"Tomorrow's the big day." Jack whispered in her ear, stroking her hair. She gave a little nod, showing she understood him.
He bit his lip. "We don't have to go through with it you know. I won't force you to do anything you don't--"
"I want to," she stated for him, giving him a smile. "I want to."
He smiled back. "Good."
"So, was following me worth it?" He held her close as they danced on the beach. Jack had made Kate dance to their own music since the castaways' radio still wasn't working.
They were surrounded by the primitive lanterns Sayid had made for Shannon so long ago. They were even on the same beach. Kate smiled over the surprise Jack had made for her. She saw him walk into the jungle by himself and being curious, quickly followed after him. He went through the most gruelling parts of the jungle and she was stumped as to why he would do all of this on his own. But when she walked onto the beach, she realized what it had all been for.
"Why did you have to go through all of that to lead me here?" Her forehead creased as she asked the question.
"Oh it symbolizes the hard journey we had to take to get to here. You know…Sawyer and stuff."
She nodded, not wanting to bring up him again. They had been through enough about that already. She just wanted to move on with Jack without looking back.
"Do you like the whole picnic idea?"
"It's not a picnic Jack," she said sternly. "Sayid took Shannon on a picnic and Hurley took Libby on a picnic and we both know what happened to them."
He chuckled. "Okay, okay…we're not on a picnic." He drew her closer, almost afraid that she was right with her little theory. He didn't want anything to happen to her.
"You're so beautiful." He caressed her cheek as she blushed. "Kate…it's been nearly a year since we met each other. And the whole thing has been…well, not what I expected." She chuckled, thinking back on their time together. To crash on an island with impossible things happening everyday…the whole journey was definitely interesting.
"But I um…I want you to know that I don't regret anything we did…I couldn't be happier that the plane crashed because it's the reason we met and I don't want to picture my life without you now."
"Jack," she whispered, surprised he was being so romantic and forthcoming with his feelings tonight.
"No, let me finish." He protested her interjection. "I um…I love you and I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. I know we've both tried the married thing before…but I think we can make this work." He stopped dancing with her and he got down on one knee. Kate held her breath. She knew what was coming next.
He took a hold of her hand and she nearly wrenched it out. She wasn't sure if she could do this. Sure she loved Jack more than she could say but she didn't want to go this far. Marriage was a huge step…she wanted to run, needed to run.
"Kate, if you don't want to do this, I'll stop. I love you enough to stop this, right here, right now. But if you love me at all, you'll just hear me out." Pressing her lips together, she slowly nodded and allowed him to continue with his speech.
"I can't promise nothing will go wrong and…and I know I can't promise that nothing bad will happen again on this island and I can't promise that any of this will be easy." He took a deep breath, looking back up into her eyes. "But I can promise you good times and…and I can promise that I will do anything for you and I can promise that I will always, always love you." He reached in his pocket, pulling out a small diamond ring. "So Kate Austen…will you marry me?"
She wanted to run so badly. Run away and not have to face the question he was asking her. But something was stopping her from following her habit of running. And that was when she realized she couldn't run, couldn't leave because she cared too much for him, because she loved him…and because deep down, she wanted to be his wife until the end of her days.
"Y-yes Jack." Her eyes filled up with tears. "Yes, I will marry you."
He covered his face with his hand, overwhelmed for a second that she had said yes. He felt his own eyes filling up with tears as well. But he needed to be strong…he knew how hard that must have been for her. He took his hand off his face and gave her a small grin. She chuckled through her tears as they were already sliding down her cheeks. He pushed the ring onto her finger, and stood up to be at her level again. She threw her arms around him and brought him close.
"Kate…you've just made me the happiest man alive," he choked out, still forbidding himself to cry with happiness.
"Oh Jack," she whispered back at him, moving her head slightly to kiss him. It was official…they were engaged.
"I guess you better leave soon."
"Leave?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Its bad luck to see the bride on the wedding day before the actual wedding." He smiled at her, his finger drawing circles on her cheek.
"I thought it was only bad luck if you saw me in my wedding dress."
"Well I don't think we should take that chance. What if I'm right and you're wrong?" He raised his eyebrows at her.
"Why would I be wrong? Haven't you learned by now that I'm always going to be right?" She smirked at him with a playful look in her eye.
"Oh no, I'm not going to be one of those guys who caves in every decision to let the wife decide."
"Why not?" She grinned at him.
He chuckled. "Kate I think you should go now."
"How come I have to be the one to leave?"
"Because it's my tent."
"So? You should be the gentleman and go."
"Where would I go?"
"Go have a bachelor party over in your best man's tent. He'll be thrilled to throw one for you." She smiled teasingly and he chuckled before nodding his head in agreement.
"Hey Desmond, can I ask you something?" Jack put his hands on his hips.
"Of course brother, what is it?"
"Kate…she and I uh…well we're engaged now."
"Congratulations." Desmond squinted his eyes in the bright sunlight and couldn't help but wonder if Pen and he would've been married by now if he hadn't gone on that boat race.
"Thank you. I um…I was wondering if you'd like to be my best man at the wedding."
"What for, brother? Why not someone else?"
"Because I knew you before I came on this island and I'd like someone I know to be standing there beside me."
Desmond smiled. "Well brother, I think you've got yourself a deal."
"Hey Doc!" Both of them turned to see Sawyer walking towards them. "I got a question for you." He lowered his voice as he got lower. "I hear you and Kate are going to be heading down the aisle soon. That true?"
"Well you heard right." Jack nodded, not wanting to spend too much time with him. "I was just asking Desmond here--"
"What, to be your best man?" Sawyer smirked. "I'm surprised you didn't ask me."
"Listen Sawyer, I--"
"Doc I wanna be your best man."
Jack's forehead creased in his confusion and he let out a chuckle. "You what?"
"Listen," Sawyer said more seriously. "You're the closest thing I got to a friend around here Doc and same goes for Kate. Now if being friends with both of you don't get me in, someone's going to be short a wedding present." He smirked again.
"Sawyer I don't see why you would want to--"
"Hey Doc, who better to stand there than the other person in our little triangle?" He smiled. "I am after all the only one here who's met your dad. I'm the closest thing you'll get to him at your weddin'."
Jack rubbed the back of his head, thinking it over. Sawyer wouldn't stop bugging him about him if he said no and he just wanted the whole wedding process to go as smoothly as possible. He might as well just say yes.
He looked over at Desmond, silently asking if it was alright with him. Desmond shrugged. "It's up to you brother."
Jack sighed and nodded. "Okay Sawyer. You can be best man."
"Well hallelujah, the doctor sees the light." Sawyer smirked at the soon-to-be married man as if he knew something Jack didn't.
"Hell, she kick you out?" Sawyer held his tarp door open so Jack could get inside.
He chuckled. "Yeah, something like that. I kind of kicked myself out because I didn't want to see her on the day…said it was bad luck. She disagreed with me." He took off his backpack and sat down beside Sawyer's bed.
"Damn Doc, you gave up getting some for all that superstitious crap?" Sawyer shook his head, "I will never get you."
Jack smiled. "And I will never get you."
"Well," Sawyer smirked back. "Guess that's something else we have in common…hey does Kate still do that thing, with her elbow--"
Jack grinned, letting a chuckle escape. "Yeah. Did she try that that ear thing on you too?"
Sawyer nodded. "Freckles is full of surprises."
"Jack," Kate called after him and he turned around to see what she wanted. She was jogging after him, trying to catch up in her bare feet while she carried her shoes in her hands.
"What do you want?" He grinned at her, knowing it was only three days until they were to be married.
"Jack," she said more seriously as she caught up to him. "I um…here," she shoved her shoes at him.
"What?" He took a hold of the front of the shoes. "Kate, I--"
"Take them. My running shoes…take them," she thrust the shoes at his chest. She took a deep breath. "They're your wedding present."
"Wedding present?" He couldn't help but start laughing. He tried stopping when he saw she wasn't kidding. "I just don't think they're my size." He raised his eyebrows at her playfully.
"Jack," she whispered at him, moving closer to him. He completely stopped laughing ad realized how serious she was being about it. "I'm giving you my running shoes to show you that I'm not going to run from us…I've given up running."
He licked his lower lip and tightened his grip on the shoes. "Oh Kate…I'm sorry, I didn't…thank you." He nodded, looking down at the shoes awkwardly.
"Hey," she put her hand on his. "It's okay." She smiled at him and he smiled back, not believing how huge the gesture was that she was presenting. He couldn't even wrap his head around it. Of course it didn't help that she had started kissing him.
"You sure you don't want me to get a little party going Doc? I'm pretty sure I could get Nikki to flaunt around in here."
Jack shook his head, smiling. "No that's alright. I don't need a bachelor party."
"Yeah I'd prefer Kate to give us a striptease too." Sawyer smirked and Jack started chuckling.
"Too bad that priest of Ana Lucia's ain't around. You'd have a proper man to run your ceremony there Doc."
"Yeah…too bad." Jack looked at his feet, running over all the things that could wrong tomorrow.
"You want me to be the minister at your wedding?" Locke squinted his eyes at Jack, sharpening his knives in the bright sunlight.
"Well you are a man of faith John." Jack held onto his backpack nervously, not sure who else he could ask if John said no.
"And Kate, she--"
"She's handling everything else. I don't think it really matters to her."
"I'll do it." Jack and Locke turned around to see Hurley walking towards them.
Jack's forehead creased. "Hurley." He shook his head slightly. "I um--"
"Dude I'm a billionaire, that's gotta count for something." Hurley looked around awkwardly. "And you know, it'd be a good place to see the whole thing happen."
Jack bit his lip, fighting back a chuckle behind his grin. "Okay Hurley…you're it."
"Really?...Sweet."
"Doc…yo Doc…Jack!" Sawyer punched Jack in the arm to finally wake him up.
Jack's eyes shot open. "Oh God what time is it?"
"Time for your wedding Dr. Do Right." Sawyer stood up. "Kate's freaking out, thinks you don't want to go through with it anymore."
Jack scrambled to get his stuff. "I gotta change into my suit."
"There's no time. You're late enough as it is."
Jack muttered curses to himself for sleeping in so late and ran out of the tent. He was surprised not to see anyone walking around getting ready for the wedding. There was only Rose sitting on her usual place on the beach. He turned around confused and looking to Sawyer for answers. Sawyer was leaning outside his tent, a huge smirk on his face. Jack shook his head in disbelief, he should've known.
"Couldn't resist Doc," Sawyer grinned at him. "Had to torture you just a bit for stealing my woman."
Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "That…that was good." He playfully pushed Sawyer in the arm and managed to push him so hard that he fell over and caused Sawyer to take down his tarp with him.
"Hey!" Sawyer yelled, scrambling out of his collapsed tent. "You're fixing that!"
"Sorry Sawyer; I got a wedding to go to." Jack grinned, leaving Sawyer to deal with his tent by himself.
"Don't be nervous dude. Everything's going to go fine." Hurley rocked on the balls on his feet as if he were nervous himself.
"I'm not nervous." Jack shook his head. "Everything is going to go fine." Jack started counting to erase his fears inside. That she'd change her mind, she'd run at the last second…he had been willing to not go through with it all as long as he got to stay with her before but to stop when they've gone this far, he wouldn't be able to take it.
"Just keep eye contact Doc. She won't run if you've got your eyes staring into hers." Sawyer patted Jack on the back after giving his little tidbit of advice.
He nodded his head, brushing his hand along the top of his head. Keep eye contact; don't let her run…he closed his eyes. Chase her if she runs.
"She's ready Jack." Locke poked his head in the tent. Jack nodded at him. All he could do was nod; his words were being saved for her.
He followed Hurley and Sawyer out before taking his place beside the white-flowered arch. The girls had spent days tying the white flowers they had found in a valley to an arch made of wood. Hurley smiled as he stood beneath it, getting ready to perform his first, and probably last, wedding.
All the survivors went quiet on their make-shift benches that Charlie made from the wood saved for the church. It was about to begin. Sayid stood at the back, fiddling with the transceiver. After a few seconds, an old 30s song began playing and Jack forced himself to remember this song no matter what. It would be what Kate would be walking down the aisle to after all.
He held his breath as he saw her. She didn't have a lavish wedding dress but God, she was beautiful. He still had the suit he was supposed to wear to his father's funeral and she was only in one of Shannon's old dresses but he knew he paled in comparison. He even heard Sawyer suck in his breath over the sight of her. Normally he would've punched Sawyer for that but…it was his wedding day and he wasn't going to stop the ceremony for that.
Kate started getting scared as she coolly walked down the aisle. Thoughts were running through her head a mile a minute as she realized what she was getting herself into. Her legs froze, wanting to run in the other direction. Jack saw her slow down and took a small step forward, staring into her eyes and almost whispering 'no' at her. She got lost in his eyes for a second before realizing that she didn't want to run anymore. She was making the right choice.
Sheepishly she started smiling and continued walking forward. Jack immediately smiled back and relaxed. Kate however still wasn't as relaxed as she wanted to be…one. Jack took a hold of her hand once she reached him and squeezed it to give her enough confidence to stay where she was…two.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered on this large, evil island to unite these two…people." Hurley looked around awkwardly, trying to figure out what he was going to say next. "They met after our plane crashed a year ago today and…well the whole thing's been a little bumpy since then." The survivors broke out into a chuckle, remembering all of the events they had gone through in only a year.
"So umm, where do we go from here?" Hurley glanced between the both of them.
Jack smiled, fighting back a laugh. "Now it's the 'repeat after me' part." Kate blushed when Jack and her turned to face each other…three.
"Okay…Jack, repeat after me. I, Jack Shephard…"
Jack smiled. "I, Jack Shephard…"
"Do take Kate to be my island wife…"
Jack forced himself not to laugh. "Do take Kate to be my island wife…"
"In sickness and in health, since I'm a doctor and can take care of her…"
Kate was almost bursting out in laughter, most of the castaways already had. Jack was finding it hard not to laugh when he saw Kate's face. He managed to keep it to a simple raising of his eyebrows. "In sickness and in heath, since I'm a doctor and can take care of her…"
"And…in all that other stuff too."
Jack finally chuckled. "And in all that other stuff too."
"Okay Kate, your turn." She held her breath…four.
"I, Kate Austen…"
"I, Kate Austen…" She watched Jack's eyes bore into hers as she began.
"Do take Jack to be my island husband…"
Kate couldn't hold in her giggling. "Do take Jack to be my island husband…"
"For better or for worse…since there's a lot of worse…"
She bit her lip, holding in her giggles. "For better or for worse since there's a lot of worse…"
"And all the other stuff goes without saying."
"And all the other stuff goes without saying." She smiled at Jack, trying to get it across that she meant it, no matter how silly it sounded.
"Dude, you got the rings?" Hurley leaned over towards Sawyer.
Sawyer sighed. "Yeah I got 'em. Calm down Jabba." Sawyer thrust two rings into Jack's hand.
Jack smiled, slipping the same ring he had given for engagement onto Kate's fingers. That ring had been hard enough to find among the suitcases, it wasn't like he wanted to look through it all again for a separate wedding ring. Kate took Jack's, which had taken her just as long to find, and put it on his finger.
"And now, by the power invested in me and my 116 million dollars, I pronounce you two husband and wife…Dude you can kiss her now."
Jack chuckled, nodding. "Thanks Hurley." He looked back at Kate and she realized that with their first kiss as a married couple, it would all be over. And she hadn't run.
Jack leaned in closer to her, almost hesitant to kiss her with everyone watching. But finally, getting over his embarrassment, he moved in closer and kissed her gently…five.
All of the survivors cheered as they continued kissing, sharing their first kiss as a married couple in front of all of them. Not being able to take the attention anymore, they both quickly pulled away and looked away from each other. Jack's right hand stayed in Kate's left and as more and more people crowded around them, their hands held on to each other tighter.
"Come on, time for the reception," Claire excitedly said beside Kate, clutching on to her arm.
"Dude I call not eating the mangoes." Hurley started heading over to the long, large table where the buffet of food was waiting.
While the castaways were all eagerly running to the food, Jack and Kate held back. They found it surprisingly easy to stay back unnoticed. The survivors had been so thrilled over the reception that they were leaving behind the two people it was for. But Jack and Kate didn't mind. They wanted to be alone anyway and an early start on their honeymoon was always a good thing.
Jack turned them around, pulling Kate along towards the hut Sayid had made them for their honeymoon. They were going to be able to spend the whole time alone and separate from everyone else. Jack smiled at Kate; it was going to be perfect.
"Thank you," he whispered to her.
"For what?" She raised an eyebrow.
"For not running," he said even more quietly as if saying it loudly would make her change her mind.
But she didn't. "You're welcome," she said meekly, moving closer to him. He started grinning.
They walked into the little hut, which was really only one large room, but to them the whole thing was perfect. It was stacked with food so they wouldn't have to leave at any time to find some plus a whole shelf of water bottles for them as well. But the part they were most anxious for trying was the bed sitting right in front of them.
"So, we get three whole days to ourselves." Jack smiled nervously.
"Jack." Kate frowned disapprovingly at him.
"Alright, alright…five days."
Smiling, she shook her head at him and pulled him in for a kiss. She kept him closer, running her hands over his short hair before moving down to smooth her hands over his chest and pulling away.
"Fine," he panted. "Two weeks…that's my last offer." He raised her eyebrows at her.
She grinned and let out a small giggle before kissing him again, pleased with the time he had given them for their honeymoon. She just wanted to get it started. It wasn't like they hadn't been together before but it felt so good to know that this time she wouldn't have to worry about people bursting into Jack's tent wanting medical attention. Kate was tired of the whole camp seeing her with hardly any clothes on.
She quickly pulled off his shirt and pushed up against him. She moaned into his mouth as he undid her zipper. He tugged at her dress, fumbling to get it undone. Her hands glided over his rippling arms and she thought she was going to burst if they didn't start this soon. She wasted in no time unzipping his pants and pulling them down. It was Jack's turn to moan.
"Boy, you two don't waste any time, do you?" Kate let out a small yelp at the voice, quickly hiding behind Jack in merely her tank top and underwear. Jack panted heavily, standing in his boxers with his arms out in an attempt to hide Kate from the one at their door.
"Charlie…what are you doing here?" Jack tried to let his anger take a hold of him.
"Rescue's here!" Charlie jerked his thumb towards a direction behind him. "A boat's finally come! And on your wedding day too, can you believe it?!" He ran out of the hut before Jack could ask any more questions.
"Rescue? Now?" Kate wasn't sure if she could believe it or that she even wanted to. Jack didn't utter a word, completely in disbelief himself.
Once their clothes had been shoved back on, they stepped out of the hut and saw for themselves that Charlie wasn't lying. There really was a boat, a big boat.
"Survivors of Oceanic flight 815?" A guy with a blowhorn asked the castaways cheering and waving, down the beach.
Kate felt like someone had just given her a blow to the stomach. She thought that after the wedding, everything would be perfect. Jack and her were supposed to be getting away from all the problems that they had already had to deal with…things weren't supposed to get worse. Even Jack's hand squeezing hers wasn't providing any comfort.
Jack wasn't feeling any better about the situation. He knew what they'd have to face now. It wasn't going to be easy, he knew that much. But he wasn't going to let her be taken from him, not on their wedding day…not ever.
"Hey," he whispered, causing her to glance over at him. "It's going to be okay." She nodded slightly, appreciating he was at least trying to make things better.
He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. "It's going to be okay." He kissed her head and tried to believe the words himself as a single tear slid down Kate's cheek.