AN: Sorry for the late update... I had to work a lot of night-shifts (as a paramedic in Germany) the past week and then celebrated my birthday on the week-end... So I did not really find the time to just relax and write...
But here it finally is... I hope the new chapter works for you. ;)

Chapter 4 – Good-bye

"Morning Katie." The familiar voice woke her.
She didn't dare to open her eyes, fully knowing who she'd see when she did so.
"I know you're awake, darling."
Kate sighed, opening her eyes, she pushed herself into a sitting position on the hospital bed.
"I'm not your darling." she stated.
The Marshal grinned at her. He was sitting in a wheelchair next to her bed, his head held up by his right arm.
"You know right after the crash, when they'd pulled me out of the van, I almost believed that you did this. That you miraculously had found a way to crash the van, just to escape."

"Yeah. Haven't I told you about my new superpowers?" Kate smirked, making sure he knew how much she despised him.
"Just so you know, Kate. I won't let you get away again. You try to run, I'm gonna shoot you. I've had enough of your games. I need this to be over. So you be a good girl and enjoy your all-inclusive-stay as long as it lasts. Won't be that comfy in prison." he finished as he turned to leave.
"Glad you're okay." she heard him yell in the hallway just before the door fell shut.

After breakfast Kate was moved to a regular trauma ward on the third floor.
Later that day she practiced walking with a physical therapist, wincing in pain now and then, but at least she wasn't bedbound anymore.

As the evening neared she could not help but feel a slight disappointment.
She hadn't seen Doctor Shephard all day. He'd been the only one who didn't act all cautious and mistrustful around her so far. And she liked his smile. And his eyes. Those beautiful dark eyes that seemed to look into the depths of her soul.
If only things were different... she'd ask him out for a coffee. Or to dinner. Something like that.
Kate laughed at her own thoughts when she pictured herself with him, walking down the beach on some distant island, holding hands. She hadn't felt that familiar tingling sensation in her tummy for a very long time. But here it was.
'Great timing. Never gonna happen' she thought, reminding herself that she'd screwed up every chance at a normal life the moment she had decided to blow up the house.

The sun had almost disappered completely when she heard a soft knock on the door, making her jump.
"You awake?" Jack Shephard smiled when he peeked through the crack in the door.
"Sure, come in." Kate sat up straighter, hastily running a hand through her hair.
"Sorry to bother you this late. I had to attend a funeral today. So I thought I'd check up on you on the way home." he sat down in the chair near the window and looked over to the brunette woman who suddenly seemed to be very nervous.
"Who died?" she asked, immediately regretting the question and expecting him to tell her it's none of her business.
"Uhm... my father died in Sydney last week. That's why I was on the flight, to bring him back." he answered truthfully, silently asking himself why he was telling this story to a complete stranger.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." Kate said, very interested in the ceiling fan all of a sudden.
"It's okay. It's not like you could use that information against me." the good looking doctor tried to joke.
Kate was silent for a moment before she decided to speak again.
"The Marshal came to see me today. Said if I try to run he's gonna shoot me this time."
Jack looked at her, seeing that she was on the verge of crying now. Before he knew what he was doing, he got up, walked to her side and then put his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.
There was an awkward silence between them as a few tears escaped Kate's eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Not knowing what to say he moved to pull away when Kate grabbed his arm, holding it in place.
"Thank you" she whispered, not daring to look up at the man next to her.
It was not just for the gesture, but for him being the way he was with her, for treating her like a human being and not just a fugitive.
After a long pause she finally let go of his arm, letting him take a few steps back.
He awkwardly cleared his throat and loosened his tie. It had suddenly become very warm in the room.
"Well. I think I should go home now, but I'm going to pay you a short visit before rounds in the morning." he almost stuttered, not looking her in the eye once.
He felt strangely insecure around her, a women he'd only known for a few days, but on the other hand it was so easy being around her, like they'd known each other for a lifetime.

Jack walked around her bed but stopped before arriving at the door.
"Are you gonna try?" he asked with his back turned towards her.
"Try what?" Kate asked, her voice barely loud enough for him to hear.
"To run..."
He heard her chuckle behind him and turned around to look at her.
"Why? You wanna help me?" she smiled, lightening the mood.
Jack smiled back at her. "Just wouldn't want you to get shot is all."
Seeing her grin like that made his heartrate speed up a notch.
"Uhm... so see you in the morning." was all he managed, opening the door behind him.
"Good night, doctor Shephard."
"It's Jack." he answered lightly, finally leaving her room.

That night Kate had a hard time falling asleep.
It seemed very unreal, meeting a person she found herself being drawn to so easily, especially given the circumstances of her being a criminal and his patient.
'It's Jack' she heard his voice again and again in her head until it finally lulled her into a deep slumber, knowing she would hear his voice again in the morning.

But it had all turned out very differently.
He didn't show up in the morning. Kate had been sent to get another CAT scan, they'd done more lab work and a quick physical before noon.
Jack wasn't there.
She told herself he probably had been called to some sort of emergency procedure, that he was saving a life and had no time for foolish chitchat. He was a doctor with a real life after all.

She thought it felt odd how the nurses and the young doctor who did her exam had behaved around her. Nervous and cautious.
And there had been an officer by her side at all times, watching her every move.
Kate knew something was up.

When she was brought back to her room there was a clean set of clothing lying on her bed, neatly folded, and the Marshal sitting in the armchair near the window.
"You have two hours to get cleaned up and have some lunch Katie. And then it's time to say bye-bye to your comfy stay at the Sebastien's Inn. You're gonna check out." he stated, never looking at her.
For a second Kate wanted to ask where they would take her, why today, but then she recognized the pile on her bed. A prison uniform.
She opened her mouth to say something, almost ready to beg the Marshal to not do this to her. Not yet. Not today.
Before the information had completely sunken in, the tall man was standing next to her, giving her a menacing look.
"Don't even think about it. I meant what I said. I'm not gonna play nice this time. Time to face the music, Katie. I'll be back in exactly 2 hours. Be ready."

After the Marshal had gone, after he'd left her standing in the small patients room she felt numb.
A nurse brought her food, but Kate wasn't hungry. She just sat there looking at her hands lying in her lap and decided to take a final long hot shower in privacy.

Two floors above, Jack sat in his office, staring at the surface of his desk.
An hour ago, his chief of surgery had paid him a visit, telling him that Miss Austen would be transferred to the medical ward in prison this afternoon and that he should start writing his report for the doctors there. He had cleared her to check out.
Jack had just nodded and watched the chief leave, fighting the urge to tell him they couldn't let her go just yet. That she needed to stay longer.
He needed to see her. Just one last time, he told himself. She was his patient after all.
His body was moving in an instant, completely on its own, hurriedly walking out of his office, down the long corridor towards the staircase.
It all had been a blur to Jack, only just coming to his senses as he was already knocking on Kate's door. The cop sitting next to it threw him a mischievous look.

Inside the room there was... no one.
Jack looked around. She couldn't have vanished could she? Then his eyes landed on her bed, on the pile of clothes and the distant sound of running water reached his ears, and then it had stopped.
Swallowing hard he turned around towards the adjoining bathroom door, his breathing a little bit quicker than normal.
'I should leave' he thought nervously, his mind imagining her behind that door in the steamy bathroom, wrapping a big soft towel around her small form.

"Jack?" she gave him a surprised smile when she stepped back into the room.
"Huh." he couldn't look at her, couldn't really come up with a complete sentence either, his eyes clearly avoiding her, his cheeks slightly flushed.
"Jack, you alright?" Kate said, making him turn to look at her.
"Sure." he finally managed after a long pause. The towel she was wearing was definitely shorter than the one he had imagined a minute ago.
"So... they're going to come and get me in half an hour." she walked around him while putting her hair together on her head.
Jack wanted to tell her he was sorry, that there wasn't really anything he could have done, but the words just wouldn't come out of his mouth.
"I know. My... my boss just told me a few minutes ago."
He watched her pick up the clothes from the bed, a few damp strands of hair hanging loosely into her face as she turned around towards him.
"I'm gonna have to get dressed... So I guess this is good-bye then." she smiled.
"Thanks for everything, Jack." Kate walked towards him, stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

It took a moment until Jack was finally able to from a clear thought in his head again.
He'd been rooted to the spot, not moving, probably not even breathing for a minute.
Though he could still feel the heat of her body against his, feel her lips on his cheek and smell that wonderful smell of her freshly shampooed hair, she'd already disappeared into the bathroom again.
It was that moment when he decided to just once, do the thing he felt was right, do what his heart told him, completely shutting out his brain, his fathers voice in his head that told him he'd regret what he was about to do for the rest of his life.