the kennedy's daughter

night shift

January 11, 1991

Washington D.C.

Kate opened her eyes to reveal her alarm clock, that read

6:57

there was absolutely no use in trying to fall back to sleep considering her alarm would go off in less than five minutes. Slowly she unhooked the tube feeds from her side of the bed, and stumbled through the halls, leading to Elizabeth's room. Kate tip-toed to her bedside and turned her pump on, so that when she was woke up at 8 she would be able to function enough to get to kindergarten. Liza was a pretty heavy sleeper, so as Kate picked her outfit and got her backpack ready she still hadn't moved a muscle when she looked back at the little girl.

The door clicked as she safely closed it behind her, she looked toward Jack Jr's room, but he wouldn't be up till at least 8:15. Therefore Kate walked down the stairs, turned the news on and started to work on a report that was due the next day.

After awhile she finished her sentence and closed the computer slowly walking back up the stairs, and into her room. She changed into something other than her pajamas, and just on time everyday Liza stormed into her room

"Mama!" She placed Elizabeth on her hip and carried her down stairs

Quickly she braided Liza's hair, and spent some quality time with her daughter intill she heard the screams of Jack upstairs

"Mama, Mama!" In which she would go grab Jack Jr and start making breakfast for her kids which of course consisted of instant oatmeal, Elizabeth's  favorite

Once the three where done, Kate secured her daughter's coat and walked out of the house with one child in hand and one on her hip.

Kisses where given as Liza was taken by her teacher into her classroom. Now it was just Jack and Kate at home for a little while, which honestly only consisted of early morning snuggles, running around like crazies, cartoons, and of course Jack's almost two naps a day.

Pick up was just as chaotic as always, Jack was fast asleep at home so it was just Kate and Elizabeth

"Mama?"

"Yea?" Kate said trying to make her way back onto the main highway

"Do you have to work tonight?" Elizabeth ask quietly, Kate always knew she would have to address this

"Yea Liza, I'm sorry" she said pulling off and turning to her oldest

"Hey but I pinky promise that I'll come and tuck you in tonight, okay?"

Pinky's where crossed, and the two got back on the road, Kate looked down at the car clock that shown

"2:44"

Liza was pretty content with her movie in the back, and Kate smiled as she fiddled with the clip on her pump.

"Hey sweet girl, what's wrong?" Kate asked looking back in her mirror onto her daughter

"It's too itchy, mom"

"Okay, we'll look at it when we get home"

Once the two walked into the house, Kate went upstairs to check on Jack, who wasn't awake yet. As she walked back down again, Liza stood with a red ring around the tube that meet her abdomen

"Oh my god Elizabeth, why didn't you tell me?!" She yelled rushing to Liza

To Kate it just looked like a rash, but as she applied the cream she realized how hot Elizabeth really was.

"Mommy, I don't feel good" Kate looked up at her daughter who just overall didn't look good, how she didn't notice the green look on her face already she had no idea

"Yea you definitely have a fever, here take this for me, it will make you feel better" Quickly Elizabeth swigged the Tylenol and Kate helped her get some pajamas

And for the next couple of hours Elizabeth just slept in the arms of her mother, Well intill Jack woke up.

Kate looked up at the clock on the wall as she tucked Elizabeth in on the couch

"5:22"

Yea she was definitely sick, there's absolutely no way she would sleep this long after school. As Liza slept downstairs Jack was given a bath and was feed dinner. Kate had just finished with her high ponytail when the doorbell rang, she yelled from upstairs to come in, forgetting her four year old was still fast asleep.

"Mama!" Elizabeth cried for her mother

Bobby and Ethel sat at the house at night with the kids till 3, when Kate came home. So when Liza started to scream Ethel tried to sooth her, but she still continued to scream for Kate. Quickly Kate covered base with her uncle

"Jack has had a bath and eaten, I think he's playing in his room, he'll be fine tonight. Liza's dinner is in the fridge, she's been asleep since 3:30, she's obviously sick, she's got a fever and a rash around where her tube enters, it may be a rocky night for her, but I promise I'll be back home as fast as possible"

"Kate, hunny we've dealt with 7 kids sick all at once, we've got this" Ethel spoke as Elizabeth fell asleep on her shoulder, looking toward her mother

Bobby placed a kiss on her forehead and out into the Washington night she went, as she drove into her spot at the hospital she looked down at her phone to see

"7:48"

And a message from Bobby,

"She's down for the night, Ethel's in there with her right now, I'm in with Jack, Goodnight Kiddo"

She stuffed her phone into her pocket, got her stethoscope from around her mirror and walked into the hospital for a normal, everyday night shift.

As Kate walked into the house at exactly

"3:21"

To hear a bath running upstairs, quickly she climbed the stairs to see Kate in the bath tube, Ethel washing her hair

"Throw up EVERYWHERE, of course I got the easy job, Bobby is throughly enjoying himself with her bed sheets and pajamas" Kate couldn't help but laugh

"I got it from here aunt Ethie, you two can go on home, we'll be fine for the rest of the night" she rinsed Elizabeth's hair and dried her off, putting fresh new pajamas on her

"Do you wanna sleep with momma tonight?"

Liza immediately shook her head yes rapidly

"Oh and Liza guess what?"

She slightly held her head up, because she was curious to what her mother had to say

"No school for you, I'll get Uncle Bobby to watch Jack, and me and you will have a nice day in bed how about that?"

"Mama you have to work though" she said as Liza climbed into bed beside her daughter

"Nope, not when your sick"

After she got hooked up to her feeds, she clicked the lamp off, as she laid on her mom's chest, she started to sing

"Somewhere over the rainbow"