"Jack?" Aaron asked. He was perfectly tucked in bed, his favorite stuffed dinosaur at his side. Both Jack and Kate sat on the edge of the bed, a copy of Alice in Wonderland in Jack's hand. "Are you my dad?"
"I… ummm… well…" Jack stammered, looking at Kate for help.
"Why do you ask, baby?" Kate said softly.
"Why can't I say Daddy? I don't want to call him Jack."
"You… want to call me Dad?" Jack managed, a lump in his throat.
"You are my dad, right?" The boys blue eyes were wide.
"Yeah, you can call me Dad," Jack pulled the boy against his side and into a hug. "I promise, I'll always be here for you."
"I love you, Dad. I love you, Mom." The boy rolled over, hugging his dinosaur. Kate's phone started ringing, scaring Jack.
"Love you too, baby." Kate gave him a kiss on the cheek before rushing out to answer.
"I love you, little man." Jack gave Aaron's shoulder a slight squeeze before leaving.
He heard Kate's voice as he walked down the hallway. "It's Kate Austen… yes…I was wondering if it were okay to take a cab home after the procedure…"
Procedure? Jack stepped out of the hallway, letting his presence known.
"I just don't have a ride," Kate continued. "Oh, I'm not worried about my safety… Oh, I understand. Can I call you back when I know more? Thank you."
"What was that about?" Jack asked. "What procedure?"
"It's nothing."
"What procedure?"
"It's just my wisdom teeth. Or it was, anyway. I have to cancel."
"Because you don't have a ride?" Instead of answering, Kate simply nodded. "Call them back. Tell them you have a ride."
"You have a job," she chuckled nervously.
"So I'll stay home. There are worse things than a doctor playing nurse. Besides, you don't have to worry about Aaron. He'll be with his dad."
Kate smiled at the thought. "I didn't know he was going to—"
"I know. That's what made it perfect. It was all him."
"He's lucky to have you." Kate and Jack locked eyes, the sexual tension building. "I should uh, call them back."
"What time tomorrow?"
"10."
"I'll be here at 9:30. I know you're going to be anxious."
"Thank you," Kate whispered.
The next morning, Jack showed up at 9:30 on the dot. Kate wore a loose pair of bright blue pajama pants and a wifebeater tank top.
"Thank you again."
"You know, we can be friends," Jack offered. Kate wasn't cold anymore but it was still awkward.
"We've got to be a team for Aaron," Kate agreed. She got quiet and stared out the window.
"You're nervous," Jack realized.
"It'll be the first time I'm not in control since the island," she admitted.
"You trusted me on the island. You can trust me here." Again Kate nodded, a pained expression that Jack didn't understand. He didn't want to bring it up before her surgery; she was already worried enough. But he knew he'd have to bring it up once she was better.
A short while later, she was already out of surgery. She was laughing and giddy, the anesthesia making her loopy. Jack just let her go; she wouldn't remember anything anyway.
"Come on," Jack wrapped Kate's arm around his neck, steadying her. "I got you." Kate looked up at him with a goofy smile that was starting to drip with blood. The visual made Jack laugh and fall in love with Kate all over again. He hoped they'd be able to work past whatever awkwardness they were facing.
"You brought me seeds," Kate muttered, her mouth filled with gauze. "On the island."
"Yeah," he whispered, "yeah, I did."
"You told me you loved me," she smiled.
"I sure did," when she was in bed he slowly removed her gauze and headed to the bathroom to grab more.
"But you didn't." He could hear the disappointment in her voice. "You said Aaron but it was me…"
"What was you?"
"I saw a horse on the island."
"Kate, you're hopped up on meds," Jack laughed. He handed Kate her painkillers. "This will help you sleep." He remembered that she wouldn't remember a lot when the medicine wore off so he decided to take a chance. "I love you, Kate."
"I've always loved you." Kate yawned and then curled up, nearly asleep. Jack kissed the top of her head, letting his lips linger for a moment.
He watched Kate sleep for a moment, trying to figure her out. She loved him but then told him it was her, not Aaron.
What was she talking about?
Why did she tell him that he didn't love her?
He made a promise to himself: he was going to get to the bottom of this.