Sorry, sorry, sorry for not updating, really I mean it, I was so mean, and now you guys get a big chunk (This story has like boomed from being cute to like very serious and scary, so if you don't wanna read scary/serious stop reading NOW!)
Title borrowed from a great song called Wandering Star by Portishead

Another

Chapter 4

Wandering Star

"Kate?" he smiled, but then his face became pensive, "What are you doing here?"

"I just thought I'd drop by for a visit," She slurred her words together and stumbled awkwardly in the doorway.

Jack caught her before she fell flat on her face, "Kate have you been drinking?" he asked as he gripped her biceps gently, and helped stand her up.

"Just a lil' bit," She replied motioning how much with the space between her index and thumb.

Jack sighed and wrapped an arm around her back and helped her into the apartment and to the couch where she sat down somewhat inelegantly. "Aren't you supposed to be in jail?" he asked as he took off her shoes.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" she countered as she looked at his clothes once again.

Despite the situation, he made a small smile, "I just got back from work, they gave me another two days off, against my argument," he explained then took a seat on his couch next to her, "What about you?" he asked looking at her so intently that even in her current state she had to turn away.

"I," Kate started, "I think I'm going to be sick," she groaned, "Which way's your bathroom?" she asked.

He wrapped an arm around her and helped her walk up a few stairs and opened the door located at the very end of it. A white sparkling, clean bathroom almost blinded her, but her mind was too focused on the four beers making the little jaunt up from her stomach.

As soon as she was in front of the porcelain toilet, her stomach completely emptied, and to her surprise, Jack didn't leave. He sat beside her, gathering her hair with one hand and lifting it off her back. He placed his other hand on her neck, to cool her down.

She flushed the toilet and turned around, leaning her head against it, "I'm sorry Jack," she apologized, "This didn't go the way I planned it to."

He smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "That's okay," he grinned, "It's good to see you," he disclosed had his hand came to rest on the side of her face. She smiled back and leaned her head into his hand, closing her eyes, "Can you stay here for tonight? I'll give you a ride back to wherever in the morning," Jack offered.

"Actually, I'm, currently homeless so staying here would be nice," she replied truthfully. His eyes held so many questions for her, but she wanted to answer them when she was well rested and could give him all the clarifications he needed, "I'll explain everything in the morning," she offered.

"Alright," he answered helping her to her feet again, and walking her back to the couch, "We'll talk about it in the morning."


"Good morning New York, its 8:35 and another scorching summer day, reaching high of almost ninety degrees. But don't worry when that sun goes down, the rain clouds will come out. A severe thunderstorm warning has been addressed across the county, so stay in tonight if you don't have to leave…"

Kate moaned and lifted her head slightly, where the hell was she? Well were ever she was she had one hell of a hangover, she just remembered talking to some guy at the bar and…

"Oh no," Kate panicked out loud, "I didn't! Did I?" She sat up from the couch quickly, she had to rip her arms and her chest away, since do to the heat in the city had stuck to the piece of furniture overnight.

She quickly scanned the room she was in, it contained a big screen TV, a glass coffee table, two leather chairs, a leather couch that she was sitting on, and two mahogany bookcases containing a lot of books.

There was an area rug underneath her, which covered a beautiful hardwood floor that flowed up a step and out a veranda to her far left. On her far right was a single door she assumed was the exit.

She turned around and found that the news report had come from a large attached kitchen, which was separated from the room she sat in by four stairs and an island. To the far left of that was a massive modern styled staircase. All together the room was enormous, the room itself was larger then her last apartment was.

She then noticed how hot it was. The guy on the radio mentioned that New York was getting hit with some kind of heat wave, and Kate silently wondered why a guy with a big screen TV wouldn't have air conditioning.

Why was she in New York anyways? She dug her hand into her pockets to find clues, all she found was a five dollar bill, the airplane she'd saved from the island, and a lined piece of paper. It all came flooding back.

"Good morning," a voice kindly greeted her.

She turned around and Jack stood on the stairs separating the kitchen and the living room. She guess he just got up because all he wore was an old university t-shirt and a pair of boxers, it's not like she was complaining though.

"Morning," she greeted back her voice a bit raspy. She held his stare for as long as she could, but cracked under it and eventually looked back to the ground.

He walked into the kitchen and began busying himself with the many appliances, "How's the hangover?" he asked over some commercial on the radio.

Kate stood up and stretched her arms, "Booming in my temples," she explained as she made her way to the kitchen, "I'm sorry for last night Jack, it was rude of me to show up unannounced and unacceptable to show up drunk," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," he dismissed, "Are you hungry? I went shopping about four days ago but I still have some eggs and other stuff."

"No," she shook her head, "I don't think I can stomach anything now," she replied.

"Are you sure? Don't you at least want a cup of coffee?" he offered, holding up a freshly brewed pot.

She smiled, "Coffee's good," she agreed.

He opened a nearby cupboard and pulled out two mugs, and filled them with the dark liquid, "I don't know how you take yours," he replied truthfully.

"Just milk," she smiled, "no sugar."

He poured the white liquid into her cup and she watched as the colors swirled together as he stirred them. After making his coffee he lead her out to the balcony where they sat across from each other on a small patio table.

The sounds of traffic flooded the streets, the cars below them deadlocked, in a rush to get somewhere. People were arguing, dogs were barking, music was blaring, and yet the birds still managed sing.

The early morning sun beat down on them, it wasn't quite hot yet, it was acceptably very warm, but by the afternoon, it would be unbearable.

Kate clutched her mug of coffee in both hands and watched Jack pensively, "They finally realized I wasn't guilty," she stated after a minute of silence.

Jack looked over to her, "Who did?" he asked quickly.

"The United State's government I guess," she replied unsurely, "What they wanted me for was murder on a man that I didn't kill, so I was running from the police and I ended up holding up a bank to get into my own safety deposit under a different name, because I couldn't use my real name or the cops would've found me for sure," Kate divulged. "So anyway the guy I supposedly killed turned up alive about a month ago, so that's when they knew I'd been set up, and since no one but fellow bank robbers got hurt in the robbery, they let me go yesterday."

"I knew you couldn't have done anything," he replied to her with a smile.

"I came to find you as soon as I got out yesterday afternoon," she explained, slightly blushing.

"So you got drunk somewhere in between?" he asked somewhat bitterly after taking a drink from his coffee.

"I'm sorry Jack," She apologized again, "I just didn't think I could face you completely sober. As soon as I did it I regretted it, but I didn't have anywhere to go for the night. You're the only person I know in New York, and I only have five bucks."

"So you spent all your money on alcohol?" he queried.

She shook her head quickly, she didn't want him angry with her, "I've only had five dollars since before the island, I got another guy to buy me the drinks," she explained and quickly realized it was the worst thing to say. "Look I'm sorry Jack. I really appreciate you putting up with me for the night, and I gave you the answers you wanted, so I'll just go now," she expressed and stood from the table.

But before she could move, Jack's hand covered her own, making her freeze on the spot, "Don't go Kate," he asked, "I'm sorry it's just that my dad died because of alcohol, so I have no tolerance for it," he explained.

She gripped his hand in hers gently and her face became distraught, "I'm sorry Jack," she apologized quietly.

He smiled weakly, "It's okay Kate, you didn't do anything wrong," he replied, "Just don't go."

She sat back down across from him, and a loose curl fell in front of her face, framing it slightly, "I don't have anywhere else to go," she replied somewhat distressed.

"You can stay here," Jack offered instantly.

"Jack, I don't want to interfere with your life," she disclosed, "Besides, I wouldn't be able to pay rent, or pay for groceries, and it'd probably be a while before I get a job," she added candidly.

"Kate, I wouldn't have asked you to stay, if I didn't want you to," he replied, "And don't worry about money, I have more then enough."

"Jack," Kate shook her head, "It's really nice but…"

"Where else are you going to go?" he asked her, "Believe I like the idea of you staying here, better then the thought of you wandering the New York streets at night, especially with the weather the way it is," he explained.

She smiled genuinely defeated, "Alright, I'll stay," she accepted his offer, but added, "Only for a bit though." But even she knew it was a lie before it came out of her mouth.


Alright, as with my other story I have no idea when I'll be able to update again but I will answer all the questions…

FanOfLOST I'm glad I've addicted you, I might as well warn you that the rest of this story is like some drug, that will pull you in, I'm serious I've been writing it every chance I get.

CrAzYhOrSeGiRl88 I think all of your questions were answered in this chapter, but if they weren't please just shout them to me again ;)

Standardblack I didn't but now that I know expect to see a lot more of him in scrubs, though on all occasions it's not good thing…

Rain1657 I'm glad you liked it, I was so excited and I knew where it was going (no not that way…(yet)) Bwa ha ha

Lara Chubb of Deep Hollow I'm glad you're happy and I bet you're ecstatic about Jack offering for her to live with him and her saying… yes!

Tatiana I believe I told you (I know it wasn't really necessary but it was for the intricate web that I'm weaving…)

Pink Pinker Lol they reaired the pilot a week before my birthday and I invited Lizzie down to watch it and then the next day in bio class (she was obsessed) she was like "Ask your mom if I can come down next Wednesday" and I was like "Okay" and she's like "Don't forget" and I was like "I won't" and she was like "I know you, I know you're type" (Sawyer said that to Kate) and I started laughing sooooo hard in the middle of bio that the teacher had to stop the lesson and yell at me.

JasmineHR Yeah another JasmineHR review! Lol I do get more into the marshal in the upcoming chapters which are pretty hot. But it doesn't stay that way for long because something bad happens and ruins everything (Did someone say ETHAN! (no I'm kidding he's dead))
Ethan: No I'm not
GO GET IN YOUR GRAVE JUNGLE BOY!

Freckles-101 Glad you liked it, Kate wasn't against drinking, the captain wouldn't let her, because she's a convict I know discrimination!

Chattypandagurl I hope all the questions were answered, if not feel free to ask away. Thanks for the review

Evermore Oh it's more then 800 words believe me, it started out as a like 5 page story and now because I had an epiphany it's 30 so far and I'm not even close to being done. I hope I do it justice in the end.

Kim If I scared you now, you aren't going to like what happens in a couple of chapters…

Smiles4eva Lol I'm going I'm going

Liz Waller I couldn't stop writing now if I wanted to, my head is so full of ideas that it's going to explode…

Imzadi Wow inquisitive little one aren't ya? Lol it's good to ask questions so here I go with the answers
- Shannon rather reluctantly translated the notes for Sayid, but I don't think Boone noticed because every time they were doing the translating Boone was with his hatch in the woods.
- I'm not British but Canadian, I don't know what he would've given her here, probably a slice of bread ;)
- Claire has chosen to watch the other's get drunk. But not drink herself, because in case of an emergency they need someone who isn't drunk up there (Hurley might drown in the pool)
- Sorry I want to keep this a strictly Jack and Kate story, because I have never made a just Jack and Kate story (My other on going story has most of the characters in it frequently)

Next Chapter- Kate get's to know the apartment, while Jack get's to know Kate.