Ok, so as the description says, this "fanfic" will be a collection of one-shots based on hurt&comfort idea, where Kate needs Jack's help. I have a great love for Lost and Jate (and I have kind of "Kate sick-Jack care" fetish) since early 2000s, when I was 8 or 9 :D Now I decided to turn this love into creative activity and improving my writing in English skills. It's not my national language, so please, forgive me some mistakes and tell me, if you notice mistakes which need my attention and work on.

I'm also kindly asking for your reviews! I'm very interested in what each one of you who'll read it think about these stories.

So, the first one is set on 2x09, "What Kate Did". It's kind of my answer for the question: what would have happened if Kate hadn't run from the hatch when she was attacked by Sawyer (or Wayne in Sawyer's body).

Jack, followed by the unexcited Locke, hurried into the bedroom, worried sick. He was scared and was feeling extremely guilty. He knew he shouldn't leave Kate alone in the hatch, pale and visibly exhausted. He knew something was not alright. But when he asked her is she okay, she just cut him off. At the time he thought that maybe it has something to do with her past and melancholic moods, which she has tendencies to. He was aware of the fact that she won't tell him anything unwillingly, so he's just let it be and left.

Now he was staring in shock at the surprising scene in the bedroom. Sawyer was lying in the middle of the room, unconscious and shaking slightly. Next to him was Kate. She was breathing extremely heavily and Jack could heard small whimpers and sobs between each one of her short, painful breaths. She seemed to be even paler than she was when he left her in the morning. Jack examined the area around Kate and noticed a strange mess next to her. She had vomited, probably a few times. And she was visibly vulnerable, that was the fact which shocked him the most. Jack knew that Kate has her soft and sensitive side, but until now he has never ever, even whey they opened the case, seen her like this.

That moment of shock, surprise and overwhelming concern lasted no longer than second or two. Then Jack pulled himself together and instinctively turned his doctor mode on. He had two patients to work on and now he had to decide, which one needs his help first.

The professionalist in him knew that he should do otherwise, but he ran to Kate's side first nonetheless.

- John! – he yelled, crouching next to her. His hands found Kate's shaking shoulders and landed on them gently while he turned his head to Locke's direction. – Is Sawyer breathing?

Locke was moving his hand along James's neck, trying to find a pulse. At the certain point he stopped and held his hand still.

- Yeah, and I can feel a pulse!

- Okay. Now get him back to the bed and see if you can make him drink some water, he probably just fell. – Jack spoke calmly, but forcefully. He will check on James later. Now he had to tend to Kate, he had to know what had scared her so much… She was looking around frantically, her eyes never focused on anything. Her breathing wasn't any better and he started to worry that she will pass out.

- Kate – he said quietly, keeping his voice quiet and gentle. He was trying to make an eye contact with her, but she was still moving her head ever so rapidly. – What happened? Kate! – he called her a little louder, when she didn't react.

She finally stopped shaking her head and looked on him unsure.

- Jack… - she managed to say and almost immediately went into deep hyperventilation. Her breathing was even worse and her sobs and tears streaming down her checks wasn't making the situation better for both of them. Jack understood that he can't go slow any longer if he didn't want to have second unconscious person in the room. He quickly moved his left hand from Kate's shoulder to her cheek and spoke to her urgently, still trying to keep his voice gentle.

- Kate, listen to me, listen. You're hyperventilating. Whatever has happened before, right now you're safe and you need to calm down, okay? Just try to take some slow, deep breaths through your nose, okay? Just like so – he demonstrated and breathe in deep, however he was extremely nervous himself and found it difficult. He wasn't even aware of the fact that his hand is caressing Kate's check and brushes of her hair which freed himself from her bun.

Finally, she listened and Jack could have cried with relief. Right now she wasn't an extremely serious medical case, but something in the way he felt about her made him unable to watch her like this.

- Good, that's good – he coached while Kate was taking still painful, but quite deep breaths. – Take one more deep breath, not so quickly, good. One more time, okay? It's okay. – Kate was trying to breathe the way Jack showed her and Jack was constantly whispering some comforting words which actually didn't have any sense.

Kate took a few breaths when she finally felt able to speak.

- Jack – she whimpered weakly, and her unnatural tone made Jack concerned even more. – I..I… c-can't b-be here. Please, take me away, please. – Jack was about to argue and convince her that she's safe and she needs to calm down a little bit until she can be moved, but then he noticed that her breathing quickened again and her silent begging for help made his heart clenched. Jack didn't know why, but he had an unclearly idea that her state has something to do with Sawyer. But what, for God's sake? He couldn't abuse, harass or even insult her in the state he himself was in…

- Okay – he said softly, touching his cheek, while his other hand was rubbing her back. – How about the living room, would you be comfortable here? – Kate nodded slightly and looked at James. Second later she took another short, quick, unhealthy breath.

- Good. Do you think that you can walk? – Another nod. Jack took Kate in gentle embrace and quickly helped her up, hoping that she won't fall into catatonic state again. He took her hand and turned it around his neck and his right hand embraced her waist. Jack also hoped that walking would help Kate focus on something else than her mysterious trauma and it will improve her breathing too. They began slowly walking to the door and Jack give John, who was still at Sawyer's side, a questioning look.

- I think he's fine for now – Locke said. He managed to throw Sawyer on bed and cover him. James was sleeping and it looked like his sleep was quite peacefully. Jack nodded and instantly felt a tight grip on his shoulder. He turned his head to face Kate. She was desperately holding into him and the unimaginable fear in her eyes made Jack uncomfortable. He quickly shaked himself off. He couldn't let his emotions have the control on him. Right now, he had to take care of Kate, get her to calm down and make sure that she is psychically fine.

- It's okay, come on. It's okay – he murmured to her. His thumb was making soothing circles on her left side.

He led her to the living room and help her lay on the sofa. To his surprise, she didn't argue. He knew he had to examine her, due to her breathing problems and vomiting. He was thinking about going to the kitchen and look through his medical bag, where he had a thermometer and a few things that could possibly make his diagnose more accurate, but he felt that he shouldn't leave her alone. He was also thinking that she's in mental shock and her behaviour is rather not a symptom of some mysterious illness. Instead, he gave her a glass of water which luckily stand on the table next to the sofa. Kate tried to take it herself, but her hand was still shaking so bad that she wasn't able to hold anything. Jack instantly took a glass from her and gently pressed it to her mouth. When she finished drinking he sat next to her and pressed his finger to her wrist, taking pulse. It was still too quick.

- Kate – he said quietly, leaning over her. She winced and whimpered softly, it looked almost like she was afraid of him. He felt hurt for a second, but respected her needs and came back to the sitting position. – Can you tell me what happened? What made you so frightened? Has anyone come in here, hurt you or…

She hasn't been crying for a few minutes now, but a single tear streamed down her cheek a moment after Jack asked her.

- This island makes me crazy, I… I dunno, it's driving me nuts – she sobbed. Jack put a careful hand or her shoulder and left it there as she didn't flinch.

- Okay, it's okay, it's alright. It's alright – he reassured her. His voice has shaken a little.

- S-sawyer – he continued. – H-he was trying to kill me. He strangled me… although – she stopped for a moment, staring into space – it w-wasn't him. It was my father, he was screaming… yelling some horrible things – she began to cry unconsolably.

Before he could even think, Jack gently lifted her up and hugged her. Kate didn't hug him back, but wasn't protesting either. While holding Kate and rubbing her back thoughtlessly, he was trying to decide what to do next. He was so confused. Was it possible that Sawyer did something to her when he was so badly injured? He doubted it. And Kate was saying that in fact, it was her father… What horrible things? Did he hurt her before? Jack felt anger rising inside him, but he didn't even know this man…

Jack didn't believe in destiny and all of these weird Locke's ideas, but he knew that some things and events, which are impossible in the normal world are absolutely possible, even normal in this godforsaken island.

She could have been right. She also could have a short-time mental breakdown due to her exhaustion and general situation.

Right now, Jack decided to hold onto the second version.

- Okay – he said for the hundredth time that day, letting her go and helping her lay back down. He decided to deal with Kate the same way he was dealing with traumatized patients during his training in the ER, the ones after accidents or crime attacks. – It's alright now. Just try to get some sleep, okay?

Unexpectantly, Kate put her hands on Jack's checks. He froze, completely unsure what to do. She put herself closer to him – how funny it was, considering the fact that five minutes earlier she was frightened when he leaned over her.

Kate visibly tries to pull herself up, but was unable to do so. Before Jack had any chance to react, she fell into deep though restless sleep.

What she wanted to do, slap him? Shout something in his face? Kiss him? He didn't knew that. But Jack did knew that watching her sleep and protecting her is his priority now.

Still confused, he sat on the chair nearby and watched her. No matter what happens when she wakes up, he will always be there for her.