This is the second of THREE updates tonight. If you have not yet read chapter fifteen, please go back a chapter before reading this one!
I am soooo sorry this has been so long coming. I really hope you all still want to read Almost Home.
Enjoy and please respond!
Chapter Sixteen
Christmas Eve morning, Jack awoke before Kate. Glancing from the clock to the window, he saw that it wasn't yet daylight, and wouldn't be for some time. He laid in bed next to her and lost track of time until she shifted slightly, letting out a soft moan. Her eyes fluttered open and she greeted him with a smile, "Morning."
Jack was determined that the day would be perfect. Leaning over, he kissed her temple. "Good morning, beautiful."
Kate rolled her eyes ever so slightly. "Sleep well?"
Jack smiled, and shook his head slightly. "No. I was actually kind of excited about today." He reached over and stroked her cheek, which was still warm from resting against the pillow.
She leaned into him, enjoying the cool sensation of his skin against hers. She wasn't sure what he was so excited about. It was just Christmas Eve, all they had planned was to entertain Margo for dinner. Kate could think of a lot more disadvantages that had then things to get excited over.
Pulling her towards him, Jack began to trail soft kisses down Kate's neck and onto her collar bone. Reaching under the covers he ran his hand up her hip and waist and rested it on her stomach. He thought he felt her flinch slightly when his hand came to a stop, but he figured it was because of the contrast of his cold hand on her warm body. "How about you go get a shower, while I get things ready downstairs?"
Kate cocked her head, confused. "Get what ready?"
Jack's eyes twinkled mischievously. Apparently, he wasn't yet willing to give away his secret. "You just go shower, and then you'll see."
"I don't like surprises," Kate warned him as she wrapped a sheet around herself and headed towards the bathroom. "You just keep that in mind before you throw together anything spectacular."
"Why do you do that?" Jack asked, a slight trace of laughter in his voice.
"Do what?" Kate asked, confused. She gave him a slightly aggravated look and pulled the sheet tighter around her.
"Wrap a sheet around you to walk to the bathroom," Jack said in a teasing tone. "I see you naked all the time."
Kate blushed, just like he'd hoped she would. "That's when we're you know, being intimate. You don't need to see me naked all the time."
Jack grinned and winked at her, "Why? I think I'd like it if you were naked all the time."
"Well," Kate said, shaking her head. "That's just too bad. You're not going to get me walking around naked unless. . .unless you shave your chest."
Jack's mouth fell open in mock shock. "No way. You're crazy. I have a very manly chest."
Kate giggled and, momentarily forgetting about her shower, made her way back over towards Jack, almost tripping over the long sheet. Opening up the sheet, she wrapped Jack in it with her. "Merry Christmas Eve, Jack."
He brushed his lips against hers and allowed his hands to go exploring. "Merry Christmas Eve, baby."
She melted, the way she had every other time he had called her something besides her name over the past few days, and moved even closer to him, silently inviting his hands to feel wherever they wanted to. His lips met hers again as he accepted her offer.
The sheet soon fell to the floor and Christmas Eve began in an even more merry way than Jack had planned.
When they had finally managed to pull themselves away from each other, and Jack had seen to it that Kate was in the shower (which was, in his opinion, quite a hard sight to pull away from) he went downstairs to get ready for her. He turned on the lights on the Christmas tree and arranged the presents he had so carefully wrapped the day before around it. After he had got them positioned just right, he headed into the kitchen to make breakfast. Cooking had never been his strong point, but he wanted to do something nice for her.
After Jack had made what he considered to be a damn good omelet, and toasted some bread, he placed it all on a tray to carry upstairs. He poured two glasses of orange juice and headed upstairs. He was more than surprised to find Kate sitting on the edge of the bed, her hair wet, looking pale and wan.
"What's wrong?" he asked, quickly placing the tray on the floor and hurrying to her side.
Kate glanced up, surprised to see him. "Nothing. I was just feeling a little light-headed. I'm fine, really."
Jack felt her forehead. She wasn't hot. Her eyes traveled across the room to the tray. "Oh. You made breakfast?" He could tell she was trying to sound excited, but her voice was less than enthusiastic.
He pushed a damp strand of hair away from her cheek and spoke softly. "You don't have to eat it if you're not hungry." He hated that it was Christmas Eve morning and she looked like she was about to be sick.
Quickly shaking her head, Kate put on a smile. "No. I am hungry. That's probably what's wrong with me. Bring it over here."
Giving her one last concerned glance, Jack picked the tray back up and carried it to the bed. They ate slowly and quietly. Jack noticed Kate barely touched the food, but drank her entire glass of orange juice. She even took a couple sips out of his glass.
"There's more where that came from," Jack teased. "I can go down and get you another glass if you want. Or we could just go downstairs now, if you're ready."
Kate smiled and shook her head. "I was actually going to dry my hair today, since your mom is coming over tonight. I'll be down in a little while."
Jack was still concerned, but he just nodded. He placed a kiss on her temple and watched as she walked into the bathroom. A few moments later he heard the sound of the blow dryer start. He rested comfortably on his bed, lost in thought, until she emerged. Her hair was dry and straight. As he looked closer he noticed she had even put on some make-up.
Looking slightly self-conscious, Kate ran her fingers through her hair, and glanced towards Jack as though hoping for some kind of approval. "I haven't done my hair like this in a really long time."
Even though, for some reason Jack couldn't quite pinpoint, he almost missed the curly mess her hair usually was, there was something about the straight hair and light make-up that made her look sexy. If he hadn't been so anxious for her to open her presents, he would have pulled her onto the bed with him. Instead, he stood and pretended to examine her from all angles. "Well, you sure do clean up nice."
She glared at him, and opened her mouth to respond, but he spoke first. "You finally ready to head downstairs now?"
"I don't know," Kate said softly, teasingly, making a face so adorable it almost knocked the wind out of Jack. "I've warned you I hate surprises."
Jack was momentarily speechless. He loved it when she looked at him like that. The look had something so innocent about it. It showed him that she did have hope left, even if she never let herself believe it.
Cupping her face, Jack kissed her gently. When he looked surprised, but just smiled. "Don't worry. It's a good surprise. You'll like it."
"I trust you," Kate said sweetly, kissing his cheek. She took hold of his hand and let him lead her downstairs.
When they came to the bottom of the stairs she was delighted to see that the Christmas tree was all lit up. All around the trees were more presents than Kate had ever seen at one time. Except for on TV. "You sure don't skimp on Christmas, do you? How many people do you buy for."
Jack wondered if she was just embarrassed, or if she had no idea that he had bought all the presents for her. The look on her face showed him that the latter were the case. "Katie," he said softly, brushing his hand over her cheek. "They're yours."
She felt herself tense slightly when he called her Katie. She was surprised to find that she liked how it sounded coming from him. It didn't feel out-of-place or offensive. It sounded right. "For me? All of them?"
"There's not that many," Jack shook his head, playing it down. "Just some things I thought you would like."
"Jack," Kate said, a giggle escaping. "I got about four presents each Christmas when I was little, okay? At the most. This is a ton of presents."
Jack watched with delight as Kate moved around the tree, picking up and shaking a few random presents. Her gaze rested on a particularly tiny one and she picked up, shaking it. "This doesn't weigh anything! I think you forgot to put the present in."
Shaking his head, Jack laughed. "Trust me, there's something in there. You get to open that one last."
A challenging grin lit up Kate's face, "No, I think I'll open this one first."
"You always have to argue, don't you?" Jack moved towards her, and took the small box from her hands. "This one is last. Go ahead and start opening the others."
"But it's only Christmas Eve," Kate wrinkled her nose. "Don't you want to wait until tomorrow to do presents?"
"We can't do presents tomorrow," Jack informed her, winking. She started to speak, but he shook his head before she even got the question out. "You'll see why later."
Clearly aggravated, she put her hands on her hips, "I don't think I like all these secrets."
Jack laughed, and pulled her into a hug. "They're good secrets. I promise. Come on, pick a present. Start opening. Trust me, you want to get these opened and put away before my mom gets here."
Kate pulled away, "Why? You didn't get me something kinky, did you? I thought we established neither one of us were into stuff like that. . ."
Jack laughed once again, shaking his head. "No. Nothing kinky. You know how nosy she is though."
Kate nodded her agreement, and moved back towards the presents. "Any present I want, hmm?" She pretended to mull it over before selecting the tiny present they had discussed just moments earlier. "Alright. I've made my decision."
Giving her a mock glare, Jack reached to take it away from her. "We've already established that's a no. Plus, I didn't say pick out any present. I said pick out a present. It's left to my discretion to decide whether or not you can open it."
Pouting, Kate moved so he couldn't reach the gift. "You're getting a little bossy there, pal."
Jack rolled his eyes and held out his hand. "The sooner you hand it to me, the sooner you can open the rest of the presents and get to this one."
Kate crossed her arms. "I don't like being told what to do."
"Yeah," Jack scoffed. "I've figured that much out by now. But what are ya gonna do? Open the present then leave? I don't think so."
Annoyed that her plan wasn't working, Kate slipped the box into her pocket. "Maybe I will. Then what?"
Laughing, Jack pulled her to him. "You won't leave me."
Close to uncomfortable, but still deciding to go with it, Kate gave him her best disbelieving face. "And why wouldn't I?"
Jack smiled, the soft and sweet smile she knew he reserved only for her, "Because you love me."
Even though Kate knew he wanted a response, she didn't meet his gaze. The subject was hitting a little to close to home. Instead of focusing on the negative, she opted for a different approach. Brushing her lips against his neck ever so slightly, she whispered, "I think we have time to head back upstairs."
Using all his will-power Jack took her by the shoulders and moved her a step back. "I know what you're trying to do. And it's not going to work. You're not opening that present until last."
"Fine," Kate said, taking the present out of her pocket and handing it to him. "We'll just see what happens when you ask for it later."
"You've threatened to abstain before, and we both now it never works," Jack chided, a playful tone in his voice. "You can't get enough of me, so you might as well stop arguing, save your energy for the amazing sex you know we'll have later, and open some presents."
Kate's expression softened a bit. "Amazing sex, hmm?"
"Amazing," Jack confirmed. "Better than amazing."
Arching an eyebrow, Kate cocked her head. "Promise?"
Pulling her back in close to him, Jack leaned down so his lips tickled hers when he spoke. "Isn't it always?"
Kate expressed her agreement by pressing her lips to his. His hands tangled in her hair, and he got lost in the moment until she pulled away, a devilish grin on her pretty face.
"Oh, yeah. I'm supposed to be opening presents, right?"
"That's right," Jack told her, placing a quick kiss on her neck, and promising himself he'd get back at her later. He selected a mid-sized present. "How about this one?"
Kate took the present, and for the next hour she took her time opening almost all of them. He had gotten her a few sweaters, and some other clothes he thought she might like. She gave him an odd look when she opened a luggage set, and her expression grew even more confused when she opened a blue and white winter coat. She opened a couple DVDs that she had expressed she liked when she was younger during her first weeks stay. She couldn't believe he had remembered.
Finally, there were only two presents left. The boxes were around the same size, but the one Jack demanded she opened last was noticeably lighter. Kate couldn't help an excited giggle from escaping, as she pointed to the box, "It's almost time for that one!"
"Almost," Jack agreed, handing her the opposite box. He watched her as she carefully undid the wrapping. He had always been the type of person who ripped the paper off and tossed it over his shoulder as quickly as possible. Not Kate. She undid the tape at the seams. She unfolded each side carefully and did her best not to rip any of the paper. Jack was mesmerized by her motions.
After she had removed all the paper, Kate gazed cautiously at the maroon velvet box she held in her hands. Glancing at Jack, she opened it, revealing a silver chain with a diamond heart looped through it. She let out a breath, "Jack. . ."
"Do you like it?" Jack asked, quickly. "I wasn't too sure if you were a heart pendant type of person, but I liked it. And I thought it would look good on you."
Kate gazed down at the necklace. "It's beautiful, Jack. It is the most beautiful piece of jewelry anyone has ever given me. But I'm sure it cost too much. I can't take it."
Jack shook his head, "You're not allowed to say that. It's a gift, Kate. I want you to have it because I love you. You can't say no to that."
For a moment, Kate hesitated, but finally nodded her consent. "Will you put it on me?"
Nodding, Jack removed it from the small box and held it up. Kate took her hair in her hands and piled it on top of her hair, waiting for him to clasp it. His fingers didn't seem to be cooperating.
"Have you never put a necklace on a woman before, Jack?" Kate teased lightly. "I feel honored."
"I've never been very good with these things," he grumbled, still trying unsuccessfully to secure the small clasp. Finally, he succeeded. "Ha. There we go."
"There we go," Kate echoed, letting her hair fall down. She turned quickly, capturing his lips with hers. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Jack whispered, resting his hands on her hips. "It looks good on you."
"Being a surgeon, you think you'd be better with your hands!" Kate laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. She leaned into him and placed a few kisses along his jaw line.
Jack pulled her closer and buried his head in her neck, kissing it softly. He trailed his hands up her shirt, tickling her sides. "You know I'm good with my hands."
"The best," Kate agreed, laughing softly. Their lips met in a soft kiss that ended almost as soon as it started. "Oh! I almost forgot about my present!"
Letting out a groan, Jack rolled his eyes. "Presents, presents, presents. Is that all you think about, Kate?"
"Right now, yes," Kate nodded, grabbing the last present off the coffee table. She glanced around the room at all the presents she had opened. "Hmm. Luggage. A hat, scarf and mittens. A winter coat. You live in LA, Jack. Are you trying to tell me my welcome is worn out?"
A girly giggle escaped Jack's lips, "Just open your last present, okay Kate?"
Kate nodded, and to Jack's surprised ripped off the paper in a hurry. Opening the tiny box, she saw a polaroid inside. The picture was of a snow covered cabin, presumably located in the mountains. She glanced at him, confused.
A grin lit up his face, "We're going on vacation!"
"Vacation?" Kate was perplexed. "Vacation where?"
Jack rolled his eyes and motioned towards the picture. "Vacation there!"
Kate squinted at Jack as though she wasn't really sure whether or not she should believe him. "And where is there?"
"A cabin my family owns," Jack explained. "Well, it was my dad's parents, and then his. It's mine now, technically. No one's actually been up there in a few years. We used to go all the time when I was a kid. That's where I was when I told you I was working. I had to go clean it up and get it ready for us."
Speechless, Kate just stared at him. Finally, she found her voice. "Jack, this is amazing! When are we going?"
"We leave in the morning," Jack leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her temple. "That's why you had to open all the presents today."
Kate glanced back down at the picture in her hands. Setting it down on the coffee table, she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "This is the best Christmas ever, Jack."
"Yeah," he whispered into her hair, rubbing his hand in slow circles on her back. "I think so too."
She pulled back just far enough to kiss him. He kissed back, laying her down gently on the ground, never breaking the kiss. Christmas paper crunched beneath them as they made themselves comfortable, kissing each other slowly, letting their hands roam.
Just as Jack's hands reached for her belt, Kate sat up, gently pushing him off her. She glanced towards the open windows, "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Jack asked, not being able to completely hide the annoyance in his voice. He strained his ears, and could make out a faint sound but couldn't tell what it is. Curious, he moved for the front door, Kate close behind him. Opening it, they both walked outside.
Sitting on their front porch step was a scrawny, white cat. It's fur was dirty and it was mewing pitifully.
Kate moved towards it, "Aww. Are you hurt, little buddy?"
Jack grabbed her arm, pulling her back up next to him. "Don't touch it!"
"It's just a cat!" Kate yanked her arm from his grasp. Ignoring his protests, she moved quickly for it, scooping it up in her arms. "Hello there. You're so skinny. Do you want some food?"
Turning back around, she walked back towards the house. Jack moved in front of the door, blocking her. "No. Step away from the house. Put it down."
Kate gave him an aggravated look. "Get out of my way, Jack. It needs a bath and some food. You wouldn't just kick a lost, stray little thing to the curb would you? When they needed you most?" She gave him a pointed look.
Letting out a sigh, Jack rolled his eyes. "A bath. And some food. Then I will personally drive it down to the pound for you."
Walking by him, Kate placed a quick kiss next to his mouth. He smiled at her and reached to pet the cat, "Hi, cat."
Right before his hand touched it's head, the cat let out a hiss. Jack recoiled. "Damn it!"
"He can tell you don't like him!" Kate chided. She cuddled the cat closer to her, speaking softly to it, "I know he might seem a little difficult. But he grows on you, trust me. You'll learn to love him."
Rolling his eyes, Jack followed Kate upstairs. "Don't give it a bath in our tub, please."
Kate changed her direction, moving towards the bathroom she had used when she first came to stay. "Oh, yeah. Wouldn't want it to leave behind any cat germs we might get infected with. Because it's not like I'll clean the tub when I'm done."
Jack let out an annoyed noise and Kate turned the water on, making sure it was neither too hot nor too cold. "Close to door," she commanded, setting the cat down on the floor. It immediately moved close to her, rubbing its head against her legs. It gave a wary glare, then a hiss in Jack's direction.
Kate laughed, "It doesn't like you. But I guess that's okay since you're an animal hater."
"I am not an animal hater," Jack argued, taking a seat on the closed toilet lid. "Dogs are fine. Monkeys are fine. Hell, I'd adopt a giraffe. But cats are not animals. They're furry little demons."
Kate gave him an odd look. "Did you get attacked by a cat when you were young or something?"
"No!" Jack said, shaking his head. He made a disgusted face as Kate petted the cat softly, then placed it in the water. "I'm just not a cat-person."
He watched in near-amazement as the cat let Kate bathe it, purring all the while. Cats hated water, didn't they? It didn't really surprise him though. Kate had proven herself able to work her charms on the most vile of creatures before. Namely Sawyer.
Annoyed that he was even thinking about him, Jack changed the subject out loud, "You don't have to get it that clean. It'll just get dirty again at the pound."
"He's a boy," Kate said softly, not looking at Jack. She began to rinse the cat off. "What do you think about Boo Radley?"
"What do I think about who?" Jack asked, with a hint of aggravation in his voice.
"For his name," Kate said. "Can you please hand me a towel out of that cabinet? Boo Radley. You know, from To Kill A Mockingbird. Because this little fellow is so white. Boo Radley was really pale, wasn't he? Because he never went outside."
Jack handed her a yellow towel. "Can't say that I remember. Why would you name a cat you're not going to keep?"
Kate turned towards him, a charming smile on her face.
"No!" Jack warned, before she even said anything. "No, no, no. No, Kate. N - O. I pay the bills. I own the house. There will be no cat living in it."
"We'll see about that," Kate told him with a wink. After making sure Boo Radley was completely dry, Kate opened the bathroom door. "Come on, Boo. Let's go see what's for dinner."
Jack followed Kate closely, "Suppose I do let you keep him. What are we going to do with him on vacation? You just want to cancel our plans?"
Kate laughed. "You act like we're booked first class to Rome, Jack. He can come with us, can't he? Does the cabin have a strict no animals policy?"
"Do you have any idea how much work a cat is?" Jack snapped, crossing his arms. "They need litter boxes, they need toys, they need tons of attention. They make messes everywhere."
"It's a cat, Jack!" Kate exploded, uncharacteristically. "A damn cat. It can't be that much work! It's not like it's a baby who'd be crying all the time, or needed constant attention. You can let a cat wander around the house. Not a baby. A baby would fall off of something or worse. Not too mention that you can get rid of a cat anytime you want. Not a baby though! A baby, you're stuck with! Plus, cats sleep a lot! Babies sleep like what? Forty minutes a day? You have to change their diapers. You have to buy baby toys! You have to baby proof your whole house! So what if a cat needs a little box and a few jingly toys? That's nothing!"
By the time she reached the end of her outburst, Kate's face was bright red and she looked on the verge of tears. Jack stood, staring at her in shock. He had no clue where the hell that had come from. What did a cat have to do with a baby?
He closed the distance between them in two steps, wrapping her a tight hug. Jack could still feel her breathing heavily against his chest. "We'll keep the cat, Kate," he whispered, placing several light kisses on the top of her head.
"I'm sorry," she told him, pulling away. "I don't know what got into me. I guess I just like cats."
Jack still couldn't help feeling concerned. "If it means so much to you, I guess I could learn to like him, too." He moved in closer, to pet the cat, "Hey there, Boo."
Boo hissed and jumped away, seemingly trying to hide between Kate's legs. He stood there for several seconds, his back arched, as though trying to decide whether or not to pounce on this male adversary.
Kate laughed as she found a small dish in a cabinet, and poured some milk into it. "Come on, you two. You can't be arguing over who the most important man in my life is. You have to learn to get along, alright?"
Jack was about to respond with a snarky comment, but the ringing of the doorbell stopped him. He left the kitchen, and opened the front door for his mother. "Hello, Jack. Merry Christmas Eve. Where's Katherine?"
"Merry Christmas," Jack returned. "She's in the kitchen. I thought you said you were bringing a ham."
"It's in the car, Jack," Margo called over her shoulder. "Why don't you be of good use and go out and get it? You're not doing anybody any good standing there."
"Yes, ma'am," Jack muttered under his breath. He walked slowly to her car and opened the backdoor. Before he reached for the hot dish, he noticed a folded up handkerchief in a cup-holder. He was almost positive it had belongs to his father's father.
Curiosity getting the best of him, Jack reached for the worn item, letting its contents fall into his left hand. He stared down at them startled, immediately recognizing the heirlooms. They had been his grandparent's wedding rings. They were supposed to have been passed down to him, but Margo had refused to give them to Jack when he proposed to Sarah, citing that Sarah did not deserve such an expensive treasure. It had worked out for the best. Sarah had wanted new rings anyway.
So what the hell was Margo doing with them now?
Jack did his best to put them back exactly like he had found them, and then grabbed the dish, hurrying back into the house. When he entered the kitchen, he found his mother cooing over the cat.
"Boo Radley," Margo said softly, rubbing between his ears. "What an absolutely precious name for such a precious little creature!"
Noticing Jack had returned, Kate shot him a smug look. He rolled his eyes, "Don't tell me you're on Kate's side about this, Mom."
"Cats are lovely animals, Jack!" Margo informed him, standing up and smoothing down her blouse. "You're father always hated them. He'd never let me have any kind of pet. You're much, much more like him than you'll ever admit to yourself."
Kate saw Jack tense up. "Mom. We've been over this. I am nothing like --"
"Yes, yes," Margo snapped, interrupting him. "You're nothing like your father. That forty year old tune is worn out. So maybe you will not go on some crazy bender, kill a patient, and then yourself. Maybe you are too smart for that. Maybe it's just because you're lucky that you love someone enough not to. But I am sick of you acting like that's all your father was, Jack Shepherd. Your father had just as many good traits as he did bad. He loved you and don't you ever forget that."
Jack's jaw jutted out slightly, and he glanced away. "Don't tell me how to feel about Dad. I don't know how you can defend him! He lied to all of us, he cheated on you, he --"
"Did you kiss another woman when you were married to Sarah?" Margo interrupted, her tone calm.
"Yes," Jack snapped. "But that's completely --"
Margo raised her hand, signaling for him to stop speaking. "Don't judge your father and my relationship, Jack. It's not something that can be understood. I loved him. And if you'd ever let yourself, you might realize that you did too."
"I'm not spending today talking about Dad," Jack shook his head, glancing around the kitchen. His gaze fell upon Kate, who bore an uncomfortable grimace. Then, his eyes traveled to Boo who was peeing on the dishwasher door.
"Goddamnit, Kate!" Jack snapped. "Watch your cat!"
Muttering an apology, Kate quickly grabbed a handful of paper towels and began to sop up the mess. Jack headed towards the living room, Margo on his heels.
"Don't talk to her that way because you're upset with me," his mother warned him. "I don't know why she puts up with you."
"Neither do I," Jack muttered, collapsing tiredly onto the couch. He noticed Kate's presents hadn't been put away and piles of wrapping paper still littered the floor.
Kate noticed the same thing when she entered the living room. She quickly began to gather the wrapping, making sure not to wrinkle it any worse than she and Jack's brief tussle already had. Still worried she was interrupting something between Jack and Margo, Kate didn't glace at either of them as she stacked the paper neatly on the coffee table.
"What the hell are you doing, Kate?" Jack asked in bewilderment. "Just bring a trash bag in here and toss it all in there. Actually, I'll go get one for you."
He stood, glad for an excuse to be done talking about his father. Kate blushed, and stopped what she was doing. "Sorry. I always had to open my presents very neat so we could save the paper for next year. I guess you don't do that, huh?"
Jack and Margo exchanged a glance. "No, Kate," Jack shook his head. He wished he didn't sound so annoyed with her. "We don't do that."
Kate murmured another apology, and Jack felt even more angry at himself for being so easily aggravated with her. It was supposed to be a happy day. He tried his best to cajole himself out of his bad mood while Kate and his mom worked on the rest of dinner. It didn't work very well.
As Margo set the table, Jack walked into the kitchen, watching Kate put the finishing touches on dinner. "Everything looks great. I'm impressed."
Glancing up in his direction, Kate gave a wary smile. "Are we being nice now?"
"I'm always nice," Jack said, glancing towards the dining room. He tried to keep his voice low in hopes Margo wouldn't overhear their conversation. "I can't believe she comes in here, on Christmas Eve, trying to talk about Dad."
Kate sighed, and stopped what she was doing. "It's her first Christmas without her husband, Jack. It's your first without a father. I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner. I can't imagine how you must be feeling."
"I'm not feeling anything, Kate," Jack said, his voice rising. "Except that I can't wait for this dinner to be over, and tomorrow morning to come so we can be gone for a few days. I hadn't even thought about him until she brought him up."
Biting her lip, Kate shook her head. "I don't believe that."
"Well, it's really not your business," Jack snapped. "So just drop it, okay? I'm sick of hearing about it."
"You know, it's okay to miss him, Jack!" Kate whirled around, hands on her hips. "It's okay to be sad. You don't have to hate him. Admitting that you miss him isn't going to make you less of a person. It's not like you'd be signing a dotted line saying your life is going to turn out just like his."
Jack didn't respond and he kept his gaze diverted from Kate. He didn't have anything left to say on the subject. That, and he was afraid of the words he would spit at her should he choose to speak.
"I know you don't hate him, Jack," Kate said softly, reaching for his arm. "The last time I saw my mother before she died, she hated me. She was afraid of me. I know how it feels to have someone you care about die when things are in ruins between you. And I don't hate my mother. So that's how I know. . ."
"Can we just drop it?" Jack asked, stepping forward and cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her softly. "Please?"
She nodded wordlessly and leaned in, meeting his lips again. He wrapped his arms around her, allowing himself to get lost in kissing her. They stood blissfully in each other's embrace until Margo cleared her throat behind them.
"Dinner's ready," she told them with a wry smile.
Dinner went by smoother than Jack had counted on. Margo completely dropped the talk of Christian, and didn't have a harsh word to speak to anyone during the meal. Instead, to both Kate and Jack's surprise she seemed to have taken a genuine interest in Kate. She asked questions about her childhood and where she grew up. When they weren't talking about Kate, the conversation steered toward Jack's work and the cases he had been dealing with. The last topic Margo brought up was how things were going for the couple. After assuring Margo that things were great, Kate got up to clear the table.
Margo moved to help, but Jack put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Can I talk to you alone for a minute? Outside?"
Confused, Margo nodded. Jack turned back to Kate, "Just leave the dishes, Kate. I'll get them. How about you set up a bed for Boo in the laundry room?"
Kate arched an eyebrow. "You're willing to accept that Boo is part of the family?"
"For now," Jack winked before ushering his mother outside.
Kate spend the next ten minutes setting up a make-shift bed for Boo, and wondering what Jack and his mother were talking about outside. She had just finished fixing the towels Boo was to lay on when Jack stepped into the room. "Mom said she'd watch Boo while we're gone."
"Really?" Kate's eyes lit up and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I guess we'll get our alone time after all."
Jack buried his head in her hair and laughed. "Kate, all of our time is alone time!"
"Okay, okay," she rolled her eyes. "Alone time that's not spent in this house."
They walked hand-in-hand out of the laundry room and said their good-byes to Margo. She agreed that they should be over about 8 the next morning in order to drop Boo off. They were to pick him up the morning after they returned.
After Margo was gone, Kate settled Boo into his new bed. He immediately fell asleep, all cozy in the warm towels. Jack was happy enough to see her happy that he didn't complain she had used the good towels.
When they went upstairs to bed, Kate put on one of Jack's t-shirts and snuggled into bed. He laughed softly, "All the pajamas I bought you and you still sleep in my shirt."
Kate spoke, her eyes closed and her voice very soft, "It smells like you."
Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Jack smoothed her hair away from her forehead. "I thought we agreed on amazing sex tonight."
"Mmm," Kate murmured, not opening her eyes. "I'm really tired. Tomorrow. Lots of amazing sex tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Jack agreed, placing a soft kiss on her head. "'Night, Kate."
"'Night, Jack," Kate's voice was barely audible. "I love you."
Kate was asleep so fast that she didn't hear Jack whisper the words back. Nor did she see what he slipped into his sock drawer before climbing into bed and wrapping his arms around her.
