Complications, chapter 3

"Which one do you like better… the light or dark wood? Or, do you think the one at the first store was nicer?"

Jack looked at the two cribs Kate had indicated. He couldn't even begin to picture the one at the first store. This was, after all, their third stop and they hadn't really purchased anything. There were just so many choices and so many little details that he was starting to feel as overwhelmed as Kate had the night before. He didn't know how to tell her that he didn't care if she chose the light or the dark, just as long as she chose something.

"Hold on for a minute, Kate. I have an idea."

He walked outside the store to get better reception. Dialling the number from memory, he waited for Kim to answer, breathing a sigh of relief when she answered after the third ring.

"Hey, Kim. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, Dad. I was just getting ready to have some lunch. What's up?"

"Well, I need your help. Actually, Kate needs your help. No, we both need your help."

"What's going on, Dad? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Jack quickly answered, noting the concern in her voice. "I need a favour. I'm supposed to be helping Kate shop for the nursery and I've got to get to the office in the next hour or so and I don't want to leave her to do it all herself. And I've got to admit, I'm not much help."

Kim smiled, picturing her Dad, 'the' Jack Bauer in one of those cute, frilly baby stores. 'At least he's trying.' "Okay, Dad. I get it. Where can I meet you?"

"We'll wait here for you. We're at, uh, Petit Tresor on North Robertson. Are you sure you don't mind?"

"I don't mind. Actually, it sounds like fun. I wasn't doing anything today anyway. I'll see you in a bit."

"Thanks, Kim."

"So, you weren't doing anything. Thanks." Kim replaced the receiver and turned at Chase's comment.

"Hey, it wasn't my idea to keep this from my Dad. Would you rather I told him exactly what I was doing?" She answered sharply.

"Easy, Kim. I was just joking. You don't have to get so defensive."

She looked at her feet, contrite. "Sorry. I didn't mean to fly off the handle like that. I told you, I'm just not that comfortable lying to him. I didn't mean to yell."

He stepped closer, putting his hands on her shoulders. When she didn't look up, he tilted her chin up until their eyes met. "It's okay. So, I guess you have to go, huh?"

She nodded silently in response. Her eyes shifted their focus to his lips. Then, she reached up to meet him in a kiss.

"I guess this is the end of our afternoon, huh?" She nodded again. "Well, give me a call later then." With that, he left, leaving her to quickly change her clothes and follow soon after.

"Who was that?" Kate asked as he returned, placing the phone in his pocket.

Smiling, he answered: "Our saviour." Seeing the confusion evident on her face, he continued: "Kim. She's coming to help."

"Jack, you didn't have to bother her. You can go. I know you're not enjoying this and I'll just take a cab when I'm finished."

"Kate, it's not that."

She raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Okay, I'll admit it. This isn't exactly the ideal way I'd spend my Saturday afternoon. But let's be honest. I'm not really helping you. I would've just walked into the first store, stood at the counter and gave the salesperson a list for her to fill at her discretion. I don't really care what the crib looks like, as long as we have one for our son. And, you don't want to make the wrong choices and I can't give you the reassurance that you're not. It's too much for you to do on your own, but I'm not the right person to help. Kim will be much better at this. Please don't be disappointed."

"I'm not disappointed, Jack. Well, I am a little, but until yesterday I thought I was doing this on my own. So, where am I meeting Kim?"

"She's meeting us here. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm hanging around long enough to make sure that my son gets at least one baseball glove. Who knows what else you girls are going to end up with?"

Kim arrived about a half hour later. Kate already had a corner of the store commandeered for her eventual purchases. The store promised they would deliver everything on Monday, but she wanted to see the progress she was slowly making. The two women started holding up and comparing blankets and outfits almost immediately. Jack interrupted long enough to make plans to meet the two of them at Kate's for dinner and then left for CTU.

Several hours later, the two emerged from the store, laden with several bags that they just had to bring home to show Jack.

"Where's your car, Kim?"

"It's just up a couple of blocks and around the corner." Kim was about to head up the street when she remembered that Kate was nearly 8 months pregnant and had already been on her feet for most of the day. "Here," she placed the bags she carried on the sidewalk next to Kate. "You watch these and I'll bring the car to you."

"You don't mind?"

"No, actually, I wasn't looking forward to carrying them all the way to the car either. I'll be right back."

Kate watched until Kim disappeared from view and then turned to admire the window display on the storefront. Idly, she rubbed at the small of her back, the pain evidence of how long it had been since she last spent this much time on her feet. She heard a car come to a stop behind her and turned, only to be shoved against the glass, a gun held to her face.

The man's clothing, and the BMW he pulled up in, told her that he wasn't just a mugger or something common like that. He grabbed the back of her neck and shoved her towards the car. His gun dug into her hip, shielded by his jacket from the traffic on the busy street.

"Get in. Don't make a sound and you won't get hurt."

She tried to look around for Kim, but couldn't find her before being shoved into the back seat of the car. Her kidnapper sat beside her and they sped away.

"Hector will be very pleased to see you, Miss Warner."

A/N: I didn't mean to leave everyone hanging like this, but it seemed an appropriate, almost 24ish, way to take a break until I could finish proofing and posting the rest. Don't worry, the rest will be coming soon. In the meantime, please r&r. Reviews make me type faster:)