Reflections

Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form, own Lost. Or Beauty and the Beast.

Chapter 3

Kate and Sawyer headed deeper into the jungle. Both swung their hands a tad more than usual, brushing together in short, electric, spine-tingling bursts. Neither said anything.

"Both a little scared, neither one prepared," quoted Kate in her head, wondering why they were both acting so shy all of a sudden. And why a Beauty and the Beast song had popped into her head.

She felt suddenly nervous about seeing Jack. Not that she was going to tell him about her and Sawyer – or maybe she was, what did it matter? As much as she didn't want to admit it, she had a slight case of hero worship when it came to Jack. She needed someone to look up to, someone to set the standards she could aspire to. But that meant someone she would disappoint, and Kate didn't want to disappoint him. As much as this irritated her sometimes, as much as Jack and his holier than thou ways irritated her, she didn't want him to reject her.

"Oi, watch it Jack-ass," spat Sawyer, bringing Kate abruptly back to the present.

Jack was carrying a set of somewhat absurdly pristine golf clubs on his back, and one had slipped out, narrowly missing Sawyer's foot.

"Better luck next time, huh?" snarled Jack, in a thoroughly bad mood. He was still none too happy about Sawyer's hoarding. He bent down carefully to avoid the rest of the clubs falling out and grasped the club firmly, slotting it back into the case – "before you add it to your stash."

"Jack!" Kate narrowed her eyes in disbelief, confused by his rudeness.

"Sorry, Kate," Jack answered pointedly. "I just kinda woke up in a bad mood and was off to the gold course to try and de-stress." He ran a hand across the stubble that was already appearing on his chin, wiping away the excess sweat the humidity was causing.

"Why, you got PMS needs taking care of Doc?"

Jack ignored Sawyer. "What are you doing here with – this –" he pointed at Sawyer, "anyway?"

"Is that jealousy?" thought Kate incredulously. He's giving Sawyer looks dirtier than the dead boar Locke dragged back. Kate had to smile when Jack looked beseechingly towards her. It was like a switch went on inside. "Oh yes, Jack is definitely feeling something!" she thought, secretly gleeful. Charlie had mentioned that Jack had a crush on her, and to finally see it, coupled with Sawyer's attentions, made her feel wanted in a way she hadn't been for years – the "dead or alive" kind aside.

"It's him, Jack, not "this". Sawyer is helping me get water for camp."

"What's in it for him?" asked Jack suspiciously, his eyes deep with mistrust. "Why does he only ever do anything nice for anybody when Kate is involved?"

"Why, the company of this young lady, of course," drawled Sawyer, sharing a glance with Kate that Jack didn't like one bit. When Kate smiled back at Sawyer something inside Jack snapped.

"Did something happen between you two?" he demanded, his face impassive, but his eyes belying the hurt and anger inside. He worked his jaw, and Kate couldn't bear for him to be mad.

"No," she blurted out, instinct to protect herself rising above any rational thought.

Sawyer looked at Kate, his heart as heavy as a stone dropped into his shoes. "Well fine, if that's the way it is," he thought, hurt beyond any reason he could think of.

"What?" he retorted. "Me and her? Doc you must be joking. Think she would let me anywhere near her? Not one to give it up as easy as I thought." The last part came out so spitefully Sawyer felt guilty at the look on Kate's face, but also glad that she seemed to be feeling as bad as he did.

"Well good," he thought. "Two can play at that game."

"Don't you dare speak about Kate in that way!" retorted Jack, his fists balled, mistaking Kate's crestfallen expression for sheer offended.

"I'll speak about her however I damn well like" snapped Sawyer, pissed off at Jack's – well pissed off at Jack – and pissed off at Kate's apparent rejection of him.

Jack responded with a fast punch smack on Sawyer's nose.

"Son of a bitch!" exclaimed Sawyer, cradling his bloody nose. He was bent over from the force of his punch, and Jack never saw him pitch forward into his midsection, knocking both of them to the muddy ground. They grappled, rolling around as fists flew. Jack's golf case had fallen from his back and the clubs spilled out into the terrain.

"Sawyer! What are you doing? Get off him!" cried Kate, pulling at Sawyer's arm to attempt to stop him from strangling Jack, whose face was already turning red and veiny from the lack of oxygen. Sawyer, caught in the moment, only recognized in his mind that there was a distraction, so he sent a hard backhand to get rid of it. Kate, unexpectedly finding her strength flipped in the opposite direction, flew into a sturdy tree, sprawling onto the ground. She gasped at the sudden pain the contact with both Sawyer and the tree had caused, and just sat there, childhood memories, that had been buried so deep, threatening to erupt. She forced them down, but the instinct to flee was strong. She didn't know what Sawyer was capable of, and it scared her.

"Why did I say no? God, this is all my fault. They're going to kill each other! What am I doing to everyone? I need to get out of here. Oh, God, I can't do this again." Kate rocked back and forth slightly, her judgement clouded by memories.

Meanwhile, Sayid and Michael, en route to the golf course, came upon the brawl, and managed to pry the two men off each other, who were breathing heavily, bruises and cuts already apparent.

Kate just stared, unaware of event, until Sayid crouched next to her.

"Kate." His lilting accent had no effect. He shook her slightly. "Kate. Are you ok? Did they hurt you?"

"No, no," whispered Kate, a wisp of hair falling into her face. She brushed it away instinctively, her eyes wild, her mind on another place.

Sayid gently trace the knot on her jaw that was already swelling, where Sawyer's fist had connected with her face. She winced and jerked away involuntarily, only calming when Sayid called her name again.

"What? No, I'm fine. Just, leave me. Please." She brushed Sayid off as gently as she could, considering her entire body was shaking, her jaw and back were throbbing, and her heart was beating so fast she was surprised it didn't explode.

She chanced a look over at the two. Sawyer was untangling himself from Michael, arms up in a submissive pose. He swiped the blood off his lower lip, his head bent, glowering at Jack. Jack was massaging his neck, asking Hurley, who had stumbled upon the commotion, to assess his injuries.

"Well, ladies and gents, now that the shows over, I'm gonna go get what I came here for," Sawyer said to no one in particular, and her headed towards the fresh water.

Kate remembered the purpose of the trip, and also wanting to speak to Sawyer, made to follow him. Jack put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her.

"You're not following him after what just happened?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"I have to get the water Jack," explained Kate impatiently, not wanting to lose sight of Sawyer, wanting to ask him what the hell was going on.

"You're not going back with him after that."

"Excuse me? You are not the boss of me. I am not staying at these caves."

"You can't be around Sawyer without anyone to protect you."

"I don't believe this. You started this fight."

"Because Sawyer was –"

"Being an ass. As usual Jack. It's nothing new, nothing that I can't handle."

"He hit you."

"Not on purpose."

"God, why are you defending him?" Jack threw his hands up in the air. "I swear to God Kate, I don't understand you."

"You don't know me Jack."

"That's because you won't let me! Every time I think I'm getting closer, you move further and further away!"

Kate and Jack stood in a silent stand off, neither saying a word. Jack's eyes searched Kate's intently, and she responded by turning away. She grabbed her bag, collecting the empty bottles that had cascaded out, and stormed off to the water, leaving a bewildered and angry Jack behind.

A/N: Don't worry, things will get better! Reviews always welcomed xxxxx