I don't think Kate's going to rescue Annabelle, gia… I'm not sure Jack would let her, given what she said about being a crappy swimmer. Plus there is the whole baby thing, which is why he doesn't want to roughhouse with her either, mcanj. Obviously, if this is their one chance at having a child, he doesn't want to do anything to jeopardise that. But you're right, midnight-sk8r, this situation is going to dredge up some issues for both of them. Maybe not that one, but there will be issues. And for the record, NYR88, I hate bad parents too -- I've seen kids sitting on the railings of escalators and things like that, and I always want to pull them off and take them home with me.

Oh, and I'm intrigued by what you said about the preview for 3.09, gia – I haven't seen it, but I'm interested to know what Sawyer says to Kate. So you'll have to fill me in after Wednesday, while I make do with The Glass Ballerina. I'm determined to enjoy the mini season – fortunately for us, we'll get the rest of season three right away, so that will definitely make it easier.


Chapter 29. You Scared Me

Kate's hands flew to her mouth as she realised what was happening. "Jack!" she cried fearfully, but he was already racing into the water, shedding his shirt as he went.

She took a few steps toward him, wanting to help, but before she could follow, he called, "Stay where you are, Kate. Whatever happens, don't even think about coming in after me. I can't be worrying about you too."

She opened her mouth to protest, but his focus had returned to the little girl as he dove into the surf, propelling himself further and further out to sea, leaving her alone, once again, to watch the man she loved risk his life for a stranger.

The girl's parents must have looked up by then, because Kate heard a hysterical cry behind her, sand flying as the mother ran down the water. She was younger than Kate, early twenties maybe, her husband not much older, both pale-faced and guilt stricken at leaving their child unsupervised in the ocean.

Kate wanted to feel bad for them, facing every parent's nightmare, but she was too filled with abhorrence at their stupidity, especially now that it had put, not only their child, but Jack, in danger as well. She was terrified that she would never see him again, her or the baby he was convinced she was carrying, holding her breath as she watched him struggle through the surf, to the place where the little girl's blonde head was bobbing just above the surface.

He reached her just as she sunk underneath it, ducking under the waves to catch her, and for one heart stopping moment, Kate thought the current was going to drag them both out to sea. But, no, to her relief he broke through the churning surf seconds later, gasping, and supporting the little girl's chin, as he fought his way back to the beach.

As soon as the water was shallow enough to stand, he started running, passing Kate and the parents, until he could lay the little girl down on dry sand.

"Is she…?" Kate heard the mother ask behind her, but Jack was too focused on the little girl to answer.

Kate started towards them, wanting to help, but he waved her away, going into surgical mode. "Get me a towel," he ordered, lowering his ear to the child's mouth.

She mustn't have been breathing, because his hands moved to tilt her head back, his mouth covering hers as he compressed her chest, doing his best to return her to life.

Her mother was sobbing hysterically now, making it impossible for Kate to hold onto her anger now that Jack was safe, so as she returned with the towel, she touched her arm gently, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, he's a doctor," she told her, hoping that this would make her feel better about trusting her child's life to Jack's hands. If anyone could save her, he could; Charlie had died, Kate had seen it with her own eyes, and yet somehow Jack had managed to bring him back.

The younger woman looked over at her, her eyes lightening with hope at these words.

"She'll be okay," Kate added, giving her another smile as she returned to Jack's side.

It took longer than it should have, but this time, when Jack pulled back to take a breath, the little girl coughed, spewing up water as she sucked in the salt air. Jack took the towel from Kate, wrapping it gently around the child to warm her up, waiting until she was breathing evenly to ask, "Your name's Annabelle, right?"

The little girl nodded tearfully.

"That's a beautiful name. How do you feel, Annabelle?"

"My throat hurts," she sobbed.

"That's because you swallowed a lot of water," he explained gently. "Do you think you got it all up?"

She nodded again, causing him to smile softly at her. "Good girl." He scruffed her damp hair, eliciting a little smile.

"Will she be…?" Annabelle's mother tried again, taking a tentative step towards them.

"She'll be fine," Jack told her, standing up now that Annabelle was able to support her own weight. "A little shaken up, but there's no lasting damage."

Relief washed over the young mother's countenance as she rushed to embrace her daughter. "Thank you, thank you so much," she murmured, sobbing into the little girl's hair. Too overcome to speak, Annabelle's father nodded his agreement, falling to his knees beside them in the sand.

"You shouldn't thank me, you should thank her," Jack said, smiling at Kate as he slipped an arm around her. "She was the one who noticed how far out your daughter was getting."

Annabelle's mother lifted her eyes from her daughter long enough to repeat the sentiment in Kate's direction.

She wasn't sure she deserved the woman's thanks, but Kate returned her smile anyway, sliding her arm around Jack's waist, and laying her head on his shoulder when Annabelle's mother turned back to her family. "You scared me," she said, the tears she'd been suppressing since Jack entered the water fighting their way to the surface now that they were alone. "I thought I was going to lose you, after everything we said last night."

He squeezed her shoulders, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "It's all okay now," he murmured into her hair. "I'm okay, she's okay…"

"But what if it wasn't…? What if you…?" she was sobbing now; she shifted in his embrace so that her words were muffled against his chest.

"That was never going to happen," he said, readjusting his arms so that he was holding her against him. "I've got too much to live for – I have to know if I'm going to be a dad."

This made her smile; she lifted her head, looking up at him. "You're going to be a great one. Watching you with her… I hope we do have a daughter, Jack," she said, realising just how badly she wanted him to be right. "I can't wait to see the two of you together."

He pressed his lips to her forehead gently, then rested his against it. "You know," he said with a smile, "I meant what I said – I really do like the name Annabelle. Or Isobelle – Isobelle's pretty too."