Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction. Actually, I only recently discovered what fanfiction is. It was – is - a great deal of fun to read and now I think I'll try my hand at writing some. If nothing else, it will give me some relief from the writing I do on a daily basis – which is mainly history and often fairly boring.

I am starting this with only a very basic plot in mind and no real agenda. We'll just see where it goes. I like to think it will involve lots of Jack-Kate, some Charlie-Claire, some Shannon-Sayid. Possibly some Sawyer-Kate, depending on my mood. I like drama and romance more than lots of suspense and violence, so we'll most likely go in that direction. Starting on-island, a few months after the crash. I am not following any particular episode or storyline – I'll probably bring in elements of several different ones. I am mainly just using the characters, – which, by the way, do not belong to me. Any similarities between this and other fanfics are certainly unintentional. No idea how long this will be – guess that depends on how much y'all like it!

Going ahead and rating this "M" because of my bad language tendencies and because I am sure hot, yummy sex will come into play somewhere.

Finding time to be alone on the island was a rare thing indeed. It was hard to venture into the jungle for more than a few moments without someone coming to check on you. It wasn't a bad system, really. It was kind of nice knowing that people actually cared enough to worry about how you were faring.

Kate hadn't had anyone to look after her in a long time.

Kate jogged up the beach to Claire's shelter. She smiled as she got closer, hearing the familiar strains of Charlie's guitar as he played a soft lullaby for baby Aaron. How wonderful that Claire had finally given in and admitted her feelings for Charlie! The pair of them had been walking around in a blissful haze for the past two weeks, referring to one another as "mommy and daddy" in front of the baby and just about every other sickeningly sweet nickname one could possibly imagine to one another.

She stuck her head through the piece of fabric that served as a door. "Hey, guys," she said softly, trying not to disturb the baby.

"Hi, Kate," Charlie replied placing his guitar against a tree trunk and leaning back against his chair. "What's up?"

"Look, I am in desperate need for some alone time – which, as you know, is practically impossible around here," Kate told them.

"Don't we know it!" Claire laughed, scooting over into Charlie's open arms. He smiled and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"I'm going for a walk – a long, long walk," Kate told them. "I just wanted to tell someone where I was so no one would worry."

"Great – have fun and be careful," Claire said.

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Kate waved over her shoulder as she started up the beach. About fifty yards from Claire's shelter, she turned and headed into the jungle, oblivious to the pair of warm, brown eyes that so often followed her as she moved about the island.

Kate reveled in the time alone with her thoughts as she trekked though the dense foliage. Her life had changed so much over the course of the past few months. One minute she was in handcuffs on a plane to L.A., escorted by a federal marshal to almost certain jail time. The next minute she was laying in the sand, burning pieces of plane wreckage scattered all round her, the marshal nowhere in sight. One minute she was a prisoner, the next she was free.

Claire and Shannon often remarked that Kate actually seemed to enjoy life on the island. She generally just laughed this off, but her two friends had no idea how close to the truth their simple comments actually lay.

What was not to like? Kate pondered as she moved further into the jungle. They had food and water and shelter. They had medicines and other supplies. They even had entertainment – golf clubs, handheld video games, books.

It was more than that, though, Kate thought, stopping for a moment to catch her breath and retrieve her water bottle from her backpack. For the first time in several years, Kate finally felt free. She could move about without constantly looking over her shoulder. She could use her real name and let her hair remain its natural color. She could make friends without feeling guilt for constantly having to lie to them. She was actually glad that Sawyer had told everyone her secret. It was awkward at first, but these people – people who had only known her for a few months yet trusted her as the kind woman who was always there to help them – actually cared enough to ask her for her side of the story – and believed her when she told it.

There were other things, too, Kate admitted to herself as she replaced her water bottle and began moving again. Well, one other thing in particular. She smiled to herself as thoughts of Jack swirled into her head as they had been doing quite frequently over the past several weeks. Jack – so strong, so handsome, so brave. The kind of man who would never be interested in her – a common criminal – back in the real world. But here, Kate thought, here there were possibilities.

There were times when Kate thought that Jack might actually be attracted to her. He often asked her to accompany him on walks or to help him with his numerous patients. He smiled at her a lot and one time – she giggled at the memory – actually stared open-mouthed as he watched her emerge from a swim in the ocean, the water causing her tank top and shorts to cling to her body.

He had been shocked when he had discovered her past, Kate recalled, the smile leaving her face. Shocked and disappointed. He had listened to her explanation and said he believed her, but she had seen the look on his face. She knew she was a far cry from the type of woman he was usually attracted to – the delicate, pure ladies who made perfect doctors' wives. Kate laughed out loud as she imagined Dr. Jack Shephard escorting her to a hospital charity event. Would her rough speech be enough, or should she wear an orange jumpsuit to really hammer it in?

Kate was still mentally picturing the scene as she pushed some heavy foliage away to reveal a crystal-clear pool behind it. The water was deep and cold and perfect. She had discovered this spot weeks ago and now considered it hers. She looked around to make sure no one had followed her, then stripped down to her bra and panties and plunged into the cold water.

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Jack watched Kate slip into the jungle and wondered where she was going. He was often surprised at the way he kept track of her movements – it had become a very natural thing to him.

"Hey, Sayid," he called out to the man sitting with pretty blond Shannon by the ocean's edge. "I'm going to the caves for awhile." Sayid waved a hand in acknowledgement and turned his attention back to Shannon. Jack headed in the direction Kate had taken moments earlier.

God, it was great to be alone for a few minutes! Jack mused as he wandered through the jungle behind Kate. He loved being a doctor and was glad he was able to help the people on the island, but being a doctor here was vastly different from being a doctor in the real world. Here it was a twenty-four hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job. No vacations, no time on-call. Just constant work, work, work.

Of course, the constant workload did have its advantages, he thought to himself, ducking down low as Kate stopped to sip from her water bottle. It kept him from going crazy with boredom and – more important – distracted him from the increasing frustration he felt every time he looked at Kate.

He had been shocked to discover her criminal status, he admitted to himself. Worse, he remembered, he had done a lousy job of covering it. Things hadn't quite been the same between them lately and he felt it was time to talk to her about it.

Jack had been attracted to Kate from the moment he saw her. She was beautiful, sure, but there was something else, something deeper. He felt like he could trust her – which, he supposed, was why he had felt betrayed when he had learned her secret. Betrayal – now that was something Jack Shephard was familiar with.

Jack stood from his crouching position as Kate started moving again. He waited a few minutes before starting to follow her again.

But she had come clean, he admitted, still following her. He hadn't waited around to hear what she had told the rest of them, but she had come to his shelter later that night and pleaded with him to let her get it all out in the open. So he listened. And he had believed her – although he had done a shitty job showing it. He was only human, after all.

Jack looked up and saw that Kate had vanished behind a dense curtain of leaves and vines. He took a deep breath and followed her.