Just a short angst/fluff Jate one-shot. I saw a photo the other day that someone took of a friend and I making daisy chains in the summer. The idea just sort of…pounced on me. I imagined the clearing to look sort of like the golf course, so rather large and empty. Set after WKD, but before The Hunting Party. Hope you like it, and please review!!!

It was so hard sometimes, being the only doctor. He never got time off, wasn't allowed to just say 'no'. There was always someone with some injury, or complaint – something he had to fix.

He was heading back to the caves after spending the morning on the beach, checking on everyone – as usual – when an idea struck him: why shouldn't he just sneak off? Go for a walk, clear his head. No one would know where he'd gone, no one would know where to find him. Those at the beach would assume he was at the caves, and everyone at the caves would think he was still at the beach. Perfect…

He found himself leaving the path to the caves and instead walking through the dense jungle. He wasn't heading anywhere in particular, just wandering.

The thick tree line opened out into a large empty clearing, a slope, and Jack could see the sun glinting enticingly on the grass at the top. It looked so peaceful; so inviting.

He walked closer, and was surprised to see a figure sitting at the top of the hill. It was too far away to make out who it was, but they were sitting down. They had their back to Jack, and he could just make out a head of long curly hair…

"What you doing?"

Her head whipped around at the sound of his voice, a slight blush on her face.

"Jack! I didn't hear you coming…"

"Well, you weren't exactly listening." He pulled his bag off and sat down beside her. And there she was, sitting calmly and making daisy chains.

"Daisy chains?" He looked down at the long trail of flowers in her hands. She smiled.

"I used to make them all the time when I was little. I was going for a walk and I saw a patch of them, so I figured I'd make one. Why not? Not like there's anything else to do."

Jack sat and watched her for a bit, her nimble fingers working quickly at the tiny stalks, splitting them and then carefully threading them into the chain. She looked up and caught him looking for her.

"You checkin me out?" There was a smile playing at the corner of her mouth, and a small giggle escaped her. Two can play at that game…

"So what if I am?"

"So you are?"

"I never said that"

"But you did" She looked down at the chain in her hands, and then back up at Jack. Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"You know Jack" she shifted so she was kneeling in front of him, the daisy chain hanging loosely in her hand, "I think this might suit you."

Before he could protest she'd placed it around his neck. She left her hands there, on the back of his neck, and she was trying desperately to stifle a laugh.

"Very funny Kate"

She couldn't help it, and fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. Jack watched her, amused, as she rolled around on the grass with her arm crossed tight around her stomach.

"It isn't that funny."

She sat up again, a tear escaping her. Nonchalantly, she wiped it away, still laughing.

"It is Jack. You're not much of a flower man"

"Well in that case I'll take it off" he reached up to pull it off and she quickly grabbed his arms.

"No!" He still tried to pull it off, and she wrestled him.

In the end he wasn't taking off the daisy chain but tickling her. She squirmed beneath him, laughing and hitting him and trying to push him off. Though she complained, she was still smiling, and only pushing him half-heartedly.

"No, Jack, no…please! No, stop!" Eventually he gave in, bringing his hands back down to the grass beside him. It was only the that he realised the position they were in – he was lying on top of her, on the ground, his arms pinning her down on either side. Her hands were resting on his chest, and her face hovered inches below his. He was overcome with a sudden urge to kiss her, touch her…

He rolled off her as quickly as he could, lying instead beside her on the ground. She didn't say anything, just stared at the sky. They hadn't been that close since she'd kissed him.

"Jack, about the other day…"

"Don't."

"I just want to explain"

"We don't have to do this."

He'd clammed up, as she'd so feared he would.

"Please Kate, can we not talk about it?" he turned his head to look at her, his eyes briefly connecting with hers. She was surprised to see fear in his eyes – panic more like. She nodded slowly, and was glad to see relief wash over his handsome face.

"Not now."

"Okay"

A few minutes passed in silence, both of them lying on their backs and looking at the clear blue sky. Reluctantly he sat up, straightening his clothes and reaching for his backpack.

"I really should go" He stood up, and she copied him.

The wind picked up her hair, blowing it around her face, and he was once again struck by how beautiful she was. He remembered how close he'd come to kissing her, before. But he couldn't do that – it would just mess up their fragile friendship even more.

The daisy chain was still around his neck, somewhat crumpled now. He took it off, and instead put it around her neck. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"Daisies suit you better"

This time, she didn't argue.