History
Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.
A/N: After last week's episode, I was inspired to write this.
Tom would never admit it, but he was a bit subconscious about himself. Sure he tried to act like the terrifying Other that the 815ers had thought him to be, but really, he was no more than a normal person living a somewhat normal life. He just lived on a creepy island full of smoke monsters and polar bears with a higher being called Jacob that none of them were allowed to see aside from Ben. Yeah, very normal.
Sometimes though, Tom was allowed to leave the island, to help Ben with whatever he needed. He sometimes felt like an errand boy, but he didn't mind too much. Mostly he just tried to recruit whoever Ben wanted to come to the island.
Then the plane crash happened, and everything changed. Ben had a tumor, and there was a surgeon on the plane. His name was Jack. Dr. Jack Shephard. Juliet talked about him a lot, saying that he was very knowledgeable in what he did and that he hardly ever failed.
Tom had his first encounter with Jack after Michael came after his son. It had been an interesting situation. Tom held the life of the woman Jack loved in his hands, and Tom could see that Jack would do anything for this woman. And that's when Tom first found himself attracted to Jack.
Usually, Tom was never picky with men, and it didn't matter because he knew that he really didn't have time for a serious relationship. But Jack, Jack was something special. He was committed to everything that came his way, and he never backed down. Plus, he was rather good-looking. Of course Tom knew that he didn't stand a chance with Jack, seeing as Jack only had eyes for that brunette, Austin. He never really remembered her name until they actually had captured her, Ford, and Jack.
Ford was an interesting character. He too had eyes for that brunette. Tom never understood what was so special about her, and then Jack went and became a hero, risking his life for Austin so that she and Ford could get free. He remembered that night so vividly because he had wanted to believe Jack so badly when he said that Juliet wanted him to kill Ben. But Juliet couldn't say that, could she? She would never want Ben dead. Sure they had history, but who didn't have history these days? Hell, Tom had history with Richard of all people.
That night was also the night that he first introduced himself to Jack. Yeah, Jack hadn't really cared or noticed, but Tom didn't care. He had been torn ever since they had captured Jack as to whether he should try to act like his friend, or his enemy. Of course he would rather be his friend.
Jack seemed to treat him quite warmly, during the remainder of the surgery. He even seemed concerned when Tom started to feel dizzy from the blood. As soon as the walkie squawked though, Tom was quickly forgotten as Jack ordered him to hold the walkie to his face so that he could talk to Austin, and Tom realized that he had no chance.
Over the next week, Tom got to know Jack more, and he talked to him more. He even asked him why he risked his life for Austin and Ford, but Jack just dismissed him. Tom had to try though, he knew someday Jack would talk to him. Then Isabel had questioned Tom, and he decided to tell Isabel what Jack had said about Juliet. He thought that maybe it would help him to get Jack's trust. But then Jack lied to Isabel to cover for Juliet, and once again Tom had been left out.
Tom had always been the second pick his entire life. Ben hadn't even wanted him to be on the boat that kidnapped Walt, but then Goodwin had backed out of it, saying that he had more important things to do. Everyone knew it was because of Juliet, and because of it, Tom had gotten his chance.
But then, he had finally been picked first. It had been a few days after they had gotten back to the main island. Jack had been settled in at his house, and he was even acting friendly to everyone. Tom decided to ask him if he wanted to play football. He knocked on the door to his house, but no one answered. Tom heard music inside though, so he decided to go in. Jack was playing the piano inside the house, and Juliet was sitting on the couch next to the piano, listening to him play. As soon as Tom entered the room, Jack stopped playing.
"Hey Tom." Juliet smiled at him.
"Juliet, Jack." Tom nodded at them both.
Jack just raised his eyebrows at Tom, and Tom swallowed.
"What do you need?" Juliet asked.
"Well I was going to play football, and I was wondering if you- you guys wanted to play." Tom looked at Jack.
Jack looked at Juliet and back at Tom and shrugged. "Sure, why not?" He stood up.
"I'll play too." Juliet stood up as well.
"No, football's a man's sport." Jack grinned. "You can watch from the sidelines."
Tom laughed along with Jack. Finally, he was picked first.
That night ruined everything though, because that brunette, Austin, came back for Jack. He should have known. He realized that at this point he should stop holding out for a chance with Jack, when it was so obvious that Jack didn't think of Tom any more than a acquaintance. So when Austin was held in the recreational center, Tom decided to try to get Jack a chance to talk with Austin, and he was able to make it happen.
Jack had been in his house while Ben was deciding what to do. He wasn't dealing with Kate coming back for him too well, as he was pacing around the house, while Tom was standing there watching him.
"Hey Jack."
"What?" He asked, not interested.
"I think I can get you to where Kate is so that you can talk to her."
"Can you?" His interest suddenly peaked, and he stopped pacing.
"Yeah."
"Then let's do it." Jack nodded at him, and Tom sighed as he led him outside of the house and to the recreational center. He knew that Ben was busy, so he knew that he couldn't get in trouble.
He opened the door, and Austin looked up. "Didn't think I'd see you again." Tom looked at Jack.
"Be careful." He pointed to his ears, and Jack nodded.
"Thanks." Jack gave him a small smile before looking in at Austin. Tom watched the two for a moment before leaving.
He ran into Juliet on the trail, but she only wanted to know where Jack was.
"He's in the recreational center."
"With Kate?"
"Yeah. Come on Juliet, you have about as much a chance with him as I do. You see how he looks at her." He gave her a look, and Juliet rolled her eyes.
"I really wonder sometimes about you Tom. I really do." Juliet ignored his comment and picked up her pace and let Tom alone.
Tom didn't get to talk to Jack again until the day he died. The day he died, Jack told him that he was going to kill him after they tricked him and Ben into thinking that they killed Bernard, Jin, and Sayid. That had been heartbreaking to lie to Jack like that and to have Jack tell him that he was going to kill him, and Tom believed him. Jack's voice had been vengeful. And if Ford hadn't have killed him, Jack would have.
Tom liked to think that he had history with Jack, just like Juliet had history with Ben and like Jack had history with Kate. Maybe if Tom had lived longer, maybe Jack could have grown to like him. It was wishful thinking, but that was what Tom was good at.
A/N: So please review, I've never written anything like this before. I would appreciate it!