Chapter One: Home
Kate stood in her kitchen, waiting for someone on the other end to pick up the phone. She tapped her fingernails against the kitchen counter impatiently. She was, quite honestly, totally pissed off.
"Hello, you've reached Dr. Jack Shepherd. I'm sorry I can't answer the phone right now. I'm either in surgery or in a meeting. Just leave me a message about what this is concerning, and I'll get back to you as soon as time allows. Thanks." Beep.
"Jack. This is your incredibly pissed off fiancée calling. Apparently, you forgot about the dinner we were supposed to have with Sayid and Nadia. After that, we were supposed to register for gifts. But, hey, if a drink with the guys is more important, more power to you. Maybe Sayid and Nadia will fly in from New York again tomorrow." Kate hung up and slammed the phone into the receiver. The noise had apparently carried all the way to her son's room, and she heard him start to wail.
"Damn it, Jack." She sighed, climbing up the stairs towards Aaron's room. He was sitting up in his crib, his face blotchy and wet with tears.
"Hi, buddy. What's a matter? Did Mommy wake you up? She's so sorry." Kate cooed. Aaron began to calm down slightly in her arms, and Kate bounced him up and down, rubbing his back. He stopped crying, but was hiccupping softly.
A few minutes later, Kate had laid Aaron back in his crib, and he fell asleep again. She sighed, and walked into the room she shared with Jack.
Kate was too keyed up to sleep, and honestly wouldn't have been able to sleep no matter what. Whenever she slept nowadays, she dreamt of the island, of Sawyer jumping out of the helicopter, of the endless days on that lifeboat.
A couple hours later, she heard rustling downstairs. She sat up in her bed abruptly, and reached for the clock. It read in shining red numbers, 2:30 a.m. Kate climbed slowly out bed, and reached for the baseball bat she kept by her bed. In her blue silk shorts and white tank top, she knew no burglar would be actually afraid of her, but one good swing with her bat would change his mind.
She crept down her stairs, trying to stay as quiet as possible. A pantry door slammed, making Kate jump slightly. What was this person trying to steal, a jar of peanut butter?
When she landed in the kitchen, she couldn't see anyone around. Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulder from behind. Kate swung around, hitting the perp square in the stomach. He stumbled back a few feet, clutching his stomach.
"For God's sake Jack! What are you doing creeping around your own house?" Kate dropped her bat and walked over to where Jack was kneeling on the ground.
Jack seemed to be interested in responding, but couldn't catch his breath. Kate had knocked the wind right out of him.
"Should've…been…a…pro…softball player." He wheezed, clutching his stomach. Kate let a laugh escape her lips.
"I'm sorry I hit you. I thought there was a burglar in the house." Kate apologized. Jack waved his hand, letting her know he understood. Finally, he seemed to catch his breath.
"No problem. Next time, maybe ask who it is before you start swinging that damn bat like Babe Ruth though." Jack gasped, his stomach still burning. Kate rubbed his should gently.
"I'll keep that in mind." Kate assured him. He nodded, and lay down, his head landing in her lap. Kate ran her hands through his short hair, giving him half a massage. Jack closed his eyes, totally content, but Kate didn't let him stay that way for long.
"What've you been up to until 2 in the morning, darling?" Kate asked, her voice shaking with anger. Jack sighed, and sat up.
"I was in surgery, Kate. What the hell is your problem?" Jack hissed, upset at her tone.
"My problem? My problem is that the man you picked as the best man in our wedding and his wife flew in today from New York. My problem is that you held up our dinner for 2 and a half hours, before I finally decided to eat without you. My problem is that now we still aren't registered for wedding gifts, even though you promised me we would do it today. My problem is Aaron cried for half an hour when he heard you weren't going to read him a bed time story, and I had to explain to our guests why my 2 and a half year old sounded like he was still a baby." Kate cried, her voice close to a scream.
"Your 2 and a half year old? Don't start acting like you birthed him, Kate." Jack sneered. Kate slapped him across the face. Jack stepped back, allowing her to watch as a red handprint rose onto his cheek.
"Awfully touchy about that, aren't we Kate?" Jack's eyes were cold, and Kate was on the verge of tears.
"She isn't here Jack. Someone has to raise him." Kate replied.
"She may not be here, Kate, but we know where she is. But you refused to go back when Locke asked. So we stay here, and play the part of the happily engaged couple. What a joke that is." Jack sneered.
"It's not a joke Jack. And Claire is dead. Dead and gone. You heard what Sawyer said." Kate cried back indignantly.
"Sawyer? Still thinking about him?" Jack laughed coldly.
"Don't change the subject, Jack. Sawyer has nothing to do with this. You do this every time I bring him up." Kate sobbed, tears openly running down her face now.
"Because you shouldn't still be bringing him up." Jack responded.
"Get out. I don't want you around my son." Kate pushed him towards the door.
"He's not your son, Kate." Jack called out as Kate threw him out. Kate slammed the door shut behind him, and Jack sighed. It seemed like all he and Kate did anymore was fight. Things had been so much…no, but he wouldn't think about that. The island was in the past, and Jack didn't think he'd ever be going back there. No, he'd made his decision when he'd climbed in the helicopter, made his decision when he'd let Sawyer plunge back into the water instead of taking the leap himself. Made a decision by getting engaged to Kate. And, made another decision to night, by saying the things he knew Kate couldn't take, the things Kate hated to here. Aaron may not have been her biological son, that was for sure, but she certainly hadn't abandoned him in the middle of the jungle.
Jack started to walk towards his car. He knew who would take him at this time of night, who would listen to him when he mentioned the fight he'd had with Kate. Jack climbed into his car, and sped off into the dark night.