A/N: Happy New Year! So, I broke my streak of updating every day… I've been really insanely busy with work and these last few days it's caught up with me and, well, I've been exhausted by the time I get home. I finally get a couple days off now, so expect a few updates between now and Friday. This chapter is kind of filler; I'm mostly trying to spread time out so I'm not skipping too much. Anyways, please read and review! Thanks!

…

"Jackie!"

Jackie groaned and rolled over, turning her head so she faced the digital clock on her nightstand. It read eleven thirty-seven. Why the hell would Mrs. Forman be waking her up right now? She didn't have another doctor's appointment for two weeks, and she was now fifteen weeks into her pregnancy; she needed her rest, no matter how late it was.

Three rapid knocks were heard on her door.

"What is it, Mrs. Forman?" Jackie asked, trying not to sound too cranky.

Kitty cracked the door open and peeked in. "There's someone on the phone for you," she said softly, her voice serious.

Jackie abruptly sat up. Who would be calling her right now?

Oh, God. It had to be Nate.

Fuming, Jackie picked up the receiver, eager to tell off the man who had abandoned her nearly three months prior.

"Yeah?"

"Jackie, sweetie." Pam Burkhart's voice was gentle and Jackie sat in shock for a moment, unsure what to say to her mother.

"Mom… why are you calling?" Jackie finally inquired. "How did you even know I was here?"

"Well, to be honest, Kitty Forman called me," Pam admitted. "She thought I should know exactly what was going on in your life right now."

Jackie was stunned. Kitty had gone behind her back and called her mother, of all people.

"Okay, so what?" Jackie asked. "Do you even care? It's not like you're going to come back."

"Now, how can you say that?" Pam asked, sounding offended. "Of course, I care… and I would come back if… well, if I was able to."

"And what's stopping you, exactly?" Jackie asked, irritated.

"Well…" Pam stopped nervously for a moment. "Funds, for one."

"So you're telling me you don't have a rich boyfriend?" Her mood swings were still in full-force, and the bitchiness was very evident in her voice.

"Honey," Pam responded calmly. She cleared her throat. "Okay, to be frank, our family still owes quite a bit of money to the government and the house and all of our possessions didn't cover it." She sighed, and Jackie could just picture her mother fiddling with her long hair, deep in thought. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to cross the border without getting caught, Jackie."

"Isn't that Daddy's problem, not yours?" Jackie asked.

"Technically, no," Pam admitted. "We're married, and… well, it has become my problem." She paused. "I would be more than happy to have Pablo buy you a plane ticket so you can come visit, and—"

"No, Mom, hold on," Jackie stated. "So… are you saying you're never coming back?"

Pam was silent.

"Mom… please, say something," Jackie pleaded, now becoming emotional.

"Well… of course I'll come back," Pam assured her, but Jackie could sense the ingenuity in her voice. "It just… it's going to take some time."

Jackie's lip began to tremble. "When is Daddy getting out?"

"The judges said ten years," Pam said, her voice solemn.

Tears began streaming down Jackie's face.

"But, sweetie, they never keep them in that long," Pam assured her. "Between your father's connections and his good behavior, I'd say four more years… probably."

Jackie was freely crying now, but there was no way she was going to let her mother know that.

"Okay," Jackie mumbled, trying to keep her voice under control. "So… what was the point of all of this?"

"Point of what?" Pam asked.

"This phone call!" Jackie snapped. "Why did you even need to talk with me?"

Pam softly exhaled into the phone. "Because I love you, Jackie… and if you really are… pregnant… I just want you to know I understand, and I'm here for you." She paused. "I know how hard it is to let your body change like that. God knows that's why I never opted to do it a second time."

Jackie snorted. It's true that that was something Jackie had been concerned about, but for God's sake, shouldn't her mother offer more than just that?

"Okay," Jackie responded, no longer interested in arguing. She mostly just wanted to get off the phone as quickly as possible.

"The father really up and left?" Pam inquired.

"Yes," Jackie said flatly. "But… I'm seeing someone now; someone who is willing to take care of me and my child."

Pam took a moment to process the information. "Well, that's awful lucky. I'm happy for you, Jackie. You're going to do just great."

"Yeah… thanks." Jackie sighed heavily and heard a knock on her door. She knew by the knock that it had to be Eric. "Listen, I… have to get ready for a doctor's appointment."

"Okay, sweetie," Pam replied. "I love you, okay?"

"Love you, too." Jackie hung up the phone. "You know you don't exactly have to knock anymore."

Eric entered the room, shutting the door behind him. "Sorry, it just got ingrained into my head after that one time," he admitted, cracking a smile. He joined her on the bed. "I heard your mom called."

"No," Jackie scoffed, "Your mom called her and told her to talk to me."

"Oh." Eric grabbed her hand and held it between both of his. "I'm sorry… she shouldn't be doing things like that."

"No… it's okay," Jackie admitted, to both Eric and herself. "It's only because she cares." She sniffed. "At least someone does."

"Hey, hey." Eric set her hand down and enveloped her in his arms. "I care… you know I care."

"Of course I know that you care," Jackie stated. "Your whole family does, and that's… that's amazing. I just wish that my family cared." She began to weep. "My mom… she's never coming back."

"She said that?" Eric asked in disbelief.

"She didn't have to," Jackie replied, stifling a sob. "Although she pretty much did." She curled up on the bed and pushed Eric back with her so she could snuggle into him. "My baby is never going to know its grandparents."

Eric tightly squeezed her shoulder with his arm that was wrapped around her as he stared at the ceiling, unsure of what he could say to make her feel better. Her family was seriously horrible, and he knew that if it weren't for him and his family, she would be completely alone.

"Don't leave me, Eric," she whispered, as though she could read his mind. She buried her face in his chest, her tears dampening his shirt.

"I'm not going to," he firmly responded.

She cried for a few more minutes and he consoled her by gently rubbing her back.

Finally, she pulled away from him and rolled onto her back, thinking hard.

"I'm not gonna be a bad parent," she stated. "I'm gonna support this kid, and be there for it no matter what." She placed a hand on her small baby bump. "I won't ever abandon it… not even if it's ugly, which it couldn't be anyway because it's mine."

A small smile appeared on Eric's face, as he remained laying beside her. Sometimes he forgot how self-absorbed Jackie could be, but occasionally she offered him a tiny peek by saying something not unlike the words she had just spoken.

"As long as I've known you, you have been many things," Eric admitted. "I may have not always noticed it at the time, but, Jackie, you are… incredibly caring." He set his hand on top of hers. "Your kid is gonna be so lucky that you're its mom."

Jackie beamed up at him. She wove her fingers with his and squeezed them.

"You know, when your mom told me I had a phone call, I sort of thought it would be Nate," Jackie revealed.

Eric felt his heart sink a little bit. "How did you feel about that?"

"Pissed off," Jackie told him, laughing. "I was so ready to tell that bastard off; I was totally thrown off when it was actually my mother."

Eric grinned at her and then began to think. "So… let's say he did call…" He paused. "And maybe he said all the right things, and—"

"Eric, stop it," Jackie told him adamantly. "I don't want you thinking those things."

"That's not really an answer," Eric pointed out, feeling a teeny bit insecure.

She turned her head to the right so she was looking at him. "Not gonna happen. He could say any combination of words to me and it's not gonna change the fact that I love you, okay? I never even loved him." She blinked, watching his reaction. "Now, I'm not going to tell you again," she teased.

Eric shrugged. "You can't blame me for thinking about it."

"I guess not," Jackie agreed. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Eric, you're my Prince Charming."

He smiled and gave her a surprised look. "Really? The guy who was so mean to you all those years?"

"I mean, you're with the girl who bagged all your friends before bagging you," Jackie admitted. "I can't believe you'd settle for me."

"Hey, nobody settles for Jackie Burkhart," Eric reminded her, reaching out to caress her cheek as she grinned at him. He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "You're perfect… who can blame everyone else for wanting to date you, too?"

"I love you," she told him, her voice somber as she gazed at him with wide eyes.

He kissed her again. "I love you, too." He gave her a serious look upon pulling away. "And I'm gonna love your baby, too."

Jackie felt her heart melt. She knew he wouldn't say it if he didn't mean it. "Good… 'cause without you, the two of us wouldn't have anything."

Eric smiled, caressing her hand again.

Jackie looked up at him. "Hey, Eric?"

"Hey, Jackie?" he responded, cracking a grin.

"The baby really wants some Fatso Burger fries," Jackie told him. "Would you mind taking us?"

"Oh, the baby wants Fatso Burger fries?" Eric asked with a laugh. He lightly kissed her forehead before sitting up. "Of course I'll take you both."

Jackie grinned at him and got up.