Chapter Nine: Someone Else's Song

It was not how he'd imagined his first visit to her home.

Her first visit to his home had been similarly unpredictable. There had been talking, there had been peace. There had been revelations, there had even been kissing. There had also been yelling, arguments over nothing.

Still. If he'd been having any doubts, if it had all begun to seem unattainable, the kiss was enough to vanish them. He'd been surprised when she'd broken away, because her desire was so clearly as deep as his. It had been so comforting, to know how she was feeling, if only for a moment.

It had been a surprising, but ultimately satisfying visit. He doubted that this one would be nearly as satisfying.

He casually let himself in as a tenant was leaving, and made his way up the elevator to her floor. Praying for the best, he knocked on the door.

It was answered by a tall blonde girl in an evening gown, who after a moment of confusion smiled at him knowingly.

"Jack, right?" she asked. He nodded slowly. "I've heard so..."

Shannon was interrupted when Kate arrived in the doorway. Jack smiled at her, happy to set eyes on her after her avoidance of him.

"Okay, I really don't want to be around for this. I'm going to go. Good luck," she said, directing her comment at Jack.

Kate turned her back on him and walked into the kitchen and he found himself following her. She finally faced him again, leaning against the counter.

Jack stared at her. Though she'd been dressed casually on almost all of their dates, this was different. She was dresses in pajama pants and a tank top, her hair tied back messily. It was so natural, so intimate somehow. He hungrily devoured the sight, usually so deprived of intimate moments with her.

"How did you know to come here?" she asked. After a moment, he realized that she was referring to her apartment number.

"You told me your last name," he reminded her. Kate nodded.

"You know, you could have just called."

"I would have, but your phone apparently doesn't work," he said in annoyance. She shrugged.

"I've been busy."

Even as she said this, she knew it was among the lamest of the excused she'd ever given him, and quickly wished she had not said it.

"Last night, with your friend at the bar. I saw."

"What?"

"Come on, of course I went. I went there even before I met you. I was kind of surprised to see him close up shop so early, but not as surprised as when I found out that this was what you were doing when you told me you were too busy to go out with me."

Kate stared at him, trying to conceal her anger.

"I came all the way over here for a girl who apparently isn't even my girlfriend. I'm being unbelievably pathetic. Don't I at least deserve an explanation?"

"Sawyer is my best friend," said Kate in disbelief. "I hung out with him way before I knew you. And seeing as I'm clearly not your girlfriend, not answering your calls should be all I have to do to break up with you!"

Jack stared at her, wishing he had even the slightest capability to understand what she was going on about.

"Does that mean you want to be my girlfriend?" he asked in confusion. Kate let out a noise of frustration.

Jack ran his hands through his short dark hair, wishing he was better at controlling his temper.

"I can't have another fight with you over nothing," he said flatly. She nodded.

"Look, Sawyer is just my friend. He always has been. Nothing more," she promised. "So you're going to have to deal with that."

Jack nodded compliantly, encouraged by her calm voice.

"I was with him because I needed to think, and Sawyer on occasion is pretty good at figuring out my thoughts."

"Are they figured out now?" asked Jack.

Kate took a half step toward him. Realizing that she was planning on kissing him, but that she was also going to be slow about it, Jack moved forward the extra three steps and kissed her.

She remained in his arms, smiling as he wrapped them tightly around her and firmly kissed the top of her head.

"You do want to be my girlfriend, don't you?" he teased. She shrugged easily.

"Maybe."

"You'll fix your answering machine?" he asked. She leaned back to meet his eyes.

"I will," she promised.

After a quick rummage through the cupboards revealed Shannon and Kate to be remarkably low on edible food, they called to order Chinese food and ate it on their laps in front of the TV.

Kate gradually leaned in to him as they watched, and after a while he cautiously slid his arm around her shoulders.

It was, he reflected, the most normal date they'd ever had.