Okay, if I don't get any reactions with this chapter, I'll shoot myself... :p

Chapter 31

The next morning, Brooke woke up late, but excited. She couldn't wait for 6:00 O'clock. Finally, they were going to a party with his friends like an official couple. She had breakfast quickly and left the apartment to go shopping.

She grabbed a cab and asked the driver to take her to the nearest supermarket. As she watched the street she couldn't help but feel happy. Halloween was in the air and girls and boys of all ages were carrying pumpkins to their yards. Over the street, families were decorating their houses.

Once at the supermarket, she picked some things to make herself feel like home. Though she didn't want to admit it, she felt a little blue 'cause she was missing her traditional party. Yet she tried to stay positive. This time was her turn, but there would be many other events they would share, and then it would be Jack's turn to go with her, she thought.

She filled her cart with Halloween decorations, candles and candies. She got some treats to take to the cabin and give them to Patrick, Marion, Derek, Varya and Hurley, the people she knew and was sure would be there. Then she got some flowers and a little pumpkin to decorate. Before leaving she looked for a photo frame. She didn't quite like the ones available, but since she really needed it, she picked one anyway, thinking she would buy another back home. It was already noon. Jack hadn't called her, but she didn't freak out. She wasn't the apprehensive type.

Back in the apartment, she made herself a sandwich, which she ate whilst decorating the place. Carefully, almost with devotion, she prepared the pumpkin. After emptying the stuffing, she draw eyes and a toothie smile on it, then she cut them and placed a candle in it. With the remains she made a pie. Yes, Brooke could cook and she did it great. Her mom, Vivian, was French, so all women in her family were used to the kitchen.

Before she could notice, the day flew. She felt like a little girl when she saw it was time to get dressed up. From one of her cases she took out the costume she had chosen for Jack. He'd be the Phantom of the Opera, since he wasn't that much into costumes, so he'd just have to wear a cape and a mask. She paged him and only asked him to wear a black suit.

She would be Cat Woman. She took a nice long shower. When she was done she sat on the bed, a towel covering her body and hair. She dried herself and covered her body in her favorite cream, as she always did. Then she put on her underwear, which was black, to match the costume, and sexy as usual.

Then she started drying her hair. She had too much and it was long, so it always took forever for it to dry. She decided to puff it to look more dramatic and place her cat ears on the top of her head. Once she finished her hairdo, she started with her make-up. She put gray and black shadows on her big eyes, as well as black mascara and liner. She decided to wear only gloss on her lips, to emphasize the eyes. She even painted her finger nails in black.

Once she finished, she looked at herself at the mirror and couldn't help but remember her days as a model. The hairdo, the make-up, made her think she could still be in the runways if she wanted. She smiled at the memories that came to her mind. She definitely had one hell of a time back then, she thought, but in her heart she always knew she would never become a fashion diva. It was not in her. She was a simple girl.

It was time to get in the jumpsuit. She really missed Jack when she had trouble zipping it up by herself, but she finally did. It was 5:45 when she was absolutely ready. She'd put the Cat Woman mask, the final touch, once they were in the cabin. As she waited for him to arrive, she lighted up her cute pumpkin and the other candles she got. Everything was perfect.

Some kids went knocking on the door to get treats. She happily gave them candies and even accepted to be in a couple of pictures when one of the girls next door asked her. She was really happy.

Meanwhile, Jack checked on his watch. 5:45. It was time. The whole day he had been thinking about the situation over and over again. He felt totally messed up. He couldn't understand what was the problem with him. He really liked Brooke. He knew she was the right woman to be with. They were steady, in spite of being living from coast to coast. He knew she'd like his family and his family would like her back, even Margo. Then why he was so doubtful about it? Why he didn't want to move forward with the relationship? The best explanation he could find was that it wasn't the right time.

Though he wasn't aware of it, the truth was he was afraid of his own happiness. Deep inside he believed the price he had to pay for being happy was extremely high. Every time he'd felt content with his life something awful happened, ripping away every ounce of joy. Within his soul he really believed he was meant to suffer.

That's why after the day went by, after he watched his family decorate the house and his mom helped his children with their costumes, after he left the kids with Claire, who now took them trick or treating since Kate died, he'd decided he wouldn't take Brook to the cabin. Yet he didn't know what reason he'd give her. He couldn't tell her it wasn't the right time. He didn't want to hurt her.

Before leaving his sister's house, he kissed the kids goodbye and told Claire he'd been paged and needed to go to the hospital. As he drove to meet Brooke, he found her message in his pager: Wear a black suit, miss u, Brooke. That feeling of guilt took over again.

When he passed in front of St. Sebastian, he decided to go in. He had nothing to do there, but actually he was looking for an excuse for not making it to the cabin. Heaven must have heard him. When he got there he found Robin, one of the interns on guard duty, totally panicked with no idea of what to do on a patient with a massive internal bleeding, who came from a car crash.

Before scrubbing in, he quickly called Brooke, calm in his voice. It was already 6:15.

– Brooke…

– Baby! I was worried, where are you? –she said, concerned.

– I'm sorry, there's been an emergency. I'm at the hospital, I'm going into the OR. I just need a couple of hours okay?

– Of course, don't worry. Um, you want me to call Patrick, to let him know we'll be late?

– No! –he snapped. – I've already paged him, he knows.

– Okay baby, good luck.

– Right.

With that, Jack hung up. Brooke felt somehow disappointed, but she knew he was a doctor, the Chief of Surgery, and those things would happen all the time. She knew about demanding jobs. She had been waiting the whole day, so a couple of hours more wouldn't kill her.

There was nothing on the TV. She tried the radio, but it soon bored her. She looked at the window and that kept her distracted for quite some time. She liked watching people go by. Some other kids knocked on the door, but she wished there had been more. She called Claudia to wish her luck with the party back in New York. They spoke for almost an hour.

When she got tired of waiting, she wandered around the apartment. It had really started to grow inside her. Little by little she'd been bringing and leaving her stuff, so it was close to become an extension of her own room back home.

Her favorite object was the photo frame she'd got at the supermarket earlier in the morning. Patrick had e-mailed her a picture taken by Marion at Varya's birthday. She thought it was a perfect picture, 'cause they didn't notice they were being photographed, so it was spontaneous. It was a close-up of Jack and Brooke's faces. Brooke's eyes were full of glint and she was looking at Jack with a huge smile. Then, beside her, you could see Jack's perfect profile. He was laughing and looking down. They seemed to be having a great time. That picture, Brooke thought, was the perfect definition of what they had. They were a couple, but above all, they were great friends.

The image of the apartment brought to her thoughts the conversation she had with Ilana about him having a family. She pictured herself living there with Jack and his kids. She'd take pictures of Jackie and Brett in their costumes and they'd bake cookies with her. They'd go altogether to pick pumpkins to decorate and she'd take them trick or treating whilst Jack watched them through the window. She wanted that. Now she was sure. She wanted to be a part of Jack's family. It was not because she had the urge to get married or being a mom. Those thoughts never crossed her mind before she met Jack. The whole idea of becoming a housewife only made sense to her because of him. She wanted to be with him 24-7. She loved him.

More than two hours had gone by. Then there was a blackout. Fortunately, she had a lot of candles to lighten the rooms. She laid on the bed and when she got tired of thinking and waiting, she finally fell asleep.

Jack had been in the OR for almost 4 hours. The patient was a mess, but at last he had fixed him and now he was stable. He had already been moved to the Intensive Care Unit. Later on, Jack gave instructions to the resident whose shift had started. He was filling some reports when she checked on his watch. He cursed in his thoughts when he saw the time. He never meant to leave Brooke alone for so many hours. He rushed to the locker room and quickly took a shower. Then he left the hospital and went to the condo.

Once there, he used the keys to get in. It was all quiet and many candles, almost fading, enlightened the living room. He saw the Halloween decorations Brooke had placed. Then he saw a pie on the kitchen's bar, which smelled really good. He rubbed his forehead and sighed. When he walked into the bedroom he found Brooke lying on her back across the bed, wearing a black jumpsuit, barefoot, her legs somehow folded, her messy hair covering the pillow, her eyelids totally dark. She was breathing placidly.

Slowly he sat on the edge of the bed trying not to wake her up. On the bedside table he saw the photo frame with the picture. He couldn't help but smile when he saw it. It really captured the best of her, he thought. Then he glanced at her again and noticed the cat ears on her head. The image of her lying like that sublimed him. At that moment he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was so delicate and yet what she made him feel was so powerful.

He couldn't resist to lay beside her, and for more than ten minutes he just watched her sleep, playing with her hair in his fingers. He rolled on the bed and leaned on his arms on top of her. Then he kissed her tenderly. They seemed like taken from the pages of the Sleeping Beauty tale, especially when Brooke finally opened slowly her eyes.

– Hey… –he said almost whispering, caressing her cheek.

– Hey… –she replied, dazed and rubbing her eyes. She felt disconcerted when she saw Jack's face so close to hers, the lights off and all quiet. For a second she thought she was dreaming. –What time is it? –she asked, abashed.

– It's almost midnight. –he replied, still delighted with her gothic-princess image.

Brooke was somehow cranky, which happened every time she suddenly awoke. Then she remembered she had left all the candles on and quickly sneaked under Jack's arms to get up. She rushed to the living room and started blowing them out. Jack watched her from the corridor, his arms crossed on his chest. He couldn't help but smile when he noticed she was still wearing the cat ears and also a cat tail. She looked completely adorable.

Finally, Brooke stopped and stood in front of the kitchen's bar. – I made a pie… –she said, still sleepy. – Then there was a blackout and I fell asleep. –she explained. – How about you? Everything alright at the hospital? –she asked, now facing him.

That question made Jack feel guilty again. He placed his hands in his pockets and looked down. – Yeah… it got complicated. This patient… he was totally broken. But he'll be fine.

– Good. –she replied flatly. Even though she thought Jack wasn't late on purpose, she still felt upset. Instead of being getting bored to death, she could've stayed home at her own party with her friends.

Jack noticed she was upset and not only cranky. He approached her and cornered her in the kitchen's bar. – You're one sexy kitten. –he said to her ear, holding her by the waist and sinking his face in her shoulder.

Brooke threw a short laugh and look down at herself. – Right… I look like I came out from a mental institution. –she replied, a trace of sorrow in her voice.

– Hey… –he said, seeking for her eyes and cupping her face. – I'm sorry Brooke. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you alone all this time. It'll never happen again. And I'll make it up to you, I promise. –he assured, and then he kissed her sweetly.

Brooke soon fell entrapped in his lips and deepened the kiss. The lack of air made them break it. – Okay, then. –she said to his lips and then walked to the bedroom to enter the bathroom. On the way she took out the cat tail and dropped it on the couch.

When she came out of the bathroom, she found Jack seating on the bed, looking at the photo frame. – It's really nice, don't you think? –she asked standing in front of him, whilst brushing her hair, trying to untangle it. – Patrick sent it to me, he said Marion took it. I never noticed we were being photographed…

– That's what makes it such a great picture. –he replied, still looking at her hypnotic smile on the photo frame. Then he turned his head to meet her eyes and realized she was still wearing the cat ears. He smiled and took her hand, getting her closer to him. Then he sat her on his lap and took the cat ears off her head.

– They're still there? That's why I was listening to your thoughts, then. –she said playfully.

Jack replied with a smile, gently caressing her still puffy hair, looking deeply at her, like he was trying to memorize her features with exactness. He traveled her face with his fingertips and made her shiver. – So what am I thinking? –he asked, looking at her lips.

Brooke gave him a long look. – Um… I really don't know. I never know…

Then Jack couldn't fight it anymore. He cupped her face again and kissed her deeply. Soon she placed her hands around his shoulders and kissed him back. It got deeper and deeper, their tongues entangling, eager for more.

Jack spread her legs on top of him and started discovering her body with his hands. He went from her back to her waist, then to her thighs and soon to her breasts. Brooke was moaning, which aroused him even more. When they broke the kiss to breathe, he said panting: – If you want me to stop just… –but Brooke cut him off putting her index finger on his lips. – Please don't stop... –she pleaded, her eyes filled with lust.

Jack gave her an indulging look and smiled impishly. He kissed her passionately and continued tracing every inch of her body, still entrapped in the jumpsuit. He had no problem unzipping it. After all he was a surgeon and his very skilled hands were one of his so many talents.

When he released her torso from the jumpsuit he found her black laced bra. Sexy lingerie turned him on in one second flat. He caressed it and soon started kissing her bare shoulders, her ears and her neck.

What Brooke found most arousing was his touch. He touched her almost with devotion, as if she was made of glass and would get broken in his hands. He was like a sculptor molding his masterpiece. Then he laid her on the bed, now beneath him, to finally pull out the jumpsuit completely. He felt his body stiffen as he saw her tiny panties revealed.

He kissed her belly button and her ribs, making her shudder. Then he held her against his chest and sat her on top of him again. She felt totally tied up, she definitely had never been with a man so experienced. He had absolute control of her.

Then she started to be a part of the game. She unbuttoned his shirt and got rid of it, at last revealing his chest. She kissed his ears and his neck whilst caressing eagerly his shoulders and his broad back, which drove her crazy. He groaned when she reached for his belt to undo it.

Before she ventured further he took her hands in his and kissed them softly, placing them on her sides after that. Finally he undid her bra, releasing her peachy breasts. The image of them took his breath away. – You're beautiful. –he told her, almost whispering. He kissed and caressed them as he felt her heart beat speed up. She couldn't wait to have him inside her.

Yet he took his time. He laid her beneath him again and kissed and touched every inch of her body, like trying to draw a map of it. At last he took his pants and underwear off and leaned on her. The brush of her breasts on his bare chest blew his mind away.

Before he went inside her, he looked at her beautiful face. He couldn't think of anything but her. She was right there, ready to be his. She was Brooke, the cheerful girl with huge vivid eyes and explosive smile, the girl who made him feel alive again, who filled him with unexplainable joy and made him feel everything was going to be fine, even if the planet crashed into dust.

Then he merged into her body and loved her as he hadn't loved anyone in a long time. The more he possessed her, the more he felt empowered. It was like waking up from a long, dark dream. Their bodies entangled generated so much energy he could feel it.

Brooke was dazed with pleasure. She had never felt so wanted in her life. "Look at me, look at me", he kept telling her. His intense look made her feel she was going to pass out. The connection she felt with Jack was beyond physical. She wanted that moment to last forever, she had been dreaming of it since the first time she went out with him. He kept whispering in her ears how perfect and beautiful and amazing she was. All she could articulate was his name, between moans and groans and even screams.

Finally they came together, as if they had planned it. She could've touched the stars when she felt him explode inside her. When he felt her coming, he thought she was too good to be true. He wanted to consume her and didn't stop until the last of her spasms ran out.

When they finished he rolled over and leaned her on top of him. They were both panting. She sank her head in his neck and her hair covered his face. He could feel her breath on his skin.

– You were right. –he said to her ear, his voice harsh.

She raised her head to meet his eyes and gave him a questioning look. – What?

– You are loud.

Brooke flushed and looked down, biting her lip. – Well, that's news even for me, believe me. –she affirmed.

– Really? Man, I'm so good… –he said with a mischievous smile.

– Oh, shut up! –she replied, slapping playfully his chest. – Don't' be so cocky.

They kissed again and remained like that for hours, talking and laughing, until they fell asleep. At 6:00 am the alarm of his watch woke him up. Brooke was resting on his chest. Seeing her lying on him made him happy. But he had to go, he had to be home when his kids woke up. He gently caressed her back until she opened her eyes. He kissed her good morning and told her he had to go home, which kind of annoyed her, but she understood he had to check on his children.

He promised to be back later. So he did. He returned to the apartment and drove her to the airport, after making love to her one more time.