Jack had wondered off towards camp. He stopped about half and hour away from where he left Kate with Sawyer. He was completely exhausted emotionally and physically. How could Kate do this to him for the second time? What if she was hiding other secrets? He sat there questioning himself until he fell asleep shortly after he stopped.
Only asleep for two hours or so he headed out soon after dawn. He walked alone with his thoughts never thinking to walk back to Kate. He didn't even worry about her being alone with Sawyer. His was too angry to think of their little relationship. Hell she was probably sleeping with him he thought. Pushing the thoughts from his mind he stumbled onto a couple bushels of bananas and apples he quickly picked them and headed back to the caves.
Sawyer had spent most of the night at the little camp the three had set up that night. He didn't mind the rain or being alone. In fact he rather have been alone. After the rain had stopped a little bit before dawn he sat there reading his note over and over again. When the sun had rose in the sky high enough for him to see through the dense jungle he decided to head out.
Getting up he gathered his belongings and Kate's too. She left all her stuff when she ran after Jack and he was gonna keep all of it. Unless she could give him a reason to give it back.
Hell they would probably have a few fights about it ending in her wining to the doc and him threatening to kick his ass in some sort of medical mambo jumbo talk. It didn't bother Sawyer in the slightest. Kate had gotten what she deserved.
He started heading back towards the beach in the direction they came from the day before a cigarette lit and snug between his lips. No thought on his mind besides how he was going to get back.
He was starving and thirsty and his main concern was getting back to all the stuff he hoarded. He knew someone had gotten into it about by now. Probably the doc and sticky fingers raided the place before he could get back.
Walking along the mud swished up against his boats and the bottoms of his pants. Taking one last drag from his cigarette he flicked over into a ditch. Looking back to the ground he stopped.
There in front of him lay a boot. A single boot stuck in the mud next to an exposed root. This baffled Sawyer. Whose boot could this be? He questioned himself.
Bending down he looked at the boot. It seemed familiar like he had seen it on him before. Quickly he tried to remember all the shoes he'd seen on the island. It wasn't Jack or the has been's. It was…
"Kate's." he whispered to himself. Why was her boot left here? He asked himself.
Looking up from the boot he saw something else in the mud. He focused hard on it making out footprints. There were dozens of them. Concentrating closer he made out two sets of footprints.
One of them definitely Kate's, but whose was the others. Jack's? Most likely. But the bigger question wasn't whose the other tracks were, but where were they leading too?
Getting up he looked around to all the tracks. They were bunched together in certain parts and spread way out in others. It looked as if they had been fighting. He wouldn't doubt it after last night. Slowly walking along side them as a guide he saw they lead a bit from the current trail to a small ditch behind a tree.
"Why would they stop at a ditch?" Sawyer questioned himself. Then he saw that both sets of prints went to the ditch, but only one came out from it. Only one. Looking closely he saw the one that led off wasn't Kate's.
Cautiously he approached the ditch. His mind wondering with what might be in there. His heart was beating hard within his chest as he stepped inch by inch towards the edge.
Coming up on the edge he slowly peaked over. His was utterly shocked and appalled by the sight before him. There lay Kate about two feet down surrounded by mud.
"My god." He gasped resting his forehead in his hand.
She lay on her back her body bent around in an odd way. With her left arm wrapped loosely around her chest and her right sprawled over her head.
A knife was stuck in her left should with her head turned and leaning upon it. It was a gruesome sight that Sawyer could barely stand. He was brought to tears seeing her lay dead like this.
Bending over he took her ice-cold hand that was covered in blood in his. He was extremely gentle as he brushed her blood soaked hair. Revealing her bruise-covered face. His stomach nearly dropped from his body. That gentle face he loved to fight with was also one he loved to watch. Now with it scared it still retained beauty to him.
"Out of all of us. I thought you'd make it through Freckles." He said with a groggy voice as he held back his tears.
Sitting there for a long time holding her hand in his it became hard for him to look at. No matter how much they fussed and fought he didn't want her to end like this. Placing her hand back across her chest he got up and turned away from it.
Someone had murdered her and Jack was highest on his list. Just because what she did was no reason to kill her and leave her like this. But with that being the fact it didn't seem logical that Jack would kill her. It wasn't in Jack's nature to really hurt someone. Especially Kate. But he was still on the list seeing he was the last with her.
Walking away from the ditch it became harder for him to walk away. He wanted to know who did this to her whether it was Jack or someone else. If it was Jack he knew how he was gonna get it out of him. Somehow someway Jack was gonna confess to what he did no matter what it took.
At the caves Jack returned with food. Everyone was thankful and gracious till they noticed Kate wasn't with him.
"Wasn't Kate with you?" Charlie asked. Jack thought of something to say.
"Yeah. She'll be along a little later. She headed off on her own." Jack lied trying to cover up the real reason. He knew she would show up soon after with Sawyer in toe.
"Oh." Charlie said as he stood with the rest of the group picking what they needed to eat.
Jack walked off and over to the part of the caves where all the supplies were. They took up less of a space now. He began to look for something busy himself in.
"Jack." He heard from behind him. Turning around Sayid came walked over to him.
"You went without me?" Sayid asked with a laugh.
"Yes. Well we couldn't wait.' Jack laughed trying to make light of the situation.
"We?' Sayid asked.
"Me and Kate. She's still out looking for food." Jack lied again.
"Odd that you two would separate." Sayid smiled.
"Yeah." Jack brushed off turning around.
Sayid and the others could tell there was something else to the Kate story.
"So have you seen Sawyer? People on the beach said he went of into the jungle and hasn't been seen since yesterday." Sayid asked.
Jack turned and looked at him with an odd look.
"Well with "the others" out there no one is safe." Sawyer said trying to explain his worry for Sawyer.
"Well he's ok. He followed us out yesterday and he should be with Kate…" Jack started and quickly stopped as he watched Sawyer come barging into the camp.
Jack never looked away from Sawyer. Sawyer had discarded his and Kate's bags in his tent and head back to the caves for a word with Jack. Jack's eyes wondered down to Sawyer's hands that were covered in blood and balled in tight fists. Sayid turned to see what Jack was looking at. Jack was focused on the blood covering his hands.
"Kate." He whispered. Sayid looked to him. It then struck him what was going on.
"Now Jack don't jump to conclusions." Sayid tried to warn him. It was no use. Jack heard none of it as he walked quickly towards Sawyer with Sayid as back up behind him.
"Sawyer." Jack called anger on his voice. Sawyer turned to him as Jack seemed to fall into his trap.
"Ah. Jack just the man I was looking for." Sawyer called with a grin.
'Whose blood is that?" Jack asked.
"Don't put this on me doc." Sawyer snarled at him.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Jack came back. Sawyer's face fell.
"Whose blood is that?" Jack asked again.
"You're charade can fool them, but it ain't fooling me!" Sawyer yelled as he pointed to everyone around the two who was now enthralled into the conversation.
"Shut up!" Jack yelled in his face.
"Whose blood is that?" He asked with anger in his voice as he got in Sawyer's face.
Sawyer stood silent. Had he planned this? Planned to turn the tables on him?
"I'll ask you one more time Sawyer. Whose blood is that?" Jack asked more calm.
"Kate's." Sawyer answered. Jack's eyes fluttered closed. He knew something was wrong. He slowly balled up his fist.
"Jack." Sayid whispered calmly in his ear. Without hearing him he slowly raised his fist.
"Don't.' Sayid warned as he rested a gentle hand upon his arm.
Slowly loosening his hand he opened his eyes to look at Sawyer.
"Where is she?" Jack asked gritting his teeth. Sawyer stood silent again.
"Where is sh-" He began.
"Right where you left her." Sawyer answered.
Jack pulled away as Sayid stood guard between them. Jack looked over to Locke. With that one look he knew what was up.
"Boone." He called as he got his knives together. Jack walked past Sawyer eyeing him the entire time. Sayid began to get up and follow.
"No stay here and watch him." Jack ordered pointing to Sawyer. Sayid agreed with a nod of his head as he looked to see Locke handing him a knife.
"No." Sayid refused remembering the last time this happened.
"I can handle it." He said. Locke shrugged it off as he and Boone walked after Jack.
"Ohh I'm scared." Sawyer began as the three walked out of the camp.
"You're the one that should be here. Not me!" He yelled after them.
With Boone's help and Locke's guidance they made their way along the trail that Sawyer had set for them. Jack was quick ahead of them.
"Jack you need to slow down. We aren't gonna find her with you a mess walking about like a madman." Locke called after him.
"I'll find her with your help or not." Jack yelled back to him.
Jack led them to where they were at the quarrel the night before. The small campsite. The fire had burned out and their presence was barley known. Standing there Jack looked around for signs of Kate. There were none except her footprints that led off the way they came.
"She isn't here." Jack said to himself. "This is where I left her. Like Sawyer said." He continued as Boone came next to him.
"He lied. Not uncommon for him." Boone snickered.
"Jack!" Locke called a couple feet away. Jack turned and quickly walked over with Boone following.
Locke was hunched over the ground staring at prints.
"What?" Jack asked above him.
"Look here. Sawyer's prints started off away from Kate's. Here's Kate's next to yours." Locke pointed out.
"So." Jack said really not comprehending where Locke was going. "He didn't go with her." Locked explained.
'Well then let's follow hers." Jack said as starting to walk off.
Locke quickly got up and walked ahead of Jack so he could figure out where the prints led. Not before long they were met by Sawyer's prints again, but they were spread out form Kate's. Jack knew in his mind Sawyer had done something. Quickly they all stopped when Kate's prints came to a halt and another pair joined working their way around Kate's as Sawyer's went on a couple of feet.
"This is odd." Locke said as he stopped and looked over the new print.
"These aren't Sawyer's, but their familiar." Locke pointed out.
Jack wasn't interested in the new footprints he wanted to know where Kate was and if she was all right. Heading a head of the others he quickly stopped and looked down at the ground. Kate's boot was stuck in the mud. A set of prints that lead away form the shoe. It was Kate's. Jack stood there and followed them with his eyes. They led over to a ditch where the footprints Locke was looking over came into view again. Both sets were gathered along with Sawyer's prints on the side.
"Sawyer." Jack whispered.
Walking over along side Kate's prints he came slowly to the ditch. He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. Before his eyes flashed every moment he had with her. Through their fights there was always a love between them. He knew he shouldn't have left her with him. Opening them there he saw his demise. Kate's body lay slain below his feet. He began to choke up.
"Kate." He whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.
