He hesitated, standing in front of the door with the apartment key in his hand. Eric was reluctant to open the door. He didn't want to face Jack or Rachel. He took a deep breath and blew it out forcefully and reached forward to unlock the door. As he slowly turned the key in the lock, the doorknob and keys rushed forward out of his hands as Rachel threw open the door. She stood in the open doorway and looked at Eric expectantly.

"'Bout time... we need to have a chat, Eric." He stared after her, stunned. She twirled around and resumed pacing from the kitchen to the living room, her knee-high boots clicking on the wood floor as she stepped. He finally stepped into the room and set his keys on top of the television. Rachel stood right in front of him, Eric helplessly looked up at her and waited. He wondered how she was going to react, with a slap? a kick? a punch?

"Rachel, I..." Eric began and was cut off when she grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head down toward his left shoulder. She leaned in and sniffed the side of his face and moved slowly down his neck. She kept sniffing, moving down his chest and then let go of him.

"What the hell was that about???"

"I can smell him on you... I knew it!" Rachel began pacing again, "Sit down, Eric."

"Rachel-"

"SIT DOWN!" Eric quickly complied and sat down on the couch. He had never seen her so upset. He wondered where Jack was.

"Now, I can accept the fact that you're gay..."

"What!? How did you..."

"Let me finish." Rachel barked sternly. She gritted her teeth and continued pacing. "I can accept the fact that you and Jack have been or are currently messing around, chalk it up to experimentation or whatever."

Rachel stopped and stared into Eric's eyes with a narrow look, "But I CAN NOT deal with lies and secrets! I WILL NOT sit around and pretend that you two have something going on behind my back... not to mention poor Marshall." She folded her arms and glared. "Do you know how much Marshall likes you? A lot. I don't know what kind of game you and Jack are playing, but I guarantee that if you hurt me or Marshall, you'll both be sorry." Rachel grabbed her purse and coat and stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.

Eric sat there staring at the closed door in astonishment. He felt like he HAD been punched in the stomach. His eyes moistened and he felt a frustration and a hurt that he hadn't felt in a long time. His head spun with so many incoherent and random thoughts that he finally slumped over, lying on his back staring at the ceiling. Afraid of falling asleep on the couch, he staggered to the bedroom. He found Jack's bed empty, light snoring from his own bed. Eric wondered for a moment why Jack wasn't in his own bed and dismissed it as quickly as the thought had occurred. He laid down in Jack's bed and fell asleep.

**********************************************

As mid-morning approached, Eric lazily opened his eyes. He felt something resting on his chest and looked over. Jack was lying next to him, his hand draped across Eric's bare chest. Eric realized that they both were wearing only boxers. Eric panicked. He couldn't remember Jack getting into bed with him last night.

"Jack... Jack..." Eric whispered urgently.

"Mmm?" Jack didn't open his eyes, lying there facing Eric.

"Did we...uh... do anything last night?" Eric held his breath in anticipation of the answer.

"Mm hmm... at the restaurant, remember?" Jack mumbled from his pillow.

"No, I meant after that..."

"What?" Jack raised his head and cocked it to look at Eric.

"When I went to bed last night, I had a shirt and pants on, and you weren't laying right there."

"Eric, nothing happened. You were asleep when I woke up last night, so I took your shirt and pants off and I laid down next to you and fell asleep." Jack stretched and yawned, putting an arm around Eric's chest and pulling him close. Eric didn't move. He had no clue what to do.

"You know, I've realized something. I'm madly and desperately in love with you." Jack smiled and looked up into Eric's eyes.

"You – you are?"

"Uh huh. That's what last night taught me. You were right about me. I was hiding, or in denial or whatever I was. I used Rachel as a front, and I'm not proud of that. She's smarter than I gave her credit for, and so are you. I owe you an apology." Eric began to panic inside. Rachel's words echoed in his mind.

"We can't just dump Rachel and Marshall like that and expect them to understand or be happy for us. Look at what jerks we'd be." Eric reasoned. Jack sat up, tears filled his eyes.

"What are you saying? That's it? 'Sorry, Jack, too little too late,'?" Eric sat up and hugged Jack tightly. Eric tried to think of an answer.

"I don't know. I know we can't just walk away from the situation that we both created." Jack frowned at Eric's response.

"I won't share you, Eric."

"That's not your choice to make. Besides, I've been sharing you and it hasn't bothered you until now." Eric stood up and walked to the window and looked down at the street.

"And I really like Marshall. I see something in him... something special."

Jack cringed. "So you aren't in love with me anymore, is that it? I'm not 'special' enough for you? Or are you saying that I never was... your such a hypocrite." Eric spun around in shock.

"Me?! I'm the hypocrite?! I don't have to listen to this," Eric spat. He grabbed a shirt and some pants and hastily put them on before storming out of the bedroom and out of the apartment, leaving Jack alone. Jack lay back down on the bed and sobbed quietly into Eric's pillow.

**********************************************

Eric walked to the corner and rounded it, circling the block. Mumbling aloud, he pondered his options. If he took Jack back, it would hurt both Rachel and Marshall. If he continued to date Marshall, it would destroy Jack, especially after the recent, albeit heartfelt, confession.

Eric continued around the block several times. On the last pass, Jack stepped outside, on his way to see Rachel when he glimpsed Eric walking down the street. He chased after him, calling his name.

Eric heard his name and spun around. It only took a moment before he registered whom it was calling him. At that moment, a fast-peddling bicyclist whizzed by Eric, almost hitting him. The woman on the bike reacted from almost hitting Eric, swerving all over the sidewalk. Jack attempted to jump out of her way, but she inadvertently plowed right into him. Jack stumbled and fell backward onto a fire hydrant. The bicyclist wrecked her ten-speed into a parked car. Eric ran to see if Jack was all right. Jack lay there moaning, a cut on his forehead beginning to bleed. Eric checked to see if the girl was okay. She lay there, out cold. Her helmet was a bit scratched up, but she seemed unharmed. Eric ran back to Jack, screaming to passersby to call for help.

**********************************************

Jack was awake when Eric entered the hospital room. He smiled, happy to see Eric. Eric returned the warm reception with a grin of his own.

"How're ya feelin'?"

"Like I was hit by a ten-speed..."

"The girl that hit you got away with a sprained wrist and a few scratches and bruises. I think it's safe to say that you got the worst of it."

"Always the optimistic one..." Jack reached over and grabbed Eric's hand. Eric took it, squeezing it briefly and then dropped it. Jack's eyes met with Eric's. Eric looked away.

"So we stopped by to see how you were feeling and..."

"...we...?"

Eric turned around and a figure approached the bed. Jack's expression turned sour and his gaze moved to the ceiling above him. His eyes watered briefly.

"I hope you recover quickly, Jack. You look good. We hear the it's not that bad..."

Jack glared at Marshall, standing at the foot of his bed, behind Eric. "Oh really? And how did you hear that? Do you have another uncle that works here at the hospital?"

"Maybe I should wait outside for you, Eric." Marshall and Eric's eyes met, both apologizing to one another. Jack watched Marshall leave before turning on Eric.

"So, I see you've been keeping busy. Glad I could be out of commission long enough for the two of you to get better acquainted..."

"That's not fair and you know it," Eric defended. They both were silent for a moment. "Look, this isn't the time or place to be talking about this. I'm relieved that the paralysis is temporary."

Jack wiped a tear from his eye, "Yeah, well they told me the physical therapy on my legs would be painful as hell and really hard. I'm lucky my spinal cord didn't suffer permanent damage. I'm sorry for being upset with you, Eric. I just want you to be happy." Another tear streamed down Jack's cheek. Eric looked away, on the verge of tears himself.

"Well I better get going. If you need anything, call me. I'll come by tomorrow to keep you company." Eric turned to leave the room.

"Eric." Jack hesitated. "Thanks... for coming to see me. Tell Marshall I said I'm sorry and thank him too." Eric nodded in agreement and walked out. Jack laid there, with a hand covering his face, sobbing quietly, alone in his room.

*** *** ***

Sorry the update took so long! I was super busy and had some writer's block to go along with it! Hope you like.