Title: Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Author: MissMouseMD
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: This is my first Lost fic, so it might be a little OOC. Please tell me what you think!
She still can't sleep.
It's been ten years, and she still can't sleep.
She tries to close her eyes, and visions of monsters that thrive in darkness invade her mind. She can't make them go away.
She remembers being a little girl.
She remembers hiding under the covers, after her mother tucked her in.
She remembers the door creaking open, and she remembers him entering her bedroom.
She doesn't like to remember what came after that.
It hurts.
So now she lays awake, eyes shifting nervously.
She knows what happens in the dark.
She gets up, and walks to the beach.
Sits in the sand, watching the water.
It's dangerous to be alone at night.
She knows it.
But what's in her head is far worse.
"Kate?"
She whirls her head around, but she can't tell who it is.
"Who's there?"
The person sits next to her, and she realizes it's just Jack.
"Hey."
Her voice is soft.
"What are you doing here, Kate?"
"I could ask you the same question."
He smiles.
"I couldn't sleep."
"Neither could I."
There's silence, for a while.
"I don't like the dark."
He stares at her.
"You mean to say that you are afraid of the dark?"
She rolls her eyes.
"I'm not afraid of it. I don't like it."
He just smiles some more.
"I've never liked it."
He stops smiling at the tone of her voice.
He can tell it's not a joke anymore.
"Why not?"
She shakes her head.
He sighs. Typical Kate. Keep everything locked up inside until it becomes absolutely necessary to share.
"That's not healthy, Kate."
"Plenty of people don't like darkness."
"That's not what I'm talking about. You can't keep everything inside forever."
She shakes her head.
"I'm not keeping anything inside. I just don't like the dark."
He looks at her, and she knows he's not fooled.
But she doesn't know how to tell him.
She doesn't know if she wants to tell him.
He waits patiently.
He knows she'll probably make some excuse to run off.
But he wants to give her a chance.
Because he knows that keeping secrets isn't easy.
"He always came when it was dark."
He frowns.
"What?"
She stares straight ahead, avoiding his gaze.
"I couldn't tell. He wouldn't let me. He only came when it was dark. He wouldn't leave. It hurt."
Realization dawns on his face.
"Kate…"
She draws her knees up to her chest.
"He said if I told, he'd hurt me. He would. He hurt her all the time."
He inches closer, not wanting to invade her space.
"Afterwards, I couldn't wash him off of me. He was everywhere. I couldn't make him go away."
He puts his hand on her shoulder, awkwardly.
When she doesn't flinch at his touch, he begins to rub her back.
"I'm so sorry, Kate."
She looks at him.
"I had to do it. I had to. No one could stop him. I had to stop him. I had to."
"I know, Kate. I know. It's okay."
He doesn't know what else to say.
He never knows what to say.
She leans into him, puts her head on his shoulder.
He puts an arm around her, and he knows he said the right thing.
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