As They Come and Go
From the moment he came to this island, Tom had been alone. But back then, he wasn't left out. He had something in common with the others. In the beginning, everyone was alone. That's why most of them had come to the island. Because they had nothing left. However, over time, Tom had watched as the relationships grew and the bonds strengthened.
He had watched Ben as he was drawn towards Juliet. He was infatuated by her. He loved her. But Tom could tell that Juliet didn't share his feelings. If only been could see that. If only he could see that he was controlling her; not letting her get close to anyone else. She fell in love many times, but according to Ben, she was all his. And so Juliet closed up her heart. She didn't let anyone else in. That is, until she met Shepard.
The couple that had really surprised Tom was Colleen and Danny. Pickett had always acted mean and cold-hearted, but when Colleen came, she made him let his guard down and open up. Underneath, he was actually very loving and caring. Colleen had changed him for the better, and he would always love her no matter what. It wasn't long until they had gotten married. The wedding was a spectacular occasion that didn't happen a lot on the island. There was music and laughter, and for once, everyone was happy. But then Colleen was shot. Pickett was not the same after her death, and he would never go back to his loving self. Maybe it was for the best that Juliet shot him. Now he and Colleen could be together.
Tom could even see the beginnings of a beautiful relationship when he looked at Alex and Karl. Those two loved each other more than they could know, although it was still in the early teenage stages. Tom couldn't wait to see that love grow and flourish. He knew it would become one of the most beautiful things on the island. And then Karl left with Kate and Sawyer. It was the hardest decision Alex ever had to make in her short sixteen years of life, but their separation was just another hardship that would only make their love stronger.
When Jack and the others had come, Tom noticed that all three carried tension that went beyond what he had seen before. Jack loved Kate, this Tom was sure of. He loved her more than anything else in his entire life. If it would save Kate, Jack would gladly die for her. That's why he screamed at her to run several days ago. Although he might never see her again, her safety was all that mattered to him. That kind of selfless love always left Tom speechless. It was love like that that would survive anything.
Tom could tell that Juliet had feelings for Jack from the first moment she saw him. It was in her eyes every time she looked at the doctor, a certain sparkle that wasn't there before, even though she knew if Ben found out, he would most kill Jack. But she couldn't help her feelings. Her soft smile also gave her away. And her caring, helpful attitude. She had volunteered to bring him food every chance she got just so she could see him. It made Tom feel bad that she would never be able to have the man of her dreams, for Jack's heart already belonged to someone else.
Kate's heart was split in two. On the one hand, there was the doctor, who would always protect her and look out for her. Then there was the con man. Sawyer was mysterious, and had a certain quality to him that lured Kate in. She was in a constant state of inner debate. Who should she choose? Which one was best for her? But Tom, who was very good at noticing these things, knew who she truly cared about. It was obvious, but what made Tom 100 percent sure was when Kate had come back for Jack. Following her heart, she left Sawyer, silently telling him that he did not have her love.
Tom had watched as all of these relationships on the island over the years grew and flourished. He noticed things that most others could not. He saw the silent communications when two people looked into each other's eyes, the hidden meaning behind a seemingly insignificant touch on the arm, the soft smile as someone looked at the person they loved. And although he was happy that they had found their soulmate, Tom envied them because he had no one to call his own. He had no one to love, no one to love him back. He pretended not to care, but he knew this was a lie. Everyone wanted to be loved.
Long gone were the days when he was young and handsome. Now he was just old and alone. Thinking of something happy, Tom tried to stop his self-pitying. 'It's not going to do anyone any good,' he thought, yet in his heart he knew that he would never be loved, that he would always be alone.