Jack is depressed a spinal surgeon in L.A. Kate is a lonley dog washer in San Jose. They become pen pals and...well...why don't you read to find out?

Jack started down at his jell-o. It was full, red, and shaking in Jacks hands. It was a Monday morning; part of Jacks usual shift, but what was not usual was him sitting in the hospital cafeteria with his supervisor talking about Jacks depression.

Lance, the supervisor had approached him first thing that morning, before Jack even got a chance to check his schedule for the day. Lance had said this was more important. He took Jack to the cafeteria, bought him a jell-o and a ham sandwich and sat down in one less busy corner of the dining hall.

"Is this about a girl?" Lance asked.

Jack scoffed loudly. "I haven't gone out with a girl since last year." Jack told him.

Lance paused. "It could still be about a girl, not having a girl maybe? Or not having a girl you really, really want." He had a squeaky voice like a five year old and it irritated Jack.

"No, no this isn't about…not a girl. I'm not even depressed." Jack argued.

"You are, and you are seeing a therapist."

"I am not seeing a therapist!" Jack's father had been depressed when Jack had first started working at St. Sebastian Hospital. His dad, Christian, had taken depression pills that his therapist had subscribed. The therapist had been fired and made Christian think more about his problems, this lead to drug misuse and alcohol abuse. Christian had overdosed on drugs 5 years ago and passed away. The last thing Jack was going to do was see a therapist.

"Okay, I thought that might happen." Lance said nodding his head understandingly.

"Pills?" Jack guessed.

"No, no. Pen pal."

Jack raised his eyebrows, surprised. Twelve year olds with no friends had pen pals, not 35 year old doctors.

Lance began to explain. "Look, when I was depressed," Jacks jaw dropped. "what? Only Shepard's get depressed? When I was depressed I got a pen pal and it works Jack. I recommend it to all of the doctors and nurses when therapy doesn't work."

"You didn't recommend it to my dad." Jack challenged, his shock of Lance's depression wearing off. It didn't surprise him, lots of the doctors and nurses became depressed at Sebastian's, it happened at all of the hospitals.

"I did, he refused."

"I refuse as well."

"If you refuse this as well as a therapist you get suspended." Lance said grimily.

"I…I'll come to work anyways."

"Then you'll get fired." Lance then reached for his bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. It had a name an address on it. "That's her mailing address. I highly suggest Jack." With that, he left.

Kate Austen

5667 Redfield Avenue

San Jose, CA, USA 7888

*

Kate was lying on the green, velvet couch of her condo she shared with her cousin, Claire and Claire's baby, Aaron. She was lonely. Claire was out with a date who also had a baby and Kate was home, alone, missing her old boyfriend, Sawyer. Kate mentally hit herself, and then she really hit herself. She sat up and started at the wall opposite her.

"Kate, you stupid, stupid girl," she said. "Sawyer was a complete ass and you know it! Just because you haven't been single in three whole years does not mean you can just go running back to him!"

The door bell rang. Kate got up and shuffled to the door. She opened it and saw that it was empty; however, walking down the steps was a mail man. Kate reached down and scooped up the mail. She walked back in, shutting the door and locking it. Kate began to the skim through the mail. There was a bill, a bill, junk mail, bill, junk mail, junk mail, bill, and a real letter. Kate paused. She started at it, it was addressed to her. Kate sat down on the couch and set the other mail down next to her. She read the return address with curiosity and excitement.

Jack Shephard

999 Francis Drake Road

Los Angeles, CA, USA 1298

Jack Shephard? Kate thought, she didn't know a Jack Shephard. She sniffed the package and, decied it was safe and opened it. There was a letter written on ripped paper with a coffee stain waiting for her inside. Kate smiled and opened it.

Dear Kate Austen,

My name is Jack Shephard, I hope this letter reaches you well if it reaches you at all. I'm a doctor at St. Sebastians Hospital in L.A. I am 35 years old, single and…well..okay I'll get to the point. I'm depressed. My supervior gave me your name and shipping adress and told me that having a pen pal really helps people with depression. So, does, apparently, therapy but I won't do that.

I'm not really depressed I don't think. I mean, just…I really don't know.

I'll understand if you don't want me to write to you or anything, I can understand, you might be about 13 years old and haven't hit puberty yet. No offense if you are. No offense if you aren't. Oh no, I wish I hadn't written that and I've written in pen. I have to go to sugery in a few minutes and if I don't give this letter to my superviors to mail in about 2 minutes he's gunna kill me.

Oh opps! Sorry about the coffee stain. I really will understand if you don't want me to be your pen pal now. Oh wow, this is an awful letter. I must sound horrible and self consious. Haha. Well, write me back and if I don't receive a letter in two months I'll completely understand.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jack Shephard.

Kate burst out laughing when she read the letter and immeditaly ran to responde, she liked him already.

Okay, so theres the first chapter! Now, this story is FINISHED. I have it completely and totally typed out. It is 52 pages in TNR font size 12. So, if I get the reviews, you get the story. No questions asked. I hope you guys liked it!:D