Home Far Away
"Do you know what day it is today?" Charlie asked. He was following Kate around in the forest.
"Just another dull day on which we're stuck here", she replied. Today was such a pessimistic day for Kate. She wasn't even sure why, but she just kept thinking of home, wherever that was. It certainly wasn't here.
"Well, that too", Charlie said, slightly caught of guard by her pessimism. "But that's not what I meant. Today's Jack's birthday."
"It is?" That certainly caught Kate's interest. For the first time during their little interaction, she actually turned around to face Charlie. "I didn't know that".
"No, no one does, and he doesn't want anyone to know, since him being all modest and all, but I figured maybe we could…throw him a party? Since he always does a lot for us…"
Kate raised an eyebrow and continued walking. Where to, she didn't know. Sometimes she just liked strolling the forest, aimlessly. Maybe subconsciously she was still looking for clues that could help them get home, but the main reason was that it made her feel calm and relaxed. "A party? You want to throw a birthday party while we're stuck on this godforsaken island?"
"Basically, yes…Don't you think we could all use some fun?"
"You know what your problem is, Charlie? You care way too much about fun. We're not here for parties."
Charlie sighed and stood still. "Fine!, but I thought you cared about him!" he called after her.
"I don't let throwing someone a party define whether or not I care about him, but fine, you can have the damn party".
A grin appeared on Charlie's face as he watched her walk off. "All right!"
For the rest of the day, everyone on the island was occupied with preparing for Jack's birthday party. Everyone, besides Jack himself, of course. They had sent him out into the woods with Kate, to seek for possible tracks of new edible things; one had to be creative when stranded on a to the rest of the world non-existent island. Walt and Sun were trying to make Jack a drawing with some crayons they'd found in some old suitcase, after all there wasn't exactly a Virgin's Megastore to shop Jack a new CD. Claire and Shannon were making snacks out of all the foods they had. Somehow everyone had found a way to occupy themselves with the party to come.
"It's almost time, guys!" Charlie announced seconds later as he spotted Jack and Kate approaching them. "They'll be here in a minute".
Quickly everyone got ready and exclaimed: "Happy birthday!" as the birthday-doctor arrived.
Jack eyed it all, very surprised. "How did you guys know?"
"Let's just say we have our resources", Kate replied, with a wink to Charlie. "They wanted to throw you a party, I said it was fine".
"It is fine; I love surprise parties. Thanks guys, I appreciate it", Jack smiled. His eyes rested a little longer on Kate than on the rest, and somehow she understood from the look in his eyes that he wasn't such a party-animal as Charlie would have liked.
"I know you're not that much into parties", Kate said softly. She and Jack had withdrawn themselves from the party to a quieter spot, and they were eyeing the rest of the group. They seemed, almost happy. As happy as could be when you've stranded somewhere with lots of people you hardly know, and far away from home.
"Then why did you let them throw me one?" Jack asked. He didn't exactly hate parties, but he just didn't see the use of it right now; they could use their time more efficiently, according to him.
"Like Charlie said, they could use one… I figured some fun wouldn't hurt anyone".
"I really do appreciate it, you know", Jack told her. He twisted his empty plastic cup around in his hands just to have something to do. If he wouldn't do that, he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off Kate… She looked so pretty in the glow of the campfire.
"I know. I just wished this wouldn't be necessary. That you'd be able to celebrate your birthday at home."
"It's okay. I never put that much value in birthday parties anyway… When's your birthday?"
Kate looked up at him surprised. "My birthday? Not nearly, June 21st, why?"
"On your birthday, I promise we'll be out of here. We'll be home. And then I'll take you out for dinner. How does that sound?".
A small smile appeared on Kate's face. She realised that home wasn't about a city, or possessions. Home was being with the people you cared about. And the people she cared about, the person, she cared about the most, was here. "That sounds great".