A/N- Hey all! This is the first chapter in my fic, Mind's Eye. I hope you enjoy! Please, let me know what you think!
Disclaimer- I have nothing to do with this show, in any way. I just watch, and wish that I did!
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Chapter One: Fahrenheit
Twigs crunched and cracked beneath their feet, echoing out around them, as they made their way through the jungle to their campsites.
Jack held his torch high, leading the way through the thick foliage. Branches, teeming with leaves hung around them, forcing them to bow their heads as they followed the now-trodden path towards the caves.
"Tomorrow, I'll talk to Sayid," Jack said over his shoulder to the others. "See if I can get him to change his mind about that thing."
Kate and Hurley followed with bowed heads, their arms sagging with exhaustion and the weight of their torches. Locke was at the end of their entourage, without a torch, his head held high. His brow was knit tight in thought, his lips pursed in consideration.
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Jack," he said from behind.
Jack threw a look over his shoulder. "And why is that?" He bowed his head under a low-hanging branch, stopping to hold it back for Kate to pass through.
"Sayid is a man very set in his ways," Locke went on.
Jack had now regained his lead of the group. Switching his torch from his right hand to his left, he said, "Sayid is experienced, John. We could benefit from his help."
Locke was silent, and Jack looked over his shoulder to make sure he was still following them. Locke was still in the back, but watching the trail silently, again engrossed in thought.
They traveled in silence a moment longer until Kate spoke up.
"Jack, I don't think going down into that thing is a very good idea." Her voice was insistent with concern.
"Yeah, dude," Hurley joined in, moving beside Kate as they walked. "I mean, that monster thing could be down there."
Jack put his hand up, shaking his head.
"We don't have any plans yet, but with the sun up tomorrow, and, hopefully, with Sayid's help, we'll think of a safe way to explore it."
They were again surrounded by silence brought on by Jack's empty reassurance. Kate's nerves jumped with the unsettling knowledge of the now open hatch. Her chest tightened with apprehension for the waiting sunrise.
The caves slowly came into sight, and Hurley let out a sigh of relief. The trees began to grow sparse as they came into the clearing, greeted by the soft sounds of falling water. Hurley immediately set down his bag and torch. Pulling his water bottle out of his bag, he took a long drink. His body eased out the tension of the long day as he unpacked.
"Home, sweet home," Locke smiled at Jack and Kate and he passed them to move to his belongings. Setting his bag down, he also began to unpack, taking his knife off his belt, setting it in the case that sat next to him.
Jack inhaled deeply, removing his backpack from his shoulders, letting them relax, he rolled them back a few times, stretching his tired muscles.
Kate watched this, still feeling tense. Her journey wasn't over, she wasn't home yet.The backpack that hung on her frame seemed to have bricks in it. With every wave of fatigue, another brick was added.
"Well," Kate started, getting Jack's attention, "I'll see you in the morning."
He turned to face her fully.
"What? Kate, it's too dark to go back to the beach now," he took a step towards her. "You can just stay here tonight, and in the morning, you can come with us to the beach when I go to talk to Sayid."
Kate rolled her eyes, smiling. She knew this was coming.
"I think I can manage to get to the beach from here." She rested a hand on her hip. "I've still got my torch."
Jack smiled, laughing to himself. He was too tired for this. She couldn't just humor him this one time.
"One night here won't kill you."
"Neither will going back to the beach at night."
Jack raised his eyebrows. Why was she so opposed to staying there?
"You don't know that, Kate," he said, the smile falling from his lips. The danger there was surrounding them, and with her there for one night, he felt that his sleepless nights could change, if for just one night. Knowing she was near by would ease his restless, worrisome mind.
"Jack," Kate began, trying to reassure him with her voice. She could handle the walk back. He needed to stop worrying about her.
"Not even one night?" he shook his head at her, smiling at her unwillingness to stay. After all, she wouldn't be Eve.
She was silent, and he got her message, shaking his head again, looking down at his feet. His hands rested on his hips as his mind fell to a resolution.
"I don't like the idea of you out there alone when it's this dark." He walked to the makeshift stand that he had set his torch in and lifted it from its holder. Picking his backpack up from the ground, he slung it over one shoulder.
He turned back to face her, and saw her with her eyebrows raised at him in questioning.
"If you're not gonna stay here, at least let me walk you back."
Kate watched him for a moment, considering. Him walking her back meant he would be walking back alone, and he already looked exhausted. The muscles of his arms pulled at his shirt, begging for relief, but he stood stock still, holding his tense stature, waiting for her reaction.
"Well?"
She smiled slightly in submission.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Jack."
He laughed lightly, resettling the bag over his shoulder. She turned from him and began down the trail towards the beach, letting the amber glow of her torch illuminate the area around her.
It was silent once again and they were surrounded by the sounds of their footsteps on the dry earth. Kate brushed a strand of hair out of her face as she stepped over a large knotted root protruding from the ground. Behind her, Jack stepped over it carefully, keeping his eyes moving around them, awaiting any sign of a disturbance.
"So what do you think it is?"
Her voice sounded out of place in the empty air, and startled Jack.
"What?"
"What do you think's in it, I mean," she clarified , slowing her pace so they were walking side-by-side.
Jack shook his head, switching his torch to his left hand to keep it away from Kate. He looked at her face, pent up with confusion and wonder. Shadows danced across her features from the torch she held high with an aching arm.
"I don't know, Kate," he looked back to the trail ahead of them. "It's presence here is completely unaccounted for."
Kate watched his eyes fall towards the ground as his body pulled along after his fierce mind. His right arm hung at his side, seemingly pulling at his shoulders. His knees stayed bent, buckling under his weight, but he still pushed forward with a goal at hand.
"How long since your last full-night's sleep, Jack?"
Kate's voice was filled with concern and she watched his features for any reaction. His eyes snapped to her face for only an instant, filling with a recognition and shame. He looked away, having been caught.
"What?"
He was stalling for time, and she knew it. The fact that Jack was overwhelmed on the island didn't go unnoticed, but Kate was the only one who would openly show her concerns.
"Jack, you're killing yourself," her voice had lowered and she stopped moving down the trail. He looked back and saw that she had stopped.
"You're a doctor, don't you see what you're doing to yourself?"
"Kate," he shook his head, "I'm doing what I can. I'm doing my job."
Kate laughed slightly. "Do you see where we are? We're on an island. You said yourself that we get to start over," her voice sobered. He was facing her now, her eyes burning into his.
"I know what you're asking me," he shook his head, looking at his feet. He couldn't take her eyes boring into his like they were. "This is all I know how to do."
Kate sighed. She knew having this conversation a hundred times over wouldn't make any difference. Jack put other people before himself, it was what he had done for the entire time she knew him. She rarely saw him put himself first.
"Jack," she started, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice, but what she couldn't hide, filled her eyes.
"Kate," he countered, warning her. He looked up at her, and all of a sudden he looked more tired than she'd ever seen him. His emotions wore on his face, pulling on his features, and he looked utterly exhausted. This life was wearing on him, but he didn't want to admit it. It was just another thing he had to deal with, like the heat, and the bugs. There was no avoiding it.
He took a deep breath and hesitated, standing there for a moment, but decided against speaking, and turned from her, going down the trail. Kate stood there for a moment longer, willing him to turn around, but he didn't, he just kept walking down the trail with the same, if not heavier, movement. She felt as if another brick had been added to her bag and continued walking.
The rest of the way to the beach, they had been silent, both content with the fact that a message had been delivered, to the both of them. Kate knew he suffered, and Jack knew she worried. That fact alone stirred in his chest.
The ground beneath them slowly softened, becoming mixed with sand. They were nearing the beach, and the distant sound of waves crashing on the shore could be heard; it's soft hissing called them out to the crisp wind.
Around them, the trees began to spread apart, leading them out to the open sand, dispersed fires, and silent air.
Jack stepped aside and let Kate walk in front of him, going to her shelter. He followed, a few paces behind, watching her feet sink into the sand with her every step. When they reached her shelter, Kate pushed her torch into the sand and took her backpack off slowly, letting her shoulders release the tension. She sighed heavily and set it down next to her torch.
"Thanks for walking me back," Kate offered to end the awkward silence. Jack nodded, pushing his feet into the sand.
"No problem, Kate," his eyes met hers again.
"You do realize that now you will have to walk back in the dark," she smirked.
He laughed slightly.
"I'd rather it be me than you," he was smiling, but looked away after saying this. He'd said too much, and his heart lurched, hoping she didn't pay too much attention to it.
"You would," she said, laughing softly. He was doing it again: putting himself last. She saw him nodding slowly before he looked up at her. Seeing her smile, one spread across his lips.
Another wave of fatigue spread across her, and her mouth opened wide in a yawn. Seeing this, Jack took a step back in preparation to leave. He started shifting his backpack on his shoulders, getting ready for the trek back to the caves.
Kate watched this and felt guilty. After his long day, he had volunteered to walk her back, and then put himself in harm's way to get back to the caves where he could finally rest.
"Jack," she began, catching his eye. "Same offer. You're more than welcome."
He raised his eyebrows, surprised that she would ask him to stay there. But was she asking? Or just offering him a safe place to stay until morning?
Jack smiled, and looked down at the sand, quickly weighing his pros and cons, but it didn't seem worth it. Kate needed her rest just as much as he needed his, and with her making that kind of offer, his mind would be more restless than usual with the thoughts of them being restless together.
He shook his head and looked back up to her, sending her a thankful smile.
"Thanks, Kate. But I really should head back."
She didn't say anything, a slight pang of disappointment clinging to her chest. Had she ever seen him take an offer willingly?
"I'll see you in the morning," he said, starting to take a few steps backwards, towards the trail.
"Night, Jack," Kate said, unable to help feeling a bit sad.
With a small smile, he turned and walked up the trail, disappearing behind trees a moment later. All she could see of him was the dark glow of his torch getting smaller as he went deeper into the jungle.
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Jack was walking the same path he had walked the night before, but this time without a torch, and without the insistent danger of the dark. The sun was out, almost in full force as it was only a few hours after sunrise. If they started early enough, they could get to the hatch and formulate a plan before the hottest hours of the day.
Once again, the trail became deeper with the creeping presence of sand. Eventually, Jack's feet sank into the silky particles as he began walking down the beach.
Several yards away, he found Shannon's shelter, and peered inside. She was sitting on a blanket slowly folding clothes. Jack knew that she and Sayid had formed a relationship, and knew she would know where he was, if he was not with her. Looking further into her makeshift tent, he couldn't see Sayid.
He approached her shelter, and he caught her eye.
"Morning, Shannon," Jack said, politely.
"Hey, Jack," she smiled at him, but he could only see half of it in her eyes. She practically wore her heart on her sleeve, and he knew that healing it would take time.
"Know where I can find Sayid?" he asked, squinting out at the shoreline, hoping to see him walking towards them, but didn't.
"Actually," Shannon paused, holding the shirt she was folding in her lap, "He just left to go get something to eat. He should be back any minute."
Jack nodded, turning to look around him again.
"Thanks, Shannon."
She smiled up at him, and turned her face back down to her clothes, carefully folding each of the articles, lost in thought.
Jack turned from her shelter and walked out towards the middle of the beach, watching as the other survivors maneuvered through their monotonous days. As he was observing them, Charlie came forward, balancing water bottles awkwardly in his arms.
"Hey, Jack," he said, smiling broadly, nearly dropping a water bottle. He stuck his arm out and caught it by the cap between two fingers.
"Morning, Charlie," Jack smiled back, amused at Charlie's energy and spirit. Something dawning on him, he asked, "Hey, have you seen Kate? Is she up yet?"
That was a foolish question, and he knew it. When he was still staying at the beach, he would look out at the beach as the sun barely peeked out over the water and would often see her sitting on the shore. Either she was an early riser, or had difficulty sleeping, just as he did.
"You know," Charlie began, brow furrowing in thought, "I don't think so. She might still be asleep. You can check her tent."
Charlie seemed unperturbed by this notion. It seemed completely rational that people would sleep in when given the opportunity, but Jack knew otherwise. Either she was sleeping or she wasn't, and he wasn't betting on the latter. She knew that they were going back to the hatch that morning, and Kate wasn't one to miss out on anything. Jack half expected her to come to the caves and wake him up.
"I better get these to the caves," Charlie continued, again almost losing balance.
"Thanks, Charlie," Jack said, stepping aside so Charlie could move on towards the path through the jungle.
Something stirred in his chest. Jack wasn't one to believe in 'hunches' or 'vibes'; he was a doctor; a life and career based on science, but he couldn't help feeling a small twist of nerves in his stomach at all the possibilities.
Jack headed towards her shelter, which was a little bit further down the beach. A tarp hung down to the sand, concealing the inside. As he approached the tarp, the hope of seeing her pull it aside and come out was pulling at the back of his mind, but he pushed it out of the way.
"Kate?" He called out to the still structure. He couldn't just rip the tarp open, no matter how much he wanted to.
"Kate?" He called again, this time louder, and more insistent. All that he heard in return was the crackling of the tarp as the wind moved around it.
Jack stopped directly in front of the tarp, standing still to possibly hear her inside. The sound of her snoring would be a bigger relief that he would have once imagined. Still, there was no sound from the inside of the tent, only the ones around him. He tightened his jaw, and reached up to the corner of the tarp, gripping the thick plastic before pulling it back.
He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding when he saw her lying there, chest rising slowly in sleep. Jack moved to the other side of the shelter and tied the tarp back.
Kneeling down beside her calm features, he examined her for a moment. She was completely unguarded: no witty comebacks or sarcastic looks, just her face, as peaceful he had ever seen it, with her hand brought up, near the side of her face. If she had known he was scrutinizing her that closely, she would have reacted a bit less than politely, so he sat back on his heels.
"Hey, Kate," he said, loud enough to wake her, but not startle her. He watched her eyes remain shut and no changes appear on her face.
"Kate," he tried again, punctuating it more clearly this time, but still no reaction.
Jack reached out a hand and rested it on her shoulder, putting slight pressure on it.
"Wake up, Kate," he said, his voice becoming louder and more urgent. His heart rate quickened and the sound dropped out from his ears.
He put more pressure on her shoulder, pushing more fervently now, but still with no response.
"Kate!" Jack yelled, on his knees next to her, his heart sinking to the sand.
His hand shot out to her extended wrist, and rested his fingers there, waiting. His heart was pounding until he could feel the blood rushing behind his ears, unsure if the pulse he was feeling was hers or his own.
But then he felt it, like the tap of the tip of a pin. She had a pulse, a small one, but it was there. On closer inspection, the rising and falling of her chest was shallow and dispersed unevenly. Her skin was pale, even in the illuminating morning sun.
One hand pressed to her wrist, he moved his other hand to her forehead, feeling its heat before his skin made contact with hers. Her skin was sweltering, beads of sweat forming on her hairline.
"Jesus," he muttered. She couldn't have stayed with him one night, could she?
Snapping his mind back to the situation, he whipped his head around, facing the rest of the campsite.
"I need some help over here!" He yelled, heads turning in his direction immediately. His voice was panicked and strained; more desperate than the others had heard before.
At Shannon's tent, Sayid was walking towards her with a selection of fruits when he heard Jack's call. Dropping the food onto a blanket, he tore down the beach in the direction of Kate's shelter with others close behind.
Stopping abruptly at Jack's side, he saw Kate's body lying in front of him; her wrist in his hand.
Jack turned and saw him standing there.
"I need water and clean cloths," his voice was hurried, his face pleading with the group that stood around and above him.
Several people around them went running into their shelters to get anything they could to help.
"Jack," Sayid said, calmly from behind him, using his voice to force Jack's eyes to his, "What can I do to help?"
Jack caught his eye, and took a deep, shuddering breath.
"I need you to get Sun and bring her here," Jack said, somewhat regaining his composure. There was a task at hand; he couldn't afford to let his performance slip.
Sayid nodded briskly, and set off immediately into the jungle for the caves.
Several people came running back with bottles of water and pieces of ripped cloth. Jack took them and turned back to Kate's still form. Pouring water onto a cloth, he ringed it out, and slowly began dabbing at her forehead with the somewhat cool liquid. The water wasn't cold enough, but he would have to wait until Charlie came back with the water from the caves.
Running the cloth over her warm skin, he felt his heart beating out of his chest. Fevers could cause many things: delirium, hallucinations, vomiting, and chills, but by the time it reached unconsciousness, antibiotics were needed. Re-wetting the cloth, Jack sat at her side, pressing it to her skin, thinking of anything he could offer her.
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A wave of dizziness ran over her, and Kate squeezed her eyes shut to calm the feeling in the pit of her stomach. Pale light shone through to her eyes, sending the waves crashing again.
Slowly, she blinked her eyes open, squinting them at the bright, florescent light that washed over her. Leaving them half open, she tried to observe her surroundings.
She was lying in a raised bed, white sheets surrounding her, and on closer inspection, she noticed she was wearing a white gown made of a thick fabric. Looking around her, she saw the floor was covered in stark white tiles, thick drapes closed out light from a window on the right side of her bed.
Shifting her gaze to the left side of her bed, she saw something she didn't expect.
Jack sat in a chair, hunched down, head resting awkwardly on the back of the chair. His brow was slightly furrowed, his eyes lightly shut, and she realized, she had never seen him sleeping before, besides when she had to drug him so he could rest.
A realization shot through her spine, setting her nerves on alert.
Where was she? What had happened to all the others, and how did they get off the island?
Looking back at Jack, she saw his eyes blink open, and then flood with relief when he saw her. He shot up in his chair, and moved to her bedside, sitting on the edge. He breathed a sigh of relief, taking her left hand in his.
"Oh, thank God," he breathed, holding her hand in both of his, moving his thumb across the top of her hand in slow circles. His eyes stayed locked on hers, and suddenly she felt uncomfortable. What was going on?
"How are you feeling?" he asked softly, with a small smile on his lips, and Kate saw something in his eyes she didn't recognize in him; happiness.
She frowned in confusion, slowly shaking her head, and Jack's eyes shifted to concern.
"What's wrong?"
"Jack," she said, pulling her hand from his, unsure what was between them. "What… Where am I?"
"The hospital. You were in a car accident this morning."
Leaning forward further, he brushed a stray hair from the side of her face, then rested his hand on her upper side. Her muscles tensed at the contact, and he moved back slightly, to look at her better.
Her eyes were settled on the hand that rested on her so gently. A sterling band hugged his third finger, catching the harsh light from overhead.
Kate's breath stuck in her throat, more jarred by the presence of the ring than anything else.
"You're… married?" Her voice was slightly strangled; it was hard to get those words out.
When she said this, alarm registered on Jack's features. Kate's heart took a dive into the pit of her stomach.
"Um…" Jack began, sounding unsure. He removed his hand from her midsection, and to hers, raising it up in front of her. On her hand, she saw a matching band, and an engagement ring, brilliant diamonds reflecting the light.
Kate's mind came to a spinning halt, and she took a sharp intake of breath.
Jack watched her, the look of fear growing on his face. Carefully, he took her hand in his. Kate could feel the terror rising in her chest, clenching her heart.
"Kate," Jack said softly. "What's the last thing you remember?"
She took a deep breath and swallowed hard, in hopes of swallowing her fear. She thought, going back in her mind, it was all a blank, everything except the hatch.
"The hatch," she said. "Opening the hatch."
Jack's features dropped in horror.
"Jack," Kate tried, her voice straining to him, needing his comfort. "What happened? When… when did we…"
She drifted off, hundreds of questions filling her head. She couldn't spit them all out at the same time. Her heart raced, and panic began rising in her throat, tears balanced on her lashes. She was confused and scared; her memory was nothing but black.
Jack raised his eyes to her. Swallowing, he tried to comfort her.
"Kate, we've been off the island for three years."
TBC