Sorry it's been a while since I updated, but I've been away. But I'm back now, with the first half of Jack, Kate and Izzy's dinner with Margo.
What's this I hear about Jack and Kate holding hands in The Man From Tallahassee? Tell me it's true! We're on a three week hiatus at the moment, between 3.06 and 3.07 (I know it's nothing compared to the three months you guys had to suffer through in the US, but you feel my pain I'm sure), so I need details...
Chapter 29. A Date With Disaster
When Jack let himself in after his shift the next morning, he was surprised to see light spilling from the bedroom into the apartment. Putting his keys down on the table, he glanced at his watch. It had just gone four; Izzy wouldn't need feeding for at least another hour, so she and Kate should both be asleep.
He felt a surge of panic go through him as he stepped into the room, not lessened by the realisation that it looked like it had been ransacked. "What's going on, Kate?" he asked sharply when he saw her sitting alone on the bed amid the debris, her head resting against her knees, crying quietly. "Are you okay? Izzy?"
At the sound of his voice, she started, looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes. "She's fine – sleeping," she said, wiping them with the back of her hand.
Jack held his breath as he looked over at the monitor, listening, relieved to hear his daughter's soft snuffling come over the speaker. "What about you?" he asked, more gently this time, kneeling on the floor in front of her.
She shook her head, biting her lip as she burst into fresh tears. Feeling his fear return, he reached up and cupped her cheek in his palm, resting his forehead against hers. "It's okay, Kate – whatever it is, we'll deal with it, but I need you to tell me what happened. What's wrong?"
When she didn't answer right away, Jack found his mind filling with unsettling thoughts: Had someone come into their home? Had they hurt her? Had she been caught? Was she leaving again, so soon after she'd arrived?
She shook her head again, stubbornly this time. "You'll think it's stupid."
"So let me think that," he said, frustrated that she wouldn't just come out with it, "Just let me help."
She took a deep breath, composing herself. "I don't have anything to wear," she said softly, staring down at the carpet, looking miserable.
Jack almost laughed in his relief, but seeing how embarrassed she was, he stopped himself. "What are you talking about, Kate? You have plenty of clothes," he pointed out, confused by the intensity of her emotions. He'd never known her to get so upset over something so trivial before, especially at such a ridiculous hour.
"Yeah, jeans," she said bitterly, finally meeting his eyes. "Your mother's the kind of woman who wears pearls and real gold, and goes to DAR meetings – I can't just show up for dinner dressed like myself." She picked a pair of pants up off the bed, glaring at them with hatred, before throwing them onto the floor.
Jack's heart went out to her as she started to sob into her hand again, realising that the issue went beyond her appearance. She was afraid that she wasn't good enough for him, that his mother would reject her, not just because she was a fugitive, but because she didn't fit into his world.
But it wasn't his world, it was his parents'; he'd left it a long time ago.
He climbed up on the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. "Hey," he said softly, "You're beautiful, and you're brave, and you're smart, and I love you," he told her, punctuating each of these with a gentle kiss. "If those aren't enough reasons for her to accept you…"
"Then what?" she pressed, her expression tight as she looked up at him. "I don't want to come between you and your mother, Jack. She may be a bitch at times, but she's the only you're ever going to have. Trust me."
Her eyes filled up again as she seemed to think of her own mother, so Jack pulled her closer, rubbing her back as he changed the subject. "You look tired – have you even slept?"
She shook her head. "I tried, but I couldn't stop thinking about dinner…" Resting her cheek against his collarbone, she added, "I never sleep well when you're not with me."
Jack ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her temple softly. "Izzy'll be up soon – why don't we move some of this stuff and try to get some sleep? I'll take you to the mall as soon as it opens."
"How do I look?" Kate asked timidly, coming into the living room that evening.
Jack had finished getting himself and his daughter ready, and was sitting on the couch with Izzy in his lap, watching her play with his keys. He glanced up from her at Kate's words, his face splitting into a grin when he saw her.
After spending most of the day at the mall, they'd found a dress that was classy enough that his mother wouldn't find fault with it, but still casual enough that it wouldn't add to Kate's awkwardness. It was black and simple, with a high waist, and a straight skirt that fell to just below her knees, showing off her calves, and the heeled sandals they'd bought to go with it.
Grinning back, she gave a little twirl, showing it off; it shimmered when she moved, bringing out the sparkle in her eyes.
"Amazing," he told her, watching her smile grow as she beamed at him, pleased with the compliment. "What do you think, Izzy?" he asked the baby, drawing her attention away from the keys, which were now in her mouth. "Does Mommy look great or what?"
She gave him a gummy smile, as if to agree, then went back to sucking his car key, making Kate laugh in spite of her nerves. "Mommy feels like a monkey in heels," she cooed in her soft, maternal tone, taking the key ring from her gently, and sliding a pacifier into her mouth so she didn't complain. "The last time I got this dressed up, I was getting married," she added in her normal voice.
She reached for the baby, but Jack stood up from the couch, shifting her onto his hip. "Why don't you let me hold onto her?" he suggested, leading the way out of the apartment. "Unless you want to go to dinner with baby spit all over your dress…"
Izzy behaved herself, keeping not only Kate's dress, but her own clean as well, but just to be safe, Jack took her out of the car, carrying her up the steps to his mother's front door. He hadn't even finished ringing the bell when he found himself face to face with her forced grin.
"Jack," she said, coming down to meet him. "So good to see you." She waited for him to kiss her cheek, then looked down at the baby. "And this must be Isobelle. May I?" She held out her arms for her granddaughter, ignoring Kate, who was hovering behind them, waiting to be introduced.
Jack glanced over at her, silently asking her permission, which she granted with a little nod of her head.
"Mom," he began, once Izzy was settled in her arms, her fingers winding their way around her grandmother's pearls, "This—" but she cut him off.
"She's such a little doll, Jack – she has your eyes. And these curls are darling," she said as she reached up to touch the baby's wispy hair. To Jack's surprise, Izzy began to fuss, jerking her head away. She let go of the necklace, putting her fist in her mouth, looking anxious as she searched for him, then Kate.
"She gets those from her mother," he pointed out, reminding her of Kate's presence. He took her hand, smiling reassuringly, but when she tried to smile back, her face was strained and unhappy, mirroring Izzy's. She looked like she wanted to snatch their daughter back and leave; Jack wasn't sure he'd blame her if she did.
His mother glanced up from settling the baby, her eyes flickering over to Kate, taking her in without speaking. "Your grandfather had curly hair when he was young," she told Jack when she'd finished scrutinising her, returning her attention to Izzy as if she wasn't there at all.
I know, I know -- just when it was getting good, but I've started writing the actual dinner, so if all goes well, and I get enough reviews, I should be able to post it tomorrow...
