Tending to you

Summary: set around FF time when Jack is at his worst with his drug addiction but can that all change when he meets an unexpected someone at the Hospital. An unexpected someone he hasn't seen for four months.

Enjoy

As each day passed he grew empty and less wanting of what life attempted to offer and to a certain extent he felt he had no reason to because the one thing he did want was unattainable at the moment due to his mistake. One he longed to take back but he couldn't dismiss the sharp sting he felt whenever he looked into those crystal blue eyes. The very sight reminding him of what he had lost in a place he had least expected to find it.

"I can't do this anymore. I'm sick of lying."

Those were the last words he had exchanged with her with nothing but defeat and disappointment within his tone. He knew the argument at the time solely rooted from their current living restrictions, but a part of it did have to do with Kate's continuous negligence to solidify their relationship. Her fears of exposure as a result proving too much of a risk for her and her new found responsibilities. However he always felt that it was something more.

So here he was four months later and living a life of regret with nothing to console him, other than the artificial means of course, but even then to those fixes helped for a short amount of time and by the end of it he felt even worse. Nothing could fill the gaping hole in his heart at this point. He was damaged beyond repair, and in an effort to take his mind off it he buried himself into his work, heart and soul. Although the temptation of his growing addiction seemed to gradually outweigh every aspect of his life. To the extent where he was less caring of his life because he felt there was no real reason to embrace it any further. The pain was simply too much to bare and he just wanted to end it once and for all. So with that he parked his jeep on the side of the bridge and walked towards the edge. His legs trembling with each stride but his mind and eyes were firmly focused on the path ahead. The path he now felt was his freedom from the life of lies and restriction he had been living for the past four months.

Three steps later and he now stood before the final barricade, his eyes briefly surveying what lay beyond it and he was hit with a sudden and expected amount of fear at the cost this freedom came with, and within that moment he simply closed his eyes and recited every image of his life. The majority of this collage of images being filled with the one thing he felt stood out in his life, Kate. No matter how much he tried to push her to the side, she always popped up one way or another and it frustrated and warmed him at the same time.

She was truly unlike any other woman he had met or experienced before. She was fiery, passionate, strong and continuously supportive of the decisions he made.

"I've got your back." A mutual oath between them that didn't need any further explanation cause there was enough physical dedication behind it to give it a strong semblance of meaning. Now he just wished he could feel the same way, but he didn't because he had failed her and her trust in him when he walked out the door at her time of need.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into the vacant air before him and then placed himself on the top of the barricade, his eyes closing and his figure already leaning over to make that final leap, and before he could he was abruptly brought to a halt by the massive thud of something crashing, and upon further observation he could now see that it was what he vaguely assumed it to be in the first place and with that he sobered up and reacted on his instincts before it was too late.

She had been putting her check up off for the past week now mainly because she wanted to avoid bumping into the one Doctor she knew would have a lot to say regarding her current position, but that all flew out the window when little Aaron came running into her bedroom squealing about Daddy being on the news.

"Well it looks like the Heroic Doctor has made his comeback when it was reported that he saved a woman from a car crash today. The woman sustained a few injuries all thanks to the Good Doctor, one of the original survivors of the infamous Oceanic Flight 815. In other news………."

She never paid much attention to what followed after that for she was too awestruck by what she was hearing.

A car crash? Injuries? Was he okay?

Those were the questions that kept looming around in her head and before she took the time to think of the possibilities, she heard the phone ring. Her mind still reeling from the shock but she was still somewhat aware of her surroundings.

"Hello." Was all she said before the other voice on the line briefly filled her in regarding the reason her presence was needed at one "Mercy Hospital". The very hospital she had been trying to avoid all this time.

(Meanwhile - Mercy Hospital)

"There you go, and that should heal fairly quickly. Just don't put too much pressure on it okay." The nurse firmly suggested while bandaging the side of his wounded head.

"Thanks Judy" he numbly offered while attempting to seize the shaking of his hands.

"You should feel proud you know. It's not everyday that a hero comes along." The nurse commented in an effort to brighten up his spirits but he just laughed bitterly in response while muttering a silent apology for his initial response.

"How is she?" he decided to ask the nurse before him after maintaining a seemingly endless moment of silence to gather his thoughts.

"She's recovering well…….thanks to you Jack." Lauren tried one last time but her efforts were abruptly interrupted by a frantic Kate barging into to see none other than a gob smacked Jack staring at her wide eyed.

"I'm sorry to……I can wait outside if you….." Kate struggled to get out as she constantly felt Jack's eyes on her. Surveying every inch of her and she was thankful that she had worn a long coat to hopefully hide the one distinct change since he had last seen her.

"No, it's okay. Besides I think we're done here anyway." Lauren explained and then let herself out when she felt a slight sense of unease within the room.

"So……what are you doing here?" he inquired with a genuine sense of curiosity in his tone and she just looked on ridiculously for a minute and then responded with a sigh.

"I'm still listed on your contacts Jack." She explained and winced slightly when she felt a hint of pain hitting the left side of her abdomen.

"Hey, hey are you okay?" Jack hurriedly asked as he jumped off the bed to tend to her. Her hand instinctively coming out to keep him at a safe distance, and he couldn't help but wince at the gesture. Never the less he pushed it to the side for the moment and focused on the task at hand. His hand automatically moving to the source of the pain this time and he was astounded to say the least when he felt a slight but distinct bump, and there was only so much her clothing could hide from him.

"You're……you're pregnant?"

The first of a three shot fic and who knows maybe I'll work in a detailed version of what happened in Episode 10 ;)

So what do you think guys? Should it's rating change to M or should I even continue in the first place?