This Fan Fiction one shot is based on Speculation that relates to recent spoilers so if you don't want to be spoiled I wouldn't advice you to read ahead!
Disclaimer - ABC and Damon & Carlton own Lost - No copyright intended etc etc….
Kate closed the drapes that clung to the Hotel windows so that the moon wouldn't shine too bright on a sleeping Aaron. She had had no choice but to book into a hotel after the events of the day. She sunk onto the bed, her mind reeling. Today had been the most emotional day since she had fought with Jack. Jack - he had been the most surprising today. Seeing him looking like her old jack once more had filled her heart with so much hope. She had thought he had finally snapped out of it. That maybe she could have the man she loved back, the man she wanted to marry. Her family. She wanted him back more than anything but she wasn't going to risk having him intoxicated around Aaron. It was the hardest decision she had ever had to make, but watching Jack walk towards her this morning, dressed in a suit, clean shaven once more, she had thought maybe she could convince herself she had made the right decision, and that her jack was finally back.
She watched as Aaron turned over in his sleep and settled back down. She wouldn't know what to do if she ever lost him, having him almost taken away today was the scariest thing she had ever had to face. Scarier than facing Jail and scarier than running from the police. Yet, she knew having Jack by her side today had comforted her more than he could possibly know. His strength and belief in her was what she needed to be able to survive this, but finding out he was working with ben? That just didn't make sense…
"it's ok - he's here to help us" Jack said
"it's him" she said, finally realising the man behind her misery as she looked into the cold eyes of Benjamin Linus "he's the one trying to take Aaron"
"What? No no…" Jack Started
"She's right Jack, it was me" Ben said.
Kate had been relieved to know that Jack wasn't involved in that, but for him to still work with him, after everything he had done to them…. Couldn't jack remember beating him to a pulp when he had claimed he'd shot Sayid, Jin and Bernard? Couldn't Jack remember him kidnapping the three of them and Walt? Couldn't he remember the lying about getting off the island? She didn't understand.
"Your Crazy" she had said walking back towards her car
"Kate I promise…."Jack tried to go towards her
"No! Jack don't!" She pushed his hand away from her, the same hand that only hours earlier had felt so comforting resting upon hers in the car
"I will not take My son back to that place. I can't"
She couldn't bear to look at Jack as she got into her car once more and drove away.
She lay against the pillows, trying desperately to fall asleep without picturing the hurt look that had once again appeared on Jack's face as she had driven off.
---
The next morning Jack woke to the sound of Sayid shaving.
"Good Morning Jack" he spoke.
Jack squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light in the living room, and he sat up on the sofa.
"Where's Ben?" Jack asked
"He said he had an errand to run"
"An errand?"
Sayid gave him a knowing glance
"Why did you agree to work with him Jack?"
Jack looked at Sayid as he washed away the last of the shaving cream
"You first"
Sayid walked out of the bathroom and into the living room in the small flat.
"I began working with Benjamin Linus out of regenge after my wife was killed…"
"Nadia was…" Jack began
Sayid nodded.
"I regret it every day"
Jack nodded, not wanting to press on, but needing to know
"So why are you still here?"
Sayid looked at him
"The same reason you are - to protect everyone we abonded"
At this moment Ben walked through the door and looked at the two men.
"Im sorry - Did I interrupt?" he asked placing an envelope down on the table.
"Where have you been" Jack asked
"That's not important right now Jack - what is important is that we failed last night on getting Kate on our side, and having Sun try to kill me doesn't put much faith in the idea that she'll be willing to come back also"
Sun. Jack thought
"Why didn't you tell me Jin was alive?" he asked
"You never asked"
Jack stood up and walked towards the window
"I did tell you Kate wouldn't come though"
"That was unfortunate" Ben began "It means now however that we will have to return in two lots. We don't have much more time to wait. Im having a car collect Hurley today after his court hearing, and I would like you to return to the island with him and Sayid first"
Jack looked at him as though he had lost his mind. Maybe he finally had.
"You haven't even told us how to get back to the island yet, I thought the key was all of us going back together"
"I know, I may have found a way around that - but you need to say goodbyes first to Kate - because Jack if we cannot persuade her to come to the island, and you cant get back here - I have a feeling you'll want to say a farewell" he turned towards the kitchen "Then I'll tell you how to get back to the island".
--
Kate tied her loose curls up into a knot and took her keys out of her handbag.
"Come on baby, we need to go now" She spoke gently, watching as Aaron put his toys into his backpack.
"Where are we going this time mommy?"
"We're going on adventure sweetheart - To meet your granddad"
Kate had given this a lot of thought, she knew where Sam lived and she didn't know where else to turn, she needed somewhere to go where Ben couldn't find her and try to take Aaron from her once more.
She lifted him into the car and fastened his seatbelt, sitting in the drivers seat she heard her phone ring. Looking at the scene she saw "Jack Sheppard calling" She held her breath. Should she answer it? She didn't want to leave Jack again, but she didn't know what Jack wanted from her - she wasn't going back to that island.
"Hello" She answered attentively
"Kate - I need to see you"
"Jack - Im…. Im not going back to the Island - I…"
"I know. I just… I need to see you"
"How do I know that Ben wont be there again Jack"
"Kate" She could hear the hurt in his voice "I promise it will just be me - and this… it will be the last time….I promise"
Her heart ached, what did he mean it would be the last time.
"Ok, Where do you want me to meet you?"
"The airport"
--
Jack watched as Kate drove up in the airport, seeing a small Aaron sitting behind her. She got out of the car, and Jack's heart began to race. What was he thinking, he couldn't do this, he couldn't say goodbye to her. She was the love of his life, and he was leaving her, he had messed up the perfect life, and now he had to say goodbye.
"Hey" he said as she got closer
"Hey - Jack why did you need to see me? You must understand that I can't put Aaron in …"
"I know. I called Kate because I need to say Goodbye"
Kate stopped, wondering if she had heard correctly
"Goodbye?"
Jack felt tears well up as he looked into her eyes. This was the hardest thing he had every had to do, She had been through all of this ordeal with him, she had always been with him.
"Im going to the Island. I have to go Kate. I can't… I can't live with myself knowing that the people we left behind are in danger because of me. I just… I can't. So im going back, with Sayid and Hurley to make amends for what happened. But I don't think im going to be able come back."
"Jack What are you saying?" Kate said, her hands beginning to shake.
"This is Goodbye Kate. I am so sorry if I have ever caused you pain, because I love you. I never wanted this to end like this, I meant everything I said that night I proposed. I wanted to grow old with you, and raise Aaron with you." he took a breath, as he watched silent tears rolling down her cheeks "I needed you to know that"
"Jack you can't …. you can't just go. I need you, ok, I need you and Aaron needs you. You can't help the people we left behind, that's over - we can work again together. You can't just leave"
"Kate I have to, I have to fix what I did"
"NO! Stop being the hero Jack, for once, let someone else take the responsibility" She yelled at him as she brushed away a hot tear. How could he leave her? Why didn't he get the she needed him.
Jack swallowed hard
"Goodbye Kate"
He walked towards his car, when he felt her hand slip into his and turn him around. Facing her he saw the fire in her eyes, angry at him, as she reached up and kissed him.
Jack felt her tear stained cheeks against his as her mouth pressed hard on him, never wanting to let him go.
As he pulled apart, Kate looked at him.
"Im coming"
Jack blinked and stared at her, his hand still holding hers as she put her hand on his chest.
"What?"
"I can't let you walk away again. Live together die alone right?" She smiled
Jack coughed and laughed at the same time not believing what he was hearing
"Are you Sure Kate? I mean I don't know what will happen… Aaron…"
"Will be ok…. Im with you Jack".
Hope you liked it J Let me know what you think
Steph