A/N: Erica is going to have to spiral a bit more before I can begin her true redemption. It's coming. But it's a long road back from where she's at back into the light. I know her ambivalence to the baby is hard to read, but she can't feel love for anyone at the moment, and the baby is caught in the cross fire.

Please, review. Offer some feedback. Criticism. Anything. I would really love to hear what everyone is thinking. (I can see you reading, haha)

Chapter 9

Jackson had invited himself and the kids over for a family dinner.

Pizza. Soda. Popcorn. Movies. The typical happy family Friday night fodder.

They were laughing, talking, pretending that life was happy and moving on, like there was some kind of light in their lives.

They were talking baby names. What name was best suited to go with Montgomery, Lily had mused? Her mind running through all the possible combinations of how best to name a child.

Reggie was less serious, suggesting names like Regina and Jackson Junior.

"What about Leo for a boy?" Bianca suggested, looking across the couch at her mother. She would say it was a tribute to the young man they'd both loved and lost, and no one would question her.

Erica nodded deftly. If it was a boy they could call him whatever they wanted. If it was a girl, they could call her whatever they wanted. She had no opinion on anything to do with anything her life. How could she? They didn't trust her judgement on any other aspect of her life, why would the let her have any say in naming her child?

"Leo Montgomery," Lily said, testing the name.

"Why would we want something connected to Hayward?" Reggie wondered.

Because he might be the father? She could probably get them all to leave if she let the words leave her mouth. They would probably never come back. She could have a glass of Vodka in her hands in only a few minutes, if she said it.

The thought was more than tempting.

"It's not about David, it's about Leo," Bianca interjected. "He was a big part of my life and lived with me and Mom."

"If we wanted to do a name for someone we loved and lost, what about Travis?" Jack asked of them all, but it was Erica he directed the question to.

Did they not understand that she didn't care?

"After Daddy," Bianca smiled, "Travis Leo Montgomery. It sounds really nice."

Everyone nodded, but Erica didn't react. Instead she kept her attention straight in front of her, where it had always been. There was no emotion in her face. No joy in her eyes.

"What about for a girl?" Reggie wondered, "You're already using Mona for Miranda's middle name…"

Bianca's eyes went wide and she was shaking her head in his direction. Trying to get him to stop. Trying to stop this from happening.

Erica jumped up, shaking her head as she paced the length of the couch.

"Mom," Bianca started, but Jackson cut her off.

"Erica, sit down, let's talk about this."

"How dare you want to sully my mother's name by attaching it to that bastard's spawn," Erica cried, eyes wide and blazing as they went between Bianca and Jack.

Bianca stood up, and moved toward Erica. "I want her to have a strong, powerful name. I want her to be Kane Women in all the best ways."

"Your grandmother is turning in her grave," She words were hard, pointed, filled with anger.

"Erica," Jack started moving toward her, "Listen to what Bianca is telling you. I think it's…."

"You think it's beautiful. Touching. That Mona would hug Bianca and tell her what an honor it is that she's naming her rapists baby after her," Erica spit back, unwilling to hear another word of this. He obviously knew. He'd obviously helped keep another secret from her.

Jack saw Reggie taking an increasingly upset Lily from the room, and shook his head in Erica's direction. "I know you're surprised, and upset by this…"

"Upset?" Erica laughed, eyes dark and empty as she looked from Jack to Bianca. "I'm not upset. You can't get upset when you're dead inside. No. No. What I am is a naïve. Gullible."

Bianca shook her head and blinked back tears. "You love Kendall. You're able to see past who her father is. I want the same for Miranda. I want her to know that she's loved. That she's from a strong, brave, resilient line of women. That her father doesn't decide her future."

"You both stand there and pretend to be so noble, so honorable. So much better and holier than the rest of us. But your nothing more than liars."

Jack stepped toward her, attempting to reach for her.

"Don't you touch me," She hissed. "You've spent the last month trying to win me back. Trying to get us back to where we were. Telling me you love me, you can't live without me. That this baby is our gift from fate and a sign of us being meant to be, and all the while you were lying yet again."

"No one lied to you, honey. We were just waiting for the right moment to tell you."

She raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him to continue. Challenging him to dig in deeper, break what was left of her will to live. "Oh yes, that's the excuse right? Waiting for the moment you think is best," She was yelling now, her body trembling from the force of the words.

Bianca was watching her, taking in the way she stood and the way her body tensed. None of this was good for the baby. "Mom, stress isn't good for the baby…"

Erica whipped around, eyes blazing. "That's all the two of your care about, isn't it? Babies. Innocent lives that have no responsibility for the actions of their parents. Don't get stressed Erica, it's not good for the baby. Don't drink, Erica. It's not good for the baby," She told him, angry and bitterly. "What do I care about this baby? What am I supposed to do with him or her? How am I supposed to love him or her, when I can't even feel love for either of you, the two most important people in my life?"

Bianca thumbed tears from her cheeks. "How can you say these things? How can you be so cold? I don't even know who you are anymore."

"That makes two of us," She bit back.

"Erica…" Jack tried to reason.

"Get out!" She demanded.

"Erica," Jack started, but she shook her head and pointed to the door.

"Get out!"

Bianca turned her eyes to her Uncle, and nodded slowly, conceding defeat.

"We can't leave you like this," Jack tried to reason.

"I said get out!"

Jack sighed and offered her a nod. "We love you, sweetheart. Remember that."

Bianca took a step toward her, and reached for hand. "She isn't a monster, Mom," She started, trying to lay Erica's hand on her stomach. "She's a Kane Woman. She is strong. She is stubborn. And she is going to be so beautiful. Don't give up on her before you've even met her."

Erica jerked her hand way, and shook her head. "I will never accept that you chose to bring that child into our lives."

Bianca nodded, tears hot and wet on her cheeks. "Don't say things you might regret."

Jack had gone to the kitchen to get Lily and Reggie, and they were gathered near the front door waiting for Bianca.

"I don't say things I don't mean," Erica challenged watching them all stand at her door. They were going to leave, and hopefully not return.

Jack kept his eyes on Erica, as he motioned the rest of the family out the door. "Will be here when you're ready to come back to us, sweetheart."

He pulled the door closed behind him.

She was already across the living room, removing her bottle of Vodka from its hiding place.

She didn't get a glass this time, instead deciding that the bottle itself would make her pain disappear faster.

To be continued