A/N: This is a very very important chapter and quite long as I promised where I revealed the secret! Gasp! I decided to take up some of the considerations and guesses from people who reviewed or PM me. I didn't want this to be just another cliché or predictable story but I guess it kind of is. Anyway I really still do hope you guys and gals still love and continue to read it.

You can skip the paragraph I just wrote but please read the A/N at the bottom. Anyway enjoy…

Not Since You

Chapter 6: Stay Burried

Three weeks. It had been a week since Kim came home and two more since Jack's party. She had not seen or heard from Jack at all. And in all honesty she was exhausted. The two weeks flew by rather quickly for her. Maybe it was due to the lot of things she had to do. Most of them were paperwork which had her straining her eyesight for endless hours. But even then her mind had her so consumed with other thoughts. So Kim was glad when her mom asked her to do grocery shopping. It gave her time away from the desk and maybe distract her from her thoughts of a certain boy or was he now considered a man?

The supermarket was located at the basement of the mall. It took one escalator trip and Kim found herself with a shopping cart, immersed in various products, trying to think only of the things in her shopping list. The grocery thing was working, her walking down isle after isle for whatever was on the list, until that is when she was at the condiments section.

As she grabbed a bottle of tomato sauce, she heard some kind of loud wailing. Turning around she saw a boy who looked about two years of age crying while the mother tried to soothe him out. The mother looked about her age. And Donna's. Was she (the mother) doing okay? Is she alone?

Kim's questions were answered when a man came round the corner and came to carry the boy. The boy stopped wailing in the man's arms and the man gave the mother a peck on the lips. It made Kim feel as if she was intruding on an intimate moment. The look in the man's eyes as if he was the luckiest man in the world. They were one big happy family. The parents were around her age and happy.

She was not even married yet.

Kim straightened up and walked away, nothing can distract her from her thoughts now.

…

-FLASHBACK-

It was quiet. Kim knew that no matter what it would stay quiet until she open up her mouth and word started spilling out. But what was she going to say? That she was drowning? That she could not take it? That the past would never stay buried?

The woman in front of her kept quiet waiting for her. The last time she talked and Kim tried to listen, now the tables were turning. If Kim spoke, she would risk it all, risk everything that she had been trying to repress. Risk losing everything she tried so hard to keep. But if she didn't it would destroy her so completely that she would lose it all anyway. Either way she would lose.

A small picture caught her eye. It was concealed but Kim knew it was the picture of the woman and her family. As far as she knew, the woman was not married or seeing anyone, no children. How in the world was this woman suppose to save her? She had no idea where Kim was coming from.

And yet that picture brought out the reasons why she needed to speak in the first place. The first words she said to her therapist was, "I feel so lost."

…

"That will be 72.95" the cash register person said.

Kim gave her a few notes. Her grocery was in three brown paper bags and waited for the change. Giving a smile to the cashier, Kim took all three bags. They were heavy and she had to grip hard so that she would not accidentally drop any of them.

She made it all the way to the parking lot of the mall when the worst thing that could possibly happen, happen. She bumped into someone. Or more like that person and her just bumped into one another. One of the bags fell and the contents fell out.

"Sorry, here let me help you," a familiar voice said. Kim looked to see that it was none other than Jack and Stella.

"Hey," Kim said softly.

Kim watched as Jack who was picking up her bag, look at her. His eyes widen a fraction before he said, "Hey."

Stella remained quiet and Kim saw her sneak away from the corner of her eye, no doubt giving the both of them privacy.

"Here let me bring this over to your car," Jack offered.

Kim nodded and led the way to her car. The moment was awkward for both of them, but Kim had already decided that she and Jack needed to talk. She just kept putting it off. Kim heard Jack whistle as her red convertible came into view.

"Nice," Jack approved eyeing the car.

"Thanks," Kim said as she placed the groceries at the back seat of the car. Before turning to Jack once again, "Thanks again for helping."

"It was the least I could do," Jack replied.

Kim could not contain her sigh and quickly asked, "Are you going to the Pirate's Feast?"

The Pirate's Feast was an annual event held at the community hub. There would be games, food, concerts and prizes. Back when they were kids, Kim and Jack alongside with Jerry Eddie and Milton went every year. Not many people from their school showed up which gave them an excuse to goof off, not that they need an excuse in the first place.

"Yup, everyone's coming, except for Stella, she is going over to her friends," Jack nodded, "Are you?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Kim smiled, "Maybe I'll see you there."

"Maybe."

Kim watched Jack give her a small smile and nod before walking away. They were not friends yet but they were repairing their bonds at least.

…

-FLASHBACK-

Stella knew before Jack. But it was entirely coincidental. She was there visiting her friend before heading of abroad for college. At first she did not recognized Kim. She remembered bumping into someone when she turned the corner and turned around to apologize. But when she did her mouth hung open and she croaked out, "Kim?"

Kim turned quickly and saw Stella. Stella saw Kim's eyes widen with fear and alarmness. It was then Stella took in everything. Kim had changed a lot. Her eyes were small and exhausted looking, she looked too pale and her lips were cracked and then there was something else. It took only seconds for Stella to know exactly why Kim was the way she was at that moment.

Kim looked weak and yet Kim gripped Stella's hand fiercely and said in a voice so full of determination, "Don't tell Jack."

All Stella could do at the moment was nod. It was later after the shock subsidized that she started asking Kim.

…

The day of the Pirate's Feast quickly came and Kim decided to throw caution at the wind. If by the end of the day, she and Jack were alright, she'll tell him everything. Every detail of what had happen over the past five years and why she left in the first place.

Kim drove her mom and Austin to the community hub. Austin was wearing a pirate costume that Kim's mom had made for him. Kim's mom herself was dressed up in a long sleeved dressed like the ones that people used to where centuries ago. The community hub was filled with children and adults alike. Some had decided to dress up like Kim's mom and Austin, other's decided to here normal clothing like Kim. Kim watched as Austin and her mother disappeared out of view.

She looked around and spotted Stella alongside the others beside a game booth. Jerry and Eddie were playing while Milton, Stella and Jack were watching in amusement.

"Hey Kims," Stella said as she pulled Kim in for a hug.

"I thought you were going over to your friends?" Kim said turning to Jack questioningly.

"Cancelled," Stella said as she pulled out of the hug."

"Oh," Kim nodded before turning to Jerry and Eddie, "Hey Jerry, Hey Eddie"

The boys in question only grunted, their eyes locked on the game they were currently playing. Kim shook her head amused, no matter how old Jerry and Eddie were they would always have intense competition against one another. It reminded her of the time where they were literally having a food fight (both of the dressed as food) and started a rap battle. Kim turned to Milton, Stella and Jack.

"Salutations fair maiden," Milton said bowing.

"It's not medieval week in school Milton," Kim said.

"There were pirates in ancient times."

Kim rolled her eyes but could not help but smile. It was a typical Milton Krupnick answer. Kim turned to the last person she has yet to greet. Suddenly the weight of her decision came into her mind, what was she doing? Did she really want Jack to know? Even if he did deserve to know? How was the aftermath going to be?

"Hey Jack."

Kim knew her voice was softer and she wondered what Jack thought of it.

"Hi"

Jack said it just as softly. His brown eyes were somewhat confused. Did he see exactly how much she was calculating, how so many of the emotions that she tried to keep under wraps were threatening to break out? Kim could see Jack wanting to say or ask her, maybe. But she was saved by Jerry who chose this moment to yell out.

"Uh huh! Oh yeah! I owned you man," Jerry yelled, his arms in the air with victory while Eddie looked a little disgruntled

"Whatever dude," Eddie said looking as if he wanted a rematch.

"Even now he still acts like a child when he wins a game," Milton said as he shakes his head while the others watched Jerry do a victory dance in front of Eddie.

Kim shakes head before Jerry greets her in a hug, "Hi Kims"

"Hey. Where's Candice?" Kim asked as she looked around.

"She had to go to work today," Jerry answered.

"Oh that's too bad."

"Well, whatever. People let's have fun," Stella interrupted.

…

It was weird to be hanging around Kim once more after five years of nothing. Jack was, strangely, having a good time. There were so many booths of games and food. He remembered coming here when Kim first left hoping that Kim would come. It was traditional after all coming to the feast.

The disappointment he got when he realized that Kim was not going to show up. It was hard, but he kept coming every year, hoping that maybe Kim will and now five years later, here he was with Kim. It felt like they were teenagers once again. He could put rest all of his problems for a while and just have fun. It was nice not to think.

Jack followed as Jerry, Stella, Kim, Milton and Eddie moved to different booths for games and food. It bugged Jack more than it should when Jerry won a beaded bracelet and gave it to Kim. Sure the bracelet was not at all that expensive but still it bothered him. Jack knew he was blowing this out of proportion, Jerry had Candice but that did not contain that he might be a little jealous that Kim allowed him to do little things for her like open a door or ruffle her hair.

Jerry was after all practically still like her brother. And that was when Jack realized why it bothered him. Jerry was on more nicer terms with Kim and even though that was partly his (Jack) faults. Where did he stand with Kim now? They were once best friends before they became estranged and then there was the yelling and paying nice. And then there was the endless chasing beating around the bush. Where did he exactly stand with Kim?

Even after all these years, nothing much had seemed to change between them or her. Kim was almost the same, there were of course differences. Like the fact that she no longer played with her hair that much. Then there was the fact that she was so open and yet wary and on guard. And in that retrospect maybe he was exactly like Kim. He was open too but the walls were always up. Jack shook his head and focused on the game he was playing.

The Pirate's Feast day passed by quickly. Any stray thought on Kim or himself was brutally ignored. Jack was having too much fun to psychoanalyze whatever it was. He and Kim even got to talking. Jack learned that Kim just got her degree in journalism and was now moving into getting a job at various newspaper companies. She was also temporarily living with her mom before getting an apartment of her own nearby. In return Jack told her about the part time degree and full time job he had.

Jack almost believed that the Pirate's Feast was going to end on a good note, just like the years before when the most unlikely and unexpected thing happened. The group (Jerry, Milton, Stella, Eddie, Kim and himself) was walking towards a food booth near the children's pit, to get a drink when a streak out light yelled and flung himself towards Kim.

Jack looked at the boy's face, his mind going into shock. Jack turned to Kim.

Okay chapter done and quite a long one it is. Was it good? Bad? Predictable? How will all of them react? What will the characters do?

Anyway this is the part where I let you guys decide part of how the story goes. Yes, Kim has a kid (might or might not be Austin) but was he:

a) adopted

b) or her own kid. and if it was hers, do you want Jack to be the father or someone else ( Brody [that guy from the Wrath of Swan episode], Truman, Ricky, Frank even, note I'm just listing down names).

And for those who think that I didn't reveal or explain much, I was saving it for the next chapter. Maybe I'll add more stuff if the story is sort of predictable. Anyways till then:)