"Mom?"

Katherine froze. Crap. Katherine felt Jack thence up too, he stepped away from her dropping his hands to his side. Jacks face was a mix of confusion and hurt. Peter stood in the door way his black hair falling into his eyes... Jacks eyes.

"Honey, I need you to go back to your room." Katherine said panic evident in her voice.

"Who's this?" Jack asked, his voice slightly hurt. This probably looked really bad, his long lost girlfriend who he hadn't seen nine years (thanks to her father) had a son. Little did he know.

"Oh this is Peter, Peter this is... Jack. I need you to go back to your room and draw something okay? I need time to explain." Katherine said pushing him towards his room.

"Explain what?" He asked dodging her hands to stand in front of Jack. Jacks eyes flickered between Katherine and Peter she could almost see the gears turning in his head.

"Peter I need you to go." Katherine's voice was raised half an octave in panic. Just the thought of all the lies she had told Peter and what he might find out terrified her. Katherine grabbed Peters shoulder nudging him toward the door.

"Hey how old are you kid?" Jack called.

"Don't answer him." Katherine said turning Peter away from Jack.

"Mom." He complained as she urged him frantically out of the room.

"How old are you?" Jack called again. Stubborn as ever, Peter yanked from Katherine's grasp and darted under her arm to stand in front of Jack.

"I'm nine! Now will somebody please tell me what's going on?" Peter asked irritated. Jacks whole demeanor changed in an instant, realization washed over his features as he takes a step back.

"T-this boys nine?" Jack asked his voice shaking, Katherine nodded grimly.

"Mom what's going on?" Peter asked again. Jack let out a noise that sounded half way between disbelief and fear.

"Is there s-something youse n-needs to tell me Katherine?" Jack asked his voice shaking even worse. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared mournfully at her son, a mere image of Jack. Katherine walked to Peter and placed her hands gently to either side of his face. Peters eyes darted back and forth in question.

"I wasn't the only thing you left when you went to Santa Fe." She said talking to Jack Peters eye brows furrowed. Jack pulled his hat off his head and clutched it to his chest.

"Oh gosh, no, that can't be true." Jack said. Katherine turned slowly toward Jack her bottom lip quivered as she spoke.

"It's true, he's your son." She whispered.

"What?" Peter asked looking to Jack, "no, you told me my father was dead!" Peters eyes blazed with hurt and disbelief.

"Peter, I know your upset but I need you to listen to me, Jack-"

"Why should I listen to you! Your just going to lie to me!" Peter snapped pushing her away. He shot a glare at her and Jack before racing toward the window, his steps echoed loudly in the apartment.

"Peter come back!"

He crawled through it and slammed it shut turning so his back was to the window.

"Peter!" Katherine cried again her chest tight as he sat down with his back to the window, his head between his knees. His small form looked like a kicked puppy begging for mercy. Katherine turned to Jack with tears sliding down her face.

"How? We never-we... it was just once." Jack said his eyes shining with tears also.

"Sometimes once is all it takes." She whispered, Jacks breath came out in a rush and he gripped the edge of her table.

"I'm so sorry Ace." He whispered closing his eyes in disbelief. He gripped the table so hard the veins in his arm popped out from his muscular arm.

"It's okay." She choked out even though it was far from being 'Okay' Jacks breathing was ragged, it looked like he was hyperventilating. She wanted to hold him, to tell him everything was fine, but it wasn't. Her anger thrummed dully in her chest like a wounded heart struggling for life. She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, just this morning her life had been normal, she had sent Peter off to school and gone to the Market, she'd gotten back and made him food, the normal every day routine she had done for nine years. Now look at her. The walls of her life were crashing down on top of her and she had no way to change that.

"No one told me." Jack whispered his breathing only half better. Katherine clenched her jaw.

"Last I checked you've been across the country for nine years!" She snapped feeling the anger spark to life. Jack winced at this.

"You know that wasn't my fault." He said through his teeth. Katherine wiped her cheeks annoyed at the amount of water trailing down them. "Though It would have been nice for someone to tell me I had a son!" He said releasing his grip on the table so he could face her.

"Jack" she said, her voice cracking "You have no idea how hard it has been." She said her voice thick. It was true, times had been ruff and he had no clue what she had been through. He studied her for a moment with his jaw clenched, it looked like he was having an enormous mental debate, then as slowly as a drop of water falling to the earth, his face softened. He held his arms open to her, he seemed to be asking 'Your right, I'm sorry. Please forgive me, I need you right now' and with out a moments hesitation she welcomed his out stretched arms and buried her face in his shoulder. His arms felt strong around her, she felt safe in his arms like a whole army of angry men loaded with guns and clubs couldn't touch her so long as she was in his arms. She peeked over Jack shoulder to see Peter still huddled on the fire escape. She felt her heart contract, what had she done to her little boy? She had thought lying would have been better than the truth, she couldn't have been more wrong. After a few more moments in his arms Katherine pulled away reluctantly.

"I need to talk to Peter... he deserves to know the truth." She said quickly wiping her face dry. Jack nodded grimly his eyes flashing to the fire escape.

"Okay." He said kissing the top of her head, she felt a thrill run down her spine as he did this. She hadn't felt that kind of thing in nine years. She turned an took a few steps toward the window holing hands until they couldn't reach any more. She turned away from Jack and toward the window. It was time to be honest, it was time to apologize, it was time to let the things she had been holding back for nine years go.

AUTHORS NOTE: This is actually a story!!! I'm pretty excited about it, are you? I've combined a lot of things that I've seen from movies and TV shows and changes the dialogue a bit to fit the story so if you think you know what movie of TV show its from comment and let me know what you think. Jack is gonna have a chapter here shortly, not sure when but sometime! Yay! As always, I own NOTHING! I would love to own Jeremy Jordan tho... ;)