Title: All He Could Do
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Lost or it's characters

Pairing: Jack/Juliet

"I'm sorry Jack"

The words confused her. Sorry about what? Why was he here? Why was John Locke here? She knew how Benjamin felt about this man, why was he here standing on the dock?

It seemed the exact same questions were running through Jack's mind too.

"Sorry for what?"

Juliet took a step to the right awaiting Locke's response.. There wasn't one needed.

There was a huge explosion as Juliet felt herself being forced to the ground by somebody, Tom she guessed, trying to protect her. She lifted her head up from the ground and pushed the hair from her face. The air was filled with smoke and everybody was desperately trying to see what had happened. Jack was the first to speak.

"What did you do?", he shouted advancing on Locke "What did you do?!"

Confused, Juliet averted her eyes towards where the explosion had come from. The end of the dock. She stood up refusing to believe what she was seeing. A few hours ago the submarine had been there, the submarine that was going to take her and Jack home.. Away from the island.. And now it was gone, just like that. Blown to pieces right in front of her.

Juliet put her two hands over her mouth in fear of bursting into tears there and then. She knew she had a right to, and she knew that everyone else knew she had a right to, but she couldn't. Not there.

She turned and ran into the jungle. She had no idea where she was running to, she didn't care, nor did she know why she was doing it. It wouldn't bring the submarine back, it wouldn't give her the chance to finally meet her nephew, Julian, and to see her sister after three long years.. It wouldn't free her, but she ran.

Gasping for breath and choking on her tears she stopped and leaned against a tree. Pulling at the sleeve of her shirt she desperately tried to dry her tears.

"Come on Juliet, pull yourself together!" she told herself, "It's not the end of the world". She wasn't at all sure this was true. She eased herself to the ground and hugged her knees to her chest. Her eyes were shut and the tears were now flowing freely down her cheeks.

There was nothing to be heard apart from Juliet's sobbing .. And soon after, the sound of footsteps came into the clearing where she sat curled up beside a tree.

"Juliet?"

Surprised that somebody had taken the time and effort to find her, she lifted her head and her eyes met Jack's.

"Jack.. I ", she managed to whisper. She pulled at her sleeves and made an attempt to dry her tears. Jack took a couple of steps and knelt down beside her. Not entirely sure what to do with his hands he gently touched her arm. "It'll.. It'll be okay Juliet, you'll get home.. I'll get you home Juliet"

Oh, very reassuring Jack, well done, she knows you can't possibly get her off this island without that submarine..

Jack sighed and shook his head "I'm gonna kill John Locke". He was half expecting Juliet to tell him he was being stupid and to let it go, it was in her nature, she'd see the good in people.. Most of the time.

But tonight was different, Jack had never seen her like this, she had never broken in front of him.

Juliet did her best to fight the tears, she had embarrassed herself enough in front of Jack. "Why would he do something like that? It just doesn't.. Why would anybody do that? I don't understand it Jack" she whispered. He could tell she was about to cry, he wanted to comfort her and she certainly looked like she needed comforting.

He moved closer to her and put his arms around her, pulling her close.

"I don't know Juliet"

His actions surprised her. This was Jack Shephard with his arms around her. Jack Shephard. The same man her people captured and kept locked in an underwater room. The same man that she had brought food to on countless occasions, begging him to trust her. The same man she was falling helplessly in love with as their days together went by. He was trying to help her.

Jack wants to help me.

She knew it was wrong, he shouldn't be helping her. He was a survivor from the flight, and she was one of them.

Or was she?

Jack held her close to him gently kissing the top of her head. It was something he had never imagined himself doing with this woman. But that didn't mean he didn't want to. She pulled her arms out from his and wrapped them firmly around his waist, burying her head in his chest.

They both stayed like that for awhile, wrapped in each others arms, listening to the sound of each other's heartbeat.

Jack loosened his grip around her and cleared his throat. "You ready to go back?"

Juliet tilted her head up to look at him. "Yeah, I guess", she gave him a sad smile. Jack could see sadness in her eyes, he couldn't begin to imagine what she was feeling right now, she had somebody to get back to on the outside world, he didn't. It was worse for her.

They broke their tight embrace and they both stood up. Juliet brushed some dead leaves off her clothes and wiped her eyes once more.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that, Jack"

He took a step towards her, "You don't have to be sorry for anything Jules".

He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the barracks. It wasn't home, but it was all her could do for her right now.