Thanks for all the lovely reviews! I understand that this is a really strange storyline, and I haven't decided yet whether its going to be a dream and then happen the other way around, or it be real. Please tell me if you think either one, because I have good plans for both. This is a really short chapter, but it does start to give insight into Kate's past.
Sam.
xx

Chapter 3: Wildflower

Jack awoke the next morning with the rising sun, as he always did. For once, he was not greeted by the tickling of Kate's hair against his cheek, or the rise and fall of her chest against his side. He still had his eyes closed, and wondered where she was, and then the memories of the previous day came flooding back to him. Kate going off the path...the arrival of the four year old girl...finding out that that the girl was in fact Kate...

Sitting up and looking around him, he was almost convinced that it was a dream. Maybe Kate was just getting some water, going for a walk. A mumbling from his side proved otherwise and he turned his head to see a sleeping, very small, Kate. She was curled around her blanket, with half the blanket draped over her and the rest being cuddled up to her by her arms while she sucked her thumb - he never would have taken Kate for a thumbsucker. The rolled up shirt that Jack had placed beneath her head last night was still there, and she looked content to be sleeping for the time being.

For a minute he just watched her, as he used to watch the adult Kate sleeping. Would this be what his daughter would look like? Would she suck her thumb, and hold the blanket to her so tightly like it would be taken away from her?

She stirred in her sleep, jerking Jack out of his thoughts, and gradually, her eyes opened. She looked around her and seemed frightened for a moment, not being able to see Jack from having her back turned away from him. He could see the workings of her mind, trying to figure out where she was, so Jack slowly put a hand out and put it on her shoulder, playing with her hair and smoothing it gently.

She didn't jump, but she crawled over and sat in his lap again. "'ello Jack-Jack." She mumbled sleepily.

"Morning, Kate." He said softly.

"Can we play today, Jack-Jack?" She asked, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

Jack thought for a moment. He needed to go down to the beach to take the water to Sawyer, Charlie and Sayid who had stayed down there keeping the signal fire burning - Kate could come with him for that. Then he needed to check on how a few injuries were healing, so he'd have to find something for her to do without getting into trouble then. After that, he would have been going into the jungle with her anyway to get food, but given her current position, he thought that it was best if someone else went.

"I'll tell you what," He said, turning her in his lap so that she was facing him. "I need to do a few things today, some very very important things." Kate's face fell a little bit, but Jack had a plan up his sleeve. "But, I don't think I can do it by myself. I need someone to help me."

"Who?" She asked him.

"I don't know. I need someone special, someone who can help me lots."

Kate pointed at herself. "I can help lots!" She said enthusiastically.

Jack feigned surprise. "You can?" Kate nodded eagerly. "Well then I guess we don't need to call Superman." He said, and Kate laughed. "Come on, lets go get you some breakfast."

It was only half an hour later that they were back on the path. Kate was wandering along with Jack, stopping to look at flowers, or pick up bugs, or worst of all, dart into a bush and reappear about ten feet further forwards of him. Everytime she went into a bush, he tried to lunge forward and catch her, but she was too fast for him. Eventually, he realised that she made so much noise wherever she went with her laughing that it was impossible to lose her.

She stopped skipping ahead when she saw a red flower that caught her eye in the midst of a patch of green weeds. "Jack-Jack. Look!" She said excitedly. "Can I have it?" She asked him.

Jack nodded. "On the way back, we'll pick as many as you want, but you'll lose them if you get them now." She nodded, and carried on skipping ahead. While she wasn't looking, Jack reached down and plucked the flower from the bed. Kate was humming to herself along the path before turning back to him again.

"Jack-Jack? Are you my new Daddy?" She asked.

Jack stopped walking, and stared at her for a minute, and she stared back with an equally curious look. The miniture version of the woman who was carrying his baby was asking if he was her dad. He crouched down beside Kate, and looked into her eyes. "Kate, I'm not your Daddy." Again, her face fell, and Jack inwardly sighed. "But don't you worry, Ok? I'm going to look after you, I'll keep you safe, I'll tell you stories, I'll do whatever you want me to." He assured her, tucking her hair behind her ears. He produced the red flower and put it behind her ear, her hair holding it in place and she gasped like one would at their christmas presents.

"Do you love me, Jack-Jack?" She asked him, her eyes shining.

Jack nodded, even though they were thinking of different kinds of love. "Yes, Kate."

"You must be better than my real Daddy." She said.

Jack frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked her, but she smiled and skipped ahead again, without answering his question. While Jack continued to follow her, he was left wondering, why, at the age of four, was Kate convinced that he was a better father than her real father?