Katherine couldn't sleep, even curled against Jack she lay wide awake in the dark listening to his soft breathing. She couldn't keep her mind from the day to come, she was almost as nervous as Jack. Her father was often unpredictable, either he would be cool with it and say 'great, you again' or he'd turn into a fire breathing dragon and attack the city. Katherine didn't know. Despite her nerves she fell asleep off an on durning the night but eventually she'd always wake up. Sun light was beginning to filter through her lace curtains and she curled away from it cringing into Jacks side, she didn't want to get up and face her father; she was tired and nervous, the last thing she wanted was the sun to come up. But, the sun was oblivious to her wants because it continued to fill her room with yellow and gold light that made the walls look like someone had taken a bucket of paint and thrown it carelessly on them. She rolled over and stretched her legs out across the bed and yawned widely. She looked over at Jack sleeping soundly his hat had some how managed to stay on over night (she never knew how he kept it on) the hair which managed to escape his hat was long and messy and it hung low on his fore head. His lips lacked the usual "I'm a trouble maker!" Smirk he often carried. His sharpe, strong jaw line was relaxed he looked truly peaceful in his sleeping state. Katherine had always envied how easily he could fall asleep and stay asleep, it was like he could flip a switch and be done. She guessed it was probably a bonus from years of sleeping in the same room as 20 other rowdy boys, he must have learned to shut it out. He looked so calm and wonderful and innocent... he looked so much like Peter (or Peter looked like Jack, which was probably more accurate) She spent the last few years trying hard not to compare Peters looks to Jacks but it was hard when they looked so much alike. But, as she lay there starring at him, she couldn't stop the tears the burned behind her eyes. 'No, stop it. Your over this.' this she thought fiercely. She couldn't cry, she had to be strong for Peter, for Jack, for Pulitzer, even herself. The time for falling part had long gone and she knew it to. Eventually Jack woke up and pulled her into his arms.

"Mornin' Ace, your beautiful." He breathed and she felt her heart melt a little. Katherine fiddled with her fingers nervously and was quite for a few minutes before speaking up.

"We have to go to my father." She said quietly. Jack didn't answer right away,
he sat up and swung his legs over the edge.

"I know." He said rubbing his fore head. His back was to her and she couldn't read his expression but she guessed he was feeling pretty nervous. "I wish we didn't hafta but we gotta." Katherine nodded and sat up next to him.

"I wish we didn't have to either but I need to... to know why this has all happened. Why he did what he did. I just need to know." She said twiddling her thumbs. Jack looked at her somberly.

"It's easy enough. He did what he did because of me."

"It's not your fault-"

"Don't say it Katherine! Don't try ta make me feel better bout' myself because it's not working!" Jack said standing up.

"Jack, listen-" she tried to say but was cut off.

"No Kath don't, okay? Every thing that has happened to youse is because if me! Every thing that's happened is because I couldn't stay well enough away!" His voice was staring to raise. Katherine stood up her eyes were soft and sad.

"You didn't go away because I wouldn't let you." And it was true, if he had tried to go away she would have hunted him down and demanded to know why. Jack shook his head and ran a hand over his face.

"I should have listened to Joe. I should have left you alone! When the strike was over I should have backed off! But I couldn't! I should have backed off when ya father told me ta stay away from youse! But I didn't! I should have left ya apartment that night... I should have waited. But I couldn't, and look at where we are now." He said whispering the last part. "I screwed up your life and I'm sorry."

"So that's it." Katherine said feeling her eyes burn with grief and anger. "Your sorry you ever laid eyes on me." The words stung them both and she wanted to feel bad about the pained expression that was on his face but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"That's not what I-" He started to say but she cut him off.

"Well that's what it sounds like! All that has happened has been an accident! No one said we had to meet when we did, no one said my father wouldn't like it, no one said I was gonna get pregnant! It was all an accident! We didn't want to end up like we are now, but here we are. I know you feel guilty, I know you don't wanna face Pulitzer, I know you don't want to deal with all this but you have to! We have to! And if you can't do that for me at least to it for your son! He may not show it but he needs you more than ever." Katherine said her eyes burning into Jacks. He looked away and pulled his hat down so it hung low over his eyes, something he did when he was wrong and he knew it. He let out a big breath and rolled his shoulders thinking about what she had just said. They stood there in silence for a few moments and she swore her heartbeat was loud enough to hear because when it slowed down Jack pulled his hat back up and looked her in the eye.

"Ya right, always have been always will be." He said, Katherine smiled weakly and pulled him into her arms. She could feel Jack shoulders shake in an attempt to hold back the tears, she too was trying to do the same. They just stood there wrapped together never wanting to let go, never wanting to face her father. But alas, they both herd a crash from down the hall signaling Peter had woken up. Katherine gave a watery chuckle and pulled away from Jack and wiped her nose.

"Don't worry, he probably slipped on one of the many pencils that litter his floor." She said, Jack grinned and instantly made Katherine feel better.

"Yea, no worries."

-------------------------------------------

Clean, full and bandaged up (Turned out Peter had actually slipped on a crumpled piece of paper and knocked his desk over in the process) they headed out to the World building. Jack looked almost as nervous as she felt, he kept fiddling with his hat and kept jumping at the slightest sounds.

"You act like my fathers gonna assassinate you." Katherine whispered to Jack as they rounded a corner.

"He might." He whispered back, and Katherine was suddenly reminded of the death threat he had made to Jack when he found out she was pregnant. Peter and Katherine had to practically drag Jack up the steps to the big steel doors. When they finally entered the building they didn't even pause at the secretary's desk, Hanna was that her name? Stood up when she saw Katherine.

"Miss Pulitzer!" She exclaimed then did a double take when she saw Jack. She stood gapping by her desk as they slowly entered the office, Jack and Peter at her heals. Jack reached for Katherine's hand and entwined there fingers, yes she needed this, he needed this. The door softly closed behind them. Pulitzers nose was buried in a pile of papers, a quill in his right hand. He hadn't changed much in the nine years, he still had thick white hair and still wore the same crooked glasses on the end of his nose. The only change one could indicate was the slight shaking of his hand as he held the quill above the paper, the result of old age.

"Get out of my office I do not have time to chat" he said flatly not bothering to look up to see who it was. Jack placed a hand on Peters shoulder and pulled him closer.

"Surely that's not how youse would treat an old friend, Joe." Jack said with a surprising amount of confidence considering they had just dragged him up the stairs. Pulitzers quill slipped from his hand, he looked up startled by the voice he had herd.

"You" he said and pushed him self out of his chair. Pulitzer took in the scene before him, Katherine on once side of Jack, there hands intertwined and Peter on Jacks other, his hand firmly on his sons shoulder.

"Did ya think you could keep me away for ever?" Jack asked, Pulitzers eyes narrowed in fury.

"Kelly" his eyes flashed to Katherines face, and she didn't try to hide the bitterness and hurt she was feeling.

"How did you get back Kelly?" Pulitzer said through his teeth.

"Nine years of working the rails." Jack said his expression darkening. Katherine stepped forward and she felt her anger shoot from a 10 to a 100.

"How could you?" She spit at her father. Pulitzer cleared his throat and sat back down at his desk.

"I don't know what your talking about." He said knocking over a bottle of ink as he said it. Katherine was stunned, he was denying it? He was playing dumb?

"You. Don't. Know?" She asked spitting out each word. "You made him leave, y-you took him from me." Her voice cracked, Jack squeezed her hand in reassurance. Pulitzer didn't answer he simply turned the bottle of ink back up and moved out of the way as the ink dripped onto the plush carpet. Katherine let out a half discussed half annoyed sound and reached into Jacks front pocket and pulled out the nine year-old letter he had received from the very man who sat in front of her. She unfolded it quickly and slammed it down on his desk, she saw Peter flinch into Jack at the sound. "You can't honestly look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't write this." She snapped at him. Pulitzer picked the letter up slowly, a corner had gotten in the ink and was know dripping on the desk. He examined the letter for a few minutes his expression un-readable.

"I will not deny that I wrote this." He said slowly still staring at the page. Hearing those words filled her with unspeakable dread.

"Why?" She asked her voice was breathless and full of grief. Pulitzer pursed his lips together and sat forward in his chair.

"I thought it would be best for you, and it would have been if you hadn't gotten pregnant." He said in his business-like voice. Jack guilty hung his head. Peters eyes darted between the three adults. Katherine closed her eyes tightly, her ears were ringing and she felt like going to sleep. She never wanted to hear her father say what he had ever again.

"I can't believe you." Katherine said to her father. "I-I can't believe you did this." She wanted so badly to cry. She suddenly turned back to Jack and Peter her eyes full of fire. "Were leaving." She said to her father.

"Wait my dear." Pulitzer said to Katherine his hand raised. Katherine cringed at the way he said dear.

"What?"

"I would like a word with Kelly. Alone."

AUTHORS NOTE: So how is it so far? I'm so proud of this story! It's my first real one and I hope I'm doing good! How do you guys think Peter feels about the whole situation? What would you do if you were in his shoes? What do you think Pulitzer will talk to Jack about? Comment and let me know what you think! I own nothing! Thx