This is a piece of fluff that my editor (aka my sister) thought was good enough to publish. It takes place a couple years after the Strike, when Jack and Katherine are married. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Newsie characters

"What was your mother like?" Katherine asked as she stood by the window. Her hands rested on her stomach, her fingers tapping out a melody only she and the child she carried could hear. "Do you remember her?" She glanced over and saw that Jack was just staring at her with a half smile on his face. It looked like he hadn't heard a thing she'd said. "You're not listening," she accused.

"You're really gorgeous in that light, Ace," Jack replied. "Do you mind if I…?" His hands were already reaching for his sketch pad and pencils.

"Only if you answer my question." Jack looked at her blankly, making Katherine roll her eyes. "What was your mother like?" she repeated. The smile on Jack's face faded as he flipped to a fresh sheet of paper.

"She was the most beautiful woman in the world," he began. His pencil started to move across the paper. "Her name was Bridget. She, she was so much like you, Katherine. Firm, but caring. Always focused on making life better for others, even if it meant sacrifices on her part. She kept my dad sane through all of his career failures. She took care of me and my sister."

"You have a sister?" Katherine asked, her tone clearly indicating her shock. "You never talk about her." Jack's eyes became even sadder, and Katherine realized it was a sadness that was always there, that he usually kept hidden.

"I had a sister," he replied softly. "Her name was Eveleen. She was five years younger than me." Katherine mouthed a silent oh. "When I was eleven, my mom caught cholera. And she didn't make it. That's when my dad, well, he kind of lost it. He started drinking a lot. He couldn't hold a job because of it. I started selling papers, but I didn't move to the Lodging House. How could I? Eveleen was only six. I had to support her. I had to protect her from my dad."

The strokes Jack made with his pencil became harsh. "I failed her in the end. One night, my dad came home drunk, drunk and just broken, and Eveleen wanted a bedtime story. She was eight. He was tired and couldn't be bothered. And, and he hit her so hard, she fell, and she hit her head on the table on her way down. He was horrified when he realized what he'd down. Went up to the roof and threw himself off." The only signs of grief Katherine saw was how intensely focused Jack was on his drawing. She understood why he had taken it up.

"I went into the system after that. Caused some trouble, went to the Refuge, and I guess you know what happened from there." Katherine made as if to go and comfort him, but Jack quickly shook his head. "No, you'll ruin my angles."

"I'm sorry," she said instead. "It seems crazy that we're expecting a child, yet I didn't know about your mother. Or that you had a sister, for goodness' sake!"

"What about you? Only your mom and dad came to the wedding. You got siblings I's never hears about?" It was clear that Jack was ready to change the subject, and Katherine was more than willing to oblige.

"Well, I'm the third, no, second oldest. Now, at least. Lucille, she was born two years before me, and she died from typhoid when she was seventeen." Katherine blinked back aged pain. "We weren't really close, she was more interested in society things. It was still hard though, she'd just been debuted. Ralph's the oldest, he was born a year before Lucille. He was the one our father actually wanted working with him. Then there's Joseph, he's three years younger than me. Edith was born a year after that, and Constance was born two years after Edith. Herbert's the youngest, he's about seven."

"Wow," Jack said appreciatively. "You think any of them would like me?" Katherine shrugged.

"I don't know. Connie and Edith might. Herbert probably would. The other boys, well, I'm sure they wouldn't hate you. They aren't like my father," she replied. "Does it really matter, though? I mean, you certainly don't care whether my father approves of you or not."

"Yeah, well, I guess I'd like at least one member of your family to." His pencil strokes had become more relaxed, and he was beginning to shade in sections of the drawing, a sign that he was nearing its finish.

"My mother liked you," Katherine reminded him. "Are you nearly done with that?" She tried to see the sketch, but Jack angled it so she couldn't.

"Patience, Ace," he reprimanded. "When can I meet your brothers and sisters?" Katherine blinked in surprise. "What? They're my family too, now."

"Let's have this baby first," she replied. Jack chuckled. "And, I know you wanted to sort of move on from that subject, but I'm really sorry about your mom and sister. And your dad. Um, what was his name? You didn't say." Jack's eyes darkened again, but not as much as before.

"John. Everyone called him Jack."

"Is that your…like you?"

"Yeah, like me," he confirmed almost resignedly. He shook his head, clearing the thought from his mind. "Speaking of names, you got any ideas for our little one?" Katherine smiled, and her fingers resumed their rhythmic tapping.

"I have one, but I think we should wait. I think we'll know it when we see her."

"Or him."

"Or him," Katherine agreed.

"I'm done." Katherine walked over to stand behind the chair Jack sat in. His drawing was beautiful. She had a look of peace and joy on her face, and the radiance of a woman who carried what she considered to be the world's greatest treasure. The fading light made her look angelic.

"It's beautiful. You always know how to make your subject look their best." Jack reached for one of her hands and pressed it to his lips.

"You are beautiful, Ace."

Two Months Later

"We has a girl," Jack murmured reverently. "She's beautiful, Kath. She looks just like you." He leaned forward to kiss the forehead of the tiny baby in his wife's arms.

"She looks like you, too," Katherine replied. "See, she already has your smile. She'll be a little rascal, just like her father."

"And she'll be a smart, beautiful, independent girl, like her mother." The couple stared in awe at their creation for a moment. "So, have you got a name for her? You said you'd know it when you saw her."

"If it's alright by you, I'd like to call her Eveleen Lucille." Jack blinked, a few tears wetting his lashes. "And I was thinking Evie for short."

"Ace, this baby is the second best gift you've ever given me. But that? I think that might be a close third." Katherine furrowed her brow, confused, and also a bit worried. Did Jack not think their child was the most amazing thing in the world?

"What's the first best thing?" She wondered. Jack pressed his lips to Katherine's temple.

"You, of course." Katherine sighed, wondering what fluke had made her life so wonderful. "So, when's we gonna introduce little Evie to the fellas?"

"Soon," Katherine promised. "But tonight, do you think it could just be us? Me, you, and our daughter? I know, it's a bit selfish of me, but…" she trailed off as Eveleen yawned and opened her eyes, revealing them to be almost identical to Jack's. Katherine felt her heart melt a little.

"I thinks the fellas would understand," Jack replied, just as mesmerized by his daughter's eyes as his wife was. "Shall we go home?"

"Yes."

It took a few hours for the nurses and doctors to complete all the tests to ensure that mother and daughter were both in good health. It was after sunset when the little family finally returned to their apartment. On the way back, Jack kept pointing things out, "That's a tree, Evie." "Those are buildings." "That's the sky."

Katherine didn't want to make Eveleen sleep in the crib by herself, so the couple settled into bed with their daughter between them. Katherine was singing some sort of lullaby that Jack vaguely recognized.

"And I'll sing you to sleep, and I'll sing you tomorrow, bless you with love for the road that you go."

"Ace, where'd you learn that song?" Jack asked when he was very sure that Eveleen was fast asleep. "I feel like I've heard it somewhere."

"Elmer taught it to me. He said that his mother used to sing him to sleep with it," Katherine replied, her voice soft. "Your family was Irish, like his, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Jack replied. "My ma sang that to Eveleen and me." Katherine smiled and found her husband's hand. "You should go to sleep. It's been a long day for you, ain't it?"

"It has. I love you, Jack. Good night."

"I love you, too."

"Good night, little Eveleen, Mommy loves you!"

"And so does Daddy. And I promise, I will love you forever."

So, I hope that you liked it! This story was originally going to be a one shot, but after all the research I did on Katherine's family, I made a rough draft of a story where Jack meets her brothers and sisters. So I might add that as another chapter to this story, but it'll probably be up to you guys and how much feedback I get on this. To my followers who are waiting for me to wrap up my Heroes of Olympus story, I am sorry for how long it's taking and beg you all to have patience. Signing off, and may the mouse be with you!