Entwined Together

Summery: Jack was the doctor leading the seemingly perfect life. Kate was the independent woman running from the law. Both had baggage, had flaws, but when they meet one lonely night in a bar, their lives become entwined, almost as if fate brought them together.

Chapter Eight: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back


The next morning brought a feeling of uncertainty in the air. It nearly choked Jack as he woke up. As he tiredly crawled out of his bed, he tried desperately to remember what it was, but found nothing coming to mind. He knew it wasn't the divorce hearing because that wasn't until Thursday, and it was only Monday.

Shit, that's what it was. It was Monday, and that meant he had to go back to the hospital. But he didn't want to leave Kate at the house alone during the day because he knew that once a patient went in for surgery that it would consume him. It was what lost him Sarah. He didn't want to lose Kate when he didn't even have a chance to start to have her.

With a reluctant sigh, he shuffled into the bathroom where he took a quick shower, shaved so that only a little stubble remained, then dressed in his usual attire of expensive professional suit with his white doctor's coat in his arms. Once downstairs he silently moved into the kitchen and grabbed a granola bar that he would eat on his way to the hospital.

On his way out the front door, he caught sight of Kate lying on the couch in the same position he had left her. He contemplated whether or not he should wake her up to tell her he was leaving, because if he didn't then she would think he never came home last night. He could always write her a note and leave it somewhere that he knew she would find it, so as not to disturb her what looked like peaceful sleep.

Making up his mind, he went to the table that held all the pictures of him and Sarah, and opened the drawer farthest to the left. He took out a small tablet and ripped out the first piece of paper and a pencil and scribbled a quick note and left it on the coffee table on top of the book she had been reading. Feeling slightly better that he would have to worry about Kate now, he unlocked the door, grabbed his keys, and drove away.

Once there, he parked in his usual spot and made the hike up to his office where, unsurprisingly, a mountain of papers waited on his desk, as if taunting him. He ran his hands through his short hair, forgetting it wasn't long enough to have any effect. His workload never dwindled; it was as simple as that.

A knock at his office door caused Jack to look up before he could even begin to glance at the first form. It was one of the doctors, and his best friend, Marc Silverman.

"How was your weekend, Jack?" he asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs opposite Jack's desk.

"Uneventful. Sarah showed up for a couple minutes Saturday morning, wanting some of her stuff, but other than that it was just me," Jack said, figuring it was best if he left out the part where he took home a stranger from a bar who was still at his house.

"You two getting along?" Marc asked sympathetically.

Jack shook his head. "Not really." He nearly welcomed the sudden announcement that he was needed in the ER.

"Well, I'm here for you, if you need anybody, okay?"

Jack didn't bother to reply as he left his office, the need to focus his attention on something else never so timely as it was just then. He left his friend sitting there and went down to the ER as fast as his legs could carry him.


The blanket that covered her sleeping form had been discarded to the floor. Kate felt herself waking up, but she was still fully engulfed in her nightmare. It didn't want to let her go back to reality; it wanted to keep her hostage in its own world. All she could see was his face, slowly creeping up on her. It grew bigger and bigger with every passing moment, and Kate knew that if she couldn't get herself out that it would haunt her for the rest of the day.

When her eyes opened, she didn't realize it at first. The dream hadn't quite left her yet, and she thought that the bookshelf, TV, coffee table, everything that surrounded her was still in her mind. But then she remembered the events of the past three days, and let herself breathe a sigh of relief.

She leaned down and pulled the blanket from the white carpet and placed it beside her on the couch. At least she knew Jack had come back. But her hopes of talking to him were put on hold as she read the note that was obviously left for her to find.

Kate,

I had to go in to work today at the hospital. I should be back around six, but I can't promise you anything. Sometimes the surgeries last up to five hours, so I'll get home when I can. Make yourself some dinner, I'll get something on my way back. See you later.

Jack

Jack was a doctor? He wouldn't be home until six? It was only eight in the morning now.

Kate knew she should've felt indifferent to the note. What did it matter to her when he came back? They had only met three days ago. They were practically strangers. It wasn't like he had to explain himself to her. Why should she care that he wouldn't be back until evening?

She stood up after placing the note back on the coffee table and went upstairs to her room and went for her bag of clothes. She put on a lavender t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans that fit remarkably well. Kate couldn't help but wonder whether or not he had had practice in guessing a woman's size just by looking at her. His ex sure looked like the type who expected gifts at every opportunity. She hoped that wasn't too harsh.

After she changed she went into the kitchen and tried to pull her mind away from the fact that she was technically stealing, and grabbed a banana from Jack's fruit bowl. When she finished it she went back into the living room and realized that she was bored with nothing to do. With it being a Monday, all that was on TV was soap operas, and she figured that she didn't need to add any more drama in her life.

So what else was there to do? She contemplated going back out, trying her luck with the non-working crowd. All the kids were in school, and most of the adults, save the retired, unemployed, or the others who just didn't want to work, were working. Maybe if she tied up her hair into a bun or something, grabbed a pair of sunglasses she knew were in one of the drawers in the bedroom that Jack had declared hers during her stay, then she could actually go without being recognized. Assuming no one would see through her façade.

With that tiny glimmer of hope answering all of her doubts, she went upstairs before she could change her mind. Once her hair was up in a bun, and the sunglasses firmly covering her eyes, she decided to leave everything else behind, and left.

Every step she took reassured her that all the worry consuming her every thought was for nothing. She would be fine as long as she didn't draw attention to herself. The incident at the hotel had forced her to hide within herself, and she considered this little walk therapeutic. She almost felt rejuvenated. Maybe she could even make it to the hospital to surprise Jack and sort of get whatever suspicions he had about her disappear.

But she knew that was out of the question. He had mentioned something about surgery, and for all she knew he was in one already, and the last thing he needed was some nurse calling him to his office just because she wanted to brag about herself.

No, it could wait.

All the same, she was feeling a bit adventurous. Maybe she could go somewhere a little populated, like the mall and just mesh in with everybody else and pretend for a while that she belonged here.


Jack thrust his fist into the nearest locker. He had had it! Just one simple stitch, and he would've been fine! The collapse of his lung shouldn't have been overlooked. It was an egregious mistake; one that shouldn't have happened.

The doctors that filed in after him gave him uncomfortable glances, but left him alone, not wanting to be the one he took his frustration and anger out on. They knew that when he lost a patient that he could be damn near unbearable at times, and they had learned quickly to just let him cool off by himself.

The only person who dared tried to take Jack's mind away from his self punishment was his father who, unfortunately, had the day off. Sometimes Marc Silverman would make an attempt, but they swiftly turned futile in a matter of minutes.

Jack knew they were all watching him, waiting to see what his first move would be. He paid them no heed, however. He was too focused in on the disastrous surgery of the thirty-year-old man who had fallen from his fourth-story apartment while foolishly leaning over the balcony to yell something to his girlfriend, who no one could seem to find. All that was according to the EMTs who had rushed him over.

He took off his surplice and mask and hastily threw them in his locker and left without another word to his office, dreading the paperwork that greeted him about the unsuccessful surgery. But it was unavoidable. He'd have to do it sooner or later, plus it gave him an excuse not to talk to anyone.

Paper after paper, signature, details surrounding the events of the surgery, signature, signature, and he was finished, drained of energy, emotion, and all feeling, it felt like. As he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes trying to get rid of his exhaustion, Marc came in, looking as bad as Jack felt.

"Hey," he greeted sadly, hesitation detectable in the one simple word. Jack could sense it, but he decided he wouldn't talk about it.

"Hey," he repeated.

"You okay?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah. I, uh, just finished with these, so if you'll put these on my father's desk so he can look them over, I'd really appreciate it," he explained, indicating the sheets of paper that sat in front of them.

Marc gave him a once-over, before starting again. "You should go home and get some rest. You look drained, man," he stated obviously, hoping for once that Jack would actually take him up on his advice.

Jack nodded. "I was actually going to head on out as soon as I left these on his desk. I figure it's better to let him deal with it," he said, waving of his friend's words as though they were nothing.

Luckily for him, Marc didn't argue. "Good. I'm sure if you got a good night's sleep that you'll feel better in the morning. Don't overwork yourself, you know how you get when you do," he pointed out.

Jack didn't respond. "Lock the door on your way out, okay?" he didn't bother to wait for a response as he left with the surgery papers, leaving Marc where he was.


A/N: I don't actually know what Marc Silverman does in the actual show, so I just made him a doctor. It doesn't really matter. Next chapter will focus more on Kate. Hope it didn't disappoint!

Thanks to TBrennenFan, Orlando-crazy, PerriwinkleRose, SoInLuv, jimmy-barnes-13, X-Kate-X, kickflipchick, Ella Julian, Peppy87, and DarknessBlossoms for reviewing! I can't say that enough. Please review!