Pairing: Mainly Jack/Kate with a healthy dose of Charlie/Claire and Sawyer/Shannon.
A/N: Inspired by Jump Little Children's song "By The Way That They Dance". Lyrics are copyright © Jump Little Children. This isn't really a songfic, though it could be construed as such. Take it how you want it, I suppose :)
Disclaimer: JJ Abrams owns all Lost-related trademarks.
By The Way That They Dance
The fire danced a melody strung by Charlie's guitar; he sat by the flames, enveloped in sparks and shadows, and gently strummed a mellowed song of hope and old love against the night sky. The survivors rarely had the opportunity for the sleepy happiness of a moment or two, and now, as the evening settled upon the shoreline and the waves crashed quietly upon the sand, strains of music swirled around figures dancing softly by the fireside.
He hadn't felt a sense of peacefulness wash over him in what felt like years; doctors by nature seemed to run on a twenty-four hour schedule of rushing and helping and trying to breathe, and now, his feet sinking into the cool sand, the warm air surrounding him as he sat on a log a few feet away from the fire, Jack took a deep breath. He exhaled every second of drained energy and work put into staying alive the past few weeks, letting it all fade into the breeze of the night air.
"And the one step and he's sliding
And the two steps and she's gliding
3 and the 1 and the 2
And then they float in the air,"
The fire cast a glow upon Claire's softened face, flickering across the stirred look in her eyes as she sat beside Charlie, watching his fingers brush across the strings with graceful strokes, as though the guitar were an extension of him. Charlie looked up every few seconds to meet her eyes, a small smile sliding across his face, before returning to a fierce concentration on the guitar. Claire was content to simply be near him, and Jack knew that even though they were all enjoying the break from the haze of the days, Charlie played that song just for the girl next to him.
The beach was scattered with nervous laughter and careful steps. Couples grasped each others' hands as they danced delicately across the sand, hiding their faces in the other's neck and intertwining their fingers. Most of them Jack didn't know, but they seemed so content – happy, even, if he dared say so in their current situation. He watched Shannon lean her forehead against Sawyer's shoulder as Sawyer's arm around her waist tightened, and both were stiffened, but complacent. Shadows of orange and black flickered off Sawyer's diamond features, casting a smug look upon his face, one masking sincerity with Shannon in his arms.
Jack settled back, leaning on his arms behind him, and watched the fire reflecting off the shadowy figures, dancing in and out of the flickering warmth. His eyes drifted over the scene before him, accompanied of gentle guitar and soft waves as the darkness fell over the camp gradually. He could already count the first stars above their heads, twinkling against a blanket of shades of blue. Jack's roaming vision allowed his eyes to finally come and rest upon a half-hidden figure curled up at the edge of the fire, dark curls framing delicate features made all the more concerned by the wavering light of the fire.
Kate was still as she sat in the sand, her eyes focused on the fire. Jack could feel how tense she was even halfway across the beach, and he shivered involuntarily when her eyes raised from the fire for a moment and met his. The look behind her eyes startled him, and she looked away just as suddenly as she'd seen him. Jack knit his eyebrows in confusion, and before he knew what was happening, his legs were carrying him toward her, past the fire and weaving through figures moving back and forth to the tune of Charlie's guitar.
"Side to side and she shows him
Back and forth cause she knows him
Round and round again
All that see them can't help but stare,"
She shifted slightly as Jack eased down beside her, their knees touching. He glanced at her, the intensity of her eyes reflecting the flames leaping a few feet away. Neither spoke; Jack knew better than to ask her anything. He had learned Kate's fiercely independent streak extended to being unwilling to accept help, or inquiries to such, and instead, he simply sat beside her, being content with the stillness of her radiance; he could feel it sweeping over him, warmth and sadness and secrets.
Jack wasn't sure what possessed him to stand up suddenly, strains of music drifting softly over the campfire, and meet her questioning eyes as he looked at her sitting beside him. He was even less sure of what made him offer his hand to her, and he watched her try to process everything he was as the look on her face changed from being startled, to confusion, to realization, and a subtle fear. After a moment of hesitation, in which Jack nearly touched his hand to his forehead in a not-so-subtle gesture of never mind, Kate reached up and took his hand.
Cause everyone knows they're in love
Everyone knows they're in love
Yes and everyone knows they're in love
By the way they dance
He led her a bit away from the fire, still in the flickering shadows, but somewhere they could have at least a little privacy. They moved toward each other awkwardly; appropriate enough, Jack thought, for how little they really knew of each other. But no amount of knowledge, or lack thereof, could deny how deeply he was drawn to her, and, he hoped, as Kate stepped toward him with a shine in her eyes, she to him. He looked at her carefully, but she removed all doubts when her arm slipped across his back, her fingers wove through his. He slid his arm around her waist and held her to him, almost afraid of letting go, and pressed his cheek against hers. Jack was sure of one thing: she must've been able to hear the pounding of his heart to a much quicker pace than the music. He felt like he couldn't get any closer to her if he tried, and her breath was warm, tickling his skin.
Cheek to cheek cause he needs her
Hand in hand as he leads her
Face to face cause they know
They'll never dance alone
Their steps were careful at first, the sand providing a bumpy terrain for trying to move with any measure of grace. Soon, however, Jack felt Kate relax just a little in his arms, and he began to notice just how soft her skin was against his; her scent was traced lightly with sky and rain and water lilies. Jack tried to breathe her in, needed to just be nearer, and without realizing what he was doing, he kissed her hair softly, and froze when he did. His heart began pounding even faster, trying to figure out what exactly had possessed him, when he felt Kate gently begin to lead him in the dance, and he pulled back to look at her, her face framed with firelight and shadows. His eyes searched hers, and a small smile he couldn't quite read crossed her face. She leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes, and Jack was so close to her, so close he could barely breathe.
Cause everyone knows they're in love
Everyone knows they're in love
Yes and everyone knows they're in love
By the way they dance
The music drifted over them, twirling nervousness and nighttime and washing away the day's events beneath a deep sky of shaded moonlight and the blaze of the fire. Kate shuddered in his arms, and Jack looked up at her, his heart rocketing as fast as the plane had come spiraling toward the island. Their eyes met carefully, and Jack swallowed. Kate's hand dropped his, and Jack froze once more, but the next instant her arms were sliding around his neck, clasping him to her, and Jack felt his hands slip to her waist, holding her as if he thought she might break if he let her go too far from him. His fingertips brushed the skin revealed below the edge of her t-shirt, and she tensed when he touched her. He was about to let go when she relaxed slightly and stood up on her toes, brushing her lips against the rough stubble of his cheek, and was about to relax back onto her feet when Jack leaned forward and kissed her swiftly, shocking himself more, he thought, then her. She tilted her head slightly and responded after the initial surprise, her hands sliding onto his shoulders and clutching at his shirt as the kiss intensified to a level Jack hadn't quite thought possible. He gripped her waist, pressing her to him, trying to steady the dizziness as she gasped against his lips, and he was all breathing and sinking and tumbling headfirst into her.
By the way she moves in circles
By the way he holds her so gracefully
The glow of the campfire seemed to hover around them as the world spun under Jack's feet, as though it were dancing beneath him, and he was simply trying to hold on, onto her. He finally broke away out of pure need of oxygen and fear that if things got any more intense he might self-destruct from feeling. He kept Kate close, breathing into her shoulder, and she was heated and leaning into him. He could feel her eyelashes against his neck, his body electrified where it was touching hers.
Jack became dimly aware that the music strummed from Charlie's guitar had ended, and he stopped, glancing around. He had barely seen the couples strewn across the beach slowly letting go of each other when he felt Kate's hand on his cheek, gently turning his face back toward her. He met her eyes briefly, and she smiled at him, a real smile this time, without any hidden meanings. He realized that was the first piece of total honesty he had ever received from her, and opened his mouth to say something, but Kate shook her head and leaned up, kissing him softly. He closed his eyes and brushed his lips across hers, but before things could grow heated again she was pulling away, taking his hand in hers and leading him back to the campfire. She sat down in her original place at the edge of the firelight, and Jack settled next to her, putting one arm around her shoulder and holding her to him with the other, and she leaned her head against his chest. He felt her relax in his arms, and he kissed her hair, the fire casting shadows and a dancing glow across them.
The hand that he lends her is able and tender
Never a step to chance
Cause everyone knows they're in love
By the way they dance
Just had to write this one after hearing that song, so please leave some feedback and I hope you enjoyed it! :)