He finished his night shift at nine thirty this morning. He'd been stuck for an additional hour and a half in the emergency room before finally, finally being able to go back to his apartment. Hardly a place he'd call home, really, for the ever so small amount of time he spent there, the bland and cold white walls and the impersonal choice of furniture. The only reason he needed this place those times was because he had to sleep and eat somewhere other than the hospital, which mercifully kept his mind occupied. Something his silent residence couldn't do, unfortunately for him.
£------£
Jack came into his apartment, locked the door and went directly for the drug cabinet in his bathroom, knowing he'd find aspirins there to help his aching muscles. What he wouldn't give to be back on the island now, away from straining and nerve wracking hours of work and stress, away from his pitiful shell of a life, and, more than anything else he could wish for, near Ka-
Damn. He'd done it again. Gone on and thought about what - or rather who - he knew could only hurt him further. The woman he'd thought, not so long ago, was the one for him. The woman he'd loved, and who was supposed to return the feeling. Supposed to being the key words here.
And who could blame him for thinking that way? Charlie had once said that maybe she thought it was easier for her to let go if she had the impression to have no strings attached, to leave no one behind. Well, Charlie could be right, Jack thought, but couldn't she at least have said something before going where she knew from the beginning she would end up?
When the "guards" had taken her aside, right after the boat bringing them back from the island accosted, she'd seemed resigned and looked utterly devastated at the same time. His heart had broken for her then, and he'd stared after her as long as he could before realising that she hadn't even said goodbye to him, not on the boat, not two seconds ago, never. On the damn boat, she'd stayed in her cabin the whole trip back and minutes ago, she hadn't bothered to utter a word to him. Almost as if she thought he wouldn't care.
But, couldn't she see that she couldn't be more far from the truth? Even now, months after their rescue, every time his mind wandered, it was her he imagined, her he endlessly thought about, her he still needed.
£------£
He woke up at ten to five that evening, to hear a single knock on his door. He quickly got up to answer it, still shirtless and wearing his university old sweats. He yawned as he opened the door, but froze because suddenly, oxygen never seemed more unnecessary. Suddenly, he saw a single tear drop from Kate's chin and heard her whisper his name. Suddenly, she was in his arms.
Suddenly, he was home.
Author's Note: OK, first piece of fanfiction posted here… Breath, girl, breath! I know it certainly isn't my best writing, so constructive criticism is accepted as well as reviews that aren't flames, of course! Please note that this was written in, like, thirty minutes and that English isn't my first language. Thanks guys!