Jack Kelly wasn't sure what made him love Kayleigh Denton.

Was it the fact she had helped him so many times?

From the article about the strike, to helping him realize he wasn't a scab, she had slowly brought Jack into her debt.

Jack smiled. He remembered the first time he had stolen her pen.

-

"Hey, Kay. Hey, the rhymed!"

"Please go away, I'm working."

"Working girl, huh?" Jack asked jokingly, remembering their first exchange.

"Yes, Kelly. Not funny. Not at all," Kayleigh said, struggling to hide a smile.

"Really, Denton? Last naming me?" Jack laughed. Kayleigh looked up, a smirk playing over her lips. She then looked down and began writing something.

"Hey!" Jack cried. He suddenly had a terrible(though he didn't know it at the time) idea. He snatched Kayleigh's pen out of her hand, and the brown-haired girl made an indignant noise.

"Jack Kelly!"

Jack ran away, laughing, and heard Kayleigh behind him.

"You give me my pen!" Kayleigh shouted. Jack turned around and held the pen teasingly over her head. Kayleigh reaches for it, but just barely missed it.

"I'll give it back if you tell me what your writing about," Jack bargained.

"Nope," Kayleigh said, and poked him hard in the side. Jack doubled over and Kayleigh wrenched the writing instrument out of his hand.

"Kayleigh!"

-

Jack sighed. He leaned back against the wall, and pictured her face. Always smiling. Until that one night...

-

Jack had found Kayleigh in a room of the Lodging House, crying her eyes out. Jennifer and Jane were there, comforting her. They both looked up as Jack entered.

"I can leave-"

"No, Jack, stay," Jane said, very authoritative for a nine-almost-ten-year-old. Jack slowly made his way over and sat down next to Kayleigh.

"Kay?" He said softly. Kayleigh quickly hugged him tightly and Jack felt his face heat up. He gingerly returned the gesture and saw Jane giving him a smirk.

Jack watched Jen and Jane leave, and heard the door slam. He held Kayleigh until her tears subsided, and even then, she didn't let go.

The two of them just sat, silent, locked in an embrace on Mother's Day.

-

Jack sighed. He remembered the moment when he had realized the truth about his feelings.

-

Jack was at it again. Kayleigh's pen was once again clutched in his grip, and he found himself at a dead end. He turned and smirked at a fuming Kayleigh.

"I'll give it back if you give a kiss," he teased. Suddenly his words hit him.

Was I really teasing her?

Kayleigh gave a quick kiss on the cheek and left a frozen, wide-eyed Jack Kelly, pen in hand, and cheeks aflame.

-

Jack wished she had kissed his lips instead...

Maybe one day.

Just maybe.