A LOST fanfic: Taken care of

Chapter 13: Kindness and helping hands

Flashback: 4 months and 3 days ago...

"Kate! Don't you dare!"

Kate had always been a daredevil. Climbing trees had been exhilarating for her since she was small. If only she could reach the last papaya on the tree branch way above her head. But right now she was endangering not only her own life, but that of her baby as well.

"Get down on your knees Jack. I can stand on your shoulders and grab that papaya."

Jack wrapped a hand around Kate's wrist to stop her.

"No. I'm not letting you do that. You are five months pregnant. You want that papaya; I'll get it for you."

Jack never liked trees. Not since he'd fallen out of one as a boy and broken his right arm. But he'd do this for Kate. He loved her and he loved this baby. She'd been doing surprisingly well. He wasn't sure if the island was helping her or if it was the injections that Juliet was administering. Gulping Jack began to ascend the gigantic tree. Scrabbling at the branches, he found the Papaya and tossed it down to Kate. Losing his balance slightly, he grappled for a few branches and managed to regain his composure. The dizzying height of the tree made him see double for a minute. Taking in another lungful of air Jack started to descend from the tree. Reaching the bottom, he looked at Kate who was eating her papaya. After swallowing her second bite, she gave him a concerned look.

"You ok Jack?"

Wiping cold sweat from his forehead he nodded.

"I'm guessing you never fell out of a tree when you were a kid?"

Kate happily nodded her head.

"Nope. You have to know exactly where to step and which tree branches can hold your weight Jack. My dad when we used to go hunting when I was a kid taught me a lot about trees."

She was now picking up her pace and walking faster than he was. He had to jog to keep up with her.

"Hey! Would you slow down? What has gotten into you Kate? Where is this burst of energy coming from all of a sudden?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, she took the last of her Papaya and popped it into her mouth.

"My second wind I guess. I have a good feeling about this Jack. Somehow, the island is helping me. Helping us. I haven't felt faint or weak. You yourself said that my heart was healthy."

Jack nodded as he saw the tree line that was blocking the view of the beach. Beyond it, he could hear the waves crashing against the shore.

"Kate please don't misunderstand what I have to tell you. Something could still happen to you. Just because we haven't seen it yet, doesn't mean it won't. What we do know is that your heart is healthy, you haven't had any fainting spells or dizziness, and the baby is healthy."

Kate was a lot like Jack; in that respect, it was that she too didn't like to be pitied. As they emerged from the trees and onto the beach, she tried to hide her frustration.

"Jack please stop worrying about me. We are both fine."

Eyes squarely on hers Jack took both Kate's hands and held them in his own.

"This is a high risk pregnancy Kate. Anything can happen to you at any time. You need to take it easy. Stay off your feet as much as you can."

Kate was irritated. She didn't like being pitied or babied. She just wanted everyone to treat her like a normal person.

"I realize that Jack. But every time I turn a corner or trip on a rock doesn't mean I'm going to break. I'm not a china plate."

Jack sighed and was sure that his feelings towards her condition were justified. He gave a smile to Juliet who was down the beach a ways. He knew it was time for Kate's morning injection. Kate dreaded the gray case with the Dharma Initiative medical logo on it. Although smaller, Kate thought it resembled the silver case the guns were once locked in. Gripping his hand in a deathlike grip, Kate stopped in her tracks.

"I don't want any more injections Jack."

Tears unshed Kate looked away from Jack's sympathetic and loving gaze.

"Kate these injections are what's keeping you and the baby healthy. If Juliet were to stop administering them, you would get very sick. If she were to stop giving you the injections today, tomorrow you would be in a coma. This is very important Kate. I wish there was another way."

The unshed tears were threatening to come down her cheeks at any moment. Having now arrived inside their shelter Jack helped her lie back on their bed. The couple looked up as Juliet stood at the entrance.

"May I come in?"

Nodding Jack gave her permission and she put down the tarp in front of their 'door'. Setting the gray case down on the table beside the bed, she gave Kate's hand a small squeeze.

"I'll make this as quick as possible Kate. Jack?"

Juliet gestured towards Jack and he steeled himself. Just like the hundreds of times before over the last five months. Kate averted her eyes away from Juliet as she came towards her with a 30-gauge syringe and inside the carpule was a yellow liquid substance. She felt Jack's cool hands on her bare stomach and winced at his touch.

"Jack your hands are freezing."

He became apologetic and moved his hands lightly over her stomach to feel the position of the baby.

"The baby is positioned in the upper and lower left quadrants. Try the lower right quadrant."

Nodding in agreement Juliet inserted the long syringe into the lower half of Kate's stomach and did her best to concentrate.

"Shh. It'll be all done in a minute."

Kate bit her lip and reached for Jack's hand.

"But it hurts. It really hurts."

Once Juliet pulled the syringe out she placed a piece of gauze and put tape over it to stop the bleeding. She helped pull Kate's shirt down and turned her back towards the two to give them a moment. Jack pulled Kate into his embrace kissing her forehead and rocked her a little.

"I know it does and I'm sorry. I wish there was another way to do this."

Kate relaxed into Jack's arms and stayed there for a while. Yawning she peered up at Jack whose eyes held the deepest love she'd ever seen.

"Jack I'm tired."

One of the side effects of the daily injections twice a day was that it made Kate sleepy. A sympathetic smile crossed Jack's lips as he pulled a blanket over her.

"It's ok. Just close your eyes and rest. You did good. I'll be here when you wake up."

Shaking his head, he began whispering to Juliet who was placing everything back inside the gray case she'd brought with her.

"I hate seeing her cry like that. Isn't there anything we could give her to block the pain?"

Sighing Jack noticed Juliet looked more tired than normal. But then again she'd spent most of her time taking care of Kate.

"Nothing that wouldn't harm the baby. The best thing for her Jack is that you be there for her. She needs all your support right now. The six-month mark is coming up quickly and we may have to deal with the fact she might have an early labor. Claire would've died if I hadn't given her these same injections."

Jack held in his temper. He also felt guilty about what had been done to his sister.

"Could we leave my sister out of this conversation? We're talking about Kate here."

Kate was still comfortably nestled in Jack's arms. Juliet nodded and watched Kate breathe for a few seconds.

"She'll need to be monitored more closely from now on Jack. It's going to get harder before it'll get easier. We have to be prepared for anything."

But that's what Jack was worried about most. What if he lost Kate?

To Be Continued...