Kate sobbed uncontrollably as she lay curled up on her makeshift cot. She could barely breathe as she gasped for air and tried in vain to control her heart wrenching sobs. She and Jack had been dating for a few months now…but she screwed up…again. She couldn't help but feel she had lost him for good this time, and that…was what killed her the most.
"Kate we need to talk" Jack said calmly, standing next to her, watching her gaze out into the ocean.
Kate looked over and gave him an innocent look "About what?" she asked
Jack was trying hard not to lose his cool. "Kate. I thought we were going to trust each other, stop lying to each other. You promised" he reminded her softly, knowing it was hard for her, but he deserved a little more effort.
Kate sucked in a deep breath. He couldn't possibly know. Could he? "I don't know what you're talking about Jack" she replied before she could stop the words from coming out of her mouth.
"You're pregnant Kate" He said flatly, sick of playing games with her
Kate looked taken back "Wh-what?" she said, trying to play dumb
"Stop it Kate!" He ordered irritated "I am a doctor Kate. And most of all, your partner…I don't understand why you've been keeping this from me for over a month! I've tried to be understanding, I thought hey…give her a little time, maybe she'll tell you. But no, more lies, it's been over a month Kate, and I know you've known. Next time you want to keep something a secret, don't ask Sawyer for a pregnancy test and don't leave it lying around in the bathroom for the rest of the world to contemplate!" He said, his voice rising with each point he made.
"I probably knew before you Kate. The sudden exhaustion, sickness, mood swings!" he hissed "How did you think I wouldn't find out?!" he demanded
All during his speech Kate remained silent, not knowing what to say. Knowing he was right for feeling the way he did…
"When were you going to tell me Kate? I have a right to know…we're having a baby!" he shouted finally snapping and losing it when she didn't give him an answer
Kate felt tears spill from her eyes, hating herself for being so weak. But he was right, she was wrong. That was that. There were no doubts. "How do you know the baby is yours?" she retaliated, regretting it instantly. How could she say something like that? She knew full well the baby was his; she hadn't slept with anyone else for 3 years…not since Kevin. But her damn pride…that damn stubbornness that Jack fell in love with came back to bite him in the ass.
Jack looked like he had been slapped, kicked and punched. He felt his own eyes begin to water as he looked at a woman he thought was his…he thought he knew.
"Jack I…" Kate started pleadingly but was interrupted by Jack.
"Don't. Just…don't" he said brokenly, a lone tear spilling from his eye, making Kate's heart break into a million pieces. Watching him wipe that tear away…she felt like she should die…she deserved it, after all she put this man through?
"Jack wa..Wait please!" She cried when he slowly walked away, shoulders slouched in defeat.
And now here she was, lying alone in her tent…a tent she hadn't slept inside in months. It had been 16 hours now, she hadn't been able to bring herself to go outside or stop crying nonetheless. What she had done…she couldn't even blame Jack for not wanting her anymore. But she knew that wasn't the case. He felt hurt, betrayed…she broke his heart, and she wondered if he would ever be able to forgive her for it.
She hiccupped loudly, tears still pouring from her eyes before she leaned down and picked up Jack's shirt, hugging it to her chest, almost as if it were a substitute to its owner. She thought about just ending it. Ending her…but she couldn't do that to Jack. That would be selfish, she was carrying his child…she knew it, he knew it. At least she hoped he knew it. At that moment she opened her eyes, feeling a presence inside her tent. She was met by the caring brown eyes of none other than the one she had been yearning for…
"Jack" she whispered
Jack took a deep breath, trying not to let his tears spill over. He took a long hard look at her. Her eyes were brimmed a harsh shade of red and tears were still pouring down her face. She hadn't slept at all he could tell. He looked down at what she was holding to her and saw it was one of his shirts, her favorite shirt on him. He reached back into his backpack and handed her a couple bottles of water.
"Here. You're going to get dehydrated" he said quietly. He still cared about her, he couldn't let her dehydrate, after all she was pregnant. Albeit he didn't know who's it was, but either way, it was the the child's fault, and again he did still care about her.
Kate's tears spilled faster at the sound of his voice. Was it morning already? He was making his rounds, that's all. He hadn't come back for her, and why would he? It wasn't his responsibility to, infact…she couldn't believe he came to see her at all.
Jack sighed, he wanted to envelope her into his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't lie. It wasn't okay. But he needed her to stop crying. Truth was, he hadn't slept all night either, not many had that had a tent next to Kate's. Her sobs were the only thing heard in the dark night and he found them hard to ignore. He knew she hadn't slept at all…and all this stress, the crying, the lack of sleep…it wasn't good for the baby.
"I'll get someone in here to help calm you down okay?" he said quietly, with no malice in his voice.
Kate shook her head and buried herself in Jack's shirt. She didn't want anyone else, she wanted him, she thought as she watched him walk out of the tent.
"Kate?" A feminine voice called out
Kate didn't care who it was, they weren't going to make her feel better, she needed Jack. But she was in no position to ask for him.
The intruder didn't budge; they walked in and smiled sympathetically at her. She didn't want sympathy or pity…
"Kate, you have to calm down" Shannon said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed that she was laying on.
Kate shook her head "I…I cant" she sobbed
"Shh come on Kate. This isn't good for the baby." Shannon tried again, sighing when her sobs only got louder at the mention of the child.
Shannon tried for an hour to calm her down…nothing was working. All she managed to get her do was drink some water after Kate admitted to feeling light headed.
Shannon looked down at her miserable friend and let out a breath, not knowing what to do. She knew Jack was the only one that would be able to calm her down. "I'll be back Kate…" She said to Kate before walking off to find Jack and try and persuade him to talk to Kate.
"Jack!" Shannon called out, spotting him by the shore, a place where he and Kate would occasionally hang out
Jack turned to Shannon and gave her a slight nod, indicating he heard her. Shannon looked at him, he looked so broken…he had dark circles under his eyes and overall he looked emotionally drained.
"Ho…how is she?" he asked, clearing his throat, hating how softly he had asked
"She won't stop crying Jack. I got her to drink some water, but I sat with her for an hour…you have to go in there and talk to her" Shannon said softly
Jack didn't say anything, he just turned his eyes back out to the ocean. He had to. He knew he had to. Everything she was doing right now was beyond unhealthy. Sleep depravation mixed with stress as not good. Add dehydration and its hell. So many things could go wrong…
Jack just nodded to Shannon and slowly began walking towards Kate's tent for the second time today, mentally preparing himself along the way. He pulled back the flap and climbed in, noticing she was in the exact same position as earlier.
"Kate…" he sighed
Kate opened her eyes once again and looked up at him. "J…Jack I'm sorry" she cried with a whisper, her voice finally giving away
Jack frowned. She had lost her voice. "Can you please try to calm down?" he asked gently
Kate shook her had "I tried Jack…I fucking tried. I cant…I…I just ca" she whispered, choking on her words
"You need sleep. Please Kate?" he pleaded "I don't want you getting sick, especially not in your situation" he added
Kate choked as she heard the clinical tone in his voice. It was like she was any other patient he had…
"I'm sorry Jack…I'm sorry" she whispered as loudly as she could "The baby is yours, I'm sorry I said it wasn't. I…I haven't been with anyone else for 3 years Jack please believe me" she cried
"I…I just…I…I got defensive like I always do" she said hysterically
Jack sucked in a sharp breath. He didn't want to hear this, he just wanted to her to calm the fuck down so she didn't kill herself dammit.
"Please Jack. I'll tell you why I didn't tell you about the baby…just please don't leave me again, please?" she pleaded desperately
Jack felt tears slip down his cheeks at the vulnerability she was showing. She was never like this. She never let herself cry in front of anyone.
"Please don't cry Jack…I…it's not your fault. Its mine, I know that. I can't stand seeing you in pain…please…" She pleaded
Jack contemplated for a minute. He could do what his head was screaming at him to do, run. Or he could stay and try and mend things with her. They would have to eventually; they were having a child together. As much as it hurt when she claimed the baby wasn't his, he knew well enough it was. He was just confused and hurt as to why she was denying it? Would he not make a good father? Was she ashamed of carrying his child? Before he could comprehend what he was doing, he found himself sitting on the bed with her and took one of her trembling hands in his.
Kate gasped for air, trying in vain to stop her tears at his touch.
"Why?" he found himself asking brokenly "Why don't you want to have…why is having my baby such a burden?" he choked
Kate's face crumpled at his words and she sat up instantly, cupping his face in her hands "No Jack…please don't think that. Having your child would probably be the best moment of my life! It would be an honor" she whispered forcefully
"I'm not mother material Jack" she said sadly "I…look at me. I'm a fugitive. Why would you want to have a baby with me? I thou…I thought you would resent me for it." She admitted quietly
"This is what I mean. I thought you trusted me. You should have trusted me enough to tell me Kate" he replied in a quiet even tone.
"I trust you completely Jack. I do. I just didn't want to lose us, and that sounds like I don't trust you…I know. But I do…please…just…i..I was also afraid of what might happen to me" she cried softly
"What?" he asked
"Preg…pregnant women don…they don't survive on the island Jack. If I was pregnant, I didn't want our last few months to be spent with you trying to figure out how to save me or in despair. I wanted them to be normal, happy…" she admitted brokenly
It all made sense now. She didn't want him to worry about her while she was pregnant, she wanted to make their time last together.
"Oh Kate…" he whispered and finally took her into his arms, holding her tightly to his chest as she sobbed her heart out.
"Shh…I'm here now" he whispered as he felt her clutching his shirt and arms as if he were going to disappear any minute.
"I love you Jack…I love you so much" she cried
"Okay okay. Calm down shh. I love you too sweetheart" he whispered while rubbing her back, trying to help her catch her breath
"Kate, Kate look at me baby. I need you to calm down alright? I know it's hard, but can you try…for me?" he asked, cupping her cheeks in his hands
Kate took deep breaths, in synch with Jack…trying to do as he said. "That's good…good girl, shh calm down" Jack coaxed. After about 15 minutes she had managed to catch her breath and her sobs subsided.
Jack frowned as her head fell forward before she snapped it back up "You alright?" he asked softly
Kate clutched her head in pain "I feel light headed" she said hoarsely, her voice that way from crying
Jack nodded, holding a bottle of water to her mouth and tilting it up "Drink" he said softly
Kate took a few sips and tried pushing it away. Jack shook his head "No, all of it. All the crying made you dehydrated, come on" he coaxed
After Kate finished the bottle he looked back down at her.
"I…I thought you said those things because you thought I wouldn't make a good father" Jack admitted shamefully
Kate shook her head firmly, not caring that it sent a throbbing pain through it "No Jack. You're going to be an incredible father. I see how you treat Aaron. Don't doubt that for a second" She said sternly
Jack nodded "You should get some sleep Kate" he said while stroking her hair
Kate sniffled "So…we're okay?" she asked timidly
Jack smiled softly at her "We're getting there." He answered
Kate nodded, that was good enough for her. "I…I know I've said this and you're tired of hearing it. But, I really am sorry, for everything I've put you through. You don't know how much" she whispered, wincing when her throat cracked
"Shh I know. Don't talk okay? Get some sleep, I'll go make you some tea for when you wake up" he said while laying her down and pulling the blanket up over here.
Kate clutched his hand and tugged him down "Don't leave me again…please?" she asked desperately
Jack looked down at her and nodded, knowing she wasn't going to be able to sleep anyways. He moved the shirt that she had been clutching earlier and climbed into bed next to her, lifting an arm over her head, letting her get comfortable against him before dropping it back down around her shoulders.
"Thank you" she whispered, her eyes drooping slightly
Jack sighed; they were going to be okay. It would take time, but they would be fine. "Goodnight sweetheart" he whispered in response, chuckled slightly at the dazed expression that crossed Kate's sleeping form at his words.
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