Jack did manage to convince her to call in sick.

He emerged nude from the bathroom and moved over to where Kate was waiting for him on the bed, he then noticed the small tray on her dresser. He walked over to it and lifted up the locket that he had given her for her birthday. He opened it and a small piece of paper fluttered to the floor. He bent down to pick it up and he saw that the scrap was a small picture of him, he remembered when it was taken, she had come to visit him in L.A. and they had just spent a happy day at the beach. He looked at the locket and saw the pictures of her brother and mother still in there, he couldn't help but wonder if she had kept his picture alongside theirs for all these years.

He turned to look at her curiously.

She offered a sheepish smile, "Can you put it on me?"

Jack crawled into bed, wrapped himself around Kate, clasping the chain around her neck before he encouraged her to lean back into his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder and absentmindedly caressed her bare breast, stroking it, molding it into the shape of his palm.

Kate was pensive, still mulling over a question that she had a difficult time forming, something that had been plaguing her mind. Her lips began to move, "Can I ask you something, Jack?" She finally had the courage to form the words.

"Of course," he answered before brushing his lips along the side of her neck.

She hesitated - again, but she needed to know. "Why didn't you marry Sarah?"

He took a deep breath, he should feel more guilty about it, but he gave an honest response, "She ended the engagement because I was in love with someone else." He gave her a little playful nudge and peppered her shoulder with a few light nibbles of his teeth.

He stopped, considering his words and added, "And I was just too stupid and stubborn to admit that truth to myself. So I just continued to plow on, like nothing was seriously wrong or missing from our relationship."

Kate was also afraid to ask this next question. As selfish as it sounded, she didn't want to think of herself as having been replaced in some way by Sarah and she knew she had no right to feel territorial. She was the one that left. Yet, a part of her needed to know, so she took a deep swallow to help her draw the strength to ask, "Did you love her?"

From behind her, she felt his chest contract under his heavy sigh and then his arm moved away and she could feel it moving up and down. She knew what he was doing - his Jack thing, rubbing the back of his head in consternation.

She waited another minute for him to respond, "Jack?"

"I don't know." Jack shifted nervously, swiped his hand across his jaw, "Now, when I think about it more, I probably needed her more than I loved her."

Kate's eyes raised in question to Jack's response. She shifted her body around so that she was now facing him and resting on her knees and calves. She placed her palms flat on his thighs and looked at him, urging him to meet her eyes. He blinked and a teary sheen formed. He was staring at her and he nodded, "And I know that sounds terrible."

A soft, sad 'No, Jack' uttered from her lips.

"I was lonely, Kate. For a long time." He silently recalled all those sleepless nights, hours sitting in Miles's studio, drunken episodes to numb himself, how he purposefully tried to drive her from his mind and heart by working his life away at the hospital. "I was holding onto you for all those years, hoping you would come back to me."

She eyed him sadly and her heart was filled with regret. Kate let her palm rest against the length of his cheek and offered an "I'm sorry."

He sighed, "There's no need to be, you're here with me now. You did come back to me." His thumbs found her cheeks, making small circles on them and he went in for a kiss. It was gentle, using soft lips, not the same ones that were infused with their earlier ardor. But he chose not to tell her how much he loathed himself during those years, how he had hated that he allowed Kate to somehow keep him under her thumb and from moving on. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her. Why she left him the way she did? Had she missed him as much as he did her? Had she been lonely too?

He brought his mind back to the present. There would be time to ask all these questions, but for now he just wanted to enjoy the feel of her against him.

By the time March had rolled around, Jack decided not to renew his lease for the apartment he had rented with Sarah. It always felt more like her home than his anyway. So he asked Kate to help him "house" hunt.

Jack followed Kate around the rooms of the vacant apartment while the real estate broker waited by the entrance as they inspected it. This was the third apartment they had looked at that day and Jack noticed that Kate seemed to have fixed ideas about certain things. Kate curiously looked around the space, "Don't you think that you should get a two bedroom place instead of one? So that Claire and your dad can have a room to stay in when they visit you?"

Jack came up behind her, circling his arms around her waist while they both looked out a window, "Or maybe what you're really thinking is ... that the second room can be used for a nursery some day?"

She drew away from his embrace so her eyes could look directly into his. "Be careful," Kate said shakily, "that sounded like you were asking me to move in with you."

He placed both his hands on her shoulders, his eyes scanning her face, "That's because I am."

Her answer was yes and he knew that without her having to say a word. He bent to kiss her forehead, tilting her face up with his fingers under her chin.

Her eyes became thoughtful, "I didn't know you wanted kids, Jack." It was one subject, perhaps the only one neither of them had ever broached. Perhaps because Kate knew how delicate his relationship was with his father. And Jack knew that Kate had a difficult time allowing herself to love because she was so fearful of losing people dear to her.

Jack shook his head and smiled in bewilderment. Until that moment, he didn't realize that he wanted them either.

Weeks passed and Kate was sitting on their sofa staring at the TV screen when Jack walked in. She couldn't help but notice a subtle change in him. He wore a small grin on his face as he moved across the room and sunk in the spot next to her. She peered her head to look at him, her eyebrows lifted in amusement waiting for him to spill the beans.

After a long minute, she broke down, "Are you just going to sit there smiling or are you going to tell me why you look so darn happy?"

He debated whether to tease her and drag it out, but he let his delight take over and tell her instead, "I was invited to join the surgery staff, effective next month and … because I'll then be eligible, the hospital is going to nominate me for the Young Neurosurgeons Award."

In her excitement, Kate released an uncharacteristic girlish squeal and threw her arms around his shoulders, "Oh my god, Jack! That's amazing. I'm so proud of you!" They hugged for a long time while laughing. She finally drew away so she could look at him again.

Jack's news swelled pride in her heart and their gazes locked with that familiar intensity. Their mouths suddenly became dry, as the air began to electrify between them. Their stares grew darker. She stood up, tossing her hair back, her legs now between his thighs as she reached for his hands. "I think I know exactly how we should celebrate. You've worked very hard and deserve some special recognition, Dr. Shephard," she said and winked.

Her words sent a familiar tickle of lust down to his groin, especially when she deliberately eyed him down there. Smiling, he accepted her hand and began to coax her towards their bedroom. He responded with a hint of his own mischief, "Let's celebrate then, because I also have to thank the person that inspires me the most."

Kate's phone began to ring and Jack released a frustrated groan. He quickly bent his head to kiss her half-open mouth, trying to cut her off from answering it. But Kate pried away from his warm lips and offered him an apologetic look instead.

She didn't recognize the '718' area code number, but picked it up nonetheless. It was the army base. Sam was in the hospital, he had a stroke.

The news made Kate's head bow with the panic she felt. Her father was like an extension of herself. She couldn't lose him.

Jack and Kate rushed to put their coats on and went downstairs to hail a cab and make their way to the Brooklyn hospital where her father was admitted. It seemed like an eternity before the canopy of the hospital emergency entrance loomed ahead. It was with all her self-restraint that Kate didn't jump out of the cab when it stopped at that final red light. Once inside, they were forced to sit down in the waiting room until Sam's physician cleared him for visitors. They sat holding hands with Kate leaning her head against Jack's shoulder crying. Jack did his best to console her while trying to speak to the attending and get the status of Sam's prognosis.

It wasn't until the next day they were allowed to see him. When they finally entered the room, they found Sam connected to tubes, unconscious and looking so frail. Kate cried out and ran to his bedside. "Daddy!"

Jack stood next to her and could only hear the harsh sounds of her sobs while he rubbed her lower back in an attempt to comfort her.

Kate visited the following day, and Sam was gratefully awake and alert, but weak. He had an ischemic stroke and would need medical treatment, but in the short term, his prognosis was good.

Kate was terrified.

Three days later, Jack came home from the hospital and stopped to stare in puzzlement at the stacks of cardboard moving boxes all about. Concern came over his face, but his suppressed anger was beginning to show, "Can you tell me what the hell's going on here, Kate?" He gritted his words out.

Kate simply stood in the middle of the living room motionless, feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of her life collapsing in on itself.

When she saw Jack's reaction, Kate hung her head and looked ashamed. When she finally started to explain, her voice was so low that Jack had to take a couple of steps forward and hone his ears to hear her.

"My dad is retiring next month and moving to Iowa -"

Jack rested his hands on his hips and nodded his head, "I know that Kate, we've already discussed your dad's plans -"

Falteringly, Kate told him, "But circumstances have changed now, Jack. Can't you see? After the stroke … I now have to go and be with him."

He could have almost stumbled over, "What? So that's it, Kate? Were you just going to pack up your things and leave? Without talking to me first and giving us a chance to figure this out together?"

His voice then grew quieter, a painful swallow almost kept his next words from coming out, "You know I would move to Iowa with you." Jack stood there, pale faced. He felt a sickening wave of deja vu. This wasn't happening … not again.

Kate reached a trembling hand out to him, but he abruptly jerked away to stare at her with hurt and astonished eyes. She took a step closer when Jack turned his back, his shoulders sagging, trying to hide his expression. Kate wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and draw him close to her. She could see that he was lost. She hadn't thought this through …. what was she doing?

For a long moment, they stood like that.

Yes, Kate knew Jack would go with her. But after his well-deserved recognition and invitation to join the surgical staff at the hospital, how could she even ask him?

"Jack, you can't leave the hospital now, not when you've received this distinction -"

He ran his hand over the back of his head in amazement that she would even go there. His voice dropped an octave, anger making his voice shake, "Don't even try that with me, Kate. You know as well as I do that this has little to do with my new position, this is about you."

Kate nodded mutely, her bottom lip trembling now.

Jack eyed her, then released a heavy exhale and a small sob tore through his throat. He needed to get out of the apartment, their apartment before Kate's presence forced him to say things that he could never take back.

He then gave her the strangest blank look, "I have to go. I'm supposed to meet Claire at the airport."

Kate gasped, she had completely forgotten. Claire was visiting and staying with them for a week. She watched him scoop his apartment keys off the dining table and leave.

Jack was a little late. He had been stuck in traffic on the Triborough bridge and Claire was already waiting for him at the Arrivals terminal. He immediately spotted his sister and walked briskly up to her, his face already wearing an apology, "Hey Claire. Sorry." He embraced her and then drew back so he could bend over to take her suitcase.

"No problem." Claire studied her brother's expression and knew something was up, "Why do I have a feeling there's trouble in paradise."

"It's nothing, Claire," Jack clipped, while rolling her luggage towards the automatic doors. They waited in silence on the Taxi queue. Claire could see that Jack looked stiff and tense. She recognized that look all too well and its potential source: only Christian, Kate or she could make him react like this and, thankfully, she had nothing to do with it this time.

Once they entered Manhattan, Claire directed the cabbie to take them to the W Hotel. Jack began to protest.

"Jack, I'm not staying with the two of you if you're in the middle of something. I'll stay at a hotel until you straighten it all out -"

There was no arguing with her, but Jack went inside with her to the check-in desk. Fortunately, there was a room available and Jack handed over his credit card.

Claire eyed him, "I'm a big girl, I can pay for my own room -"

He interrupted her easily, "No, you were supposed to be our guest."

"Very well then, but why don't you wait for me in the bar while I drop my luggage off. I'll be right down and we can talk."

Jack made his way from the lobby to a quiet part of the hotel lounge, he sat down and ordered a beer. He hated this. Hated that he allowed this to happen to himself again. Hated that his sister was here visiting and they were supposed to be having fun. He and Kate had adjusted their schedules, made plans and now Claire walked into a total shit storm. He took a deep gulp from the bottle, nearly downing half of it in one swig.

Claire found Jack sitting at a table at the far end and she couldn't help but notice two women at the bar checking him out. She smirked, her brother still had a way with the ladies. As she approached, he flashed an exhausted look and a weak smile.

She dropped into the soft upholstered club chair across from his, "So what's up Jack? Why do you look like you lost your best friend?"

Because I did, he answered in his mind.

Jack shook his head, not sure where to begin. He exhaled, "I told you about Kate's dad-"

Claire nodded, "Yes, you did. And you said that he was going to be fine and discharged soon…."

He decided to get straight to the point. "Kate wants to move to Iowa and be near him." He still couldn't believe that this was happening. He began to pinch the side of his forehead.

Claire nodded slowly, "Okay. So, how do you feel about that?"

"I would go with her in a heartbeat-"

Claire watched him, took a moment to ask, "So what's the problem then?"

"The problem is that she made up her mind without even talking to me, Claire. She's already started packing … before she even said anything. She was going to leave without me. What can that possibly say about how she feels about our relationship … about me?"

Claire shook her head, "Please don't read too much into this."

He laughed harshly, his teeth cutting across his face as he shook his head with incredulity, "Don't read too much into this? Are you fucking kidding? Did you just hear what I told you?"

"Yes, I did. And this is Kate, you know that. She is terrified of losing people that she loves, so much so that she is willing to push them out of her life before they can be taken away from her. She's just reacting right now to her father's near death. Give her a chance -"

"She's packing her belongings -"

"Again, so what? You just said you would go with her. Granted, Kate's delivery sucks and can use some work. But this doesn't change how you feel about each other -"

"Okay, so what if I go Claire? What's stopping her from down the road, three kids later, waking up one morning and leaving? What if she's broken and beyond repair?"

"Everyone is a flight risk, Jack … well, except you. And that's why you're perfect for her. Life offers no guarantees, nobody knows that as well as you and I." Claire then paused, his previous sentence fully registering now, "Wait a second, I didn't know you wanted kids, Jack."

Exasperated and with a hint of irritation he answered, "Why the hell does everyone think I don't want kids?"

Claire gave him a look, the one that read: Are you serious? After all the Christian, Jack alpha drama she had to grow up with, she couldn't believe he was actually saying this to her.

Claire huffed, "I don't know who you think you're fooling with that question."

Claire always found a kindred spirit in Kate, they both lost their mothers when they were young, both uprooted from the lives they knew. Granted, Claire didn't understand why Kate chose to handle certain things the way she did, but she wouldn't judge her. Kate's pain was real. But she also knew that Kate's love for Jack was real, as was his for her. She had seen proof of it.

Jack was quiet, almost resigned to the inevitable heartbreak that was looming.

Claire placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Jack, please go back home. Talk to her. You'll see."

Kate released a whimper when Jack left the apartment. She sat for a long time before looking at her watch, she would have to leave now to make her father's visiting hours.

Sam offered a tired smile when he saw Kate enter the room and then promptly place a kiss on his cheek. She took the chair beside his bed and immediately began to talk, "I spoke to your doctor and it's good news, you'll be ready for discharge tomorrow." She gave her father's hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze before continuing, "I need a month or so to plan out the move, but I'll be in Des Moines with you as soon as I can -"

Sam's eyes widened, "What are you talking about? You're not moving." He shook his head at this absurdity. It was time to stop this. He refused to let Kate put her life on the back burner for him anymore.

Kate felt stunned by his comment, as if she hadn't heard him properly, "Of course I am! I always go where you go Daddy."

"Not this time, sweetheart." Sam's voice was soft, but firm.

"But, you almost died! You need me." Kate wanted to scream at him, to make him understand what he put her through the last few days. Couldn't he understand that he was all the family she had left?

Sam was watching his daughter, the way her eyes darkened in terror. It was all too familiar, that look. But, he wasn't going to allow this to happen, no matter how much Kate thought that he needed her to come with him. Sam needed Kate to stay here. "What about Jack, Katie?"

A tiny whimper bubbled in her throat thinking about their prior heated exchange, "He would have probably followed me to Iowa if that was what I wanted -"

Sam firmly shook his head, "No. Jack doesn't belong there. Neither do you. You should stay here and be together -"

Kate dropped her head, her voice faltering, "I can't ... it's already too late, there's nothing left for me here now. I already blew it."

Sam's eyes dipped seeing the pink in her face, the childlike sound of her pain. She was his little girl, she always would be, there was no doubt in that. He took a deep breath and sighed, "You know Katie, I never told you this before, but during your final semester in college, Jack called me. He was visiting you in New York and had asked to come to Brooklyn so he could talk to me in person -"

"What? Jack called you?" Her eyes were wide and disbelieving.

There was a careful tone in his voice, "That's right. He said that there was something important he wanted to ask me about, that he needed my permission, he needed to show me something. The thing is, he never got around to paying me that visit. He called me a day later, to apologize, he sounded sad."

Kate listened with a teetering feeling inside her that made her look away, exhale and lean into her chair, "I don't understand -"

"Katie, isn't it obvious? Jack wanted to ask for my permission to propose to you-"

Kate covered her mouth. How could Daddy have never told her this? How has Jack never told her this?

Kate was rocked by this revelation, she jumped from her chair and began to pace the small patch of floor, "Daddy, why did you wait to tell me this now?"

"Because you had broken up with him. And it was for Jack to tell you, not me."

"But you're telling me now."

"Oh, Katie. Don't you think it's time, honey? To let go … to move on? Henry … the accident, that was never your fault. I know you blame yourself. But it's finally time for you to forgive and stop punishing yourself ... my little girl."

Sam sighed and urged her to lean over so he could cup each side of her face. In the most convincing voice he could muster, he said, "Let Jack love you. And love him back. It's what Henry and Mommy would have wanted for you. That's all I want."

"But … I can't leave you alone, Daddy."

"Hey, who says I'm alone?" He released a little grin, "As a matter of fact there is someone in my life, someone I want to introduce you to, but you've been so damn busy, I haven't had the chance. But none of that changes the fact that I wouldn't let you follow me. Not this time Katie. You've spent too many years as my little Army brat. It's time for you to finally stay put."

That evening, Kate found Jack sitting on the edge of their bed, his shoulders slouched, eyes red and swollen. He looked miserable and she knew he had been sitting like that for a very long time. He touched her soul then, even in his despair he was heartbreakingly beautiful. Kate felt sick for him, he was her love. And then something stirred deep in her, and her fear went away.

She came to him at last, and sat on the bed beside him. He turned to her, an air of helplessness tainted his dry voice, "Kate, baby. I can't fix you." Jack's sad resignation caused his tears to shed now, and Kate knew their source … because there was nothing she wanted more for herself than to be fixed and in turn fix them.

Kate took a shuddering breath, "I know … and it's not your job to, Jack. It never was."

"I'm afraid, Kate." And he was, he didn't want to lose her. "But there's one thing I know and that is I love you and I have to be with you. I will go to Iowa with you, I'll follow you to Africa, … to Mars even." He was trying to not to collapse here, searching for any humor he could find in this situation.

"You're not following me to Iowa, Jack." Kate then looked at Jack for a reaction. And it was of one of alarm, the look on his face told her that. She wanted to protect him.

She gently placed her hand on his chest, "Because … I'm not going to Iowa …."

His eyes lifted in confusion. He didn't understand. Kate took his face into her palms and released a hopeful smile, "But there's a catch, Jack." Jack's eyes widened a bit. He had no idea what was going on here.

Kate smiled, "Because I only want to stay here if one particularly stubborn neurosurgeon will agree to marry another even more stubborn one." She paused, looking down again, then she caught his hands, held them tightly as she looked into his eyes, "Will you marry me, Jack?"

Jack's lower lip twitched slightly and he studied her face and found the truth there and he knew in that moment that nothing in his life felt so right.

He released a tiny chuckle, "Isn't it supposed to be me popping the question?"

She managed to laugh, shaking her head. "Shut up Jack." It's supposed to be me, can't you see Jack? It always was.

And Jack finally understood, Kate was the one that needed to fix this … herself. He nodded slowly, rubbing at the tear that was sneaking its way down his cheek.

Kate huffed, tears running onto her lips, "Well, are you gonna keep me hanging here?"

"You never had to ask. Of course. I've loved you since the day l first laid my eyes on you." Jack then drew her into his chest and Kate rested her cheek against his collarbone, smiling. And she knew for certain: This was the way it was supposed to always be.

Three days later, Kate and Jack exchanged vows in City Hall, with Claire, Christian, Sam (accompanied by the mystery woman Angelina), Marc, Juliet and James to support them. Kate wore the engagement ring, her ring, the one that Jack held onto for some unexplainable reason, a gesture that he soon came to believe was a sign. And Jack did not believe in signs.

They all celebrated the occasion with a luncheon afterwards at a restaurant in the West Village. Maybe all those years (about ten to be exact) had mellowed Christian out, but, when the day finally came, he was nothing short of thrilled for his son. Perhaps because he saw that Jack was happiest when he was with Kate. Perhaps because he also knew that Kate was a good person, no a great woman - perhaps because Kate was a perfect match for his son.

Jack came out of the bathroom and looked at Kate queerly. Smiling, a little bashful, he said, "I know that there are studies that have shown married couples begin to look alike, but I didn't expect it to start happening within twenty-four hours." Kate quirked her brow, but caught his meaning as her eyes drifted to their clothing. They were dressed alike, it was unintentional, he was wearing a light blue chambray shirt with dark blue jeans and she was wearing a small, fitted denim jacket and matching bottoms.

Kate giggled, looking at his heavily stubbled chin, "Well, thankfully, I haven't developed your facial scruff - I'm hoping that's at least a few years down the road. But seriously, I can change if you want, Jack."

Jack's eyes crinkled, "Nah, let's just take that walk on the beach."

She approached him, rested her hands on his hips and stood tip-toe to brush a kiss across his soft mouth. They drew apart, each wearing a matching impish grin. Jack then watched Kate begin the task of rolling up the sleeves of his casual shirt.

She caught his curious look and began to explain herself, "I love seeing your tattoos, they are so sexy and make me all …. grrrrrrrr…."

He drew his chin back and his eyes sparkled as he played with the two-way zipper at the waist of her jacket, "Well in that case, by all means."

They had decided to spend their "honeymoon" at a bed and breakfast in Nantucket. It would be only for four days though, because they were both on-call the following week. But they both agreed to plan a proper trip to Europe, some time during the summer to really celebrate. It was still early May and off-season for this usually popular New England vacation destination. But they enjoyed having the beach much to themselves.

Carrying their shoes and with the cuffs of their jeans rolled up, they walked along the edge, feeling the ice cold Atlantic water crash against their feet. It was sunny and uncharacteristically warm for that time of year, but the ocean breeze cooled them and the spray of misty air made their clothing and hair damp.

They strolled for a while and Kate stopped to sit down and watch the back of his figure staring out, Jack's perfect form cutting the straight line of the ocean. She then sighed and laid her head back, feeling the grainy heat beneath.

A sneak of a shadow swept across her face and Kate opened her eyes to see him standing above her, grinning. Jack crouched down and placed an upside down kiss on her lips. He then shifted around so he was lying on the beach next to her, his bare feet facing north, hers south. He pillowed his right forearm beneath his head and turned to face her. The bright sun rays made him squint, but he watched Kate's delicate profile staring straight above, a faint smile of serenity creased her lips. He briefly pondered over what could be occupying her thoughts.

Gazing up at the nearly cloudless sky, Kate wondered if Mommy and Henry could see her now with Jack, two tiny blue specks in the long expanse of golden sand. She hoped that they knew how much she loved them, how she thought about them every single day and whether they could feel her sense of pure contentment and …if they could finally see her whole … and complete. Unconsciously, her right hand rested on the little sliver of her bare abdomen, enjoying this indescribable sensation of fullness, peace and bliss.

At this moment, Jack and Kate never could have imagined the big surprise awaiting them a few weeks later. A baby would be on the way, one that would be loved and cherished. And, of all people, it was Christian that broke down with tears of joy upon hearing the news. And, oh yes, it was an inconvenient time in their careers to become new parents, very inconvenient. But timing was never their thing and why would it be different for them now? Because they were married? Never. And, yet, at the end of the day they wouldn't have it any other way.

Kate turned to face Jack and he gave her that smile, the one that was so distinctly his. That smile, the one that belonged only to her. She saw it in his eyes. He was happy. She was happy. They were happy.

Then there was nothing but the sound of the gentle waves and the faintest clink of their wedding bands bumping as they reached out to hold hands. Like two objects colliding, but instead now bound together.

The End

A/N: I did it! And finished it under one year, no less! I so badly want to acknowledge every person individually who has supported me throughout this story, my first story. But I am so afraid that I will inadvertently overlook someone and I don't want to do that. Thank you for sticking with me through all the drama ;) You all know who you are and thank you, thank you. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I hope that the ending was okay, not corny and you can see the final image I was trying to recreate here.

***And to those of you that have made it through to the end, I'd love to know what you think. Please review or PM and let me know if the ending was satisfying or not. That way I can seek to improve my other stories. ***

And if the reader interest is there and I can come up with something worthwhile, I may even write an epilogue down the road. And now that I am done here. I will focus on the other two stories and hopefully start a "canon" Jack and Kate story that has been occupying my mind for a long time.

P.S. To Frida (ahlliiis), I had ZERO intention of including a baby in this story (ask Erica), but at the last minute I changed my mind for you!

P.P.S - In response to H's review. I actually wrote a small scene for Jack and Kate's work situation, but I didn't like the way it flowed with the story. But here is the "outtake":

They made a mutual decision to wait until Christmas to make their relationship "public." Jack wanted to spare Sarah's feelings and not let her get word that he was already involved with Kate so soon after their break up and he also figured that the news would just fall flat within the hospital gossip pool - people would be too preoccupied with the holidays to even notice. Dr. McAdams was a little apprehensive though, feeling that their reporting line was delicate. But, more importantly, McAdams was aware that they were talented physicians and wanted to keep them on staff. So he interviewed Jack and Kate separately, had the hospital's General Counsel and Human Resources director sit with each of them separately to review hospital policies. And, of course, Jack would be precluded from participating in any future performance evaluations for Kate.