Well, be forewarned this is some pretty fluffy, toothache inducing stuff. But, I couldn't help it. I recently found myself wondering about these two and I realized how much I missed them. I only hope that you guys did too.

Kate looked at her watch: 7:00 am. She was already a half hour into pre-rounding this morning. She would be done in about two hours after a thorough examination of each of her patients. Although, reviewing and collecting all the pharmacologic, laboratory, diagnostic and radiographic data was the least favorite part of her day, but having the chance to talk to her patients one-on-one made up for that. And in this particular case, it was eighteen year-old Walt Dawson. A sweet, bright young man with a warm smile and profoundly sunny attitude.

"Good morning, Walt."

"Hi Dr. Austen."

"So, I've looked over everything, your counts are exactly where I want them to be. So it looks we're all set for the surgery this afternoon. Do you have any questions?"

"Nah. My dad's gonna be here soon. I bet he'll have some though," Walt said.

Kate gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder, "Of course. And when he comes in, tell him to go to the nurses' station and they will page me. Okay, Walt?" Kate smiled and was ready to leave when she felt a pair of eyes resting on her. She looked over her shoulder to find another patient. A man in his late twenties, she guessed. He was handsome. He smiled at her then, and she detected a certain charisma to him - yeah, he was a little arrogant. And for a second, a fleeting thought of Ryan came to her.

Kate nodded at him and was preparing to leave when he spoke, "You're a neurosurgeon?"

She stopped in her tracks, "Yes, I am."

"Well that's exactly what I need. Can I switch doctors?" His vivid blue eyes flashed upwards and smiled with ease and charm. Oh yeah, Kate thought - he's a confident little shit too. Kate was over four months pregnant, but in her loose-fitting scrubs and lab coat it wasn't noticeable, obviously. She recognized that confidence and swagger, his attitude was that of a guy who knew what he was, a ladies' man used to putting notches on his bedpost. Curling her lips, she walked over to take a look at his chart.

Kate shook her head, "Oh, is that so?" She read it and then said out loud, "Ahhhh. But, you're Dr. Shephard's patient. You're in the best of hands, he's an excellent surgeon."

He grinned, he knew exactly whose hands he wanted working on him. She was beautiful. He worked at Goldman Sachs, an investment bank where everyone at his trading desk wore expensive suits and shoes. He was used to women looking polished in their six hundred dollars heels and four thousand dollar handbags. And here was this gorgeous woman wearing no make-up and a very, very unflattering work uniform with tennis shoes on her feet.

Yeah, it was lust at first sight.

"What's your name? I'm Boone." He extended his hand and, being polite, Kate accepted it. "I'm Dr. Austen."

She was about to leave, but he wasn't ready to see her walk out the door, "I'm going to trust that you know what you're talking about … about my surgeon, that is. I need to be back at work ASAP, I'm a trader - emerging markets …."

Kate shook her head, he might as well be speaking a foreign language. She smiled, "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what that means. But I trust it's pretty important. And, yes, Dr. Shephard is one of the best." She lifted her shoulders and offered a half smile, "Well, I really have to continue my rounds." She turned back to Walt, "And you sir, I'll be seeing in a few hours."

After she left, Boone turned to Walt, "Am I bustin' in on your play there?" He saw Walt smile shyly and shake his head at Boone's suggestion. He continued to tease Walt, "Yeah, I thought so. She's hot, right?"

While walking to round her next patient, Kate was staring at her iPhone, looking for any messages she may have missed. And without needing to raise her head, she knew who was approaching her - her Jack antennae still working as well as it did when she first met him. When it came to … her … husband…. Yes, she would still smile when she said that word.

Kate bit her lip, trying to keep in a smile. But it was too late, he was standing right in front of her. His grin was full of mischief, "Doctor."

"Good morning to you, Doctor."

Kate stood there, riveted to the linoleum floor. Her heart pounding. He was wearing that burgundy colored dress shirt of his. The one she felt he really had no business wearing outside the privacy of their home. It fit his torso … perfectly and accentuated his broad shoulders and ...

Damn, he looks good.

He peered around to see who was nearby and whether the coast was clear before he leaned in so his lips could brush her cheek, and then he whispered "I missed you this morning."

That little gesture made the rhythm of her heart beat frantically, she said, "I didn't want to wake you up, you looked so peaceful and … you didn't have to be in for another two hours."

"We really have to do something about our schedules babe, we're never off on the same days." His lament was evident in his voice because now that Kate was no longer under his direct supervision, it meant that she was reporting to someone else that covered Jack on his days off. So, their hours never seemed to coincide.

"I know, tell me about it. And to add more insult to injury, you come to work flaunting yourself in that shirt," Kate said half jokingly, but with a hint of pouty sulkiness. They were newlyweds, and weren't they supposed to be making love all day and night - only stopping to come up for air? Instead, it was work, work and more work. The hospital literally owned their lives - they were in servitude.

Jack looked down at himself, as Kate's eyes followed the length of his frame and she watched the blush rise up from the neck of his collar that put color in his cheeks - it almost matched the hue of his shirt. He lifted his hand to cup her cheek, letting his thumb rub small circles along her smooth, freckled cheekbone.

His eyes crinkled, his voice soft and trying to soothe and push away the frown on her face. "Hey. In two weeks we both have two days together. And I promise that I am all yours. No interruptions."

Whoa, TWO … WHOLE days, Kate mumbled to herself.

Jack looked at his watch, he had to start his rounds. "Let's try and grab some lunch together later, okay Kate?" She nodded and they reluctantly pulled from each other. "I'll text you, Jack." She began to walk towards the other end of the corridor and stopped, turned on her heels and called out, "Jack?!" She watched him stop, his shoulders lifting and then shifting around to look at his wife. "Kate?"

Grinning, still back-stepping, she mouthed three words without a sound: I love you.

Smiling, taking a few steps backward and shaking his head, he mouthed back: Me too.

He waited for her to turn away first and then finally sucked in a deep breath. He then released the breath he was holding. It was time to get to work.

Jack looked at his chart to find his next consult: Boone Carlyle. He walked into the room and introduced himself. They spent some discussing the prognosis and the surgical procedure that he proposed be scheduled for the next day. As they were finishing up, Walt came into the room and crawled back into his bed.

"All right then, Boone. It looks like we're all set. Of course, I'll stop by and see you again before the surgery."

"Sure, no prob, Doc." Just as Jack was ready to leave … "Hey Doc. One last thing."

"Of course-"

"Well, you're gonna be cutting pretty close to an area that can … you know may ... affect another - umm- umm." Boone said while looking and pointing to his crotch. Jack shook his head and smiled, "I'll be very careful."

"Okay, that's what I needed to hear man. Because once you give me the clearance and go ahead, I plan to put it right back to use with that hot Dr. Austen that was just here earlier." Boone was now practically laughing.

Jack was not laughing though. His shoulders stiffened as he leaned back into his heels and folded his arms across his chest.

Boone looked up at the doctor, "What? You have to know who I'm talking about."

Jack stared at him, not sure whether he wanted to tackle the little shit or bark out in laughter from this very uncomfortable situation.

Jack pretended to look down at his chart, "Oh, I know Dr. Austen very well."

"Really? So what do you think? You think she'd go out with me?"

Jack looked up then, trying to keep a straight face. "Well, I would hope not -" Boone looked at him queerly, but before he had a chance to ask why, Jack finished his sentence, "Well, considering Dr. Austen's my wife."

While Boone's expression turned into one of pure horror, Walt burst out into a fit of laughter. He was rolling around in the tangle of hospital bedsheets thinking that this was the finest and funniest shit he had ever witnessed.

Jack looked over at Walt, their eyes met and Jack gave him a wink.

Jack then looked at Boone again, who was now a shadow of the cocky little bastard he was just minutes ago.

"I'll see you tomorrow." And then Jack turned on his heel and left the room.

A few seconds later, when he thought Shephard was out of hearing distance, Boone looked at Walt, "Yeah, keep laughing it up. That guy is going to be holding a scalpel and it's gonna be inches away from my fucking balls tomorrow -"

But Walt was not swayed by feelings of pity, instead he swiped at the tears of laughter rolling down his face, "That was CLASSIC man. Classic."

It was around 8:00 pm, when Jack made it into the apartment. He looked around and found Kate in the small kitchen, putting a kettle to boil. She was wearing a t-shirt and cotton pajama pants. He came up to her and she turned around and smiled, "Hey stranger."

He bent over and gave her a kiss. But instead of pulling away, he lingered, his forehead finally leaning against hers. Kate watched him close his exhausted eyes.

"Hey?" Kate asked, detecting something else besides him being simply tired. Was it … vulnerability?

While gently massaging the short hair at the nape of his neck, she looked up, her eyes softened. "Something's up, Jack. I can tell."

He pulled away from her caress, so he could run a palm over his buzzed hair and then across his eyes. He said breathily and turning away, "It's nothing … really."

Kate wasn't buying it though, "Look at me."

His hands dropped to her hips and the large palms curved around to get a firm grip on her, "It's stupid Kate."

Kate folded her arms across her chest, "This is getting ridiculous. You better tell me."

"Eh. It's just this … patient. You actually know who he is. He's sharing the room with your patient, the one with the herniated disk."

It took a moment for Kate to remember, "Oh, you mean … Boone?" He tried not to, but Jack kind of groaned. The name had such a douchey sound to it. "Yeah, that's the one."

"Okay. So why is he on your mind?"

"Oh, nothing except that he wants to sleep with you -"

"WHAT?!"

"Oh, yeah Kate. Today, I got an earful about how he wants me to be careful and make sure his dick is in good working order when he asks you out -"

"He did not."

"Oh, yes he did." And Jack was sort of relieved to see that she had the decency to blush, but that was only momentary.

Kate shook her head, while trying to stifle a giggle.

"You think this is funny?"

Putting her fist up to her mouth, she shook her head no, although it was all she could do to stop herself from bursting out laughing.

His color deepened, his jaw now set in that firm and determined-looking way that she loved, but also could annoy her to no end at times.

Kate's brows rose, searching his expression and detected that recognizable frown, "Are you … jealous, Jack?"

He took a deep breath and just let the tension drop from his shoulders. How could he be upset? Especially with the cute little bump protruding from the gap between the hem of her pjs and t-shirt. Let it go, Jack, that little voice in his head told him.

Leaning over and using his teeth, he nipped at her full bottom lip, tugging at it gently. He pulled away and frowned a little, "Yeah, I didn't like it."

She took a deep inhale, part of her thrilled that he still felt so passionately about her even in her pregnant state, but also feeling guilty because she thought that there was some residual fear there. Fear that she would run again. And then she got an idea and made a mental note to stop by the hospital's Human Resources in the morning.

She cupped his handsome face, her short nails greedily scratching at the stubble in his cheeks. "Jack. Don't. You are the only one for me. It's always been you."

He knew he was acting like a pussy. "I know. It's just …. What the hell, I don't know. I'm nuts, Kate. I just want you really pregnant and fat, you know? So chubby, I can roll you like a bowling ball in the hospital-"

Kate gave him a playful tap, "Shut up! Don't be an idiot -"

His shoulders sagged and he inhaled. "I'm an ass," he said nodding with a play of a grin.

"No, you're not-"

Cocking his brow, he pulled his head back and looked at her. "On second thought, and better yet, let's get your forehead tattooed with 'Property of J. Shephard M.D.'," he was chuckling now while using his index finger to scribble invisible letters on the space above her eyebrows.

Kate rolled her eyes at the gesture, playfully swatting his hand away, "I take that back. You are an ass."

Playing up the smirk on his face, he took hold of her hips again and drew her back into him. "Why do you have to be the most sexy, gorgeous, pregnant neurosurgeon …like ever?"

"Oh lord. You really are trying to get lucky aren't ya?' Kate bit her bottom lip and tugged on his hands towards the bedroom.

The next afternoon, Jack was making his way to the office, when he heard Rose call out 'Dr. Shephard'. Naturally, he turned around and walked over to the nurses' station. "Rose?"

"Oh, I wasn't calling out to you, Dr. Shephard." Jack's eyes rose quizzically, before looking around only to find Kate walking over, her face full of mischief and when he turned to look at Rose, he saw her smiling too. "Okay, are one of you gonna let me in on the joke here?"

"There is no joke Dr. Shephard, I was calling out to that Dr. Shephard." At this point Kate was standing next to him, playfully lifting her new hospital badge, 'K. Shephard M.D.'

Now pointing to the top portion of her face and grinning, "Okay. So it's not as prominent as a tattoo across my forehead, but it's something. Right?" And it was supposed to mean something when she went to the HR office and signed all the paperwork to have her professional name changed to Shephard.

He put his arm around her, his eyes wet and soft, "You didn't have to do that, Kate."

"I know that. I wanted to."

"It'll be confusing."

"A good kind of confusing, though, Jack."

They stood there, for a pause probably too long because Rose began to cough in her hand. "Alright you two lovebirds, either get a room or get back to work."

Jack opened the bathroom door, finished with his shower and all the other things he did before going to bed. It was late, 3:00 am to be exact. His new patient with a rare and now seemingly inoperable tumor was keeping him in the hospital nearly around the clock. He yawned.

Jack was careful to shut off the bathroom light that silhouetted from behind him before it could wake up Kate who was sleeping soundly on her side. The six-month belly made her favorite sleeping position (stomach down) impractical now.

Quickly he came to the edge of the bed and casually took off the towel that rested on his slim hips and let it drop to the floor. Yeah, Kate would nag him, for sure, for that act of sloppiness. But he was too lazy to hang it up on the rack. He lingered by the bed, toothpaste still on his breath. He looked down at her still form, how beautiful she was and perhaps a selfish part of him wanted her to wake up and look at him.

Nothing.

He finally lifted the covers and climbed in next to her, his skin damp and soft and a now little chilled from the cool apartment air. He inched closer to her, trying to steal a little of that heat she generated like a stove now that she was nearing her third trimester.

Exhaustion made his thoughts bleed into one another. Two weeks ago he was away at a medical conference in San Diego and then when he returned they had both been working all the time. Then this new patient. It was getting to be too much. And yeah, despite his exhaustion, he suddenly felt a little horny.

Jack pushed away a heavy tendril and pressed his lips just below her ear and began to suck lightly on the soft skin there. Hoping that perhaps he could stir up a little fire to match the arousal he was suddenly feeling swell down there. But she didn't budge and he realized that she was out and nothing short of a building evacuation was going to wake her up at this point. So instead he sighed and decided to just draw in the curve of her warm back closer to his torso and let sleep take him too.

Kate felt her phone vibrate and dug it out of her lab coat pocket and read the screen. Almost groaning, she decided to hit ignore. It was Dr. Shephard, but not the one that she wanted to speak to. Instead it was Christian, whom, since news of her pregnancy, had become a very, maybe too regular part of her life. Sadly, as of late, he seemed to be texting and calling her more often than Jack. It was always about the same stuff too. How was the baby? He wanted to know the result of every test and exam, wanted to know the approximate measurements of the fetus after each check-up. Yadyadayada.

He was also trying to push them to change obstetricians and use some premiere doctor that he was friends with. This physician didn't even accept health insurance. The cost would have been astronomical, and of course, Christian offered to pay for it all. And to make matters worse, he was apartment hunting in New York because he wanted a place 'to be near his grandchild'. And, yes, he told them that money for the child's college and medical school tuition was already set aside. But peculiarly enough, Jack was taking it all in stride though. Perhaps a little too much so for Kate's liking.

And following one of Christian's overbearing moments, when Kate felt like she was close to losing her mind, she decided she was going to play a trick on Jack. One evening, while sitting on the sofa, running her fingers playfully along his bicep, she casually mentioned to Jack that Christian had informed her that he was going to be in the delivery room to assist with the birth. The look of horror on Jack's face was priceless. His eyes bugged out, the tendons in his neck about to burst. Especially, when he furiously reached around for the phone, ready to blow a gasket and chew out his father that very moment. Kate didn't give him a chance to dial the number, but Kate got her message across and miraculously the calls from Christian lessened - well, at least for a little while.

And it didn't help that Kate's hormones were all over the place. She began to count back days and when she kept counting and couldn't figure out the last time they had sex, she realized that it was time to take matters into her own hands. Literally.

At the nurses' station, Kate cleared her throat, "Uhm Rose. Can you please let me know which exam room is open?" Rose looked it up, "No one is in 4B."

"Oh great. Can you page Dr. Shephard and send him there?

"Of course." Rose watched Kate walk off. "Hmm-hmmm," she said under breath. She suspected something was going on there, and after years spent working at this hospital, she'd seen it all. And she swore that the doctors were the friskiest of the staff.

Kate sat down on the table, her legs crossed at the ankles and swinging a few inches off the floor. She was feeling a little jumpy and could hear the crinkling from the roll of sanitary paper crunching under her nervous movements.

A few minutes later she saw the door handle move and found herself sitting up straight now. Jack was looking down at some paperwork as he stepped in, "Hello -"

He stopped when he saw Kate and then he looked over his shoulder to read the door number to make sure he had read it correctly. He had. Jack gave her a slanted, inquiring look. "Kate?"

Kate tilted her head in bemusement, sort of loving that dumb and confused look that ran over his face. The man was brilliant, but she supposed it wasn't his fault that his maleness made him stupid at times.

"Oh, you remember my name?" Pointing to herself for added flair, "Your wife?"

Jack frowned, but ignored her comment, "Hey. Are you feeling okay?"

"No."

Jack quickly walked up to her, his hand touching her forehead as if he was ready to examine her. But she pulled her head back, "Stop, I'm fine."

Resting his hands on his hips, he shook his head. "Okay Kate. You want to tell me why you had me paged?"

Her eyebrows wiggled and she bit her bottom lip, "Can you take a guess?" Flushed, she was no longer trying to hide the smile on her face.

He swallowed hard. He knew that expression all too well. He came closer to her and whispered, "Now? Is that such a good idea?"

"Yes! I think it's a very good idea. In fact, I think it's a medical necessity … an emergency!" Her finger then went to trace his sternum and tease the prickly chest hair that peaked above the collar of his scrubs. "And it's not like we haven't done it in public places before. Don't you remember?" He knew she was referring to the libraries, the cars, the pool, the beach, the park … oh and that time in the alley. Without realizing he was doing it, he took a few steps backwards and reached behind him to turn the lock. He stood there facing her. Her cocky expression basically telling him, no taunting him … with a 'I dare you' look… 'do with it what you will'.

Well, he was never one to back down from a challenge.

He strolled to the table, placing his hands on her knees and then pushing her legs apart so he could stand in between them and lean in very close to her. The dark gaze in his eyes so penetrating, it actually eclipsed hers now. His breath hit her face in heavy, hot puffs and she was now feeling the tingly hair sensation climb up the back of her neck.

Jack could tell he was getting to her and he was now ready to play his part. With the slightest touch, he felt the side of her neck and let it travel down. "Soooo," he started, grinning. "Since this is an … emergency. You're definitely going to need to see a doctor."

They then grabbed at each other at the same time. And … well, it didn't take long after some tugging at the drawstrings of their bottoms and clumsy essaying of legs, knees and rounded belly that he glided into that warm, wet and familiar place he loved. They eventually found the rhythm they knew so well. Their groans and little grunts of pleasure muffled only by open and sloppy kisses.

Yes. There. Oh god. Don't stop.

Grabbing him by the butt, Kate pulled him against her, to find the contact she desperately needed. And a few moments later, with a final push and thrust they together slipped off the edge. They embraced tightly, both, sweaty, clinging and trembling, barely having the energy to give tiny, pulling kisses to one other.

They reluctantly drew apart and both simultaneously broke into a laugh before they began to put back on their bottoms. They would both later joke around and agree that it may not have been their best performance, but it was perfect in its awkwardness - it was them.

A/N: So, you can't say you weren't warned. This is sugary fluff. And no, you can't send me your dental bills. I hope you all enjoyed this. And depending on the response from you guys, perhaps I can make this one of a few short one-offs with these two. ;)

So please, please let me know what you thought. PLEASE leave a review. As always, thank you and I truly appreciate every single word I read from you all. They are inspiring - really.

oxoxox