Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Lost". They were created by JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof and they belong to them, Touchstone, and ABC. I also don´t own a song mentioned in this fic.
Hey, this is just something that popped on my mind few days ago. It doesn´t have anything to do with my previous fic, neither with the one I promised to write. It´s something completely different and it´s one(two) shot. I usually don´t like writing post/during-rescue stories, but I couldn´t get it out of my head and so decided to give it a chance. In this story, Jack and Kate are couple for a few weeks, and there isn´t all that confusion with the Others, Michael, etc. So, I hope you´ll like it and review it. ☺
JUST ONE LAST DANCE
It has been two days since they finally managed to send an SOS signal. And, what was even more surprising, someone actually answered it.
Kate could still remember that day vividly. She had just come back from her usual walkabout with Jack. They have spent a great time together, joking, laughing...making love. He was such a great lover, always knowing how to please her, how to make her feel special. In the past few weeks, she has finally managed to free herself from her past, from bad memories and, most important, from the intolerable feeling of guilt. She also discovered a new way of dealing with difficulties; the one totally different from the way she used to dealt with them. This one was called ´conversation´, not ´running´.
It was so easy to talk with Jack, to tell him her hopes, desires and fears. She didn´t know if it was a part of him being a doctor, or just in his nature, but he sure did know how to listen. And not just listen like in a ´You talk, I just nod´ kind of way, but real listening. The one when you feel that no words are needed for true understanding. It seemed strange, but sometimes she could actually feel their souls talking one to another. She never felt something like that. Not even with Tom. But she also knew that it was too good to last forever.
Kate noticed there was something different while she was approaching the beach. She separated from Jack 10 minutes ago: he went toward the caves to check Sullivan, who, once again, had his hypochondriac outbursts; and she decided to check out how Sun was dealing with her newly discovered pregnancy. She was surprised not to come across anyone on her way back, and even more surprised when she finally reached the beach and found them all gathered around Bernard who was holding something in his hand and explaining something to the excited crowd.
˝We´re going home! We´re going hoooome! ˝she heard Charlie´s voice and, soon enough, seen him doing some kind of lunatic Indian dance around what used to be a fire.
˝What have you just said? ˝she asked, stepping in inside the crowd.
˝You didn´t hear it? ˝he said, taking a break and turning around to face her. ˝We´re saved! Free! Libres! Liberi! Whatever language you like to hear it in! ˝
˝How do you mean "saved", Charlie? ˝she said, looking at him perplexed.
˝I think that he´s trying to say to you that we managed to send a message, darling. ˝Rose replied, looking at Charlie with a motherly look on her face. ˝The ship is coming to pick us up. They said they would be here in day or two; two probably. ˝
Kate said nothing. She didn´t even know what to say. She didn´t know what to think, how to feel. Month ago, she would give anything to get off from this island; she even tried to get on a raft. But since then everything changed. She changed.
˝These are great news, aren´t they, Kate? ˝asked Hurley, holding Libby´s hand and smiling happily.
˝Yeah, Hurley, they are. ˝she said simply, looking into the ocean.
˝What happened? ˝asked Jack baffled, approaching to them. It´s been days since he saw them so happy and excited.
Kate turned around immediately on the sound of his voice.
˝Dude, you didn´t hear it? ˝asked Hurley.
˝Heard what? What have you built now, Hurley,-a tennis course? ˝he asked, alluding on the last time he saw him this thrilled.
˝We´re saved, dude! They´re coming for us. We are going home! ˝he exclaimed, emphasizing the last words.
Jack stayed speechless while Bernard was trying to recount everything that happened. He was listening to him with only half an attention. Looking at the glowing faces of his fellow survivors, he searched only one. And then he found it.
She was standing in the corner, separated from the others. She met his gaze and she could see in his eyes the same thought that was running through hear head in that very moment. It was over. She couldn´t stand it. Once again, she felt a rush to run away.
She was sitting on the beach, the one where she first saw Jack, shirtless, asking her to sew him up. She smiled at the thought, still not able to figure out what stopped her from running away that time; what made her stay there, what gave her courage to take a needle in her hand and do all of it without passing out. She remembered something she read in some book, a line that carved into her memory because of its simplicity, but yet profoundness. It went something like ˝There are some things you cannot share without ending up liking each other˝. ˝Well, sewing someone up was definitely one of them.˝ she thought
She came here because she needed a place to straighten out her thoughts. A place where she could be all alone. A place to bury all of her memories and feelings. A place to prepare herself of what is expecting her tomorrow…
She couldn´t believe that day finally came. When they crashed here, all of them, she included, thought that it was just a matter of time before the help came. But, as the days passed, they started to realize that this was not just an ordinary island; not just an ordinary crash…And soon enough, they gave up hope. They started to learn how to live amongst each other, how to create a whole new life here, how to deal with difficulties and mysteries of their new home.
As the time passed, they dealt with monsters, polar bears, giving birth, deaths…and through that all they became close. This island gave her something she didn´t expect. It gave her friends; no – family; and, most importantly, it gave her love. And now she was about to lose all of that. And once again being referred to just as criminal.
She decided to leave the beach because she couldn´t stand anymore seeing happy faces and excited looks that the other survivors were exchanging. Charlie explaining Aaron what is peanut butter, Sun and Jin relieved that their baby won´t need to born on the island, Hurley and Libby holding hands and planning the future together.
She envied them most. She too would like to walk on the beach with Jack like that, hand in hand, chatting cheerfully about everyday things they would do, movies they would see, restaurants they would go to…But she new that was impossible. The only place she would see for the next couple of years was cold dirty cell.
She felt tears gathering in her eyes. It was one of the reasons she left the group, too. She didn´t want them to see her crying. Part of it because she was always so strong and brave, the other because she didn´t want to spoil their happiness. She also didn´t talk with Jack yet. She just couldn´t. She knew that he was looking for her eyes back there, she could feel his gaze. But she didn´t look back. Instead, she ran away, once again.
She leaned her head on her knees and started crying; finally letting the emotions take over her. She cried and cried and cried, until she could feel that she had cried out everything she had. She raised her head and wiped away the tears with the sleeve of her shirt. And then she heard some rustling coming from the jungle.
He knew she would be there. After he somehow managed to free himself of Bernard´s explanations, he went to search her. He checked the beach and the caves, but she wasn´t there. And then it hit him. The beach when they first met. He couldn´t believe he didn´t think of it sooner. It was a place where he used to go to when he needed a place to be alone.
˝Hey. ˝he said quietly, leaving out of the jungle and stepping on hot beach sand.
˝Hey. ˝she replied, bowing her head a bit.
He knew she was crying. Although it was dark, he could still see wet traces of tears on both of her cheeks and the sad flickering in her eyes.
˝Kate…˝he started, trying to find words to comfort her.
˝I´m sorry. ˝she interrupted him, her voice high because of a sudden rush of emotions. ˝I´m so sorry. I failed you. ˝I ran again. I…˝
˝Kate, you don´t have to…˝
˝I promised I wouldn´t run away again. ˝she mumbled, desperately trying to stop the tears showing up. ˝But I did. I did it again and now we don´t have….don´t have time…..˝
˝Ssssh, it´s okay. ˝he said, taking her into his arms. ˝It´s okay. ˝he repeated, until he could feel her calming down a bit. ˝And we have all the time we need. ˝he added, getting up and taking her hand to help her stand up.
He took her towards the ocean. For a couple of minutes, they just stood there, holding hands and staring into the immensity of the blue in front of them.
˝May I ask for a dance? ˝he asked, turning her around to face him.
She reached for his hand and shuddered a little when she felt his warm body pressed against her. He put his hand around her waist and started moving around slowly. They didn´t speak, but let the rhythm of some imaginary song leading them. The moonlight was shining above them and the waves were creating special island music just for them. Kate remembered a song she heard some months ago, a song that was perfectly reflecting the present situation between Jack and her….
Just one last dance...oh baby...just one last dance
…………………………
We
meet in the night in the Spanish caffè
I look in your eyes
just don't know what to say
It feels like I'm drowning in salty
water
A
few hours left 'til the sun's gonna rise how
I wish to come with you (wish to come with you)
tomorrow will come an
it's time to realize
our love has finished forever
how I wish we
make it through
Just
one last dance
before we say goodbye
when we sway and turn
round and round and round
it's like the first time
Just one
more chance
hold me tight and keep me warm
cause the night is
getting cold
and I don't know where I belong
Just one last
dance
The wine and the
lights and the Spanish guitar There's
no way to come with you
I'll never forget how romantic they
are
but I know, tomorrow I'll lose the one I love
it's the only thing to do
Just
one last dance, just one more chance, just one last dance
˝Yeah, this is our last dance. ˝she thought. Just like in that song. ˝But it is a dance I´ll never forget. ˝she added, leaning her head on his shoulder.
˝Jack….˝she said, raising her head to look in his eyes.
˝Yes…˝ he replied quietly.
˝Don´t forget me, okay? ˝
˝Never. ˝he mumbled, feeling the large ball creating into his throat…The ball that threatened to explode, leaving him tearstained. He swallowed. He drew her closer to him and put a small kiss onto her forehead before closing his eyes again.
He would think about it tomorrow. Right now, they had the whole night in front of them…
The End