Author's Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

Nathan knocked on the desk making Kristin look up, "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Kristin beamed at him, "Take a seat."

He pulled up one of the stools and waited as she grabbed a file dropping it in front of him.

"I've got it," she grinned.

Nathan frowned a little bemused, "Got what?"

She laughed, "The cure. I am almost completely certain that I can cure Patient X."

Nathan stared at her, "You're sure?" he demanded, "You're absolutely sure?"

"I will need a fresh blood sample for a final test," Kristin told him, "But," she nodded, "I'm confident I can remove the poison from Patient X."

Nathan shook his head in disbelief for a moment before he began to chuckle.

"Something amusing?" Kristin asked.

"I have had so many doctors look over this file in the past ten years," Nathan told her, "I should have come directly to you."

"So," Kristin leaned forward interest filling her eyes, "Who is Patient X?"

Before Nathan could reply his PAL beeped, "Captain, Admiral Noyce has just contacted us," O'Neill's voice came, "There's a news report he wants you to see."

Sharing a bemused look with Kristin Nathan shrugged, "Okay, patch it through to Dr Westphalen's lab."

They turned as the screen jumped to life.

"…police have found several files within Kincaid's offices after his arrest regarding the corruption charges," the reporter was saying, "It has also come to light in the past few hours that there is evidence proving Rosemary Kincaid's death was not an accident but arranged by Senator Kincaid."

"Oh my God," Nathan breathed unable to tear his eyes from the screen.

"In an even more bizarre twist to this story," the reporter continued, "Rumours have surfaced that Kincaid's step-daughter is still alive. As you will recall Sophie Kincaid was abducted over fifteen years ago and supposedly killed in the car accident that killed her abductor. But reports are coming now that it was a second girl who died."

Nathan switched off the feed and turned to Kristin urgently, "Do you have a sedative?"

"What?"

"A sedative," he said again, "We may need it."

Bemused Kristin nodded and retrieved a sedative, "Why?"

"Come on."

x

Nathan marched through the corridors towards Kate's quarters hoping he was right and she'd headed there. Hearing the crash he knew he was right and ran forward followed by a completely confused Kristin.

"Kate," he called opening the door, ducking as she threw a book at the wall.

She had tears streaming down her cheeks, repeating the same swear words over and over in between ranting short fragmented sentences.

"Close the door," Nathan told Kristin as he moved behind Kate catching her wrists and pulling her back to him.

"Kate," he tried to calm her down as she struggled.

"He took her from me," Kate babbled practically hyperventilating, "He actually took everything…I should have known…I should have…"

Nathan pulled her up onto her bunk trying to calm her. In the end he knew there was only one way to get through to her.

"Sophie," he whispered feeling her body becoming still, very aware of the stunned look on Kristin's face. Using Kate's real name was the only way to get through to her at times like this, something he'd learned trying to calm her when she'd had nightmares after she came to the island, "You're safe, Sophie. I promise."

Kate was still crying and there was a slight hitch to her breathing but the rant had stopped. She was resting against him her face pressed against his chest as he rocked her gently.

"Give her the sedative," Nathan said softly to Kristin.

Confusion in her eyes, Kristin injected the sedative into the young woman's arm before helping Nathan rest her on the bed properly.

"Nathan," Kate whispered.

Nathan rested his hand on her hair, "Yeah, kid?"

"I think my mother thought I was actually abducted," sadness filled her voice.

"I'm so sorry, Kate," he soothed, "Just get some rest. Okay?"

"Hmm…'k," she murmured as she slipped into unconsciousness.

x

Kristin followed Nathan out of the room where they left the young woman fast asleep. He led her to the ward room and closed the door before taking the seat across from her.

"I'm guessing you have a few questions," Nathan sighed.

"Just a few," Kristin replied, sarcasm filling her voice.

Nathan sighed once more, "Okay. Ask me."

Kristin sat in silence for several minutes before she spoke again, "I'm guessing she is not your niece."

"No," Nathan smiled slightly, "I actually met Kate over ten years ago. I'm not going to go into details about how we met that's something I won't reveal without her agreement."

"And from what I just witnessed," Kristin paused for a moment, "She's Sophie Kincaid."

"I only found that out after she came to the island," Nathan replied, "When she somehow managed to escape after being caught by Lewis Kincaid at her mother's funeral."

"Oh no," Kristin whispered before something clicked within her mind, "Is Kate Patient X?"

Nathan nodded, "Another little misadventure from when she was seventeen."

"I think I'm beginning to understand why you're so protective of her," Kristin noted.

Nathan shrugged, "She was abandoned by so many people in her life. I'm determined to make sure I never do."

Kate woke up feeling drained. She'd been in the mess with Miguel going over notes for Hitchcock's next quiz when the news has come through about her step-father. Slowly she stood telling Miguel something, she wasn't sure what she'd said before making it to her room. Once there she'd allowed herself to lose control.

Sitting up she pushed a hand through her hair before pulling it back out of her face. Taking a deep breath Kate left the safety of her room and started through the boat. Reaching the ward room she saw Nathan sitting there with Westphalen discussing a file.

"Hey, kid," Nathan moved to her and caught her in a tight hug, "How do you feel?"

Kate sighed softly not moving from his protection, "Tired. Sad and a little embarrassed. I really shouldn't have lost it like that."

"You had every reason to," Nathan soothed.

Kate looked at the woman sitting at the table, "I'm guessing you know who I am now?"

Kristin nodded.

"I ask that you never reveal it to anyone," Kate said softly, "Because as much as I would love to see Lewis Kincaid raked across hot coals for all he did, Sophie Kincaid died over fifteen years ago. The day Kate King was born."

"Kate King?" Kristin asked.

Nathan chuckled, "That would be the name she was using when I first met her."

"She died two years ago," Kate told her, "When Kate Foster was born. Did you show her the medical file?"

Nathan shook his head.

Kate shrugged, "She might need to see it."

"We have some good news," Nathan told her, "Dr Westphalen has solved the puzzle of Patient X."

"Of who Patient X is?" Kate asked, "Or how to cure them?"

Kristin smiled, "Both."

"Did he tell you how I became Patient X?" Kate glanced at Nathan who shook his head, "Well, I suppose I better let you know." She looked up at Nathan, "Any problems with this?"

Nathan shrugged, "I trust Kirstin, so it's your choice Kate."

Kate dropped her eyes for a moment before sighing and moving to the seat across from the other woman, "Okay, up until two years ago I was a thief." Kristin stayed silent and Kate smiled very slightly, "Not the reaction I was expecting."

"Well, obviously something happened that made Nathan trust you," Kristin replied evenly.

Kate chuckled, "Okay, the quick version. Kincaid gave me to Miller, I set fire to the truck and we crashed. He identified another girl who was wearing my locket despite knowing I was alive. I ran away from the social worker and tried to steal from a man called Harkens. Harkins took me in then he trained me to be a thief and a con artist. Two years ago Kincaid caught me when I went to try and retrieve the same locket. Nathan will show you the medical file of what happened but I managed to get to him and he took me in."

Kristin stared at her taking in everything before frowning confused, "How did you become Patient X?"

"About two years after I first met Nathan," Kate smiled slightly, "A story I will let him tell you, I was hired to bypass a security system for a man called Travis Mason. There was nothing unusual about that as it was one of my specialties. But when I found out what his 'cargo' was I couldn't help him."

Kristin waited as the young woman paused, anger in her eyes. She didn't want to interrupt completely caught up in the story.

"He was trafficking kids," Kate continued after a few moments, "And I couldn't let that happen. I went to Nathan to help them. Mason worked it out that I was the one who had betrayed him. He managed to grab me before the cops arrived to help the kids and injected me with the poison to make sure if somehow I did escape him, he always had a way to kill me."

"Kate…"

"Nathan led a team that found me," Kate turned to him and smiled, "I was close to the age Lucas is now and I was terrified. I asked him to stay with me when they sent me to the hospital. To my surprise, he did and so did Noyce thus becoming the only two people in my life I truly trust."

Kristin reached out and took Kate's hand, "Give me a sample of your blood and I'll make sure you never have to worry about him again."

"Nathan and Ford are the only people on board Seaquest who know my previous profession," Kate stated softly, "And Ford doesn't know my true identity. I am trusting you with my life, Dr because if Lewis Kincaid ever finds out where I am, he will kill me."

"I promise," Kristin said sincerely, "He will never get to you as long as I have something to say about it."

"Then you can have my blood."