"You sure about this?" Jack asked setting Katherine down on the table in her apartment. Her skirts were up around her stomach in a wild disarray, she had one leg hooked around his waist and the other hanging limply off the table.

"Yes." She said grinning as he leaned into kiss her.

"Your fathers sure gonna hate me after this." Jack said his hands roaming up her legs.

"I'm 18 Jack, he can't control me anymore." She said running her hand down his chest.

"Ya sure?" He asked sternly. Katherine nodded and brought his mouth to hers again, she kissed him softly and let her lips linger on his for a moment before pulling away.

"I'm sure, I love you Jack. I wanna have a future with you, so please... come on." She whispered in his ear.

"A future huh? With me?" He asked and she nodded in response. "For sure?"

"For sure."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Katherine was abruptly woken from her dream her heart racing a mile a minute. She blinked around the room a few times before remembering where she was and what had happened. She was in Spencer's apartment and he had left on an emergency. Only then did she realize what had woken her, someone was pounding on the door trying to get in. Her heart lept into her throat and she scrambled to sit up, how long had she been asleep? Surly not for more than a few hours. She was just about to go get a knife from the kitchen when she heard someone calling her name from behind.

"Katherine! Open up!"

It was Spencer, he was jiggling the handle like crazy and pounding on the door. Katherine rushed to the door unlocked it and swung it open.

"What?" She asked her heart about to burst from how hard it was pounding.

"Why didn't you open it?!?"

"I was sleeping?!?" She yelled back.

"Never mind that, Katherine... its Jack." The tone In his voice made Katherine's heart stop dead in her chest.

"What happened?" She asked her voice cracking.

"I dunno... but he needs help!" Spencer said and only then did Katherine spot his blood covered hands.

"Oh gosh, where is he?" She asked slamming the door behind her.

"Just over here, I found him when I was coming home." He said his voice barely calm. She jogged beside him as he lead her to him her mind conjuring up a million horrible scenarios. "There!" He said pointing to a figure lying limply on the side walk in front of them. She instantly knew it was Jack by his Newsboy hat.

"Jack!" She cried sprinting up to him, she felt tears pierce her eyes as she flopped down next to him.

"Oh, hey Ace." He said, his voice was still strong so maybe that was a good sign.

"W-what happened?" She asked her hands hovering over his bleeding body. Jack frowned as if he couldn't remember, his face was pale and his hair was sticking to his sweaty forehead.

"Sara..." Jack said his eyebrows pulling together. Katherine tried not to let her blood boil at the name. "She was with me... where is she?"

"What are you talking about?" Katherine sobbed feeling helpless.

"Sara isn't here." Spencer said kneeling next to the other side of him. Jacks face turned concerned and he tried to sit up but Katherine pushed him back down.

"Jack, tell me what happened!" She said trying not to be sick at the amount of blood that was now on her hands.

"I was... takin' Sara home... and this guy... he had a knife... he grabbed her an' I don't... I can't... remember." Jack said and tried to sit up again.

"What did the guy look like?" Spencer demanded forcing Jack back down.

"Easy there brother, I just got cut." Jack said moving his arm away from Spencer. Even when Jack was bleeding to death he managed to be his old self. "He was wearing a... navy blue jumpsuit? An' he had da reddest hair I've ever seen." Jack said.

"Blue jumpsuit and red hair?" Spencer asked his eyes widening in horror. "That poor girl has no chance." Spencer said miserably.

"Wha- who is it?" Katherine said desperately.

"His names Carson Ray, I locked em up two years ago on the charges of murder and theft." He said.

"H-how do you know it's him?"

"Who else with that kinda red hair would be wearing a blue jumpsuit and trying to kill someone?" Spencer asked his eyes looking panicked. He had a point.

"What about Sara?!?" Katherine asked suddenly feeling a little bad for the girl. Spencer didn't answer he just avoided Katherine's gaze by looking at Jack grimly.

"We gotta get er' back... I promised Davey I'd bring er back by 10." Jack said to Spencer. Katherine's heart fell at his words but she forced herself to keep her emotions in check.

"I know man, but you aren't going anywhere." Spencer said sternly his eyes shifting to Katherine. "Let's get him back to my apartment."

"No, let's take him to my fathers. It's closer and he will get help faster." Katherine's tone made it clear she didn't want to argue.

"Mmmm, tough decision Kath. Would I rather die in my brothers apartment -Which just so happens to be the apartment he cheated on my girl in- or in my worst enemy's office? Tough choice." Jack said. Katherine felt her heart break.

"Your delusional Kelly, we need to get you help." Spencer said, Katherine was suprised by the amount of concern he put into those words.

"Okay." Katherine said "Help me get him up." She said but before she could she saw something move to her right. Her heart stopped in her chest as she saw it was a man, a man with black hair in a blue jumpsuit. Spencer saw her hesitation and looked to, his breath caught in his lungs.

It was Jacks dad.

"I told that bastard to wound him not mortally wounded him." Kelly said to no one in particular. Jack noticed too and tried to get up but Katherine kept him down.

"What are you talking about?" Spencer asked shooting to his feet.

"Woah, easy there Spencer. I just wanted to see my kid before I blew this crummy town." Kelly said holding up his hands. Katherine noticed with horror he had a pocket knife in his hand.

"Spencer," she warned "be careful."

"Katherine darling, good to see you again! How's that business going between these boys? Are you pregnant yet?" Kelly asked a genuine smile plastered to his face. Katherine felt her cheeks go red at the thought.

"What do you want Dad?" Jack asked straining his head to see his father.

"I already told ya, I just wanted to stop and say hi. This might be the last time you see me." Kelly said taking a step closer. Katherine watched as Spencer slowly slide something out of his belt, it was so slow and stubble she almost didn't notice it.

"Take another step and Ill kill you." Spencer breathed and in a flash had a gun pointed at Kelly's chest. She didn't know Spencer kept a gun, thank goodness he did.

"You'd kill me just like I killed your father?" Kelly asked looking at the gun like it was a toy.

"Yes." Spencer said his hand steady against the trigger.

"No!" Katherine and Jack said in unison.

"Don't you dare." Jack hissed up at Spencer. He glanced down at Jack then back at Kelly, Katherine could just see the struggle he was going through.

"Fine, you have two minutes." Spencer snapped and stepped away from Jack.

"Good boy!" Kelly said appreciatively and knelt next to Jack across from Katherine. Spencer kept the gun on Kelly but didn't say anything.

"Your goin' back ta jail Dad." Jack said as his father took in his wounds.

"Yea your probably right but live while you can am I right?" Kelly asked pressing a hand to Jacks bleeding stomach.

"Yea, your always right." Jack said wincing with pain as his father took a look. Katherine's mouth seemed to have stopped working, she was so surprised by their easy conversation that she forgot to speak.

"Well, looks like your gonna live. I guess Ray did his job after all." Kelly said patting Jacks arms.

"What did you do? Hire him to wound me?"

"Yes."

"Wow, I can feel the love now Dad." Jack said grinning up at his father.

"Well, what can I say? I had to talk to you some way and I didn't think you'd really want to see me." Kelly said his blue eyes sparkling.

"Your right, I didn't really want to see you but... live while you can. Right?" Jack said quoting him.

"Right. Hey son, I gotta go." Kelly said glancing back at Spencer. "If I make it outta here I send you a post card of Santa Fe okay? But if I don't... promise me you'll still come visit?"

"I promise." Jack said.

"Good man, I'm still rooting for you." Kelly said glancing up at Katherine, he gave Jacks shoulder a squeeze and got back to his feet. "Okay I'm gone." Kelly said holding up his hands.

"Like hell." Spencer spit and held the gun tighter.

"Spencer." Katherine warned "Let him go."

Spencer's eyes flashed to Katherine's face and he reluctantly lowered the gun. Before Katherine could blink Jacks father took off down the street quicker than lightening. Jack gave out a week laugh then winced as he did so. His face seemed even paler than before and Katherine was worried he might pass out.

"We need to get him to my fathers office." Katherine said her voice an octave higher than normal. Spencer put his gun away and got back down next to Jack.

"Yea, okay." He said and grabbed Jack arm and slung it across his shoulder. Katherine took the other and together they hoisted him to his feet. Jack swayed and Katherine had to wrap an arm around his waist to keep him from falling.

"Can you walk?" She asked eyeing the gash across his ribcage.

"Y-yea?" Jack said though he didn't sound sure. They began the short painful walk to her fathers office that was just around the corner, Katherine knew for a fact her father always stayed well after hours to finish his work. He sometimes even slept at his office. They reached the stairs and struggled to get him up them.

"Come on Kelly, hang in there." Spencer said and Katherine was once again surprised by the genuine concern in his voice. Katherine rushed ahead to to open the door and get her father. She didn't even want to think of what her father would say when she came in bringing two boys, one bleeding, and the other covered in blood. She was covered in blood too so she just couldn't wait to see what her fathers reaction would be. Finally she reached the big oak door of his office and pulled them open. She was grateful to find him at his desk.

"Dad, I need your help."

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Authors Notes- I think one of my favorite things about writing stories in here is your guys's comments. They give me life! And encouragement to go on! So thank you! I own nothing and if I did Jeremy Jordan would still be in Newsies. :)