Thanks so much for all of the reviewers: Seredipity9, LOSTinFishboy smilez4eva, kate and jack, a.k.a.-ashley, alias09, daisyduke947, and frodosam4ever!

Disclaimer: I have never owned any of these characters save Carol.

Kate and Carol

Humming softly to herself, Kate sorted boar from vegetation in the food supply tent. It was neither glamorous nor necessary, but she found that it helped to concentrate on meaningless chores. It took her mind off of Jack and what could have been. If it wasn't for Carol...

No! she told herself sternly. I will not let myself go in that direction, what-ifs only lead to misery. I knew when I got into this that I could easily get hurt, and still I let myself get carried away. Carol is the woman in Jack's life, now. Next to an elegant, composed woman like that I must pale in comparison...

Kate's unsuccessful attempt not to think about Jack was interrupted by none other than Carol herself. "Hi, Kate," she said breathily. "Busy, busy morning I had. There is just so much to do when loving couples reunite after so long... I am just famished after that."

Kate want scarlet at her implication and turned around. She was sure that the mocking grin she had seen on Carol's face was her imagination. "Can I help you?"

"Actually, I was going to ask if I could help you. You must be so busy and I don't want to sit around being useless while my husband does so much for everyone here."

"I'm fine, thank you."

"No, no, I simply must aid you."

"Please, um, Mrs. Shepard. I like to use this as my own private time to think."

Carol nodded understandingly and sat down next to her. "I'll keep you company while you do that!"

Kate wanted to strangle her. No one could be that dense. She was starting to get the sense that Carol Shepard had sinister motives for sticking around her. "Is there something that you wanted to tell me, Mrs. Shepard? If so, I would prefer you just come out and say it."

"Let's just say that I like my privacy, too. Especially when it comes to my marriage. I do not appreciate intruders any more than you appreciate me right now."

"I'm not a threat to you. It's all over with us."

"It better be. I have a way of making sure that my property is not in any way damaged or stolen."

Kate felt her disgust with this woman rising by the second. "I don't understand what you are talking about."

"I am sure that a known criminal and adulterer such as yourself would catch my meaning."

"And I am sure that a prestigious woman such as yourself would be above coming here this morning with the sole attempt of antagonizing me."

"You won! He's your husband, I'll stay away, I swear. Just leave me alone!"

"I would if it were that simple. I have his ring, Kate, but you have his heart. I don't like competition. In fact, I abhor it. I detest it. I will not stand for it." Carol took a breath and smiled calmly again, looking straight at Kate. "I crush it."

This caused Kate to quickly jump to her feet. She began to step away from Carol, but found herself backed up against the jagged piece of plane that supported the food tent.

"Where are you going, my dear? I just want to talk, really."

Kate began to panic. Though Carol's tranquil smile remained fixed, her eyes were gleaming with a terrifying mix of passion and rage. Slowly, she reached into her jacket pocket and removed a small surgical knife. Kate gasped as she felt her heart nearly stop. "Oh my God."

"This will teach you to mess with someone's husband!"

"Please, no! I swear, I'll stay away, I'll... I'll do anything. Please, don't do this..."

"He loves you. The only way to get eliminate that love is to eliminate you!"

Kate's eyes began to fill with tears as she realized that she was going to die at the hands of this madwoman. Gasping in what was sure to be her last breath, she closed her eyes.

Carol was barely conscious of anything except her hate anymore. Angrily, she stabbed the other woman through the shoulder and watched her scream and pass out. Carol drew back her hand to strike what was sure to be the deathblow when she felt herself be grabbed by the wrist and harshly pulled away from Kate. She spun around to see Jack viciously glaring at her. Ignoring his anger, Carol smiled brightly. "Honey!"

"What did you do?" She was shaken back to reality by the tone in her husband's voice. He sounded like he was going to kill her.

Carol's heart sunk as she realized two things: first, that the girl was not dead yet, and second that her husband would never love her. If I'm going down, she's coming with me!

Angrily, she screamed, "I am going to kill that bitch!" Wrenching herself away from Jack, she raised the knife once more and ran towards the injured Kate. Cackling hysterically, Carol began to cut into Kate's arm...

The last thing that she felt was her husband's hands as they slammed her into that jagged-edged piece of plane.

Ten minutes later, Jack had forgotten completely about Carol. He had worked his hardest and best to bandage Kate up and try to stop the bleeding. His efforts had been met with little success.

"Come one, Kate, wake up. Please, wake up! You can do this, I will help you, I promise. Come on, Kate."

With great effort, Kate opened her eyes half-way. "It's all over now. Goodbye, Jack."

"No, no Kate!"

"Yes."

Jack's fear for her intensified. "Whatever happens, you have to know, Kate. I love you."

"I love you too, Jack." Jack held her close and watched tearfully as her eyes flickered closed and her breathing grew ragged and finally came to a stop.

Jack would not leave her, even as rain came pouring down and the waves gurgled back down the sand into the shallow depths from which they came.

Next chapter: The conclusion. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!