Thanks for the reviews and the lovely birthday wishes. I know I said I probably wouldn't have time to update, but I can't help myself, so I wrote this chapter last night, while I did have time (This is why I relate so well to Jack. I can be obsessive, and I have committment issues -- as in I can't let go either!)... ;)


Chapter 28. Starting Over

With her body clock telling her that it was mid afternoon, Kate was tired again by the time she and Jack got up, but she pushed this aside, knowing that what he needed to see was the playful, energetic woman he'd fallen in love with, not the shade he'd been living with for the past three years.

Already, after little more than twenty-four hours with her, he seemed happier than he had been in a long time, finding excuses to touch her, and to be affectionate with her, not because he needed to, but because he could, because he knew that she wouldn't object.

"Do you feel like going out today, or just staying here and relaxing?" he asked her as he waited for her to get dressed, admiring their view of the city, but while a part of her would have preferred to stay in their room and nap until dinner, she could tell that he was itching to take a look around, so she agreed to go exploring with him after breakfast.

Their hotel was only ten minutes walk from the harbour; walking down there with Jack's arm around her, she decided that it was even more breathtaking than the scene of their first date. While Sydney wasn't exotic when compared to L.A. or any of the other U.S. cities she'd visited, sharing much of the same infrastructure, he was impressed by how picturesque it was, and how friendly the locals were. The ones they spoke to all reminded her of Claire: good-natured and honest, with a sense of humour, most happy enough to answer their questions, or offer them directions if they asked.

They wandered along the waterfront until they came to The Rocks, a colonial district Jack explained, from what he'd read in the guidebook, was the oldest part of the city, and, at more than 215 years old, the first European settlement in Australia. In addition to the modern souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants and galleries, most of the historic buildings had been preserved, including some houses, the old police station, a windmill, observatory, and a few pubs dating back into the nineteenth century.

Tucked away at the end of one of the narrow lanes, in an old heritage listed building, they found a place called Puppet Cottage, which, according to the guidebook, was a renowned non-profit children's theatre run by a husband and wife, but Jack passed it without any outward sign of interest, thinking of the daughter they'd buried, Kate guessed.

She would have been two and a half in October: old enough to be enamoured by it, and for him to get a kick out of taking her.

It was the one dark cloud over what was otherwise a perfect day.

Afterwards, at one of the gift shops, he bought two little stuffed koalas. He didn't explain who they were for, or why he couldn't bring himself to get only one, but she knew, and this time, she vowed to go with him to deliver the second one. As painful as it was to acknowledge, they couldn't keep pretending that it hadn't happened, for fear of hurting each other; from what she'd seen, that was half the problem. They didn't talk anymore, not about anything that really mattered.

Once they'd seen everything there was to see, agreeing to come back for the markets if they got a chance over the weekend, they ate lunch at the most well known of the pubs, the Lord Nelson (circa. 1844), and by the time the actual afternoon rolled around, Kate was wiped, her feet and ankles beginning to swell in the Spring heat.

She couldn't walk anymore, so they found a bus that went back to the hotel, heading straight up to their room, where she unbuckled her sandals gratefully and sank back onto the bed.

It was late night in L.A., and even Jack seemed to be feeling the effects of the jet lag; when she crawled under the covers, to get a few more hours of sleep before dinner, he kicked his own shoes off and joined her.

"I had a great time with you today," he told her, lifting a hand to brush a few loose curls tenderly behind her ear. "Coming here was the best thing we've done in a long time."

He pressed a light kiss to her shoulder, his warm breath sending a pleasant shiver through her, before lying back down, spooning her from behind, his arms wrapped securely around her, and the precious load she was carrying. "In fact, I've been thinking – after the baby's born, we should start taking vacations more often. I want her to have good memories of us as a family."

Maybe he'd even get to take her to that theatre one day, she thought with a tiny smile, comforted by the knowledge that soon, they would both have a second chance.

"That sounds like a good idea. I glad we came here too," she agreed, settling back into him, content in the little cocoon they'd built for themselves, half a world away from the tragedies of home.

Part of her wished that she could just forget what she knew, and let fate take its course, focusing all of her energy on Jack, but her conscience was already burdened with too many deaths. She didn't know how she would ever be able to enjoy her life with him and their baby if, through her own inaction, she ended up becoming responsible for a few hundred more.

Not to mention all of those people stuck on the island.

It might not be convenient, but it was what she had to do. Their friends were counting on her.

With that thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep, waking a while later to the sound of her name.

"It's after five, and I made reservations for six, so you have to get up," Jack murmured against her ear when she stirred, keeping her eyes closed, refusing to believe that she couldn't hear him, his gentle provocation reminding her of their first morning together, when everything had been so much simpler.

Part of her still wished that she could go back to that day, to when her life was almost perfect, but by now, she knew that if she did, there was no guarantee it would change anything. Going back might just make it all worse.

"Where're we going?" she asked him, the words slurring together as she lifted her head, squinting at him under the bright light of the bedside lamp.

"You'll have to wait and see," he told her cryptically from where he was crouched by the bed, looking smug as she dragged herself to her feet, digging through her suitcase for something half decent to wear.

She found a black dress that, while not exactly slimming, didn't look like a tent on her once she'd showered and pulled it down over her belly, doing her best to compensate with her hair and make up.

She needn't have bothered, though, because when she came out of the bathroom, Jack gave her the mandatory appreciative grin, whispering encouragingly, as he leant in to kiss her cheek, "You look beautiful".

She had a feeling that he would have said that even if she were wearing a tent.

"I look like one of those killer whales you see throwing seals around on the Discovery Channel," she told him, but she smiled, pleased with the compliment, as she let him lead her out of the room, down to the cab that was waiting for them.

He instructed the driver to take them out to the harbour, to a place called Circular Quay, where glancing around, trying to figure out who he'd made the reservations with, she noticed a well lit cruise boat docked up ahead.

"I thought you said we were going to dinner?" she asked him, confused, as paid the driver, and helped her out of the backseat, taking her arm, and leading her down towards the docks.

"We are," he agreed with a grin, and once they got closer, she saw that the boat actually doubled as a floating restaurant, squeezing his hand in excitement.

After having such a peaceful, romantic day, he'd obviously tried hard to put together an evening to match; it almost felt like they were dating again, starting over from the beginning, before all the heartache.

"But this way, instead of a single view of the harbour, we get to see the best parts of Sydney – it takes in most of the major attractions, so while we eat, we can decide what we're going to do tomorrow."


Geez, I'm really beginning to hate these travel chapters! ;) Just a little (off topic) note about The Rocks: when I was 13, my family went to Sydney, and I wanted to go there, but my parents wouldn't take me. We didn't have enough time, and since they grew up around Sydney, they didn't see the attraction. So while I've been to Sydney, I've never been there... :(

Next chapter: More pointless travel stuff, maybe even more on the dinner cruise (hopefully it'll actually be fluffy this time!). I'm not going to write too many of these, just enough for them to start rebuilding their relationship... ;)