So this chapter is a bit shorter than the last, and I know it's literally been months, but I've been crazy busy and totally blocked. But you can expect more regular updates from now on. Don't worry. Enjoy some moderate smut! Please review, let me know if any of you are still out there and if it's worth continuing!

Chapter 8

Kate's eyes blinked open. "What?"

Jack shifted closer, wetting his lips and letting a hand find her hip. "My best friend, Marc, he's a neurosurgeon. He—well, I don't know if he'd be willing to operate on a case like this, but I can ask him."

She shut her eyes tight. "No, Jack."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not supposed to use your help. The moment this starts to be all about my mother and helping me the moment it ends. Trust me."

Jack shook his head. "What are you talking about? You were going to use my dad's help, but you can't use mine?"

Kate rolled onto her back with a huff, palms rubbing furiously at her forehead while her eyes shut tight in frustration. "I'm not going to ask you to bring your friends into this. This is my problem."

He propped himself up on his elbow, determined.

"You don't have to ask. I'm doing it. I'm calling him this afternoon."

Her eyes softened. "You don't have to do this for me. You're going to end up resenting me, regretting that you offered at all."

His eyebrows softened and he slid his thumb over her lips softly. "Don't you worry about me."

Kate laughed ruefully, nodding finally and making him smile.

"Let's just take it easy okay? Go back to bed." He offered, his palm smoothing down her side and pulling her against his chest as he settled onto his back. She snuggled into the crook beneath his chin.

They were both quiet for a moment, and Kate could almost feel Jack's breathing beginning to slow. She ran a finger up and down his bare chest, tracing invisible patterns into his skin. He cracked open an eye and looked down at her, nudging her a little.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, a satisfied grin on his face.

She blushed, sitting up and then crawling over him, straddling his hips and letting her palms rest on his chest. He laid his hands over hers, pressing a kiss to her right palm, looking only a little surprised at the quick change of positions.

"I'm thinking that I've been acting crazy lately, and you've been so great."

Jack smiled ruefully, "You're going through a tough time. It's understandable."

Kate smiled. "Ah, so you agree. I have been acting crazy, huh."

He laughed, hands moving to slide up and down her waist, then further down, over the smooth skin of her thighs where they were perched on either side of his hips. "Well..."

She rolled her eyes. "It's okay. Things are going to be better from now on. No more Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

Jack laughed again. "Wait, go back to that doctor part? Doctor. Sounds kind of sexy on you."

She slapped his shoulder playfully. "Give me a break."

He let his fingertips wander up and dip underneath her t-shirt, tracing patterns on the taut skin of her stomach. "I'm serious. Imagine you decked out in hospital scrubs? I might have to whisk you away to the nearest on-call room." He joked.

Kate grinned, eyes glinting. "I guess I'll have to make a visit soon. You can give me a tour." She teased, her voice dipping sensually and making Jack feel his skin prick up further where her fingers tangled in his chest hair.

Jack's eyes darkened as he watched her, her tongue subconsciously swiping a line across her bottom lip just before she bit down. Her green eyes meeting his darker ones from beneath her long lashes.

Swiftly, he sat up, forcing her to cling to him to maintain her balance, just as his arms wrapped strong around her back, forcing her chest into his as he kissed her. He let his tongue probe into her mouth, her head tilting back and allowing more of him in, the sensation heady and intoxicating.

Her hands traced up and down his biceps, then moved up and held his jaw as he kissed her harder, and she could feel the beginning of his arousal press into her where she was perched in his lap and she smiled. Jack let himself fall onto his back, bringing her down on top of him and making her squirm when his hands drifted to cup her breast through her bra, making her gasp and pull away from his lips, wet and well kissed.

Jack met her eyes, seeing the green turn to dark forest and he kept their eyes connected as he reached around and flicked the clasp on the bra and let it slide forward. In one fell swoop he whipped both her shirt and bra away from her and caught her lips with his again, his palms wandering up to cup her breasts, his thumb and forefinger catching her nipple and making her gasp and grind her hips into his.

"Jack." She breathed, pressing her forehead to his chest and breathing hard as his fingers worked their magic. He moved his one hand to slide down her chest and over her stomach then stopping at the front elastic of her underwear. He paused there and she met his eyes. He smiled wickedly.

In one swift move he flipped them so she was on her back, her hands immediately smoothing around the nape of his neck and pushing his head towards her chest. He smirked and complied, tongue coming out to trace the dark circles around her nipples, and she gasped, her hips pressing persistently against his, where she could feel his hard length, long and steely.

He moved his lips down further, kissing a long wet line until he reached the front of her underwear and he took a second to take her in. Watching as her chest rose hard and fast with her breathing, her skin reddening, her hips arching up towards his mouth and he pressed them back down, smirking again.

"Jack." She breathed, and he only laughed, fingertips coming around to slowly drag down the string sides of her underwear until she kicked them off. But instead of diving towards her, Kate had pulled him up by his arms and was flipping them, straddling his hips. He could feel her on his lower stomach and groaned, his member twitching and now she smirked.

"You know," she breathed, pressing a kiss beneath his jaw and continuing to trail them lower, "you have been really great these past couple of days." She let her hand find the slit in his boxers and she sneaked her fingers through, gripping him and he bit his lip, letting out a long breath. "And when I say great, I mean, in so many different ways." She teased, and then released him, pulling his briefs down and flicking them to the side.

She sidled down his hips until her mouth was level with his arousal. "And I really think you deserve some credit." She breathed against him. She watched him from where she was perched. His eyes shut tight, breathing hard, waiting for inevitable pleasure she was nearly breathing out.

"But," she continued, a delighted smile curling up off her mouth, gripping his shaft at its base and blowing a soft breath across the tip, "I think you're going to want to watch this part."

What had been intended to be a one-sided gift to Jack from Kate turned into a gift to Kate from Jack and then after both had been satisfied, they joined together again then slipped lazily into sleep.

They were both naked under the covers, face to face, legs intertwined and skin pressed flushed against the others. Jack didn't even hear the knock on the door, then a few minutes later, the doorknob on the front door turn. It wasn't until he heard a familiar voice call out that he finally roused.

"Hey man, you here?" Jack heard. He looked down at Kate who was still asleep, eyebrows furrowed adorably in her sleep. He smoothed a curl away from her face before standing up and grabbing his boxers, then making his way out into the hallway.

"Marc." Jack hissed, rounding the corner and seeing his best friend hunched over and digging through the refrigerator.

Marc's head shot up and he leveled Jack an embarrassed look. "Hey man, wasn't sure you were home."

Jack smirked. "Didn't stop you from going through my fridge."

The redheaded shrugged. "Thought we'd go for some beers tonight."

Jack shot a glance back towards the direction of the bedroom. "I don't know man. I got to check on some plans first…" He trailed. Marc narrowed his eyes.

"Is there someone here?" Marc asked, a smile creeping onto his lips. Jack tried to feign innocence.

"What makes you say that?"

Marc crossed his arms over his chest. "For starters, it's three o'clock and your walking around in your boxers, and you keep eyeing your bedroom door like something is going to come out of it and attack you."

Jack rolled his eyes and shuffled past his friend, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"Kate's here." He mumbled, uncapping the bottle and taking a sip.

Marc swiveled towards Jack, an ornery grin on his face. "Uh-huh. I knew it. Let me meet her man! I got to met the chick whose got your balls in a—"

"Jack?" Kate called curiously, emerging halfway from the bedroom, clad in her jeans and t-shirt from earlier.

"Hey." Jack started, walking towards her briskly and ushering her out into the hall to meet his friend

"Marc, this is Kate. Kate, this is Marc." Jack introduced, maintaining his manners however undressed he was compared to his two friends.

They shook hands. "Pleasure to meet you Kate. I have heard practically nothing about you, but the way Jack's been floating around the hospital, he really didn't have to say a thing." Marc said charmingly, making Kate blush and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Jack mentioned you worked at the hospital." She offered, glancing at Jack and trying to read the look on his face. She still looked sleepy, and Jack realized she must have thrown her clothes on to come find him, not fully awake.

The silence was awkward a moment before Marc cleared his throat. "Well, I came over to see if Jack wanted to grab a drink, but if you two have plans…"

"No, no, that's fine. You guys should go out." Kate said quickly, touching Jack's arm.

"Well, actually," Marc began again, "I was thinking all three of us could grab a drink. If you're up for it."

Up next: Marc, Jack, and Kate all hanging out, some Claire, more fluffiness, and Kate's mom...