"Jack?" Aaron's eyes and mouth were round as he spoke the man's name. He was shocked to see him. It isn't even Christmas yet!

Jack's gaze lingered on Aaron. He hadn't seen the boy in years and was amazed at how much he had grown. Has it been that long? He was only a head shorter than Kate. Her petite hand rested on Aaron's shoulder. Jack traced her arm back to her beautiful face — it was etched in his memory forever. She had barely changed, despite the years, but seemed paler than he remembered. It made her freckles stand out. Grey shadows hung under her eyes giving her face a drawn appearance. He wasn't sure if her expression was from the shock of seeing him or fatigue.

"Hi, Jack." Kate's spoke with a low voice. He looked thinner. His features were hidden behind his unkempt beard with melancholy embedded in his eyes. The shirt under his coat was rumpled and stained in places. It was in stark contrast to his past, meticulous self.

She was hyper aware of Aaron, who stood between them and forced herself to stay calm for his sake. How does he remember Jack?

"Hey, Kate." Jack's heart constricted. It wasn't just the sound of her. It was seeing her in person. Her green eyes searched his but held no hostility. He felt awkward and turned to see his nephew again. Aaron was the spitting image of Claire but had Christian's eyes. I should know, he mused wryly, I just saw him in the bathroom.

Aaron stuck his hand out politely. "I'm Aaron."

Jack chuckled slightly. He looked sad and broken beneath the smile he gave Aaron. "I know." He took the child's hand in his large one and shook it. "You have a good memory, kiddo."

Aaron's mouth popped open again. Kiddo? Nobody had ever called him that except for Christian.

Kate watched the interaction carefully. She was unable to tell if Jack was sober or not. He usually wasn't when he called, but seemed steady. "Are you on this…?" She held up two boarding passes, including Aaron's.

"Yeah. I guess I am." Jack's eyes flitted to the ground briefly, too embarrassed to admit the reason he was flying.

An announcement interrupted them causing Kate to turn her head. "Air Canada Flight 259 first class passengers are now welcome to board." The line started to move.

She turned and gave Jack a sad smile. "It's nice to see you, Jack. We need to…" She turned and coughed into a few tissues. The strain brought a few tears to her eyes. "Sorry." She excused herself as she cleared her throat.

"No. It's okay." He held up his boarding pass in a gesture of understanding. "Nice to see you too. Both of you."

She gave him a sad smile. They turned away and walked over to the ticket agent who scanned their boarding passes. Jack stood, frozen for several moments.

"Hey, mister. Are you in line?" A man's brusque voice snapped him out of his reverie. Jack barely glanced back and gave a curt nod. He stepped forward as he watched Kate and Aaron walk down the gangway to the plane. Aaron glanced back a few times to stare at him. Kate's thin shoulders racked and neck bowed slightly as she coughed again.

Jack's brow furrowed, wishing he had said more as they slipped out of his sight.

Kate was grateful that the Oceanic Gold Passes were transferable to partner airlines. Aaron received a lifetime pass even though he was an infant. But this was his first time using it. It was nice to have more room with an energetic ten year-old. The extra comforts didn't quell her anxiety about taking him on a plane. Or running into Jack, of all people.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Jack. She looked at the man she loved but only found a ghost of his former self in the few moments they interacted. She wondered if her Jack was buried somewhere underneath the layers of depression and self-imposed purgatory.

She still heard from him periodically, usually when he was drunk or high on pills. She didn't have the heart to block his phone number, even though it broke her heart each time to hear him ramble on about the island. He never asked about Aaron.

Kate chose not to tell Aaron Jack was his uncle yet, hoping someday Jack would choose to get sober. That he would choose to come back to them. She didn't want Aaron to feel the rejection she did as a child: from her mother. from Sam's absence when deployed. Between them, Sam was the only parent she could rely on.

She would tell Aaron someday. In the meantime, she couldn't bear putting her son through the tears and anguish again. He asked for Jack repeatedly after he left. She assumed, as time passed, he had forgotten. But obviously he didn't.

Kate smiled at Aaron as they settled in their seats. He unceremoniously shoved his backpack under the seat in front of him and wriggled out of his new coat while peering out the window. It was beaded with raindrops.

"Mom. Is Jack flying with us?" Aaron turned around quickly, enthusiasm in his face. She didn't want to squash it.

"I guess so." She showed him how to buckle and unbuckle his seatbelt as they talked. "Are you ready for your first airplane ride?"

Aaron took over the seat belt. "Yeah." He was a brimming with energy, fully charged with Jack showing up. He couldn't wait to see him again. But it sounded like Jack and his Mom were saying goodbye instead of hello. He frowned.

"Yeah? Are you okay?" Kate heard the hesitation in his tone.

"Kinda." Aaron fidgeted with his belt before starting to pull things out of the magazine compartment in front of him. "What's this?" He held up a folded, cardboard brochure with pictures of the plane and diagrams of how to get out of it. He didn't want to tell his mom he was afraid, especially of the plane taking off at a steep angle. He wondered if everything would roll to the back, including his bag.

"Emergency instructions. We won't need them, Sweet Pea." We better not. She thought about Jack's old confession of flying with the sole hope that the plane would crash. It made her cringe.

She turned her head to cough again. The man seated across the aisle gave her a dubious look and leaned away from her.

Jack craned his neck to glance at both of them. Kate's brown, wavy tresses and Aaron's golden, blonde hair were illuminated by the plane lights above their seats. Neither were looking at him. He sat three rows ahead of them in the aisle seat. He had mixed feelings, causing his stomach to churn.

Part of him wanted more time to talk. To say something meaningful after being absent for so many years, but the words wouldn't come. Guilt lashed at him when he thought of Aaron. He had promised Kate he would help raise him when they were together. Aaron was a baby, still in diapers when he left. Not a lanky ten-year-old. In a few years he would be taller than Kate.

And Kate. He wanted to step closer if she let him. To hug her hello and goodbye and take in the scent of her hair and skin. But it had been too long. He didn't feel like he was good enough to take the liberty.

Kate pulled out Aaron's iPod touch. It was loaded with games including Minecraft and episodes of his favorite cartoons. She caught him trying to look at Jack and wanted to avoid being questioned. She knew he was chock-full of them but didn't feel up answering any. Her temples throbbed.

Aaron eagerly took the iPod and the earphones, flashing her a bright smile. "Thanks, Mom!" He settled in and quickly navigated to his favorite game.

Kate rested her head on the seat back and closed her eyes briefly. It hurt to see Jack. It opened up something she tried to keep a lid on. The "could have's," "should have's," and "would have's" threatened to surface. They should have been married with at least one or two more children. Siblings and cousins for Aaron. He would have been the best big brother. They could have been happy together, like they were before things went south.

When Jack left, Aaron was collateral damage. She was angry at him for a long time. Mostly for not putting Aaron first. She told him she couldn't have him drinking or taking pills around her son. Kate refused to raise Aaron in an unstable home with an alcoholic father, same as she did. But she never told Jack to move out.

She would have stuck by Jack's side if he said he was going to get help. Instead, he walked out the front door. She understood over time it was the disease, not him. But she couldn't cure him. He had to want sobriety. He wouldn't fight for her or for them.

It wounded her so deeply she failed to do more than go out on few dates over the years. It didn't feel right, so she gave up. She compared other men to Jack, how he used to be and the sum of them together. Nobody measured up.

Instead, Kate focused her energy on raising Aaron and loved him like he was her own flesh and blood. The same way Sam loved her. Sam didn't know about The Lie, but they still maintained it. Kate, Jack, Sun, Hurley and Sayid, wherever he was. Widmore was alive and well as far as she knew. Exposing The Lie could land Jack in jail for perjury at her trial and create problems for the five adults, Aaron, and generate a global media storm.

"Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Captain Mike here on the flight deck with First Officer Nick. Just going through the pre-flight checklist and hope to push out of the gate in about five minutes. Right now, it's 53 degrees. The winds are out of the northeast about 37 miles per hour, gusting up to 40 miles per hour. Should be a smooth flight with a little bit of turbulence over the Rockies. Total flight time today is approximately three hours and five minutes to Calgary. We'll have you on the ground about 9:00 p.m. local time."

"Honey, you need to turn off your game until take-off." Kate opened her eyes and turned her head towards him. Fear cross Aaron's face. "It's going to be okay. Planes want to be in the air, Aaron."

Aaron nodded, noting how tired his mom looked as she turned her head away to cough. He swallowed and slipped his hand into hers as the plane sped up on the runway and shimmied slightly as it left the ground. Lights twinkled below them through the window until they hit the clouds. He sat back and closed his eyes while he counted to five in his head.

An hour into the flight, Aaron realized it was more boring than scary. He spent the first thirty minutes glued to the window. The sensation of the ground disappearing from under him was unsettling. The buildings shrank and the cars looked like ants crawling along the roadways as they ascended upward. Soon, all Aaron could see was white, puffy clouds reflecting the orange hue of the dying sunlight as the rain broke.

When the sun set, Aaron lost interest in the plane window and turned his attention to the screen mounted on the seat in front of him. He tapped it. The red and white Air Canada logo was replaced with a map tracking their progress. He tapped it again to find a selection of movies, eventually settling on How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Aaron watched it until a lady dressed in an Air Canada uniform offered him a glass of milk and a package of shortbread cookies. She didn't wake Kate when she leaned over to pass him the plastic cup and napkin.

Aaron twisted his mouth and glanced at his mother in consternation. She was slumped in the seat. Her head was at a slight angle and chin rested against her chest. She had been sleeping a lot and didn't seem interested in the plane ride.

"Hey! You awake?" He leaned over and whispered. "There's cookies." She had barely eaten all day.

"Not hungry." Kate responded automatically without opening her eyes. She swallowed and grimaced, twisting in her seat until she was comfortable. This time she was facing away from him.

Aaron craned his neck. He could see Jack in the aisle seat a few rows in front of them. His head was in his hands and he looked sad. Aaron stared intensely at the back of his head for several long moments, willing him to turn around. Eventually, he gave up and glanced uncertainly at Kate. She had been uncharacteristically quiet until she fell asleep. Aaron decided to let her sleep. He wouldn't want to be woken up if he was tired.

He chewed on the end of a shortbread cookie and tried to watch the movie. The change in altitude made his ears hurt and his headphones did a poor job of canceling out the rumbling of the plane's engines.

Aaron wasn't sure if he liked flying. He squirmed and tried to get more comfortable, but bumped his knees against the tray table. He caught his cup of milk before it spilled all over the carpet below. He considered fishing out his Nintendo DS from the backpack jammed under the seat but couldn't figure out how to do it with the tray table down.

Kate's cough drew his attention. He yanked the headphones out of his ears. He watched her with curiosity that quickly changed to worry.

"Hey, Mom. Are you okay?" Aaron gently touched her arm. Her skin was hot to the touch. She didn't respond when he shook her harder.

"I think there's something wrong with my mom," Aaron anxiously told the flight attendant when she returned to collect his cup.

She glanced at Kate, resting a hand on her shoulder as she tried to rouse her. "Excuse me? Ma'am?"

Kate shivered, but didn't react, lingering in the uneasy space between wakefulness and unconsciousness.

The flight attendant frowned. "Hmm … I'm just going to get your mother some help." She spoke calmly. Aaron didn't miss the look she exchanged with her male colleague before she walked to the front of the plane.

"Can I have your attention please? If there is a physician on board, please report to first class. I repeat, if there is a physician on board, please report to first class."

Aaron noticed Jack wasn't in his seat anymore. He was racing down the aisle toward them, the flight attendant in tow.

"Kate?" His eyes widened. His hands automatically went to her cheeks as he knelt next to her seat.

"Kate? Kate? Can you hear me?" His voice was firm but filled with worry. He slid his hands down the side of her neck, eliciting a groan as he probed the tender lymph nodes with his finger-tips. She shivered against his touch.

"You're a doctor, right? Can you make my mom better?" Aaron's eyes were worried yet hopeful, trusting Jack could do it.

His question caused something in Jack's demeanor to change. His shoulders slumped and he didn't meet Aaron's gaze.

No, not anymore. He fucked that up a few years ago. A sad, bitter look flooded his features. The flight attendant didn't notice and handed him the aircraft medical kit.

"What do you need us to do?" It was enough to throw off the dismal train of thought. Something shifted, bringing the situation into a sharp focus. A part of Jack's mind he had been suppressing for a while kicked into gear.

"Mind clearing some room for me?" He issued the request automatically.

The passenger in the aisle seat adjacent to Kate quickly stood, looking nervous. He was paranoid whatever was wrong with her was contagious. He fled when the flight attendant redirected him to Jack's empty seat.

Jack set the hard-bodied kit in aisle, flicking the metal clips to inspect its contents. It was reasonably well-stocked: injectables in the top, diagnostic and airway management equipment in the bottom. He selected the stethoscope and gently slid it under Kate's sage green sweater, just below her clavicles. He listened from side to side, trailing the stethoscope down her chest as his other hand palpated her radial pulse. It was a little fast, but regular.

Kate jerked abruptly, plagued by the sensation that she was falling. Her hands scrabbled along the arm rests, eyes frantically trying to place her surroundings.

"Hey! Shhh. It's just me, Kate." Jack leaned in to catch her gaze, still holding the warm weight of her wrist in his palm, concern playing on his features.

"What?" She asked while blinking heavily. She had a vague memory of meeting him at the gate.

Jack sighed. "Are you feeling okay?"

It took her a long moment to run the question through her mind.

"I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well last night." Her tone was dismissive. He didn't miss how her eyes darted toward Aaron before she spoke.

Kate glanced down, noticing his hand, steadying the stethoscope, was still under her sweater and resting against her left breast. He flushed slightly as he removed it.

She raised an eyebrow at him, but the deep cough that erupted in her chest severely watered down the gesture.

"Kate, why don't you let me finish examining you?"

She recognized the tone in his voice. "No. Really. That's not necessary," Kate resisted and gave him a meaningful look, willing him not to press the issue. She was fine.

"Kate." Jack's brown eyes challenged her.

"I'm fine, Jack."

They made eye contact again and were at an impasse. It was obvious she was lying, minimizing her illness. He wondered why and answered his own question. She was too damn stubborn for her own good. Some things never changed. His clenched his jaw.

Since Kate was awake and not in immediate peril, the flight attendants backed off. Jack remained and watched Kate for several moments before his head dipped. He stood with a defeated look before reluctantly making his way back to his seat.

"Mom?" Aaron had a question in his voice. He sounded scared.

Kate offered him a forced smile as she faced him. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as Jack walked away. It was impossible to miss the flush that crept up her cheeks.

"Don't worry, Goober." She ruffled his hair before Jack slide into the seat across the aisle from her. Her body involuntarily tensed up.

"My seat's taken," he muttered under his breath.

Kate braced herself for a lecture. The old Jack would have been relentless. When none was forthcoming, she shifted in her seat until her back was facing him. Truth be told, she wasn't feeling well or in the mood to deal with his problems. Not with Aaron there.

Aaron observed the entire exchange with grave curiosity. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just really tired like you were when you had that cold last week." Kate slipped her shoes off and drew her knees up to her chest.

"Mind if I take another nap?" She asked him sheepishly, not wanting him to worry or panic.

Aaron nodded, accepting her explanation. He could barely get out of bed to play his Xbox, let alone got to the park with Spencer when sick.

Kate slept restlessly, hovering in and out of consciousness. She didn't wake when Jack draped a blanket over her. Aaron watched intently. Jack put his index finger to his lips. Aaron nodded in response. Jack felt Kate's forehead with the lightest touch before sitting again. She had a fever and he was helpless to do anything about it. Not that she would take his advice anyways. He had long since lost the privilege.

Aaron leaned forward as Jack sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. He thought Jack must be tired too. He stared at him longer. Jack covered up his mom and seemed nice. He didn't understand why Mom didn't want Jack's help.

He sat back and played Minecraft absentmindedly. This wasn't going the way he was hoping. He thought they would talk and stuff. He barely remembered them together. One night they had got in a fight. He was sure of it. He bit his lip as the clipped memory came to mind. Loud voices woke him up. Mom was crying and held him and Jack … He couldn't remember, just that he wasn't there afterwards.

Aaron stole another peek at Jack. He was the same but not. He looked different with the beard. Aaron wrinkled his nose a bit. He wasn't used to seeing beards on men except Santa and didn't know if he liked it. He swung his legs back and forth a bit, wondering how Santa was going to make them fall in love again when they wouldn't even talk.

He checked on his mom. Her cheeks were pink and her face was kind of white. He mimicked Jack's gesture, gently putting the back of his hand against her forehead. It felt hot like her arm. He jerked it back quickly, not wanting to wake her. He didn't want his mom to be sick. He watched her closely before glancing at Jack again, wishing he would help her.

Kate was slept soundly, only twitching on occasion. Aaron noticed he had a clear path on the floor to get out of his seat. He unbuckled, set down his iPod and decided to slip past her like a ninja. He needed to talk to Jack.

He stood and crept slowly past Kate while facing her. She didn't move. He was sure she would catch him. In fact, he was expecting it. He was surprised when he made it to the aisle and she didn't stir. He quickly sidled up to Jack's seat and put his hand on the arm rest. "Jack?" He whispered and poked Jack's left shoulder.

Jack's eyes popped open. He had to blink a few times before he noticed a familiar pair of blue eyes staring at his. "Jack? Are you awake?" Aaron whispered loudly.

Jack felt a smile come to his lips but tried to suppress it. He glanced at Kate, who was balled up and still covered by the blanket. "I am now. What do you want, buddy?" The words came naturally. He rubbed his eyes and turned towards Aaron.

"Why won't you make my mom better?" Aaron's eyes held hope. He had faith in Jack's abilities.

The old Jack would have. If Kate let him. He paused before answering. "She doesn't want me to." He didn't know if it was the right thing to say, but it was the truth.

"Why not?" Aaron's blond brows lowered. He was puzzled. Mom made him take medicine when he was sick. Why wouldn't she take some to feel better?

"I don't know. Maybe she just wants to sleep." Jack answered. He covered his mouth to stifle a yawn.

"She's got a cough and already slept really late today. She never sleeps late. It was almost twelve when she got up." Aaron picked at a seam in the armrest. "I don't think sleep is gonna help."

Jack could see the distress on his young face. He was too young to be fretting over his mother's health. Jack sighed imperceptibly, wishing he could take back the words he spoke to Kate years ago. She loved and took care of Aaron since the day they escaped the island. They were engaged two and a half years later. An argument quickly escalated into a fight. She told him she couldn't have alcohol and drugs around her son. In a rage, fueled by those substances, he went below the belt and told Kate she wasn't even related to him. Kate looked horrified, as if he thrust a dagger into her heart. Tears poured down her face. Worst yet, baby Aaron walked in, obviously upset. Jack closed his eyes and wished for a drink. He felt a small finger poke him again.

"Jack? I remember you. Did you read me stories?" Aaron shifted from one foot to the other. He didn't want to sound like a baby. Somewhere deep inside, Aaron wanted to connect with the only father he knew.

A flight attendant came by and smiled at them both before passing. Aaron scooted into Jack's space, next to his long legs, to get out of the aisle. Jack shifted to let him. Aaron's hand was still on the armrest, picking at it as he waited for Jack's answer.

Jack's eyes crinkled warmly. "I'm surprised you remember. You were still a baby." He hoped Aaron didn't remember much else. Especially the fight. "I read you stories at bedtime. Do you remember which one was your favorite?"

Aaron regarded him seriously. He blushed and put his hand on his face in complete embarrassment. "Aw. You're not gonna make me say it, are you?" He knew which book. It used to be his favorite.

Jack chuckled genuinely and was surprised at the sound emanating from his throat. He hadn't laughed in a long time. "No. I won't."

Aaron breathed out in relief, but found he wanted to tell him. To let Jack know he remembered. He glanced at the sleeping man next to Jack and back to his mom, who hadn't moved, before leaning in close. He cupped his hands around his mouth. Jack tipped his head forward as Aaron whispered loudly in his ear. "Alice in Wonderland. But don't tell anyone. It's for girls."

Aaron had a look of distaste when he drew back, his cheeks a vivid pink.

"What makes you think it's for girls? I loved that book when I was a boy. My dad used to read it to me." Jack was amused. He kept his voice low to avoid embarrassing Aaron.

"I don't know. It's about a silly girl." Aaron shrugged.

"That doesn't mean it's only for girls, Aaron. I liked it too." Jack said conspiratorially.

Aaron grinned in response and felt relieved. If Jack liked it, it must be okay.

Jack wasn't used to this much attention anymore, especially from a child. But he didn't feel as awkward as he thought he would. Aaron's my nephew. He had to remind himself. It was so easy to forget when he didn't see him.

Kate coughed again. They both turned to her at the same time. She stirred but didn't wake. "Jack, I want you to fix my Mom. Her forehead feels hot. She takes good care of me when I'm sick and I don't know what to do. I'm not a doctor yet." Aaron lifted his hands and shrugged.

Jack brought his hand to his chin, the beard in his way. He wished he could but tried to change the subject. "You want to be a doctor?"

Aaron gave him a big nod. "Yep!"

"Why?" Jack raised an inquisitive brow.

"Because you are. You fix people and I want to be like you. If not, I'm gonna be a Black Ops fighter pilot." He held up his small hands, clasped them together and pretended to shoot at a target.

The plane shook suddenly. Aaron lost his balance and almost fell. Jack reached out instantly and pulled him close to steady him. The same flight attendant appeared and bent down to speak. "You need to be in your seat and buckled up, young man. Do you need help?"

Aaron answered instantly. "No. I'm big now. And Jack can help me if I wasn't. He is … um … was my dad." Aaron squirmed and look at the floor, his face turning red.

Jack reassured the flight attendant. "I'll make sure he gets in his seat." His heart flooded with more regret.

Aaron didn't want to look at Jack. His eyes filled up. He didn't want to cry in front of him.

Jack released him. Aaron continued to stare at the floor, his little shoulders squared as he took in deep breaths. Jack sat up and leaned forward. "Hey. Aaron. Look at me."

Aaron shook his head "No" but stood his ground. He didn't bolt for his seat, despite his obvious discomfort.

Jack drew Aaron closer by clasping both shoulders gently. He pulled him close until Aaron was inches away. He tipped his chin up with his fingers. Aaron's eyes were still downcast. After few seconds of silence passed, he figured out Jack wasn't going to let him go until he looked up. When he did, his eyes were wet with unshed tears.

Jack searched the eyes of his nephew, knowing the pain was his fault. He was supposed to be his surrogate dad. He didn't have a clue his nephew had these feelings, much less remembered him. He could see the desire, the wish in the depths of his blue eyes and it hit him. In Aaron's mind, Jack was his dad. Then he wasn't, as if he quit the job. He never considered how it would affect Aaron. Jack tried to comfort him the best he could. "You can call me anything you want, buddy." It evoked a puzzled look from Aaron. "As long as it's not a curse word." He added and winked at him.

His comment elicited a grin from Aaron. He threw his arms around Jack's neck including his scratchy beard, and hugged him. Jack was taken by surprise, but managed to pat his back a few times before Aaron released him and turned back to his mom. He slid quietly past her.

Jack watched as he hopped into his seat and buckled up, swinging his legs that didn't quite reach the floor. Aaron leaned forward and gave Jack a thumbs-up to let him know he did what the flight attendant said.

Jack returned the gesture before leaning back in his seat. His face fell when he was hidden from the child's view. He felt an emptiness inside. It was a space he didn't realize was there among the rubble and ashes. He tried to fill the large, gaping void with pills and booze for years. But there was a special place inside his heart that was making itself known. And only Aaron could fill it.

YYC, Calgary International Airport was located approximately 10 miles northeast of the downtown. It was an oblong, horseshoe-shaped building with terminals that arced out toward the runway like spokes on a wheel.

The first thing Aaron noticed as he stared out the plane window was the ground covered in a thick blanket of muddy, grey snow lining the asphalt where it was lit up. It was dark. Aaron couldn't see much else as they descended. The landing was quick and before he knew it, people around him were standing up and opening the overhead bins in the aisle.

Jack hung back, watching them with a strange expression on his face.

"Come on, Aaron. Grandpa's probably waiting." Kate woke during the landing. She looked exhausted. Kate stood, shouldered her purse and waited for Aaron to pull his backpack from under the seats.

Her eyes accidentally met Jack's. He gave her a brief nod but didn't say anything. Kate did the same. When they passed, Kate let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It's not that she didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to recycle the same conversation he had with her over and over about the flights, crashing, and god forbid she say anything about him getting help. It left her with little to say. She cared about him but was at a loss, especially with Aaron present and had no energy to spare.

They entered the terminal to find it densely crowded with frustrated travelers around the flight status screens. "CANCELED" was written next to every flight in bold letters. The screen flashed red with an Environment Canada winter storm alert. It had been upgraded to a blizzard warning.

"Where to now, Mom?" Aaron wondered where their bags and Grandpa Sam were. Their pace was slow. Kate seemed to have trouble navigating the blue and yellow signs hanging from the ceiling. The one labeled "Baggage Claim" had an arrow pointing right.

"Mom?" Aaron tugged at her coat sleeve. They came to a stop between the Tim Hortons and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory on the concourse.

Kate shook her head and raised her hand to her temple. The loud din people made and fluorescent lights were overwhelming her senses. Her eyelids drifted shut as she did so. Her whole head was throbbing, making it hard to concentrate.

"What?" Kate mumbled the word while trying to focus on his question. She was confused and shaky. Where are we going? People moved back and forth. Some bumped into them. She instinctively drew Aaron close with her arm but wasn't sure what to do. It came back to her slowly. Bags. We have to get our bags.

Her limbs felt heavy and body felt overheated. But she moved forward slowly only from sheer determination. Aaron gripped her sleeve. Mom was acting strange. He wished he was big so he could help her. He looked around and didn't see Grandpa. Nobody seemed to notice something was wrong.

"I think our bags are this way." Aaron pointed to a sign displaying a picture of a suitcase. It was where everyone else seemed to be heading.

Suddenly, Kate froze and looked at Aaron and then above him, bewildered as if she didn't recognize him.

"Mars! Let go of me!" She hissed and violently pulled back her arm, shaking Aaron from her sleeve. Kate held her hands to her chest, her ribcage rising and falling rapidly in anger. The sneering vision of the marshal wavered next to her with handcuffs. He dangled them from one finger. She could barely breathe.

The look on her face scared Aaron.

"Mom?" He moved towards her, but she backed away. She mumbled something. He couldn't understand anything except the words "No more." Her eyes glowed, wide with fear.

"You're not makin' any sense!" His voice rose several pitches, panicking.

Kate stared at him, struggling to breath. Her face contorted in distress. She swayed a little on her feet and pressed her thumbs to her temples as the world began to turn gray and tilt. She tried to take a step, but stumbled.

A pair of long arms quickly wrapped around her from behind and prevented her from slumping to the floor.

"Kate!"