"Kate! C'mon…get out of the car." Sawyer leaned on the back passenger side door waiting for her to work up the courage to walk into the clinic let alone stay for the check-up.

"I just need a minute," she muttered as she sat on the edge of the car seat cradling what little bit of belly she had.

"You've had fifteen minutes. I took the day off from work but I didn't really think it would take all day…" He sighed audibly. "I'm here for you." He held out his hand to help her out of the car.

Hesitantly she took it and carefully set her feet on the pavement of the parking lot. "You remember the story?" He could tell she was ashamed to ask him to lie for her but deep down he knew it was necessary.

Nodding, he took her hand in his and led her to the door. Once inside they were told to wait and Kate filled out a packet of paper work with false information.

He watched her eyes travel around the room, taking in all the other women in similar situations as her. She flinched when one of the newborns started screaming. The amazingly strong woman who had just waltzed into his life was cracking right in front of him and something inside of him hurt knowing that all he could was offer his support. He could keep her secrets, listen to her tales of woe, even lie for her but he could shoulder this burden for her and it was paining him.

"Miss Ryan…" Kate bolted at her name. A nurse led them down a small hallway to the last of six examination rooms. Sawyer sat outside while she changed into a gown until she gave him the 'okay'.

When he walked in she was sitting at the end of the table in a white cloth gown, her bump apparent, with her head up in the air, blinking furiously in an attempt to ward of tears.

"God, Katie…you're really scared aren't you?" Her lip quivered in response. He just pulled his chair closer to her and held her hand. Luckily, she composed herself just in time for the OB/GYN.

"Hey there guys." She was an older woman, regal looking with her short brown bob and a string of pearls around her neck. She smiled widely as she introduced herself. "I'm Dr. Barton." She shook both of their hands and took her place on her rolly stool.

"So…You're a new patient Miss Ryan?" Kate nodded. "Do you mind if I ask some questions?" Kate shook her head. "Wonderful. How have you been eating?"

"Pretty well. I used to be a vegetarian and I've incorporated meat into my diet. Aside from the occasional cheeseburger and pint of Ben & Jerry's it's fruits and veggies." Kate's voice was shaky from her previous emotional state. Her eyes still looked panicked to Sawyer.

"That's perfect," Dr. Barton gave her another genuine smile. "How's your weight gain been?"

The curly haired brunette shook her head. "I know I've gained enough to go up two pant sizes but I don't know the actual number."

"Okay. Well, before you go today I'll have Amy weigh you so we can start keeping track." Dr. Barton gave a friendly nod as Kate's chest tightened at the blast from the past. She'd been an Amy once…

"When was your last exam?"

"I've nev-…" Kate's voice hitched and she began to well up again. Sawyer took hold of her hand again. He knew what was coming. His pulse raced as he tried to keep his appearance calm.

"Miss Ryan, it's alright. Switching doctor's can be overwhelming for some women."

"No…I've never had a check-up. This is my first." The physician looked taken aback for a moment then relaxed and waited for Kate to explain. "I used to live in Los Angles…I just got out of a really," she took a deep breath and focused on the floor, "bad relationship. I didn't get a chance to visit an OB to make sure everything was okay. I j-just couldn't." A fat tear escaped and rolled down Kate's cheek. "I knew he'd flip. So…I left before I started showing and came here, to Klamath Falls, but until Sawyer drug me here I was too afraid he'd find me."

Dr. Barton rested a strong hand on Kate's clinched fists. "Miss Ryan…you're safe here. I promise everything is confidential."

"Thank you," the patient whispered and swallowed hard.

"If you need a moment I can go check on one of my other moms and come back…"

"No. I'll be fine. I'm nervous; I think it's best if we just get it done with."

Dr. Barton gave another signature smile and told Kate to lie back on the table as she draped a plastic sheet over her legs. Sawyer scooted up towards Kate's upper body, out of the way for the doctor, still holding her hand. Their eyes locked, his relieved that the hard part was over, hers embarrassed for everything from the lie to her less that romantic disposition at the moment.

Sawyer smiled at her, dimples and all, which was more than she could bear at the moment. Her head rolled to the side with a sharp intake of breath.

This was nothing like when Jack had done it…

"Okay, Miss Ryan. Everything looks good. Lets take a sonogram and we'll get you out of here." Dr. Barton rolled over to the monitor in the corner, pressing lots of buttons before applying the gel, like Jack had, to her abdomen.

The doctor was quiet for a moment. Panic started rising in Kate's chest like it did so often these days. Each second that ticked away was a second that let her mind wander.

Was the baby okay? Had she jeopardized it's health by not seeing a physician sooner? What would happen if something was wrong? What if…

Kate didn't get a chance to finish another thought. Relief washed over her as the words, "everything looks normal" pierced through her ever growing fear. She let out a heavy breath and smiled for the first time since they'd walked through the front door of the clinic.

"Hear that? Everything's fine." Sawyer seemed as elated as she was.

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" Dr. Barton tucked a piece of stray hair behind an ear with a pearl stud that matched her necklace.

Kate immediately looked to Sawyer for an answer. "S'not my baby Kate," he told her in a disheartened tone.

"Why not?" She sighed wishing with everything she had that Jack was the one holding her hand while she received this news.

"It's still a little early but it looks like you're having a son."

"A boy?" Kate repeated in disbelief. The doctor nodded. "Can I see?" The older woman turned the monitor slightly so that Kate could see the fuzzy grey outline of a fully formed baby.

"This is a hand. And this is his nose and mouth. I see ten fingers and ten toes so there is really nothing to worry about." She pressed some more buttons and relieved Kate of the pressure of the wand. Handing her a towel she reassured her, "You're very lucky Miss Ryan. And again…you're going to be okay here. I'll send Amy after you for your weight and Sawyer here can pick up the pictures at the front desk." And then she closed the door behind her.

Kate sad up and wiped her eyes for good measure. She exhaled loudly has Sawyer got up. "I'll let you get changed. See you in the lobby." Then he left her still sitting there.

It took her a minute to get up. She just sat there in awe and whispered to herself, "I'm having a son."

000

Sawyer sat in the waiting room waiting for Kate with the pictures in his hands. It was pretty amazing that this little thing was inside of her. His mind was in a reel from the whole experience really.

He went back to how emotional she had been; how scared she was that they were even here. Then he remembered the look on her face as she told Dr. Barton about her 'bad relationship'. The look on her face was so sincere. The fact that she could lie that easily was more discomforting that he realized it would be.

Desperately he wished he knew what had happened to her. What ever it was that made her this way…he could handle it. He was sure of it. Sometime he thought letting his mind wander was worse than knowing.

He leaned back in his chair and looked around the room. None of these women were like her. They all probably planned for this to happen. They got married and decided with their husbands to have the baby they were now carrying. Kate didn't get that luxury.

Deep down, after her performance today he wondered if Jack had been as wonderful as she said. Maybe that's where the motivation came from. What if she was running from him?

He looked up to see her writing something down at the front desk. He wanted to ask her so badly. But he knew not to. If it ever came up in conversation he'd make a point to find out…that is if he could work up the courage.

"Ready?" He asked her when she was finished.

"Yeah. Got his pictures?" She asked referring to the baby by his known gender. He handed them to her as they walked out to the car. "It's so surreal. When I did this with Jack before I left he was this little dark blotch on the screen. Now look at him." She spoke with wonder, her eyes never leaving the page. "He here…inside me. He's growing, living. He's real." She moved her hand down the contour or her curved middle.

"So…Jack does know about the baby?" Sawyer asked opening her car door for her.

"Of course. He performed my only check-up." She buckled her belt as Sawyer walked around to the driver's seat. "Probably still has that first sonogram on the fridge." She mused quietly.

"You know," Sawyer started once he was in the car, "we'll have to come up with a nickname for him now that we know he's a boy." He smiled mischievously.

"What are you thinking like…'dude' or 'cowboy'?"

"No! I was thinking more like 'Tex' or 'Little one'."

"Oh God. What have I done?" She jested looking out her window as the events of the day seriously made her wonder 'what had she done?'