Notes:
1 - Thank you so much to anne, daisyduke947, Jaime, alias09, ErabuHikari, Numfarismyidol, Seredipity9, hanna, and imma review u for their reviews.
2 - One thing that I should make clear before this chapter is how I imagine the layout of the camp. In this story, it is still on the beach, but everyone has taken tarp and clothes to make tents for themselves. Jack sleeps in the med tent. The monster has kept to himself lately, so the fringes of the jungle are safe for now. Just wanted to clarify that, sorry if I confused anyone before!
3 - As promised, there is a lot more Jack and Kate together in this and the upcoming chapters. I needed them to spend some time apart in the last two in order to present their stories. Now you know where they are both coming from. Parts of this chapter are a little more fluff-y. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I still do not own any of these characters.
Jack: Now
"Sucks about the wife an all, Jack. You have my sympathy." Jack blinked up to see Sawyer smirking above him. "Don't worry, though. I'll take care of everything with Kate. And I mean everything." He grinned lasciviously.
A shot of anger went through Jack and he stood up, glaring straight into Sawyer's eyes. "Don't you touch her, Sawyer."
Sawyer chuckled. "Oh, seems I hit a nerve. What I do with Kate is no longer any of your business. Somehow, I don't think Carol would approve of your apparent feelings for this woman."
"You don't know anything about my life, Sawyer. Stay out of it."
"I don't give a damn about your life. You just stay out of my girl's. One question, though. How desperate are you? You won't even wear your ring?"
Shaking his head and smirking, Sawyer walked off into the jungle as Jack looked down at his left hand. The ring was gone. That's strange, he thought. I didn't take that off...
Jack cursed under his breath and went off in search of the ring. Despite his apathy for his wife, he felt guilty losing the ring that was his grandfather's. While searching, he wondered why he had been so defensive about Kate. Sawyer was right: she shouldn't be his business anymore. So why did he still care so much?
"Jack!" Jack looked up to see Locke calling to him from his place by the fire. "What are you searching for?"
"An answer to my problems. I am so damn confused, there seems to be no right course of action. What am I supposed to do?" he blurted out. Locke's face registered mild surprise. Jack did a double take. He hadn't meant to say that! He wasn't a big fan of telling anyone what was in his head. His face turning red, he cleared his throat and tried again. "Um, I mean, I'm searching for my gold wedding band. Have you seen it?"
Locke cocked his head, contemplating. "I don't have an answer for you, Doctor. Just a suggestion. Perhaps you do not have an answer because you are not asking the right question. What do you really want Jack?"
"People can't live in an organized society doing whatever they want."
"No, but an organized society would be pointless if everyone was miserable. The trick is to consider what would make you happy. Then, see if that would hurt anyone. If not, what is the problem?"
"Maybe..." Jack tried to think of an excuse to leave. Locke could make sense, but he had an eerie aura about him that Jack was wary of. "I have to go check on... um, the... water supply. See you later, Locke."
Jack turned to go. Locke called out one more time, "Jack! I know you want to get away from me as fast as possible, but I have just one more thing to tell you about. Have you ever of Carl Jung?"
"He is the psychologist who said that everything happens for a reason, right?"
"Yes. Think about it."
Jack turned around and walked away from Locke. Pushing aside a hanging branch, he decided to take the long way back to the medical tent. He had a lot to think about.
What am I supposed to do? he wondered. Locke is probably crazy, but... It doesn't make sense for me to be miserable. I may never get home and I do not love Carol and she won't care that I'm gone. In fact, she'll probably be happy that she'll get some money from my will. I wouldn't be hurting anybody, right?
He sighed and walked faster. I think that I might love Kate, but what is love, anyway? Is it enough to justify me forgetting my wife and position? I don't know. Maybe what Locke said makes sense after all. Maybe the reason that I ended up here was to meet her and start anew?
Don't be ridiculous! the other part of his brain rejoined. Fate? That's not something you can grasp. Love? Who knows what that is, anyway? The price is too much to take risks on things like fate and love.
No one understands either of those things completely, they are things you just have to know. Sometimes you have to take a risk...
Lost in thought, Jack wasn't registering his surroundings. He suddenly tripped over an extended root and fell to the floor. Wincing and embarrassed, he looked up and realized that he was on the floor directly in front of Kate's tent. His eyes widened.
Everything happens for a reason...
He made his decision. Taking a deep breath, Jack walked up to the tent and called out her name. Kate pushed over a piece of tarp and looked at him questioningly. She obviously had not been expecting to see him after their awkward last encounter.
"Hello, Jack."
"Hi, Kate."
They stared at each other for a moment until the silence grew overwhelming.
"Want to come in?" He stepped inside.
The flap of cloth fell and they were abruptly in semi-darkness. Kate, obviously uncomfortable, tried to look casual as she stepped back and leaned against the solid piece of plane that served as her back wall. Jack took a step closer to her and she stiffened. He sensed her discomfort and searched for words to explain. "I am sorry I didn't tell you, Kate."
"Tell me what? About your wife?" she asked, hurt.
"Yes. You have to understand, though, I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't think of you as some jungle fling, Kate. I..." He was still struggling for words.
Kate looked up at him. "I know."
Jack was suddenly struck by how ridiculous he was being. He had no plan and there was nothing left to say. "Again, I'm sorry."
He began to turn away when she suddenly reached out and took his hand. "I don't want to lose you Jack. No matter what."
He stepped towards her again, reaching up to caress her cheek. "I promise..." Jack realized that, at this point, words were useless. Instead of trying to talk, he leaned forward and kissed her. Immediately, she kissed him back, as hard as she could. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing happily. Gently, he pushed her back against the plane.
Breathing fast, Kate broke the kiss and whispered, "This is wrong."
"I know."
She smiled and kissed him again. "You should go."
"I know." He leaned back and looked into her eyes. Neither of them moved for what felt like ages.
Finally, Jack forced himself to pull back. "Okay. I'm going."
"Make sure you come back. Soon."
Jack grinned at her and nodded. "Couldn't stay away if I tried. How's tomorrow?"
She nodded. He kissed her one more time and walked out of her tent. He turned back once more to see her sigh contentedly and smile at him. He was so happy...
"Forgettin' something?"
"What?" Jack turned to see Sawyer trailing him. Inwardly, he groaned. He felt his good mood leaving him as he warily watched Sawyer reach into his pocket and remove a gold wedding ring.
"I needed some Advil, so I went into the medical tent. Found this laying on the shelf under the cabinet."
Jack warily reached out his hand for the ring. Sawyer dropped the ring into his outstretched hand. Before Jack could react, Sawyer seized his wrist and pulled him forward until the men were face to face. "Watch yourself, Doc. How do you think your loyal tribe would take it if they found out that you were cheating on your wife with the resident convict?"
"You wouldn't dare."
"Are you kidding? Of course I would. Just watch it, man. I would suggest that you get off your high horse and really give those so-called morals of yours some though. Okay?"
"I'd suggest the same to you, Sawyer," Jack growled.
Sawyer snarled and shoved Jack away from him. "Nice chattin' with you again." He strolled back to his tent, pausing for a moment to add, "Jackass."
Jack angrily rubbed his wrist. After he made certain that Sawyer was going nowhere beside his own tent, Jack looked down at the ring in his palm. Why was it so hard for him to figure out the right thing to do? He tried to figure out where exactly everything had gotten so complicated in his life.
The answer was obvious: Kate.
He sighed. Kate changed my life. He sat down and stared out at the waves slowly rolling in under the moonlight and remembered the feel of her body snuggled against his, safe and content. Slowly, resolve came to him and he rose, reassured. I lost so much, but wouldn't change a thing. He walked along the beach, calm again.
She was worth it all.
Next chapter: Jack and Kate have some moral dilemmas to consider....
Let me know how you like this chapter. Please keep reviewing, everyone!! :)