Exposed... and alone.

No, somehow "exposed" wasn't quite the right word. She felt naked. Because her secret was out. Their secret was out.

Phyllis curled up into herself on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. She fought the urge to run upstairs, pack her bag and head for the hills.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Nick was still trying to figure out his feelings. They were supposed to have more time. But one careless moment... one stupid bread crumb left behind, and now Sharon knew... Jack knew... the whole damn town knew.

She'd barely been able to talk to Nick. He'd called her to warn her, to let her know it was out there. He'd told her to remember what she meant to him. Phyllis tried hard to hang onto that now as she thought about the last 24 hours.

Daniel was so disappointed in her... in them. He still loved them both, she knew that. His respect for Nick had taken a hit though. There was no denying it. And she knew that some part of Daniel judged her now... disapproved of her. That hurt her more than she had ever imagined anything could. But still... still she couldn't make herself regret it... regret Nick.

The knock at her door made her cringe. But Phyllis Summers Abbott didn't run from a fight. So the redhead unfolded her limbs and stood and crossed to the door.

"Phyllis, open the damn door."

Nikki Newman. She took a deep breath and turned the knob.

"Nikki, what a surprise."

The blonde stormed into the apartment and Phyllis closed the door behind her.

"Is your son here?"

"No."

"Good," Nikki replied sharply, "because it's probably best that he not hear what I have to say to you."

Phyllis folded her arms and nodded. "Go ahead. Let me have it."

Nikki was clearly all too happy to oblige.

"Do you even have the decency to admit how sordid and disgusting this all is? Do you? You took advantage of my son's grief and you wormed your way in between him and his wife like... like the common piece of trash that so many people tried to tell me you were."

She didn't defend herself. She stood there and took it. Phyllis just kept her eyes on the mother of her lover and listened to hate rage toward her.

"My family gave you a chance, Phyllis, a real chance to prove yourself, to start a new life in this town. Your reputation was a nightmare when you hired on at Newman, when Victor befriended you. And this... this is how you repay us for our friendship and our loyalty?"

"I didn't set out to hurt anyone, Nikki."

"Well, that part doesn't really matter, does it? Because you have. Sharon and Noah--my God, as if they haven't endured enough over the past year, now they don't even know if they have a family anymore. And Jack? I saw him, Phyllis. He is so hurt and so angry and who's to blame for that?"

"Do you think I sat around and made a list of people's lives I wanted to ruin?" For all her guilt, for all the regret she felt over the hurt she had caused, Phyllis was beginning to lose her grip on the pressure that had been building around and inside of her since Nick's phone call.

"I don't know. Did you think about anyone but yourself?" Nikki's voice boomed, full of outrage and contempt. "What about your son, Phyllis? That boy has become part of that family's life. He and Noah... whatever doubts I had initially, that relationship has healed them both, and now what? What happens to those boys now when their mothers can't even be in the same room together anymore?"

Tears stung at her eyes as Phyllis tried to bite back her anger at Nikki's words. What would happen? Noah worshiped Daniel. Had she and Nick taken that from him? Were the boys about to lose their pseudo-brotherhood because she couldn't stop herself from wanting what wasn't rightly hers?

"Was it worth it?"

Nikki's question jolted Phyllis and their eyes locked.

"Was what worth it?"

"Was all the damage, all the destruction worth whatever tawdry pleasure you got from having sex with my son?"

"Don't... don't say that."

Nikki looked at her sharply. "Don't say what?"

"Don't... it wasn't sex. It wasn't... that's not what it was."

The blonde scoffed, picked up her purse and moved toward the door.

"It was a cheap affair. You saw that my son was weak and vulnerable and you used him for... God only knows what reason because you're a selfish slut who--"

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

Phyllis heard herself screaming and she watched as Nikki took a step away from her.

"You can call me names, you can say I'm a whore, I don't care. I deserve all that, fine. But don't you dare... don't you dare try and say that I don't care about Nick or that I used him. I love your son. Do you hear me, Nikki? I love him. I fell in love with him and I can't change that. I wouldn't change it. Because Nicholas is the kindest, most loving man I have ever known... and even if he hates me when this is all over, I will never wish that love away. I love him, Nikki. I love him."

They both jumped when the door opened, and both women's mouth fell open when they saw Nicholas standing there staring at them.

"Mom, you should go."

"Nicholas, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, his eyes on Phyllis even though his words were meant for his mother.

"I came to let my 'business partner' know exactly what I thought of her."

Nick sighed and finally shifted his eyes to his mother. "What you think of Phyllis doesn't really matter... not to me. Now leave, please."

Nikki squared her shoulders and stepped closer to her son. "Go home and make things right with your wife, Nicholas. This isn't where you belong."

"You go home, mother. I'm fine right where I am."

Dismissed, the woman made her way to the door and stepped out, slamming it shut. Phyllis watched her go and then waited as Nick took a moment before walking toward her. His right hand rose up and gently wiped tears from her cheeks.

"She's right," Phyllis said, her voice a ragged whisper. "You should go."

"I can't. There's something I need to tell you."

"Wh--what?"

His arms wrapped around her and Phyllis felt the sense of love and comfort and relief that always came from being held in his arms.

"I love you, too."

She pulled back as far as his hold would allow.

"You--you heard me?"

He nodded. "I know Mom's right. I know we've hurt a lot of people. But... this isn't just some affair, Phyllis. I love you. And I can't pretend anymore. We're not gonna pretend anymore."

Phyllis felt his embrace tighten again and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

Exposed... but not alone. They were in this together, wherever it led.

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