Thanks for the nice reviews )
and thx beta-sister for all your help )
Chapter Eleven – Hiding The Truth
Feeling a bit groggy, Jack opened his eyes tiredly, to find Kate lying heavily against his chest. He had his arms firmly around her smaller body, preventing any subconscious movement, resulting in her moving away from him. The sheet that was supposed to cover them law lazily over them, barely covering Kate's back. Jack could feel the edge of the soft fabric on his hands as he gently made small circles on her bare back with his fingers.
Bare back? Jack snapped back to reality and immediately realized that the girl in his arms was naked. Jack tried desperately to remember what had happened last night. Feeling completely lost, unable to remember anything. He glanced down at the beautiful brunette lying pressed up against his body. What the hell had he done?
Think Jack! He thought to himself. Did he really drink that much last night? He couldn't actually remember, but he didn't think so.
Slowly it came back to him. Throwing everybody out, Kate's shower and then falling asleep. He let out a breath of relief. Thank God.
He continued to stroke her back gently. Not sure if he was trying to wake her up or just wanting to feel her silky soft skin against his fingertips
Feeling Kate stirring, Jack stopped moving his hands. Opening her eyes she smiled sweetly at him.
Jack held is breath, waiting for her to totally freak out.
Kate narrowed her eyes questionably, when she noticed his worried expression. Trying to pull away, Jack stopped her.
"Wait, don't." he said alertly, pulling her back against his chest.
"Jack?" Giving him a confused look, Kate tried once more to move away from him.
Since she hadn't used much strength to get away from him, Jack had no problem keeping her down to him. He grabbed hold of the sheet and pulled it up between them to cover Kate, saving her from any unnecessary embarrassment.
Easing his hold around her body, Kate managed to pull away. She subconsciously placed a hand on the sheet to hold it up against her body. Giving Jack a strange look, glaring down at the sheet, she realized that she was naked. Eyes drifted back up to meet Jack's with a perplexed look in her eyes.
Jack could tell that she had no idea what was going on.
Fear started to spread across her face. The girl moved slightly backwards on the bed to get more distance between her and Jack.
"Its okay" he said, trying to calm her down before she starts to freak out completely.
"Wa…what happened last night..?" she stuttered, her eyes moving around the room, trying to find something to trigger her memory from the previous night.
"Nothing happened, just calm down…" Jack said calmly, moving closer to her on the bed.
Jack could see that she was feeling uncomfortable by the fact that he had moved closer to her.
"Kate.." he said softly, trying to get through to her. As of now, he didn't dare to move any closer or to touch her.
Her expression turned more and more panicked for ever second that passed. Seeing tears slowly forming in her eyes, Jack felt completely powerless.
"Kate.. Listen to me" he tried again, now with an even softer voice.
She was shaking her head frenetically, refusing to pay attention.
Jack moved a bit closer so that he was now able to place his arms around her. She made no sign of pulling away, so Jack hugged her tight, whispering soothingly in her hear.
"Nothing happened last night, we just fell asleep." He explained truthfully.
He was holding her close, rocking her back and forth slowly, wanting desperately for her to calm down.
"You fell asleep wearing just a towel" Jack explained further. "See" He said, referring to the white cotton towel, lying on the edge of the bed.
Kate turned her head slightly, so that she could see the towel. At once Jack felt her body relax against his. Did she remember? He hoped she did. He couldn't stand that look of distrust and fear in Kate's eyes.
With only a thin sheet separating them, Jack continued stroke her back soothingly.
"You okay?" he whispered softly in her ear.
She nodded against him, resting her head gently on his bare shoulder.
Jack wasn't sure how long they had been sitting on the bed with their arms tightly wrapped around each other, when he heard the front door open.
He sighted loudly, making Kate look up at him. Smiling sweetly down at her, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "My parents are home" he explained, thinking she might not have heard the front door.
Her expression changed, giving Jack a worried look.
"It's okay" he assured her, giving her another kiss, this time on her hairline.
Making sure the sheet was wrapped securely around Kate's body, Jack let go of her and stood up from the bed.
"Why don't you get dressed" He said, placing her bag that he had brought with him the night before, on the bed next to her.
She gave him a thankful smile. "I'll be right out"
Jack nodded, standing next to the door still just wearing his black boxers. He couldn't make himself turn around and leave the room. She looked absolutely beautiful. Her brown hair hung naturally over her bare shoulders. He's eyes traveled from her hair, down to her lips and then down to the sheet that covered her. The contrast of her slightly tanned skin compared to her white sheet seemed to fascinate him. He could feel Kate observing him, and he tilted his head up and met her eyes.
"Jack?" she asked, Jack couldn't tell if it was concern or suspicion he heard in her voice.
He gave her small smile, turned around and left the room.
Jack didn't get to take more than one step in the hallway, when his mother appeared around the corner.
Margo gave him a disapproving look. "They movers are here" She announced "It would help if you could tell them what you're planning on bringing and what you're going to leave here."
He gave her a nod as response.
"And please put some clothes on" she said, her voice a bit irritated.
Jack hurried off to his own room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt, just as the four movers walked in through his door. Jack quickly pointed out to them what he wanted them to carry out to the truck.
Glancing up he noticed Kate in the doorway. He smiled sweetly at the now fully dressed girl and walked over to her.
"You sure you don't want anything else from your house?" he asked carefully.
"Yeah, positive" she answered quietly.
Jack took her hand in his and led her down the hallway to the kitchen. His parents were standing in the middle of the room talking. The older coupled turned to face them. Jack noticed his mother looking directly at his and Kate's entangled fingers.
"I find it interesting that you weren't fast asleep in you bed yesterday morning, when we left." His mother stated with a blank expression on her face.
Kate squeezed his hand harder, and took a small step closer to him. "Don't start again mom, please" Jack answered, feeling slightly annoyed. Why couldn't she just let it go?
Jack turned to Kate and gave her a small smile. "Why don't you go wait out in the car, I'll be there in a minute." He suggested, not wanting her to feel trapped in the middle of the argument with his parents.
When Jack turned back to his parents, his mother gave him a frustrated look. "Kate's going with you, isn't she?"
"Yeah" he answered simply.
"Jack!" his father aggregately exclaimed.
"Don't you think her mom wants her to stay here and continue to work at the diner? What would she even do in New York City?" Margo tried to reason with him.
Jack just starred at them, considering what to say. "Kate's pregnant." He bluntly divulged. He hadn't actually planned to tell them that, but maybe it's for the best that they know.
"Please tell me you're not serious?" Margo asked in disbelief.
When Jack made no sign of taking back what he had said or adding any further information, his mother closed her eyes in frustration and shook her head slowly. "I can't believe this…"
"How are you going to weasel yourself out of this one?" Christian asked, mockery clearly audible in his voice.
Unbelievable how they just assumed it was his baby, Jack thought to himself. It wasn't as if they didn't know about Tom. Kate had brought her boyfriend with her over to the house several times. Not only did they assume that it was his baby, but that Kate had been sleeping with him, behind Tom's back.
"Didn't you hear a word I said about the goddamn consequences!" Margo had raised her voice a lot, now almost shouting directly in Jack's face.
Jack exhaled loudly, getting frustrated by the stupid comment his mother had made. Was she aware that it was only two days ago she had warned him about those kinds of consequences?
"Kate was already pregnant when you held that precious speech of yours Ma!" Jack revealed.
"And whose fault is that!" his mother said accusingly.
Jack knew he could get out of this easily. Just telling them he wasn't the one that had gotten Kate pregnant and everything would be alright. Feeling absolutely no need to do that at the moment, Jack continued to defend himself, now shouting on the top of his lungs.
"You can not-" he started, but was immediately interrupted by his father.
"Don't you dare, raise your voice to your mother!" Christian warned him furiously.
Jack took a deep breath and glanced out the kitchen window. The movers were done, they were standing next to the truck, just waiting for him to tell them to go. "This is the way it is, so it's something you'll just have to except" he said calmly looking directly at his parents.
Christian gave him a shocked look. "You're giving us an ultimatum, is that it?"
An ultimatum, was that what he had given them? Jack started to feel anxious. He had started a huge fight with his parents and they were fighting about a problem that didn't even exist. Technically the problem did exist, but it wasn't Jack's problem, at least not in his parents' eyes.
He still couldn't believe that his father was this hard on him. The man had made so many bad choices. He had cheated on mom, Jack knew that, mom even knew that. He had started drinking and was about to lose his precious job.
Jack shot the older man a disgusted look. "Who gave you the right to judge me?"
"For starters, I didn't knock up a seventeen year old!" He father yell angrily.
Jack gave them a disappointed nod, forcing back the unshed tears in his eyes. "I'm glad I know where you stand." He said firmly, leaving the house.
Now it's off to NY... you guys still with me? )