New York City. April 10, 2008. Dr. Jack Shephard was sitting impatiently on a bus, watching the cars fly by out the window. There was a large mob of people all trying to push and shove their way onto the bus outside, and it felt like they had been stopped for an eternity. Jack noticed a newspaper sitting on the ground and bent down to pick it up, his watch flashing before his eyes as he did. 9:17. His first shift at work started in 13 minutes, and they had at least 5 more stops left before they got to the hospital.
As Jack opened the newspaper, his eyes were immediately attracted to a picture of a woman whom he knew very well, her brown eyes hidden under sunglasses, trying to avoid the camera. The headline read "Fugitive Narrowly Escapes Charges" and he could already see that his name was mentioned more than once. The article made Jack's thoughts immediately turn to the island. To her. He felt so awful for making the choices that he had, but had it really been his choice? He knew he probably couldn't keep his promise. Going back just wasn't plausible. But he had to stop thinking about it.
Jack heard the bus doors close through his thoughts. Finally, we're going to move. He could hear the newly-boarded mob of people desperately trying to find spots.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" He heard a woman's voice say. He could see someone standing beside his seat out of the corner of his eye.
"No, no go ahead." Jack mumbled, still fixed on the newspaper. He chuckled a little to himself, because the voice of the woman who had just talked to him had sounded exactly like the woman his thoughts had been on for the last 3 years. Now I know I've gone nuts, Jack thought to himself.
The woman sat down, and when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand on end, he looked up to find himself locking eyes with someone he never thought he would see again.
A/N I know this was a very short chapter, but believe me, they will get longer. Please review, with constructive criticism if necessary!