Note: Thank you so much to Seredipity9, Under Athena, scrawn, hanna, a.k.a.-ashley, ErabuHikari, Trish, smilez4eva, and Jaime for second set of great reviews! I am so happy that people like this story.

Just so you know, this chapter goes back and forth between current time and flashbacks. For this chapter, the flashbacks will be italicized. Please let me know if this is easily readable or if there is a different way you'd find easier to read as the next chapter will deal with more flashbacks.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Jack: The Past

"I love you."

Jack was still unable to fully grasp the intense meaning behind to three little, monosyllabic words. Just uttering that one little phrase could change everything.

"I love you." She had said it, and he though that she meant it. He thought that he felt the same, but there was still that nagging doubt, still the other woman who had uttered those three little words...

"I love you, Jack Shepard."

"Doctor Jack Shepard. I have my degree now, remember?" He smiled at her and she returned the gesture, scooting over on the couch to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too, Sandra Desmy."

She giggled and leaned back, pulling him on top of her. He leaned down to kiss her and felt the small ring he had purchased shift in his pocket. Not right now, he told himself. Wait until she graduates next month, then we can run away together. Away from Dad, away from Carol, away from everything. He had just finished med school a year early and he was ready to get away from his old life. Sandra seemed the perfect person to share his new life with. They had been together for four years now and she was the only person that Jack had ever truly loved.

"Jack! I'm home. Carol is with me." The front door burst open and the elder Dr. Shepard strolled in, searching for his son. Jack and Sandra jumped apart and situated themselves in a less compromising position. Another reason Jack could not wait to leave home: Carol. His dad was intent on him marrying this dreadfully boring debutante by the next year. This had been a great cause of stress for him until just recently, when he realized that eloping with Sandra would solve all his problems at once.

Now, he was able to just wink at Sandra and rolls his eyes, knowing that in a few short hours he would be alone again with his lover and that neither Carol nor his father would be anywhere nearby.

Jack shook his head, clearing the memory from his mind. He couldn't dwell on the past right now, he had to decide what to say to Kate. He knew that he wanted to run out of this empty tent and tell Kate how much he cared about her. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her and promise never to leave her side. But he also knew that people can't go around doing whatever they want. He was a very strong believer in not saying things that you did not believe with all your heart. That was why things didn't work out with Sandra.

"You told me that you loved me!"

"You can't take words that seriously, Jack. Saying something like that is all in good fun, but it has very little actual meaning in it!"

"Sandra, I was going to propose! Then I walked in on you making out with my best friend. And in my own house!"

"It's not my fault that you are a naïve idiot. That true love that you are looking for: hate to break it to you, but it's non-existent, Jack."

Jack was getting desperate. He felt near tears. "Please, Sandra." He slowly sank to his knees, pleading, in front of her. "I love you."

With a harsh laugh ,the door slammed closed and she was gone from his life forever. Jack felt cold and empty. The ring in his palm felt like it was burning a hole in his hand. He just knelt there on the floor, in shock, until his father quietly walked up next to him. "Get up, Jack. Now, what just happened?"

"Sandra... I don't know, Dad. It's over with us."

"I thought so. We both knew this was coming. It doesn't matter, though. I have something to help ease your pain, though. Carol is waiting in the kitchen for you."

Jack nodded slowly. He knew what his father wanted him to do. He began to walk down the hall. He had no choice...

Jack sighed softly to himself. He should have known not to even consider Kate romantically, but something about her enticed him for reasons he couldn't understand. That was why he had been so cautious, he knew what could happen when you loved someone too much. The feelings he had for Kate were different than anything he had felt before, even with Sandra, and they scared him. They also had pushed him to do things that he knew he shouldn't. He had always followed his father by erring on the side of caution: safer to stay with someone who you don't care about. They can never hurt you.

There was something else, though. Something that made him feel even more like an idiot for ever falling for Kate. Shaking his head, he slowly pulled a thin gold ring out of his pocket and observed the tan line on his left ring finger. This was another reason to hate both his father and himself at once.

He had to end it with Kate. He had no choice.

Next chapter: Kate's side of the story.

Please review and let me know what you think about the flashbacks!