Jack And Katherine One-Shots

What Lurks In The Dark (Part 1)

"I hate this place."

The fact that Jack was standing uncomfortably by the door ready to bolt was no surprise to Katherine. She knew Jack wouldn't like the small space and loud strange noises that occasionally wailed from the machine of the giant printing press. It was bran knew and more high tech then had ever been used before, it had cost no more than a fortune and half of Katherine's inheritance from her father. 'Nothing less than the best us to be used by the World.' Pulitzers voice said in Katherine's head as she dug around in a box. She rolled her eyes at the memory and continued her search.

"Are ya almost done looting ya Daddy's stuff?" Jack called in a edgy voice. Katherine felt a slight pang of guilt for making him come along but she needed a look out and she didn't trust anybody else enough to watch her back.

"Chill out Kelly it's gotta be here somewhere..." Katherine called back tipping over a box full of parts. Many tiny wheels rolled away and scattered around the room making a dangerous route for her back to Jack. A small part of her felt bad for who ever had to come in early the next day and pick all of them up. Then again the rest of her just wanted to find the stupid pen and get out of there.

"Why again can't you ask ya father where it is?" Jack asked his voice even more edgy and annoyed than before. Katherine tipped the box back up and got to her feet putting her hands on her hips in the process.

"Because there is no way he would ever let me have it. It's a family heirloom." She said like it was obvious.

"And ya father keeps precious stuff like dat in the press room?" Jack asked sarcastically his face illuminated by the small amount of light coming from the light fixture up above.

"I've already checked all the rest of the possible places! His desk, his desk back at the mansion, his desk at the court building, his desk in the town hall."

"Gee how many does he got?"

"I also looked in his room, I went through all his coat pockets-"

"Wow, remind me not to ever hide something from you."

"Will you shut up? I went through my mothers old jewelry box, I even cracked the code on our safe down stairs-"

"Gee Ace, and they call me the convict?"

Jack had to duck out of the way as four or five tiny wheels flew over his head. Katherine wasn't necessarily mad at him, just completely and utterly annoyed with him at the moment. She probably needed to calm down considering she could tell Jack was already at his wits end and throwing more things at him probably wouldn't help the situation.

"The least you could do is give me a boost up here." Katherine said forcing herself not to wring his neck.

As Jack reluctantly came over she eyed the loft above which held more boxes no doubt full of paper and more tiny wheels. She prayed that she would find it up there, she needed it to write her article about family's. It was the one thing that made her even want to become a writer: her grandfathers pen.

"If you fall i'm not going to catch you." He said grumpily as he put his hands together so she could step in them to boost her up.

"That's a lie." She said sassily and put her foot in his hands and used the other to jump up. Using the extra momentum from Jacks strength she grabbed the ledge and hoisted herself up some more as her shoes searched for some grip against the slippery wall.

Jack was snickering at her from below at her struggle and she furiously tried to find grip. His snickers didn't help her irritation nor her progress in getting up.

"Shut up Kelly, it's not as easy as it looks." She snarled her fingers finding nothing but dirt for leverage.

"I dunno, your looking pretty good from my point of view." Jack said with a smirk still standing underneath her.

"I swear Kelly if your looking up my skirt..." Katherine threatened trying desperately to swing her legs up and keep her legs closed at the same time. Jack just laughed witch infuriated her even more.

"Ya know Plumber, if you put one foot on that metal bar to your left over there, then your right foot over there on that small ledge-"

"And give you an opportunity like that?! I don't think so." Katherine said feeling herself breaking out in a sweat as she struggled to pull her self up with her weak arms.

"Suit yourself then."

She had two options. One: do as Jack said and get up to the loft but run the risk of Jack sneaking a peek under her skirts (and don't think he wouldn't, this is Jack Kelly were talking about!) Two: drop back down to the floor and admit to Jack that she wasn't strong enough.

Ugh, that was probably the toughest decision of her life.

"Fine... you win." Katherine said glancing down at Jack. "I'll do what you said."

"Sweet, I can't wait-"

"But you have to back away." She said cutting him off. "Like way away."

Jack smirked up at her but backed up a step.

"Farther."

He took two more steps.

"Farther."

He took four more steps back, he was well out of the way by now but Katherine didn't want to give him any excuses.

"Farther." She said trying to keep the strain out of her voice as her arms began to shake.

Jack sighed "There... is this far enough for you?" He asked walking back into the shadows so she could no longer see him anymore.

"Yes, thank you very much. That wasn't so hard now was it?" Katherine asked trying to reach the metal bar with her foot. She couldn't quite reach it however and the front of her shoe kept slipping off it.

Katherine didn't even notice that Jack hadn't replied to her question, she was to focused on not slipping and falling to the ground.

"Just because I made you move all the way over here dosent mean I still don't expect you to catch me." Katherine said a little worried that she was going to fail after all.

Sweat ran down her back as she strained to reach the metal bar, she was just to short it wasn't going to work.

"Jack?" Katherine called needing someone to distract her from the pain in her arms. "Jack? At least come out where I can see you. Don't let this go to your head but your a lot more attractive then this box up here and I may need a distraction."

She waited for some cheeky comment back but nothing came.

"Jack?" She called again getting worried. "I swear Jack if your trying to scare me it's not funny!" She said feeling panicked.

"Oh Jack isn't trying to scare you... but we are."

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For ruff1258 thanks for requesting it keeps me writing! Part two coming soon! (And I can't think of a title so if you could help that would he great... hint hint)