Is This It? (Jackson/Liza)

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica hadn't seen Jack for almost a week. He hadn't been home, even to see Colton, & he hadn't answered any of his calls or returned any texts from his wife. It broke Erica's heart when she realized that all of this was happening because of something their love created. That night when she told him, she called Liza to come get her, & her friend did without question. She even brought Colton along because she thought Erica might need to see him. Erica appreciated that she could count on Liza to do this & just offer an ear if Erica needed it. She remembered thanking the woman with a nod, but that was it.

She knew that Bianca & Lily would be suspicious soon, but neither of the girls had been home much this week. Erica assumed it was because Lily was busy with her job & preparing for school while Bianca was probably hung up in new ideas for her new project that she & Amanda Martin were taking on. Erica decided, though, that something had to be done because they would be home & they would ask questions sooner or later.

When Liza got home that night, Erica ran downstairs to talk to her immediately, knowing that she had to ask about Jack. This was the only way she would find out, & she really questioned why she put it off for so long. "Liza... how was work?" she began, helping Liza hang up her coat. She was truly curious. "Was Jack there today? Has he... been there this week?"

[Liza Colby]

Liza knew something was going on, but she wasn't about to push the subject. She didn't want to make Erica upset, or ask her to say something that she wasn't ready to say. She knew that the time would come where if Erica wanted to tell her about the situation, then she would, but it would be on the brunette's time.

When she got home, thanks to her friend giving her a ride, she walked through the door & was suddenly bombarded with questions from Erica. Liza noticed she was acting strangely, & she looked at the woman carefully. "Work was... work," she shrugged. She listened to what other questions Erica had as she nodded. "Yeah... Jack was there today & he's been there everyday this week... I don't know what's going on with you guys, but I know he hasn't been home this week, either."

She looked at Erica carefully & asked, "Is everything okay with you guys? You don't have to tell me what's going on, but I want to make sure you're both alright."

"Honestly," Erica said, looking at her friend, "I'm not sure."

Liza nodded sadly, & pulled Erica into a hug. "Listen... I can call him if you want... maybe if you want to see him? It's up to you."

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica was a little surprised by Liza's hug, but she was grateful for it, too. She missed Jack's arms around her in that moment, but she looked up at the redhead when she offered to call her husband for her. "I... I've tried calling him, but he won't take any of my calls."

"That's what I thought," Liza told her with a slight sigh.

"Would you mind calling him? I just... I want to know where we stand. I want him to see Colton..." she said, not ready to admit anything else yet. She feared that if she said it out loud, it would be real. She hadn't really felt like that with her other news, but she did know it would change everything which is why she put it off until the right moment.

Liza called him moments later, & then said, "He'll be over after work."

Erica smiled at her gently. "Thank you, Liza. I know you deserve an explanation, & I promise that once this is sorted out, I'll give you one..." she nodded. "For now, I just... I need to talk to Jack about this." She shared a look with Liza & the attorney seemed to take the hint when she put her coat back on & said that she was going to go for a walk.

"Be careful, please," Erica said, as she watched her friend leave. Now all she had to do was wait for Jackson.

[Jackson Montgomery]

Jack got the call from Liza when he was finishing up work. He had no plans of seeing Erica tonight, but he heard Erica in the background saying that she wanted him to see Colton and he broke. He did miss his son more than anything in the world and he wished that he could see him. He just did not want to see Erica until he was more cooled off. They had talked about the baby issue before she said she was pregnant and he thought they were in agreement..but now he knew they were not. Getting angry again, he chose to stop thinking about it so that he would be okay when he went to their house.

Jack pulled up in his vehicle and went up to the door. He thought about knocking for a moment, but it was still his home! He went inside and saw Erica sitting on the couch when he went into the sitting room. He looked at her and softly asked her a question. "Where is Colton? I came over to see him.."

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica watched Jack walk through the door & her heart began to race. She looked over at him hopefully, but all of that faded when he didn't even bother to say hello. Her face dropped, but she quickly covered it up by standing up & leading him up to the nursery. She didn't utter one word to him, but she looked in on a sleeping baby & then looked back at Jackson. "I don't really want to wake him up, but you're more than welcome to stay until he's up, if that's what you'd like to do."

Erica wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say, but she looked at Jack, searching for an answer in his facial expression. "Eventually, we will have to discuss what happened the other night," she reminded him.

[Jackson Montgomery]

OOC - sorry!! I thought I posted this earlier!!

"Fine." Jackson took a seat in the nursery and was intent on patiently waiting for Colton to awake from his nap. He thought that he would be waiting by himself but his wife seemingly had a different idea.

"I don't see what there is to talk about, Erica. I have made it crystal clear from the first time you brought the subject up that I did not want anymore children and then you decided to spring the news on me while we were in bed together! As if that would have made any difference." Jack shook his head. "I am sorry, Erica..but I don't want to have another baby."

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica nodded as her heart broke all over again. "Well, it's a good thing that I'm not really pregnant then," she said, shrugging her shoulders. She stood over near the crib with her back turned to Jack & tried desperately to keep her tears in check.

She turned back around & said, "I only said that to see what you would say... but I think that I need to get out of this house for a little while... I think Colton & I need to spend some time at my old apartment & see how things go for a few days," she told him honestly. She had all of her extra baby things stored there, anyway, & she knew now that she had to do this. She didn't have a choice.

[Jackson Montgomery]

"You are not pregnant?" Jack was not able to understand what he just heard Erica say. "Why would you lie to me and tell me that we were having a baby when we weren't? You know how much I wanted it to just be you, me, Colton and the family that we already have. Why would you compromise our relationship just to lie about having another child?"

"Wait..you want to move out?" Jack looked at Erica and felt more baffled than ever before. "If we are not having another baby then why are you moving out? This is your house and you know that I want you and Colton to be here."

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica shook her head & said, "I didn't compromise anything. I just proved to myself what I've been thinking all along. Sure, you love me & our family, but it's not enough. You've proved that just because you love me doesn't mean that you'll help me in times of a crisis. I forgave you for what you did with Liza, but you are mad at me for something that we both did? If I was pregnant, it took two of us, Jackson, & that's why I've got to get out of here."

The brunette shook her head, realizing what she had known all along. "This isn't my house, Jack. It's yours... & I cannot be here right now. I won't allow your selfishness to affect me right now... I just want to be left alone. You'll have the girls, Liza, Stuart... & I'm going to take Colton. You can see him whenever you want, but I'm going to ask Liza or Bianca to take him back & forth for us. If Lily's comfortable enough, she can come over to see her brother, too," she explained with a nod. "You wait for Colton to wake up... I've got to pack."

[Jackson Montgomery]

"I never would have blamed you for getting pregnant, Erica, but the point is that we have talked about this. It felt like you were tricking me into it because YOU were being selfish. You always have to have what you want no matter what. It does not make me love you any less, but I just..I cannot even think about having a baby right now. I am really glad that we aren't and I am sorry if that upsets you." Jack got up and walked over to the crib where his son was still sleeping.

"You know da*n well this house is yours, too, but if you need to take a break from this, by all means, go ahead. I think that I need a break myself..maybe we need to reevaluate our marriage and maybe the best step we can take right now is being apart." Jack looked at her carefully. "I will respect your wishes and stay away from your apartment, but I want you to know you are always welcome here. Say the word and I will come get you." Jack was not sure why he was letting his wife leave without a fight, but maybe this would be better for them as a couple in the long run to just take some time and be alone..even if that meant Erica would have Colton.

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica shook her head, but bit her tongue. She was being anything but selfish. If this was how her husband wanted to live his life, then she would have to do this on her own. The last thing she ever wanted in the world was to make him unhappy, but she refused to end her own child's life just because Jack didn't want to be a part of it. "I'm not upset... if anything, it's nice to hear that you're happy," she told him, feeling bitter & sincere all at once. How were these emotions even possible?

The petite woman nodded at her husband. "Well, thank you, Jack... that means a lot. Like I said, anytime you want to see Colton... let one of the girls know. I... I love you, but like you said, we need some time apart, & if we're going to live apart, we might as well not see each other until we're both ready," she said, abandoning all emotion. She had to be strong for herself & her children, & if that meant ignoring this complete mess in her heart, she would. "I'm going to pack..." she said, walking out of the room.

As she walked away, Erica decided it was not going to be as easy as she thought it might be... ignoring her heart, keeping this pregnancy a secret, & doing this alone, feeling so completely alone.

[Liza Colby]

Liza returned from her walk almost an hour later, & when she went inside, she headed up to her room. She wasn't sure what was really going on between Jack & Erica, but her heart immediately sank for the couple & for Bianca. If they didn't work whatever this was out, it would destroy the younger woman. Liza could see how much she looked up to them individually & as a couple, & she said a quick prayer for the family as she headed to her room.

She passed by the nursery, a few rooms, & finally, Erica & Jack's room & heard a soft crying. Knocking on the door gently, she went in & found Erica sitting in the middle of three suitcases. "Oh my God, Erica," she said, walking over to the floor & giving her friend a reassuring hug. "What is going on?"

"I - I'm moving out," Erica admitted with a sob, leaning into her friend's embrace.

Liza was stunned. "You... you are? Is... is Colton going with you?"

Nodding, Erica said, "Yeah... Jack's with him right now, but as soon as he's done, we're heading to my old apartment for a little while."

Liza could not believe this was happening, but she felt it would be rude to just ask what happens. "I hope you know, Erica, that I'm always here if you need anything. You have done so much for me & my son, & I appreciate it more than you'll ever know." Liza explained, letting go of Erica, but still staying close.

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica nodded at Liza with a soft smile. "Thank you, Liza," she said genuinely, before adding. "I... actually, Jackson & I decided not to see each other for a little while, so if he wants to see Colton, would you mind bringing him back & forth. I'm going to ask Bianca, too... God, I hope she's okay with this," she said, shaking her head. Jackson had been like a father to her, & she already knew this was going to be hard on her daughter.

"I don't mind," Liza said softly.

Erica smiled weakly. "Thank you... & I will still watch Stuart & the girls while you & Bianca are at work, so if you bring them over in the morning, I should have everything set up."

"Are you sure? I can look for daycare..." the attorney suggested with a nod.

"No... I love looking after Stuart & I know how Bianca feels about other women watching her children. I'll look after them & if & when I move back in, things will remain normal for them," Erica told her with a nod.

"Well, thank you, Erica."

The brunette was about to say something else, but when she looked up, she saw Jackson & Colton in the doorway. "Oh... I am just about ready; I just need to grab a few of Colton's things," Erica told him, standing up.

[Jackson Montgomery]

"I put some of his things together in this bag. His blanket and his blue pacifier are in here and some clothes that he likes." Jack looked at Liza who was already on her way out and then looked at Erica. "I will call you tomorrow about seeing Colton."

"I am sorry, Erica, that this isn't turning out the way that we wanted. I wish I did, but I do not know how to fix this. Maybe being apart will give us some light on the situation and when you get back we can be even stronger. I don't know if I will ever change my mind about having another child, but I do know that I love you and our son and the family we have together now." Jack placed Colton in her arms and kissed her head before kissing Colton's.

[Erica Kane Montgomery]

Erica tearfully watched Jackson leave the bedroom. She didn't know how long it would be until she saw him again & that absolutely terrified her. Why couldn't he have just been happy about this pregnancy? What was it that made him so upset that he didn't even want to fight to keep her in their house? Erica hugged her son tightly, not wanting him to know that anything was wrong, but she knew how he had this way of knowing when something wasn't right & that broke her heart.

She began to bring her bags downstairs & Liza saw her in the hallway & helped with the rest & for a moment, she resented Jack for making her do this. "Thank you," she remembered telling Liza in the middle of her dream-like state. But what if he was right? What if a couple of days apart would lead them back into each other's arms, stronger than ever & perhaps even happy about having another baby? Erica hoped that would be the case, so as she got into her vehicle & drove away, she silently told her house that she'd be back soon.