When Katherine woke up the next morning, the first thing that registered in her mind was that she felt more comfortable than she had in ages. The second thing that registered was the reason why. She shifted and looked up at Jack, and was found that he was miraculously still asleep. She smiled at her husband for a moment before carefully getting up out of the bed in an attempt not to wake him.

She smoothed out her clothes, which were wrinkled from having been slept in, and walked out into the living room to check on Louis. He was awake, and seemed to be having some trouble breathing while lying down, but he made no move to try to sit up. Katherine knew that Jack was right - this was pneumonia and it needed to be treated soon.

She made her way over to him and carefully helped him sit up, which seemed to make his breathing slightly easier. He coughed a little and cleared his throat before turning towards her.

"Thanks."

"Of course." She rubbed his arm gently, surprised at how much she cared for this boy already. She guessed part of it was because of how important he was to Jack. "Are you feeling any better?"

He shook his head. "A little less cold, but I feel kind of... shaky, I guess, and I still can't breathe right."

"Do you think you can eat anything?"

Louis shook his head again, the idea of food suddenly making him feel nauseated. "Not now."

Katherine put a hand to his forehead. She didn't like how hot it felt. "You stay here, I'm going to call for a doctor."

She stood up and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile before heading straight to the phone.

oOo

Jack woke up disoriented, and when he didn't immediately recognize his surroundings, he bolted up to a sitting position with a pounding heart. He closed his eyes to try and calm himself down, and when he opened them and looked around, he realized that he was in his and Katherine's apartment. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he noticed that something else was wrong. Katherine wasn't there. His brain told him to immediately go to the worst case scenario - that she'd either been taken from him, or that she'd left voluntarily.

He got out of bed and ran down the hall, his mind racing as he tried to think of how to deal with this. He had only just made it to the living room, however, before he stopped dead in his tracks and his breath hitched, because she was there. Which meant she hadn't left.

"Kath!"

She looked up and started to smile at him, when he suddenly took her by the waist and pulled her close to him, and she could feel how fast his heart was beating.

"Jack?"

"Didn't see you..." He muttered. "Thought you were gone."

Katherine hugged him tightly. "It's okay, Jack. I'm here."

He nodded and breathed in her scent before letting go of her and putting his brave face back on. He sat down next to Louis and gave him a quick smile.

"How're you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You're not."

"Yeah, I - " The younger boy started coughing again, and Jack gave him a pointed yet concerned look.

"...I'm a little worse than okay."

"I'd say that, yeah."

"The doctor said he'd be here as soon as he could." Katherine told them, and Jack nodded in relief. "Good."

"I'm going to have him look at you too, Jack."

He wasn't nearly as glad to hear that. "What? I ain't sick."

"No, but you're hurt, and you can't pretend you aren't."

"Just a few bruises, it's nothing."

"Jack." Katherine said in a warning tone, and he realized just how much he'd missed being forced into doing things by his wife, and he couldn't keep from grinning at the thought. Katherine gave him a skeptical look. "What?"

"Nothing." He grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto the couch next to him. "I'll let him look me over."

"Okay." Katherine was more than a little surprised at his sudden compliance, but she figured she would take it while it lasted.