Season 7, Episode 1 - FYI: I Hurt, Too
Jack entered his apartment and dropped his luggage by the doorway, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. It was 2 am and he was exhausted, finally arriving home from his three month tour with J-Lo. He closed and locked the door behind him, shuffling his feet towards his bedroom. His eyes were barely open, his body and mind completely sleep deprived. He kicked off his shoes and tore off his jean jacket, dropping it to the floor next to the couch. He pulled his shirt over his head and unbuckled his pants, shoving them down his legs, almost tripping over them as he entered his bedroom. He moved towards the bed, but stopped suddenly, a frown forming on his tired face.
Someone was in his bed.
He squinted in the darkness and felt a smile break out on his face when he recognized the form lying under the covers. He climbed on to the bed and slid under the covers, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his chest. Her eyes fluttered open and she pouted. He could see her confusion at being woken up, but then it turned into glee.
"Poodle," she whispered. She wrapped her arms around his back and pressed her nose to his neck, taking in his familiar scent.
Jack rest his lips against her forehead, pressing a few kisses there while he held her tighter to him. "I'm sorry about Lyle."
Karen sighed, the expulsion of warm breath on his chest causing him to shiver. "Yeah, me too."
Jack was quiet for a moment, his fingers playing with her hair. He had so much he wanted to tell her about his experience on tour, but he first and foremost needed to make sure she was okay since he completely ditched her at her wedding reception after she announced her divorce. He felt even worse when she constantly called him while he was gone, but he was never able to talk - either busy with rehearsal, the performance, or schmoozing with Jennifer Lopez. Eventually she stopped calling and yet there she was, in his bed the night he came home. "I shouldn't have left you."
Karen pulled her head back from his neck to look up at him. "What?"
Jack gazed into her hazel eyes, his face only inches from hers. "I left you, blew you off when you needed me-"
"Jackie," she moved her hand to his face, her thumb grazing the stubble on his chin. "You had an amazing chance to work with one of the biggest stars in the world. Did you really think I was going to let you give that up?" He didn't say anything and her frown deepened. "Is that why you left so fast?"
He nodded, the movement causing his nose to brush hers. "I didn't want to see you hurting because I knew the second I saw how upset you were, I wouldn't have gone anywhere." He let out a humorless chuckle. "Hence my 'dramatic moment' with you."
Despite herself, Karen smiled. "I'm glad you went, Poodle. There was no one in the world more deserving. And I'm fine, I promise." He eyed her and she sighed, knowing he saw right through her. "Well, I will be fine... eventually."
Jack closed the tiny gap between them and kissed her tenderly. "I'm here now," he said when he pulled back, his lips still brushing hers as he spoke. "Promise you'll talk to me if you need to?"
She grinned, tracing his lips with her finger. "I promise."
Jack pressed a kiss to her finger and then her forehead. "Goodnight, Bear. I love you."
Karen buried her nose back into his neck and their eyes drifted closed, giving in to sleep. "Love you," she whispered.