The Hourglass (UNEDITED)

Chapter 21

At the crack of dawn had woken up and swiftly got showered, skipped breakfast and was on his way to the person he wanted to see the most. Once there he knocked on the door and immediately regretted being aggressive about it. he couldn't help it, he wanted to milk it as much as he could. The little time he had left he wanted to spend it with Katherine. Minutes later, Katherine answered the door. She was dressed for the office. Jace looked at his own attire as did Katherine and noted his casual but well-fitting jeans and a white t-shirt. He looked back up at Katherine and smiled happily when he saw her eyes darken from her checking him out.

"Good morning," he said softly, unable to help the smile curving his lips. Katherine, hesitant to let her face respond in kind studied the floor instead.

"Good morning Jace, I wasn't expecting you."

"Don't you remember, dr. Stromer said we need to talk every day? And what better way to start the day than to have a chat with you," he smiled. This time, Katherine couldn't help but lighten up in kind.

"I haven't forgotten."

"Good. Are you going to let me in?" he asked. Katherine nodded after a long hesitation, which had caused Jace to begin thinking negatively. He let out a breath of relief when his foot stepped inside their apartment.

"I made some breakfast. Would you like some?"

"I would love some," he wanted to kick himself for sounding overly zealous. He followed her to the kitchen and sat at the counter stools and watched Katherine dish a plate of eggs and bacon for him.

"There you go," Katherine handed him his plate and Jace took from her. Their hands brushed and they both held each other's eyes at the surprise from the contact. Katherine, as expected, broke the eye contact and began dishing her own plate. It was only then that Jace noticed flapjack and the jar of peanut butter.

"Let me guess, you're going to spread peanut butter on both sides of flapjacks. Then you'll have a meat patty inside with bacon fat all over instead of syrup, am I right?"

To his question, there was no immediate reply, at least not a verbal one. Instead, Jace was met with wide brown eyes staring at him, almost suspicious.

"Um, yeah...but how did you know that?"

"I just know," Jace said before he cut a piece of bacon and egg and pooped it into his mouth. When he looked up, he stopped chewing and continued to do so much slower when he noted Katherine staring at him intensely.

"Jace seriously, how did you know?" she asked eagerly. Jace could see that she would not let up, so he got up from his seat and walked over to stand in front of her. He looked deeply into her eyes and then looked down at her flat belly. He put his hand there and lightly brushed it. Katherine gasped.

"What are you doing?" Katherine inquired in a shocked whisper. Jace knew she was holding her breath and he didn't' blame her.

When it had been too late, it only hit Jace that Katherine's odd eating habits were because she was pregnant. He hoped he could reverse the loss of their baby.

"Katherine, I know you're carrying our little one in here," he whispered. He couldn't project his voice so openly as he was too moved with emotion. Right here, right now could be his second chance and he didn't know how to make the amendment forever.

His movements were slow, calculated, giving time to any anticipated reaction. He heard Katherine's breath coming short when his hand moved slowly from her stomach to her face and then gently grasp it. He titled he face to look up at him, still giving Katherine time to resist if she felt she needed to. But she didn't, so he slowly bent his head to capture her lips in a slow and sweet kiss. Then he stopped and buried his face the nape of her delicate neck.