Jack and Kate were never on an island in the south pacific and Kate was never a fugitive. Jack is still a doctor and Kate is still Kate, just under different circumstances.

Jack Shephard arrived at his hotel a little tired from the drive, but he preferred spending five hours in his car over the hassle of trying to fly in and out of LAX. The drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco was relaxing for him, five hours of peace and tranquility not something he was allowed to enjoy very often. He was off duty and of no benefit to his patients so he turned his pager and his cell phone off, connected his IPOD to his car stereo and made the five hour drive, stopping a couple of times for coffee and using the rest of the time to allow his mind to relax.

He hated medical conventions and usually did everything he could to avoid them, but he was being honored this year, his work being discussed and he would be expected to speak in front of an audience of medical students and then speak again when receiving his award, the recognition he deserved, but had never really strived to achieve. Christian Shephard had spent the last three months preparing for this moment, the moment he'd realistically been grooming Jack for since birth and it was the first time in his life Jack felt like he'd finally won his father's approval, but had stopped caring about having it a long time ago. Jack wasn't nearly as excited about the next four days as his father was, which had become a source of contention between them, but Jack just shrugged it off as he and his father were typically at odds over something so this was nothing new.

Jack tossed his luggage into the corner of the room and walked toward the mini-bar. He found the small bottles of tequila and quickly drained two of them before sitting on the foot of the bed and laying back. He woke up two hours later to the sound of someone knocking on his door. He looked at his watch and walked toward the door. He pulled the door open hard, irritated and ready for battle.

"Look dad, I don't…….." Jack snapped and then stopped when he realized it wasn't his father, but a woman he'd never seen before.

"Can I help you?" Jack asked evening his tone out and taking notice of how attractive the woman was.

"Hi Jack. My name is Kate Austen. I'm your companion for the next few days." The woman told him, making him smirk.

"Of course you are." Jack laughed.

"No, seriously, I am." Kate told him.

"Is this a joke?" Jack asked.

"No Jack. Your father hired me to accompany you to your luncheons and dinners. He said it would be inappropriate for you to show up without a date on your arm." Kate told him.

"My dad got me a prostitute?" Jack asked shaking his head.

"I'm not a prostitute Jack. Sex is not part of the deal." Kate told him.

"So I'm supposed to wine and dine you and I get nothing in return?" Jack asked sarcastically.

"Well, you get my company and I'm a lot of fun." Kate joked hoping to ease the tension between them.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are, but I'm not interested in an escort, especially one that doesn't put out." Jack spat back at her, his tone hateful, not finding the situation the least bit appealing or amusing.

"Please Jack. I really need the money he's going to pay me for doing this." Kate pleaded.

"You go back and tell my father I'm not so pathetic he has to pay women to go out with me." Jack told her his eyes cold and steely, angry, but not with her.

"I don't think you're pathetic. If you ever would've asked me out before this, I would've gone out with you." Kate told him.

"I'm sorry, do I know you? Have we met some place where I would've had the opportunity to ask you out?" Jack asked.

"I work in the restaurant your father likes to spend his lunch hour in. I've seen you there with him a few times. You're a big tipper." Kate smiled.

Jack's anger was replaced with a look of confusion. He rubbed his hand over his head as he tried to make sense of what exactly was being proposed to him. He had a pounding headache and was starving.

"Look, what was your name, Kate?" Jack asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Look Kate, I'm sure you're a very nice person, but I'm not in the mood for company so how about I just double whatever my father offered you and you can go back to LA." Jack offered in a tired, defeated tone.

Jack wasn't sure what he expected her to say or do, but he didn't expect for her to start crying over his offer. He was immediately uncomfortable and pulled her into his room, shutting the door and leading her to the bed. He sat her down and offered her the box of tissues that was on the desk.

"You and your father are a couple of real assholes you know that?" Kate accused through her tears.

"You agree to come to a strange city and be a four-day companion for some guy you don't even know and you're going to get emotional and offended now?" Jack asked as he leaned on the desk, arms folded over his chest.

"You're not that big of a mystery Dr. Shephard. We both spend a lot of time at the hospital. I've seen you with patients and with the nurses. You aren't the prick you're pretending to be so why don't you just knock it off." Kate snapped.

"You hang out in hospitals Kate? So are you looking for a husband or do you just have some weird perversion that involves sick people?" Jack asked hatefully.

"No Jack, I have a four year old son that spends more time in hospitals than out." Kate told him, taking note of the instant change in his body language.

"You're right, I'm an asshole. What's wrong with your son?" Jack asked.

"Stage 4 Neuroblastoma." Kate answered and broke down again.

Jack sighed heavily and sat beside her. He thought about trying to comfort her, but it was too awkward. Ten minutes ago he didn't even know she existed and now she was sitting in his hotel room telling him she has a young child with a terminal illness.

"I'm sorry Kate." Was all he could manage.

"Don't be. I don't need your god damn pity! When you offered me more money to go away I suddenly realized how low I've sunk. God I must seem pathetic to you." Kate cried, shoving at him until he moved a respectable distance away from her.

"How is he doing, your son?" Jack asked.

"You're a doctor, how do you think he's doing?" Kate shot back.

"Is it the medical bills? Is that why you agreed to do this, because you need money to pay his bills?" Jack asked.

"No, I'm doing this because my little boy is going to die Jack and all he wants in the whole world is to see snow. I'm doing this so I can take him skiing." Kate said.

"What about Make-A-Wish?" Jack asked trying to be as delicate as possible.

"He's feeling good right now Jack. I want to do this while he can enjoy it. Make-A-Wish does the best that they can, but they can't guarantee anything." Kate told him.

"Did my father know about any of this?" Jack asked.

"No. He just talks to me sometimes when he comes in and somehow you and this event came up and one thing led to another and I agreed to do it." Kate said.

"Don't worry about it Kate. I'll make sure he pays you what he said he would and you don't have to spend the next four days stuck with me." Jack told her.

"You say that like it would be a bad thing." Kate said.

"It would be. I'm really not very good company right now. Besides, wouldn't you rather be with your son?" Jack asked.

"Can I be perfectly honest and you promise not to judge me?" Kate asked.

"Yes." Jack said.

"TJ, that's my son, was diagnosed when he was 18 months old. His father has never been a part of his life so it's always just been the two of us. I've spent every day since he was diagnosed caring for him, sitting in hospitals, cleaning up vomit, trying to soothe him even when nothing could and he's good right now, he's with some friends and he's happy and relatively pain free. The idea of escaping my life for four days is very appealing. Regardless of what kind of company you are Jack, you're a far sight better than anything I've known for a really long time." Kate explained.

"Kate, this isn't fair." Jack argued.

"Oh Jack don't talk to me about fair. What's the matter, am I so repulsive to you that you can't stand the idea of having dinner with me?" Kate asked.

"Trust me Kate, you are anything but repulsive, you're easily the most beautiful woman I've laid eyes on in a long time, maybe ever." Jack admitted.

"So what's the problem?" Kate asked.

"You've got this really tragic situation in your life and I'm supposed to pretend it's not there? Am I supposed to treat you like I would treat any other woman I take out on a date?" He asked.

"Oh please do, especially if that treatment includes food and having doors opened for me. I haven't been on a date in years." Kate teased making him smile.

"Okay, we'll do this, but I have conditions." Jack said.

"Let's hear it." Kate said.

"You will definitely hold my father to this deal he's made with you and if you don't find my company unbearable you have to go out with me when we get home, just because you want to, not because you're being paid to." He told her.

"How do you know you'll still want to go out with me?" Kate asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Jack asked and smiled at her again.

"Because of my tragic situation. A bald toddler who doesn't always have the energy to walk himself to the bathroom and has to be fed through a tube in his stomach can be hard to deal with, so how about you and I enjoy the next four days and then see how it goes." Kate offered.

"I doubt there's anything going on with your son that I couldn't deal with, but okay, we'll just see how it goes. I guess I should start by feeding you. Do you want the full blown, fancy 5-star treatment or would you rather start with something a little more casual?" Jack asked.

"Mmm, nothing overly formal, but I have this great dress I'm dying to wear so something in-between five stars and the local diner would be nice." Kate answered making him chuckle.

"I think I know just the place. I need to grab a shower. Can you give me about 30 minutes?" Jack asked.

"Sounds good, I'm three doors down in room 5226, just knock when you're ready." Kate told him as she slid off the bed and walked toward the door.

Jack watched her exit the room and laughed lightly at the absurdity of what had just taken place. His father actually found some poor woman that was down on her luck and paid her to be his date. She was a beautiful woman he couldn't deny that, but he'd just ended a relationship with a woman he'd been with for over a year and it had ended badly, so badly the last thing he wanted to do was jump into another relationship. He just wanted to prowl around and enjoy mindless sex with mindless bimbos for awhile, which was how he was hoping to spend his first evening in San Francisco, but Kate wasn't a mindless bimbo and using a single mother with a terminally ill child for mindless sex wasn't an option for him. He could be an ass, but never that big of an ass. He stripped his clothes off and turned on the shower. He stopped in front of the mirror and took a long, hard look at himself.

"You aren't going to get laid tonight Jack, but you will get to enjoy the company of someone with a brain who could probably use a friend so behave and keep it in your pants." Jack preached to the reflection.

Jack showered, shaved and dressed in dark slacks and a dark colored dress shirt. He looked at his ties, shook his head and left the collar open. He shoved his wallet into his pocket and exited his room. He made the short walk to Kate's room and knocked on the door. She opened the door dressed in a green dress that wasn't overly tight, but fit perfectly to every curve, the bottom of the dress hitting about two inches above her knees, the two inch straps over her shoulders allowing it to hang perfectly, her upper chest and he assumed her back completely exposed. He stared until Kate snapped him out of it by giggling at him.

"You look great." He complimented.

"Thank you. You clean up pretty nice yourself." She told him.

They sat in the crowded restaurant sipping wine and sharing an appetizer. They were an attractive couple and turned heads when they entered the restaurant. Having been seated in the middle of one of the crowded dining rooms allowed for the other patrons to continue to steal glances at them.

"Do I have snot hanging out of my nose or something?" Kate asked in a flustered tone, making him choke on his wine as he tried to stifle his laughter.

"No, why is something wrong?" Jack asked.

"Why do people keep staring at us?" Kate asked.

"Because you're so beautiful and they're wondering how I got lucky enough to be with you." Jack answered sweetly.

"Please Jack, you're gorgeous and don't pretend you don't know that." Kate said and rolled her eyes.

"I'm only that full of myself when I'm looking for a hook-up that doesn't matter." Jack told her.

"Is that your way of telling me I'm not going to have to turn down unwanted sexual advances later?" Kate teased making him smile.

"Scouts honor." Jack said.

"You're assuming of course it would be unwanted." Kate told him and excused herself to the ladies room.

Jack tried not to read too much into the comment as he watched her walk away, taking note of how incredibly hot she was in that dress.

They were half way through their meal and on their second bottle of wine, both of them comfortable with the other and Jack happy they'd walked the two blocks to the restaurant. He'd need the walk back to clear the naughty thoughts from his head.

"So tell me Jack, why is a successful, good looking doctor dateless for his own ceremony?" Kate asked.

"No reason." Jack lied.

"Come on Jack, there has to be some reason why you're not married or at least in a relationship. Are you gay?" Kate pushed.

"I'm not gay Kate. I'm taking a sabbatical from women that want commitment. I just screw up relationships. I can't seem to be what women want and need me to be." Jack answered.

"Why would a woman want you to be anything other than what you are?" Kate asked.

"Good question." Jack chuckled.

"Seriously Jack, you're a great guy as far as I can tell so I don't get it. Do you have some dark side that comes out later?" Kate asked.

"I'm in love with my work and the women in my life can't handle that particular mistress because she comes first quite a bit of the time." Jack explained.

"Maybe that's just because you haven't met a woman yet that makes you want to put your mistress second." Kate said and winked at him.

"That's possible I guess, but I think that most of the women I've been involved with go into the relationship with that in mind, thinking they can make me forget how much I love my work and that's why it always ends so badly." Jack said.

"So you really love medicine more than the love of woman, more than the idea of a family, more than the idea of a small replica of yourself waiting eagerly for you to come through the door in the evenings?" Kate asked.

"I guess so or maybe it's like you said and I've not run across anything yet that makes me want to make my profession come in second. I'm really not good boyfriend material Kate, trust me." Jack sighed.

"So you've given up? That's sad Jack." Kate said.

"What about you Kate? How come someone so beautiful and easy to get along with isn't married or at least in a serious relationship?" Jack asked.

"I'm gay." Kate said in a serious tone and then finally allowed a big grin to spread across her face.

"That would be kind of hot if it were true." Jack teased.

"I dated a couple of guys after TJ was born, but I fell in love with my little boy and would rather spend my time with him. After he got sick, I never had time for a social life. I work and I take care of him." Kate answered.

"I'm sorry, that was an insensitive question." Jack apologized.

"No it wasn't. I'm 28 and crave a love life as much as anyone else. I guess maybe I've not run across a man I find interesting enough to date, interesting enough to pull me away from TJ for a few hours." Kate said.

"Hopefully you will." Jack said and looked back down at his food.

"I think I already have." Kate said.

Jack didn't respond. He stirred his fork through his food for a few moments before looking back up at her.

"So, did you save room for dessert?" He asked.

"Depends, are you dessert?" Kate asked in a seductive tone.

"I don't think so Kate and neither do you. It's the wine talking." Jack replied.

"So, let's go walk off the wine off and revisit this topic later. That's fair, unless of course you're just not that into me." Kate challenged making him smile.

"How about we just go walk and talk for awhile and see how things go?" Jack suggested.

They spent the next couple of hours walking around the city, taking in the sights and talking about everything and nothing. He'd taken hold of her hand to pull her back from oncoming traffic and never let go again, not that she was complaining. He was so sweet and interesting and could make her laugh and she couldn't help but wonder when the real him surfaces because as far as she could tell he was the best boyfriend material she'd ever come across in her life. He sensed she wasn't listening to him anymore and stopped walking. He leaned against the building and pulled her into him, holding onto her gently at the waist.

"Where'd you go?" He asked their faces just inches apart.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about how bad my feet hurt and how good a cup of coffee would be right now." Kate lied.

He looked around until he spotted a place they could sit and drink coffee. Once inside the quaint little diner, he scooted into one side of a booth and chuckled when she scooted in right beside him. He noticed her eyeing the chocolate pie in the dessert cabinet and asked the waitress to bring them a slice of it with their coffee.

"Trying to make me fat Jack?" She asked.

"You just seem like someone that deserves to enjoy a big slice of pie and I'm assuming you'll share of course." He told her.

"Ha! How good it is determines whether or not you'll get a bite." Kate told him making him laugh.

She'd made him smile and laugh more than he'd done either in as long as could remember. This woman had something so sad and tragic happening in her life, yet you'd never know it and he was in awe of her at the moment. She was unlike any woman he'd ever met, he felt like they were life long friends when in reality they'd know each other a matter of hours. He sat beside her and watched her shove a large bite of the pie into her mouth, smiling at her, enjoying the way she closed her eyes and moaned about how good it tasted. She opened her eyes and swallowed the pie, noticing how intently he was watching her.

"Your turn." She said as she broke another bite of the pie with the fork and held it up.

He moved his face closer so she could put the fork to his mouth. He opened his mouth and let her put the fork in his mouth. He closed his mouth over the fork and she pulled it away from his mouth, leaving a small dribble of the whip cream topping on his mouth. She leaned in and kissed him, gently licking the dribble off his mouth before pulling back to enjoy the look of shock he was currently displaying.

"You had some pie on your mouth." Kate said.

"Well, that was certainly more creative than just grabbing a napkin." Jack laughed.

"You didn't expect me to waste an ounce of that delicious pie on a napkin did you?" Kate asked.

"Of course not." Jack answered smiling at her.

They finished their pie and coffee and walked back to the hotel together. He walked her to her door. He shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for her to pull her key card out of the small purse she was carrying.

"Uh oh, hands shoved tightly into your pants pockets can only mean one thing." Kate said.

"Yeah, what's that?" Jack asked.

"That you're not into me." Kate said.

"No, that's not true." He objected.

"It's okay Jack, I had a wonderful time tonight. It was so nice to enjoy the company of an adult and one that smells and looks so good." Kate complimented making him chuckle.

He pulled his hands out of his pockets, wrapped them around her and pulled her into him. He locked his mouth over hers and kissed her. She responded immediately and the kiss deepened, his tongue begging entrance that she did not deny him. The feel of his tongue moving over hers as he moved his mouth over hers while his strong hands held tightly to her from behind was making her weak in the knees. He finally pulled out of the kiss, his hands still holding onto her lower back and her hands till wrapped around his neck, their faces just inches apart.

"I'm into you Kate, more than either one of needs me to be so I'm going to say goodnight now. I really like you and I don't want to screw that up with sex, not yet anyway." He told her.

"Not yet huh? I can live with that. So, can I count on you for breakfast or will you be doing important doctor things tomorrow?" Kate asked.

"I'm giving a lecture to a group of medical students tomorrow afternoon so not only can you count on me for breakfast, you can count on me for lunch and dinner too." Jack told her.

"Aren't you supposed to be attending some sort of convention Jack?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, I am, but the lecture is the only thing I'm really required to do tomorrow so I'll meet you right here at 9 AM. Okay?" He asked.

"Okay, I'm going to dress casual though, pants and comfortable shoes." She told him.

"Me too." He said and brought his mouth to hers again.

They stood in front of her door kissing for another 15 minutes before finally pulling away from each other and disappearing into their rooms.

Jack's cell phone had been vibrating in his pocket all night long and he'd chosen to ignore it. He pulled his phone out and looked at the list of missed calls. All but one were from his dad, the one from the hospital coming from the pediatric oncologist he'd called earlier that day asking him to find out all he could about TJ Austen's condition and call him back.

Jack decided it was too late to return the call and decided to ignore his father's calls. He thought about Kate and the evening they'd just spent together and how aroused he'd become just kissing her and sighed heavily as he began stripping his clothes off and then crawling into bed.

"What are you doing Jack?" He mumbled as he pulled the blankets over his nude body and closed his eyes.