Mistletoe

Jack was probably one of the few men in the world who actually enjoyed Christmas shopping. He was in the bustling shopping mall at the moment finishing up his Christmas shopping, when he passed by Toys R Us he immediately thought of Aaron. Aaron had an obsession with planes he already had a big collection, but Jack though it couldn't hurt of he got another one. Jack knew it would be a great Christmas present for Aaron.

Jack walked into the store and found the airplane section, he gaped at the amount of choice that was in front of him. They had everything from huge plush plane to real planes that actual flew to miniature antique army planes. This obviously was harder than he thought. Kate would know what Aaron would want.

He took out his black razor and dialled her numbers, he knew them off by heart.

"Hey Kate" said Jack tentatively

"Jack! Hey, how are you?" her happy voice made Jack smile to himself.

"I'm good, I was just at Toys R Us and was thinking of getting Aaron a toy plane for Christmas."

"Aw that's sweet of you Jack!" gushed Kate. On instinct Jack blushed.

"Its nothing really, the problem is I don't know what he has or what he likes can you help?"

"Sure, well he's really into the X-Force Commander ones, he only has the green one out of those so any other colour will do."

"Okay, X-Force Commander it is!"

"Thanks for this really, I'm sure he'll adore it."

"No problem Kate. So I'll see you both tomorrow at 6 right?"

"Yeah, and thank your mother again for inviting us."

They both said there good-byes and hung up the phone.

Jack's mother, Margo, had kindly invited Kate, Aaron, Sun, Ji-yeon, Hurley, and Sayid to her house for Christmas eve dinner and exchanging early presents. Margo thought it would be fun to have a secret Santa for the adults and had already told everyone in advance who they had to buy for.

Jack had been at her mother's house for hours getting everything ready and helping her mother with the cooking. At 6 everyone started arriving.

Hurley was the first to come with a huge present for Aaron that could barley fit under the tree. Sayid then came with a nicely wrapped present. Sun then came with a shy but adorably dressed Ji-yeon clinging to her legs. They all were happily chatting and sipping eggnog in the living room. Will she come? Is she coming? Thought Jack checking his watch for the 50th time that second, he knew it seemed silly but he couldn't wait for her to come.

"She's coming, don't worry Jack." smiled Sun knowingly.

"Dude, your girlfriend will be here soon enough." joked Hurley loudly.

"Thanks Hurley. But she's not my girlfriend." said Jack rolling his eyes.

"Not yet. But after all this eggnog and romantic music you'll be making out under the mistletoe." Hurley said.

"Seriously Jack get a move on already." joked Sayid getting into the fun too.

"Aw yes she's such a sweet girl Jack, and I think you should really do something about it. I see the way you look at her." Margo smiled.

Jack's face burned and just when he was about to say something the door bell rang.
He shot up and without looking at any of their grinning faces he walked towards the door.

Kate walked in balancing a backpack for Aaron filled with toys and clothes and a Christmassy present bag. Before Jack could even say hi he was thrown off balance by Aaron hugging him.

"JAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"

"Hey buddy, glad to see me?" smiled Jack ruffling his hair.

"Yeah, Jack, I have lots to tell you..." started Aaron then he went on describing all his plains and trains and how he wanted to bring the large ones but Kate said no. Aaron was dragging Jack to the living room while he was yakking away.

Jack attempted to turn around to talk to Kate, "Hey, Kate sorry."

"No no, its okay he's happy to see you." she gave a sympathetic smile, "We'll talk later."

Jack couldn't help it but he grinned hugely and echoed her words "We'll talk later."

----

Kate walked into the living room hugging everyone and chatting, she couldn't help but feel elated. She loved being surrounded by these people after all it was the only family she had left. She sat next to Margo after she put her present under the tree.

"I'm so happy your here Kate." smiled Margo genuinely.

"I am too. Thank you so much for inviting me and Aaron."

"Nonsense sweetie you're like family to Jack, so your family to me." said Margo squeezing Kate's shoulder, "I mean after all Jack could not stop talking about you after you all came back. He really likes you, you know Kate."

Kate's cheeks immediately turned red.

"Thanks mom, really." said Jack coming from the kitchen.

Kate spun around and made eye-contact they both smiled shyly.

"Oh you two are just adorable!" said Margo standing up and mumbling something about yams and the kitchen.

"Sorry about that." laughed Jack, "She really likes you though."

"I really like her too." replied Kate.

"I promised Aaron and Ji that I would read them a Santa Claus story in the TV room, want to come?"

"Sure, I love a good Christmas story." agreed Kate standing up.

Without saying anything Jack took Kate's hand and lead her to the TV room.

"Okay everyone story time!" said Jack sitting on the floor with a huge red book out in front of him. Ji-Yeon and Aaron shuffled closer to Jack with excited looks on their faces.

"Once upon a time lived a jolly man named Santa Claus he lived in the north pole" Jack turned the book to show them the pictures.

"Looks like Hurley!" giggled Aaron.

Jack looked at Kate, who was sitting on a couch across them, and they both burst out laughing.

For the rest of the half an hour Kate listened to Jack tell the story. Ji-Yeon and Aaron had been so transfixed by Jack's story-telling that they hadn't said one word, all they had done was stare right at Jack the whole time. Kate couldn't believe how good he was with kids, in a way that made him even more attractive.

"He's good isn't he." Sun whispered, interrupting Kate's thoughts. She sat down next to Kate on the sofa.

"He's amazing." agreed Kate echoing Sun's whisper, "I didn't know he was so good with kids."

"He's baby-sat Ji-yeon a few times and she absolutely adores him." nodded Sun.

"That's so sweet." smiled Kate.

Sun motioned for Kate to come with her outside the room, Kate followed.

"So is tonight the night?" whispered Sun again.

"Is tonight the night for what?"

"For you and Jack. Come on we all say you smiling at each other and how he held your hand."

"So?" said Kate dumbly.

"So are you finally going to tell each other how you feel?"

"Sun, it's complicated, I can't just..." Kate trailed off.

"No Kate. It is not complicated at all. You both obviously have feelings for each other, so why don't you act on them? I mean he's right there!" Sun pointed her arm furiously to the TV room, "You know where he is, he's alive. That's not complicated at all." Tears started welling up in her eyes.

"Oh Sun, I'm so sorry. I was being stupid."

"No it's okay, I overreacted. It's just I miss him..."

"Aw I know Sun, we all do too. And if there's anything you need, I'm here." said Kate pulling her into a hug.

"I know Kate, thank you." they both pulled away from the hug. Sun gave a small thank you smile to Kate and walked towards the kitchen.

Kate was about to follow her when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. Jack.

"Hey" Jack smiled at her.

"Hey" Kate smiled back.

"Aaron and Ji-yeon nodded off before I finished the story."

"That's because you're a really good story teller."

"Am I?" said Jack cheekily.

"Oh don't get too full of yourself, I can tell a good story myself." Kate joked back.

"I'm sure you can. I was just going to put this book back in my old room, want to come with me?"

"I get to see Dr. Jack Sheppard's room, where the hardcore spinal surgeon grew up?!"

"I take that as a yes then." said Jack laughing. He led her up the stairs to the last room to the left.

It was a large room with a cream colored carpet. He had a double size bed with a light blue comforter which was on one end of the room, on the other was a classy large cherry wood desk. Opposite from the door were 4 long shelves that were covered with all the trophies and awards anyone could imagine. There were debate cups, baseball trophies, science awards, honour roll medals, a large amount of football trophies, certificates and a prom king sash and crown.

"Well well well, you were an overachiever." laughed Kate touching a large gold football trophy.

"It was my dad's idea." said Jack blushing like mad.

"Let me guess you had amazing grades, the teachers loved you, you were head of almost every single club, you were the star and captain of any team you tried out for, you won almost any award there was, on top of that you were the most popular sought-after guy in highschool and you were prom king."

"Kind of..." Jack looked down.

"I read people well, I guess." smiled Kate.

"Okay let me read you." Jack challenged her by stepping forward.

"Try me."

"You were the quiet girl with only one or two close friends, you were really smart and really good at sports but you never bragged about your grades or anything for that matter. Many girls didn't like you because of how effortlessly gorgeous you were." Jack paused, "That about right?"

Kate's head spun for a moment when she realized how close her lips were to his. For a moment she thought that he leaned in but then he stepped away.

"Yeah," she cleared her throat, "that's about right."

Jack nodded and busied himself with cleaning some medal. Then something caught Kate's eye. It was young Jack wearing a tuxedo and the prom kind sash and crown, his arm wrapped around some blonde girl in a long pink gown. She took the picture off the shelf.

"The prom king himself." Kate smiled and Jack laughed. "Who's the prom queen?"

"That's Stacey Whitfield, she was really pretty." said Jack without thinking.

"If you like that whole blonde hair blue eyes no brain sort of thing." joked Kate, suddenly she felt ashamed she never said anything bad about anyone. She didn't even know this girl.

"Someone sounds jealous!" teased Jack sitting on his bed.

"Why would I be?" Kate challenged Jack with her eyes.

"Because you want the prom king all to yourself!" said Jack taking the crown and putting it on his head.

"Oh your just full of it now!" laughed Kate hitting his shoulder.

They both kept laughing until they heard Margo calling for them to come down to open presents.

-----

Jack and Kate came down the stairs where everyone was gathered in the living room around the huge Christmas tree.

"Ooooooooh" Hurley said jokingly. Everyone laughed, Sayid even winked at Jack.

Everyone had given presents to Ji-yeon and Aaron, Aarons favorite present being the X-Force planes from Jack. Ji-yeon's favorite present being a sparkly red princess dress from Margo. They both had been too tired to continue the festivities and ended up sound asleep on the couches in the TV room.

"Secret Santa time!" said Margo happily. They all cheered. Kate took a seat next to Sun and Jack sat at the opposite side next to Hurley.

They all opened their presents one by one. First Sun opened hers it was the movie Lost In Translation from Sayid, that had got them all laughing. Sayid opened his present which was a blown up picture of Nadia and Sayid smiling in black and white with a frame around it, it said "True Love Will Always Find Itself" everyone 'aww'ed for that one. Margo opened hers which was a "The Ultimate Guide to be the next Martha Stewart", that was from Hurley who gave a huge bear hug to Margo when she thanked him. Kate opened her present next it was a gorgeous tiffanies bracelet that had "Best Friends" engraved onto the back. Kate's eyes got watery and she thanked Sun and hugged her tightly. Hurley opened his huge box, which was from Jack, it was a miniature golf set. Jack grinned as Hurley hugged him too. Everyone started laughing and reminiscing about the time when Hurley opened a golf course soon the conversation turned to how Boone bet against Sawyer and Charlie's proper British playing terms they all stopped talking and an uncomfortable silence fell upon the room.

"We have one more present!" said Margo in the cheeriest voice she could muster, "Its for you Jack, from Kate."

Kate blushed and looked down. Again they all "Ooooooooh"ed.

Jack slowly opened the box. He pulled out a sewing kit, one color was missing... standard black. Jack gasped quietly. It was the sewing kit, the one she had sewed him up with. The first time they met. He opened the sewing kit without saying a word. He was barley aware of everyone staring at him. There was a note inside it. He opened it up:

Any colour preferences?

Love,
Kate

"Okay! Sayid, Hurley, Sun want to help me in the kitchen?" Margo more like ordered than asked. In about 5 seconds they were all gone and Jack and Kate were the only ones in the living room.

"You kept this, all this time?" Jack said softly, standing up and sitting next to Kate.

"Of course." Kate nodded, "Do you like it?"

"I love it thank you Kate." Jack smiled. They hugged for a minute and then Jack pulled apart.

"I uhh... have something for you too." Jack said pulling a long slim box out of his pocket and giving it to her.

"But I wasn't your secret Santa." said Kate.

Jack merely shrugged and nodded towards the box "Open it."

Kate opened the box and gasped. Inside was a breath-taking necklace lined with four emerald gems which were each surrounded by small diamonds.

"Jack this is beautiful. I...I can't take this." Kate said shaking her head.

"Yes you can. What I said in the forest on the island was true. I love you Kate. Please take it." Jack took the necklace and raised Kate's hair off her neck. Kate felt his warm breath on her neck and she felt electricity shoot up. His touch was so gentle, so amazing, for the hundredth time she wondered why he even looked at her.

She turned around when the necklace was in place and smiled. Jack stared at her the necklace made her eyes look even more beautiful than usual. Then something caught Kate's eye, she looked up.

"Mistletoe." she smiled cheekily.

"You know what they say about-" Jack was interrupted as Kate pressed her lips firmly on his. They both got lost in the kiss; the tension, passion, gentleness, familiarity was probably the most amazing feeling in the world. Sun was right Kate thought, it wasn't complicated it was simply incredible.