Thanks so much for all of the reviewers: Seredipity9, smilez4eva, alias09, a.k.a.-ashley, JaimeLeigh,

frodosam4ever, LOSTinFishboy, scrawn, and kate and jack!

You have probably figured this out by now, but I just want to clarify that this story is AU (it doesn't follow the plot of the show). Here, Sawyer is actually Sawyer and he will continue to be a jerk. Hope you don't mind that!

Disclaimer: I have never owned any of these characters. Except Carol and Jed, now that I think of it.

Jack and Carol

Jack swallowed nervously as he watched Carol Barnington stroll calmly down the aisle, radiant in her off-white, modern wedding dress. Jed Powell, his best man, smiled and nodded approvingly. He clearly thought that Carol would be a great match for Jack. Jack wished that he could muster up as much enthusiasm.

The rest of the day rushed by in a blur that Jack could barely recall if he tried.

The next chance he had to think, it was night and he was sitting in There were so many things he knew he should be feeling, should be saying, but somehow none of them were coming. Thoughts tumbled around in his head until he finally decided on speaking the truth. "I don't think I will ever be able to love you, Carol. I am sorry for that."

Carol raised her eyebrows and laughed. "Don't be sorry. You think I love you? Ha!"

Jack felt a headache coming on. He felt more and more that he had made a mistake. "I don't think we should have gotten married," he murmured, half to himself.

"Divorce isn't something either of our families do, Jack. Get used to it."

"I'm sure I will get used to it. I just don't think I should have to."

"Too bad." Carol flipped her hair and walked out of the room. "I need a drink. I'll put it on your tab, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, she strolled out. Jack buried his head in his hands.

He had spoken his true feelings for the first and last time in his ten-year marriage to Carol Barnington.

The next ten years consisted of fronts and lies: Carol acted unbothered by Jack's impersonal conversations; Jack pretended that he didn't know anything about Carol's six-year affair with Jed that didn't end until Jed had moved to Australia, etc. Almost daily, Jack said nothing real to Carol and spent his time either preoccupying himself or wondering how exactly he had let himself get into this rut.

"Honey?"

Jack pulled himself back to the present. He was lying down on a stack of blankets on the floor so that Carol could have the bedroll.

"Sweetheart?" He opened his eyes and was surprised to find Carol leaning over him. "Finally, you're awake. I've been waiting for you." She smiled sweetly.

Jack was instantly suspicious. He had only known Carol to be sweet when she wanted something. "What do you want, Carol?"

"Don't insult me, Jack. I love you and I've missed you so much." She smiled and leaned closer. "That's why I followed you to Australia and why I was on that plane. I had wanted so badly to find my loving husband."

Before Jack could react to this, Carol kissed him. Instinctively, he pushed her away. Carol looked hurt. "Jack, love, what's wrong?"

"You weren't on that plane for me," Jack said matter-of-factly. He had suddenly realized why his wife's statement didn't ring true. You told me that you were going on a tour of Europe with your friends, you didn't even know that I had gone to Australia to find my father."

"Your father?"

"Yes, Carol. He's dead. I could have used some comfort when he went missing, but you were too busy sleeping with my best friend behind my back to notice."

Carol sat back angrily. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Yes you do. Your 'friend' Janet told me all about your little trips to Sydney to visit Jed. It was a total coincidence that we were on the same plane."

"You don't understand, Jack! I was ending it, I love you!"

"Whatever, Carol." Shaking his head, Jack stood up. "I've got to go check on the water supply."

"Wait, Jack." Carol got to her feet as well, but Jack just strolled past her.

"I will not be ignored," Carol murmured irately to herself. "Hey, Jack!" He did not stop walking. He was tired of Carol and her games and wanted no more of them.

"Check the water supply, dear? Let me guess who works the water supply. It's not Kate, is it?"

Jack whirled around, surprised by the disgust in Carol's voice when she had said Kate's name. She couldn't know, could she? "I don't know what you are talking about, Carol."

"Yes, you do. And you accused me of having an affair! You have been screwing that bitch the whole time we've been on this island, haven't you?!"

Anger replaced the guilt that he had been starting to feel. He stepped closer to Carol and lowered his voice. "You shouldn't be the one to accuse me of anything, Carol. And watch your language!"

"Defensive, no? Don't worry, I'll leave you out of it when I go and confront her about having affairs with another woman's husband."

"Don't you dare go near her, you hypocrite." His voice was dangerous now. Carol found herself involuntarily stepping back. She had never seen her husband this worked up about anything. "Okay, Carol?"

"Whatever," she said flippantly. She turned her head from him and began absent-mindedly fiddling with a small surgical knife of his. "Go check on 'the water'. I'm going to the food tent."

Jack walked briskly to the jungle, trying to calm himself down. He had never before spoken to his wife like that. In fact, he didn't think that he had ever spoken to anyone like that. He hadn't been to sound threatening, but he had heard something in Carol's voice that brought out the protectiveness in him. When she had said Kate's name, Carol had sounded like she might actually kill Kate and it had thoroughly scared Jack. He had never known that his wife had cared at all for him, so her anger was not comprehensible to him. After all, she had been having an affair herself for years and years.

Confused and worried, he looked around desperately for Kate. Instead, he found Locke, who was in the process of skinning what seemed like his fiftieth boar of the day.

"Locke, have you seen..."

"Jack! I had been waiting to talk to you. How have things been going with your wife?"

"Um, okay, I guess. Awkward. Anyway, have you seen...?"

"Patience, Doctor. You answer my questions, and I'll answer yours. Now, did our little discussion last week help at all?"

"Honestly, it did then, but not anymore. Now, people will be hurt no matter what I do. I don't know anymore. You said that everything happens for a reason, Locke! Well, what's the reason for this? Why did she have to be on the plane, why is she here?"

"Fate is a mystery that none of us will ever understand. Its intricate purposes will not become clear until the time comes for us to reflect upon our lives."

"That's all great, Locke, but none of it helps."

"You seem irritable and preoccupied today, Jack."

"I know. I'm sorry, Locke."

"Never feel guilty because of your emotions. They are beyond your control. It is your actions that you should give great thought to. Now, about your wife being here. Who knows? Maybe it is a sign that you two are destined to be together? Or, it could be so that you can see her true colors and find the strength to leave her despite others' opinions. Only you can find the answer to that, Jack."

"Right." Jack nodded, thinking hard. That pronouncement was exactly what he had come to expect of Locke: it sounded good, but the implications of it could escape you for some time. Jack stored that away, he had something more important right now. "Please tell me, have you seen Kate anywhere?"

'Yes. She wanted some quiet time to think, so she went down to organize the food tent."

"The food tent?!"

Jack's heart almost stopped. Oh my God. He ran.

Next chapter: Carol and Kate have a little chat...

Just so you know, I have decided that this story will have ten chapters, so just two more after this!

I do have some other ideas, though, so please review this chapter and let me know if you would be interested in reading another of my Jack/Kate fics after this one is complete.