Jackine one-shots

Three Little Words

Modern Day university AU

Jack Kelly wasn't scared of anything, apart from telling Katherine Plumber he was in love with her. Running from the police, fine. Defending Crutchie and the boys from the school bullies, fine.

But telling Katherine Plumber he loved her, not fine. They'd been dating for nearly a year and he hadn't said it once, she'd told him she loved him five times, and every time he would smile and kiss her.

He felt bad every time he didn't say it back. He didn't know why he couldn't say it back, he just couldn't. And he hated himself for it.

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Katherine Pulitzer never worried about anything, apart from Jack Kelly never telling her he loved her. Handing in homework assignments late, fine. Telling her father she was dating the one person he despises, fine.

But never hearing the words 'I love you' come from Jack Kelly' mouth, not fine. They'd been dating for nearly a year and he hadn't said it once, she'd told him she loved him five times, and every time he would smile and kiss her.

She couldn't help but feel her worry grow every time he didn't say it back. She didn't know why he didn't say it back and she was worried.

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"Crutchie?" Katherine asked as they both sat on her sofa.

"Hmm?" He asked, not even looking up from his coffee.

"Do you think that Jack still likes me?" She asked, her worry creeping up again. She felt bad, having to ask Crutchie but it wasn't like she could just ask Jack.

Crutchie spat out his coffee, a look of apology in his eyes as she wiped coffee off her cheeks. "What?"

"Never mind." She said hastily, taking a sip of her coffee.

"What are ya talkin' 'bout? Of course he does, Kathy!" Crutchie said, "Why are ya worryin'?"

Katherine frowned, looking down at her coffee. "It's just, he never says 'I love you' and I'm just worried that he doesn't like me anymore."

"You know he's not a very touchy-feely person." Crutchie said, shuffling closer to her one the sofa and giving her a side hug. "He'll tell you he loves you, just give him time."

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"Davey?" Jack asked, throwing the tennis ball absentmindedly at the wall.

"Hmm." Davey said, not even looking up from his study work.

"Can you please looks at me? This is important. It's about Katherine." Jack said, throwing the tennis ball at Davey.

"What is it?" Davey asked, setting his pen down and catching the ball quickly. He got up and sat down next to Jack on his bed.

"I haven't said 'I love you' to her yet. And I'm worried she thinks I don't like her." Jack said, his nerves making his voice shake. He felt bad about talking to Davey about this, but it wasn't like he could actually ask Katherine.

"I'm sure she doesn't think that. She knows you feel the same way as her." Davey said reassuringly, patting Jack on the back.

"I hope you're right. I really hope you are." He said and went back to throwing the ball against the wall.

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"I'm worried 'bout Jack and Kathy." Crutchie said as he limped into the room her shared with Davey.

"What do you mean?" Davey asked, still sitting at his desk doing work.

"Kath's worried about Jack not liking her." Crutchie said and sat down on his bed.

"Jack's worried about Kath loosing feelings." Davey said, coming and sitting on his bed, looking over at Crutchie.

"Ya know Jack finds that stuff hard. He's never been like that." Crutchie said, fiddling with the top of his crutch.

"I know, but Kath doesn't know that. And since they've been together he's more sensitive and touchy-feely. And we know he loves her, he knows he loves her, but she doesn't know he loves her." Davey said, fiddling with one of his pens.

"What if she decides she can't do the relationship anymore and breaks up with Jack." Crutchie said nervously, crossing his legs.

"She won't. Don't worry Crutchie." Davey said, patting Crutchie on the back. "She loves him too much for her own good. There's no way she'd end it with him."

"You better be right." Crutchie said.

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"Jack?" Katherine asked, laying down on their couch as he put a movie on Netflix.

"You okay, Ace?" Jack said, not looking up from the remote.

Katherine swallowed she'd never been more nervous. She wanted to ask Jack why he never said 'I love you'. It was nearly a month since she'd had the conversation with Crutchie and she was growing increasingly more nervous. She was beginning to think he'd lost feelings for her.

"Kath?" Jack prompted, lifting her legs up and placing them on his lap. He frowned when he noticed she'd gone pale, her ran his thumb over her ankle bone and waited for her to speak.

"Are we, where is this, what are we?" She stumbled over her words, starting three sentences and never finishing them. She groaned as she saw Jack's eyes widened.

"Ace?"

"Do you love me?" She finally said, feeling her cheeks grow hot when Jack's eyes widened. She waited for him to say something, but when he was silent she couldn't help but feel scared. "You know what, forget I said anything. I'm sorry." She mumbled, feeling tears build in her eyes.

Jack's mouth fell open and he stared at his girlfriend. He felt bad, he'd made Katherine worry about their relationship. "What do you mean?" He asked gently, reaching over and grabbing her hands.

"Never mind, I'm sorry." She said hastily, moving her legs off of Jack's lap. She moved closer to the arm of the sofa and moved her legs up to her chest.

"No, no. Please talk to me Ace." Jack said, moving closer to her on the sofa. "You can trust me."

"I just, this is going to sound stupid. Please don't get angry. It's just, I, I don't feel." She rambled, never actually getting to the point. She dropped her head to her knees and looked at him, tears swimming in her eyes.

"Katherine, look at me." Jack said gently, leaning forward and cupping her cheek. "Talk to me."

Katherine sighed, before taking his hand from her cheek. "You've never said 'I love you'." She said, feeling stupid as the words left her mouth. "And I'm scared you don't feel the same way I do about you."

Jack laughed and moved closer to her, pulling her into his arms. "Ace." He whispered into her hair, feeling tears on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and as he pulled her onto his lap.

"Ya know I'm not a very good with expressing with feelings, and I'm sorry if I worried ya." Jack said, tightening his hold on her. "But I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Katherine pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. She smiled softly and ran her hands over his cheek. "I'm sorry for doubting you."

"It's ok, sweetheart. It's ok." He said, pulling her closer and kissing her softly.