Author's note: hey all i am back, it has been a while since i wrote. I was looking at files on my laptop when i came across this chapter which i have already like wrote half of. Apologies for the long long wait, i will try to update, The next chapter i will try to write soon cause i think everyone (including me) will be excited for)

Thank you all for the nice reviews, and lastly enjoy...

Not Since You

Chapter 10: Jerry and Jack

"I think Aunt Kimmy is gonna buy me a kangaroo," Austin whispered sleepily into Jerry's ear.

Jerry let out a chuckle. Austin had been the cutest little kid he had met in a while. He had spent the time after Austin's bath to play with Austin for a while before Kim announced that it was passed Austin's bedtime. Kim had allowed Jerry to tuck him into bed while she put away the toys downstairs.

Jerry now found himself sitting at the edge of a tiny bed tucking an adorable boy in. "I'm sure she will," Jerry said, "Now night night."

"Night night," Austin whispered before falling asleep. Jerry waited for a while before standing up and switching off the lights in Austin's room. He then softly closed the door and made his way to the living room where Kim had just finished putting away the last of Austin's toys.

"Well Austin is asleep, although he did mention one interesting thing before he fell asleep," Jerry said before asking, "Why does Austin think you are going to buy him a kangaroo?"

Kim chuckled, "He went to the zoo for his class field trip. Ever since then he kept asking for one. That kid is original."

"It even beats my cousin's pet iguana," Jerry said as he shook his head, "Kid's gonna grow up amazing."

"I know," Kim sighted. The thought of Austin growing left her unsettled and strangely heavy. Maybe it was because Austin will never meet his father or that his mom is now in a coma. Won't that kind of thing break him? What if the other kids bully him about it? What if he grows to resent his mother? Or worse still when she finally wakes up he couldn't care less. Maybe it was one of those reasons or maybe it wasn't any of those that left her feeling deflated.

"What's wrong Kim?" Jerry asked as he guided her to the sofa and taking a seat beside her. He held her hands, a gesture Kim found comforting and waited patiently for Kim to answer. Kim contemplated. The living room was dim and that gave her a sense of privacy and Jerry was a friend that she knew would never hurt her or criticize her thoughts.

"Allow me one moment of weakness," Kim said softly, "I'm terrified for Austin. I'm scared one day when he gets older; he will look back at his life and resent me for it. I am terrified that one day he will see the world for all of its ugliness and cruelty and wonder why everything happened to him."

"Where is this coming from? You are amazing, Kim. The way you take care of Austin; you give your everything. I've never seen you word this hard for anything before," Jerry said as he squeezed Kim's arm.

"I got a call from my aunt Charlotte earlier today. And I just got thinking. Austin's one of the best things that happened to me, I don't want him to hurt, I want to protect him," Kim confessed, "and I know I can't be there all the time. Did you know that he fell at his trip to the zoo with his class? He wasn't seriously injured; just a scraped knee but still…"

"It was not your fault that injury happened and it wasn't your fault that accident with Austin's dad happened," Jerry said softly. He had never seen Kim this vulnerable before. She was always strong even when she was having problems she always faced the head on with a strength that Jerry never had seen on anyone else, "Sometimes things happened beyond our control, we just need to get back up and start again."

Jerry watched Kim think. Everyone back in high school thought that when it came to Kim he knew the basics. That Jack heck even Brody knew her better. But Kim was one of those girls that he genuinely cared about. She was like his sister and Jerry knew what Kim was like, how she thinks what and what she looks like when she is thinking hard.

Just like now on the sofa, he watched her contemplate her thoughts. After a while he heard Kim sigh before facing him with a smile, "Thanks Jerry, who knew you were such a deep person under there,"

"I know, it's the best kept secret in the world," Jerry winked before getting of the sofa and engulfing her in a big hug. Kim might have changed over the years but she still could fit in his arms, "I should probably go now it's getting late."

"I'll you walk out," Kim said after moving back from the hug. She watched Jerry wear his jacket, "thanks again for tonight."

"It was the least I could do," Jerry said, "See you around"

"See you," Kim said as she watched Jerry walk out the door to his car and disappear into the night.

She smiled sadly as she closed the door. She switched off the lights and made her way upstairs, pausing at Austin's room. Opening the door she saw his silhouette unmoving and soundly asleep. She closed the door as quietly as she opened it and went to her room. She needed the sleep.

…

Kim looked around at the clothes on sale. Just yesterday Jerry had visited her and Austin. Today, while Austin was in school she decided to spurge on herself a little by buying something nice for herself. Sure she loved Austin to bits but sometimes she needs to take a little time out for her.

It was there where she saw Jack for the first time in two weeks. She took a deep breath, better late than never. With determination and a clean face she walked to him.

"Hey"

Jack looked up from his handphone, if he was surprise he didn't show it, "Hi Kim"

"So how are you, I haven't seen you in a while?" Kim asked.

"I'm doing good," Jack said.

Then silence. It was as if they could not be around each other without feeling awkward. Jack took a deep breath, it was time he started to make things right and sort whatever it is he had with Kim.

"Listen," Jack started, "I'm sorry about the way I handled the news, don't interrupt me I should get this all out. It was surprising and yeah I was a little mad. I think we should sort us out. I mean I want to settle whatever it is that's going on, if that is alright with you…"

The last sentence hung there but Jack could see Kim beginning to smile, she nodded her head, "Yeah, I would like that."

"Okay so you want to have dinner tonight, we could talk about it then," Jack said

"Sure"

"I'll pick you up at seven, until then," Jack said as he finished off with a smile. Kim smiled to him once more before heading out. It was only a few minutes later did it dawn with to him that he might have asked Kim on a date.

End hoped you like it, writing the next chapter soon :)