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Chapter 10.

Despite her assurances that she was fine, Juliet found herself growing increasingly concerned about Kate. The slight fever that she had developed early in her second trimester was still with her almost two weeks later; in fact, each reading that she took showed that it had risen higher, pushing 104 by the time she reached her fourth month.

"I think I'm going to have to prescribe something," she told her when she saw that it had climbed another half a degree in the past twenty-four hours. She had been holding off on medicating her until she was sure that it wouldn't effect the treatment, but time was running out for her and her baby.

"But what about the injections?" Kate asked, pushing herself up onto her elbows so that she could see her face better. "I thought you said the fever meant they were working?"

This was exactly the kind of situation Juliet had tried to warn her about when she insisted that they go ahead with them. "It shouldn't be this high," she confessed, checking the thermometer again to be sure that she wasn't mistaken. 104.5. Just like the last time. If they were back in the real world, she would have recommended that she be hospitalised.

"At sixteen weeks, your baby's nervous system is still developing," she told her, hoping that this would help her see how serious it was. "If I let it go, the risk of it developing serious psychological and behavioural problems later in life increases… Is that really what you want?"

"A fever can do all that?" Kate asked with a dubious frown, and for once, Juliet could see that she was winning the argument.

"It can," she confirmed, softening when she was sure that this wasn't a chance that she was prepared to take: not after everything they'd been through to make sure that it was healthy, "so why don't you at least let me give you some Tylenol? It won't hurt the baby, and it shouldn't interfere with the treatment."

Kate might be stubborn, and reckless at times, but to Juliet's relief, she wasn't stupid. "Okay," she agreed, accepting the pills that she tipped into her palm.

She popped them into her mouth, throwing them back with a swig from the glass Juliet left her, her eyes widening with surprise as she choked out, "Whoa."

Glancing in her direction, seeing how agitated she looked, Juliet stopped what she was doing, turning her attention back on her. "What, Kate? Maybe you should lie down…" she told her, afraid that she was having another dizzy spell, but Kate shook her head, her hand flying to her belly, to the bump that seemed to get bigger each time Juliet saw her. Another week or so and the whole camp would know.

"No, it was this weird fluttering," she explained, wrinkling her nose in confusion, "like something flicking me from the inside… Was that…?"

She looked so excited that Juliet couldn't help but smile. "That's your baby, Kate," she agreed. "She's moving."

It took Kate a moment to register what she'd said, and then she stared at her, stunned. "She?"

"She," Juliet agreed with a grin, watching her face light up with happiness. "You're having a girl." She hadn't planned to tell her until she asked again, but it felt like the right time to make it official.

"A girl." Kate's eyes glistened as they travelled down to the place where her hand rested. "I'm having a girl," she repeated, half laughing, half sobbing, overcome with the news that it was finally real.

Shifting her hand to the other side, she froze over a particular spot, and concerned that she was in pain, Juliet moved over to her, but before she could ask, Kate snatched hold of her wrist, replacing her palm with her own. "There… do you feel her?"

Pushing down, she felt a slight pulse beneath Kate's skin. "Yeah," she agreed, laughing as it grew more distinct. "She's perfect, Kate. You're very lucky."

She didn't realise how fitting these words were until after she'd said them. Already, Kate had the love of one of the bravest, most passionate, genuinely good men Juliet had ever known, and soon she would have his baby as well.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, taking her hand back when the moment had passed, and she saw that Kate didn't look happy. "This is the part most mothers look forward to."

"I know," she agreed, swiping at the tears that clung to her lashes, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. "I was just thinking about Jack. He should be here."

"Does that mean you're ready to tell him?" she asked, her heart going out to the younger woman despite her own conflicting feelings, surprised and relieved when she answered, "Yeah, I think I am," with a weak smile.

"I just have to figure out how," she confessed, and even though she still looked terrified, Juliet could see her resolve building.

"Then maybe he can be here next time," she told her, giving her hand an impulsive squeeze as she straightened, returning to the task at hand.

"Now I just need to do some more blood work, to make sure that everything is still on track, and then when you're ready you can go back to the beach."

Kate was still quiet as Juliet closed up the doors to the medical station.

"So now that you know what you're having, have you given any thought to what you want to call her?" she asked as they trudged along the familiar path in silence, hoping to elicit a more enthusiastic response than she had during the rest of the exam. It was clear from her behaviour that something was bothering her, but then Juliet figured that she was probably still nervous about Jack.

"I think I was afraid to before, in case I jinxed it," she confessed when Juliet stopped to wait for her, the words slurred as she struggled to catch her breath, "and now I just wanna wait, see what Jack says. If he wants to name her, he can – after everything I put him through, I owe him that much."

She seemed to be having trouble talking and moving at the same time; Juliet let the conversation taper off, eager to get her back to camp so that she could send her to bed. The fever had settled at 101, which still wasn't great, but it was better – at least in the short term.

"Juliet…?

It wasn't until she stepped out onto the beach that she realised Kate wasn't following, standing on the path a few feet behind her. "Yes, Kate?" she asked, halting in her tracks when it hit her that something was wrong. Something more than her fear of Jack's reaction.

"I don't… I don't feel so good…" she murmured, paling in the moonlight, one hand falling to her stomach while the other scrubbed at her eyes, and Juliet saw that she was trembling.

If she was having chills, then that meant that the Tylenol wasn't working, and the fever had spiked again…

"It's okay," she told her, glancing around at the tents, making a quick decision to take her to her own shelter instead, since it was at least ten yards closer. From there, she would be able to get Jack. He was better in a crisis. He would know what to do.

"It's okay," she repeated, trying to keep her voice calm, soothing, as she rushed back over to her side. "Just a few more steps…"

Kate didn't seem to hear her, swaying on the spot, the little colour that remained draining from her freckled cheeks. "Something's wrong."

"Kate? Kate, are you okay?" she pressed when she realised what was coming, gripping her arm to steady her, the heaviness in her chest increasing when she felt how overheated her skin was. "You need to tell me what's happening… Kate!"

But it was too late.

Instead of catching herself this time, Kate's eyes rolled back, and she slipped through Juliet's hands, crumpling to the sand.

If anyone's wondering, I have a name already picked out...

Next chapter: Jack finds out about Kate's pregnancy and the treatment! ;)