This is my first Jate centric fic, so i'd love to hear what you think
R&R please :)! x
disclaimer: i don't own lost

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Cold Turkey, More like slow and excruciating pain. Jack leaned his back against the wall and put his head on his folded arms. The past week he'd locked himself into his apartment with only basic food supplies and nothing else.

He knew he had to overcome this addiction, it was better to do it now rather than later. Ben told them they had to go back, all of them, but how on earth would he convince the women of oceanic six?

Sun despised him as well as Kate. He hoped that she really didn't, that she was only doing it to push him towards being healthy and drug free.

He still loved her that would never change, no matter how much she wouldn't let go of Sawyer, he didn't care. He'd show her that he wanted her back and would try to be as sober as possible for her and Aaron.

The hard stage had passed; he was on his way to recovery. Jack ran his hand over his sweat soaked hair and grimaced, he couldn't remember how long ago it was he had taken a shower.

Pushing himself up from the floor he went into the bathroom and switched on the shower, he welcomed the feel of the hot water running down his body, it felt like heaven to feel clean again.

After scrubbing off all of the grime he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist, and stood in front of the mirror with a razor.

Jack had to admit that he hated the way he looked the now, overgrown beard, dark bags under his eyes and white complexion all made him look like an addict and very ill.

He was passed that now; he smiled briefly and ran the razor over his beard, shedding the unruly hair. Once he had finished he thought he looked so much better to have gotten rid of it.

Jack walked out of his bathroom and down to his room but he stopped dead in his tracks, lying upon his ratty bed was Sawyer with a smirk on his face.

"Well hey there, like the place doc" Sawyer unclasped his hands and pushed himself into a sitting position, that annoying smirk still on his face.

Jack squared his jaw "Why are you here Sawyer?" the blonde chuckled "Admit it; you've missed me, haven't ya?" Jack glared at him; Sawyer always found a way to mess up his day.

Ignoring his obvious sarcasm he grinded his teeth together "Why are you here?!" Sawyer's smirk dropped from his face and he stood up and walked over till he was only a few centimetres away from him.

"Y'all have ta come back" Jack smiled and shook his head "I know... Ben's been to see me" Sawyer eyed him dangerously and lowered his voice "You have to come back now"

Jack scoffed "It's not that easy Sawyer, Sun blames me for Jin's death" Sawyer smiled to himself, he knew Jin's death wasn't real; Jin was fine but where was the fun in telling him that.

"Don't worry about Tokyo Rose, she'll be getting a visit soon enough"

Jack cleared his throat "...things between me and Kate are... complicated" a smirk found its way onto the southerner's face, his accent as smooth as honey.

"Yeah, your ex-fiancée" he laughed quietly "Shame what happened doc, y'all seemed like a cute pair... shame she can't stop thinkin about me"

Jack swung for him and hit Sawyer in the eye, not even making him stumble, Sawyer just stayed still and smirked "Now why the love tap doc? It's the truth"

Jack was fuming, it was true that he began to like him back on the island, the situation they were in meant they had to trust each other but now he wanted nothing more than to punch his lights out.

Again the smirk dropped off of his face and he became serious once more "I don't care what happened between you two... just bring them back"

Jack frowned "Why is it so important for us ALL to come back?" Sawyer lowered his voice, his tone becoming desperate "Y'all just have to come back"

Jack nodded "What if i can't get her to come? Why don't you go and make her?" Sawyer tipped his head to the side and smiled lightly "Can't do that now can i? It's up to you"

Jack closed his eyes and Sawyer whispered something into his ear and when he opened his eyes Sawyer was gone. Jack looked around and ran out into the hall, no one was there.

God, what he would give to have some alcohol about now, that damn island has ruined his life. Jack went back into his bedroom and quickly got changed into something clean and headed out.

He stopped his car a couple of houses away from Kate's so she wouldn't see him before he saw her. Jack shut off the engine and sighed, he wanted her to listen; they needed to go back.

The silence of the car was shattered when his cell phone rang, Jack frowned it picked it up, he forgot it was in here due to the fact he thought it was broke.

"Yeah?" after a pause Ben's voice came on the line "Hello Jack... how are you today?" Jack sighed deeply "What is it Ben?" he heard the other man laugh

"Jack, how are you doing on herding the rest of oceanic six?" Jack ran his hand over his hair "I'm working on it" he smiled on the other end of the phone.

Ben's voice was cold and calculating "Good... and Jack, you have three days to change Kate's mind or I'll retrieve her myself"

Before Jack could reply Ben had hung up, his jaw fell slack. What in the hell did that mean? He looked at his cell phone to see the number that he had called from but it hadn't shown up.

Inside he felt something strange, he hoped that he could change her mind, who knows what Ben meant he was an enigma; he hoped it wasn't anything sinister.

He saw Kate's car pull into the driveway and come to a stop. She got out of the car and opened the back door to retrieve Aaron.

Jack's eyes got soft as he watched her, it was killing him that she wouldn't even give him a chance to redeem himself, it was one stupid thing that went wrong; he wasn't like that now.

Seeing them enter the house, he got out of the car and slowly walked up to her house, he went over in his head what he'd say to her, he still wasn't sure what he'd say.

He quietly opened the front door and let himself in, he knew that if he'd of knocked she wouldn't open the door. Stepping into the living room he raised his voice.

"Kate?" he heard quiet footsteps coming towards him then stop "Why are you in my house?" her voice was flat but not harsh like he had expected.

Jack spun around and smiled at her "Kate, we have to talk" deciding to give him a chance she folded her arms over her chest and nodded "What?"

He walked closer to her and sighed "Kate, please listen to me, we have to go back" Kate looked at him incredulously, she couldn't believe he was still saying that to her.

"Get out of my house now" she pointed to the door and glared at him, her voice crackling with emotion. Jack came closer and ran his hands softly down her arms "Please, we all have to go"

Kate shook her head and pulled out of his grasp "Jack leave! I'm not listening to this any..." Jack grabbed onto her shoulders softly and cut in "They need us to go back"

Kate shook her head "They? Who Jack, who needs us to go back?" her eyes filled with tears when he mentioned Sawyers name, but she frowned and tried to push him away "How dare you say his name to me"

Finally getting out of his grasp she wiped away a few tears and bit her bottom lip "Kate, he came to me... they need us" Kate looked up at him as if he was crazy.

"He came to you? Do you actually expect me to believe that? Just because you've shaved and put on some clean clothes doesn't mean that you still don't take those pills!"

Jack shook his head "I'm clean Kate... he did come to me" Kate ran her hands over her face "Get out" she turned around and began to walk but stopped once Jack spoke.

"His daughter, he said to tell you that he's grateful that you went to see her and told her that he's sorry" Kate spun around, her eyes shiny with tears again.

Jack looked at her sadly "We have to go" Kate closed her eyes and a tear escaped "I can't; i don't want Aaron to go back there"

Jack wiped away the damp trail from her cheek and whispered "You have to..." he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Kate kept her eyes closed and kissed him back.

She had missed him so much, she loved him and Sawyer, she didn't know how to choose; they were both good in their own way, even after everything she still loved him.

Kate felt his tongue push its way between her lips and enter her mouth, their tongues massaged each others for a few moments then they broke apart.

They were both breathing deeply but Kate sighed and whispered "I can't" Jack heard Ben's words circle his mind; he would hate himself if Ben threatened her in anyway.

"Ben will hurt you if you don't come willingly" Kate froze, Ben was sadistic, he didn't care who he hurt just as long as he got his own way.

Jack kissed her again quickly "Please, i don't want anything to happen to you or Aaron" Kate bit her lip, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back, she had an ideal free life here.

What if island life meant living in tents again? She didn't want Aaron to grow up like that; she remembered Claire's words to her in that dream, Claire didn't want him to go back.

Jack pushed some of her hair back behind her ear and smiled "I won't let anything to happen to you or Aaron..." Kate leaned her head against his chest, her arms wrapping around his abdomen.

What should she do? Claire didn't want him to go back to the island but Ben would definitely try to pull something evil, then again, it was only a dream wasn't it?

Kate sighed, she didn't want to go back, and after what happened on the day they left scared her, who would still be alive? Was he still alive, even if he did come to Jack, did that mean he was dead? Or was he alive?

Closing her eyes tightly she wanted this all to be over, the island had given her a clean slate but on the other hand it had ruined her life also.

Jack ran his fingers through her straight shiny locks repeatedly, soothing them both. "When do we have to go?" Jack pulled her head back so he could see her face and shrugged.

"I wasn't told... but by Ben's threat, I'd say three days" Kate looked down sadly "Oh" how could she uproot her entire life and move back there in three days? Things took time; she had so much to think about concerning her life here.

Jack kissed her forehead and smiled down at her, Kate smiled lightly up at him, her hands sliding their way upwards and circling his neck, pulling him down to her.

She placed innocent kisses on his lips but pulled back once she heard Aaron shout "Mommy" Kate pulled out of Jack's grasp and went up the stairs to his room.

Jack crept up the staircase behind her and stood in the doorway watching her look at a drawing Aaron had made; the little blonde boy grinned upon seeing him there and ran over to him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Hey Buddy" Aaron looked up at him accusingly "You haven't read me a bedtime story since forever" Jack laughed down at him then looked over at Kate

"Yeah, sorry about that, I've been busy" Aaron turned to Kate and looked at her hopefully "Mommy, can he read to me tonight?"

Kate sighed and looked at Aaron softly "I don't know baby... you'd have to ask Jack" she smiled shyly back up at him, hoping that he'd taken the hint.

Jack felt relieved at her words, maybe they did have a chance after all "Of course i will champ" Aaron grinned widely and said 'yes' triumphantly.

The two adults looked down at him lovingly; he was such a sweet kid. In the back of Jacks mind he knew he didn't want Aaron to go back either but what choice did they have?

Jack's cell phone rang again and he answered it "Hello?" he heard Ben's voice once again "Put Kate on the phone please"

Jack frowned, how did he know he was here? He held out the cell phone and handed it to Kate, she took it carefully and listened "Kate, I'm glad you changed your mind... I'll see the three of you in three days" then the line was dead.

Kate gasped and looked at Jack "Did you tell him you were coming here?" Jack shook his head quickly and took the phone back off of her.

"No... I have no idea how he knows I'm here..." they looked at each other then sighed, they guessed that Ben was running surveillance on them but why? Did he actually care about what they were doing now?

Jack pulled Kate into his arms and sighed again "Three days and we'll be back there" Kate wrapped her arms around him and nodded "I know"

He kissed the top of her head then looked down towards Aaron. The happy little boy was kneeling on the floor drawing another picture; he was far too innocent to be taken back to the island.

In that moment he swore to himself he would protect them no matter what, he loved them and didn't want anything to happen to them.

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