A long time coming, I know. Here is a great group chapter, with Jate emphasis of course and a new arrival. For those of you who have stuck it out with me, I hope you enjoy!
His large frame was spooned around her back, butt and legs, acting as a warm, snug cocoon for her small, pregnant body. His hand wandered from its place over the rise of her naked hip to her swollen abdomen. His fingers found the distended bump, and a smile came to his lips. She was bigger now, obviously and proudly pregnant, and he didn't think that she could have possibly looked more beautiful. He was wrong.
They came back from their small venture into the jungle and told the group their happy news. Claire and Sun couldn't stop squealing, so excited that each of them would have a child of their very own soon enough. Claire was already making plans for a joint baby shower for Kate and Sun, who was ready to deliver any day now. Jack endured the endless badgering from Hurley out of everyone, insisting endlessly that he must have psychic powers, because of his never-ending theory that Jack and Kate would reside in the caves with enough children to rival any regulation football team known to man.
Weeks had passed since then, and he never thought to keep count of just how much time had flown by. His father did warn him that there was no now here, which meant that time was truly irrelevant, but time showed itself in how Kate's body began to change, evolved into this gorgeous vessel that carried their child. As a doctor, that's how his brain worked. The evidence was right there, their child would soon outgrow the confines of Kate's womb and be born, brought into their arms like the precious gift that he was. He knew it was a boy, he just couldn't pinpoint his evidence for that knowledge, but he felt it every time he touched her. He had all he could ever want right there in his arms, and it almost felt too surreal, like at any second, it could be snatched away from him, but he already knew how that felt, the way his gut twisted into a million knots every single second he was apart from her and here, he knew that nothing could harm this, absolutely nothing.
Her eyes lingered open, as she subconsciously felt the change in his breathing patterns against her back, which always signaled when he had woken from sleep. She felt the strong, sure hand over her extended stomach and the audible sigh from his lips that brushed lightly against her cheek. She brought her hand up to cover his, her splayed fingers fitting perfectly between his.
"Morning." She sighed through a heavy yawn.
He laid a kiss to her shoulder in response, nestling his nose into the sweet scent of her hair.
She turned in his arms, her beautiful mouth turned into a sleepy, sluggish grin.
He moved a ruffled bed of curls from the side of her face and brought his arms more tightly around her. "Any morning sickness today?"
"Nope. I'm great. Is it safe to say that the worst is over?"
"I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see."
Her hand traveled over the bulge of his strong shoulder. "What about you, Papa? Any sympathy pains for me?"
He giggled. "In fact, my nipples have been a bit sore lately..."
That earned him a playful smack across his chest. He laughed ruggedly as he pulled her into a hug. She moved from the hug and kissed him long and hard, voicing her intent with the sweet pressure of her mouth against his. Both of her hands began to roam over his shoulders and back, then lower and lower, until her hands cupped the full cheeks of his bare behind, scratching lightly, teasingly. It brought her back to the night before, when they had retreated from the group to engage in their own private party. Their clothes still lay strewn all over the tent still, their need for one another as obvious as their tangled limbs and huffed groans.
She reached between them and wrapped her hand around him. Hard, thick, smooth, just like he always was this time in the morning, which suited her horny, restless mood perfectly. He took control of the pace of the kiss seconds after he felt her hand curl around him, bracketing her face between his hands, stealing her breath while she stroked him repeatedly, her intentions and demands clear in the way she danced him into madness.
She urged him to lie on his back as she broke from their kiss. She sat up, straddling him, her body on full display for him. Pregnancy agreed with her on all counts. With the knowledge of their baby and the fact that Jack knew of the one she'd lost, a load magically lifted from her shoulders. He didn't think it was possible that she was happier than she was before, but she was. He was careful not to bring up the baby she lost. It was out in the open, but the wound was still sore, it hadn't yet healed, he saw it in her eyes. She opened up to him on occasion, told him of the names that she and Margo debated about, how she graciously handed down some of Jack's baby clothes, and a beautiful baby-blue hand-woven blanket, a kind of Shephard family heirloom that was passed down from generation to generation. It was a gesture filled with both love and promise.
She connected with him, impaling his thickened length and she simultaneously let go of an excited squeal once he was seated fully inside of her, every rock-hard inch of him. She found that place again that only existed with Jack. That place where she felt redeemably whole, all of the parts of her that were missing were now filled in, overflowing with a love so powerful, she didn't know how to tame it. She rode him at her own pace, slowly then rabidly, pumping into him until he was on the tip of that luscious explosion, and then she would stop moving altogether, until he literally shook with anticipation. She pushed his hands away every time they came up to cup her widened hips and urged a new, immediate tempo. She made it clear that she was taking the reigns this time. She wasn't pregnant enough to be demoted to simply lying there while he did all the work, she would be soon, but until then, she would enjoy this, the control, the power, the view of him in the throes of her feminine prowess. His hands closed over the twin mounds of her breasts, full, soft and pert, her hardened nipples pinched between his fingers, which only egged her on.
Several minutes later, her thoughts washed away in the gushed, whirl-winded burst of tingling eruptions at her center. Kate collapsed against him with a loud, huffed cry, her fingernails raking over the skin of his chest, her climax coming hard and fast, the bright spectrum of light behind her eyelids blinded her. Jack covered her mouth with his own, muffling her residual moans as she shook and shivered against him. He had to control his own volume as he groaned through his peak, his very essence spilling inside of her as she milked him for everything he had to give. He closed his eyes tightly, brought his arms around her and breathed through the emotions that closed his throat every time they came together this way. Everything about him tilted at her touch. Everything he knew about himself and his place in the world centered on this woman. That type of completeness seemed too good to be true. He felt that way the first time they made love and every time thereafter.
He encouraged her to disconnect and lay on her side next to him and she did so, shaking with expectation for what he had planned. He laid light kisses down the length of her neck and spine, taking his time to enjoy her. He finally fit her tightly against him, and entered her slowly and carefully from behind. He stayed still for awhile, trying to resist the urge to pump into her and end things prematurely seeing as how he was already approaching the edge, the silky, slippery, velvety feel of her making it so hard to last through what was to come. He advanced and retreated repeatedly, building a calm, sweet and loving rhythm, bringing another orgasm out of her. She cried out against the crested tide of electric heat that flooded her core, a long, mournful sigh reached his ears once her body began to settle.
Her breath hitched, her fingers dug into the arms that were wrapped around her. She slid her palm over his hip and then curled her hand on the inside of his thigh, near the bottom of his butt. She traveled higher between his legs and pressed lightly on the small area at the base of him, a special erogenous zone that always drove him to explosion. She felt him trembling as his orgasm caught him by surprise. She heard the raspy gruff of his breathing, could feel the dampness where his chest met her back and the extra tight hold he suddenly had on her as his release claimed his senses.
Their bodies went slack, completely boneless as they laid there on the makeshift cot in the sand, holding each other fiercely, morning sunlight seeping through the tarp material that surrounded them. She sensed his concentrated silence. "You okay?"
"Damn. That was incredible. How am I going to survive an eternity with you?" He asked through a short, happy giggle before laying a kiss to her temple and wrapping his arms more tightly around her.
"Me?" She feigned surprise through her own laughter.
His hand moved caressingly over her breasts and the swell of her pregnant abdomen. "Yes. You. You have more energy than I have strength to keep up with these days."
She shrugged. "Blame Junior. He's the one who wanted us to be together just now."
"Junior, huh? So you had absolutely, positively nothing to do with it?" He asked playfully. She bit back a guilty smile, curly strands stuck to her damp forehead.
She moved to turn then, their sensitive centers disconnecting and more sleep threatening to keep them in their tent for the rest of the morning. She snuggled up next to him as she always had. The baby was suddenly on edge, jostling around, kicking and squirming in every direction. Jack kissed the top of Kate's forehead before giving way to joyous laughter.
"You feel him too, huh?" She asked, bringing her hand over where their child kicked in a fitful tantrum in her womb.
"Yeah, I do. He seems pretty pissed at us. I guess we know whose temper he's inherited." He bit down on his bottom lip to squelch the smile that almost lifted his face.
A green blaze shown in her eyes as she moved to look at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, I can think of a few things." He smiled as she playfully swatted at his arm.
"Yeah, we're definitely gonna have our hands full. You think he'll take it easy on us once he's finally out of there?" She joked with an edge of seriousness.
He yawned. "I hope so." He looked at her solemnly, brushing those inevitable, tangled strands from her eyes. His breath caught in his throat every time he looked into the deep sea of green that greeted him every morning. "I get it now."
"Get what?" She asked, sincerely confused.
"Why you had such a problem with Juliet and David. I want you to know that I get it, and I'm sorry that I didn't just come out and tell you about it. I didn't think that it would matter to you, that…whatever that was, wouldn't make a difference."
Now she felt bad for making such a big deal about it. "No Jack, you shouldn't apologize. It was me, all me. I should have told you about the baby. I hate that you had to find out from Claire. We've had so many moments when I almost told you. That first night in the caves, the waterfall and when we were at the barracks. I've wanted to tell you for a long time, and before I could, I found out that you already had a child that you loved."
He brought a curled finger to her chin, encouraging her to look at him, her tears unshed, too stubborn to let them fall for the millionth time."Kate, just because I love and miss David doesn't mean that I wouldn't have loved and missed our child in the same way. The fact that I wasn't there for you during the miscarriage, it hurts me more than words can convey."
She caught the tears that formed in his eyes. "I know. I can see it in your eyes, I've seen it in your eyes ever since you told me that you knew."
She kissed him lightly, and he knew that was the most they would ever talk about that, the most they would ever need to talk about it. They both sensed that and were completely okay with it.
"We should get up, see what the rest of the gang is up to." Jack playfully swatted at Kate's bare behind as he sat up.
"Why? So Sawyer can make more jokes about how fat I've become?" Kate scoffed.
"He did what?" Jack screeched, his eyes steaming.
She laughed. "Don't worry babe, it's just Sawyer being Sawyer. I can take him."
"I know you can." He grinned, watching her as she stumbled around to find her jeans.
"Damnit, I have to pee…again." She admitted shyly. She dressed quickly, reaching towards the opening of their tent.
"Want me to go with you?" He offered.
"I can manage all on my own, but thanks." She kissed him before she started to move outside of the confines of their tent, Jack watching her with avid attentiveness. She suddenly stopped halfway through the tent's opening. "Jack?"
"Yeah?" He asked, pulling his T-shirt over his chest and turning to look for his jeans.
"There's no one on the beach." She said.
"What?" He pulled the other flap of the tent's opening back. The beach had been completely deserted.
"What the...?" Jack stammered. No matter what time of day, there was always someone on the beach.
They walked out of their tent, surveying the beach a little more thoroughly and still, no one could be found. Something fell from the sky at lightening speed, crashing into the water trough that Kate leaned into. She squealed in surprise as drops of water flew upward.
"What the heck was that?" She asked
Jack pulled the object from the base of the makeshift trough. A golf ball. He turned, holding it up for Kate to inspect.
"A golf ball?" She asked.
He threw the ball into the air, catching it in his palm. "I guess we know where the gang ran off to."
The golf course was right where he remembered, a few yards northeast of the beach. The open field brought every ray of sunlight into view, a direct contrast to the shaded beach they inhabited. Makeshift flag-poles with torn pieces of cloth tied to the top of bamboo stalks were scattered all over in the distance. Jack stood back and admired the group's merriment. Everyone was there. Rose and Bernard stood off the side, watching the game, Bernard more enthused and attentive than Rose, who was engrossed in Aaron as she held him tightly to her chest. Sawyer and Juliet watched on with casual awareness, more interested in catching up with everyone since they arrived on the beach three days before. Even Sayid and Shannon, who returned to the beach weeks ago, took interest in watching Hurley attempt to conquer the winds that kept affecting his ball's projectile. The only person missing was Locke, but that was okay. He was never one for this sort of thing. He would rather hunt, gather, and be at one with the Island. What he was doing, trekking through the jungle, tracking boar, discovering more and more beauty in his favorite places, was his ultimate sport of choice. Everyone picked up where they left off, like the years since the last time they all stood on this course were extinct. In that moment, Jack truly understood what his father meant when he said that the time that he spent with these people was the most important time in his life.
Jack looked over at Kate, who was just as emotional and riveted by the scene in front of her as he was. He took her hand as she looked up to him with a tearful grin and led her forward. Claire turned to see Jack and Kate walking towards the group, hands intertwined.
"Jack! Kate!" She called. Everyone turned and greeted them.
Jack gestured to the wide field in front of them. "I see you renovated the course, Hurley."
"Hey Jack. Charlie thought it would be cool to get it up and running again. We finally got more than two holes. Welcome to the Island Open…again."
Sun and Juliet, who now held Aaron in her arms, stood together, talking and laughing, peeking up at the game every now and then. Kate moved towards Sawyer, who stood alone, enjoying the pleasant moment.
"Not so much of an outcast anymore, I see." Kate teased.
"I guess the same goes for you too, Freckles." Sawyer gestured to her baby bump. "How is the little one doin'? You still gotta pee all the time?"
"He's fine, and my bladder won't cooperate until he's born I guess."
He cocked his head. "He? You sound sure about that."
She nodded, laying her small palm over her otherwise large abdomen. "I am."
"You know, there's an old ultrasound machine in the medical station back at the barracks if you and Jack want to know for sure." Sawyer offered.
"Jack would have a coronary if I ever left the beach in my condition. Plus, I don't need it; I know it's a boy. It's hard to explain. I just know." She turned, watching as Jack and Claire engaged in easy conversation. She loved it so much when they were together, talking, laughing, smiling. These were the moments she wanted them to have so badly, after seeing firsthand what not knowing each other did to each of them.
Sawyer was about to reply, when he was interrupted by Hurley, and the collected groans of the group.
"Sorry! My bad! I call a do-over!" Hurley yelled.
"It's a mulligan, Hurley. A mulligan. How many times do I have to explain it to tell ya, mate?" Charlie scolded.
"First off, you don't have the right club, and secondly, you're holding it all wrong." Jack said. He walked over to the tote that held all of the iron clubs, pulled a slim seven iron rod from its place and moved back to Hurley. He demonstrated how to hold the club so that he was in complete control of where the ball went and its speed. He was instantly engrossed in the game and how to improve Hurley's chances of a good swing.
"Thanks dude." Hurley said once his hands were in the right position. He paused when the idea struck him and turned to Jack. "You wanna swing, dude? I'm kinda….terrible at this."
"No bloody way mate! He's a doctor, being a good golfer comes with the job." Charlie said, his competitive side shining through.
"Not exactly Charlie. Some of the surgeons I used to work with back at home are worse than you two combined." Jack joked with a smile.
"Come on Charlie! Let Jack swing! We're gonna be out here all day if you and Hurley keep this up!" Claire yelled impatiently from where she stood. The rest of the group mumbled their agreement. As much as they loved being together over a harmless round of golf, it would actually be nice if the game picked up and got interesting.
"We're all just having a little fun, right? No harm no foul." Jack offered.
"Actually, since we've got a real player on the course, why don't we start making this more interesting? Keep score? Winner gets bragging rights? It'll be fun…for the winner anyways." Hurley offered.
Jack shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
"Fine." Charlie relented.
Jack prepared himself for the swing, setting his hands and feet in the correct positions and swung, watching as the ball careened through the open space, landing a few inches from the flagged hole. Jack smiled and turned to everyone's applause and whistle-calls of approval.
"Dude, you're better than I remembered…" Hurley mumbled.
"I promise to go easy on you. This is a gentlemen's sport after all." Jack said as he walked back towards the crowd.
"Would you look at this? You are absolutely glowing, you and Sun." Rose said as she brought her arms around Kate.
"Thank you. I sometimes feel like I'm about to burst any second. It's a little scary."
"Birth is the most beautiful and natural event in all of God's creation. You shouldn't be afraid of anything. You know, Bernard and I were too old when we met to have children of our own, who would have their own children someday, so we missed out on being grandparents. But, in our hearts, we feel like all of you are our children, and whatever children you bring along, we feel like they belong to us too. We would be honored to serve as grandparents for your child. Anything you and Jack need, we're here."
Kate was visibly touched by the offer, speechless and on the verge of tears. She never knew what it was like to have a family, and just as she set out for that first morning in the caves, she stood among her family, with Jack at the center of it all, smiling and quietly enjoying Charlie and Hurley try to best his score. Before she could respond, Rose brought her in for another hug. Kate watched over Rose's shoulder as Bernard spoke with Sun and Jin, who was no doubt offering for their child what Rose offered for hers. Jin and Sun brought their arms around Bernard with smiles and laughter.
"Jack and I would love that. Thank you so much." Was all she could think to say in the moment, still very speechless and eternally touched.
The golf game was picking up, they moved through the open field, Hurley, the course's craftsman directed everyone from one hole to the next. Jack was the obvious frontrunner, taking advantage of his knowledge and skill of the game by sinking more holes and scoring more birdies than either Charlie or Hurley, who were just in it for the fun of the game at this point. Kate walked leisurely with the group, and didn't notice that he was behind her until she heard his voice.
"Enjoying the game?" Jack whispered.
She turned, staring up at him. "Yeah, actually I am, but not as much as you are. Since when did you get so good?"
He scoffed, looking down at her pretty face. "What are you talking about? I've always been this good."
"I remember a little game between the two of us where you got so embarrassingly creamed." She reminded him with a laugh, watching as he rolled his eyes. He'd always hated it when she rubbed her victory in his face. She considered that one-on-one game of golf they shared all that time ago their first real date. They tested each other's boundaries, teased the waters of their instantaneous attraction to see just how far and deep it ran, and she discovered that it ran very far and incredibly deep, to the point where she'd forgotten that they were stranded on an Island.
"I don't remember it being that bad." He said with a low chuckle.
"Oh it was bad, especially after all that, 'Kate, golf is accuracy' mumbo jumbo. I have to say though, you were so incredibly cute trying to suck it up and continue with the game. I never knew you were such a sore loser."
"Oh no. I'm not a sore loser. To prove it, after our little one is born, I want that rematch." He said, planting his large hand over where the baby kicked.
Her eyes squinted. "Go for it, and don't you hold back because I'm the mother of your child. I want to win again, fair and square."
He shook his head at her insistence that she won. He was making his triumphant comeback when the moment, as it always was for the two of them, was unceremoniously interrupted. "I would never."
"Jack! You're up!" Charlie screamed from the head of the group once they made it to the next hole.
"Go get 'em, stud." Kate said with a wink before laying a light kiss to his lips.
Everyone moved to the next hole at their own pace. Jin and Sun brought up the rear, trying to keep up with everyone else, but content to hang back to enjoy each other in private. Suddenly, Sun gripped Jin's hand, harder than she ever had.
"Jin." He heard the distress in her tone. She gripped at the cloth covering her very pregnant middle, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. "I think my water just broke."
Jin started to mumble nervously and loudly in Korean, speaking the foreign language faster than his mind could wrap itself around the idea that the time has come. Sayid was the first to turn and notice Jin's uneasiness and the startled look on Sun's face. He yelled to the group that stood a few feet ahead of him, alarming everyone that Sun was in labor. The group moved back to the beach, making way for the new arrival, making sure that Sun was comfortable in the familiar surroundings of the tent she shared with her husband, while Jin sat behind her, anchoring her and Juliet kneeled between her open legs, a large throw blanket lay over her thighs. Juliet coached Sun through the contractions and was there to direct the delivery.
Everyone stood with bated breath outside of Jin and Sun's tent, which was cloaked to allow the soon-to-be-parents some seclusion. When they finally heard the baby's distressed cries echo through the late-afternoon air, they erupted in applause and cheers. It was a perfect finish to what everyone considered to be the perfect day.
Juliet finished up with Jin, Sun and their newborn daughter, Ji-Yeon Kwon, letting them enjoy the rest of the evening in private before she made her way over to the tent she shared with James. She looked up and saw him standing in wait for her, leaning against the nearby trunk of a banyan. She smiled and moved towards him. She saw the question in his eyes before he even opened his mouth.
She sighed. "They're both fine."
The tightness of his chest subsided as he let go of a proud smile. "You're amazing you know that?" Sawyer offered, the flicker of a nearby fire showed how exhausted she was and how in awe of her he was.
"I didn't do much of anything. I was just there to make sure she was breathing when she came out." Juliet said.
"You did so much more than that, I'm sure. I guess your modesty is one of the reasons why I love ya." He caught her staring at Jin and Sun, their family picture now complete. He sensed the sadness and the painful longing in her eyes and for as long as he'd known and loved her, he never thought to bring up the topic of children and parenthood.
"You want one of your own, dont'cha Blondie?" Sawyer asked out of nowhere, bringing his arms around her waist, laying a kiss to her cheek.
She continued to marvel at the small, happy families that surrounded her. Jin watched Sun and their newborn daughter dotingly as they slept side by side under the shaded tree where their tent stood. A few feet away, Charlie laid a sleeping Aaron into his crib and wrapped the baby blanket snugly around him, while Claire watched with an appreciative smile. Even Jack and Kate were bringing new life into the world, their world, what they all took part in creating together. She emotionally shook herself out of her trance, pulling herself together before she looked over at him.
"I gave up on that dream a long time ago, James." She offered, not willing to tell him that the thought of a baby had been on her mind for awhile now. She helped so many women bring children into the world, but ironically enough, she was never able to conceive. He just continued to hold her.
"Well, we never talked about it, whether or not you rethought your stance on the issue. I ain't tryin' to push you; I just want you to know that if you want that, we can have it." He said calmly.
She looked into his eyes; the ends of his sandy blonde locks blew across his strong, stubbled jaw as a light gust of wind wafted between them. He meant what he was telling her, and that meant more to her than she could ever tell him. The bonfire to their left roared towards the darkened sky.
"I'm not ready to go to bed yet. Wanna sit on the beach with me for awhile?" Juliet asked, avoiding the topic of discussion completely. Sawyer dropped it, opting to do whatever it was she wanted to do.
"Do you even gotta ask?" Sawyer answered, taking her hand and walking with her towards the water's edge.
Jack finally made it to the tent, pulling the flap of the opening back to find Kate just where he thought she would be, laying on her side in their bed, one hand lying protectively over her pregnant belly while she slept. The small lantern next to the bed cast an intimate glow over her cheeks. She had retreated back to their tent after getting a good, long look at the precious Ji-Yeon and voicing her excited congratulations to her good friends. She suddenly opened her eyes, cosmically sensing him as he stared at her amorously.
"Hey there stranger." She whispered.
"Hey. Got room for one more?" He asked.
She smiled, patting her hand over the bed next to her. "Always." He reclined next to her, the tip of his nose brushing over hers, his strong arm wrapped around her waist. He kissed her forehead, taking a moment to take in the scent of her hair. "How're Sun and the baby?"
"They're doing great. Juliet checked them both out. She has all her little fingers and toes. She's so small, so beautiful."
"She really is. Rose and Bernard offered to be our baby's grandparents."
Jack fell into a bout of speechlessness. She could see in his face that he was just as honored and humbled by Rose and Bernard's offer as she was. "That's…" Was all he could get out.
"Yeah, I know." Kate let go of a long and drawn-out yawn.
Jack's large hands rubbed comforting circles over Kate's back, lulling her to sleep. "Today has been pretty eventful, huh?"
"Yeah. It was fun hanging out with everyone, doing something that we could all enjoy. Sun and Jin, they were the happiest I've ever seen them. It was so beautiful watching Jin hold his daughter for the first time. He missed her entire life, never got to meet her, to know her, to hold her. I'm so glad they finally get to be a family. I'm so glad we finally get to be one too. I can't wait."
She burrowed her nose into the crook of his neck, inhaling sharply. He smelled just as he always had, just pure and simple Jack, a blend of sea salt and his natural scent, making her mind turn to images of them entangled in each other, a blur of slick skin and fused mouths. She hadn't thought of much else all day. He was right, he wouldn't survive her, not at the rate she suddenly wanted to go.
"I can't wait either." He said. "I can't wait to teach him everything I know. To watch him grow and evolve. Do you think he'll like playing the piano? There's one back at the barracks that I could use to teach him how to play. Or maybe he'll be more of the outdoorsy-type kid and would rather kick a ball around than study sheet music. He could be both. Lets just hope he doesn't inherit your perchant for climbing into the highest tree he can find." He continued to ramble, until he noticed that she watched him with the biggest session of adoration in her eyes.
His brow arched. "What?"
"I love it so much when you do that." She smiled.
"Do what?"
"Dote on how great it'll be to have a child, to be a father. It makes it all less scary."
"Everything is going to be just fine, Kate. Everything will finally be perfect."
I believe that I have 5 or so more chapters under my belt for this fic, and then it's time for it to end. I love it so much and I thank my devoted readers (Yas, Aalieen, lostindallas and others) so much for getting me this far.