Lotte- thanks for always being there for me, and reading when no one else will. You're my best friend and I love you so much! toothpaste

Chapter 2

The Mercer cars pulled up to the house each member knew so well, The house they grew up in, their mother's home. The sun had long since set, the darkness chilled Kate's spine as she parked in the driveway, while Bobby and Jerry pulled over on the curb. She did her best to avoid even just looking at Jack as him and Bobby were digging their luggage out of the back of Bobby's car.

"Nice to be home." Bobby commented, shifting the weight of the bag that held his belongings in his arm.

"So Shit bobby, what have you been up to." Jack's asked, none of the them had yet to discuss simple matters, not while their thought was on their mother... and her murderer.

"Watch your language." Kate snipped, placing a hand on her son's back.

"Oh, I'm a frickin' college professor, jack, what do you think I've been doing?" Bobby replied, grinning at Kate as he stressed the censoring of his words.

"If you boys are going to be staying here you'll need to learn to watch your tongue, and your actions." Kate spoke in a motherly tone, glaring at Jack. No matter how much she loved them, she would not let the Mercer brothers behave terribly in front of her son, she was determined to raise him right.

"Ya'll ain't right leaving me out here in the cold like this." A familiar voice spoke as Kate entered the porch, the fourth and last Mercer.

"Uncle Angel!" Kerri pushed past the barring body of his mother to embrace the only new arrive that he could remember.

"You should be ashamed."

"I missed my plane."

"You missed your mom's funeral too, Jarhead." Bobby went to embrace his brother. Each Mercer took turns saying their hellos, Kate being the last to give Angel a hug.

Their light hearted mood dropped as soon as they stood within the actual house, all but Kerri hung their head in remembrance of the only woman who seemed to give a care.

"Ma' I'm Hungry." Kerri complained, pulling on the leg of her pants.

"In a minute baby," she hushed him, " Angel why don't you take your old room."

"I'll take Mom's." Bobby interjected. As he spoke Jerry wandered to the living room, sitting down on the couch from the weight of the situation.

"And Jack you can take your's, Kerri baby, you'll have to stay with me."

"But ma!" He pouted, glaring up at Jack. "That's my room." He huffed.

"Don't argue." She threatened, silencing the child.

"You gave him my room?" Jack reached out to grab Kate's arm, but stopped himself when he saw the glare on her face.

"It's not like you were ever coming back." She spat, storming off to the kitchen. Angel followed with hopes of getting something to eat, leaving Bobby and Jack at the foot of the stairs. Jack watched her disappear behind the wall, before looking towards bobby with a confused look, who sighed and made his way up the stairs.

"Bobby?" Jack followed him, hoping his older brother would give him some answers.

"Just leave it alone, jack." He grumbled, closing the door to their mother's room behind him.

"but-"

"No fairy." His voice came from the other side of the door, shattering any intention Jack had of talking to his older brother. Defeated, he went into what had been his old bedroom. He was surprised to find his bed the same as it always had been, the only difference in th room being the second bed across from his, covered in sheets that bore pictures of the Lion King.

"Great... just great." He muttered, collapsing down on his bed.

"Hey Kate," Jerry leaned against the doorway of the dinning room, snickering as he saw Angel and Kerri wolfing down the quick meal Kate had prepared for them. Kate wiped her hands on the dish rag as jerry motioned his head towards the living room, silently asking to speak with her alone.

"Yeah Jer?" He looked into the dinning room again, before bringing his attention back to hers.

"You know Bobby's intentions here..." His voice grew softer, lower with each word, his dark brown eyes showing concern. "He's my brother and I love him, but he shouldn't be in a house with a kid."

"Jerry..."

"I know you won't ask Bobby out of the house, so perhaps you should think about sending Kerri over to my house, just until all this blows over."

"Jerry..."

"You know Camille and I love Kerri, and the girls enjoy playing with him. We have a spare bedroom." Kate delicately placed her hand on his arm, smiling at him.

"Thanks for the offer Jer, You and Camille have always treated me just like family-"

"You are family." He interjected.

"Angel, and Bobby, and well Jack are family too. I just want to give this a try. Let him get to know his uncles and all. Bobby's a little rough around the edges, but he's always played big brother for me, he'll behave around Kerri, or at least he will if he knows whats good for him." Jerry Chuckled, clasping his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah yeah, I'm just looking out for my little sis." He pulled her into a hug. If there was one thing Kate loved more an anything about this family, it was the strong bond that held them all together, the love thicker than any blood.

"You know I don't need my big brothers to watch out for me, I can take on my own battles." She retorted, pushing him playfully, causing him to bark with laughter.

"You were always good at fighting your own battles, that was never your problem."

"And what was my problem?" She arched her brow in curiosity.

"You picked far too many fights." While the two laughed, Kerri stole out of the dinning room to climb up the stairs. He stopped at the doorway of what he had always known to be his room, glaring at the man who had evicted him. Jack looked up from his old guitar to lock gaze with the child. Kerri just stood their glaring before stomping over to his own bed, sitting down on it, never lifting his glare.

"You stole my room." He pouted, crossing his arms across his chest.

"This was my room first." jack commented, unsure how to talk to the child, particularly one who was upset with him.

"But its mine."

"But there isn't any other room I can stay in." He looked upon the Kerri with curiosity. Never had he expected Kate to be a mother, it wasn't that she wouldn't make a good mom, its just he always thought of her as his Kate, the image of her with someone else disgusted him.

"Why can't you stay with mommy?" The child's innocent question stung Jack, He couldn't bring himself to respond to the child's answer. Luckily he didn't have to, Kate appeared in the doorway, crossing her arms with a disappointed look on her face.

"Kerri, leave Jack alone." She spoke, motioning for the child to get out of the room. Not wanting to test his mother's temper, he stormed from the room, mumbling under his breath. Kate sighed and shook her head as the child slammed the door to her bedroom, trying to make his anger known.

"I'm sorry if he disturbed you." She forced herself to say, turning away from the sight of seeing Jack back in this home. It reminded her so much of the times they once had, time she could not bear to remember where too long ago. Kate turned to leave, trying to make a quick get away before a conversation had a chance to appear.

"Kate... Wait." Jack discarded his guitar and rose from the bed to come up behind her. Kate bit her lip, longing only to run, but unable to escape. His fingers curled around her arm, turning her around to face him. He was standing mere inches from her, the closeness sent heated chills up her body, although she tried to pretend they were nonexistant.

"What Jack?" Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"I... I missed you." His whisper danced over her skin, breaking her heart with its gentle tone. Kate watched him lean closer the same way she would watch a vase Kerri knocked over, knowing it was going to crash and shatter, but unable to stop it. She could not count the nights she had dreamed of his kiss over the years he had been gone, and now, her dreams were coming true. When he pulled away, he released his grip on her arms, his whole body on fire from the feeling her her lips against his.

Kate's body shook as she stepped away from him, regaining her self control.

"Jack... You left... you can't just come back into our life like this. I won't allow that." She stumbled over her words, turning away from him quickly to mask her expression from him.

"But Kate!" He called after her, but she walked down the hall as quickly as she could without breaking out into a run, thankful to close her bedroom door behind her. Kerri had already fallen asleep on one side of her bed. Removing the sneakers still on his feet, and pulling a blanket over his small figure, she climbed into the bed herself.

Unable to find comfort in the darkness of her room, she cried silently, thinking of Jack, and the feeling of him again.