The confrontation!

Hours later Taylor sat by the window, crying. The conversation with Nick had gone very differently than she had wished. At first he had been quite calm and reasonable about his feelings. He had told her how hard it was for him to cope with the fact that he wasn't Jack's father. Taylor found this a perfectly normal and healthy reaction. She encouraged Nick, reassuring him, they would work it out together, he just needed a lot of time and patience with himself. However, when Taylor had dropped the bombshell of who Jack's actual father was, all composure fell off of Nick. He freaked out, scolding Bridget for going along with this stupid idea and cursing his nemesis. Taylor had tried to focus his thoughts on the relevant. It was no use dwelling on why it had happened, but what really matters, how they should deal with it in the future. Nick wanted to know from Taylor if she planned to tell Ridge the truth. Taylor hesitated with her answer, she hadn't thought about this yet.

"To tell the truth I don't know what we should do. I definitely don't want to decide this without you, but if I'm honest, I think he has a right to know as well as Jack has a right to know who his biological father is." Nick was not content with this answer.

"You know what will happen if we tell him, he will be there all the time, meddling in and playing the 'big daddy' for sure."

"I don't think so, I know you two can't stand each other but Ridge is a very reasonable person, we can talk to him and he will surely understand the difficulties of our and especially your situation. He'll back off if we ask him to."

"The Dressmaker and back off? Are you kidding? The situation would be perfect for him to get on me, it's probably pretty convenient for him."

"Nick, could you please put your animosities towards Ridge aside for a second, that's not what our discussion is about right now. First and foremost, it's about the way you and I will handle the situation and deal with this crisis as a family."

"Family? What family? You have another child with Mr. Wannabe designer and I will get the part of the stepfather!" Taylor was deeply hurt by this statement.

"You know very well Nick, I don't see the situation that way, Jack will grow up with us, he will also be your son so as mine, he will experience you as his daddy. Being a parent isn't just about DNA and genes, it's much more, you should know that."

"That's easy for you to say, no matter what he is your son. You don't know what it's like to suddenly be confronted with the fact that the son you wanted so much isn't yours but is practically your nephew. Do you have any idea what that means for me? Imagine, for example, if one day he realizes the truth, Ridge is the great daddy and I'm Uncle Nick?!"

"No of course not, that's exactly what I've been trying to talk to you about all along, we but especially you have to find a way to see Jack as your son. For God's sake, children don't just care who they come from. They see those as parents, who take care of them, love them and spend everyday life with them. The most important thing now for you and Jack is to build a stable and healthy relationship with each other, then surely Jack will eventually be able to deal with the true background of his origins."

"I'd like to hear you talk like this if the situation were reversed. Imagine your reaction if things would have turned out the way that Jack would have been my son and Brooke the biological mother? You're not seriously telling me you wouldn't have any trouble accepting this. Would you really be able to love Jack like your other children? Try to be honest with yourself, could you live with the arrangement that you must share your child with Brooke?" Taylor had to take a deep breath, she was not prepared for this question, but she had to admit, it was a fair question. She thought hard about this scenario, it was such a horror for her she didn't want to picture it even in her worst nightmares.

"Ok I admit that would be an absolute disaster for me, but on the other hand I think I would at least try to deal with it and hopefully with time learn to accept these circumstances. After all, you have to remember, Jack is completely innocent of this situation, he isn't responsible for this whole mess and he shouldn't suffer from it." Nick let out a loud sigh.

"I'm aware of that Taylor, from the rational point of view you are absolutely right and I wish I could just stand here right now and tell you it doesn't matter who Jack is descended from or whose genes he carries, I really wish I could tell you that but it's not that simple. For me, my whole world is falling apart, everything I had dreamed for us, all of a sudden it seems so unattainable. I don't know how we are going to cope with this crap."

After his speech, Nick had left because he had an important meeting. He didn't want to see Jack for even a brief moment. Taylor had the feeling, Nick had already given up on their family and their marriage. She understood him very well on the one hand and she knew he was just trying to be honest but his statements hit her deeply. She was afraid that again her marriage would shatter apart and on top of that she would be alone with a little baby. For hours she just sat there, crying and staring out the window. She didn't know what to feel or think anymore.

Taylor's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Nick had returned. At first Taylor was pleased to see him but her joy quickly changed into panic when she saw Nick's rigid and serious expression.

"I've thought hard about everything and I'll tell you honestly how I see the whole thing. We are married and I want to hold on to our marriage because I still love you very much. Jack is your son and of course I realize I could never force you to choose between me and your son. So what I'm saying is, I'm willing to accept Jack into our life and any decision you make regarding Ridge I guess I have to go along with, but that's all you can expect from me. I'm not in the position right now, and I don't think I ever will be, to truly love Jack like my own son." For Taylor these words were a cold shower.

"What do you mean you're going to accept him into our life, that Jack is practically just tolerated by you, but you don't want anything to do with him, let alone take care of him?! Is that what you're telling me?"

"Taylor, you can't seriously expect me to be the father for this boy and share parental responsibilities with Ridge." Taylor was shocked, she suddenly had the feeling she was standing in front of a complete stranger. Pleading, she tried to soften him up.

"I understand you and you may feel right now like you could never love Jack but please give yourself a while, spend a lot of quality time with Jack in the next few weeks, and you will see the two of you will bond at some point!" Nick suddenly blurted out.

"I don't want to take care of this child, I would prefer not to even have him near me." Taylor looked at him horrified and disappointed, at this moment she knew what she had to do.

"If that's the case, then I don't even want to put that burden on you!"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, if that's your point of view, then I don't see any chance for our marriage and our family anymore!"

"You want to leave me?"

"I don't want to, I was actually fervently hoping and praying it wouldn't come to this end. I thought we would find a way out of this together, but your talking has opened my eyes. I know one for sure, I will not raise my child in a home where he is only tolerated. No child in the world deserves that, then it's all the better for me to move out with Jack and take care of him on my own."

"Please, if that's your decision then we'll go our separate ways from now on." Emotionless, he made his way to the door just before he left the room, he turned around one last time. "You still have Dressmaker as daddy and you don't have to admit it but maybe he's the father you've always secretly wanted for this child." Taylor had had enough. Enraged, she yelled.

"Get out of here! I don't want to see you anymore!"

After Nick left the room, she was left stunned. She couldn't even cry, she was just empty. Deep down, she knew she had made the right decision. Immediately she rushed to the nursery to take Jack back. As she held him in her arms and gently rocked him, she said firmly.

"We'll be fine Jack, we'll figure it all out somehow, even on our own."