Famous Last Words
Chapter Five
At four fifteen AM, Sawyer was wide awake in the living room of Jack's apartment, in a chair across from where Kate lay sleeping on the couch. He had offered to stay at a hotel, which he would've rather done anyway, but he figured at least here he'd get free food, which led him to where he was now, sleepless in LA.
(Space)
The early morning light dawned on Sawyer through an open window behind him, and he was sickened by the quiet piano tunes and giggles coming from nearby. Opening one eye, he saw Jack and Kate sitting at some kind of mini piano stool, and Jack was failing at trying to teach Kate some waltz on an electric keyboard. Why hadn't he noticed it there last night? Because if he had, he would've smashed it.
"I hope I'm not paying for this," Sawyer muttered, causing Jack's hand to freeze above the note he was just about to play.
While Jack remained embarrassed, Kate just laughed at the situation.
"He was just trying to teach me something," Kate explained.
"Trying," Sawyer snorted, sitting up, "sounded like Jimmy Hendrix took over a Beethoven concert."
"You two, uh, want to get something to eat?" Jack asked, recovering himself.
"Sure," Kate shrugged, and looked at Sawyer as if saying 'don't you dare decline'.
Though at the same time, she was hoping he did.
"Actually, I think I'm just going to go back to sleep."
Jack eyed him, curiously.
"Don't worry, I won't wreck the place, and I promise, no girls," Sawyer said sarcastically.
"All right," Jack agreed, "we'll be back in a few hours."
"Whatever," Sawyer muttered, feeling himself fall back to sleep already.
(Space)
A mass of yellow stared at Kate, drowned in sprinkles of brown and light red, set beside pancakes with syrup and butter on top. She couldn't believe how nice Jack was being to her, never even mentioning anything in return, and now, Kate could do nothing but spin her food in her fork. Getting sick last night from the Chinese noodles she had eaten last night had been kept secret from Jack. Truth was, the sudden change from eating nothing but fruit and fish, or the occasional boar, every day for three months had been unusually hard on Kate, and she found it hard to even digest the stale food she was served twice a day at the prison. But all through this, Jack hadn't said a word. Normally he would've demanded that she'd eat, even the smallest amounts, but Jack just sat there, staring helplessly into her food, as she was doing. And it drove her crazy. Jack was supposed to be the worrywart, not her.
"Are you ever going to say anything?" Kate said finally.
Jack looked up at her in surprise. Up close, though it could've just been her eyes playing tricks on her(or being over-worried about Jack) she could still see the many faded signs of island battle, and couldn't help but to wonder how he was dealing with all of that at work.
"What?" He asked innocently, and took a bite of sausage.
"Jack look-"
"Just don't," Jack said, looking into her eyes and then shaking her head, "don't say anything."
"You can't just sit there and ignore me!" Kate cried.
"What am I supposed to say?" Jack exclaimed. "I owe over four million dollars to three different people. I worry about you for two weeks, and then you run away to him."
"It wasn't running away to him!" Kate protested.
"Then what was it?" Jack said. "Because you sure did seem to know what you were doing. If some idiot hadn't of gone and burnt his house down, you'd probably be standing at the alter with him right now!"
"What?" Kate said, looking at him, stunned. "What the hell gives you that idea?"
"Well I don't know Kate," Jack said drastically, "you were differently willing to spend the night at his place. And he's Sawyer. I'm not blind, and don't act like nothing would've happened."
"If you haven't forgotten," Kate said coldly, "I also just spent the night at your place, and I have perfect control over myself."
"Would you two like some more coffee?" A waitress asked them, at the wrong moment.
"No!" Jack and Kate said, a little too forcefully, at the same time.
An old couple by a window glanced their way, and turned back to each other, mumbling.
"We mean, we're fine," Jack said, more calmly.
"If you say so," the waitress said, tearing off a slip of paper from a small book, "here's your check. Pay up front when your ready."
"Thanks," Jack said, glancing at the check and then placing it upside down beside him.
"How much?" Kate asked, once the waitress was gone.
"What?"
"How much was the meal?" She repeated. "I'll pay my share.
"No," Jack sighed, "your fine."
They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before Jack spoke up again.
"Look, I'm sorry," he said finally, "I overreacted."
"No," Kate said, shaking her head, "I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't of ran off like that, it's just that guy at the bank-"
"Did you know him?" Jack said quickly, and then looked down. "Sorry."
"No, it's okay," Kate said quietly, "we have a- history. He just scared me a little."
She noticed Jack looking at her in concern.
"Don't worry," she added, "he didn't hurt me."
"Is there anything I could do?" Jack said. "Did he threaten you?"
"No," Kate lied, "he was just going to use me as bate, but I was too quick for him and escaped out the back door. I'm sorry, I should've tried to find you again."
"No, it's all right" Jack said truthfully.
"Anyway," Kate said after a short pause, "I just wanted to say thanks."
"For what?"
"Taking in Sawyer," she said, and then shortly after added, "and not killing him."
"Where's he going to go?" Jack snorted. "But it's no big deal. My boss doesn't want me overworked, so he's forcing me to stay at home for a few days. Worried about me or something."
"I couldn't imagine," Kate said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Just out of curiosity," Jack said, taking another bite of his breakfast, "what's his place like?"
"Who, Sawyer?" Kate said, confused for a moment.
"Well, his parent's place."
Kate grinned mischievously.
"Did you know he listens to jazz records?"
(Space)
By the time they arrived back at Jack's apartment, the two were on good terms again, and were laughing quietly as they were earlier as they reached his door.
"Seems quiet," Jack noted.
"Maybe he's discovered cds," Kate shrugged, "he insulted your taste in music, by the way."
"What's wrong with my taste in music?" Jack said, in a mock hurt tone, taking out his key when he found the door locked, which he supposed was a good thing.
Kate just shrugged. Finally, Jack's door was open, but Jack didn't move a muscle.
"Jack?" Kate asked, looking up at him. "What's wrong?"
When he didn't answer, Kate pushed him aside a little to see for herself, and gasped as she did. Jack's place was a wreck. The furniture was turned over along with shelves and tables. Remains of the plastic plates they had used for dinner lay astray on the floor, and the tv that had once sat on a small stand was busted in. The box of Jack's 'junk' his mother had thrown in was no longer a box, and the contents were everywhere; glass was stuck to the carpet in bits and pieces. In all, Kate figured it a tornado were to ever touch down in a big city, this is what it would look like. Whoever did it even went through the trouble of graffiting the walls with white spray paint, tanning the badge wallpaper. The only thing that wasn't there was gang signs.
Before she could say anything, Jack stormed into the place, and picked up a pillow that was, well, one could say that someone wouldn't be sleeping on that for a while. In anger and rage, Jack threw the once cushioned fabric down with a curse.
"Jack," Kate said, frantic, "you need to calm down.
"Calm down?" Jack repeated, all but calm, waving his arms madly. "How do you expect me to remain calm-"
Kate grabbed his arms in a tight grip, and looked up at him, meeting his eyes, expressing her words through them. Just please listen to me- they said.
"All right," Jack finally agreed, sighing, "all right, all right."
Running his hand over his head, Jack looked around once more at his wrecked apartment, and was about to say something else to Kate, when he noticed something was missing.
"Where's Sawyer?" He asked, feeling his rage come back.
"What?" Kate asked, looking around and realizing that Sawyer was, in fact, no where to be found.
"I swear to God," Jack said through gritted teeth, pounding his fist against the wall, "if he went back south-"
"I don't think he's back down south," Kate said, sounding like she was about to be sick.
Jack glanced over from where Kate stood behind the overturned couch.
"Why's that?"
"He's right here," Kate said, obviously trying to keep her cool.
"Is he breathing?" Jack asked, in his normal 'doctor Jack' tone.
"Yeah."
"Good."
"What? Why?" Kate said, finding herself nervous at Jack tone when he said 'good'.
"Because now I can kill him," Jack said, balling up his fist once more.
Kate was now bent down, checking Sawyer for injuries. She sighed in relief when she saw that the only sign of harm was a little bit of blood trickling from Sawyer's mouth.
"Why would Jack want to wreck your apartment?" Kate said, praying that she could pull Jack's sense back.
"I don't know, probably for the same reason I'd want to burn his house down," Jack retorted sarcastically.
At that moment, a rough cough filled the room. Sawyer was awake. His eyes snapped open, and they darted around uncontrollably.
"Take it easy," Kate said, as she helped him sit up against the couch, "Jack, go get me some ice."
As she did, she noticed Sawyer was rubbing that back of his head in obvious pain. She then looked back at Jack, who was just standing there, glaring at Sawyer.
"Jack!" She said urgently, and he grunted as he went off to fulfill her duty.
"What happened?" Sawyer groaned, fighting to keep his eyes open.
"I was hoping that you could tell me that," Kate said quietly as Jack sat beside her, giving Sawyer the ice.
"I was knocked out," Sawyer said, trying to remember.
"Did you see anybody?" Jack said, feeling guilty now that he saw that the vandalism couldn't of been Sawyer's fought.
"Heard some crashing," Sawyer mumbled, "and then nothing."
"We should get him to the hospital," Kate said, biting her lip and looking up at Jack.
"He'll be fine," Jack said in truth, not just trying to get rid of dealing with Sawyer, "but once someone finds out about this- the landlord in particular- it's going to be my skin that pays. More like my money. I think I'm going to go file a report."
"Report?" Kate asked, unsure that that was the best idea. "Maybe someone's just trying to scare you-" she glanced at Sawyer, "both of you."
"More the reason to file a report," Jack said.
"Look, I'm fine," Sawyer said below him, "just- help me up."
Kate glanced at Jack, wondering if that was a good idea. He nodded, and together they both pulled Sawyer up. He wobbled a bit and then caught his balance.
"I'm good," he said, waving Kate's hand away.
Kate finally let go, and turned back to Jack.
"Why don't you stay here and keep an eye on him," Jack said, "and I'll go try and get some service at the station."
"I have a better idea," Kate said, "how about he goes with you and I'll stay here and clean up-" her eyes twinkled, "and keep an eye out for evil landlords."
"Why should he go?" Jack said, not liking the idea, and Sawyer echoed him with a 'Yeah'.
"Do you really think there could be no coincidence between the fire and this," Kate said.
"Fine," Jack sighed, "come on."
He turned to go out the door, and Sawyer did the same, but stopping, and whispering into Kate's ear, "You owe me."
Kate just smiled.
Author's Note: Hehe. I love writing this. It might go a little fast, but I couldn't lay it out any other way. Thanks so much for all the reviews and support!
Crookedview- yes, that's what I love about writing this. I get to be all casual about it. No monsters or evil Canadian robots- though something of the sort is in here. The most you'll see them do in here is eat. They're really daring in the next few chapters- pizza takeout!
Lillywriter- don't worry. Plenty of Jate goods to come. In particular, one little scene concerning Jack, Kate, and a closet.
Coming up Next, in "Famous Last Words":
A certain doctor's ex-girlfriend turns up with a surprise(and no, crazyhorsegirl- NOT a bunny! Lol!) that changes everything. And to top it all off, Jack gets a phone call that's just the icing on the cake.
Thanks again for all the reviews!
October Sky
