Here's soemthing to continue the speculation. Hope you all enjoy
and thank you for all your review. Warning this is a graphic chapter, but nothing worse then you've already read.
Faults of Own
Standing there for a minute Jack thought of what to do. He knew he had to go after her, but was afraid of what would happen. Taking a deep breath he gathered his strength and headed off to find her.
"Jack wait!" Locke's voice called from behind him.
Jack stopped and turned around. He saw Locke all prepared and ready to head out.
"Not this time. This is between me and her." Jack said as he looked around to all the staring eyes as he turned and headed down the trail unarmed and unprepared.
Kate wondered around in the denseness of the jungle in deep sorrow and guilt. Her tears were no more and dry upon her cheeks. She felt sick as her mind clouded with fault upon herself. Sawyer's dead. She thought as she trudged through the mud on jungle ground still moist from yesterday's rain shower. He's dead. He's not coming back and it's all my fault.
She began to remorse of the others that had died on the island. Poor Rose died before Jack could even reach her. Boone was murdered and so was Michael. Walt caught whatever I had. My god who was next? Charlie? Claire? What about that little baby who never had a chance on this island to begin with? Oh my God what if Jack has it? What if he dies next? Tears began to well up in her eyes again as the thought of Jack came to her mind. She had been around him so much and now that was threatening his entire life.
She stopped where she was in the mist of the trees. Brining her unsteady hand to her mouth she began to cry. Tears blurred her vision as she tried to look around and find a way back. Soon enough thoughts of her and Jack brought her to tears and soon she broke down where she stood. This island was too much to take anymore.
Kate.
She looked up at the sound of her name. She saw no one.
Kate.
She heard it again. Looking around all she saw where trees looming in the over whelming darkness of the sun setting.
It's all your fault.
The voice was gruesome and was deep on the wind. She spun around looking for it. She began to worry her mind was gone.
Her name started being called over and over again.
Kate.
Kate.
Kate.
She quickly turned and started hurrying away from where she stood. Her name became louder and closer the faster she ran. Her heart raced as she hurried about trying to get a glimpse of who was calling her. The sounds and taunts became too much. Surrounding her with guilt and shame the voices became a spiral of hate.
Finally it stopped and with them she stopped. With her jagged breath calming she looked around. There was nothing. Not a sound. Then there was the sound of footsteps. Jack she thought. Her heart jumped with joy at the thought then quickly plummeted to the pit of her stomach.
"Kate."
A familiar voice came as she walked into a body. It wasn't Jack. Her voice was caught in her throat as a hand quickly came around her jaw gripping it tightly.
She was forced back to the body with a push of her face. She went to scream, but was stopped but the feel of a blade to her neck. Closing her eyes she prayed for death for the first time on the island.
"Kate…'
The grisly voice came loudly in her ear. The voice was so close to her ear she felt the lips on her skin and their breath on her neck.
"What are we doing wondering so far away without Jack? Hmmm?" The voice not recognized as a man's mocked as the blade dug into her throat.
Kate winced at the piercing pain.
"Hurt?" He questioned.
Kate said nothing as she closed her eyes knowing this was the end. The end of everything.
Her eyes began to sting as she tried to hold back tears.
"Oh scared? I would be.' He taunted as he slowly scraped the blade up her neck towards her chin.
"Cause when he finds your body he won't be able to tell it from that boar he's been eating." He explained as the grazed the knife over her chin making little nicks in her fully healed skin.
Sweat and broken tears fell down the side of her face stinging the new cuts.
Her breathing became labored as she tried to keep herself in control. With her hands oddly free she just wanted to turn around she see who this was.
"What do you want?" She nearly growled.
The knife came to her neck again.
"In a word." He started pulling her so close to his body she felt their heart slowly beating form their chest. He knew what He was doing and wasn't scared of doing so. "Revenge." He uttered low in her ear as his tongue came out and darted to the skin of her ear lobe.
"You'll never get it." Kate whimpered.
The blade wondered slowly down to her chest resting limply over her heart.
"I already have." He chuckled.
"I've been using you for over a month as a victim. A puppet to do my bidding." He began to explain.
Kate thought back to what he was talking about then she remembered why she was out her in the first place.
"You did it." Kate announced realizing this was the first attacker.
"Finally you figured it out." He praised sarcastically.
"You used me to kill them off." Kate figured.
"Exactly. But you killed off the wrong ones. So I came back to finish the job." He said as evilness came over his voice as the blade came back hard to her throat.
"Me.' Kate whispered knowing she was the unfinished job.
"No. I'm gonna keep you. And use you to get to who I really want." He began.
"Him." He whispered as the blade was again against her chest.
"Jack." Kate whimpered.
There were no words, but she knew she had figured it out.
"He won't like that I've taken you." He joked with harshness.
"And when he come and finds you…' He began.
"You're gonna watch me gut him like a fish." He growled in her ear.
Kate was on the verge of another breakdown. She was standing there being held by this man she didn't know telling her how he has been using her to get revenge from Jack. She was terrified of what he was gonna do to her, Jack or the others. But she knew she had to get away somehow and warn somebody about what was gonna happen even if it meant her own life.
"I thought you were gonna kill me?' Kate questioned trying to buy some time.
"I was." He breathed.
"But I know butchering Jack would hurt you more." He murmured as he punctured the skin of her chest above her heart.
Holding back from crying out in pain knowing that's what this twisted man wanted she slowly slinked her hand up he body. He attention must have been caught, because Kate got far enough to grip onto his arm holding the blade.
"Wha-" Was all he got out before Kate pulled his arm away and turned around. With his other hand he grabbed for her arm pulling her close.
"Gottcha!' He gloated as he glared her in the face. Kate got a glimpse of this man and was struck by the familiarity. Her face went soar as she realized who it was.
Getting back her sense of the fight she wrestled in this power grip her pushing him back and him pulling her to him. Swiftly she was hit in the forehead with the blunt side of the blade. Knocking her back a bit, Kate still didn't give up. She grabbed the blade with all her might and thrust it back towards his face. She quickly stabbed him in the side of the back pulling him off her.
Quickly she pushed away and went running. She went running through the trees and the pain in her chest and head. This time she had gotten away at least for now. Slipping and falling as she ran she never looked back. Never had a thought to see if he was still after her. She really didn't care as long as she got back to the protection of the caves and told Jack. But what if he didn't believe her? What if he thought this was a cry for help?
Her mind was caught with what to do and she didn't notice where she was going. She went falling to the ground, but didn't land on the ground. She fell upon something lying there Coming to her senses Kate fought with her self to stand up and keep going. She sat up in consuming pain. Opening her eyes she looked down to what she had landed on in fright. There was Shannon's body. Or what looked to be Shannon. Her body was covered in blood that seeped from her chest and neck.
Looking the length of her body in certain horror she came to her face that was unrecognizable. A knife was stabbed into the side of her cheek. Staring at the knife Kate's mouth hung open. It was the knife she had carried all those months before she was attacked and then never saw again. Her eyes saw something in the side of the handle. Revenge was carved in jagged letters in the wood.
Shaking from fright Kate pushed herself with her hands to stand. She got to her feet and fell back to her knees. She couldn't get up as Shannon's dead body struck her in aw. Making an attempt to crawl she made her way five feet from the body before she pushed her self up bumping into someone. She stopped breathing and her eyes went wide. Quickly she turned around knowing it was him. All she saw was a face. A face that sent her back to the ground in a fall.
Landing in the mud next to Shannon's body Kate looked up to the face again. Breath was restored as she saw Jack standing in fear in front of her. She sat still just staring at him pushing herself to cry. His face was pulled down at the sight before him. It was different then she had remembered it that morning. Now she saw the cuts and bruises along his face from his eye to the tip of his jaw. They were from the fight with Sawyer a week ago. She now noticed the guilt in fear in his eyes. She now thought of what her attacker had said. He wanted revenge on this man before her.
He stood as still as she sat staring at her. He saw the cuts on her face and gashes in chest and across her throat. He was worried she had finally lost it. Worried she had done this to herself.
"Kate what happened?" He started hesitantly towards her. She said nothing as she stumbled to her feet.
"Kate…" He started.
"Don't Jack." She warned scared of what would happen.
"Please stay away." She pleaded.
"Kate look it's ok. Please." Jack started as he walked closer to her.
"Stay back. I end up killing you too." She warned as she remembered what her attacker said about killing Jack in front of her.
Jack stopped as tears formed in his eyes at her words.
"You didn't kill anyone Kate." Jack tried to tell her.
"Yeah ok Jack. Sawyer mysteriously died from alcohol poisoning." Kate whimpered.
"Kate he got sick. So did Walt. And Boone, Michael, and Shannon were murdered. You couldn't stop that." Jack said as he looked from Shannon's body back to a crying Kate.
She stood there knowing she was the cause of all this. Wanting to tell him she knew he wouldn't believe her. Not right then. Jack sighed trying to think of a way to make her understand it wasn't her fault.
"Please. Just come back to the caves. We can sort this all out there.' Jack begged her.
"No. I'll hurt them. They all know that. They're all afraid of me." Kate said looking away from Jack.
"Kate they're not afraid of you." Jack said in a low voice.
Her eyes jerked back to him.
"Yes they are and so are you.' She cried. Jack furrowed his brow.
"I'm not afraid of you.' He simply said.
"Look at you. You've tried to avoid me every since Michael was murdered. You sit there and stare at me like I'm poison Jack!" Kate yelled.
Without a word Jack quickly walked up to her. She was taken back by his sternness to just walk up to her. She swallowed as he came within an inch of her. He stared her down as she questioned the look in his eyes.
"You wanna know how scared I am?" He asked with anger in his voice.
Kate didn't acknowledge him. In an instant Jack took her in his arms and placed his lips to hers. Tears rolled down her cheeks as his lips play over hers slowly and affectionately. Her heart beat rapid as her feeling came through her body into her lips telling him how she felt. His hand wondered down her back pulling her closer protecting her from this island. He just wanted to take her away and tell her it was gonna be all right. But even that he didn't know for sure.
A whimper came from deep in her throat as he pulled away. Looking up to his eyes she saw how afraid he was. Before he could get a word in she was in shambles in his arms. She cried uncontrollably curling her arms up to her chest.
"It's ok." He whispered as he rested his chin against the side of her head.
Nuzzling her face in the crook of his neck Kate sniffed back tears taking in the smell of Jack. The smell of the island and ocean breeze that woke her from that ditch, that took care of her when she was sick. The smell that she looked forward to every day and now the smell that calmed her.
He himself held back tears as he looked down to her. Her curls sticking to her wounded skin and tears misting her face. She was mess.
"Let's go back. Ok?" He whispered.
She nodded her head against his chest telling him it was ok. He loosened his grip around her as he rested his hand loosely to her side. She gripped his arm resting her head against his chest. They both took a deep breath as they headed to the caves.
As word of Sawyer's death made it to the caves some began to understand why Kate went off the way she did. Life continued, but the over shadowing threat that maybe Jack nor Kate would return was pushing it's weight around. Locke looked away form what he was doing to see Claire and Charlie still sitting near where Jack had left. He set down his things and walked over to the two. He glanced down to see Claire in staring contest with the trees leading down the trail.
"Any sign?" Locke asked. Charlie looked away from Claire and up to Locke who for once had worry on his face.
"No." He simply answered before looking away.
"It's been two hours. One of use should go out and start looking.' Locke suggested.
"And give hope on Jack?" Claire snapped. Locke was taking back by her sudden defense.
"No it's just that he might need help." Locke tired to explain.
"From what? Kate?" Charlie questioned getting up in Locke's face.
"Calm down Charlie. I didn't mean it that way." Locke tried to justify as he turned around heading for his stuff.
Before he could get a knife in his backpack there was a roar from the people around him. Turning around people quickly ran past him towards the entrance of the caves. So many people crowed around that he could get a glimpse of what the commotion was. Pushing his away through the people he came to see. Jack walked in holding a drained and beat Kate to his side. People began to gasp and gossip about what had happened to her. Jack knew she wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone and he had to quickly tend to her wounds.
"You guys please move back." Jack ordered.
"Yes move back give them some room." Locke ordered turning around to ward off the others.
They quickly turned and went back to what they were doing all still keeping their eyes on Kate.
Walking with her over to the cot she had grown so familiar to, Jack helped her sit down. He turned to get some stuff from his bags, but she fought silently with him as she pulled on his arm. He turned and clutched her hand in his. Giving her a smile he left her for a second to collect medical supplies. Coming back her knelt in front of her. This was an all too common thing for him now. No matter how much he hated seeing her like this it was nice to be this close to her without them bickering between one another.
Looking over her face he saw the cuts were small and would heal in a day or two. Taking one of his shirts he pulled from his bag he dampened it with a bit of peroxide. Locking eyes with her he brought the shirt to her chin. Being used to the stinging pain she didn't flinch or show any sign of discomfort. Cleaning the cuts he looked to the bruises on her forehead from where she was hit in the head. Brushing his thumb lightly over it he saw her watch him out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't seen that look from her since they were in this boat last time.
Examining her neck he felt that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The cut was deep and needed to be stitched. Hurriedly he went to his bag and found the small sewing kit he used to fix the cut he got from the crash. Staring at it he remembered Kate had sew that cut. He glanced up her as the others caught her attention. He chuckled to himself thinking about how long it had been.
"Any color preference?" He asked opening the box.
Kate looked back to him confused until she looked down to the bow in his hand. A small smile came over her face.
"No. Standard black." She whispered with a smile.
He couldn't believe she remembered his exact words from that day. It just showed that those two really paid close attention to each other.
He watched her face closely as he began to stitch her up. Her face was stern and strong. Trying to show no fear, but Jack saw the fear in her eyes. He tired his best to be a gentle as he could. Slowly her tough girl façade broke as her hand crept up his stomach and gripped to the bottom of his shirt. Every time he added another stitch he felt a tug on his shirt. He glanced down to her hand seeing it wrapped so tight around his shirt her knuckles were white. Then he looked up to her. He knew she must be in a lot of pain, but she was holding up well. He really wanted to take her mind off the pain.
"Did you see who murdered her? Jack asked looking back to the stitches on her neck.
"Yeah." Kate replied getting a wide-eyed glare from him.
"Who was it?" Jack asked turning his complete attention to her.
"The man who did this to me. Who did it before.' Kate said.
"The person who attacked you before did this to you?' Jack asked wondering why she referred to this monster as "the man".
Kate shook her head closing her eyes. Jack took the tear trickling down her cheek as a sign to quit asking questions. So he backed down.
After tying the thread he cut it and turned to the gash in her chest. He was amazed that the blade ripped through the clothe of her shirt and pierced her flesh. Wrapping his fingers around the bottom of her shirt he asked for acceptance to help her pull it off. Lifting up her arms she allowed him to slowly pull the shirt up her body and over her head.
Throwing it to the side Jack turned back to her as she gazed up at him. The sight of her near naked chest he was caught in a gaze. Not filled with sexual thoughts or feelings, but remorse for the thought that she might have died if it went any further.
Studying the gash he figured by the jaggedness of the skin break it was slowly cut instead of a direct swift stab. He was beyond nervous as he rose his hand to her breast. Butterflies grew in Jack's stomach as he gently brushed his fingertips over the blood soaked skin. He glanced up to see her eyes caught on the actions of his fingers.
"Good thing it didn't go any deeper." He tried to joke with a shaky voice.
She sniffed back her painful tears as she forced a smile to her face. Taking a deep breath Jack pulled out the peroxide and his used shirt and began to treat the wound.
Cleaning her up and dressing her with one of his dress shirts that was clearly too big for her, he sat and looked over the rest of her.
"I think that's it." He sighed with a sense of accomplishment.
Kate went to wipe the tears from her face, but her hand was lost in the arm of his shirt. Taking a hold of her lost hand he pushed back the arm and brought her naked hand to his lips. They stared each other in the eyes as he left a loving kiss on the back of her hand. Kate felt the blush rush fast to her cheeks.
"I have to go and take care of some things." Jack announced putting the supplies away.
Standing up Kate quickly grabbed his hand and turned him around. He looked back to see plead on her face.
"Please stay." She whispered.
His heart sank. He knew she was terrified everyone was scared of her, but he knew she'd be ok. What he didn't know was how scared she was of him leaving and never coming back.
"I can't stay. And I know you don't wanna come along while I bury Shannon and Sawyer." Jack said regretting his words.
Kate's face fell as she shook her head.
"I'll be as fast as I can I promise." He said cupping her face in his hands.
He tilted her head down as he kissed her forehead. Giving her as smile he turned and gather his stuff. Before he walked off he turned.
"I promise." He lipped before he turned back and walked down the trial to the beach.
Kate sat and watched as he quickly disappeared with the trees. She closed her eyes at thought of "him" catching up with Jack and slaughtering him before she'd even get the chance to see him again. Opening her eyes she looked around at all the others trying to hide their stares. Knowing the fear that built up inside of them she turned away and lay back on the cot. Turning to her side she lay there staring at the ground. She was terrified what was going to happen. Closing her eyes she forced away her tears, as all she wanted was rest. And for Jack to come back alive.
