Baby of Mine - For Jack

[new_ophelia]

She really hadn't taken the test seriously. Not deep down. Or, at least not the possibility of any other result than negative. Because it was ridiculous. Kate couldn't be pregnant. Kate could not be pregnant with a baby. That she would then be expected to raise and become a mother to. That was just ridiculous but there it was and as she stumbles

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[jack_crew]

Jack's stretched out on the beach, a t-shirt over his face, keeping his cheeks from burning, but he's shirtless and dressed in only a pair of shorts. It's comfortable and he's content and a little bit sleepy, glad that he has the day off from the building crew, even if he doesn't really need it.

Kate's supposed to be meeting him here sometime, so he's just relaxing and waiting, feeling pretty good. It's hard to feel anything but good when the sun is warming his chest and legs.

[new_ophelia]

"Hey," she breathes, stumbling through the sand. Her hand resting against her belly is shaking and she's only just holding a panic attack at bay. "Jack."

[jack_crew]

"Kate?" he asks, lifting the shirt off his face when he hears her. There's obviously something wrong, because she never sounds like that unless something bad has happened and he lifts up immediately. "What is it? What happened?"

[new_ophelia]

"I went to the doctor," she says, kneeling down next to him. "And I wasn't trying to keep it from you because I just really didn't think I was but I've been sick and I thought I should take care of it."

[jack_crew]

"What are you talking about?" Jack asks, looking really worried now. He'd thought she was feeling better, but now she's telling him she's been to the doctor and she looks like she's ready to pass out. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

[new_ophelia]

"I'm pregnant," she blurts out. "With a baby." She holds her breath and waits for a reaction, hand still flat against her belly.

[jack_crew]

Jack blinks a few times, his hands falling to his lap as he stares at Kate. That certainly wasn't what he'd been expecting to hear and so he just stares, his lips parted in surprise as he tries to think of something to say. She's pregnant.

With a baby.

"What?" he finally manages.

[new_ophelia]

"I'm pregnant, Jack," she says, voice rising a little hysterically. "We're having a baby and I'm freaking out."

[jack_crew]

Again, Jack isn't quite sure what he's hearing, there's a rushing sound in his ears and he wonders for a second if he's going to pass out or something ridiculous like that. "Holy shit," he breathes, blinking down at the sand.

[new_ophelia]

Kate immediately starts to tear up at that. Jack sure as hell isn't taking this any better than she is. She might also be hormonal. "Are you upset?" she asks, voice shaking.

[jack_crew]

"What?" Jack asks, before he rubs his hands over his face, looking over at Kate. "You just... told me something kinda huge. I need a second."

He needs more than just a second.

[new_ophelia]

"Okay," she says, sitting back in the sand as she stares warily back at him. She can't stop touching her stomach. "I'm sorry, I know I should have said that better but it just came out."

[jack_crew]

"No," Jack says, because it's not that. He thinks he'd probably need a second no matter how she'd said it and he rubs his face again, trying to figure out what to say. "So... really? You're really pregnant?"

[new_ophelia]

Kate nods and grabs his hand, resting it against her belly. "I missed two periods. I should have known. And it's...it's still flat but that feels different," she says, dragging his hand down the slight outward curve.

[jack_crew]

For a moment, Jack almost takes his hand back, but he wants this. Maybe not right this second and maybe he's a little caught off guard by the whole thing, but it's something he wants.

"Holy shit," he says again, closing his eyes for a moment, rubbing his forehead with his free hand.

[new_ophelia]

She grips his hand tighter, pressing against what she knows is in there. He doesn't look happy. She knew he'd be shocked and God knows that a happy expression still hasn't crossed her face but she hoped that he would just make all of it better. Maybe skip that whole shocked phase. "You look upset," she says, blinking tears out of her eyes again.