Katherine sighed as she inspected the ring on her left hand, it was beautiful but simple with a silver band and one tiny diamond in the center. She smiled faintly at the memory of getting it.

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

Katherine leaned against Jack as they breathed in the cool New York air and stared at the fading skyline. It was almost dark and Katherine couldn't see anything of Jack except the sparkle in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Our future." He said suddenly breaking the silence.

"What about it?" Katherine asked turning her head so she could look at him.

"Well, this past few months or so has been a little rocky for both of us and it made me realize something. We ain't gonna be young forever and well, I'se was just wonderin' if you wanted ta take another step in our future. Maybe your apartment could become our apartment, maybe you could stop being a Plumber and a Pulitzer." Jack said smiling down at her as he watched tears of joy brim in her eyes.

"Are you saying what I think your saying?" Katherine asked giving him a watery grin.

"Maybe I am. What do ya think? Will you marry me?" Jack asked fishing something from his pocket. Katherine let out a sob of happiness as Jack put the ring on her finger. She didn't know how he came up with the money all she knew was she was gonna be Katherine Kelly.

"I-I love you s-so much!" She cried flinging her arms around his neck and kissing him firmly on the mouth. She pulled away and held him close practically crushing him in the strength of the hug.

"I love you to! But you still haven't answered my question." Jack said with a chuckle. Katherine pulled back confused at what he was saying, then her face lit up as she remembered.

"Yes! Yes of course!" She said over joyed by the fact her and Jack were actually gonna move on in life. No more sneaking him into her apartment, no more girlfriend drama, Jack was hers and she was his.

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

"You ready?" Jack asked her snapping her out of her flash back. She grabbed his out stretched hand and stood up to face him.

"I'm ready." She told him feeling confident in this decision. If she had enough guts to invite Ryan Spencer to their wedding then she could do this. She'd already done it before so really there was nothing to be scared of.

"Thank youse for coming with me." Jack said leading her out of their apartment.

"My pleasure, it's not every day your father gets to see his sons new bride." Katherine said with cheekiness that better of made Jack proud.

"That's true." Jack agreed pulling his hat father on to his head as the nasty afternoon sun blinded them. It was hot and humid and Katherine could already feel her red and white dress stick to her skin. The walk to the prison was mostly enjoyable despite the fact of the temperature, Katherine thought back to four months before when she had been walking this very street headed to the same place with the same purpose with Spencer. She shivered at the thought, that day had been the start of a lot of heart ach for her, Jack, and Spencer but eventually things had worked out. She couldn't believe how well things had turned out for them, she'd given her soft head a much needed smack to the face to realize what was the most important but eventually she made the right choice. Things had even gone good for Sara and Spencer, last Katherine heard was they were both happy. That's all Katherine cared about, if both of her boys were happy then she was happy.

"We'd like to visit Jack Kelly." Katherine told the man at the front desk. Apparently the man knew Jack because he didn't seem concerned about letting them go alone, that was a good thing too because they needed to be alone. They took the stairs slowly and didn't speak the whole way up, Katherine didn't know what to say so it was best she kept her mouth closed. Jack was relaxed as they walked down the hall towards cell 13, it seemed easier for him to talk about his father then it had been before. Katherine knew it was because she now understood the trials of his past.

"I knew it, I knew it." A familiar voice said from inside the cell. "I knew you two would show up sooner or later."

Jacks dad appeared by the bars and gave the couple a genuine smile. Katherine smiled back at the man, even though he'd done some pretty awful things in his life he was still a pretty good guy.

"I promised didn't I?" Jack asked.

"Jack Kelly doesn't break promises." Katherine put in squeezing his hand that was in hers.

"Gets it from his mother no doubt." Kelly said and Katherine didn't miss the sad tone in it. There was silence as they thought of what he'd just said. Kelly suddenly smiled and turned to Katherine. "Still not pregnant Katherine?"

Katherine had to laugh, a few months ago it wasn't so funny but now it felt like an old joke between them.

"Nope."

"What a shame, hopefully soon though, right Jack?" Kelly asked a teasing glint to his eyes. Jack shrugged and turned to Katherine.

"I dunno, when ever she's ready ta have em I guess that's when." Jack said, Katherine nodded.

"You better marry her first." Kelly warned his voice only half teasing. Katherine smiled and held up her left hand showing off the ring on her finger. "Good man. Your already better than I could of ever dreamed of being, I'm proud of you son."

Katherine could see the way his words washed over Jack, she could tell he was fighting back tears.

"Thanks Dad."

If was funny, the whole three years her and Jack had been together she had heard nothing but bad things about Jacks father. They had all came from Jack himself, Katherine wondered what had changed that made Jack more friendly toward his father. Then she remembered something Kelly had said the first time she'd met him. 'Your that pretty rich girl that helped my son win that damn strike a few years back, you must be the girl he always tells me about.' Had Jack came and saw him before Katherine had? She made a mental note to ask him later.

"Hey!" They heard a voice call from down the hall way. "Visiting hours are over!" It was a guard making his rounds around the prison.

"We's betta get going." Jack said adjusting his cap casually.

"Too bad, damn those guards they don't know how to do their job. How do you think I busted outta here? One of them dropped a paper clip just outside my cell." Kelly said then smirked at Jack. "Who do you think taught little Spencer how to pick a lock? That was me. It ain't as cool as getting a ride on ole Teddy's cartage but you can only do so much with a paper clip."

Katherine was surprised by this, she had no idea Kelly had shown Spencer how to pick a lock. Apparently she still didn't know everything about Jacks past. She was still amazed by the fact that the Kelly's and Spencer's could of grown up together then ended up hating each other, she just couldn't wrap her mind around it. She guessed that's what happened to people, they grow up and change. Sometimes not in a good way.

"Even after all these years youse still got it." Jack mused grasping his fathers hand in a firm shake.

"I still got it." Kelly agreed a sparkle in his eyes.

He shook Katherine's hand an kissed the back of her knuckles. "I'm sure glad I rooted for you." He said making Katherine smile.

Her and Jack left hand-in-hand feeling pretty good. They were silent until the hot air of New York hit their faces. Katherine took a deep breath and looked at Jack, he looked perfect in the fading light of the sun. His hat was perched a top his head of dark hair and his sharp jawline was relaxed. He looked at ease and Katherine was grateful for his good mood.

"Jack?"

"Yea Ace?"

Katherine thought for a moment before speaking. "When I first came to see your father he had already know who I was. He said you had told him about me?" She asked.

"Yea, after the strike ended I went an saw em'. I couldn't help but tell em' about you, you was just so... perfect I'se couldn't resist talking about ya to someone who would listen." Jack said giving her a sly smile.

"Some one who would listen?" Katherine questioned thinking of about a hundred people Jack could of talked to that would have listened.

"Yea, it's kinda funny actually. Even though my father abandoned me and left me ta the sisters he always came an talked to me... well for the most part. He was always willing to hear me out and... help me along, I guess. I always felt better when I talked to him, so it got hard when he went to prison and he couldn't come see me any more. Those days were ruff..." Jack said his eyes going far away. "That's when I found out Spencer was my brother... and then Spencer left me to da Bulls... then he blamed me for his fathers death..."

Katherine held her breath as she felt Jacks hand tighten in hers.

"But that don't matter anymore." Jack said his grip loosening. "Anyway, so when my father got in jail I'se didn't go see him till after the strike. The conflict between you and ya father made me realize I needed ta mend the relationship I had with mine."

"Then why did you always tell me your father was a bad man?" Katherine asked.

"He is a bad man." Jack said looking over at her. "He killed Spencer's father."

"I know, I'm just trying to figure this all out." Katherine said apologetically.

"It's pretty complicated." Jack agreed. "I guess my father could be a lot worse. He could of never came to see me, he could of killed me a few months ago. Heck, he could of killed me when I'se was a baby but he didn't. I don't really know why." Jack said.

"I do." Katherine said thinking of the story Kelly had told her a few months ago.

"What do youse mean?"

"Your father kept his promise to Laura Lay. He promised he'd take care of you and he has. He might not of kept a roof over your head but he talked with you, he loves you, he takes care of you." Katherine said realizing she'd switched from past tence to present tence.

Jacks expression was hard to read, he looked at a loss for words. No doubt this revelation had struck something in him.

"See, your past isn't all that bad." Katherine said smiling brightly at him. Jack smiled to and turned to face her, he took both her hands in his and locked eyes with her. His eyes were endless and beautiful, she could see hundreds of emotions swimming in his deep blue eyes.

"My past could of been worse, but it doesn't matter anymore because our future will out shine everything." He said taking stepping closer to her.

"For sure?"

"For sure."

And with that she kissed him completely and utterly satisfied with the future ahead. After all, it was his past and their future.

The End

//////////////////////////////////

Authors Note- Thank you to all who have stuck with me thought this ruff story. Was that a good ending? I read through this chapter thinking "Oh no! Did I turn this into Twilight?!?" I hope it was okay. Thanks so much for all of you nothing made me more happy than to read your comments and hear your thoughts!! I'm sad this story is coming to an end. I'm not planning on writing a sequel but if any of you have any good ideas for one then I'd be happy to consider. (Not saying I'll do it but I'll think about it depending on what you guys come up with.) I hope you enjoyed this story! I own nothing. Thank you!