Now I freeze. Of course, Jack's heart is so cold, he could freeze up a whole room.

"Jack," Allison clears her throat. "What are you doing here?"

"Is Amy here?" It cannot be denied: That voice is non other than Jack's.

Oh, God; it's true; he's here!

Right when I was truly beginning to forget he ever existed.

Oh crap! Nadir's going to be here soon. This is awful timing!

Ooh, maybe he found my phone! I'll just get it, then get rid of him...for good! With that in mind, I race to the door. Allison yelps when I skid next to her.

"Jack." I keep my voice monotonous. "What are you doing here?" I'm going to keep our dialect small and precise.

Jack enters the apartment, pushing us aside. Allison and I clobber into one another.

"Come on in," Allison grumbles.

I keep quiet. Jack looks around the apartment, putting a skip to his step.

"What's got you in a good mood?" I ask (so much for keeping it precise. I'll go for vindictive instead). "Oh wait, last night, right?"

Jack turns around and grins. "Maybe, my little fireball."

I glare at him. "I'm not your little fireball. I'm no one's little fireball."

Jack reaches for a cupcake "Good, then you're still single."

"Don't!" I reach forward, slapping his hand away. "Those are for a special guest that's coming soon."

"'Special guest'?" Jack repeats. "Special as in a date?"

"Yes."

"For you?"

"No, for Allison. Do you have my phone?" I abruptly intercede. Lets get him the hell out of here.

Oh, Lord… A scary thought comes into my head. What if Nadir comes early and reveals his line of work, or mentions something about the baby? Then Jack will know for sure and will never let me go! I need to get him out of here!

My palms start to sweat.

"Your phone? No," Jack says, sitting on the couch.

I inwardly groan. "Then go."

"No. I still need to convince you to come back to me."

"After what you did to me? No way, you'll just hurt me again. Now go. Nadir will be here soon." I grab his shoulder and try to pick him up. "Don't make me kick you," I threaten.

Jack chuckles. "Still got that fire in you, huh, little fireball." Jack rustles my hair which makes me pissed beyond words.

Allison can see my growing tension and rushes to my rescue. "Jack, could you please leave? You can come back again another time."

I snap my head towards Allison. Traitor!

Allison winces. "Sorry," she mouths.

"I don't have any free time for the next three days or so."

"Thank God. Now get up." I try to lift him again.

It's useless. He's like a two hundred pound rag doll.

A knock comes from the door. "Hello?"

I tense, not wanting to look back. Don't be Nadir. Don't be Nadir. Please, do not let it be Nadir.

"Nadir!" Allison almost squeals.

My eyes close. Damn.

I force a fake smile, turning around to greet him. As soon as I see him, that fake smile becomes real. He's just so enjoyable. And he looks nice-simple, but nice. He's wearing a gray sweater with blue jeans. And he has flowers. Daisies, to be exact.

Allison rushes towards him with a big smile. Once his eyes land on her, his smile becomes twice as wide and bright.

"Sorry for being a little late, there was traffic, and I couldn't call because I was driving." Nadir hands Allison her flowers. She takes them, a red blush overtaking her cheeks.

Someone who respects the rules...add another point to my approve list.

"It's fine," she says. "Let me put these in water." Allison walks into the kitchen. She still has her nose buried in the flowers.

Nadir watches her leave, then he turns to face me. "Hey, there, Ms. Stein."

"Hey there, Doc-Mr. Nadir Khan." That was close. I almost called him 'doctor' in front of Jack.

Nadir gives me a strange look before inviting me in for a hug. I take it happily.

Jack, however, takes it differently. "Amy..." His voice is filled with dark possession. There is nothing pure about his possession. I never once saw how formidable a person Jack could be.

Nadir lets go and looks behind me. I try hard not to cringe.

"Hello." Nadir steps towards Jack, bringing out his hand. "Nadir Khan."

"Jack." And he leaves it at that. I roll my eyes, my innards in turmoil. I forbid myself to ever see Jack as a respectable guy again.

"So, you're Allison's date, huh?" Jack asks.

I smack a hand to my forehead. Nadir's cheeks turn a slight pink color.

"Well, yeah, you can say that." Nadir sits down on the couch next to Jack. "And you are?"

Jack smiles snidely. "Amy's fiancee."

In the kitchen, something clangs loudly. I think Allison dropped something.

My eyes widen to their maximum; they could probably pop out of my head. Fiancee!? He could've said boyfriend, which is bad enough, but fiancee?!

Nadir looks as shocked as I feel. "F-fiancee? Wow. But, A-Amy-"

"Nadir, do you want some tea?" I take his arm, tugging him up and dragging him to the kitchen. "Yes, you do-" I continue, "-we have lots of them!"

"I'll have a beer," Jack yells out.

"Uuuuuhhhh..." I whine.

We rush into the kitchen. Allison is kneeling on the ground, picking up a small pan.

"That jerk!" she whispers harshly. "That...ego-maniac!"

I go over to the table, leaning myself against it, needing the support. I feel a bit light-headed. What am I going to do?

Poor Nadir is just standing there. He scratches his head. "I'm so confused. Amy," he walks over to me, "you okay? You look a little green."

Allison places a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Amy. We'll take care of you."

"What's going on?" Nadir asks.

Grimacing, I turn to him. I let out a slow breath. "Allison, can you get some tea made?" She nods, getting to work. "See any tea you might like?" I ask Nadir.

Nadir looks at each before deciding. "I think the Earl Gray sounds nice."

Allison starts on his first.

"Okay, Nadir," I say. "I'm sure you noticed that I haven't marked anything on the paper work about the father and whether he'll be with me or not during the pregnancy." I remember that day clearly. I asked Rebecca if there was a 'maybe' column because I wasn't sure if Jack would be there for me.

Nadir nods.

"Well, on that day when I called to make the appointment, I was going to tell Jack, my then-boyfriend. But on that night, I discovered something I wish I didn't see." Nadir's eyes widen. So I guess he understands what I'm hinting at.

"But it was something you needed to know," Allison adds. "And kind of already did."

I raise an eyebrow. True. "I won't give all the details. Lets just say he kicked me out and now we are broken up. Except now he wants me back." And he's pinning for me, basically. Like a lost pupa-it's sad.

"Okay." Nadir nods. "Does he know about the baby?"

I shake my head. "No. And I'd like to keep it that way," I say pointedly.

"Got it."

"Okay. Ready to go out, again?" I sigh. Out to the battlefield.

"Actually, I was going to help Allison make some tea..."

Allison beams, then turns away quickly after seeing my face.

I give him a glare that says, You're really going to leave me out there alone? With him!?

Nadir shifts on his feet, uncomfortable. He runs a hand over his chin. "Of course, I can do that some other time," he smoothly changes.

Good choice.

Sighing, I grab a beer from the fridge.

"Why are you giving him a drink?" Allison asks, agitated.

I shrug. "Just because he's a butt doesn't mean we have to be."

"Oh, he gives us full reign to be more than just a butt, Amy."

I choose to ignore that. Nadir smirks, obviously liking Allison's comment.

With Nadir right behind me, we walk into the living room again. Jack is eating, what appears to be, his second cupcake.

I can't believe this is the man I used to date.

"Allison's making tea for us, but here's your beer." I hand it to him, walking past him to sit down on a different seat.

"Thanks, fireball." He takes the beer.

As I pass him, I feel his hand smack my butt. Hard.

Pretending it didn't affect me (although it really did-I want to cry), I sit down on the couch. I pray Nadir didn't see that. But he did. Nadir was about to sit down, but stops mid-fall. His face is motionless as it passes between Jack's (who's taking his first sip of beer, looking unaffected) and me, who looks disturbed. Tears come into my eyes. I blink them fast and hard to hold them back.

Nadir's face is not happy.

I look at the cupcakes, then at him. "Please, have a cupcake."

Nadir gives me a reassuring smile. "Be happy to." He takes one. "Ooh. Looks good." He takes a bite. "Mmm. Tastes even better!"

I smile, touched at his genuine tone.

"Tea's here." Allison puts the tray on the table. She hands Nadir his tea, then mine, then picks up hers. She sits in the seat nearest to Nadir.

They look so cute together!

"My God, what is this?" Jack looks disgusted, wrinkling his nose at the China tea set. "All pink and flowers-this is a freaking princess tea party! This isn't for us men!"

Jack...I will f-ing kill you.

Nadir clears his throat. "I like it. Very elegant and pretty. I feel like I'm living in royalty." Nadir sips his tea, leaving the pinky finger up...on purpose, too!

Jack sneers at him.

Allison gives a proud smile that clearly says, Yep, I'm dating this brave man.

I turn to the side and giggle. Okay, enough counting points. He's definitely staying.

The four of us talk for the next hour. Actually, Allison and Nadir talk while Jack stares at the wall and drinks his beer. I take up the same activity as Jack, except I stare at the TV, listening to the music that is softly playing in the background.

Allison's laughter brings me out of my day-dreamy state.

"Oh, Nadir!" She laughs some more. A tear sneaks out underneath her lash. "That's hysterical!"

Nadir's laughing along with her. "The best part is that she doesn't even know it yet."

They laugh harder.

I have no clue what they're talking about.

The laughter dies down. "Well, I must be going. Have to be at work by two."

"On a Saturday?" Allison asks.

Nadir sighs. "Yes..sadly. There are a lot of preg-people-" Nadir quickly changes, "-that need to be cared after."

Phew! For a second there, I thought he was actually going to say the word 'pregnant'. Then I really would be in trouble. I don't think Jack noticed, though. We've somehow been able to avoid that topic entirely. One time, Jack asked Nadir what he did for a living, and Nadir simply replied that he was a doctor.

"I see," Allison says. "I hope...we can do this again?"

Way to go, Allison!

"I hope that, too." Nadir digs out his wallet and takes out his business card. "My personal cell-phone number is on there. Call me anytime."

Allison looks at it with goo-goo eyes.

"At least let me help with the dishes before I leave." Nadir takes the tray full of tea cups, carrying them to the kitchen.

Allison panics, trying to stop him. "Oh no, let me." She tries to take the tray.

"No, forget it! I got it!"

They babble all the way to the kitchen. So adorable.

"Oh, washing dishes...that's a woman's job," Jack groans.

I sneer at him. "Nadir's just a real man, Jack."

Jack snarls back. "I'm man enough!"

I sigh. "Time for you to go, Jack."

"Not until you become my girlfriend again."

I throw my hands in the air, exasperated. I give up! "Why do you want me back so badly, Jack?!" All this frustration needs to be released.

Jack stands up, full of rage. "Because you need me, Ames! Admit that!"

"I don't need you for shit!" I screech out.

The kitchen door slams open as Nadir and Allison race out, giving us worried looks.

Jack points a finger at Nadir. "What kind of a doctor is he, Amy?!"

I suck in a breath. "W-what? He's a doctor."

Jack ferociously shakes his head. He takes a threatening step towards me. I back away, terrified. The past is beginning to haunt me again.

"What kind of doctor?" Jack growls.

I'm speechless. Why is he asking that? It sounds like as if he knows. But he can't! He can't possibly know. Jack's just being Jack!

"Hello?" The voice comes from the doorway.

Goosebumps and chills travel throughout my entire body. And the fire I recently felt, returns. I know that voice like I know my own soul.

Erik.

I turn around.

There he is. Butterflies enter my stomach, begging to come out

Erik stands there awkwardly. His music book in hand. "The door was already open..."

Music lessons! I forgot! Again...

Guilt surges through me. At that moment, Erik looks into my eyes.

I smile, my worries leaving me. My voice becomes gentle. "Yes, come in."

Erik smiles softly at me, a light twinkle in his eye.

That's strange. Usually his eyes don't give away anything but despair.

Erik enters and shuts the door.

"Erik!?" I hear Nadir cry out.

My body freezes. What?

Erik spins around to face him. "Nadir?"

Wait...they know each other?

Nadir's surprised face turns happy. He walks over to Erik with a smile. "Erik, my old friend." Nadir wraps his arms around Erik, giving him a hug. Erik returns it, though not as enthusiastically.

'Friend'? I repeat. Hugs? They know each other...like this-well enough to touch?

I look at the position I'm in: Erik's here, he can find out about the baby, so can Jack. Erik can learn about Jack being my ex-boyfriend, and about him trying to get me back. Jack can try to intimidate or hurt Erik...

Oh, this can turn into one huge, honking mess!

Someone...help...