Disclaimer: I own nothing Degrassi, except for my own ideas...

Dinner wasn't all that bad. Jase continued to fawn all over Jay, his adoration obvious to everyone sitting at the table. Spike thought it was great, almost like Jase instinctively knew that Jay was his father without ever having to be told. Jack liked the idea of Jay being around because, 'No one around here digs Superman'. Snake would probably be a little more cynical, unable to truly believe that Jay would ever be the 'fatherly' type. But, lucky for everyone there, Snake was not. Emma was too filled with fear to even take it all in. Her secrets were one-by-one coming unravelled right before her eyes and if things didn't get resolved soon, Emma stood to lose everything that was dear to her.

"I don't know, Em," Spike noted, scrubbing the lasagna pan in her hands. "Jay seems ecstatic about the idea of Jase being his. He was hanging on Jase's every word at supper. Maybe giving him the chance to be in Jase's life isn't such a bad thing after all."

Emma rolled her eyes, stepping away from the sink as she dried a plate, to peek in on Jay and Jase in the living room. They were wrestling on the floor, with Jack as referee, just itching to get into the action himself. Emma sighed and stepped back to the sink.

"It's easy to think you can be a parent when things are fun. But Jay doesn't strike me as the type to be in it for the long haul," Emma explained. She shook her head. "What am I saying? It doesn't matter what kind of a father Jay could be, because he's never going to get the chance to find out. Jase already has someone who's ready and willing and dependable, who's just dying to be his dad."

Spike looked at Emma and smiled. "Honey, you know that I love Jimmy and think he'd be a great dad for Jase. It's amazing that Jimmy's willing to adopt Jase and raise him as his own. Not many men would do that. But still, Jimmy can't take the place of Jase's real father."

"Being a father is about more than DNA. Jimmy's been there through every step."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Jay might have been too...if you'd given him the chance."

Emma dropped her dish towel, leaving the drying and the kitchen, to head into the living room and break up the chaos taking place there. Really she just wanted to escape from her mother's sensible arguments. She couldn't fight her way out of the truth and the truth was that Emma had purposely kept Jay out of Jase's life.

Emma found Jay with Jase under one arm and Jack under the other. All three were laughing, but Jase's excitement could be heard over everyone. Emma leaned against the wall, quietly observing the three. Jase was having so much fun and Emma suddenly realized that her son had missed out on the whole rough-housing thing. Moms just don't do it quite like dads, and with Jimmy's disability, getting down on the floor to wrestle was just not an option.

"Okay you guys!" Emma called above the noise. "Jase, it's time to get ready for your bath. Jack, would you take Jase upstairs and help him pick out some jammies?"

Jack nodded. Jase pouted. "Mommy? Can Jay come back tomorrow?"

All three boys looked hopefully up at Emma. She shrugged, not wanting to break any promises to Jase. "We'll see. Now say goodbye to Jay and upstairs you go. I'll be up in a few minutes."

Emma watched, her heart feeling light, as Jase went over to Jay and threw his arms around a stunned Jay's neck. Small children have a way of putting aside their inhibitions and revealing the most tender of emotions. The unabashed hug that Jase bestowed upon Jay told everyone just how much the small boy liked his newfound friend. Jay took hold of the small figure and hugged him with everything he had. When they separated, Jase smiled at Jay and skipped up the stairs with Jack following behind.

Jay got to his feet, still looking at the stairs, even though Jase had already disappeared out of sight. "He's an amazing kid, Em. You've done a real great job."

Emma walked into the living room, returning Jay's smile. She sat down on the edge of the sofa and explained, "He has his moments. You haven't seen his stubborn side."

Jay joined Emma on the couch and smirked. "That runs in the Hogart family. I mean it, Emma, he's really a great kid. So smart and funny. He cracks me up! I know that it must have been hard doing it on your own, but you have done a super job. You should be really proud!"

"I actually am. He's my greatest accomplishment. I just hope that he's going to be okay," she said, letting her voice trail off.

Jay placed his hand over Emma's. She was touched by his caring and allowed his hand to rest over hers for what was probably longer than appropriate. The silence in the room became unbearable, but neither Jay nor Emma knew what to say.

In the end, it was Jay who finally broke the silence. "I'd give everything I have to be a match for him. I mean that."

It was Emma who chose to comfort Jay this time. With tears in her eyes, Emma placed a hand on Jay's shoulder. He looked at Emma, with a vulnerability that shook her to her very core. And then both were leaning toward each other, allowing their lips to indulge in a tender reunion too long in the making.

Emma suddenly pulled away and got to her feet. "You should go."

Jay stood as well, rubbing a thumb over his bottom lip. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Please don't think..."

"I don't," Emma interrupted, heading out of the room, toward the entrance.

Jay took the hint and opened the door. He turned back to Emma and asked, "You'll let me know as soon as the hospital calls?"

Emma nodded. "Of course, but you know, the hospital will call you."

"I know. I just... Please call me, okay?" he asked, almost begging Emma for the small courtesy.

"I promise. We should hear something tomorrow."

Jay took a deep breath. "If, um, if I'm not, I'll call my family."

Emma didn't know a lot about Jay's family, but he had told her a bit. She knew that his real mother had died and his father, now remarried for a third or fourth time, was not a part of Jay's life. For him to volunteer to have his family tested, having not only to speak to a man he had avoided for years, but also to reveal the truth about Jase, was something Emma felt proud of Jay for offering to do.

"You'd do that?" Emma asked.

Jay nodded his head. "I'd do it if it meant a chance to help my son."

Emma knew that Jay was sounding more and more into the idea of being a father, but she allowed him this one slip, knowing that it was coming from a good place.

They said their quick goodbyes, avoiding any type of physical contact, and separated with the promise to talk soon. Emma shut the door and leaned back against it. Of everything chaotic going on in her life, Emma's mind was stuck on that kiss between her and Jay. She gingerly touched her lips, remembering the feel of Jay's lips on hers just moments before. They had always had the kind of chemistry that made simple things like stolen kisses seem like a full session of love making. And some things, especially the best of things, never change...

And we all know that kisses between old flames aren't so easily forgotten...