The sun was setting, the bright hues of magenta and burnt apricot giving way to the soft glow of the stars. "Well, our little champ is out like a light! I guess today was pretty busy." Jess said, climbing out her bedroom window to join Nick on the fire escape. Her wording "our" sent a coy smile across Nick's lips, Happy that he and Jess shared something so special. Jess handed Nick a beer.

He twisted it open and took a long swig, the rich malt cool and refreshing. "Since when are you a beer girl?'

She chuckled. "Don't worry, I still enjoy my Temple Grandin's. Royce and I took a micro-brewery tour, and I fell in love with this ale." She hoisted her bottle in the air as if to say "cheers".

Royce's name made Nick's nose upturn. He glanced at the sky. "This really is a nice place you got."

Jess smiled. "Yeah I love it. I'm going to miss it when we move."

Nick choked on his beer. "You're moving?"

"Just to Royce's townhouse. It's bigger. . . better. . . "

Nick shook his head. "If I were Royce, I'd move in here in a heartbeat. It's really is nice."

Jess blushed. "It's not as good as the loft."

"There's no crappy Nick Miller fixes here." Nick said, playfully slugging her on the shoulder. "Speaking of the loft, how did Schmidt end up being the one who stayed there?"

"It got a little crowded." Jess swirled the beer around in its bottle, deep in thought. "Josie and I lived there for a while. They helped me a lot when Josie was first born."

Jess's words hit deep in Nick's gut, stealing the breath from his body. "Jess," He croaked, "I wish I would have stayed."

Jess turned away from him, clenching her eyes tight so no tears could escape. She took a deep breath and turned back around. "I don't know why you left, but me and Josie, we're ok. It's ok."

Nick placed his hand on Jess's, contact with her raising his pulse. "It's not."

Jess looked down at Nick's hand, cupping her hand, there fingers falling into old familiar patterns. Their eyes met, saying what their words could not. Nick grasped her chin gently, and pulled her in, bringing her lips to his. His mouth explored hers eagerly, like a weary traveler finally home from a long trip. He slipped his hands through her silky mane, twirling his fingers around handfuls of her brunette strands.

Jess pushed away suddenly, her breath ragged, her cheeks burning crimson red. "What are you doing!?"

Nick shifted his gaze to the ground, not wanting to deal with the harsh reality of his actions.

"I'm engaged!' Jess spat, her face twisted in a shape of hurt and confusion.

Nick couldn't take it anymore, the words spilling out of his mouth. "What do you see in him?!"

Jess stood up, crossing her arms defensively in front of her. "What do I see in him?"

Nick stood up, mere inches away from Jess on the small fire escape. "Jess, he's a douche! Not ha-ha funny douche like Schmidt, but a royal Class A DOUCHE! He's an arrogant, cynical, domineering. . . "

"Don't you dictionary at me Miller!" Jess snapped. "You have no right to say that about him! You don't even know him!"

Nick rubbed his temples with his fingers, a headache quickly forming. "I know enough to know that you deserve better."

Jess chuckled. "Better? I deserve better? What? Someone like you? You're not better Nick." Her words were hard and abrasive, Jess knowing she had to protect herself.

"Jess, you are amazing. You're funny, and smart, and beautiful, and sexy. . . you're. . . if you gave me a chance, I'd "

Jess shook her head, covering her ears with her hands. "No! Nick! Listen to yourself! WE don't work! We don't!"

Nick's jaw was tense, he chewed his bottom lip. " I still feel something between us and I know you do too. So, tell me, why don't you think we would work?"

"BECAUSE YOU LEFT!" Jess screeched, her voice echoing down to the city street below them.

Jess's words hit Nick like a slap in the face. He glowered at her, speechless.

"Nick, look at us! You've not even back two months and we're already screaming at each other. This is why we don't work Nick. Our relationship was always so . . . So . . . explosive. We're like a fire cracker, Sulphuric and combustible. It's fun for a little while but look where that got me. Sure, Royce isn't everyone's cup of tea, but he's. . . Stable. He's safe. Nick he's what I need."

"Stable? He's stable? You're so in love with this man that you're marrying him, and all you can say to describe him is stable? Jess, all I'm saying is you don't have to settle."

"You think I'm settling? Why did you come back Nick? Did you think you could just show up and just whisk me and Josie away? Oh wait, you couldn't think that, because YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT JOSIE!" Jess yelled, Nick almost certain that she would wake Josie.

"I SAID I'M SORRY!" He quipped.

Jess rolled her eyes. "Sorry? Sorry doesn't fix what it feels like to have your baby's first word be "dada", and to know that he would never hear her say it. Sorry won't take back all the sleepless nights Josie lay awake, pondering what tragic accident must have taken you away. Sorry doesn't heal the pain of the girls in Josie's old girl scout troop making fun of her for bringing Schmidt to the father daughter dance. I couldn't even bring myself to tell her about you Nick! I had to lie to my baby girl. Do you know how much it would crush her to learn that her dad was this great, funny, handsome guy, that just walked out on her? It crushed me! Do you know what it was like when you left? I was a ghost! A walking ghost! I didn't sleep for days after you left. I just lay in bed and cried, talking to our unborn child, telling her it would be ok. If it wasn't for Josie. . . "

Nick's brow furrowed. "You knew about Josie before I left?"

Jess's face fell. "I found out the day you left. I was going to tell you that night, but when you came home. . . "

Nick's blood ran cold. He stared at Jess, trying to process this information. "If I knew I would have stayed. Why didn't you tell me?"

Tears slipped down Jess's face. "I wanted you to stay because you wanted to, not because you had to."

Nick sighed, resting in his face in his hands, emotions overtaking him.

Jess wiped away a tear. "I think it's time for you to leave."