Authors Note: So I was going to leave this fic without saying goodbye but Emma asked me to finish with this song. And I'm fine with that since it means this has a nice, even 25 chapters. Hope you have enjoyed this ride as much as me. And don't you dare think I am deserting the archive now. I have at least two more oneshots which only really have to be typed up. I love you all and thanks for the constant support over this fic. P.S this chapter has two slightly different time settings in it just so I can show one time where she needs him and vice-versa.

Disclaimer: Do you think I would have to write 25 songfics if I owned anything from the show?

Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

Jackie sat on the floor of her living room, sorting through the various picture albums that surrounded her. She had always just put the photographs in the back of the nearest holder and since she had some free time this weekend she decided it should all be remedied.

She had lost track of what hour of night it was since she had her light on and the TV playing quietly in the background. The more recent pictures of her and friends were the most enjoyable because she was finally content with who she spent nights out with - she had got out of all the friendships that had been bringing her down over the years and was left with a smaller number of people but they were the ones she couldn't imagine being without.

All the time she had been sat on the cold surface the phone had been waiting to be used. She wanted to call Robbie so much, she wanted him to call her more though. It would prove to her that he did actually want to be her friend as much as she wanted to be his. Most people would find it pathetic that even after all these years she had no idea how much he cared for her. She picked the small device up and ran her fingers across the screen, typing in the familiar number, praying he was alone and wanting to talk to her.

While she waited for him to pick up she began to wonder if she did ever cross his mind. God, she knew he crossed hers more than should be allowed. She didn't even realise that he had picked up his phone and was asking who was on her end until she shook herself out of thinking about him and finally said a greeting.

"Sorry, I didn't notice that it was quarter past one already. I just wanted to hear someone else's voice, it's kind of boring when no one is around here."

"Jackie, you're rambling. Do you want me to come over?"

"You're probably busy. It doesn't matter," she didn't even pay attention to how bitterly she said that to him but he did. He knew she would be thinking that he had some blonde bimbo next to him in bed, but he didn't.

"I haven't had a date in over three months. Now tell the truth."

"I need you Robbie." She couldn't believe she had said it out loud. Everything she had vowed never to tell him was said in those four words; thirteen years of building up what they had and she had a gut-wrenching feeling she had just took them straight back to the beginning. All her control had left her as soon as she had heard his voice and even then that act was after telling herself repeatedly not to call him. She listened to the click as he hung up the phone without responding to her and it was at that precise moment she knew she had no clue what she would do without Robbie.

She only knew his answer to her plead when she heard a knock on her front door half an hour later and saw him standing there. She bit her bottom lip furiously as she avoided eye contact. The next thing she knew was the feeling of cool arms wrapping around her shoulders. There wasn't anything more than friendship between them, yet, but she still snuggled deeper into his embrace, never wanting to lose him. She knew there and then that he thought about her, that he wouldn't leave her any time soon simply because he didn't want to either.

He tipped the glass back so the amber liquid burned the roof of his mouth. The whisky was his way of trying to numb away the thoughts that were plaguing his mind. All of them about her. All of them completely inappropriate. Robbie knew he should never have started thinking about Jackie like this but it had all happened so gradually until this point. He would give anything for her to walk through his front door like she used to when they weren't afraid to be so close to each other. Not that either of them had done anything to the other that would be classed as improper but from the slightest glances or hugs they knew something else was hiding inside the both of them.

Robbie took a moment to wonder if she ever thought of him. He couldn't imagine she would ever have the dirty kind that he did but he wanted to know he went through her thoughts half as much as she went through his. Their relationship was still on a uneven ground after she had admitted that one time to needing him and he didn't want to jeopardising it by phoning her after midnight, especially when he had had a few drinks already. But he couldn't stop his hand reaching over to the coffee table and grabbing his own mobile and calling her.

She didn't sound at all tired when she answered with a small "Hello" and he loved the confused tone to her voice.

"Hey, I'll admit I've had a couple of shots but that was required for this call. Jackie, remember what you said when you phoned me up at this time last month? I just wanted to say I feel the same. I feel that way when you are near me and even more so when you aren't there and I haven't seen you in a while. You're everything to me and I promised I wouldn't call you up tonight but I have, so I think you should know that I need you now and always." He couldn't bear to hear a refusal from her so immediately after saying that he pressed the end call button.

He would rather know how much it hurt to be rejected by her than not feel anything for her though. The feelings he had for her were so strong that they had got him through the toughest challenges he had went through. Without her in his life he couldn't even guess what he would be like; she had been the reason for him making choices that changed him for the better, and also the reason for his complete stupidity in other cases when he worried that they would lose each other.

Robbie was in his kitchen a little while later in the early morning and didn't hear the brunette woman quietly open the front door and sneak into his living room, trying to listen for sounds which would direct her to where he was. Jackie watched as he leaned against the work tops, obviously breaking himself apart inside for the first moment of blatant honesty she had heard from him. It broke her heart to watch him like that but couldn't stand it any longer so made sure her top was pulled down far enough to show a little extra cleavage than usual just to make them both more confident and whispered, "I need you now."

He slowly turned to face her as she stepped forward and gently ran her hand across the light stubble that was gracing his cheek. His hands rested on her hips and he pulled her closer to him and she brought her face up to press their lips together in a forceful kiss that they wanted to stay a part of for as long as possible. Alcohol was evident in his mouth as she kissed him but she didn't mind too much because if she ignored that familiar taste their was something new that she had always wanted to experience and she couldn't pull herself away form the person she needed most and who needed her in the same way.

THE END.