Sorry that it took so long and that it's so short! School ate my brain. But we're out for the summer, so I should have some time to write. I do plan on eventually updating Fated Deception, but school also ate my muse. Please review! Reviews really do make me update faster. This chapter isn't that great, but I'm still recovering from exams and I have a cold. Reviews make me feel better too?

Oh and…I don't own LOST.

I have a really awesome Jex scene planned for this fic, btw. -grin-

"Katherine, why can't you just do what the hell you're told to?"

Kate leaned back against the couch, staring at the clock as she listened to her mother's harsh whispers. "Because I like this guy, Ma," she snapped, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. "Why does he have to know everyone I date, huh? He's not even my father! And I think twenty-four is old enough to be able to date without having to inform him. It's all about sex and money. You promised me that eventually this would end. When am I going to get a normal life, huh?"

"You owe him this, Katherine."

"I owe him this? I don't owe him a damn thing! After all the times he's hit us, all the times…" The young woman came to an abrupt stop and a hand came across her cheek. She narrowed her eyes at Diane and took a slight step back, moving her hand to touch the spot that had just been hit.

"Don't you dare," Diane warned her, shaking her head. "Just be happy that you're alive."

"What? Is he going to kill me if I don't do what he says? He'll kill me just like he did Luke, huh?" Kate rubbed her cheek for a few moments, glad that it didn't hurt enough to make her think there'd be anything more than a temporary red mark.

"Katherine! Stop talking about him like that! And don't even think about bringing your brother into this…He ran away and you know it." Tears stung the older woman's eyes as spoke.

"Sure, he did, Ma." After reaching into her pocket, she tossed a wad of cash onto the torn up couch. "It's all I got from James. He's pretty damn good at hiding his money and got even better after he figured out someone was stealing from him. But I meant the requirement." Sniffling, Kate headed for the door of the rundown house, desperate to get out of there and just get to the bar to meet with Jack.

"He says you go two weeks, Kate!" Diane called after her.

"Course he does." The door slammed behind her and she walked silently down the stairs to her car.

"You sure that no one hit you?" Boone took a seat on the stool beside her, putting his drink down on the bar. "Cause it sure does look like a hand mark."

"No one hit me okay."

He watched her stare at the door and took note of the far away tone in her voice. "He's only five minutes late, Kate. Hey…last week I was twenty minutes late getting here and you weren't that worried."

"That's because I have your phone number. And I can just come to your house and kidnap you." Kate tapped her nails on the bar, ignoring him as his cringing at the sound of her nails on the wood.

The door opened and Kate sat up straight. When Shannon walked in, she sunk down in disappointment, putting her elbow on the bar and resting her head against her hand. "Where's Sayid at?"

"Business trip or something," Boone replied, watching his sister walk across the room to talk to a few girls sitting at a table. "She decided to stay because she wants to be here when Claire has the baby." Grinning, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Just think, Kate. In a few days, you'll be a god-mother."

Kate forced a smile. If anything ever happened to Claire and Charlie, she would raise them from the dead and then rekill them. There was no way that she would ever make a good mom, but when Claire asked…well, it would have been too hard to say no. "Ooh! He's here," she whispered, turning and trying to shush Boone away.

Chuckling, Boone glanced at the door as Jack entered. He grabbed his drink and his a slight twinge of jealousy. "I'll be over there with Shannon if you need me."

"Yeah, yeah." Kate glanced at him as he walked away then waved slightly so Jack would see her. The goofy grin that spread over his lips when he saw her sent tingles up her spine. She gave a lopsided grin back as he walked over and took a seat where Boone had been sitting. "I thought you weren't going to show," she admitted.

"Not show?" Jack replied. "I'd never stand a girl up. One of the surgeries I was doing on a little girl just took a bit longer than we expected it to. I would have called, but I don't have your number…and I'm not that late."

She felt stupid for having expected him not to come. He definitely seemed like a great guy from the little she knew about him. "Did it go well?" she asked. "The surgery?"

"Yeah. It went great. Even better than I expected it to." He turned slightly and waited for Joe to be done talking to someone before nodding at him. "The usual?"

"Sure think," the bartender replied. "And you, Mrs. Brennan?"

"I think asking you to call me Kate. But the usual, please." She smiled at him.

Joe smiled back at her but said nothing. He turned and got them their drinks then put them on the bar. "I'll just be over there…not eavesdropping." He winked at her then turned and went to tend to someone else.

Jack picked up his drink and took a sip. "Think if he talk about him, he'll know?"

"Probably." Kate laughed and also sipped on her drink, watching Jack carefully.

"So, do you always stare at guys until they talk to you?" He asked.

Kate blinked a few times, taken by surprise. "What?"

"You've stared at me with that exact same expression ever since I've started coming to this bar."

"Well you didn't come talk to me, so no."

"I didn't know why you were staring." Jack chuckled "You could have been staring because I was the ugliest man you'd ever seen. I could have went over to talk to you and you could have been disgusted."

"Well, you're definitely not ugly." Kate paused for half a second. "Not that I think you're drop-dead gorgeous either. Well…you are really handsome. But…"

"You're not bad looking yourself," Jack cut her off, smiling more as her cheeks turned red. He took another small sip of his drink. "You're still staring."

Kate quickly looked away. She looked toward the door just as it opened.

"Hey! Freckles!"

The voice was angry and Kate quickly stood. "Fuck."