One year ago – Jack:
"Charlie, really." Jack said sighed at the short man over the table. "You don't need to do this." They were eating at Charlie's place. Claire, Charlie's wife and Aaron, their son, had gone out for the day and Charlie had called one of his closest friends over. Jack.
"Come on, mate. She's pretty." Charlie urged. Charlie had been trying to convince Jack to go out with a woman for some time now. He claimed he had the perfect one. But both she and Jack had been finding ways to escape meeting each other. Jack at least appreciated that the foreboding feeling of blind dates was mutual between him and the mystery girl.
Jack only shook his head and smiled, biting into his burger.
Present Day – Kate:
"Dear lord." Kate looked at herself in the mirror. She was in her apartment, getting prepared to go to the first Halloween party she had attended in years. Ever since her best friend, Tom, died she had been very reserved. But then another close friend had passed away and she had tried to shut the world out. But her last close friend, Sawyer, had been dragging her from her shell bit by bit and was now almost forcing her to come to a party he had his girlfriend, Juliet were throwing. She was wearing black tights and a black ballet flats. She also wore a black and white stripped dress, bumble bee wings and yellow feelers on her head. "How did I get talked into this?" But she looked at the clock and knew she couldn't back out now. She knew this would be good for her. So, she put on her bravest face, and head towards the party.
When she got there, music was already thumping and people were dancing and screaming and running around like teenagers. She wasn't sure where Sawyer would be, he wasn't much of a dancer. But she knew Juliet would be in the kitchen. She herself wasn't much of dancer. Why are they even having this party? Kate couldn't help but wonder. She went into the semi crowded kitchen and saw Juliet mixing a drink. She went up to Juliet with caution. Kate and Sawyer used to have something of a relationship, Juliet knew about it and their relationship was always slightly strained. "Hey." She said. Juliet looked up. Suddenly, Kate noted what Juliet was wearing. She was dressed as a pixie. She wore a purple, sparkly dress with wings, and a head dress. Her dress had a belt and a wand with streamers was sticking out of it. "Cute costume."
Juliet looked her over. "Yeah, you too." She nodded. "Sawyer!" She yelled. And suddenly, Sawyer was there. He wasn't wearing a costume as far as Kate could tell. He gave Kate a quick hug and guided her to the living room.
"I'm glad you could come, Freckles." Sawyer smirked at her when all of a sudden someone ran up to Sawyer and spit words at him Kate wasn't quick enough to catch. "Shit. I'll be right there." Sawyer scanned the room. "Look, go to talk to that guy. His name is Jack, he works with Juliet." He pointed to a man across the room.
Kate examined him. "The one in the bloody doctor scrubs?" Kate asked.
"Yeah, him. See you." He was gone.
Kate sighed and rolled her eyes. What the hell. She thought. She made her way through the sweating pulsing crowd of people to this Jack person. He was leaning against the food table, arms crossed, watching everyone. "Hey." Kate said nodding, scooping up a lady finger. "You're Jack?" She asked.
Jack glanced sideways at her. "Yeah." He said. "I don't think I know you."
"I'm Kate." She offered a hand. "I know, Sawyer and no one else here. He abandoned me and told me to talk to you."
Jack shook her hand. "Hi. So you're..." He looked her up and down once and Kate blushed when it slowly dawned on her this attractive man was checking her out. She was even surprised she could see his attractiveness past the blood. "A bumblebee." She nodded. "How old are you?"
"Twenty six. How old are you?!" She snapped.
"Thirty. What does that have to do with anything?" He asked in an equally challenging tone.
She dodged the question. "What are you?"
"I'm a..." Jack looked down his body. "I'm a doctor." He looked back up at her. "Like, an actual doctor." She raised her eyebrows. "I'm a spinal surgeon. I just covered my scrubs in fake blood from a party store."
"Wow, creative." Kate snickered slightly at his defeated face.
"Hey, I'm in medicine. I'm allowed to be artistically crippled." This made Kate laugh a bit louder than necessary. "
For the next half an hour they held a pleasant and friendly conversation, Kate reaching out and touching Jacks arm a few times, despite the fake blood, and Jack reaching up to flick one of Kate's feelers flirtatiously. For Kate, the evening wasn't looking half that bad until that song came on.
You all everybody!
It hit home. Kate stopped midsentence and started at Jack. "What?" He asked.
"I...I...I'm sorry..." She mumbled stepping away. "I...think I should...go." And with that she burst out of the house.
*
Jack stood there in shock as the first woman he felt a flutter with in over three years ran from his sights. It took him a moment or two to react, and when he did he followed her back out of the house. He thought he would have to chase her down. But she was sitting on the front porch. It was a wrap around deck, with porch swing, a sloping hill and a four foot fence in front of that. "Um...Kate?" He asked. "Kate?"
"What?" She asked her face in her hands as she rocked on the swing.
"What was that about? Are you okay?"
"I just...I knew that man. The guy in the band."
For a moment this mystified Jack, and then he heard it to.
You all everybody!
She knew Charlie. "You...you know Charlie?" Jack asked.
"Knew. I knew, Charlie." Kate snapped bitterly. But then, her head snapped up. "Wait, you knew him to?"
"Yeah," Jack said taking a seat next to her. "I was really close friends with him." He nodded. "How did you know him?"
"I was really close friends with him. How did I never meet you?" Kate shook her head slowly.
They looked at each other for a while. It occurred to them at the same moment. "Oh..." they mused simultaneously, turning away from the other. This was the girl Charlie wanted to set me up with. Jack thought, just as Kate was thinking the same thing about him. "I'm sorry I avoided you...my marriage..."
"I know." Kate said quickly and Jack knew he looked hurt. But she spoke softer. "I know what happened. I mean, Charlie told me...before the accident." She nodded. "I just avoided you because..."
"Of Tom." Jack told her. Kate nodded again. "Charlie told me." There was a silence. "Did you go to the funeral?" Kate shook her head only slightly. "Me either. I didn't want to see Aaron...and Claire...like that. I know I should have been there to support them. But when I found about the accident...that idiot...I was in too much pain to think about anyone but myself."
"Yeah, me to." She paused. "I miss Claire and Aaron. I wish they hadn't moved away...after...he..." She didn't finish her sentence and instead looked down. Jack watched her for a moment and then slipped his hand into hers, and saw a small smile grace her lips but she didn't look up. Jack looked up to the fence and felt his breath taken away when he saw who was standing there. Charlie Pace.
He jumped up and yelled. He began running down the steps, taking two at a time, the lights and fake tombstones blurring past him as he chased Charlie down the street. "Hey!" He yelled. "Wait!" He could faintly hear Kate chasing after him, screaming his name. Jack crashed through a pack of kids trick or treating, candy splashing everywhere and mothers reprimanding him. He saw a shadow of someone turn into a corner, and Jack burst around it a few moments later only to find himself in a public park with a small playground, the area completely deserted. He slowly crept up to the playground. There was a slide, a tire swing and jungle gym. In the jungle gym there was a tube. Jack slowly approached it, stepping as lightly as possible. Just as bent down in look into the tube, his heart racing in the pitch black night, a voice rang out.
"JACK!" He jumped, his heart leaping into his throat. He spun around to see Kate stomping over the grass to him. "What the hell was that?" She threw her arm out. "What the hell did you see?"
Jack walked away from the tube, and towards her. "Sorry." He said.
"What was that?" She demanded. "What's going on? Are you okay?"
"I..." Jack looked away from her. "You wouldn't believe me." He said. Well, she wouldn't.
"It's Halloween." She smirked. "Try me."
Jack sighed and looked back down at her. "I saw Charlie." He said. He watched as her expression went from confused, to hurt. "Look," He started but she interrupted him.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Jack?" She demanded. "Why would you say that to me? I open up about how I feel about him dying and you mock me? Please." She span around, wings waving."
"Kate, wait." He said.
"No," She ordered over her shoulder. "Leave me alone." She began to stomp off, and Jack looked down when suddenly, she screamed. Jack's head snapped up and for just another moment, he saw Charlie there to. And then, he was gone.
"Jack." She said, Jack came towards her and stood next to her. "Jack." Her voice wavered and Jack pulled her against him, before he even had time to consider what he was doing.
They only stood there for a few moments when suddenly, a group of people approached them. "Hey, man." One guy said. They were dressed in black. Jack suddenly had a very, very bad feeling. He took Kate's hand and began to lead them away from the field, and further into the city which was surprisingly quiet for Halloween. "Hey, wait!" The same man said. Then Jack heard it. "She has a wallet in her bra, get it."Jack glanced over his shoulder and saw two of people thundering towards them.
"Run, Kate!" Jack ordered. They sped up, running down the streets; the only passed one person, a hobo. Jack looked back, now three of them were following. They turned a corner and Jack saw a small alley way, it was a tiny barley there gap between buildings. "In there." Jack said quietly. He pushed Kate in first; they'd have to get through him to get to her. He pressed up against her, pressed her back and head into the wall behind them. He wiggled his fingers through her hair so his hand was pressed against the brick instead of her sensitive head. He heard their chasers running towards them and he pressed firmer against her and she let out a little puff of air. Shadows past over them as their pursuers ran past them. "You okay?" Jack asked quietly.
Kate nodded and Jack suddenly noticed the way she had her arms wrapped around his waist, her hands flat against his back.
"Who was that?" Kate asked. Jack looked down at her, still tangled with her.
"Them?" Jack shook his head. "I don't know.
"No." Kate said. "Him. Charlie..." Kate looked up at Jack. "What if it's like, a demon or something?" Kate looked terrified and Jack pulled her closer.
"It isn't." Jack reassured her. "It's probably just some idiot playing some kind of sick practical joke."
Kate only watched him. "Jack...we see him then randomly get chased down by some guys? That isn't normal." She looked really freaked out. But then she looked at him carefully, studying him. "I was really close with Claire," she said. Jack nodded. "I...well...I loved Aaron to bits. Did you find out how the accident happened?" She suddenly had tears in her eyes.
Jack knew. "I know. Claire's my sister. It was heroine."
*
Some moments passed, where Kate had cried into Jack's chest, and he put his head in her hair, and she felt some moisture. It had never felt so right to be held by someone. It overwhelmed her. She barely knew him and she felt like they had known each other all their lives.
She finally pulled her face from his chest. "Jack?" Jack nodded, and sniffed. "I have somewhere we need to go..."
*
They were standing outside an apartment door C3 waiting for a man to open it up. Kate had convinced him to go to an exorcist. He couldn't believe he was here, let alone willing to try. But Kate, so tiny and frightened, had convinced him. Not because he believed it work, but because he wanted to make her feel better. He was surprised by how much he wanted to make her feel safe. When he was holding her, it felt so good, and natural.
The door opened. The man was bald and rather plain looking. He wore plain slacks and a t-shirt. "Kate." He said looking at her.
"John." She stepped into the apartment. "This is my friend, Jack Shephard. Jack, John Locke." She nods. Jack and John shake hands. "John, I need a favour." She quickly explained their situation, apparently John knew Charlie as well. But they never really had a good relationship.
"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Kate, let's start with you." John said standing up and walking into his bedroom. Jack and Kate shared a nervous glance before following him. He went into the bathroom and began to fill the tub with warm water. Jack didn't like the looks of this. "Strip down, please, Kate."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Just to your underwear, and get in." He ordered casually, like he was used to this and it was no big deal. Jack averted his eyes politely as Kate undressed. He didn't want to make her to uncomfortable. Instead of looking at her, cause deep down he wanted to, he looked at John. Jack guessed he could take John on if worst came to worst and he turned out to some freak and tried to hurt Kate or something. Soon, the bath was full and Jack finally gave in and turned his attention to her. Kate stepped in, her underwear Halloween themed, adorable but sexy all at once. She was beautiful. She submerged herself in the bath, her tips of her hair floating around her shoulders. "Good, now soak for a few minutes." John said. "I'll be right back." He left.
Jack sat on the toilet. "What the hell, Kate? Are you crazy? What is with this guy?" He asked. He wanted to leave desperately, but he wasn't leaving Kate alone with this psychopath.
"Jack, its fine, he's a friend." She told him. "Don't worry."
Suddenly, John came back dressed in ropes and carrying a round basket with the cross on it. Jack raised his eyebrows disbelievingly and looked at Kate whose eyes had widened. John began to unload the basket on the counter, he had salts, candles, an aspergillum, a Bible, the Krahn, crumpled photos, matches, a cross, a star of David, and some things Jack didn't recognize. John shut the door. Jack tensed. John laid out candles along the rim of the bath, and all over the bathroom, lighting them one by one and a strong scent Jack couldn't place filled the room. Once the candles were lit, John turned off the light. Jack could see very well though, because of the candles. John took out the salts and splashed them in the bath. Jack wanted to stop him from putting anything in the water with her. John then tossed salt around the room. He reached for his cross. He bowed his head and began to speak quickly in a language Jack didn't know or even recognize, and then, John crossed himself and Kate. Kate looked panicked and she watched Jack. As if making sure he didn't bolt for the door. John grabbed the aspergillum and filled it with bath water, he splashed himself and then Jack. Jack was about to protest but kept his mouth shut. John then took the photos of people Jack didn't know. He only knew one was Jesus, and one was Charlie. Jack watched as John burned the photo. Then dropped it in the bath water. It went out almost immediately. John took the bible and began to speak quickly and intensely in his language, his hand placed upon it, the cross on it as well. Suddenly, the window above the bathtub slammed open, the blinds flinging up. Kate screamed as this happened. The lights flickered on and off, and suddenly all the candles were extinguished.
"Jack!" Kate screamed from the tub. "Jack!" Jack flung himself towards the general direction of the tub, but he felt someone stop him.
"No, Jack! It's working!" John cried. "It's working!" He laughed. "Be gone evil spirits!" He roared.
"Jack!" Kate screamed again in the dark, and suddenly, the door slammed open and shut again. "Jack! I'm scared!" She was screaming louder then Jack had ever heard. He hoped a neighbour was calling the cops. But he didn't have time to wait as John continued to hold him back while screaming, half in English, and half in some other language. Jack punched him, hard. The lights flickered again and he saw John laying on the floor, blood coming out of his mouth, Kate paralyzed in the bath, still screaming, her hands over her ears and her eyes shut. Jack lunged towards the bath and pulled her out, causing the water to flow over the edge of the tub. Jack pulled her out and door slammed again, Kate screamed. Jack was getting scared now to. He grabbed her clothes and threw her over his shoulder, and stepped over John. But the door was locked. Jack, trying to balance Kate and hold her clothes, kicked the door down in three hard kicks. It flung to the floor and ran from the apartment into the hall. He slammed the apartment door but didn't go any farther. It was so quite in the hall, so peaceful. He lowered Kate to the ground. She was still wet and shivering, tears on her face. Jack held her against him. He rubbed her body, not caring anymore that she was almost naked. While he liked it, he just wanted to sooth her. Finally, she pulled away and looked at him. Suddenly, he was overcome with an urge to kiss her. So he did. He knelt down and kissed her nose gently and pulled away, to see if that was okay. Her eyes said it was. They were shut and she looked peaceful, the tear stained cheeks aside. He leaned down and kissed her mouth gently and as relaxingly as he possibly could. They kissed there for a few moments, and then Jack pulled away and handed her clothing to her. She was shaking as she attempted to get her costume back on. Jack noticed her troubles and helped her get in her clothes, pulling her dress on for her, and then bending over as she held onto his back to pull her leggings on. When she was dressed, Kate leaned against him, pressing the side of her face into his chest. "Jack." She said. Jack reached up and held her.
"I know."
*
They had gone to a Starbucks. They were sitting on a couch. Kate was leaning against Jack, her head on his shoulder, his head on hers and their arms wrapped around each other. The store was completely empty except the two of them, and the bartenders and baristas were rowdy and having fun. They barely noticed Jack and Kate. They probably sat there like that for twenty minutes when one the bartenders shouted. "Ouija board!" He was holding a box. Both Jack and Kate sat up simultaneously. Kate looked at Jack. "You have got to be kidding me." Jack muttered. But followed her as she walked towards the bar. This girl was determined.
"Excuse me?" Kate asked and all the two baristas and the two bartenders stopped and looked at her. "Can me and my..." she looked at Jack. "friend, join you?" They shared a glance and nodded. They took the board around the bar and they all sat in a circle, the board on their laps as they got ready. The lights were turned down, the music stopped and the closed sign flipped over. Jack grabbed Kate's hand as she eagerly looked on.
"I think this really a bad idea, Kate." He said quietly.
"I need to know." Was all she said, and Jack knew exactly what she was talking about.
They decided the bartender with the red hair should ask the questions, and they all put their hands on the planchette. The red head informed any spirits that only a good experience would be have, only positive things, any negative activity won't be tolerated. They moved the plancette around in a warm up circle. They began. The blonde barista told the red head to ask if her boyfriend will propose. The answer was yes. Jack wasn't moving his hands on his own, and it scared him. The brunette barista asked if she will ever get married. The answer was no. The brunette bartender asked if any of the girls in the circle liked him. Yes. He smiled at the brunette. "Don't believe everything it says." She blushed. They moved onto more advanced questions. The red head asked how long his grandma was going to live. It said long. He looked pleased and asked Jack and Kate if they had anything they wanted to ask. Kate's fingers tightened around Jacks on the plancette.
Kate nodded. "Ask it what Charlie wants from us?"
The red head asked.
They moved to Y, then to O, and then to U, then to L, O,V, E.
*
The moment it was spelled out everyone watched them. Kate was stunned. Love? Love?! She was scared out of her mind for Love? What? She looked at Jack who was starting at the board in disbelief. "Jack." She said and he looked at her, stunned. "Jack."
"Let's stop." The blonde said, looking worried. "Rich, let's stop." She begged of the redhead. He nodded and said goodbye to the board and closed it. They all watched Jack and Kate apprehensively.
"We should go." Jack said nodding. "Kate, my apartment isn't far from here, we can walk." Kate nodded dumbly and instinctively slipped her hand into his as they left. He didn't seem to mind.
They began to walk in silence. Each wondering what it meant. "Jack," Kate said, stopping. That was all she could barley say. Jack on impulse, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, pulled her towards him. But she pushed him away. Not roughly, but gently. She pointed at a set of train tracks.
There was Charlie. And suddenly, a beeping went off and Kate clung to Jack. But she soon realized it was only the noise of an oncoming train and they watched as the train drove through him, and then sped on through the night and Charlie stood there, watching them. He then walked away.
*
Kate grabbed onto Jack and began to sob. "Jack," she sobbed. "Jack." She felt stupid for crying but didn't know what else to do. She was terrified. "Jack, I want to go home." She begged.
Jack nodded. "Okay, where do you live? I'll take you home."
But she didn't want to go home; she wanted to be with Jack. "Can I stay with you tonight? I'm scared." He nodded again and held her close as they walked home.
*
Jacks apartment was very, very neat. Kate sat on the living room couch as Jack got water for them. He pulled her against him, sitting the way they had in Starbucks. "Hey, I can set a bed out here for you okay?" He offered. Kate turned to him, she knew she looked worried. "What's wrong?" He cupped her face with one hand and stroked her hair.
"I don't want you to leave me." She whispered.
"I won't."
"Can't I sleep with you?" She felt her cheeks get hot.
"Of course you can."
*
He and her walked into this bedroom and Jack pulled out a pair of his own pyjama pants, a t shirt and boxers for her. He was about to step into the bathroom for privacy when Kate called out. "Don't leave me." He didn't. He sat on the bed, his back away from her as she got changed. When he turned around he was not surprised to find her look very, very cute. It filled him with a funny feeling, seeing her dressed in his clothes. It felt good. She crawled into his bed and burrowed down like it was her own. He honestly didn't think he'd mind it all that much if it was. He got changed quickly, stripping from his costume, not really caring about his boxers or if she watched, which she did. He crawled into bed with her and wrapped his arms around her. She let out a sigh, his name. Her eyes were drifting shut. He slipped his hand up the back of her shirt and rubbed her back, sending her off to sleep.
*
When Jack woke up Kate was screaming. It was still dark, he had clearly only slept for two or three hours. He flung himself down on her, bringing her from sitting position back to laying down. Protecting her, he realized. He hovered above her, pretending it wasn't at all sexual, his pelvis pressed into hers. "What? What happened?" He asked, he was leaning on his forearms and he stroked her face. Without thinking, he leaned down and kissed her gently. She responded to him, but wasn't as into as was. "What's wrong, baby?" Baby?
Kate sat up, and Jack sat up with her, but kept his around her under the covers, holding her around her waist. "Look." She pointed to the floor. There was a smashed picture of his ex wife Sarah on the floor. "Is that her?" She asked and Jack nodded. She crawled onto Jack's lap and snuggled against him. "What's going on, Jack?" He didn't have an answer.
*
They fell back asleep with Kate in Jack's arms once more, a place she was finding more and more appealing, safer, and more right. She had nightmares, none she woke up from. She was just stuck in it. She woke up to Jack whispering in her ear. She pushed against him. "How are you?" He asked. She shook her head. "Sshh..." He gave her a kiss on the ear and she pulled away to kiss him a quick kiss on the lips, and then fell back asleep.
*
When they woke up again, it was still dark. They went into the kitchen and made coffee, holding hands across the table. "You know, I wish I had listened to Charlie when he tried to set me up with you." Jack said. Kate looked at him. "You're beautiful." She blushed and looked away. "Really, you are, Kate." Jack knew he wouldn't normally say things like this but he had to, he wanted her to know. "And I love kissing you, and holding you. I could fall in love with you."
There was a long silence in which Kate simply watched Jack with a smile on her face. "I'm falling in love with you, Jack."
There was a bang that caused both Jack and Kate to yelp. It came from the bedroom. Jack went in first, followed by Kate who was holding his hand yet again. Jack looked for the source of the bang. At first, everything looked as it should but then he noticed. His dresser drawer open a crack. That's where he kept his most private of things. On the top of his dresser was a letter from Charlie he had sent him one year ago, and Jack's wedding ring.
Jack sat on the bed and read the letter in his head. Kate stood nervously in front of him, her knees pressed against his. "What does it say?" She whispered fearfully.
Jack began to read.
Dear, Jack:
I love seeing Australia with Claire. It's great here. Her family is really nice. I wish you could be here. I wish you could find a woman. Kate's a wonderful choice and I don't see why you keep putting it off. She's perfect for you, Jack. I just want you to be happy. I want her to be happy to. That's what is most important to me right now. Other then Claire and Aaron of course. Speaking of Aaron...
Jack stopped reading, he didn't need to finish. He looked up at Kate. She understood. She had tears in her eyes, and Jack spun her around and pulled her onto his lap, rubbing her back and kissing her neck. "I don't think we'll see him anymore." Jack whispered, happy he had found Kate and happy he knew what was going on even though he hardly understood it. Part of him felt sad because he knew he was finally saying goodbye to Charlie.
Kate sobbed. "Me either."
Well, there is it. This is my first fic like this so I hope you guys liked it!:)