New chapter finally, Thank you Mari for helping me out with this one :) Hope you guys like it!

Two days have past since they went to the zoo, and Kate told him that she loved him. Since than Jack hadn't talked to her for more than 5 seconds, he tried calling, she wouldn't answer and if she did, she'd make something up like the water was running in the kitchen, he was frustrated although he couldn't really blame her.

Now he was in the hospital cafeteria with Mark, telling him about all this

"So how did the zoo go?" Mark asked

Jack looked down at his plate "It was, uh good"

"Well don't jump up and down about it" His friend laughed "So Aaron's talking to you again?"

Jack nodded "Yeah, he's not the problem now"

"What do you mean? What's the problem now?" Mark asked curiously

"Kate" He said right away "I mean, me it's not Kate, I'm the problem"

"Okay, I'm a trained surgeon and I can't follow, start from the beginning"

Jack took a big breath "She told me she loved me"

It was quiet for minutes after that, Mark being slightly shocked, not knowing what to say and wondering that was a problem

"Wow man, what did you say?"

Jack shook his head "Nothing, I just went to get Aaron"

Mark laughed a little "You're kidding right?"

Jack shook his head "No, I wish I was man, what am I going to do?"

"Jack, you got this incredible girl, who just declared her love for you, and you say nothing? You need help my friend"

"I know, I'm such an idiot"

"No arguments here" Mark shrugged looking at Jack, realizing this was hurting him "Look all I can say is, I've never seen you this happy man, she does make you happy right?"

"Yeah, she does, I feel amazing when I'm with her" Jack smiled sadly

"Do you love her?" Mark asked the question Jack had been asking himself for the past 48 hours

"I have feelings for her, I love being with her, being near her, But am I in love with her. I don't know"

Mark just stared at his friend, as if it were obvious "Love is a big word man, it's scary"

"So you let the fear of it keep you from telling her how you feel, you hurt her that way because you were scared?" Mark asked harshly but it had to be done

Jack didn't abject he knew he was being a jerk, and he knew that he had hurt Kate, and that he never wanted to, he didn't mean to do that, he was scared but that was no excuse. Mark got up and stopped at Jack, patting his friend on the shoulder he finished with 3 simple words "Count to five man"


That night Jack made Aaron supper, and they watched a little television, he asked for Kate more than once, and Jack's heart sunk every time he'd have to tell him she wasn't coming tonight. After the movie, Jack brought Aaron upstairs to his bed; he'd fallen asleep half way through the film. Tucking him in, kissing his forehead "Goodnight Buddy" He said

Walking downstairs to turn off the lights and lock the door, he heard a soft knock on the door, how could be visiting him at this time? He went over to the door turning on the porch light

"Kate" He breathed out of shock that she was there once he opened his door "It's late, is everything okay?"

"I need to talk to you" She told him as he opened the door for her to come inside

Standing by the door silently "Do you want to go sit down?" He asked sifting uncomfortably

She shook her head "No I'd rather stay here"

Jack looked at her sadly; he could see she had tear stains on her cheeks "What's going on Kate?"

"My friend Beth called me last week" She started "She's the principal of a school back where I used to live, in Iowa"

"Oh yeah? That's great" He said completely unsure of why she was telling him this

"She called because she wants me to go down there, and teach at her school Jack" She informed him

"What? You're not going to go right? You love your job" Jack forced out of his mouth while he's heart was pounding in his chest

"I do love my job" She said "But it would be nice to go back there"

Jack passed back and forth, running his hand through his brown hair "When would you leave?" Jack asked

Kate's eyes started to fill with tears "As soon as they can find a replacement for me here"

Jack could feel the water fill his eyes "I really don't want you to go Kate" He told her walking and wrapping his arms around her body, kissing her slowly

"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asked when she was wrapped in his arms; she was crying now, the tears flowing out of her eyes like blood from a cut

"I didn't know if I was going to go, I just decided" She told him wiping a falling tear from her cheek

"When…..When did you decide you were going?" He asked "Is this about a few days ago?"

Kate looked down at her feet than back up at him "That was part of it, yes" She paused seeing the regret in his eyes "I didn't tell you before because I really didn't want to leave you, I wanted to stay here with you, be with you, But I was looking for you to give me a reason to stay Jack" She cried out at him

"Kate" that was all that came out of his mouth, as soft as it could have been

"You didn't Jack, so that's when I knew that should go, there's nothing here for me to have a future with" She told him, looking in his sad brown eyes, she could see the pain this was given him

"Kate, please don't do this" He choked out

Kate simply walked closer into him, cupping his face in her hands, rubbing his stumble gently before pressing her lips to his gently, the kiss lasted longer than she meant it too but didn't mind much, they poured everything they had into each other in one kiss. Pulling away their foreheads stayed linked together "Goodbye Jack" She whimpered against his mouth before opening the door and walking out, leaving him there confused and heart broken.

Just like that she was gone.

Tell me what you think? 2 more chapters to go before it's finished :)