"Jack?" Katherine squeaked out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jack smiled from ear to ear. "Hiya Katherine." She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tighter than she ever has. He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, twirling her around a few times before setting her back on the ground.

She reluctantly let him out of the hug, slidding her hands down to his chest and resting them there. "H-How are you here?!" She asked as joyful tears slid out from underneath her mask.

Jack lifted his hand and wiped them away. She leaned her head into his hand. "I'se only 'ere 'cause o' your motha and Joey. They came up with this whole plan." He explained, nodding towards the two.

Cecilia and Joey were watching the scene unfold. Cecilia was crying again, but she smiled through her tears, happy with the result of her scheme. Joey was smiling too. His brother was finally happy again.

Katherine brought her attention back go Jack. "So when I tripped, that really was Romeo? Haha, wow. I didn't recognize either of you." She confessed. Jack let out a laugh. "Yeah, Joey and Alice helped with that. Alice taught me how to dance and Joey helped me look like I fit in 'ere."

He said, gesturing to the people in the room. Katherine smiled at him. His heartbeat sped up. He loved that smile. He loved her.

They continued to dance, letting everything else fade into the background as they talked and laughed together.

After quiet moment, he pulled her closer, leaning forward to kiss her. She began to lean toward him too. Their lips were centimeters apart.

"Good evening everyone!" A voice broke through the room, startling Jack and Katherine. All eyes quickly darted to a man, who was obviously Joseph Pulitzer, standing on the orchestra stage. Oscar and Morris stood near him.

"I'd like to thank you all for attending the celebration of Katherine's 17th birthday." He said. A round of applause erupted throughout the room. It died down when Joe began to speak again.

"Because it is now midnight, we will all unmask." He said, removing his own mask.

Katherine and Jack looked back at each other, now worried. "Jack, you can't take off your mask, they'll see you!" She whispered sharply. The crowd of masks slowly revealed more and more faces.

"Ace, nothin' scares me when I have you." He said, again leaning down and kissed her. She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands gripped her waist, preventing her from being taken away. In this moment, they were the only two in the room. Nothing else matted.

Their interaction was broken by the sound of someone forcefully pushing through the crowd, heading straight for them!

They turned in unison to find Oscar and Morris propelling through the guests.

Jack took hold of Katherine's hand and pulled her in the opposite direction. "C'mon! We have to lose them!" He said, weaving around the assembly.

They made it to where Alice and Davey were standing. They both wore huge smiles before quickly realizing the danger that approached them. "We've gotta go! Race! Albert! Romeo! Get a move on boys!" Jack shouted.

The three boys dashed towards their friends, Race very reluctantly, and they all made it to the front entrance.

They stepped outside into the night air. "I think we lost them!" Alice yelled. "Yeah, we have to get as far away from here as-ow! Hey! Let me go!" Katherine screamed.

Jack whirled around, only to be met with a fist to his jaw. The force knocked him to the ground.

"Well, Jackie boy did show up, just like we knew he would." Oscar said. Morris held Katherine back.

She struggling, trying to break free of his grasp but to no avail. Were they always doomed to he torn apart?

(A.N. Ooooooooh! Cliffhanger! Sorry! I had to. Also, I wanted to thank y'all for being so accepting of my story. Please vote and keep on Seizing the Day!)