Life goes on in its strange ways. The two become accustomed to their routine living together. They sleep together in his bed, sometimes far apart, sometimes hugging each other close in the darkness. In the morning they pretend they weren't clinging to each other for comfort, but at night they're the only company each other has to protect them from their fears of the future.
They argue good-naturedly over cereal and watch the morning news. He goes to work, comes home and complains about his job, selling things door-to-door, while she murmurs her sympathizes. They could be considered a couple, though neither would verbally confirm this. It's enough for them both, just to be together.
She wears his blue t-shirt. It's full of holes and he never wears it, but he must have some attachment to it. After all, he hasn't thrown it away.
Kate inhales; it has that sand, sun, sweat, and sun block smell still clinging to it. She supposes he feels the same way about that shirt as she does toward her old hiking boots, which now lie in the corner.
Their separate lives dissipate, jumbling together, much like their once-separate laundry. It's all one big pile now, shoved in the basket, waiting for them to finally give in and take it down to the laundry room. So she wears his shirt, and she feels at home. She didn't buy maternity clothes; she just bought bigger shirts and some sweatpants. When none of her clothes are clean, she welcomes the chance to wear his blue shirt.
As Sawyer eats breakfast one morning, while Kate flips through TV channels, he finally voices a question he's had for a while now. "Hey," he says casually, swallowing a mouthful of corn flakes, "you been to the doctor yet?"
He doesn't make a habit of talking about her pregnancy, mostly because she usually ends up finding something to cry about. He hates seeing her cry, especially if he suspects she's crying over Jack. He feels like he needs to get her to do this though.
Kate drops the remote on the couch and saunters over to the counter where he's eating. She gives him a good hard look. "No, I haven't. But I guess you're gonna make me, right?"
Sawyer shrugs. "I ain't gonna make you, I just thought it'd be a good idea…ya know?" To back up his plan, he reasons, "Look, there's a free clinic 'bout twenty minutes away. Maybe we should just take you over there so they can check you out."
Kate shakes her head. "I've told you before James, I'm not going to go to prison because some doctor recognizes me and decides to have me carted off."
"But cha ain't gonna get recognized. I thought of that already."
She almost looks like she's going to argue, but then she changes her mind. "You got a plan?"
He gives a mischievous smile. "Yeah."
He raps on the door with his knuckles. "Does it fit?"
She flings the door open and throws up her hands in dismay. "I look like a goddamn prostitute, James."
He looks her up and down. Her blue mini-dress is pretty much skin tight, accenting her belly, and it squeezes her enlarged pregnancy boobs almost out the top of the ultra-low collar. She's done her makeup like he asked: heavy and flashy. He has to admit that he likes this plan, and he thanks the high heavens that the thrift store had the perfect dress.
James gives a naughty little chuckle as he helps her with the back zipper. "That's the point, Prego."
Kate punches him in the shoulder. "Don't call me that." She purses her painted lips, fiddling with one of her oversized hoop earrings. "You're sure this is gonna work?"
He nods. "Sure it will. People at a free clinic ain't gonna pay attention to a pregnant hooker. They probably get 'em all the time."
She looks doubtful, but sighs, "Fine, let's go."
"Ah-ah-ah." Sawyer objects. "Put your hair up all fancy, Freckles. Gotta look authentic now."
"You are enjoying this way too much." She rolls her eyes and retreats back to the bathroom with a few more mutters of indignation, but once she's done she has to admit he's right in thinking that it's an essential last touch.
He parks the car and Kate turns to him, looking apprehensive. "You're coming in with me, right?"
James shrugs. "Hooker with a boyfriend?" he says sarcastically, looking bemused.
"Fine, then don't come." Kate huffily pulls her jean jacket tighter around herself and gets out of the car.
Perplexed, he gets out of his door and follows, despite her sharp remark. The frigid wind whips his hair around, though the sun seems warmer than it has the past few days.
"What are you doing?" she stops, about to open the door and enter the waiting room.
"Takin' a leaf outta your book, Freckles. I'm comin' anyway." He replies, catching up with her.
She gives a half-hearted smile. "Thanks."
He nods in acknowledgement. "Okay, now, use your little deceptive fugitive skills and act like a hooker."
As soon as they've filled out their paperwork (somewhat fraudulently), Kate and James find themselves assigned to a cramped little exam room.
The nurse instructs Kate to put on the provided cotton medical gown, then leaves her to it with the assurance that the doctor will be with them shortly.
Kate retreats behind the changing curtain and dons the flimsy garment while Sawyer waits on the hard plastic chair. She comes out and hands him her clothes, then somewhat uncomfortably settles herself on the exam table.
"I hate the crinkly paper stuff." she mutters, shifting her butt back and forth.
A pleasant looking young Asian man comes in, holding a chart. He introduces himself as Doctor Kwon. He shakes hands and explains that he's going to do a routine check-up to make sure everything is in order. Kate and Sawyer share a curious glance at each other upon hearing the familiar name, but they don't mention it.
"Do you know the exact date of conception?" Kwon asks, poising his pen over his chart.
Sawyer glances at Kate, who shakes her head. "No, it was about six months ago."
Sawyer tries to do the math in his head, but who knows. She could have slept with Jack right after they were rescued, and that would still make it six months. He wonders why he doesn't just ask her…then he remembers it's because he might not like the answer.
The doctor continues his questions, takes some blood, prescribes some prenatal vitamins, and then advises them to schedule an appointment for an ultrasound.
He leaves, but returns shortly. "You're in luck; a patient just called to cancel their ultrasound. We have an open appointment right now."
The doctor leads them to another room, containing lots of machines and medical equipment. He tells Kate to recline on the table, and leaves her in the care of the ultrasound technician.
The technician is an overweight, forty-something woman with a nametag that reads "Janice".
Janice looks as if she'd rather be on lunch break rather than bringing joy to new parents by showing them their unborn child. She unceremoniously lifts Kate's gown and squirts a substantial amount of clear gel onto her lower belly.
Kate winces and James seems alarmed. "Y'okay?" he whispers, scooting his chair closer.
She grins. "Yeah, it's just cold." She grimaces as the technician slides the sensor over her abdomen.
He nods, and smiles as she grabs his hand. They both watch as the black and white fuzzy image on the screen shifts until Janice gives Kate and Sawyer a pointed look.
"That's it." She tells them bluntly. "There's the head, there's the feet." She points to different parts of the monitor.
Kate's mouth hangs open slightly, then she bursts into tears. "Oh my God." She manages to choke, grinning and still crying, "I never thought...I didn't even…ohh, it's so…" she sniffles and quiets, watching the screen. Her excessive eyeliner is running and she's squeezing Sawyer's hand harder than before.
James leans in and kisses her on the head. He can't even begin to say how he feels; it would probably come out somewhat like Kate's incoherent whimperings of joy. He doesn't care anymore if the baby is his. He's seen the kid, the reality has hit him in a way he never imagined and now he knows he has to take care of it. It's a part of Kate, and therefore he loves it.
"You wanna know what it is?" asks Janice, obviously jaded to such displays of emotion.
"It's a baby ain't it?" Sawyer says faintly, finding it possible to joke even though he's completely in awe.
The woman rolls her eyes, but Kate pipes up, "Yeah, I wanna know."
Janice hits a button, and turns to them with the first half smile they've seen since they entered the room. She reaches around the side of the machine and pulls out a paper. "Here," she informs them, "is a picture of your baby girl."
---
A/N: Okay, I know that was like SUPER fluff, hahah. I spent most of today writing it because I was feeling so fluffy and sentimental and Skate-y, so I hope you enjoy it. I might not get to update again til this weekend, so be glad you had a nice long chapter to entertain you ;)
