"Jack, don't."
"Kate, I need to do this. You of all people should know that."
"It's not gonna make a difference! Jack, you're just going to make yourself sick. You need to get some sleep. You're going to end up working or worrying yourself to death if you keep this up," she said, "Please, Jack. I'm worried about you. It seems like all you do is give all you have to everyone else. I'm not saying it's a bad thing you want to help, it's just that you need to help yourself once in a while, too."
"Kate, I-,"he started.
She cut him off, "No, Jack, not this time. You aren't gonna work your way around this one. You know something? I've only seen you sleep once. And that was after I gave you sleeping pills! You need to sleep."
"I can't, Kate, I can't. I can't fail. My father was right; I'm not good at letting go. I need to do this! The people at the beach need water."
"So let Sayid or Charlie do it! They can carry water Jack, you don't have to do everything."
Jack looked her in the eye for a moment. Kate returned his stare. In his eyes she could see all of the stress, sadness, and exhaustion he was carrying. Jack could see in her eyes all the care, responsibility, and emotions she had within her.
"I'm sorry, Kate," he said as he got up and made his way into the jungle.
Kate stood for a second before slowly turning toward a cave. A small tear rolled down her cheek. 'Why does he do that?' she asked herself. She really was worried about him.
'You idiot! Why'd you do that?' he thought. He kept his eyes straight ahead while he was kicking himself for walking away from Kate. "I can't believe I just did that," he muttered.
A few moments later he zoned out. He was remembering when he and Kate opened the gun case. Out of everything that was in that case, out of anything she could've grabbed and run off with, she only took that toy plane. It was all she wanted. He had wanted the truth out of her. He wanted to know why she wanted it so bad. Kate had even butted heads with Sawyer to get that case, just for the plane. Why?
"Dangit!" he shouted as he tripped over a root.
Jack picked himself up off the ground and continued walking. He came to a sudden stop when he heard a loud screeching sound. It was the monster. He turned around and made a mad dash for the caves, but he wasn't quick enough. All of a sudden he was swept off the ground and into a tree. Before he had the chance to yell for help everything went black.
Jack dropped to the ground with a loud thud.
"I'm sure he's fine, Kate," Sayid reasurred her, "You know Jack. He's probably helping someone with something."
"I'm not so sure, Sayid. He's been gone for two hours. I'm worried about him. We heard that thing out there earlier. What if-," she paused, closing her eyes," What if it got him? Oh, god, what if he's dead? I have to go find him!"
"Kate! Kate, hold on a minute!" Sayid yelled as Kate grabbed her pack and ran into the jungle.
He followed suit but was stopped by Shannon. "You're going in the jungle? It could still be out there!" she said.
Sayid let out a sigh, "Shannon, Jack was out there. We're going to make sure he's alright. You know he'd do the same for any of us. I have to go."
Shannon paused for a moment. "Then I'm coming with you."
Sayid nodded reluctantly and they went out after Kate in search of Jack.
"Jack!" Kate yelled as she ran. "Jack, answer me! Jack!"
She slowed down and sat on a fallen tree to rest for a moment. She pulled out her water bottle and took a few gulps before putting in away and standing up to get going again. 'Jack, please be okay,' she said silently.
As she started to run again, she tripped over the same root that Jack had earlier. She fell, but didn't hit the ground. Something was underneath her and had cushioned her fall. She looked up to see what it was and her heart sank. It was Jack.
There were gashes, huge gashes, all over his body. The entire right side of his face had hundreds of tiny cuts and pieces of tree bark on it. His arm looked like it had been broken and pulled out of place. Kate started to cry, thinking he was dead.
She took his hand in hers. Then she felt a light squeeze. She slowly looked at his face and saw his eyes were slightly open.
"J-Jack?" she asked silently, "Jack, can you hear me?"
He was trying to say something. Kate leaned in closer so she could hear him.
"Kate...I'm sorry," he whispered.
He went limp and stopped moving. Kate panicked and quickly stood up and grabbed his arms. She was dragging him toward the caves when Sayid and Shannon finally caught up to her. Shannon gasped when she saw Jack all bloody and mangled.
Kate was still crying as she pleaded, "Sayid, help. Please do something!"
Kate laid him back down on the ground and Sayid kneeled next to the doctor. He felt for a pulse, but there wasn't one there. "Kate," he said quietly, "He's gone."
"What-what do you mean 'he's gone' ? He was just talking to me! He can't be-"
"Kate, I'm sorry. Jack's gone. I can't help him, neither can you."
Kate let the truth set in. Sayid got up and embraced her. She then let herself go. She collapsed into him and sobbed into his shoulder.
"It's okay, it's okay," he whispered.
Jack was buried on the beach next to where Boone had been laid to rest. Hurley said a few words, trying to hold his composure. Jack had been the only one on the island that really took the time to listen to what he had to say. The only one to tell him that he wasn't crazy for not wanting to go down in the hatch. Now he was gone.
After everyone had gone back to their encampments, Kate stayed there, staring at the cross made from sticks that served as a makeshift gravemarker. She fell to her knees and sat back on her heels.
Stray tears rolled down her cheeks freely as she remembered when Jack heard her sing for the first time.
Kate sang as she worked alone in the garden.
"As I went down in the river to pray,
Studyin' about that good ol' way,
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord, show me the way!
Oh, sisters, let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down,
Oh, sisters, let's go down,
Down in the river to pray.
As I went down in the river to pray,
Studyin' about that good ol' way,
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord, show me the w-"
She gasped and jumped up. "Jack, you scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry," he laughed," Didn't mean to. So, I heard you singing."
"You did?" she asked nervously.
"Yep," he answered. "Sounds nice. Didn't know you sang about God, though. Didn't really take you as a religious person."
She smiled shyly. "Thanks, Jack," she said, "It's a song my mom used to sing to me whenever I was sick. A lullaby of sorts, I guess."
Jack just smiled at her. There was an awkward silence between them.
"Well, I'll see you later, then," he spoke before he turned and walked away.
"Jack," she whispered, "Why?"
She then heard him saying her name. At first it was a silent whisper, but it kept getting louder and louder and louder.
Kate's eyes snapped open and she saw Jack looking down at her with a concerned look on his face.
"Kate, are you okay?" he asked, "You said my name and then asked why. You were crying."
Kate's jaw dropped a little, and she started to laugh and cry happily. She quickly leaned up and threw her arms around his neck. Jack was confused, but returned the embrace. "Jack, you're here! You're alive!"
Jack chuckled. "Of course I'm alive, Kate, and I don't plan on going anywhere. What happened?"
"Nothing," she whispered, "Just a dream. A really bad dream."
Fin