Jack and Kate were half way to the car when she realized she'd left her purse in the exam room where Tony was being taken care of. They turned around and walked back into the hospital. Kate sat in the ER waiting room while Jack walked toward the exam rooms to retrieve her purse. Kate sat in the chair feeling nauseous and exhausted with a slight headache. She watched the woman at the front desk getting angry with the woman behind the window and natural curiosities made her pay closer attention and try to listen to the conversation.
"Listen, I know that my son is here and you people have no right to keep him here!" The woman yelled.
"Ma'am if you will please take a seat in the waiting room I will find someone to come and talk to you, but you cannot see your son right now." The woman told her.
"His father is going to be home in a few hours and he is an attorney and he is going to own this place when he finds out you're treating him without permission." The woman threatened.
Kate wasn't sure, but a nagging feeling made her stand and walk over to the woman. She stopped beside her and tapped her on the shoulder. The woman turned suddenly and shot a hateful look at Kate.
"Are you Tony's stepmother?" Kate asked.
"Who wants to know?" The woman snapped.
"I'm Kate, we spoke on the phone." Kate told her.
"You bitch! I let my kid spend the weekend with you and he ends up in the hospital?" The woman spat at her.
"Are you suggesting that we inflicted all those injuries on that little boy?" Kate asked her tone angry, her fists unconsciously clenching.
"What injuries? Why did you bring him here? I call your house to see when he's coming home and your babysitter tells me you've brought him here. What the hell is going on?" The woman asked her face just inches from Kate's.
"Are you seriously going to stand here and try to pretend you had no idea that child has been severely beaten?" Kate accused.
"We don't beat our kids. He got lazy the other night and wet his bed so he got a spanking." The woman said.
"Was that before or after you clamped a clothes pin onto his penis?" Jack asked seemingly coming out of nowhere.
The woman reacted by backhanding Kate hard enough to knock her off balance and down to the floor. The woman pounced on her calling her a bitch and blaming her for all the trouble she caused. The police officer that had exited the exam room area with Jack immediately descended on the woman and pulled her off of Kate. Jack kneeled down and could see the bruising already starting on the side of Kate's face. He helped Kate up and approached the woman, his face inches from hers.
"Back away doctor. We'll deal with this." The cop told him.
"There is a little boy lying back there that has been beaten, kicked and tortured and trust me it's not the first time, so I hope you do deal with this because lady even if you never laid a hand on that boy, you are just as guilty for standing back and letting it happen." Jack said angrily.
"My husband will have your medical license by the time he gets through with you." She threatened.
"I'd like to have about 10 minutes alone in a room with your husband, see how he handles someone big enough and strong enough to hit back. Get her out of here." Jack hissed.
The cop led the woman out of the hospital and into a waiting police cruiser. Jack was joined by Kate, holding the side of her face. He pulled her hand away and examined the area where she'd been struck. Kate winced away from his touch.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Oh Jack, that poor little boy, he's been living with that crazy woman and a father that beats him." Kate said and began crying.
Jack wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.
"Shh, it's going to be okay Kate. He's safe now and the police are going over there right now to remove the other two children from the home and as soon as the son-of-a-bitch steps off his plane today he'll be arrested so I guess we kind of owe Eddie a thank you." Jack said.
"Eddie? Why?" Kate asked still leaning into his chest, finding it warm and comforting as she slowly let him take on more and more of her weight.
"If he hadn't been trying to break into the house and scared Tony so bad we might never have discovered how beaten up he was." Jack said noticing that she was getting heavier and heavier.
"I think I need lie down Jack. I really feel awful." Kate said.
"Come on, let's get you home." Jack said and tried to get her to walk out with him.
"I can't Jack. I need to sit down." Kate mumbled and fainted again.
Jack picked her up and carried her back to the exam room area. He found an empty room and laid her on the exam table. One of the nurses followed him into the room.
"Is she okay Dr. Shephard?" The nurse asked.
"She's fainted twice in the last half hour. Is there anyone from OB in the hospital today?" Jack asked.
"Dr. Elliot is upstairs, do you want me to page him?" She asked.
"Yes." Jack said.
Jack busied himself making Kate comfortable on the exam table, putting an extra pillow under her head, loosening the top buttons of her blouse and covering her with a blanket. She finally opened her eyes and looked up at him, confused and pale.
"What's going on?" She asked and tried to sit up.
"Stay put. I'm getting you checked out and then I'll take you home." Jack said.
"No Jack, I'm fine." Kate said as she raised her head and then quickly put it back down struggling against the dizziness.
"Yeah I can see that." Jack said with a hint of sarcasm.
Dr. Elliot came through the door, took a quick look at Kate and then looked at Jack.
"What's going on Jack?" He asked.
"John, this is my fiancé Kate. She's pregnant and she's fainted twice today. She's not seen a doctor yet. Can you check her out, make sure everything is okay?" Jack asked.
John Elliot had known Jack since before Conner was born and knew the history with Emily and her tragic death so instead of making fun of Jack's over-reaction to a pregnant woman feeling faint he remained sympathetic.
"Sure Jack. How about you help her into a gown and I'll go see if I can track down one of the portable ultrasounds." John said and left the room.
"Jack, I don't want to do this." Kate resisted.
"I know, but will you please do it for me?" Jack asked.
"Is he a good doctor?" Kate asked.
"One of the best in his field." Jack answered and smiled at her.
"Okay, but if these legs go into those stirrups you are staying right here. I don't want you ever looking at that part of me in a clinical way." Kate insisted.
"Kate, I'm a doctor." Jack chuckled.
"Yes you are, but you aren't my doctor. You are my friend and my lover and our sex life is too good to ruin it by putting the image of you doing a pelvic on me in my head so you stay right here by my head or I'm not doing this." Kate ordered.
"This is obviously one of those woman things that men can never hope to understand so don't worry, I'll stay right here and keep my nose out of your pelvic exam." Jack agreed and smiled at her.
Jack helped her undress and put on a gown and watched her fight to keep her eyes open while they waited for the doctor to come back. Dr. Elliot reentered the room pushing an ultrasound machine with one of the nurses. He parked it beside the exam table and smiled at Kate. He noticed how pale she was and how exhausted she looked. A lab technician came in and took blood while the nurse took all of her vitals. He had her sit up with Jack's assistance and listened to her heart and lungs. After a quick exam, he helped the nurse put her legs back down and drape the sheets back over her legs and waist. He walked to the side of the exam table and looked down at her.
"You're pretty dehydrated Kate, have you been throwing up a lot?" He asked.
"Every day." Kate said.
"That should stop pretty soon, but until it does you really need to try to at least drink. Sports drinks are good to help replenish what you're losing if you can keep it down." The doctor said.
"I ate dinner last night and drank my water." Kate told him.
"You didn't eat much and you sipped your water. I should've been paying closer attention and I will from now on." Jack said.
"We're going to give her an IV and make her feel better and while they're getting that ready I'm going to take a look at your baby." Dr. Elliot told her and pulled her gown away from her stomach.
Kate and Jack watched him perform the ultrasound, both smiling when the heartbeat came through loud and clear.
"Everything looks excellent. You're 9 or 10 weeks along, give or take a week." The doctor told them.
"She's okay, I mean other than needing some fluids?" Jack asked.
"No she obviously needs some rest and some food too, but many of my pregnant patients in their first trimester are in the same shape from time to time. They are setting you up down the hall where there is a bed you can rest in while we pump some fluids into you." Dr. Elliot said smiling down at Kate.
"I'd rather just go home." Kate grumbled.
"You can go home as soon as you are done with the IV and eat something. You will be amazed at how much better you are going to feel." Dr. Elliot told her.
"Thanks John." Jack said and shook his hand.
"No problem Jack. Kate, it was nice meeting you and if you decide you'd like me to see this pregnancy through with you, this guy knows where my office is." John said and left the room.
"I was thinking 3 or 4 weeks Jack, not 9 or 10." Kate said.
"Does it matter?" Jack asked.
"No I guess not, I'm just surprised because I had a period in-between the first time I slept with you and now so I didn't think I could be that far along." Kate said.
"It happens." He shrugged.
"So this baby could've been conceived in the cabin the night TJ died." Kate said.
"Kate, don't do this to yourself." Jack said.
"No Jack, that's not a bad thing. I've been struggling with a lot of things and one of those things is the existence of God. I shouldn't even be pregnant, but I am and if I'm to believe my little boy is in this better place with this kind, loving and giving God then would it be so crazy to believe that this baby, this life, was given to me in exchange for the one he had to take away from me? That my getting pregnant on the same night my son died isn't just a coincidence, but maybe there's a higher power out there that believes that putting me in charge of another human life is a good idea?" Kate explained.
Jack leaned over her and kissed her gently.
"I don't think it's crazy and I agree with God. You are the perfect person to put in charge of another human life." Jack said sweetly.
"I should've listened to you and stayed home today." Kate admitted.
"Yes, you should've, but not because I suggested it, but because you knew you weren't feeling well. If you aren't going to take care of yourself Kate, I will and you won't like it." Jack told her his tone serious.
"What are you going to do? Order me to bed for the next 7 months?" Kate asked.
"No, that would be too much fun." He grinned.
"Oh I see how you are; you consider taking me in every way possible taking care of me." Kate teased.
"Seriously Kate, you have to think about yourself and the baby first. Okay? Promise me that the two of you will become your top priority." Jack pleaded.
"You and Conner are my top priority Jack, but I promise not to neglect my own health anymore and you're right, I knew I wasn't feeling well this morning and should've stayed home. Let's go do this IV and get it over with." Kate insisted.
Jack helped her dress and walked her slowly down to the room the nurse was preparing for her. She lay down on the bed and looked at Jack while the nurse inserted the IV needle into the top of her hand. She was asleep 15 minutes later. Jack left her side and went back to check on Tony.
Jack entered the room where Tony was being treated and Jeff turned around to look at him.
"You're back." Jeff said.
"I never left. Kate's down the hall sleeping, getting an IV." Jack said.
"You're having a bad day." Jeff laughed.
"That little boy is having a bad day and Kate is having a bad day, me I'm just happy to be back amongst the living again." Jack admitted.
"Well you're just in time to look at the CT scans with me. Looks like he's got a slow bleed in his spleen that's been going on for a few days. I'm surprised he wasn't complaining more." Jeff said.
"I don't think it does him any good to complain. Let's move him up to pediatric ICU and immobilize him, keep him sedated, see if we can get it stop bleeding. With the orthopedic surgeries he's facing, it'd be nice if we could spare him the pain of having his stomach cut open." Jack said.
"Jack." Tony said softly.
Jack approached the side of the gurney and looked down at the child. His eyes were glassy from the drugs he'd been given, but he was fairly coherent.
"I know you're mad at me buddy, but I promise you I'm going to take care of you." Jack said.
"Am I going to die?" Tony asked.
"No, no, of course not. All of these nice doctors are going to make you better than ever." Jack told him in a soft, kind voice.
"My dad is going be mad. He will hit me for telling." Tony said his bottom lip quivering and tears filling his eyes.
"Tony, no one is going to hit you anymore. I promise." Jack said.
"He'll come here and find me Jack. He's going to hit you too." Tony cried.
"Tony you are safe here. You are going to be staying here until you get well and he can't visit you." Jack tried to comfort the child.
"Please don't let them hurt my dad Jack. He doesn't mean to get so mad. I'm bad and make him mad." Tony said sadly.
"Tony you are not bad. None of this is your fault. You are just a little boy and you don't deserve to be hurt like this. Your dad is sick Tony and he needs help. This is his fault, not yours." Jack tried to make the six year old understand.
"Will you visit me?" Tony asked.
"Every day and so will Kate and when you get better I'll bring Conner up to visit too." Jack told him.
"When I get better can I come spend the night at your house again?" Tony asked.
"Definitely, maybe I'll get Conner some bunk beds so you'll have your own bed to sleep in when you sleep over." Jack told him.
"You shouldn't. I have accidents and will just ruin it." Tony mumbled, his pain medication making him sleepy.
"Tony look at me." Jack ordered in a non-threatening tone.
Tony looked at Jack.
"I want you to worry about getting well. I don't care if you have an accident every time you come to my house or if you spill soda on my floors or if you accidentally break something. You are a little boy and boys have all kinds of accidents and you aren't bad for being a normal boy. The people that hurt you are the bad ones Tony. Okay?" Jack said.
"Okay." Tony said softly and drifted back off to sleep.
Jack gave Jeff a final set of instructions for Tony's treatment and was about to leave Jeff when his father entered the room. Jack decided that the day had finally turned bad for him.
"What's going on Jack?" Christian asked.
"Just cleaning up messes your interference caused dad." Jack said.
"Can we go some place and talk?" Christian asked.
"No dad we can't. Whatever you have to say, just say it." Jack snapped.
"What are you doing Jack? You come in here on a Sunday and take over two ER rooms, start ordering tests and page the OB physician on call all for your own personal use?" Christian asked.
"If the years of blood, sweat and tears I've poured into this place hasn't earned me an occasional favor then feel free to send me a bill dad." Jack said.
"You're missing the point Jack." Christian argued.
"No I get it dad. You think I'm setting a bad example by charging in here the way I did, but you know what, I don't care. I had an abused six year old boy that was beyond hysterics on my hands and sitting out in the waiting room with him wasn't an option." Jack defended his actions.
"And the special treatment for your girlfriend?" Christian asked.
"You're right, it was special treatment and if it were Conner instead of Kate I'd do the same thing. I can't treat members of my own family dad, but I can sure as hell make sure they get the best treatment available. You used to do the same thing with me when I was a kid so what's really bothering you dad? Upset that your little plan didn't work?" Jack asked.
"What plan is that Jack?" Christian asked.
"You know what plan. What are you doing here? Do you ever go home dad?" Jack asked.
"I'm here Jack because the mother of the twins is upset. She won't go ahead with the surgery without you. I've been meeting with the hospital administrator all morning and he wants to meet with you tomorrow. Do you think you can focus on medicine long enough to join us?" Christian asked.
"What time?" Jack asked.
"Ten." Christian answered.
"I'll be there." Jack said, his tone all business.
"Is Kate okay?" Christian asked.
"Don't." Jack said, clearly irritated.
"Don't what?" Christian asked.
"Don't act like you're concerned about Kate." Jack said.
"I'm not. I'm concerned about you. If she's not fine then you won't be either." Christian admitted.
"She's fine dad and so is the baby. God you hate that don't you? Emily and Conner ruined all of your plans for me and now I've gone and done it again, decided to try to have a life, some happiness, a family, something more than this god damn hospital." Jack spat at him with as much contempt and outright hatred as Christian had ever seen from his son.
"I know you really believe that son, but what you don't understand is what I've always known and that is that you can't handle both, that either your family or your career will suffer because you are a perfectionist Jack and you want everything to be perfect. It's impossible so you will end up sacrificing one for the other." Christian lectured.
"No dad, what you are afraid of is that I won't sacrifice my family for my career because in your mind the career is the only thing that matters and you're right, I won't. I'm going to do the twin separation, but not for you or for me or for this hospital. I'm going to do it for the mother that has put that much faith in me and I'm going to be successful and when I'm done, I'm done here. I'm moving on to another hospital, maybe another state. I can't be around you anymore dad." Jack said with a twinge of sadness in his voice and walked away.
"Don't walk away from me Jack." Christian ordered.
Jack waved him off and continued down the hallway toward the room where Kate was sleeping. Christian didn't dare follow. He knew his son well enough to know it was time to let him stew, that he could approach him later and convince him not to leave.
Jack lay in bed with Kate that same night, holding her close, his body spooned around hers from behind, quietly thinking about his future and their future. Even though he was still she could tell he wasn't asleep and rolled over to look at him, the light from the television enough to see his face, to see that he was feeling unsettled and even a little sad.
"What's wrong Jack?" She asked.
"Nothing, it's just been a long day." He lied.
"Liar." She said.
"Do you ever wonder why we continue to love the people who hurt us the most?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, but maybe it's just because we aren't capable of hate Jack." Kate offered.
"Tony was worried we'd hurt his father, blamed himself for the abuse. I do the same thing with my own father, but I'm not six years old anymore." Jack sighed.
"He's your father Jack, of course you love him and want to make excuses for him. It's perfectly normal." Kate offered.
"I can't do it anymore Kate. He's gone too far. I think we should think about living some place else, some place not in California, some place where our kids can grow up with fresh air and sunshine and seasons that change. Some place far away from my father." Jack said.
"Jack, if you want to change hospitals or move to another state because that's what is best for us I'm ready to follow you anywhere you'd like to go, but don't make this decision because you want to get out from under your father's thumb. You have to do that now, while you're here or you'll never truly be free from what you feel is suffocating you." Kate suggested.
"Okay, I promise not to make any rash decisions. I just don't want anything to get in the way of us being happy." He said and kissed her gently.
"Then stop stewing and make love to me." She said with a grin.
"Kate, I think we should cool it. You had to have an IV today." Jack argued.
"Baby, you are very good, but you weren't so flaming hot you dehydrated me. I did that to myself." Kate giggled.
"True, but still, it's late and you should rest. We can make love in the morning if you feel like it." He said.
"I'll be sick in the morning and I feel like it right now. I'm fine Jack and I can't believe you are going to make me beg for sex. Come on stud, nice and slow. It'll relax me and make me sleep so good I'll be a new woman tomorrow." Kate purred as she rubbed her hand over the front of his boxer briefs.
"You're so full of shit, but you're pretty cute and sexy when you're working so hard to seduce me." He said and kissed her, rolling her onto her back and sliding his hand down the front of her panties.
She moaned into his mouth and opened up for him and his hand slid through her already moist, slippery crease. He pulled out of the kiss and smiled at her.
"You're pretty incredible Kate. So wet so quick." He groaned and began kissing her again, sliding her panties down and then discarding his own underwear and joining them with one slow, gentle thrust inside of her.
"Jack, you've been aroused and pressed up against my back for the past 20 minutes. Of course I'm wet, the anticipation was killing me." Kate told him making him chuckle lightly.
"I love you Kate." He said softly.
"I love you too and I love it when you're inside me so take your time." She told him.
He kissed her slowly and lovingly and moved within her gently, thrusting upward and holding his position before pulling back, making her moan through their locked lips and feeling her clench around him and come as her hands gently gripped his shoulders and her warm juices flooded around him. He pulled his mouth away from hers and looked into her eyes, still moving in and out, watching her slowly come back down to earth.
"Do it again Jack, make me come again." She whispered and pulled him in for another kiss, wrapping her legs tightly around him and enjoying the feeling of his body covering hers, propped up on his one good arm, his strength in his arms, his back, his legs and the power of his hard penis driving in and out of her causing her to have to remind herself to breathe, the feeling so good she wanted to allow herself to just fall into it and forget everything else.