Chapter 25!

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Hurley saw them walking away and yelled at Sayid. "Dude, I think they came back." He had a big smile and pointed at them.

Sayid looked where Hurley was pointing and realized how tired they were. "Bring water." He asked Hurley. "Jin!" Sayid beckoned for him as he ran toward them.

Hurley reached for a few bottles of water and ran to try to catch up with Sayid and Jin.

They finally arrived where Sawyer, Juliet, Locke, Jack and Kate were. Sayid hurried to carry Kate because Jack was already doing more than he could. Jin and Hurley helped Sawyer so that Juliet and Locke could get rid of the weight of him.

"Are you all right?" Sayid asked.

They took them to a nearby shade on the beach.

Jack nodded. "Kate and Sawyer need water." He soon replied, panting. He sat on the floor. Sayid put Kate gently lying on the floor, she was unconscious.

"Kate." Sayid called her patting her cheek. "Kate." He was trying.

Jack put her head on her lap so that she stood a little higher and took a bottle of water from Hurley's hands. Slowly he poured large drops of water into her mouth.

Hurley distributed the bottles to Sawyer, Juliet and Locke as well. Sawyer after drinking some water already felt a little better, just like the others.

Jack continued to give Kate water until she coughed, she had choked. Sayid quickly sat her down for the cough to pass. She looked around, not knowing where she was. Jack hugged her.

"It's okay, Katie." He stroked her back. "We arrived."

She was breathing fast, still a little frightened by the sudden awakening, but Jack still held her and gave her more water to drink.

"Guys, you look exhausted." Hurley noted. "Where have you been?"

"Long story." Juliet replied. She stroked Sawyer's back, was already seated next to her.

"They can tell us everything after they rest." Sayid said. They did not have the energy to discuss everything that had happened there at that moment.

Juliet and Sawyer went to her tent. Locke went to his own tent and Jack took Kate to his tent. He did not feel ready to sleep, there were so many things going on. At any moment they could suffer an attack.

Jack entered the tent and soon saw the makeshift bed. It was exactly the way he had left it. He laid the brunette there, her body warm, probably from the dehydration she had suffered.

"Hey, let's get this sweater off?" Jack realized that she needed to cool down. "You're all sweaty, baby." Kate nodded, but did not get up. She was feeling weak. Jack gently took off the sweater she wore with her lying down, leaving her wearing a tank top. "Better, huh?" He kissed her forehead and smiled.

"Are not you going to bed, Jack?" She asked, her voice groggy. She was trying to turn around, but it was difficult, her body was weak.

"I do not feel like sleeping right now, Katie, but I'm going to stay here with you all the time, okay?" Jack spoke very calmly, pulling her hair away from her face.

"Just close your eyes." He whispered to her. "Rest a little, sweetheart." Jack kept stroking her back in a circular motion as he watched her sleep. He thought of everything that was going on, what the next days would be like, what Ben was planning.

Jack was lost in thought when he heard Sayid calling him.

"I'm sorry, I saw you're awake." Sayid saw Kate asleep and lowered her voice, almost whispering. "Are not you tired?"

"I am." Jack nodded. "But I'm more worried about what might happen." He started to vent.

"What do you mean?" Sayid asked.

Jack led him out of the tent, a few yards away, where they could talk better without bothering to wake Kate up. He told Sayid everything that had happened, how Kate and Sawyer had been imprisoned and Ben cheated them to get a new surgery. He told him about the tests Kate had done and how possibly she was the only woman on the island who would have no problem getting pregnant there. Jack told him about how Ben wanted to study her, probably to find out what she had, but she was too traumatized to go through any other kind of thing.

"So now he's after her?" Sayid was absorbed with so much information.

"We do not know, but meeting Ben, he will not give up like this." Jack was visibly worried.

"Well, we need to keep our guard." Sayid was trying to think of something. "I do not believe Ben would invade the camp himself, he would send someone."

"Absolutely." Jack nodded.

Jack felt a little more relieved to know that Sayid now knew everything and was willing to help. They continued talking for a long time on how they would be on the alert so they would not be surprised by Ben. Jack felt the weariness strong now that most of his concern had been shared with Sayid. He was thinking of returning to the tent when he saw Kate coming out of the tent.

"Katie, where are you going?" He walked toward her.

"I woke up and could not find you." She cried, frightened. "I was so worried, you said I'd stay there." She looked visibly desperate.

Jack hugged her. "It's alright." He was trying to keep her quiet. "I was just talking to Sayid right there." Jack showed her where Sayid was, still sitting. "But now I'm going to go back with you to the tent, okay?" He stroked her face with his thumb.

Kate was calmer, but still kept her eyes startled. Sayid realized it was time for him to do his own thing again. Kate needed attention. Jack wrapped his arm around her until they reached the bed again.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Jack asked as he laid her down again.

"No, it was just too hot." She answered softly. And it really was. The tent smothered the heat all in, and did not ventilate very well. Kate was still sweaty.

Jack took off his shirt before he lay down.

"Can I take this out?" Kate asked, awkwardly, showing off her pants. The fabric was very thick, and she was having trouble cooling herself off.

"Of ... of course, Katie." Jack replied stammering a little, he was a bit embarrassed at her question but knew the heat was really over the edge. "You want me to help you?" He grinned, trying to hide the excitement he had.

Kate nodded, smiling. She liked Jack and seeing that he was excited about these little flirtations made her happy. Not that she wanted to flirt at that moment, but it had turned out to be flirting and it was being fun.

"OK." He kissed her close to the earlobe, making her shiver. His hands slid down her neck, down her belly, to her hips. Jack continued to tease Kate, kissing her all over her neck as his hands worked to open the button and zipper of the jeans she wore.

Kate moaned softly as Jack slowly pulled her pants off. "What do you think about taking off the tank top too, honey?" He whispered into her ear, still kissing her neck. "You'll be so refreshed."

She could not resist the touch she was receiving. She simply nodded, eyes closed, enjoying every minute of it. Jack moved his lips and touched hers, softly. He carefully removed the tank top. Kate was wearing only a bra and panties.

"It's not fair just getting my clothes off." She spoke, her voice shaking, with a few moans coming out without her allowing it.

"You know I think you're right, baby?" Jack smiled at her. He lowered his lips, giving her many kisses all over her belly, to the maximum he was allowed to do before he touched some fabric. He pulled back his pants. Jack only wore boxers.

He lay down next to Kate, spooning her. It was so good to feel her skin on his, so soft. As much as Jack was very tired, his hands still had not stopped. They caressed the brunette's entire body. He kissed her shoulders, and she felt herself shivering with each kiss. Jack did not know how much she would or was not prepared to go beyond that. He decided to take a chance and tenderly began to slide the straps of her bra down. Kate did not seem to be frightened. She even helped him remove the piece of underwear. Her back was totally naked now. Jack slid his hands down her back to her belly, but when he tried to raise his hands a little to her chest, Kate froze. Jack noticed the sudden change in behavior. She kept her hands close to her body, trying to hide, preventing him from seeing any more intimate part of her.

"Kate, what do you think about sleeping?" He asked, placing his hands now in her hair, slowly caressing her. Jack wanted Kate to know that he would never force her into anything. He wanted her to feel comfortable with him.

She did not answer. Jack saw the sadness in her face. Kate tried to hold the cry. She did not feel well to continue but she felt bad about interrupting Jack.

Jack took the tank top and covered her with it. "Baby, are you crying?" He worried. She was not crying until he asked. "Hey, you do not have to cry, Katie." He kissed her head and helped her put the purple tank top back on.

"I wanted you to like me." She spoke crying. "But I can not do this now, Jack, I can not." Kate buried her face in her hands.

Jack's heart squeezed as he heard what she had just said. "Hey ... baby, I already like you. I love you." He placed her on his lap, and laid her head on his shoulder. "You do not have to do anything you do not want for me, or for anyone to like you, you hear?" Jack wiped her tears with his thumb. She was still sobbing and did not answer him. "Did you hear, baby girl?" He repeated, smiling and tightening her waist to tickle her. Kate laughed shyly and nodded. He kissed her forehead and offered her more water. She still needed to hydrate her body, especially since she'd just cried.

Jack laid her back on the bed and lay facing her. "I love you, Katie. You do not have to do anything to make this feeling grow." He ran his finger down her freckled face. "Just be you, okay?" He smiled.

Kate sniffed. "I love you too."

He snuggled her closer to him. Kate quickly relaxed and went back to sleep. Jack was also so tired, that even with the hot body of the brunette on top of him, it did not take long for him to fall asleep.

They have been slepping for almost a day. It was morning and Jack woke up with a very large movement. Several voices noisy and crying. Jack looked to the side and Kate was still sleeping, peacefully. He covered them with a sheet when he saw Sayid approach.

"Did someone die." He was panting, it seemed that he had run up there to give her the news.

"Who?" Jack was startled. "How?"

"I do not know his name, but he was hanged." Sayid replied. "Charlie found him near his tent today, still hanging from a tree."

Jack put his hands to his head. "Do you think that.."

"Ben." It ended before Jack finished the sentence. "I think you're doing the same thing you did when you wanted Claire." Sayid was convinced of what he was saying. "They're going to kill one person a night until they get Kate back."

Jack shook his head in disbelief. He looked at Kate again. She was so safe there at his side. "What do you think we can do?"

"Shifts," Sayid suggested. It was the only thing he could think of right now.