The room was dark and the warm air from the outdoors slipped inside with the sound of the traffic outside. She opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. Slowly she sat up and slipped out of bed. The room wrapped itself around her and she moved to the door. She stepped into the hall and moved down to the bedroom at the end.

Silently she opened the door and looked inside. The boy slept soundly and she moved over to the bedside. Her eyes took in every detail about him and she ran her hand through his hair. Smirking, she closed her eyes and left the room. She walked down the hall and pulled on a jacket as she stepped outside.

She sat in a swing just outside the door and watched the traffic fly by. Each day the boy grew more and surprised her with more actions like the man who was yet to claim him. The thought twisted her chest and she closed her eyes. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. The man wasn't coming back and she didn't know how to tell the child inside.

______________________________________________

Tim shook his head and put his guitar down. He picked up his coffee mug and caught the man's gaze.

"It's been four years and you're still here."

Jesse frowned and said, "The band needs me."

"That's crap. We'll be fine without you for a month or two. We're on the off season, remember?"

He shook his head and got to his feet. Moving to the window, he leaned against the wall and stared out it.

"I let her leave four years ago because she said to. She won't want me back now. Even with the kid."

Tim groaned and said, "That kid is going to need a father. Why not his real one?"

Jesse closed his eyes and said, "I'm not the father he needs. Not the man that needs to be in that family."

Tim got to his feet and said, "No you're not."

He looked back at him and heard, "The real Jesse would've gone after her and seen her through these last four years, raising that kid from his first day on this planet."

______________________________________________

The television blared in the living room and she listened to him talking to the show as she prepared dinner. Smirking, she put the meat into the skillet and sighed. Her eyes glanced at the calendar and she looked away. Next week Jake would be five and nothing will be different. The phone rang and she wiped her hand as she moved into the living room.

Jake beat her to the phone and asked, "Hello?"

He frowned and looked up at her saying, "They won't answer."

She smiled, ruffled his hair, and took the phone. He moved back to the couch and she took a deep breath.

"Who is this?"

"Come to the door."

She felt the world spin and she forced air back into her lungs. The line disconnected and she put the phone down. Slowly she moved to the door and glanced back at Jake. She slipped outside and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath and looked around.

______________________________________________

His chest tightened when she stepped outside and he ran his gaze over her. Everything that had lured him to her before was there and more. The kid had added to her beauty and all he could think was holding her to him, devouring her. His mind froze when she spotted him and he caught her brown gaze. He saw the hesitation in her and waited.

She had to be the one to make the first move. He watched her slowly approach and longed to reach out and pull her to him. She stopped a few feet in front of him and he waited.

"Why are you here?"

His eyes narrowed and she said, "You're almost five years late."

He closed his eyes and said, "I couldn't face you, not after you left."

She ran her hand over his face slowly and said, "He needs his father. Can you be that man yet?"

He looked up into her gaze and caught her meaning. Smirking, he pulled her into him and held her. He knew he couldn't be a father but now he had to try. She pulled back and he looked down at her.

"He's inside watching television. I have dinner in the skillet."

An eyebrow went up and he asked, "You can cook?"

She punched his arm and said, "Of course I can cook. I am a mother."

He laughed and she shook her head, moving back to the door. He watched her open the door and caught her looking back at him.

"Are you joining us?"

He smirked and slowly approached her. She stepped inside and he closed the door behind him. The television reached their ears and she looked into the living room. Her eyes widened and she moved into the kitchen. She wrapped her arms round Jake's waist and pulled him away from the skillet just before he burnt his hand.

"Mom! I wanted to help!"

She knelt in front of him and said, "I'll finish dinner. Go finish your show."

He frowned and turned around, stopping when he saw Jesse.

His eyes widened and he whispered, "It's you."

Jesse looked over at Faith and she smirked before she finished browning the meat. He looked down at Jake and watched the kid move back into the living room, looking back at him every few steps.

"He knows who I am."

"Why wouldn't he?"

He leaned against the counter and said, "Figured you wouldn't have mentioned me to."

She smirked and looked at him. He caught her around the waist and pulled her to him.

"He needed to know who his father was if the man ever came to see us."

Jesse chuckled and brushed his lips over hers. Her pulse jumped and he felt his chest tighten.

"EWWWWWW!"

She pulled away first and looked to the door. Jake stood hidden except for the heading poking into the room and she closed her eyes.

"Go watch your show and leave me to visit with your mother."

Jake jumped at the command and disappeared. She looked back at Jesse and started laughing.

"I've never seen him move that fast."

He shrugged and said, "Just needed a different voice telling him something."

She sighed and said, "I would've never thought you had it in you."

He held her close and said, "I have to learn, don't I?"

PGS