Jack was still reeling from the fact that after all this time he and Erica had made love again. What the hell was he thinking? "What the hell was she thinking for that matter. She is the one with another fiance' right. I am still single and still in love with her. I told her once that she was the only woman for me did she think I would just forget her? Not possible because believe me I have tried time and time again. What now though, I need to make this right. I need to let her know that I don't expect anything from her that I know this was a one time thing and it won't ever happen again." This kept going through Jack's mind the whole drive over to Enchantment and all the way to Erica's office. Jack stopped at the reception desk but Val was no where around as usual but then it was way after quitting time so he wasn't surprised that the building was almost deserted but he knew Erica was there because Bianca had told him so during dinner. That was the reason he came here tonight, after dinner with Bianca and listening to her wonder what was wrong with mom for the past 2 weeks. Why she was always daydreaming and working half the night, why Erica and Chris where taking time away from each other and why Erica looked lonelier than she ever had before. That one was the final straw for Jack. He had to see her and make sure she was ok, that she wasn't drowning in guilt over what happened between them.
Jack could here the music playing but couldn't make out the words to the song but when he got to the door he could see Erica sitting there at her desk looking at a picture of something with tears running down her cheeks. Jack wasn't sure whether to knock or just go in when the words to what she was listening to hit him as hard as if someone had punched him in the gut. It was that song that had always reminded him of Erica, the one they dance together to right before they made love 2 weeks ago. He had told her that night that song made him think of their relationship and always made him want to drop what he was doing where ever he happened to be in life and take a moment to think of what should have been.
""On a prayer, in a song, I hear your voice and it keeps me hanging on, reaching out against the wind, I'm reaching out till we reach the circles end, when you come back to me again."
"Erica" Jack said her name as he opened the door. Erica jumped up dropping the picture turning from him to wipe her face "oh Jack I didn't hear you come in" Erica said still facing the window. Jack bent and picked up the picture Erica dropped before she could take it from him he turned it over and got his second shock of the night. It was an old photo of them from way back when he proposed to her on the runway of her show. "Good or bad thoughts of then huh?" Jack asked her. Erica turned to look at him "Always good Jack, you know that." Erica was trying hard to play off the scene Jack had walked in on but Jack wasn't about to let it go so easy. "What about right now?" Jack asked. "What do you mean Jack?" Erica said with a sigh still trying to regain control of her emotions. "I mean what I walked in on just now, where they good thoughts or bad?" Jack asked taking her chin in his hand so she had to look at him. "Oh Jack" Erica said in a whisper "I don't know anymore. I can't remember the last time I have felt so alone and out in the cold" and before she could say anything else she was safely in Jacks arms and somewhere inside everything felt right. That was the feeling she hadn't been able to shake for the past two weeks.
"Don't you know that you are never alone? I am always here for you." Jack said softly still holding her close. "Does this have anything to do with the things that where said and done between us the other night?" Jack asked her pulling her away so he could judge her expressions. "Well it does Jack yes." Erica was saying when Jack cut in "Erica look I was upset about Lily and I needed a friend and like always there you where." "Well Jack when I heard that Lily was so sick I wanted to be there if you needed me so I went. You know me ever impulsive." Erica smiled at him trying to lighten the moment. Jack chuckled at that "Yes Erica that you are but what I mean is You where there for me and I think I may have been a little to needy and way to out of line and I am sorry." Jack said sheepishly. Erica grinned knowing full well Jack felt as though he had taken advantage of her that night. "Why Jackson, haven't you learn anything about me yet? I don't give anything to anyone if I don't want to. People don't take things from me and people don't take advantage of me either." Erica said grinning to herself knowing full well she was making Jack squirm "I know full well how Erica Kane works and I do know that no-one can take advantage of you unless you let them, but" Erica didn't let him finish "Jack looked I accepted a long time ago this thing you and I share and that thing is when either of us are at a low point and we need someone to lean on, we end up together. That just how it is for us Jack." " Do you want a drink Jackson?" Erica turned towards the mini bar changing the subject. "Sure" Jack said but clearly wasn't going to let it go.
Erica handed Jack a brandy and looked him right in the eyes took a deep breath and let her heart speak for the first time to this man in 4 1/2 years "Look Jack, What happened between us is that You and I together, knowingly and willingly, made love to each other. No-one was taken advantage of no-one was used, we did what we have always done for each other, be there." "But Erica you and Chris are getting married." Jack said trying to figure what Erica was really thinking here. "Chris and I are over Jack we have been over for a long time now." Erica said to him and looking in her eyes he knew she meant that. Bianca had made a few comments to him but he had always tried to avoid the subject of them. Erica saw the wheels turning in Jack brain and thought she better clarify things "Not because of what happened with you but because it's what I wanted and needed."
For some reason Jack felt his heart beating faster than normal "Was this their time? Could it be they had a chance to get things right after all?" these questions where flowing through Jacks head. "So then let me just ask you Erica, what was it between us really? Was it just two old souls coming together in a time of need or was it this burning flame that is always there just under the surface?" with that Jack to Erica in his arms and kissed with all of the passion he had always felt for her. Erica pulled away first "Oh Jack, what are we doing? why now? This thing that is always between us seems to choose the oddest times to show itself." Erica said turning from him. "What I keep asking myself is why does this thing between us always come back? I mean I had finally stopped thinking about you like this" "Oh well then good for you Jack" Erica said putting that camera face back on. "Wait and let me finish, what I am trying to say is I can finally be with you and not think about all of the times we made love. I could look at you and not imagine you in my arms, "Oh well and now?" Erica said smiling at him "Well now I look and I want to take you in my arms and make love to you all over again." Jack said as he walked right up to her and pulled her up to him. "Oh Jackson, make love to me now. Please" and instantly she was up in Jacks arms and everything was crashing from the top of Erica's desk. Jack laid Erica gently across the desk and kissed her softly looking into her eyes Jack said "I love you Erica Kane and this time lady no-one is walking away." and suddenly there hands were everywhere and neither of them could get enough of each other. "This time Jackson." Erica said taking Jack's face in her hands "This time is forever." and they made love to each other so completely knowing that they had a lifetime together.