So I know it has been over six months since I updated, but I've been so inspired reading so many great fics and watching the show that I couldn't help but take another stab at this fic. I invite you to go back and read if you've forgotten it, otherwise, enjoy this long and very very smutty chapter. Enjoy! Please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts after being gone so long and where you'd like to see this headed.

Kate slept fitfully the rest of the night. After Jack's botched—thanks to her—declaration of love, they'd awkwardly forgotten the heat of lust that had consumed them moments earlier and had slumped into bed, side by side, and didn't speak.

By the time Kate did wake up—early, around seven the following morning—Jack was already up. She'd fallen asleep in her clothes and they felt wrinkled and used as she padded towards the kitchen.

Jack was dressed in his running gear—a Columbia t-shirt and a pair of shorts—and Kate could see the sweat on his brow and knew he'd just come back from his morning jog.

"You went for a run." She said easily, sliding into the barstool at the counter. Jack, whose back had been to her as he rifled through the fridge, turned sharply.

"Oh…you're up." He replied dumbly, avoiding her eyes a moment before looking up.

She tried a smile, but he only cleared his throat and looked away, fiddling with the cap on the water bottle he'd pulled from the fridge.

"So…" Kate began, but Jack didn't take the unfinished sentence as an invitation to respond.

"Do you need a ride home?" He asked, eyes remaining downcast.

Kate eyed him carefully, sensing his distance, and knowing clearly that it was because of last night. And she felt guilty, but she knew she was right. She'd meant what she'd said. She didn't want to tell him she loved him just to forgo the potential awkwardness or a fight. She wanted to mean it when she said it. To know it. Without a doubt.

"Yeah, that'd be good."

The car ride carried on in silence, and when they arrived at her building, Jack dutifully walked her up to her door. She wasn't sure what she expected once they got there. A kiss? A mute nod of the head? A breakup? She could and couldn't imagine all of the possibilities. But the trouble of deciphering the potential outcomes was erased when Kate and Jack rounded the bend in her hallway to find a giant pool trailing outside the hall, and Claire holding a laundry basket full of clothes and other items.

"What happened?" Kate asked hurriedly, heading straight to enter the apartment before Claire stopped her.

"Apartment's flooded. I was just about to call you."

"Flooded." Kate repeated, chagrined and disbelieving.

Claire sighed exasperatedly and nodded, adjusting the weight of the basket in her hands before Jack took it from her gently with a nod and small smile.

She brushed a blonde strand of hair away from her face. "Yeah. The landlord is getting someone to fix it."

"Just our apartment?" Kate asked, peering into the apartment and the water pooling around, the couch destroyed, the ceiling brown from water damage.

"Next door on either side, too. A pipe burst or something. They said it'd be a week or so before it's fixed."

Kate sighed and snuck a glance at Jack. As if this couldn't get any worse. He didn't meet Kate's eyes, but he cleared his throat before looking at Claire.

"If you'd like, you two can stay at my place until that problem's sorted out. Springing for a hotel in L.A. for a week is a pain in the ass, and I don't mind." He tried to sound genuine, and to someone who didn't know him, it'd probably sound that way. But Kate knew that while he was ever the gentleman, the last thing he probably wanted to do was take in her and her roommate after last night's embarrassing debacle.

Claire looked at Kate, unsure, but looking desperate. "I don't know about you, Kate, but I can't afford it."

Kate forced a tight smile, met Jack's guarded eyes fleetingly, and then nodded. Trying her best to sound genuine and enthusiastic as she accepted. "If it's not to much trouble for Jack."

Jack shook his head. "It'll be fine. There's a guest bedroom. And I'll take the couch. No problem."

Claire eyed Kate, wondering why there would be a need for Jack to take the couch when she knew they were sleeping together. Kate sent her a look and Claire dropped it, turning and grinning at Jack.

"Thanks, Jack."

After collecting a few things from her apartment that weren't waterlogged or ruined, Kate—along with Claire and her things—hopped back into Jack's car and back across town to his apartment. When they arrived, Jack showed Claire to the guest bedroom.

He turned to go back to the living room and Kate followed, Claire preoccupied with getting settled into her new surroundings. Jack didn't seem to notice Kate trailing him, or at least he chose to ignore it. But when he reached the living room and pretended to straighten up the couch and coffee table, Kate touched his arm and he seemed to flinch.

"Jack, we don't…you don't have to sleep on the couch." She tried to laugh, if only to convince him that she thought the idea was silly. But, he didn't seem to find the humor, or take to her easing.

He set his hands on his hips and kept his voice low. "I know I don't have to."

Kate swallowed, tentatively reaching out and touching the hem of his shirt and stepping closer. "I thought things were okay. That last night wasn't going to be—"

"Do we have to talk about this?" He asked quickly, before sidling past her towards the kitchen.

"Jack." She tried. And to her surprise, he turned, jaw clenched and eyes hard.

"What?"

Kate stopped a moment. She hadn't really thought further than saying his name.

"I—I just…you know what? Yeah,we have to talk about this." She sputtered, arms coming across her chest and her body turning rigid into a stance she hoped seemed menacing enough to force him to open up.

Jack sighed, head dropping. Kate came to him after a moment, sensing his frustration, his hurt, and then sidled close in front of him and placed her hands on his sides, trying to meet his eyes. To her surprise, he didn't turn away, but she could feel his body tense where she touched him.

"Jack." She tried again. And finally, he looked down at her, eyes unguarded for once and looking wounded.

She looked into the brown depths of them a moment before stepping up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips, slow, waiting until he responded, one of his hands creeping away from his sides to the small of her back and pressing her closer.

When they broke away he bowed his forehead against hers, his breathing slow and even. She smiled, one of her palms creeping up and cupping his cheek, her thumb sweeping across the growth of stubble until he smiled wryly.

"Okay now?" She asked softly, making him grin a little wider. He pressed another kiss to her lips, wet and warm and slow until she was pressed flush against him, the planes of their bodies touching. His hands began to creep lower on her back when they heard the front door open and close and a loud voice round into the kitchen.

"Jesus, you two never stop, do you?"

It was Marc. He had a basketball in his hand and it looked like he'd come over to invite Jack for a game. Kate and Jack separated reluctantly and she tried to hide her disappointment that the one moment of peace they'd been able to steal all morning was over.

"What's up, man?" Jack asked kindly, smiling and moving towards the kitchen. While Kate was disappointed, Jack seemed relieved for the interruption—a truth that wasn't lost on her as she followed the two men into the other room.

"You up for a game?" Marc asked, tossing the basketball lightly to his friend. Jack smiled.

"Can't, man. I've got to go into the hospital for a few hours today. I've got some paperwork."

Marc sighed. "Fine. What does Kate think about your work schedule?" He teased, quirking an eye at Jack and Kate both.

Kate smiled at Jack, but his eyes only darted back towards Marc.

"No problems yet." Jack mumbled.

"Hey guys, is anyone hungry? Because I--" Claire called as she rounded into the kitchen. She stopped short after seeing the new face and the accompanying awkward silence.

"Oh. Hi." Claire said, smiling shyly. Marc seemed to straighten, shifting the basketball nervously from one hip to other.

It was silent for a moment before Jack cleared his throat, introducing the two.

"Marc, this is Claire, Kate's roommate. Claire, this is Marc." Jack said flatly, motioning between them.

Marc grinned, stepping forward and offering a hand.

"It's Dr. Marc Silverman. I work with Jack. We go way back." He said with a flirty smile, and Claire, clearly impressed, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before accepting his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Marc Silverman who works with Jack."

Kate rolled her eyes, realizing that two of the biggest flirts she knew had now managed to meet. She sent a smirk at Jack, trying to rouse a chuckle from him, but he shifted and looked away.

"So, what are you guys doing here?" Marc continued, finally dropping Claire's hand.

Kate stepped in. "Well, a pipe burst in our apartment and it's flooded. So Jack offered to let us stay here for a few days until it's fixed."

Marc seemed pleased, and turned his attention back to Claire. "So I'll be seeing more of you then?" He flirted easily, and Claire giggled.

"If I'm lucky."

Jack finally invaded their little world with a decisive step forward. "Well, now that you two have met. I'm going to take a shower and head into work."

Kate opened her mouth to reply, but Jack only hurried back towards the bedroom. Claire and Marc didn't seem to mind, sidling closer together and striking up an easy conversation. Kate watched them a moment before turning on her heel and following Jack, determined.

As soon as she made it into the bedroom, she closed the door behind her, making Jack—who had been stripping off his shirt—turn to look at her questioningly.

"What's up?" He asked casually, starting on his belt buckle.

Kate opened her mouth to say something, but stopped, eyes trailing up the lean muscles of his back before snapping her mouth shut, instead leaning back against the closed door and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're going into work?" She tried after a moment.

By now Jack had stripped to his boxer-briefs, a dark navy color, and Kate focused her eyes upward.

"Yeah, Kate, I've got some patients to check up on. Paperwork that I've got to catch up on. When I took the day off to be with you the other day, it kind of ate up some of my time." He said, and Kate picked out the subtle jab in his tone.

She sighed. "Okay, well…"

Jack moved towards the bathroom door.

"Want company?" Kate asked, trying to sound cheerful and seductive or anything that would take his mind off of why he was upset with her. She just wanted things to be comfortable again. And, to be honest, she'd missed being with him last night, plus sheneeded a shower. Though the former seemed to be more pressing than the latter.

Jack paused in the doorframe to the bathroom, seeming to consider this.

"I just—" he began, then shook his head, seemingly to himself, "I've got to be quick, you know?"

Kate didn't accept defeat; instead moving towards him and bracing two hands on the plane of his chest before letting them trail down to his hips, pushing their bodies closer together. She could see the muscles in Jack's shoulders flutter.

"Kate," he tried, hands meeting hers to take them off his body, but instead she just moved them upwards, settling on his biceps.

"Jack, what do you want me to say?" She began softly, but when Jack's eyes turned hard, shutting her out, she got frustrated, stepping away from him.

"Look, it's not fair to be mad at about this. We've only been seeing each other, for what? A month? You know I care about you. A lot. I care enough that I don't want you seeing someone else. That I want to spend time with you. That I don't want this to end, that I want things to keep going. Isn't that enough? After one month, shouldn't that be enough?"

She finished her tirade, hands settling on her hips. She couldn't read Jack's eyes, which were downcast, but after a moment he looked up, softening.

Kate sensed the change and stepped closer, arms winding around his waist and her chin resting on his sternum. His arms fluttered at her waist a moment before returning her embrace. He heaved a heavy sigh into her shoulder where he rested his chin.

"You're right." He said softly. "I'm sorry."

Kate smiled, moving him to look at her. "Don't be sorry," she moved a hand up to run through his hair, grinning impishly, "just take a shower with me."

Jack laughed, nodding earnestly and taking her hand, leading her into the bathroom.

He started the water in the shower while Kate pushed herself up to sit on the counter, watching Jack's bare back and legs move around the bathroom. After testing the water temperature, he turned around, catching her watching him.

"See something you like?" He joked, moving towards her slowly. She spread her knees as he approached and her stood between them, open palms gliding to her jean-clad thighs and rubbing up and down, making her shift closer.

"Mm, know what I'd to see? Even more?" She joked, watching the way his eyes were staring at her mouth. She brushed her tongue across her bottom lip before fingering the elastic of his boxer-briefs, beginning to tug them down.

She closed her eyes, tilting her head upwards and ready to accept his kiss, when he stopped her hand from removing his underwear.

"Wait," he started, breathless, before his hands skimmed upwards to the hem of her shirt. "I want to see you first."

Kate said nothing, only met his dark eyes with her own and lifted her arms upwards, inviting him to undress her.

With one purposeful movement, he lifted her shirt off of her, tossing to the wayside, uncaring. His hand smoothed over her sides, her ribs, feeling the quick intake of her breath move through her torso. He moved his mouth close to hers, almost touching, feeling her breath coming out in shallow puffs as his hands—warm and rough—moved over her bare arms, shoulders, stomach, finally slipping under her bra and meeting the warm skin of her breast.

Her eyes closed, and he could feel her start to shake for him. She felt warmth move up from her toes and into her stomach, pooling in her belly and her hands itched for him, coming around and settling on his lower back, fingertips dipping below the elastic of his boxer-briefs and skimming the tops of his backside. His breath hitched, and he closed his eyes, reaching around to the clasp of her bra and deftly flicking it open.

She let the garment drop down, tossing it away as his hands came up to grip both mounds softly, making her stifle a moan. She buried her face in his neck, leaving hot, wet kissed up and down the stubbly column, flicking her tongue behind his ear and he groaned low. In a flash, he took her face into his hands and kissed her hard, her whole body leaning back with the force of his mouth on hers. He let a hand drift down to her breast, tweaking a nipple and she bit down on his lip, gasping.

She could feel his smile, stubble and all, spread against her mouth as his tongue flicked at hers. Kate let her knee purposefully brush against his growing hardness and moaned into her mouth, sliding his tongue against hers heavily, his other hand joining the assault on her breast, peaks hard and aching and she let out a loud groan, pressing his pelvis into hers.

"Marc and Claire are here," he muttered into her mouth, sounding amused. "You have to be quiet." He chided her teasingly, but she didn't seem to hear him. She pushed him away from her and slid off the counter, hurriedly unbuttoning her jeans wrenching them and her underwear down in one swoop, making Jack's hands twitch at his sides.

"Water's gonna get cold. Better hurry up." She said with a devilish smirk, walking past him and stepping into the shower. Jack turned, watched her for a minute as she settled under the spray. He felt himself grow harder at the sight of the steam around her, the cascades of water slipping down every curve.

He shook himself out of it and pushed down his boxers, coming into the shower and pinning her to the wall in one swoop. She gasped in surprise, eyes alight with laughter.

She stopped laughing at once, however, as Jack hooked one of her legs over his hip and pushed into her without warning, making her nails dig into his skin where they were perched on his shoulder.

Her eyes shut tight, breathing hard as Jack pressed his face into her neck, kissing her wet and sloppily, allowing her time to adjust before beginning to thrust.

"God…" she trailed breathlessly, hand moving and smoothing down his back until it rested on his ass. He felt her muscles clench him and he gritted his teeth, refusing to move.

"Feels good?" He smirked, meeting her eyes. She didn't answer, only let her other hand trail down to where they were connected and circling his base, making his eyes nearly roll back.

"What do you think?" She teased, hand sliding back up and over his nipple, making his hips jerk and his hand on her thigh grip harder.

"We should get a condom." He mumbled against her mouth, knowing that he was too far gone at this point and wouldn't dare remove himself from her now.

She slid her hands up and down his wet chest, driving his crazy as her fingernails ran lightly over his nipples. He could feel himself seeping out, and she only smiled.

"You know I'm on the pill," she murmured, lips brushing against his and letting her tongue peak out to touch the tip of his. "I want to feel you." She said softly, and he couldn't wait anymore.

He drove his hips into hers once, experimentally and she gasped, hands gripping his shoulders. He pushed her up further on the tile wall and took her other thigh in hand until he held her there. The new angle sunk her deeper onto him and she came with a shout, making Jack's jaw clench as she rippled around him. He moved his mouth to her breast, sucking a nipple into his mouth and she moaned, hands gripping the back of his head as she chanted his name softly.

"Jack," she whined, and he thrust up into her, making her cry out, still sensitive

"That was fast." He teased, still hard within her and ready to continue now that she was coming down.

She looked at him dreamily before rocking her hips into his.

"Ready?" He asked softly, eyes boring into hers as she bit her lip and nodded, feeling her belly grow hotter as he twitched inside her.

He began moving, slow at first, before he couldn't control himself any longer and he began pounding into her steadily. He grunted with every thrust, not sure his legs would hold out much longer. Kate gasped as he picked up the pace, her hands sliding around to cup his rear and push him in further, making her bite his earlobe.

"Oh fuck, Kate." He bit out, the grip on her thighs flexing and tightening.

"Come on, Jack." She implored, hips rocking into his and ushering him to move faster. He couldn't keep up the pace and let her down slowly. She looked at him, opening her mouth to speak, but he didn't answer, only shutting the water off, and pulling her from the shower.

"Jack—" She started, but before she could say another word, he pulled her towards the counter and grabbed her by the hips, sitting her on top.

The cool tile made her flinch for a moment, but only a second before he pushed into her again, taking her thighs and puling her closer and further onto him, making her sigh into his mouth as it claimed hers.

He pounded into her hard, head dropping onto her shoulder and watching as he connected them, over and over, his hand gliding over her breast and downward before his thumb rubbed at her clit, making her squirm closer to him, hooking her arms around his neck and pressing herself down onto him more.

"Fuck, fuck," he chanted, "Kate."

He slowed down, thrusting shallowly and few more times before grabbing her hips hard and thrusting up into her with force, making her cry out and come again, her legs starting to shake.

He thrust up into her hard, two, three, four more times before pushing up again and staying there as he come with a low groan, a few more explicatives and her name. He jerked inside her twice, making her moan with the movement as it rubbed against he clit, before his shoulders settled and he pulled back to look at her.

Her cheeks were red and he lips were swollen. Her whole body was still damp and warm against his, and he could feel the heat emanating from where they were connected, rushing over him and making him shut his eyes. He felt another weak wave of her orgasm roll over him inside her and he jerked again, making her shout in surprise and pleasure before letting her head drop onto his shoulder.

He caught his breath and stayed inside of her, nudging her until she met his mouth, both of their eyes closed and finding each other's lips by sense. He kissed her intensely, but softly, and she met his tongue stroke-by-stroke, mouths wet and warm. Finally, he pulled away, meeting her eyes bashfully.

"That was…" He began, grinning broadly.

She only smiled and let out a light laugh before kissing him again, thoroughly and pulling away, breathing hard.

She felt him softening inside her and she slipped off the counter, forcing him to slide out of her with a groan.

She cast him a grin over her shoulder and she grabbed his robe off the back of the bathroom door and wrapped herself up, leaving him standing there naked.

"I think I'm out of commission for a while." He laughed, feelings the ache in his muscles already settle in.

"Yeah, that was…" she smiled wryly, choosing her words carefully, "aerobic."

Jack laughed, moving towards her and taking her hips in his hands. She snuggled further into his bathrobe before holding it open and let his slip his arms around her before she shut it around them again, creating a warm, moist cocoon of her bodies, even if Jack had to crane down to accommodate her height.

"You lasted pretty long there, old fella'" She teased, and he moved his face away from the nook of her shoulder.

"You sound surprised," he tested, eyes glaring questioningly but with amusement.

She shrugged. "I am impressed with your…endurance."

Jack laughed, fingertips tickling her sides. "To be honest," he began, before kissing her lightly a few times, "I didn't think I'd last that long, the way you were writhing—"

Kate cut off his teasing with a slap to his shoulder. "I did no such thing," she argued, but he could see the blush creep up into her cheeks.

"What can I say? You make me feel young." He laughed, hands sliding lower over her bottom and pressing her into him purposefully. She began kissing him again and he complied, tongue meeting her every thrust, before he pulled away.

"Not only do I need to go into work, but I think I'm going to need some time to recharge after that one." He joked, backing away and reaching for a towel from the rack.

Kate laughed, biting her lip and snuggling into the robe. "Agreed. But tonight? When you get back? I think I'm going to whip up something special."

"You're cooking?" He asked, moving towards the counter and grabbing his razor.

Kate walked up behind him; opening the robe and pressing her nudity against his back, making him grip the counter's edge and gulp.

"I had something else in mind."

So there's that smut chapter. More to come soon: developments between Marc and Claire, Kate and Jack smutt/fluff, and Jack talks to Marc about Kate's mom, his declaration of love, and more. Review! I will update soon.