Thanks for the continued reviews. And October Sky thanks for the heads up on the anonymous reviewers - took care of that! Hope you guys are still enjoying this and hope it's not dragging. It's just that I figured it took Kate a few years to get to the point before the crash it's going to take more than 1 chapter for her to see how it could be fixed and for her to be convinced it's what she wants.

Chapter 11

Back on the island

Kate continued to lay unconscious through the night and the next morning and Jack continued to watch over her checking her temperature with a thermometer someone had located in the stray luggage and trying to keep her cool. The good news was that her fever had not spike higher than 103 degrees, but bad news it wouldn't break.

After the first day, Sawyer would only glance inside briefly and then sit outside the entrance to the tent for awhile until his feeling of helplessness would build and drive him back to his tent. Why the hell won't she wake up? He had asked Jack several times only to have the doctor tell him Kate's body was fighting the infection. Hell, he probably doesn't even know why it's happening let alone how to fix it. Sawyer thought to himself. Hero doctor with no idea of how to fix this. People ain't gonna be putting him on a pedestal anymore if he can't make Kate better from a spider bite! His mind flashed back to the time his Aunt Loretta died when Sawyer was 16 years old. He remembered sitting in the sterile white hallway with his Uncle Ted when the doctor strolled out in his crisp white lab coat and told them Loretta had not survived her heart attack. "I'm sorry sir, we did everything we could but her heart was too weak.' He had explained. Sawyer remembered seeing one of the nurses from his aunt's room standing near the nurse's station laughing just a couple of minutes later. His Aunt Loretta had died and she was laughing. It was just another unfortunate patient to that nurse and the doctor. He wouldn't have been surprised if they hadn't done 'everything they could'.

Shaking his head he stood up and looked out into the horizon. While he knew it would be easy to paint Jack as the cold sterile doctor and Kate as just another patient he knew in his heart that wasn't true. Kate meant more than that to Jack and Sawyer knew that Jack wouldn't just give up and let her go. He would fight for her with all that he had. He had seen what he did to try and save Boone and hell he wasn't in love with Boone.

Meanwhile Sayid had entered Kate's tent to talk to Jack. Sun asked him to try and get him to lie down to get some rest. He had not slept more than a couple of hours during this whole situation. "Jack, how's she doing?" he asked quietly.

"The same as before." Jack replied softly. Sayid could hear the frustration and tiredness in his voice.

"Maybe you should do and get some rest." Sayid suggested. "Sun can come in and sit with her."

Jack shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He replied firmly. "I need to stay here and monitor her temperature and make sure they are no changes in her breathing or…"

Sayid put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "And if you collapse, how will that help her?"

"I'm fine." Jack looked back at Sayid. His gaze was steady and determined, but Sayid could see a smaller flicker of fear behind the gaze. A flicker of anger at not being able to fix this, not being able to make Kate better now.

"I know how you feel, "Sayid said softly. "And I know what she means to you. But you're exhausted Jack. And exhaustion can lead to errors in judgement…"

"That's not going to happened." Jack interrupted. "I've worked with little or no sleep many times."

"And how will that help her?" he repeated his earlier question. "You make a mistake because you're tired? Just lie down and get some rest."

Jack glanced back at Kate and knew that the other man was right. He was tired and he did need some rest. He'd been no good to her if he collapse of exhaust.

"Fine," he conceded, "But I'll lay down over there." He pointed to the corner of the tent. "That way I can be here if anything changes."

Sayid nodded, "She's going to be fine, Jack. Have faith." He said. "I'll go and get Sun."

Claire watched as Sayid walked out of the tent and over the small sand hill to Sun. The Asian woman and he spoke and she nodded smiling then made her way back towards the tent. Claire turned back over to Charlie and Hurley. "Do you think Kate's going to be okay?"

Neither of the men spoke up right away thinking about her question.

"You don't think she is going to die?" Claire asked astonished at the thought. She didn't think their group could stand the idea of losing another member so soon after Boone. Just when they thought they were okay, something else on this stupid island sprang up.

"Her fever is still pretty high." Charlie said softly. "Sun said it needs to break before she'll wake up."

"And if it doesn't?" Claire asked but Charlie only shrugged his shoulders not wanting to answer that question.

"Dude, all I know is that I don't think Jack could take losing her." Hurley commented. Charlie nodded his head in agreement but didn't say anything.

Sun entered the tent and handed Jack an extra pillow. She gently pushed him to take it and then turned him towards the bedding.

"Wake me if anything…anything changes." Jack instructed firmly.

"Don't worry Jack, I will. Just get some sleep." She rubbed his forearm in a soothing manner. "Believe she'll be okay."

Nodding he took the pillow and walked over to the makeshift bed in the corner to lay down. A few minutes later Sun heard a light snoring telling her he had finally drifted off to sleep.

Dripping a little water on Kate's lips Sun leaned down and whispered, "I don't think you have any idea how much he cares."

(Kate's Dream)

Tom had given Kate a chance to take a short nap. With all she had witnessed so far she was emotionally drained and needed a chance to regroup. The next time they appeared at Jack's house it was early in the morning.

Kate woke up and glanced at the alarm clock – 8:00 a.m. groaning slightly she rolled out of bed and listened. The house was silent. Jack usually would have the morning news on if he was up so she figured he was sleeping in not having to be at work until the afternoon. An idea popped into her head and smiling mischievously she grabbed a pillow off her bed and quietly made her way out into the hall. Jack had gotten into the habit of leaving his bedroom door ajar in case she needed anything during the night. Gently pushing the door open she stepped inside still clutching the pillow. She spied Jack sleeping soundly his window open and a light morning breeze gently blowing through the sheer curtains. Tiptoeing closer she watched for any signs that Jack might be awake. He looked very peaceful stretched out with one arm draped over his head. She watched his bare chest rise and fall with each breath, his features softened in slumber. 'Definitely easy on the eyes' she told herself.

With another mischievous smile on her face she raised the pillow just above her head right over his chest. Before she could bring it down two strong arms reached up, grabbed her waist and pulled her onto the bed.

"Gotcha!" Jack yelled out as he rolled over and got on top of her.

"Jack!" she yelled out in surprise. "I thought you were asleep." She laughed.

"And what, thought you'd give me a wake up call?" he replied laughing, his eyes dancing in delight that he had caught her in mid attack.

Kate still had the pillow and pulled it up and grazed him on top of his head. "Gotcha!" she told him trying to lift her arm with the pillow again.

"Hey!" Jack cried out. "You're hitting an unarmed man." He loosened his grip on her and tried to reach over for a pillow.

Given the opportunity Kate wiggled out from underneath him and off the bed. Before Jack could turn around she swung the pillow and hit him in the shoulder. "You're too slow Shepard" she called out swinging again. This time she was met with a whack on her hip.

"Not that slow!" he replied managing to get in another hit and Kate squealed. When she bent over to give herself a little cover from the pillow Jack was wielding he grabbed her waist again and pulled her back on top of him and he laid back on the bed.

"No fair" she cried out trying to reach for another pillow. Jack meantime reached up and tickled her sides causing Kate to giggle. "Jack, stop. No fair." She laughed harder. "You know I'm ticklish."

He continued his attack. "All's fair in love and pillow wars." He replied laughing along getting lost in the moment. "Cry uncle?" he asked.

"Never!" she replied defiantly between giggles. It seemed like such a long time that she had laughed this much and she didn't want it to end so quickly. "Wait 'til I get that pillow, you'll be in trouble." She giggled.

"Shouldn't have said that," Jack smiled broadly and started tickling both sides sending her into a giggle frenzy. "Say uncle." He said. "Come on, uuuuncle"

Feeling like she couldn't laugh anymore if she didn't catch her breath, she nodded, "okay, Uncle."

"What?" he teased. "What was that?"

"Uncle. Uncle" she repeated tapping her feet up and down on the bed.

Jack stopped laughing and took his fingers from her sides. Feeling his grip release Kate jumped off of Jack grabbed the pillow and before he could react whacked him on the side of his chin and shoulder.

"Hey!" Jack cried out. "I thought we had a truce."

Kate stood at the edge of the bed eyes glistened with tears from laughing with a broad grin on her face. "Told you you'd pay, Dr. Shepard." She laughed.

"Oh yeah? We'll see who pays." He jumped up and grabbed a pillow. Dropping hers in a squeal Kate ran out of the room with Jack chasing. He caught her as she reached the living room. Scooping her up in his arms he carried her to the couch and dropped her on top. Straddling her on either side he showed her his index fingers. "Be prepared for payback." He grinned devilishly.

Kate could barely resist that smile. She loved to see Jack smile – something he didn't do enough on the island. "I got a better idea." She said her voice getting husky. There was only so much a girl could take.

"And what would that be?" he asked continuing to smile playfully at her.

Slipping her hands around Jack's neck she pulled him down to her and kissed him. Caught by surprise by her gesture it took Jack a second before he returned the kissed and deepened it. She opened her lips and accepted his tongue dueling with it as her heart started to race. His hand came up under her pajama tank top and cupped her breast as he broke off the kiss and started kissing her neck. "Jack" she moaned.

Suddenly the phone rang. At first neither heard it as Jack returned his lips to Kate's.

"Jack, the phone." Kate commented breathlessly as her hands ran down his well toned arms.

"Let the machine get it." He replied and started to lift her top up.

"It might be important." She heard herself saying.

"Not that important."

A second later the machine turned on and a voice filled the room. "Jack, it's me Mark. I'm back from New Mexico and I've got some interesting info for you and Kate."

Hearing that the couple broke apart and Jack got up and grabbed the phone while Kate readjusted her shirt.

"Hey Mark, I'm here." He said into the receiver. "Yeah? What? I'm winded 'cause I ran in from the other room." He glanced over at Kate who blushed. "Sure. Okay, I'll give him a call and set up a meeting and I'll get back with you. Okay. I'll tell her. Bye." He hung up the receiver taking a couple of deep breathes.

"What did he say?" Kate asked anxiously.

"He wants to meet us with your attorney present. I told him I would call Mr. Jenkins and make the appointment."

"But he didn't say what he found out?" she asked.

Jack shook his head. "No. Just that he'd tell us at the meeting."

Kate looked over at Tom and blushed slightly. It was a little weird to watch her and Jack kissing and to watch it with her ex-boyfriend. She figured her plan of keeping Jack at arms length during her legal problems wasn't going very well.

"Kind of hard to keep all those feelings locked away." Tom commented "Even if you've got other pressing things to worry about."

"Stop that." She told him.

"Stop what?" he feigned ignorance.

"Stop reading my thoughts." She replied.

"Can't help it." He laughed. "Even if they are racy thoughts about a certain surgeon." He added.

Kate shot him a look. "Tom, that's none of your business."

"And I don't remember you being that ticklish when we were kids." He continued teasing her.

Kate reached over and slapped him on the shoulder. "Not having this conversation." She announced.

"Okay, okay" he put his hands up in defeat. "We're due at your lawyer's office anyway."

Upcoming Chapter – We find out what Mark found out in New Mexico that will help Kate in her case. And Kate is suspicious…..