Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter, I'll be quicker next time I promise!

Lotte- Love you, like always.

Chapter 10

Jack waited anxiously for Kate to return home, hoping that everything he planned would work. It had to work, he thought, it just had to. Bitting down on his lip he realized he could not stand another day of constant fighting with Kate, fighting that only left him to the point of tears. He had to show her how much he truly loved her. He felt his heart race in his chest when he saw car lights flood the front window, the picture frames on the walls basked in the artificial light for only a moment, before returning to darkness as the car pulled in the driveway.

Finally his moment was here. Never had he felt so nervous in his life, not when he preformed on stage for the first time with the band he left behind to return home, not even when he first asked Kate out eight years ago, and even then he felt like he would sweat bullets.

Kate smiled at him when she entered the house, closing the door quietly behind her, her bag carelessly placed on the kitchen table.

"Hey jack, what's going on? Bobby's car isn't in the drive-" Kate was cut off as Jack placed his hand on her arm delicately.

"Bobby and Angel went to follow up on some lead I think." He inched closer.

"You didn't go with them?"

"No." He was now particularly flat up against her, forcing her to look up at him. Kate couldn't help but think of the classic movies Ms. Evelyn would sit up late at night and watch. She used to say nothing could compare to the romances on the black and white screen, no kiss ever came close to what Garry Grant or Humphrey Bogart gave on screen. At that moment Kate longed for nothing but to share one of those timeless kisses with Jack. Something so little could be her world she was sure, after all, it had been all the years they dated, and was her only hope when he was away. "Come with me." He lead her into the living room.

Kate gasped slightly seeing the couch and coffee table pushed against the far wall, leaving the center of the room bare, enough for a blanket to be laid down on the carpet, a picnic style meal set out on top of it. Jack ushered her to sit down on the ground, a large grin on his face seeing the surprise and joy in her eyes.

"What is this?"

"You said we would talk, so lets talk over dinner."

"But what if I have something disappointing to say?" Kate teased, the smile plastered on her face giving away her intentions to Jack.

"Then lets have a glass of wine first." He grinned as he hurried off the to kitchen, returning with two full glasses in one hand, and the bottle in the other.

"Wow..." Kate was truly speechless, as she took the glass from him. She looked between the dark liquid and his eyes. "I didn't even know you drank anything but beer and hard liquor."

"I have more class than you think." He paused for a moment, lost in her brilliant eyes. "I can be anything you want me to be, just say the word." Kate placed her glass on the floor, the last thing she needed was alcohol to cloud her judgment.

"Jack.. I told Kerri today." Her voice was little more than a whisper. "About who you are, that you're his father."

"How did he respond?" Jack's voice cracked as he spoke, wanting nothing more than to hear the answer, and dreading it with the same intensity.

"He wanted me to bring him home, so he could play with you." Kate focused her eyes on the floor between them. "How long do you plan on being here Jack, honestly? You've never been the kind to stay in one place too long, how long until you get bored with us and just leave again?" Tears began to stream down her face as she spoke, and nothing she did could keep them in. She cursed herself silently for exposing herself to him like this, she never wanted him to see her so vulnerable, she didn't want to give him another opportunity to hurt her.

"Oh Kate..." Jack's glass found itself next to hers, his hands grasped each side of her face.

"I swear I won't leave, unless you send me away."

"You left last time." She whispered more to herself than to him.

"You wanted me to chase after my dream. You wanted me to do something with my life after I graduated, after you helped me struggle through school. I was doing what I thought you wanted! I was going to come back when I reached that dream, our dream, remember Kate? Remember, when I would play for you, you said you wanted me to be a musician." Tears fell down his face as well, the thought of losing her was too much for him, she was his everything, the only living person he could completely trust.

Kate laughed, although it sounded more like a choke with the tears that caught on her lips.

"I wanted you to reach your dreams, but I wanted to be at your side when you did, I loved you Jack."

Loved. The word rang in Jack's ear, shattering his heart. She did not say love, he realized, but she was commenting on the past, not how she felt right now.

Jack pulled away from Kate, rising from the floor and collecting the two glassed without saying a word to her, the sorrow lodged in his heart apparent in his eyes.

"Jack, wait, come back." Kate rose to follow him, stopping him as she placed her hand on his shoulder blade. " I forgive you, for leaving, but you must do something for me." He turned around quickly, hope growing in his heart.

"What?"

"Be a father for your son. He's coming home tomorrow, I couldn't deny him his home any longer, please, stay and get to know him, stay for him." and me, she wanted to add, but she left those words unsaid.

"I don't have any plans on going anywhere." He shrugged her hand off of him, returning the glasses to the kitchen, simply leaving them in the sink.

"He's going to kick you out of your room," She followed him, the sorrow in his eyes breaking her heart. "so you're going to stay in mine."

Jack turned sharply, his eyes wide, a shocked, and pleased look on his face.

"What?"

"That is alright, isn't it?" She slowly approached him, the same way he had when she first arrived. "Jack... I was hoping we could... get back together." He simply stood there staring at her, drinking in every detail of her eyes, all the hues that made up those breathtaking orbs.

"I thought you were mad at me?"

"I am, but how does that song go... 'the sex is so much better when you're mad at me'?" She grinned playfully, looking more like a school girl than a mother. "I've waited almost five years for you Jack, do you think I would send you away without giving it a chance first?"

"No, you wouldn't." Slowly he tested her lips, remembering how much he loved kissing her, and how playful she was. Kate pulled away from him with a wolfish grin, her hands curling around his. Giggling she lead him up to her room, feeling like she was back in high school, before Kerri and his departure, when things were as simple as they could be.