Thanks for reading, everyone, sorry the chapter is kinda short, the next will be longer.

Little Lotte- I do love you.

Chapter 6

Kate stood at the doorway of Jack's old room, watching her son pile his favorite clothes and toys into the suitcase she had given him. She offered to pick out his clothes for him, but he pouted and said he wanted to do it.

"Almost done baby?" Kerri looked up at her with a glare, slamming the top of the suitcase down to emphasis his displeasure.

"I don't wanna go." He spoke plainly, crossing him arms over his chest and pouting.

"You are always pleading with me to let you go over to Uncle Jerry's house." She informed him in a sweet tone, walking over to sit on Jack's bed across from Kerri.

"But I don't wanna go now."

"Why?"

"I wanna be home for when Grandma comes home." Sorrow washed over Kate as she bit her lip in an attempt to find a reply to her son's statement.

"Do you remember what we talked about? The day Grandma Evy died? That she loves you more than anything, but isn't coming back?" The little boy nodded his head.

"Yes, but you used to say that to Grandma when I was supposed to be sleeping about Jack, and he came home." Tears streamed down her cheeks now, hearing her son's innocence. Rising from the bed she turned her back to him to hide her tears.

"Grandma is different than Jack baby." Her voice shook as she spoke. "Come on baby, mommy has class this morning." She attempted to regain her composer. "Don't forget Kovu."

Kerri snatched the well worn lion stuffed animal off the head of his bed and followed his mother out the door, unable to understand why his mother was crying, but soon loosing interest in something so boring as someone's feelings.

Kate dropped her bag off in her bedroom, swearing that the day was far too long. She couldn't held but feel grief sitting through her classes for the first time since Evelyn's death, when she was the reason Kate continued with her education.

She was the one who gave her a safe haven to study and read for school when at home her books would be torn up. She was the one who took Kate in after her parents threw her out of the house when they found out she was pregnant the summer before her senior year of high school. Ms. Evelyn refused to let a young girl with so much potential throw her life away just because she was a single teen mom, she helped her get through high school and enroll into a local community college.

Attempting to get her mind off of her loss, Kate went to take a shower, convinced the hot water beating against her back would drive away her thoughts. Lost in a mini oasis, Kate was oblivious to the brothers return home. It was only when the door of the bathroom burst open that another person's presence in the house register in her mind.

Jack sagged against the door, his breath ragged, the urge to vomit stung his mouth. He took no notice of the body behind the shower curtain as he dropped before the toilet. Kate peered beyond the shower curtain to see his back, debating with herself whether she should say something to him or not. When she heard his tears hitting the water beneath them, she understood she couldn't just ignore him.

"Jack?" Her voice quivered as she shut the water off, and reached for a towel to wrap around her body. He didn't seem to notice her until she stepped out from the shower, her wet cheek laid against the back of his head as she dropped to her knees on the floor next to him, wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "What happened?"

"They murdered them Kate, right out it in snow, they beat them and shot them." His body shook beneath her as he spoke. "The bastards murdered mom, but still... Bobby and Angel killed them." Kate smoothed his hair down calmingly, gently kissing the skin on the back of his neck, causing him to shiver in chilled delight.

"They won't hurt you Jack, no one can hurt you anymore." She knew very well what he was truly upset about, she was one of the only people who knew what really happened in his mind. He is terrified that those who he looked up to, who protected him, would turn on him, harming him in unspeakable ways, they way they always have.

"Bobby..."

"Bobby is your brother Jack, he loves you, he would never do anything to hurt you." She kissed him again, doing everything she could to comfort him. "Come on." She stood up, holding her hands out for his. Hesitating, he took them rising from the floor to meet her gentle gaze. She ran the back of her hand along his jaw as she looked into the depths of his breathtaking eyes. She lead him to his bedroom, laying him down on his bed. She kissed him gently, clearing the tears from his eyes. "Do you remember the promise I made you? Back when we first became friends in Elementary school when you still lived in your foster homes?" Jack slowly nodded his head.

"You promised you wouldn't let anyone hurt me again." He whispered back to her, sounding more like a frightened child than a grown man.

"Did I hold true to my promise? I stayed after school with you so you didn't have to go home, and then I brought you here to see Ms. Evelyn because she always helped me when I needed it. Then she got you out of there, for good. No matter what has happened between us, I will never go back on that promise." She brought herself to lay beside him, holding him in her arms as if he was Kerri with after he had a nightmare.

"I love you Kate." He fell asleep in her arms. Once he was sound asleep, she carefully pulled herself away from him, realizing that she still had a towel wrapped around her body. She turned around to face his sleeping form once she reached the doorway, standing in the same place she had watched her son from in the morning.

"I love you Jack." She whispered, unable to keep herself from realizing what kind of man he truly was. No matter how much she wished to demonize him for leaving, she couldn't ignore who he was, he hadn't changed since she last saw him, he still stole her heart with innocence.