A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews, please keep them coming!! they keep me writing. here is chapter 11, and as promised Mark is over for dinner and sure to cause some trouble. Enjoy. :D
Chapter 11: An Old Friend
Kate walked in from work and the first thing she saw was that picture from Santa Monica. Jack must have put it out after I went to sleep last night, Kate thought. It really was a great picture, all three of them looked happy, even Jack, who must have still been proud of himself for dunking Kate into the ocean.
"Nice picture, huh?" Jack asked from behind her as he walked in the door, admiring the photo.
"Yea, its nice. We all look so…" Kate began, struggling for the right word.
"Happy?" Jack completed for her.
"Yea. Happy." Kate agreed, and smiled.
"Yea, years from now we'll be able to look at this picture and remember what a great day we had with Aaron." Jack remarked.
"We?" Kate asked, raising an eyebrow at Jack.
"What, are you planning on going anywhere sometime soon?"
Kate didn't respond at first, not really sure what to say, "No, but…" She didn't have to know, because Jack helped her out.
"Kate. I'm just kidding with ya. Relax." Jack said putting a hand on her shoulder, and Kate breathed out visibly.
"So what do ya think? Pizza for dinner?" Kate asked hungrily, eager to change the subject.
"Yea, definitely." Jack said, grabbing the phone.
Jack dialed the number, but didn't get the chance to speak to anyone on the line before the doorbell rang. "I'll grab that, think you can order the pizza?" He asked Kate.
"Yea sure Jack, just don't be upset when it doesn't have pepperoni on it." Kate joked.
"Wouldn't dream of it." Jack replied, chuckling as he made his way to the door.
Opening the door, he was surprised at who he saw.
"Mark? What the hell are you doing here, man?" Jack asked as he embraced his friend.
"Ran out of food at my apartment, you know how it is." Mark said jokingly, and seeing Jack's face, added, "Just kiddin' dude, I thought you'd know me better than that by now. I haven't seen you in a while. It's like…Uhh… what's her name? ... has taken over your whole life."
"Sarah?" Jack offered.
"That's it! Sarah's your whole life." Mark chuckled.
"Yea, well sorry about that. It's just it's been a while since I had a…semi-successful relationship." Jack said, thinking about his, what he considered, successful relationship with Kate on the island.
"I hear ya dude, I'm in a bit of a dry spell myself." Mark joked.
Jack laughed, "So I take it you're staying for dinner?"
"Damn! I thought you'd never ask." Mark said eagerly, pushing his way inside.
Jack shut the door behind him and followed him into the living room.
"Kate, you'd better add one more pizza to that order, there's someone here I want you to meet." Jack yelled to the kitchen.
Mark hadn't really been paying attention to Jack after seeing the Yankees-Red Sox game on TV, eyes glued to the screen, but hearing Jack yell out to the kitchen got his attention.
"Oh, so I finally get to meet the famous Sarah in person, huh?" Mark said as Kate entered the room.
"No, not Sarah. Mark this is…" Jack began to introduce.
"Hi, I'm Kate." Kate greeted, extending her hand.
"Wow, you certainly know how to pick 'em Jack." Mark began, and added to Jack, "She's beautiful."
Both Kate and Jack's face flushed red, and Mark continued.
"You know the best part about all this new girlfriend stuff is I finally get to tell you what I thought about Sarah from our brief phone conversation that one night she picked up your cell to mark her territory. I still can't believe she said I was a chick. I mean, really?" Mark added joyfully, apparently he wasn't one of Sarah's best fans.
Jack was about to interrupt and let him know he was still with Sarah, well at least until he got the chance to talk to her about what had happened at dinner a few nights ago, but there was no stopping Mark once he started like this.
"I got plenty of things to say about her. But, well there's a lady here, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Sarah was one cold, hard bitch. I did not approve." Mark said, putting his hand up to high-five Jack.
"Yea…Mark, the thing is, Kate's my friend…a really, really, good friend. But I'm still dating Sarah." Jack explained awkwardly.
Mark put his hand down slowly, thoroughly embarrassed, and said, "You couldn't have mentioned that, what...20 seconds ago?"
Jack just smiled, "Sorry, I tried. You were pretty eager to throw her to the wolves there."
"Yea…wait, so lemme get this straight. You're dating a hot blonde woman, and you're living with an even hotter brunette? Dude, who are you and what have you done with the 'old' Jack?" Mark joked.
"The 'old' Jack?" Jack repeated, raising an eyebrow at Mark in confusion.
"You know, the Jack that refused to go out, that would work his ass off for days on end. The Jack that couldn't get that girl from the island off his mind despite hundreds of women throwing themselves at him, you know her… Uhh … K…" Mark began, and then it hit him. "Sorry hun, what was your name again?" He asked turning to Kate.
Kate cracked a smile, "Kate. I'm Kate."
"Right…" Mark said, catching the awkward look between the two of them. "That must've be some other crazy spinal surgeon, I know."
"You know another spinal surgeon that was stranded on an island for 100 days?" Kate asked incredulously, not buying his blatant lie.
"Uhh... well…" Mark stuttered, looking for a way out, then heard the doorbell, "Oh look at that, pizza's here. I better go grab it. You two just sit tight." He said extremely quickly, almost sprinting to the doorway.
Mark literally ran out of the room. Leaving Jack and Kate in an awkward, uncomfortable silence for the first time in ages.
"So, couldn't get…that girl…of your mind, huh?" Kate asked mischievously.
"I don't know what he's talking about, honestly. Sometimes I think he's goin' crazy." Jack remarked.
I'm definitely not done with Mark yet, Kate thought, I've got a few more questions for him tonight.
"OK, so we got pizza, one helluva baseball game, and…more awkward moments." Mark said, noting the silence between Jack and Kate, "You know what, Jack. I think I'm gonna grab a beer, I have a feeling I'm gonna need one, or a lot actually."
The trio sat down on the couch, Kate next to Jack and Mark in the armchair to side, enjoying the game. While Jack was a huge Boston Red Sox fan, Mark was a Yankee through and through, and it helped keep their friendship interesting. These games were always interesting nights, and Kate was sure tonight would be no different.
It was the bottom of the seventh, and the Red Sox were winning 7-1, so Jack was in a relaxed mood. Mark on the other hand, almost needed to stop watching.
Then, almost out of the blue, Mark blurted out, "So Kate, what do ya say you and me have dinner sometime?"
"Are you asking me out, Mark?" Kate asked confidently, testing his resolve. Mark was well built, and good-looking, but who was she kidding, he had nothing on Jack.
"I guess I am, Kate. I mean, if that's OK with Jacky boy here." Mark added confidently, turning to his friend.
"Hey, whatever Kate wants is fine by me." Jack said to the pair of them, hiding the pang of jealousy in his heart, then, turning to Kate, added softly, "Maybe it's a good idea. Help you forget about you-know-who."
"I'll think about it, Mark. I mean you're great, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to date again so soon." Kate replied.
"That's all I ask Kate, just mull it over." Mark admitted, slightly despairingly.
The eight innings started with a bang for New York, with 3 straight base hits. The score was now 7-3 Boston, but Kate could tell Jack was getting edgy. It amazed Kate how he was more nervous about a baseball game that he couldn't control than the life-threatening surgeries he performed every day.
"That's my boy, Jeter! Base hit!" Mark yelled in glee.
"C'mon, Pedroia, you gotta throw him out! You're the MVP for god sake!" Jack moaned in response.
"Sorry buddy, the Red Sox are always choking! Here comes Mark Teixeira to drive him home! C'mon!" Mark said, taking a sip of beer.
Teixeira was caught looking for the first strike; then caught swinging for a second. The count was now full, with two outs and Derek Jeter on second base.
"C'mon Daisuke one more strike. We can get a reliever in next inning!" Jack muttered to himself.
"Not a chance, Jacky boy, Teixeira's swinging for the fences here!" Mark yelled in reply, before reaching to take another sip of beer.
After their exchange of verbal banter, the room went quiet. Kate could hear the commentator clearly, "The wind-up, the pitch, GOT HIM SWINGING! Strike three, bottom corner of the plate!"
"Yes!!!" Jack yelled in relief, throwing his arms up in celebration, while Mark on the other hand sat down glumly in the armchair, taking a few more sips of beer.
"So, Mark, tell me more about the 'old' Jack." Kate prompted through the silence, hoping to find out just how much effect she had had on him just a few months ago.
"I could tell you, but it's a kinda long story, and it's getting late. Not sure if I'd be able to get through all the juicy details. I might need another night." Mark replied, dropping a not so subtle hint.
Kate caught what Mark was doing, but before she could respond Jack interrupted.
"Mark, dude, she said she'd let you know. No need to force any ideas into her." Jack said bluntly.
Seeing that Kate finding more about his antics from nine months ago was making him edgy and uncomfortable, Kate had a quick think about Mark's offer.
There was no denying he was a fairly attractive guy, and he looked like he knew a good time, not to mention he had the dirt she wanted on Jack. So she made a snap decision.
"Actually Jack, I was just about to take Mark up on his offer." Kate said sweetly.
Jack fidgeted in his seat on the couch, but only Kate noticed. He immediately regained his calm, collective exterior, "Oh really? You sure? I mean Mark's a bit…well crazy sometimes." He joked to lighten the mood.
"What? Hey, no I'm not." Mark retorted, punching Jack in the arm playfully, then turned to Kate, "I'm not really. He's just kidding. I think."
Kate laughed; the two friends were definitely entertaining.
"OK, Mark. When do you think you'll have enough time to tell me the whole story?" Kate asked, grinning.
Mark's response was instant. "Tomorrow. 8pm. I'll pick you up here."
Kate laughed at Mark's confidence and planning, "OK, Mark. It's a date." She said, and noticed Jack's ever so slight cringe before settling back into the couch to watch the conclusion of the game.
The game, much to Jack's relief and Mark's dismay, finished 8-4 to the Red Sox.
Mark rose to leave. "OK dude, I'll see you soon, thanks for the pizza and... drinks… and Kate, I'll see you tomorrow at 7."
"I thought you said 8?" Kate asked confused.
"Yes, I did. Just testing ya. I'll be looking forward to it." Mark replied with a smile, and left the house to head home.
"I hope you're not driving home, Mark. You had a lot of beer tonight." Jack called after him.
"Wouldn't dream of it dude!" Mark called back without turning around; instead he just held his cell phone above his head indicating he was already calling a cab.
After cleaning up from dinner, Jack and Kate were both ready for bed, as they had work in the morning.
"So, you really like Mark, huh?" Jack asked skeptically, but Kate could swear she heard a bit of jealousy in his voice.
"Yea, I really liked him. Besides, one date can't hurt, right? You said it yourself." Kate reasoned.
"Alright, I just don't want you to get hurt." Jack said, concern etched all over his face.
"That's sweet Jack, but I'll be fine. I dealt with Sawyer for months, I think I can handle Mark." Kate told him.
Jack chuckled to himself. Kate was definitely right about that. Mark was a piece of cake compared to Sawyer. It wasn't even a contest.
"Alright, Kate. I'm going to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a long day." Jack said, as he departed for his bedroom.
"Night, Jack." Kate said as she poured herself a cup of water. Eager to find out if Mark held any clues to Jack's true feelings for her.
"Night, Kate." Jack replied walking toward the stairs. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, but not because of work. He was going to have that talk with Sarah, and if he was completely honest with himself, he didn't think it was going to go well. But then again, he wasn't sure if he wanted it to.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Shorter than the the previous few chapters, but it moves the story along. Please review and tell me what you thought!
Next Chapter: Well, it's called Suspicions Confirmed. That's all your getting.