"What do we do Bobby?"
We were sitting outside of Jerry's house, Bobby visibly upset and fuming. Jack and I were in the backseat, Angel sitting beside him quietly. He popped the door open and made to get it, all hands reaching forward to restrain him. "Nah, let me go! I ain't playing no more; I'mma go in there and bust that fucking melon-"
"His family's in there," Jack said, his brother glaring at him.
"You're gonna have to calm down Bobby," I whispered. "You can't just go fucking nuts all the time."
Bobby was still pissed as he slammed the door, "I am fucking calm- he just thinks I'm a fucking idiot! He thinks that I don't know what the fuck is going on!" I sighed and reached forward to wrap my arms around his neck, whispering in his ear quietly. "Just breathe Bobby. Please," I murmured, pressing my temple to his.
It was a few moments longer before he completely relaxed into my touch, Jack's face carefully blank as I dropped back into the seat.
"Let's go home," he rumbled in his low bass, Bobby agreeing silently.
"So you're actually leaving," Jack murmured, sitting in my hotel room as I packed. I nodded quietly and let my clothes fall from my fingers, "I wanted to know if I could stay at the house tonight. My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon after checkout and since we're gonna talk to Jerry in the morning, I thought you could run me to the airport. Is that alright?"
"Katherine, I know we're not together and all, but you don't have to act like we're not family," Jack scoffed, shaking his head.
I smiled wryly and continued to pack, freezing as my eyes fell on a small ring box that had somehow gotten mixed up in my things. I picked it up, opening it to find a dainty band affixed with a nice-sized diamond. Without alerting Jack, I took the ring out of the box and began to examine it- it could have only gotten into my suitcases from where I had packed everything up. "To Kate, the only one I've ever loved. Jack," I breathed, the sound of the TV drowning out my words.
I replaced the ring and tucked the box away, intent on putting it back in Jack's room without him being any the wiser. If he had truly wanted to give me that ring, he would have…
"Um, its getting late Jack. I should get some sleep," I murmured, Jack groaning as he got off of the couch.
He turned to face me, raising an eyebrow, "You look funny. What's up with you?"
"Just missing the boys…"
I hugged him and kissed his cheek when he walked to the door, surprised when he wrapped his arms around me. "Katherine Scott, you have no idea how much I care about you. I'm coming to New York and we're gonna raise our kids like they deserve. Its killing me not to be with my boys, to have our family all broken up like this. But I'm gonna fix it darling, I promise you that; everything's gonna be alright," Jack said low in my ear, his cool breath tickling my skin.
"I'm gonna make it right."
"Promise me," I whispered, pulling back so that I could see his eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes stared back into my own, Jack brushing his thumb over my bottom lip gently. I could almost sense him about to kiss me but he held himself back, instead kissing my cheek. "I swear Kate," he smiled, tears springing up fresh into my eyes. "I'm coming home."
I laughed and reached up to brush my lips against his in a gesture that was more appreciative than it was loving, Jack grinning despite himself.
"Go to bed! I'll pick you up in the morning."
I ran back into my hotel room and immediately got the ring box out, laying in bed as I stared at it longingly. "I can have hope for the future. I can have Jack- I only have to want it bad enough," I whispered, smiling to myself.
When the morning came, I was waiting for Jack to arrive, dressed in a white Henley and dark jeans tucked into a pair of leopard-print Ugg boots. My hair was in loose waves around my face, which was clean and makeup free- and still relatively pretty even with my healing nose, which I was now sure was only mildly fractured instead of broken.
"Kate, you up," Jack asked, opening the door with his room key.
I smiled and bounded over to him, kissing the tip of his nose. "So I had this amazing dream last night and I was singing- so I made sure to write it down for you. Here," I said, handing him the song scribbled on a hotel notepad. "Nah Kate, you have to sing it. Come on- we have all the time in the world baby," Jack grinned, grabbing an apple off of the table and sitting down on the couch in front of me.
Nervous, I laughed, "Don't make fun of me. I think its really pretty- thought you could tweak the lyrics and make it into your own, if you liked it…"
"Hearts beat fast, colors and promises. How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall? But watching you stand alone, all of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow… One step closer," I sang quietly, careful not to meet Jack's eyes. "I have died everyday, waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid for I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more…"
"Time stands still- beauty in all she is. I will be brave, I will not let anything take away what's standing front of me. Every breath, every hour has come to this. One step closer… I have died everyday, waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid for I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more- and all along, I believe that I would find you. Times has brought your heart to me and I have loved you for a thousand years. And I'll love you for a thousand more," I crooned, my foot tapping on the floor so that I could keep the time. "I have died everyday, waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid for I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more… And all along, I believe that I would find you. Times has brought your heart to me and I have loved you for a thousand years. And I'll love you for a thousand more."
Jack was quiet as I finally looked at him, his eyes searching mine.
"Do you like it," I asked timidly, Jack shaking his head. With my wounded ego, I bit my bottom lip even as he smiled softly, "Well… then maybe you love it."
"Yeah Kate. I love it."
I smiled, relieved and nodded. "Good."
"Good."