Pangs of Guilt
Chapter 35
Labor Day
"Any luck yet?" Kate asked as she reentered the cave from the gently rainfall from outside. She grabbed her wet ringlets and pulled them up into a tight ponytail on her head. She approached Jack who was facing Maverick, who was strapped into a car seat that they'd been fortunate enough to find. She giggled when she found the remnants of banana all over his face.
"Kate, it's not funny, she's not eating," he explained desolately, "She need's food, and she doesn't want any bananas." Maverick giggled at the word.
"So what are you suggesting?" Kate asked as she stood idly looking at her daughter who smiled innocently at her.
"You might want to breastfeed her," Jack suggested, looking up at Kate. He had banana thrown all down the sides of his face and across his forehead.
"Jack, she's teething, I'm not even going to go there," Kate simply stated, then sighed at the look she received from Jack, "Have you tried the whole airplane thing?" she asked tiredly.
"The what?" Jack asked, confusedly.
Kate shook her head, "Watch out," she explained as she sat down in front of him less then gracefully.
He chuckled and handed Kate the spoon and cup that contained mashed bananas, "How was it this time?" he asked snaking his hands to around her stomach.
"Horrible, thing number two, makes thing number one look like an angel," Kate elaborated, "Every time I get sick I feel like I'm going to pass out."
"I know it's bad, but soon it will all be worth it," Jack explained kissing her shoulder.
"Oh yeah if soon is four months away, and worth it is a screaming baby," Kate mocked as she leaned into Jack.
"Well you could look at it this way, at least we don't have to have children later on," he suggested resting his chin on her shoulder.
"So there's nothing from stopping us from having more, because apparently every time I get close to you, a child comes out of the mix," Kate enlightened then turned to Maverick. She scooped up some of the squashed banana on the spoon, "Alright Maverick," she began, "Opening up the island landing pad, here come oceanic flight 815 for landing."
Jack chuckled, "That's a little morbid isn't it?"
"It didn't work," she sighed, then began to eat the banana.
"Kate!" Jack chided.
"What?" Kate asked her mouth full of the food, "She didn't want to eat it."
They both looked over to Maverick who was leaning out as far as she could with her mouth open. Kate smiled, "All she needed to see was someone else eat it," she disclosed as she began feeding Maverick.
"Well it's good because there are no more bananas we'll have to go out tomorrow morning and get more," Jack informed as he watched Kate shovel the bananas into his daughter's mouth.
"But I'm hungry," Kate whined, "This kid likes bananas," she added pointing to her stomach.
"I still have some on my face," he offered teasingly.
Kate smiled and dragged her finger over the stubble on the left side of his cheek to gather the banana, then placed it in her mouth smiling whole heartedly, "Almost as good as the real thing," she replied.
"You've gotten quite big, haven't you?" Charlie asked as he sat down besides Kate. She was busy sewing up the baby clothes while Maverick busied herself with a Teddy Bear Shannon had sewn together.
"Are you talking to me?" Kate asked looking up, "Or Maverick?" she added.
Charlie chuckled, "I guess I'm talking to both of you, it seems yesterday you were just Kate," he stated.
"Just Kate?" she asked using her teeth to tear the thread.
"Yeah, Kate, skinny, reserved, quick tree climbing, Sawyer taming, Kate," he paused then added before Kate had a chance to ask, "Now you Kate, Jack's Kate, Maverick's mom Kate, Kate the sewing machine, the fruit gatherer, the care giver."
"Don't forget dairy section," she piped.
"She's not anymore?" Charlie asked pointing to Maverick who reached for his finger. He reached down and gathered her up in his arms, making faces at her as she giggled, "Yes, Uncle Charlie has a funny face hasn't he?"
Kate smiled reservedly as she placed the clothes next to her, "No she's not, but this one," she rubbed her stomach, "Soon he'll be needing the dairy section."
Charlie laughed, "So he's a he, is he? I have no idea how you birds can tell," Kate laughed along with Maverick now, "What?"
"I don't know I've been called a lot of things, but 'bird' was never one of them," she explained, "And you just know. He's so different then Maverick was, he likes bananas, but he also likes putting me through hell with making me sick."
"But it'll all be worth it," Charlie reminded as he played peek-a-boo with Maverick.
"Why does everyone keep telling me that?" Kate posed with a laugh, as she took Maverick from Charlie because she was reaching for her.
"Do I need to remind you how much of an emotional turmoil you put us through? Falling out of trees, disarming military men, loving Jack then hating him, you're not going to do that all again are you?" he asked cautiously.
Maverick lay her head against Kate's shoulder, one of her legs going around each side of Kate's protruding stomach, falling into a weary but welcome sleep, "Does it look like I can climb any trees?" Kate asked snidely.
Charlie smiled and changed the subject, "So is this one the last addition to the family or do you plan on having more?"
Kate ran her fingers through Maverick's short curls, and she cooed, "I don't know, I think for now, I'd like to enjoy these ones before they get to old," Kate explained solemnly.
Maverick's head lolled against her mother's shoulder as she walked through the cave area and approached the jungle. Kate had pulled her short curls into two pig tails on either side of her head, and thought that the ten-month-old looked absolutely adorable.
She squealed when the baby growing inside Kate's stomach gently kicked where her bottom rested. She incoherently babbled words to her mother in an upset tone, "Don't you start that with him now, he hasn't been born and you already want me to choose sides," Kate sighed.
As soon as she set her foot onto what was known as 'jungle ground', Jack immediately caught her, "Where are you going Kate?" he asked as he seemed to come out of one of the neighboring caves.
"I was just going to take Maverick to the beach, help her with her walking. I thought the beach was a good idea because it she falls she won't hurt herself," Kate explained. Maverick had been early at attempting to walk, but late in attempting to speak. She could walk a few feet, but always fell down.
"Kate, you're due in two weeks, you shouldn't be going out into the jungle by yourself," he lectured her, "What about the monster, or other military men, or if you go into labor?"
"Jack, I'll be fine," she spoke lightly, the list of antagonists seemingly not scaring her.
"Kate you can't keep doing this," he declared, "You can't pretend all of evil things aren't in the jungle just waiting for you! Anything could happen and you don't have that good of luck to begin with."
"I'm just going to the beach," she laughed nervously, "It's a steady path, no hills, or trees to climb, there's not big boulders hiding anything, it's the heat of the morning, not to hot but nice enough weather for April, it's a perfect day Jack."
"Fine then," he stated in bitter defeat, "Go to the beach, but It's not my fault if you go into labor there," he explained sourly.
Kate shook her head, disappointed at the battle he was putting up, just to get her away from the beach. She turned and began to walk the beaten, tamed path to the beach. Jack watched her walk away, Maverick lit up when she noticed him and raised a hand to wave. He smiled at her and waved back.
"Freckles!" Sawyer hollered as she walked slowly, Maverick in front of her, holding her hands to help steady her as she took her uneasy steps. He sighed knowing if he waited for her she'd be five feet away from his tent at sunset, he didn't know who walked faster, her or the kid.
He placed down the book he was reading and walked out to meet her, "Hi Freckles," he greeted as she looked up from her slumped position, "got milk?" She gave him a dagger throwing look and he backed off, "Sorry, Jeez I see you like once a month and you gotta give me the stare of death."
Kate laughed and attempted to sit back in the sand, though she couldn't manage it without Sawyer's help. He fell to the sand next to her and turned his attention to Maverick, "She's gotten big," he smiled when Maverick looked up from her exploration of the sand.
"I don't think she understands she's going to be a big sister in a couple of weeks," Kate enlightened, "She's to young to comprehend," she added as Maverick held the sand in her hand and watched it sift between her little fingers.
"She's a spittin' image of you," Sawyer stated. Maverick looked up and showed the same jade-gray eyes as her mother, which held the same mischievous curiosity for everything she investigated. Freckles were thrown in two splotches across her cheeks and moved lightly over her nose and her hair was the same beautiful dark wisps.
Kate smiled, "Everyone says that. I tend to think of her as an innocent me, not yet broken by the world's harsh rules." Sawyer looked at her and cocked an eyebrow, "That's a bit dark, ain't it?"
Kate placed a hand onto her stomach, "He's kicking a lot," she stated, "more then usual." She looked over to Sawyer who had picked up Maverick; she reached innocently to the top of his head and took his sunglasses, placing them on her face. He chuckled, "Independent, isn't she?" he asked, Kate gave him a smirk. He knew she didn't want her kids growing up so fast.
The sun chose that moment to break away from its cloud captors, and beat down on the beach heavily, "We should get to the shelter," Sawyer told her, "Sun's not good for Freckles Jr. here," he explained.
Kate gave him another annoyed smirk, but accepted his hand when he offered to help her up. He picked up Maverick who was reaching out, and held her appropriately, she squealed with delight because she still had the sunglasses on, "Go ahead and take her, I'll be there in a sec," Kate explained as she began to waddle slowly through the warm sands of the beach.
Another punt thumped inside of her, and she thought nothing of it as she continued to walk, about fifteen feet behind Sawyer. Suddenly the kicks resided and pain took over. A jolt starting in her lower abdomen and working its way up her back, she bent over holding her stomach, and cried weakly.
Sawyer heard the gauche sound and turned around to find Kate almost falling head first into the sand. He held Maverick close and ran to Kate who had toppled over in the sand.
"Freckles, what's going on?" he asked frantically. Maverick's face fell when she saw her mom in the sad, tears flowed from her eyes and she wailed, "It's okay Sweetie," Sawyer told her as he helped Kate up, she was gasping and holding her stomach, "What the hell was that?"
"I'm fine," Kate declared, "It must have been the sun and the heat," she disclosed as she still held on to his forearm for support.
"Really?" Sawyer asked as he cocked an eyebrow, "Is that why there's a puddle of water underneath you?"
Kate moved from her spot slightly to examine the ground where she had stood. Sure enough there was wet sand clumping together she looked back up at Sawyer with a panicked glint in her eye, "Sawyer I'm having this baby."
"What?" he said blankly as Maverick sniffled.
"I'm having the baby," Kate expressed again.
"Hell no, you're not having a baby on my beach!" Sawyer almost screamed. He grabbed her just above her waist and began to lead her into the jungle, "We're getting you to the Hero, because I sure as hell don't know what to do with you."
Kate gasped as another contraction hit her, "Sawyer, I need to stop," she stated her face flushed with pain.
"No way in hell we're stopping, will be at the caves in five minutes," he explained worriedly pulling her up the trail.
"Does anyone else know?" Sayid questioned Shannon as he brushed a feathery lock of industrial blonde hair from her face. She shook her head silently, "I'm sorry Sayid, I just don't think now is a good time. Kate's going to have her baby soon, and Jack should help out with that, not be worrying about me."
Sayid nodded in agreement, and gently gripped her dainty hand in his, "I don't want to force you to do anything Shannon."
Shock crawled onto Shannon's face, "Sayid, believe me, this is something I want to do. I've never felt this way about anyone before," she declared, moving closer to him. They sat by a small fire at the edge of camp, away from the others. "The thought of you and me creating something, together," she smiled.
He smiled and kissed her lips lightly, "It would be the most beautiful thing in the world, only matched by its mother." She grinned and leaned into kiss him passionately, their kiss continued until screaming from the jungle interrupted them.
Sawyer appeared by the brush, Kate clinging to him for support as she grasped her stomach and Maverick screeching high-pitched because she couldn't understand the situation.
They immediately rushed up, "What's going on?" Sayid asked moving to Kate's other side to give her someone to lean on.
"She went into labor at the beach," Sawyer enlightened while he huffed for breath, then looked around at the crowd of people that were gathering, "Where the hell is Jack?"
"He went out to collect some fruit," Sayid explained as Kate's face contorted in pain as she grabbed the extra shirt that hung off his shoulders.
Locke and Boone moved out of the crowd, Locke took one look at Kate and understood, "Boone and I saw him a mile or so out into the jungle, we'll go get him." Before anyone could agree he was gone.
"We have to lie her down," Claire explained as Charlie slowly approached from behind her, "Take her to her cave," Claire demanded, "I'll sit with her until Jack comes," she offered.
Charlie nodded, "I will too, you need some kind of comic relief," Kate chuckled weakly though she was on the point of fainting from pain. "See I made you laugh already."
"I'll watch the kids," Shannon suggested and carefully took Maverick from Sawyer's arms. Then gently took Alex's hand leading them over to a small resting area by a fire. Maverick reached for her mom, but had subsided crying in Shannon's arms, instead she watched with innocent eyes as Kate was being lead away.
Sayid and Sawyer helped Kate get to her cave, they carefully helped her sit down against the wall, "If you need me for anything at all, I'll be with Shannon and the children." A smile crept to Kate's face and Sayid returned it.
"I'm going to go clean up whatever it is that came out of you, off my beach," Sawyer mumbled as he also excused himself.
Charlie took a seat beside Kate, instantly gripping her hand, "You don't squeeze hard do you? Because after Alex's birth I didn't think I'd be able to play the guitar again."
Kate didn't answer just breathed heavily, "Are you okay Love?" Charlie asked as he looked worriedly over her. Claire grabbed one of the filled bottles of water that lined the cave and poured it into a metal medical bowl she'd found while rummaging through Jack's supplies.
Digging deeper she found a rag and dipped it into the refreshing coolness of the water, then placed it on Kate's forehead after it had been wrung out. "Kate, does anything feel wrong?" Claire asked trying to figure the severity of the pain.
Kate winced, "There's no more kicking, and it hurts way to much," she barley gasped.
Claire sat across from Charlie on the opposite side of Kate and held her hand, ready for the oncoming squeezing, "Don't worry Kate, Jack will be here any time now."