No, I just - I needed to tell you how I feel and why."

"James," Francie softly spoke into the phone, both to calm him down and to settle her own heart. "That was the sweetest, most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. It may very well be the sweetest, most romantic thing I've ever heard." Francie placed her hand over her heart. "James Maslow, are you trying to woo me?"

James paused, "Uh, is it working?"

"Yeah, it is," James could hear Francie unsuccessfully try to stifle a giggle.

It's going to be okay, Jay. "Then, you bet I am." They shared a laugh, then a moment silence passed between them.

Finally, Francie asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Have you held other women to that standard all this time?"

"Yeah, I mean, I knew what I wanted. I wasn't going to settle. That's not the way I do things."

"Wow, I feel pressure to be your amazing 'super girlfriend' now."

"Girlfriend? So you, uh, you wanna be my girlfriend, huh?' James smirked, he couldn't help it.

"Well, I thought that...um…"

Ha-ha! It's nice to have her sweet ass in the hot seat.

"Can we go back to the phone sex, I think I can handle that better."

James bust out laughing, "Oh hell yeah, I'm game."

"Okay, you agreed too easily to that."

"What are you wearing?"

Seductively Francie replied, "Nothing but a smile." Uh-huh. Take that, James!

"Uh…r-really?"

Francie couldn't help it, she burst out laughing at James.

"You're evil," James pouted.

"Aw, James, didn't Kendall tell you that?"

"No, all I heard was beautiful, loving, intelligent, caring, witty, nice butt, great rack…"

"W-what?!" Francie's jaw dropped.

"…gullible, easily fooled, naive," James laughed.

"…hot-headed, vengeful. I will get you, James!"

"Sweetness, you've already got me."

The early morning conversation carried on. Francie and James took the time to learn all sorts of things about each other: Favorite foods, movies, song, childhood memories. It was like their first date.

Unfortunately, James knew he had to bring up their situation with Kendall and he wasn't looking forward to it. "Look, we've been avoiding the subject but we really have to talk about Kendall."

"I know. Listen, James, I'd like to keep 'us' under wraps until after we get the results of the paternity test. Then we can decide how best to tell him. Is that okay?"

"I agree. I think that's a good idea."

"James, how will it affect us if Kendall is Marley's father? Will that…bother you?"

"Not at all. I truly hope that he is."

Francie was shocked. "You do?"

"Absolutely. He's crazy about Marley. Seriously, he's nuts about her. Kendall would be great dad, Francie, a hell of a lot better than that asshole, Ryan. Honestly, I'm more worried that he'll take the news about us a lot harder if he's lost the daughter he so badly wants. I really don't want to hurt him." James voice faltered.

"I know, me neither." They were quite but just for a moment. "James? I want to ask you something."

"Hit it Sweetness, I'm an open book."

"After the guys got to the hospital I noticed you avoiding me. What happened?" Francie asked knowing that she had a good idea what the reason was.

A long sigh emitted from the other side of the phone. "Kendall."

I knew it!

"I wanted to back away and give you, Kendall, and Marley a chance at happiness, a chance to be a family."

"Oh, James," Francie whispered. "You're a wonderful man, you know that?"

"Not that wonderful. You were on that couch with me earlier, right? I couldn't do it. You totally broke me. I've waited so long for you." James raised his hand to his forehead. "Oh God, I wanted so badly to do the right thing."

"James, you did do the right thing. You shouldn't have to deny your feelings. They are what they are. The fact that you thought enough about all of us to want to step back and give us a shot like that proves that you have a wonderful heart. Kendall is lucky to have you."

"Yeah, we'll see how lucky he feels after he kicks my ass for chasing his girl."

"Hey, I think I had some say in this, didn't I? Believe it or not, Hottie McHottie, I could have stopped you!"

"Um, Hottie McHottie?" James let loose a loud laugh. Francie could help it, she joined in his laughter. "You think I'm a Hottie Mchottie, huh?"

"Stop it, you get my point. Shut up."

"I do, I understand what you're saying. You're right, you could have but I'm pretty sure Kendall can't kick your ass. My money's on you, Shortcake."

"Thank you and, you're right, I could take him. I could take you, too…and don't forget it."

"Again, a turn-on. Are we back to phone sex?"

"You're impossible!"

"Ha-ha, but you love me." Dammit James, don't push her.

"I might." Did I say that? Jeez!

"Really?"

"Jaaames."

"Hey, I'm a patient man. Seriously, I've waited seven years for you. I can wait a bit longer to hear you say you love me but that doesn't mean I'm not going to tell you. I love you, Sweetness."

Francie's heart melted again. "I miss you, Hottie McHottie."

James chuckled, "Oh God, I miss you, too. Alright, I'm gonna let you get some rest, I should do the same. I'll call you later?"

"You'd better."

"Count on it. Bye, Francie."

"Bye, James."