Don't cry -- Jack has a plan! It's not a very good one, but still...

Thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry you couldn't get through yellosh, maybe later? I've been having the same problem, so I know how frustrating it is.

I love the idea of Desmond giving them his boat so that they can run away together. It's fitting, considering that Libby gave it to him so that he could win back Penny. I think she'd want them to have it.

Chapter 7. Let's Go

"Does Jin know?" Sun asked, standing up. It was only then that they both remembered that she was still in the garden.

"What?" Jack looked confused, irritated, his mind on other things. "I guess so. I don't know."

Sun gave them both a sympathetic look as she dusted herself off, heading down the path to the beach.

They were on their own now, Kate realised. Everyone would feel sorry for them, but no one would understand how it felt to be in their shoes, to see their salvation as something other than a miracle. How could they? Last they'd heard, she and Jack were still friends; they had no idea what the two of them were being forced to give up.

She wanted to go on holding onto Jack until one of the suited men came and pried her off of him, but that wasn't going to help anything, the pragmatist in her insisted. After three years of running, going quietly now wasn't going to affect the outcome of her trial, but she wanted to maintain her dignity for as long as she could. She didn't want Jack's last memory of her to be of her acting hysterical; that wasn't how he'd known her, how he'd loved her. She was braver than that.

Lifting her head, she kissed him gently, pulling back so that she could study his face one last time. She wanted to commit every detail to memory: every line, every feature, so that she wouldn't forget, even if she never saw him again. He looked so sad; she wished there was something she could say to make this easier for him, but there wasn't. He knew the truth now, and that spoke for itself.

When she couldn't stand his desolation any longer, she tore her gaze away, releasing him and taking his hand. "Let's go," she said, tugging him gently towards the beach. They couldn't put it off any longer, not when the anticipation hurt so much.

"Okay," he agreed, snapping out of his trance, and she was surprised that he didn't put up more of a fight. She'd always expected him to encourage her to turn herself in, but he didn't seem as conflicted as she'd imagined he'd be when that moment actually arrived.

"Jack? I'm sorry," she said, afraid that he was angry with her. She couldn't take it if he hated her for breaking his heart, when she'd gone to great lengths to be honest with him in the beginning. They hadn't entered into this blind; both of them knew this could happen one day. She'd given him an out, and he hadn't taken it, so the blame wasn't all hers.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly as they walked through the jungle. "Don't be," he said, and he actually smiled.

He wasn't upset with her, but he wasn't upset either, which Kate found disturbing. "Are you okay?" she asked as they stepped out onto the beach. Everyone was scurrying around talking and laughing and gathering their possessions; she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen this much activity, except maybe the day of the crash, or the days that Desmond and the Tailies had arrived.

"Yeah. Get your stuff," he instructed, stopping by the flap of her tent. He looked nervous all of a sudden; she could see him watching the rescue crew as they talked to Locke and Sayid. Sure enough, there beside them in the huddle were two men in button down shirts, and F.B.I issue sunglasses. There was also a blonde woman, who, although dressed in ordinary clothes, seemed to be in charge.

Kate ducked into her tent, gathering her things: clothes, shoes, her mugshot, Tom's plane, shoving them into her backpack. She didn't see the point; they'd only confiscate them when they arrested her again, but it seemed important to Jack, so she decided to humour him.

"Do you still have Joanna's passport?" he asked from outside her shelter, and she could tell by the distraction in his voice that he was still watching the Feds.

"Yeah," she admitted, ashamed that even after she'd been discovered with it, she'd kept it, just in case. "Do you think I should get rid of it?"

"No, I think you should bring it," he said.

She dropped the passport on top of the rest of her things, zipping her backpack up, and crawling out of the tent. "What's going on, Jack?" she asked, seeing how much more agitated he was now that the Feds were surveying the beach.

"Just trust me, okay?" His eyes were pleading as he added, "Wait here, and don't talk to anyone. I'll be right back."

He rushed off to his own tent, leaving her standing there alone and confused. She didn't have to worry about talking to anyone though, because everyone seemed to be avoiding her; Charlie scurried past with his guitar, giving her a wary look before catching up with Claire and Aaron. They all knew the Feds were there to arrest her, but they didn't seem to know what to say, so they kept their mouths shut, pretending that it wasn't happening. Kate wished she could do the same, although she had to admit, Jack was doing a pretty good job of that for both of them.

At first, she'd thought he was just stalling, but his actions seemed too focused for that. She watched him emerge from his tent with his belongings packed, heading over to the beach pantry, where he proceeded to fill a second backpack with what remained of the food. She wondered for a moment if he was considering staying on the island, but then, there wouldn't have been any reason to bring her back to the beach if he was.

He shoved a few bottle of water in with the food, returning to her side, and taking her hand again. "Ready?"

For what, she wasn't sure, but she nodded, allowing him to lead her down the beach. He didn't take her to where the rescuers were gathered, though, weaving his way through the crowd in the opposite direction, until they almost ran into Desmond, who was returning from his boat with the rest of his things.

"Desmond, I need your boat," Jack said hurriedly, glancing back over at the Feds. They hadn't spotted Kate yet; they were too far away, and there were too many people on the beach for them to notice any one particular person.

Jack wasn't the only one distracted by the crowd of rescuers. Desmond's eyes were trained on them too, only he appeared to be watching the woman in charge, an overjoyed grin lighting up his face as he asked, "What do you need that for then? Haven't you heard? We're saved."

Jack glanced over at Kate, as if to say, "Not all of us". Desmond caught the look that passed between them, nodding his assent. "Take it, brother, and the best of luck to you."

He laughed as he added, "After all the trouble it's caused me, I'll be glad if I never see it again."