AN: A sort of sequel to 'Darkness'. Skate ending. No spoilers.
Storm
Kate sat on the beach, alone, staring out at sea. A storm was gathering, the clouds growing darker by the second. It seemed oddly appropriate to her. She felt a kind of numbness. She wasn't exactly devoid of feeling, but it was distinct. It was like a humming, a murmur, telling her something was about to happen. Some emotion was about to be released, but the humming gave her no clue as to which it would be. Sadness, rage. Kate wondered which of her old friends it would be.
The humming intensified. It was getting stronger, it wanted out. She could feel the pressure building. Her head began to ache, and there was a throbbing in her chest. She wanted to get it out. The pressure of it would kill her, she knew it.
It suddenly became obvious what the emotion would be. Rage. She should have known. She should have seen it coming. She was angry at herself that she didn't. More than anything, she was angry at the rage itself. Why should she feel this fury? There was nothing to aim it at. It had no right to consume her at that point. Why was it always with her, and how could she get rid of it?
Her body started to shake. The rage had taken over. She had no control. It was telling her to act out, to kick, to punch, to scream, all in Its name. She didn't want to fight It. It felt good, letting It take over. She didn't have to think. She could just be.
Just then, Vincent ambled over to her. His tail was wagging, and he looked like he was smiling. The rage hated it. The rage didn't want to see something like that. The rage wanted to kick it, hear it yelp in pain. The rage wanted to strangle it, feel it struggle under Its hands until there was no life left.
Kate couldn't do it. The rage lessened. She was controlling it now. She was proud of herself for that.
Vincent had a ball in his mouth. Kate understood; he wanted to play. Everyone else was hiding form the gathering storm. Kate was all that was left. Not that Vincent minded. Anyone willing and able to throw a ball was a friend to him.
Kate took the ball out of the dog's mouth. She threw it, as hard as she could. The rage helped. The dog raced after it, intent only on bringing it back so he could chase after it again. And again. And again.
Kate continued to throw the ball, time after time, as the dog kept bringing it back for her. The rage slowly weakened, with each toss of the ball she felt it leave her. Little by little, as though a piece of it flew into the air with the ball each time she threw it. Soon, there was none of it left.
The dog came back, one last time. Kate knelt down to pat him, and give him a hug. She wanted to sit and bury her hands in his fur, and just stay like that forever. Stay calm like that. No more rage.
Vincent didn't share her plans. His ears suddenly pricked up, and he raced off towards the jungle. Kate was alone again, facing the storm.
Sadness crept in. Another good friend. That overwhelming despair that crushed her, crippled her, left her unable to move or breathe. Rage she could live with. She knew she couldn't survive long with Sadness as her only companion.
Seconds, minutes, hours passed. Kate wasn't sure how long it was. She lost all sense of time as she sat on the beach, struggling to breathe under Sadness's weight. She was lonely. Out at sea, she could see the faces of all those she had once cared for, and who she had lost. There was no one left for her now. The clouds opened up, and the rain fell, as though the sky itself felt her grief.
"Whatta you doin' out here, Freckles?!" A sudden voice broke Kate out of her trance. She noticed for the first time that she was drenched to the skin, and freezing cold.
"It's raining, Sweetcheeks, or haven't you noticed? Now's not the best time to sit around, workin' on your tan." The voice was behind her now. The sadness disappeared at the sound. It couldn't exist beside the voice.
Kate didn't respond. She couldn't. All she could focus on was the lightness she felt. No more sadness, no more rage. It was gone, at least for now.
Suddenly, she felt a strong pair of arms grasp her arms, pulling her to her feet. She complied. She trusted those hands. They wouldn't hurt her. They turned her around, making her face their owner.
"You're all wet." The voice was concerned She looked into the eyes, and smiled at the expression she saw there. "So are you," she replied, grinning slightly. The eyes weren't amused by this.
"Come on, let's get out of the rain," the voice said, the eyes still looking a little worried. The hands reached around Kate, pulling her close, trying to keep her warm.
Kate smiled, and leaned into Sawyer's embrace. Together they walked back to the tents. The storm outside raged on, but Kate's inner storm was quelled. She felt happiness. She like happiness. She was sure that Happiness would become her best friend of all.
End.