Kate sighed heavily as she and Kim leaned against each other. They both sat on top of some mats stacked on each other. Bobby sat near them along with Joan. The two were both dressed as 'Romeo and Juliet', but with Joan she only had the wig and head piece on. Rudy sat on the floor by them and Eddie stood by him, wearing a mattress costume. 

Julie sat near Milton, who had an outfit similar to Abraham Lincoln, but half of the beard was off and his wig was messed up. Julie's hair was messed up as well along with Kate's and Kim's. Ashton sat in front of Kim, his hair messed up as well and he his shirt had a cut on the side of it. Jerry sat near Rudy wearing an orange jumpsuit and they were all eating a slice of pizza.

Then suddenly Jack walks in with a duffle bag and he smiles at the group. "Hey, guys." He greeted and they all voice their greetings, smiling at him.

"How was your family reunion?" Kim asked curiously. Jack had been gone for a few days in Colorado for a family reunion, Kate knew he would be shocked to learn what he had missed while he was gone. Kate was happy to see him though, she missed him while he was gone.

"Good." Jack smiles and goes to walk past the group, but he pauses and walks backward before he stands by the group. He stares at them with confusion. "What's going on?" He asked. Everyone starts talking at once, confusing Jack even more. He sets his duffle bag down. "Guys, stop. Hey, stop!" He raises his voice, gaining the other's attention and they all grow quiet. He glances at Milton. "Talk to me. Lincoln."

Milton stands. "Well, it all started when Jerry go his new locker."

**flashback**

walked through the halls in school next to Ashton, Jack, and Jerry. She was holding hands with Jack, of course. When they stopped at Jerry's locker, Ashton grinned and patted Jerry on his shoulder.

"I still can't believe you got locker 138." Ashton comments. Jerry had managed to switch lockers and locker 138 was where a few girls had their lockers nearby. "That's awesome!"

"I know, dude! My new locker's the best. There's always pretty girls around." Jerry smiles proudly. When a dark-skinned girl walked over to them, he gets Ashton's attention and backs up with them. "Yo." He then smirks at the girl as she opens her locker. "Hello, neighbor. Care to step into Club Jerry?" Jerry steps over to his locker to open it. Kate is surprised at the sight inside. Salsa music is playing and he has some different decorations hung up inside as well as colorful lights flashing. The girl looks at it with surprise and confusion before glancing over at Jerry with disgust. Jerry had been salsa dancing to the music the whole time. Kate's eyes widen when suddenly a fist is coming out of the locker. Jerry grins and fist bumps the fist and then the arm went back into the locker. "Sweet."

Kate wasn't surprised at all when the girl walked away. If she was her, she would also walk away. That was just weird. "That's so cool!" Ashton beams. "I want my locker to play salsa music." He pouted and Kate chuckled lightly, smiling at him with amusement.

Jerry watches with a gasp as the girl walked away. "I've never been rejected by a girl that pretty."

"I have a feeling there's a lot more of that coming." Jack remarked and Kate snickered, looking over at him with a smile. She had to agree with that.

Milton then walks over to the group with a frown and a tardy slip. "Our school president, Frank, kicked me off the bus today, so I had to walk to school. I got my first tardy."

Jerry chuckles and a smile tugs on his lips. "Awesome. Tardy party after school. I'll probably be a little late."

Kate chuckles at Jerry's comment and then shrugs her shoulders as she glances at Milton with sympathy. "It's not the end of the world, Milton. It's just a tardy."

"It is the end of the world if you're me." Milton argues. "I've never had a tardy before." He complained and Kate rolled her eyes. She didn't think it was that big of a deal. She glanced over her shoulder when she saw out of the corner of her eye two Black Dragon members walking by and putting a paper on Jerry's locker. Then gave the group a glance before they walked away.

"That can't be any good." Kate murmured.

"Huh?" Jerry said with confusion as he glances over at his locker. His eyes widen and he quickly went over to grab the paper. "No, no, no!" He panics as he read the paper. "Frank just had his Black Dragons goons confiscate my locker."

"Well, apparently, as president you cand o whatever you want." Milton rolled his eyes.

"If you don't like it, guys, the school election's in four days." Jack pointed out, gesturing to a sign on the wall above the lockers that read 'upcoming student elections. get involved!' "Run against him." He suggests. After glancing at the clock on the wall, he realized he had to leave for his trip. He was going to a family event in Colorado for the next few days. "Gotta go. I'll see you guys when I get back from my trip." He and the boys did a bro hug before he turns to Kate with a soft smile, kissing her forehead softly. "Bye, babe. I'll text you later."

Kate smiles softly as her heart skips a beat, waving goodbye at him as he walked away. She was going to miss him while he was gone, but they both planned to text and call each other when they could. "Bye." She turns back to the boys and saw the boys were looking at her with amusement. "Shut up." She glared at them.

"We didn't say anything." Ashton smirked.

"I know what you're thinking." Kate retorts and rolls her eyes. She raises her eyebrows, stepping to the side quicky when Frank stormed over and roughly pushed Milton and Jerry away. "Dude, what's your problem?" She asked him with annoyance.

"Just came to check out my new address. 128. Best in school." Frank opens the locker, backing up with surprise and panic as he saw what was in side and heard the salsa music playing. "I don't know who that is, but there's some skinny dude dancing in my locker." An arm outstretched out of the locker with a thumbs up, scaring Frank even more. Kate watched with amusement along with her friends as Frank ran away.

Kate shared a look with her friends and they all shrugged before they started salsa dancing to the music in the hallway.

****

Later that night, Kate had finished eating dinner with her dad and helped clean up the kitchen. She then went to her room to get ready for bed and watch some TV before she went to sleep. But when she saw she got a Facetime call from Jack, she smiled and quickly leaned over to grab her phone off her nightstand. Her heart skipped a beat and she couldn't help the bright smile that appeared on her face when she saw his beautiful face.

"Hey, cutie. How are you?" Jack asks her, a smile tugging on his lips. "I miss you."

Kate giggles and rolls her eyes, trying to ignore the way her face felt warm. "It's only been a few hours since you last seen me, Jackie. But I'm doing good, I miss you too." She admitted.

"A few hours is too long to be away from you." Jack pouts and Kate's heart flutters, the butterflies in her stomach making her feel giddy. "Anyways, what did I miss? Did anything interesting happen after I left?"

Kate chuckles at his question. "Nothing much. Although, Frank got scared of the random dude in locker 138 though I can't blame him, I would be scared too if I saw some random dude in my locker. That was funny to watch." She snickered and Jack chuckled.

"I wish I was there to see it." He says. "But I wish I was with you more. This family event is so boring."

"I wish you were here, too. But Jack, it had only been one day. Maybe it'll get better?" Kate suggests and he huffs, not seeming convinced. "Oh, come on. It'll get better, trust me. And once you get back, we'll have a movie night at my house and watch some movies."

"That does sound good." Jack says with a small smile. "I guess I can tough it out for a couple more days if I have that to look forward to. Thanks for cheering me up, Rina."

Kate smiles warmly at him. "Anytime, Jack. Now, tell me about what you've been doing. I wanna hear all about it." She told him, listening intently as he began to talk. She was genuinely interested in what he was telling her. She could listen to him talk all day. She loved the sound of his voice, it was soothing to her. And the way his eyes lit up as he talked about something he was happy or excited about made her heart flutter and her stomach do backflips. She was so far gone.

"But I can't promise I won't be counting down the days until I can see you again." Jack finishes saying, chuckling when he noticed she was spacing out. "Hello, Earth to Kate? You okay?"

Kate blushed, her cheeks heating up when she realized she spaced out while listening to him talk. She cleared her throat, nodding her head. "Yeah, yeah. I'm okay. Just lost in thought." She admitted, laughing softly.

"What are you thinking about?" Jack asked curiously, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Kate blushes even more, shaking her head. "I was just... Thinking about how cute you are."

"Oh really?" Jack's eyes light up and he grins, his heart racing in his chest. "Well, thank you. I was actually thinking the same thing."

Kate's heart skipped a beat and her face grew warmer, if that was possible. She couldn't help the smile that tugged on her lips. "Yeah, yeah. I'm adorable and you can't keep your eyes off me." She teased him and Jack laughed, nodding his head in agreement.

"You caught me." He admits, a lovestruck smile appearing on his face. "There's no hiding it."

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that." Kate replied softly, her smile widening when she noticed how red his cheeks were.

"Get used to it, babe. Because I'll never get tired of telling you that." Jack tells her. "And honestly, like I said earlier when you spaced out," He teases and Kate smiles sheepishly as her. face turns more red out of embarrassment. "I can't promise I won't be counting down the days until we see each other again."

Kate giggles softly, feeling her heart swell with affection for him. "I'll be counting down the days too, Jackie. But hey, at least we have Facetime to keep us connected until then."

"True, true." Jack nods, his smile softening. "Alright, well, I won't keep you up too late. Get some rest, okay? And dream of me."

Kate blushes at his playful tone, feeling her cheeks warm. "I'll try not to dream too much about you, Mr. Ego. Goodnight, Jack. Sweet dreams." She said with a grin, blowing him a kiss and he pretended to catch it, pretending to press the kiss on his chest. Her face grew more red as her heart fluttered at his sweet gesture.

"Sweet dreams, Kate. I'll text you in the morning. Bye, cutie." He spoke, winking at her before ending the call.

Kate put her phone down and let out a happy sigh, a giddy smile appearing on her face. It amazed her that even through a Facetime call, he could make her feel butterflies in her stomach and make her heart skip a beat. She couldn't wait to see him again and give him a hug and a kiss, but she would settle with his texts and calls for now.

****

The following morning, Kate woke up with a good morning text from Jack just like he had promised and a smile appeared on her face, a fluttering feeling in her stomach. She couldn't help the giddy smile that appeared on her face or the way her heart skipped a beat when she seen his name appear on her phone screen. She really had fallen hard for him. She quickly sent a reply back and then got ready for school.

The day went by smoothly and went it was lunch, Kate found herself sitting by Ashton and Eddie at one of the tables. Along with everyone else, they were watching as Milton walks around, saying a speech and holding a paper bag. "For too long we have lived in Frank's shadow of fear. I say we need change. That's why I'm running for president because I'm not afraid. I'm also not afraid because Frank's at an orthodontist appointment." He adds sheepishly and everyone applauded at his speech. "I have some sweet number two pencils with my name on them. Come and get 'em."

The cafeteria is silent as no one moved towards him. "Oh, remain calm, people. There's one for everybody." Milton retorted.

Eddie stands, smiling as he takes a pencil. "Nice. Free pencil. You got my vote." He reassured Milton, patting his arm before sitting down.

"I'll take a free pencil," Ashton grins, standing up and grabbing one from Milton. "I forgot to bring one today. You got my vote too." He spoke before sitting back down.

Kate stares at him with furrowed eyebrows. "You told me you have your pencil, Ashton."

"I did, but then I lost it. I don't know how or where, but it's gone." Ashton shrugs, glancing at the pencil he held. "But now I have a pencil again and I hopefully won't lose this one."

"I swear you would lose your head if it wasn't attached." Kate teased him, rolling her eyes with a smile.

Ashton grins sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders. "You're not wrong."

When the door to the cafeteria opened, everyone turns to see Jerry walking in with a man holding many pizza boxes. "I'm Jerry. Running for president. Free pizza!" Everyone immediately got up and ran over to grab a slice. Poor Milton got knocked on the ground and spilt some of the pencils from the bag. Kate grimaced as she saw this and her eyes softened with sympathy. She got up and helped Milton off the ground, earning a grateful smile in response.

"Thanks, Kate." He said.

"No problem." She replied, smiling softly.

"Nice." Eddie comments, walking over to Jerry with a smile and a pizza slice in hand. "Free pizza. You got my vote." Jerry nodded with a smile, patting him on the back.

"Same here." Ashton spoke as he trailed after Eddie, his voice muffled since he was currently eating the pizza. He gave Jerry a thumbs up and Jerry grinned, giving him a thumbs up in response. Ashton sat back down at the table along with Eddie, handing a pizza slice to Kate. He figured she would want one too.

"Thank you." She smiled at him and took a bite out of the slice. Ashton gave her a thumbs up in response. Kate thought it was sweet that Ashton had given her a slice. He didn't have to do that, but he did. And it was just a simple act that warmed her heart. She glanced back over at Jerry and Milton with a sigh. She didn't plan on voting for either one, they both were her friends and she didn't want to choose. But it looked like everyone was voting for Jerry because of the free pizza.

"Jerry, you can't run for president. I'm running for president." Milton frowned as he stood in front of Jerry.

Jerry grimaces. "Ooh, this is awkward."

"See?" Milton handed him one of the number two pencils with his name on it.

"Well, dude, how do you expect to win if your pencil's not even number one?" Jerry questioned.

Milton grabs the pencil from him and looks around at the students. "Surely the good citizens of Seaford High will not let their vote be swayed by a mere slice of pizza."

"Oh, no, no. It's not just pizza." Jerry tells him. He backs up, gesturing to a guy with a froyo cart walking into the cafeteria. "I got froyo too!" He called out and once again everyone ran over to get some and Milton got knocked out again.

"Pencils, pizza, froyo? I love politics!" Eddie gushed.

****

After school that day, Kate was at the dojo, doing some warm ups when she saw her cousin walk in. She raises her eyebrows at the outfit he had on. "Rudy, why do you look like you're about to direct a play?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"You're looking at the man who's been asked to direct 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Seaford Community Theater." Rudy replies and Kate nods in realization. He glances at Kim with a smile. "Kim, would you like to be my assistant director?"

Kim's face lit up as she grins. "Absolutely! I love the theater."

"Excellent. Your duties will be important and vast. One day you might be picking up Brad Pitt from the airport, the next you will be washing my socks." Rudy explains and Kim grimaces. Rudy looks over at Kate with a smile. "And Kate, would you like to be one of the stagehands?"

"Sounds fun." Kate smiles and shrugs. It sounded fun and it would give her something to do after school. Plus she didn't mind working behind the scenes. "Why not."

"Great!" Rudy grins and looks at Ashton. "How about you, Ashton? Wanna be one of the stagehands also?"

Ashton perks up, nodding his head. "Sure, sounds fun." He replied.

"Awesome!" Rudy beamed.

"May I present the next president at Seaford High," Julie speaks up as she walks into the room with a bright smile. "Milton Krupnick!" Milton walked in wearing a suit and a odd jacket in Kate's opinion. He had a grin on his face and his arms outstretched.

"What's with the suit?" Rudy asked him.

"As his campaign manager, I'm giving him a presidential makeover." Julie explained with a grin.

"Julie loaned me her grandfather's suit. Don't you think it makes me look like Abraham Lincoln?" Milton grinned.

"Yes, and smell like muscle rub and sardines." Rudy grimaced, backing away along with Kate and Kim.

"Well, Milton, I didn't plan on running against you but I don't start something without finishing it. And I've got a campaign manager too." Jerry pushes Milton to the side, glancing over at Kate with a smile. "Kate, what do you say? Wanna be my campaign manager?"

"I would, but I'm helping with the play." Kate admitted, sending him a sympathetic look. "Sorry."

"Kim?" Jerry asked, glancing over at the blonde.

"I'm busy helping with the play too." Kim explained.

"Milton." Jerry suggested.

"I'm running against you." Milton reminded him.

"Oh, Rudy." Jerry pointed at Rudy, who stared at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"I'm thirty years old." Rudy told him.

Jerry glances over at Ashton. "Ashton?"

"Can't. I'm a stagehand." Ashton grins. "I don't know what a stage hand is, but it sounds fun."

Jerry sighs, turning to Eddie. "Eddie."

"I did not see this coming. I'm in!" Eddie grinned, shaking Jerry's hand.

****

Kate now sat at a table next to Ashton, Kim, and Rudy in the dojo the next day. They were holding auditions for the play and so far they hadn't found the right person. Suddenly a heavy set woman rushed into the dojo.

"Is this where you're holding the auditions?" She asked.

"Uh, I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't think you're right for the part." Rudy apologized.

"Oh, no." The woman frowns. "Then how about..." Her voice trails off and she suddenly pulls off a mask. Kate's eyes widen, surprised to see that it had been Bobby the whole time. "Me!" Bobby laughed with a grin.

Ashton gasps, a shocked expression on his face. "Woah, it was Bobby the whole time!"

"I fooled you." Bobby grins. "And do you know why?"

"Because you're a rich, eccentric nutcase?" Kim replied with a raised eyebrow.

Bobby nods with a sheepish look. "Well, yes. But also because I am a great actor!" He set the mask on the table and began to quote from the play ."'What light through yander window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun.'" Kate had to admit it wasn't bad, but he was a bit dramatic with it.

"Well..." Rudy hesitated, sharing a look with the others.

Bobby flips his hair over his shoulder and stares at him with a deadpanned expression. "I'm your boss."

"You're in!" Rudy immediately said and Kate snickered softly, shaking her head.

"Huzzah!" Bobby cheered.

"All we need now is a Juliet." Rudy explained.

"You parked your peacock in a loading zone." Joan walked into the dojo with an upset look on her face as she looked at Bobby. "Again."

Kate shares a surprised look with Kim before they both look at Bobby. "You ride a peacock?" They both asked in unison.

"It's giant." Bobby smiled widely as he nodded.

"Every time you show up, you make a scene and I'm getting pretty sick of it." Joan complained.

"Oh, good Lord. So real, so honest. So full of verve." Bobby commented, looking impressed.

Joan looks surprised but then flattered. "Oh, I'm stupid with verve."

"Verve?" Ashton mouthed, confused by what it meant. He glances at Kim, hoping she would know.

Kim shrugs, whispering back to him. "It means energy." Ashton nodded in response.

"You must be my leading lady." Bobby spoke.

Rudy stands, his eyes widening. "Woah, excuse me. I am the director of this play and I will say who Juliet is."

"I'm your boss." Bobby reminded him.

"We have found our Juliet!" Rudy smiled and pointed at Joan, who looked surprised but excited.

"Huzzah!" Bobby cheered again. Kate chuckled and shook her head, amused by the situation.

****

The next day Kate found herself sitting on the edge at the community theater, helping Kim with painting one of the sets. Ashton was somewhere back stage, helping with carrying things around and making the sets. Since he was so strong, it was the perfect job for him.

"This is really cool, isn't it?" Kim asked, glancing over at her friend.

"It is. I didn't think it would be this fun to be a stagehand." Kate admitted, smiling slightly. "But I'm glad I'm here. You know, Ashton seems to be having fun back there."

"Yeah. I heard him earlier singing some song, but I didn't catch what it was." Kim chuckles. "I gotta admit though, it's impressive watching him lift things. It's like he's not even breaking a sweat." Kate grinned when she noticed Kim's face was a bit pink as she talked about Ashton. It was obvious she was starting to develop a crush on him and Kate couldn't blame her. He was sweet and nice. Plus he was attractive, there was no denying that.

"I can tell you like him, Kim. Why don't you ask him out?" Kate asked, looking over at her with a raised eyebrow.

Kim blushes and shakes her head, looking down. "No way. That would make things too weird between us. We're friends and that's it."

"Come on, Kim. You obviously have a crush on him." Kate said, putting her paintbrush down. "And I know he has feelings for you too."

Kim looks surprised, her cheeks turning red. "Really?" She asked hopefully.

Kate grins and nods. "Really." She replied.

"Wow, that's...that's great. I didn't know he liked me back." Kim admits, a giddy smile on her face. "But I can't ask him out. What if I do and things end badly?" She questioned nervously.

"Kim, you can't spend your life worrying about the 'what if's'." Kate tells her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You have to live your life to the fullest and take risks. I mean, Jack and I were both really nervous about confessing our feelings to each other and getting together, but look at us now. We've been together for a few months and happier than ever. We took a risk and it paid off."

"I guess you're right." Kim replies with a sigh. She's quiet for a moment before she adds, "I'll think about it."

"Good." Kate smiled and nodded as she went back to painting.

"I read most of 'Romeo and Juliet'," Rudy confesses when he walked over to the girls. "And this Shakespeare guy is a hack. But if I make some changes, I can save this show."

Kate shares a look with Kim. "Do you really want to change it?" Kim asks him. "I mean, it's a classic."

"A classic snoozefest." Rudy commented.

Kate rolls her eyes. "I don't think you should change it. I agree with Kim, it's a classic. You shouldn't just change it."

"I appreciate your input, girls. I really do. But you're not the director." Rudy reminds her, patting her shoulder. She looks at his hand on her shoulder with narrowed eyes and then back at him with a small glare. He quickly takes his hand off her shoulder, raising his hands in defense. "Okay, I'll think about not changing it."

"Good." Kate nodded with a satisfied look on her face.

Bobby then walks over to them. "Rudy, I waws just at lunch and I heard that the theater critic from the Seaford Herald, Vic DeBlaze, is coming to our play!"

Panic appears on Rudy face at that new information. "Oh, no. He hates everything."

"Oh, Rudy, calm down. You're just panicking." Kim reassured him.

"No, I'm not. His last review of the ballet said the lead stumbled around the stage like a dying pelican." Rudy explained.

Kate shares a surprised look with Kim. "Really?" Kim asked.

"Yeah, and that was his eight year old daughter." Rudy nods. "We got work to do, people!" He called out as he stepped on stage.

****

Kate had been texting and calling with Jack every once in awhile to stay in contact with him. In the morning they always say a good morning text to each other and she always texted him when she was done with school. But since she was working with the play, she had been a bit busy too and had forgotten to tell him that she was helping with the play. Currently, she stood on stage, finishing up with painting one of the sets with Kim. Rudy was still on the mindset of changing the play, still claiming it was too boring.

"You know, Rudy, do you really think you should have made all these changes to 'Romeo and Juliet'?" Kim asked.

"Trust me, if Shakespeare were alive today, these are exactly the kinds of changes he would have made." Rudy reassured her, causing Kate and Kim to share a look. They didn't believe Rudy at all.

"Alright, load the old woman into the cannon and wait for my command!" Rudy called out.

"Right," Kate rolls her eyes. "'Cause Shakespeare would totally have an old woman be shot out of a cannon." She muttered under her breath.

"And you, put those lemurs next to the cougar." Rudy instructs. Kate shares a shocked look with Kim when they heard the cougar growling and the lemur screeching. Rudy glances back at them with a grimace. "We're gonna need more lemurs."

"Or, this is a crazy idea, but what about no lemurs or cougars?" Kate suggested, glancing over at Rudy. She didn't want anyone to get hurt.

"Yeah, that is a crazy idea." Rudy comments. "How do you expect me to save this show without a cougar and lemurs, Kat?" He scoffs. "Alright, from the top, people!" He called out and everyone took their places.

Joan clears her throat before reciting her line. "'Romeo, oh, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?'"

A smoke bomb is thrown near the balcony set and then Bobby stands by it as the smoke clears. "I art saving the universe, baby. Die, alien slime!" With the prop gun he had, he aimed it at Joan but it wouldn't work. Bobby groans and turns to Rudy. "My space laser is jammed again. I can't work like this, Rudy."

"I'm sorry, I'm confused," Joan admits, stepping down from the balcony set. "Why is Romeo shooting me?"

With a look of annoyance, Rudy gets up from his director chair he had been sitting on. "Because you're an evil alien clone, duh. We've been over this, people."

Joan rolls her eyes. "Fine. By the way, did you know that Bobby's name is above mine on the marquee?"

"About that, did you know that her name is on the marquee?" Bobby questioned, gaining an offended look and gasp from Joan. Kate grimaced as she watched the two began to argue. Rudy then tried to get them to stop, but it wouldn't work. She shared a look with Kim and they both sighed heavily.

Kate then brought her hands to her mouth and whistles loudly. The trio stopped talking and looked at her with surprised expressions.

"If you're done arguing like children, then maybe we can try to finish rehearsing." Kate crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at them. She and Kim had been getting annoyed with how they were behaving. It was childish and they needed to get their acts together.

"Exactly." Kim agrees. "This isn't ab out marquees or aliens and special effects. This is community theater. It's about community. I mean, we have to believe in each other and the material, Rudy." She added.

"Maybe she's right." Rudy realizes. "You know what I say? Forget Vic DeBlaze. We will do this play the way it was meant to be done. We will use our raw talent to bring this show to life. And we will set the theatrical world on fire. On fire!"

Kate flinches at the sudden cannon sound followed by a woman screaming. They all watched with surprise as the woman flew over them until she fell. "Okay, people. That's a five!" Rudy nervously announced and they all slowly backed away and went back to what they were doing.

****

It's currently the night of the play and so far the play was a success. Kate stood back stage with Ashton, Kim, and Rudy as they watched from the wings. There was a full house and Vic DeBlaze sat in front row. "Is he snoring?" Ashton asked with surprise when he noticed Vic snoring.

"What?" Rudy quickly stands by him and peaks out behind the curtain to see. He groans. "Oh, thanks a lot, Kim. 'Romeo doesn't need to be an alien hunter'. DeBlaze is out there in a coma."

Kim rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Then her eyes widen when she noticed something. "Well, she ain't the only one." She pointed over to Joan, who was passed out, leaning against the balcony set. Kate's eyes widened, surprised that the woman suddenly fell asleep. Bobby kept trying to get her attention quietly, awkwardly smiling at the crowd.

"Poke her with your sword." Rudy suggested. Bobby pulled the fake sword out of its holster and poked Joan, but she kept sleeping. Some laughter filled the audience and Kate groaned, placing a hand over her face. This was not going as planned.

Finally Joan wakes up, looking at Bobby with annoyance. "Ow, stop poking me."

"You can't act when you're asleep." Bobby whispered to her.

Joan glares at him. "You can't act when you're awake."

"Ooh, burn." Ashton muttered with a chuckle.

Bobby gasps, his eyes widening as he stares at Joan with offense. He then kept poking Joan, who glares at him in response. "Oh, that's it." She pulled off the dress, revealing her police officer uniform. Vic had finally woke up and he along with the crowd were surprised to see this.

"Juliet is also a security guard? I didn't see that coming." Vic admitted with a smile.

Bobby starts sword fighting with Joan, using his fake sword while Joan used her police baton. "Guys, we have to stop this!" Kate whispered, quickly going on stage with Rudy and Kim to help pull them apart.

"I know we should, but this is really funny." Ashton mumbled but he still followed the others to try and help.

"You love him. Stop trying to beat him senseless." Rudy said to Joan.

"Get this maniac off my face!" Bobby cried out.

"I'm trying!" Rudy called out.

"Come on, Bobby! Let go of Joan!" Kim yelled.

Suddenly, Eddie and Jerry get on stage, confusing and surprising the others. Kate then notices Jerry was wearing an orange jumpsuit and she assumed he had gotten detention. Ashton looks at Jerry with confusion. "Since when did you go to prison?" He muttered, not realizing it was because of detention.

"What are you two doing here?" Rudy asked Eddie and Jerry.

"We gotta save Milton. Frank's on his way down here to beat him up." Jerry explained.

"Oh, we might be too late!" Eddie pointed out worriedly. Everyone glanced up at one of the balcony seats to see Frank sneaking up behind Milton and Julie. Kate had noticed Milton now looked like Abraham Lincoln com[letely which she found a bit amusing but didn't comment on it. She was worried about him and knew they had to get to him in time before Frank got him.

"Holy Hannah!" Joan said worriedly. "They're gonna get Lincoln!"

Jerry grabs the ladder and puts it up against the balcony seat Milton is at. He then climbs up and over the ledge. Before Frnak could punch Milton, Jerry stops him by grabbing his fist. He grimaces and looks nervous. "I probably shouldn't have done that." He glances over at Milton and Julie. "Quick, get out of here." As he fought with Frank, Milton turns to Julie. "Mary Todd, save yourself!" Julie nodded and quickly climbed over onto the ladder to climb down.

Then suddenly the ladder started to fall. "Woah, Milton!" Julie cried out and tried to grab onto him. But she grabbed his fake beared, pulling one side off which caused him to let out a pained yelp. The ladder fell with Julie on it and everything went down hill from there. She crashed into Joan, who bumped into Bobby. Bobby had accidentally hit one of the sets and fell back with Joan with the set landing on top of them. When the set fell, Ashton had stood near it and the sharp edge of it cut through his shirt. Luckily it didn't touch his skin.

"Awe, man! My shirt!" Ashton complained, frowning as he glanced down at the torn fabric. Kim caught a glimpse of his chest and couldn't help but blush a bit. Her friend was very attractive. She quickly snapped herself out of her thoughts, shaking her head. She needed to focus on saving Milton.

"Juliet, save thouself!" Bobby exclaimed, still acting in character despite the chaos.

"I shan't leave you to die, Romeo." Joan replied.

"Ah, I don't think I'd die. Probably just pull a hammie, you know." Bobby responded. Ashton helped Rudy and Eddie with getting the set off them as the crowd continued to laugh. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the play much more now that everything was going crazy. Kate watched worriedly as two Black Dragon members showed up by Milton and started fighting him. He managed to get away and as he did, Frank was thrown back and got knocked into the other two Black Dragon members. Together, Jerry and Milton used the curtain to slide down and escape the balcony seat. Everyone grimaced as they fell on the stage after the curtain had ripped. Frank and his goons follow them, jumping out of the balcony seat that had been close enough for them to jump out.

"Oh, no you don't!" Kim sassily said, stepping in front of them and began fighting with Frank as Milton and Jerry took on the other two Black Dragon members.

Kate stood by Ashton, the two of them standing in front of the others to protect them just in case. Soon Jerry had knocked down the boy he was fighting with, but it seemed like the Black Dragon member fighting Milton had the upper hand. It looked like he was going to throw Milton off the stage which caused some audience members to scream in fear and quickly get out of their seats and run out of the way. But Milton managed to get the upper hand and knocked the boy off stage, sending him crashing into one of the now empty seats. Kim was the last one still fighting and when Kate realized she needed help, she quickly joined the fight. Together, the two girls kicked him off the stage, high fiving each other when he was on the ground.

Vic immediately stands, clapping and smiling widely. "Bravo! Bravo!" The rest of the crowd follows his lead with standing and cheering for them. Kate shares a surprised look with Kim. Despite everything that went wrong, the crowd was actually enjoying themselves and seemed to love the play. Rudy peaks out behind the curtain, surprised to see everyone cheering. "Rudy!" Vic calls out. "I loved it." Rudy was surprised but pleased to hear this. He walks onto stage, looking at Vic as he continued. "In fact, I'm coming back to see it tomorrow. Don't change a thing. Ha ha!"

Rudy was nervous, but he still smiles and points at him. "You got it, Vic!" Vic laughed and grinned at him.

"Well, at least he liked it." Kate chuckles, giving Rudy a reassuring smile. "I mean, it could've been worse." Everyone else was pleased that Vic liked the play, happy that they managed to succeed.

**end of flashback**

"Okay, so now all this makes sense," Jack admits. He now sat on one of the chairs as the group explains what had happened. "Except for one thing." He stands, pointing at Eddie with confusion. "Eddie, why are you dressed like a mattress?"

"Oh, I've got to get going. I got a job handing out flyers for Ned's Beds." Eddie explains, holding up flyers he had. "Later." He smiled and then began to walk, well, waddle out of the room. Everyone waved goodbye at him. When he had left, Jack went over to sit by Kate. She smiled at him and leaned into his warm embrace when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I missed you." He murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. Kate couldn't help but giggle softly, blushing a bit. She had missed him a lot too. She felt much better now that he was with her.

"I missed you, too." Kate replied, resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled softly and kissed the top of her head. They had a long week, but now they were together and that's all that mattered. 

****

Later that night, the couple are in Kate's room, having a movie night as promised when Jack was back. The two are snuggled up together under a blanket as they watched the movie. The lights in her room were off, but the LED lights were on, filling the room with a nice blue color. Kate was sitting comfortably between his legs, her head resting on his chest. His arms are wrapped around her waist and his chin is resting on the top of her head. The soft glow of the LED lights cast a gentle ambiance over the room as the movie played on the screen, the sound filling the space with comforting familiarity. 

Jack and Kate were enveloped in their own little world, the outside world fading away as they focused on each other and the film. Every now and then, Jack would brush his fingers lightly against Kate's arm, sending shivers down her spine in the most pleasant way. She would snuggle closer to him, reveling in the warmth of his embrace and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear. Kate couldn't imagine a more perfect moment than this, curled up with the boy she loves and watching their favorite movies. It was a simple night, but it was enough. And she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Jack smiles, glancing down at his girlfriend, a fond expression in his eyes. The warm, blue light of the room casting shadows across her features and illuminating her hair in an almost ethereal glow. He could spend forever like this, just holding her and knowing that she was safe. He brushes a few strands of hair out of her face, his fingers lingering for a moment longer than necessary on her skin. His touch is feather-light, barely a whisper against her cheek, but it sends a tingle down her spine nonetheless. 

She reached a hand up to interlock their hands together, a small, content smile playing on her lips as she brought their intertwined hands to her lips, kissing the back of his hand softly. Jack felt his heart skipped a beat at the gesture, his cheeks heating up. No matter how many times she did this, it always caught him off guard. Kate was the only person who had this effect on him. He was truly a goner for this girl and he was okay with it. She made him a better person and he knew that no matter what, he would always love her.

As they continued to watch the movie, Jack couldn't help but steal glances at Kate every now and then, his heart swelling with affection for her. He marveled at how effortlessly they fit together, both physically and emotionally. They shared a connection that transcended words, a bond that seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment. Lost in their own world, they savored the simple pleasure of each other's presence. 

Jack found himself tracing patterns on Kate's arm with his fingertips, a silent gesture of his love and adoration for her. She responded by nuzzling closer to him or squeezing his hand, her warmth seeping into his skin and filling him with a sense of contentment he had never known before. They didn't need words to communicate; their love was communicated through their actions, a quiet yet powerful declaration of their devotion to each other. It was in these moments that they found solace and peace, a place where they could simply exist without any expectations or pretense.

Kate, too, basked in the warmth of Jack's embrace, feeling a sense of security and belonging she had never experienced before. She was overwhelmed with love for this boy who had become such an integral part of her life, and she couldn't help but express it in every touch and every glance. She had never felt more loved or more cherished than when she was with him, and she knew that no matter what, her heart would always belong to him. She squeezed his hand softly, her gaze flickering up to meet his. Her face turned red at seeing he had already been staring at her.

"I love you." She confessed. This was the first time she ever said it to him. Sure, they had only been together for a few months, but they've known each other for almost their whole lives. She thought it was the right time to say it, but she feared he would find it too soon or think she's crazy. But his face lit up and his eyes widened a bit, his heart skipping a beat at her words. He felt the same way about her and he was thrilled that she felt the same.

"I love you, too." He replied. His eyes crinkled in the corners as he gave her a fond, loving smile. Her face broke into a bright, wide grin, her eyes sparkling with happiness and joy. He leaned down and kissed her, the two of them smiling against each other's lips. The kiss was tender and sweet, filled with emotion and promise. It was a bit awkward, kissing upside down, but they didn't care. They were happy and in love, and that was all that mattered.

When the kiss broke, the couple exchanged warm smiles, their eyes full of love and affection. "Well, now I can cross off doing the Spider-Man kiss off my bucket list." Kate grinned, her cheeks still a bit flushed. Jack ignored his own cheeks turning red and he chuckled, rolling his eyes and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Of course you would have that on your bucket list." Jack teased. She let out a giggle, giving him a playful shove. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. She snuggled against him, letting out a content sigh.

As the movie came to an end, they remained cuddled together, reluctant to break the spell of their perfect moment. Jack pressed a gentle kiss to Kate's forehead, his arms tightening around her as if he never wanted to let her go. She smiled up at him, her heart overflowing with happiness. She couldn't imagine a more perfect night, and she knew that no matter what came their way, they would always have each other to lean on. 

A/N this was such a fun chapter to write. i love writing romantic scenes between these two, they're so cute, i love them.