Protecting Jane

It had been two days since Jane told Jack about her rape. He didn't let her out of his sight. She didn't have to be right next to him so David didn't suspect anything butJackdid know where she was at all times. Jane had asked him not to tell anyone and he did as he was asked.

Jack wanted to beat David to a pulp for what he did to Jane. She was a wonderful woman whodidn't deserve to be treated like a slave. She was beautiful, strong, witty, and smart. Jack could think of other things that made Jane so special but it didn't matter at the moment.

David was yelling at her again. She was yelling back. They were arguing over something that really didn't matter to anyone but David of coarse. Jack decided it was time to do some damage control. Now that Jane had stitches he had an excuse to talk to her. And better believe he used it to its full advantage.

"Jane? Can I see you at the caves? I need to change your stitches." Jack approached the arguing couple. Jane's face softened when she saw him. She mouthed the words 'thank you' to him.

"Do you have to do that now!" David was furious as usual.

"Yeah. I do." Jack answered simply.

"You change her stitching an awful lot. Is there something going on that I need to know about?" David put his hands on his hips.

"NO! David, Jack is a doctor! He's taking care of me!" Jane continued to yell. She looked at Jack with a 'what do I do know' expression.

"Listen, here, in this place, it's really easy for a wound to get an infection. I need to change the stitching about every two days to make sure there's no infection in the injury you caused!" Jack pointed a stern finger at David.

David didn't like being accused of things and it made him even angrier that it was Jack who was accusing him. David threw the first punch. It hit Jack straight in the jaw. Jack was taken aback by the hit but quickly recovered so that he could maintain the status quo.

David hit him again and Jack followed up as well. Then Jack got another one in.

"Jack! David! Stop it!" Jane was off to the side yelling at them to use gentleman composure. All Jack could think was 'How can I act like a gentleman to a man who beats the woman he loves!'

Jack threw one more punch. It hit square in the side of the face. Then turned around and started to walk down the beach. A small crowd had gather at the commotion.

"Jack! What was that?" Jane trotted to catch up to him. Anger filled her voice.

"You have know idea how good that felt." Was Jack's only reply.

Jane cut in front of him. "Jack that was really uncalled for. If you keep doing that then…" she trailed off.

"Jane, he did something to you that was unforgivable. And I intend on never letting him touch anyone again. Including you." Jack kept walking.

"Well, you know, that's very sweet and all but I don't think that's such a good idea. That's why I didn't file charges against him. I decided that a miserable life was better than none!" Jane stormed off down the beach as Jack watched after her.

000

Jane had gone with David back to the beach for the night. He was cleaning himself up after the fight with Jack. Jane watched from afar. She still remembered what she had told Jack earlier that day. 'A miserable life is better than none!' Images flashed through her mind. Images of good times with David and ones of bad times with David.

It had been miserable for the last six or so months. It seemed like after he raped her he had reason to do what ever he wanted. It was almost as if he knew she wouldn't tell anyone. She hated it. She hated him. Her body seethed with anger as she watched him. She couldn't be there…with him. Not tonight. She would do something she would regret so she left. She didn't tell him, and she didn't tell anyone else. Jane just got up and disappeared into the jungle.

000

It was dark and Jane was having a hard time finding the path to the beach. The only light was that of the moons and even that was being hidden by the trees. She could just barely see around her. She heard someone coming and saw the light of their torch from a distance. She walked forward to meet them halfway.

"Hello? Who's there?" Jane was starting to get scared. She never had been fond of the dark. But the growing light ahead of her was keeping her fear at bay.

"Someone there?" Called an Indian accent. Jane immediately knew it was Sayid. Her body relaxed at the sight of him.

"Sayid!" Jane smiled as she approached him. "What are doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question."

"I'm heading to the beach. I didn't want to stay at the caves." She confessed.

"I understand. I'll walk there." He turned around, heading for the beach.

"No, Sayid, you're on your way somewhere. It's alright. I can find my way from here."

"It's only a short walk. I don't mind helping you." Jane nodded in acceptance. And walked with him.

"So I take it your husband and Jack don't get along well." Sayid said after moments of silence.

"No. And umm…he's not my husband. He's my fiancé."

"Is there a difference?"

"Of coarse! Husband means I'm binded to him for all eternity and fiancé is just a fancy way of saying I'm considering of binding myself to him for all eternity." Sayid laughed. Jane even smiled at her own joke. But soon her smile fell. "To tell you the truth…I don't want to be binded to him for all eternity." Sayid looked at Jane out of the corner of her eye.

"Well, you could always break the engagement." Sayid suggested. He could see Jane tense at the advice. She didn't comment to him either. She did how ever lift a hand to her round stomach. "Are you okay?" He asked sincerely.

"What? Oh, yeah, the baby is moving." She didn't meet eye contact with him. She could see the beach up ahead of them so she stopped. "Thank you Sayid for walking with me. Oh, and for providing light." She joked and pointed to the torch he carried.

"Your welcome. Sleep well Jane." He waved as he continued on his intended path. She waved back silently.

000

It was about mid afternoon and Jane was standing at the water's edge watching the water lap over her feet. The water felt wonderful to her aching feet. 'Pregnancy has evil side effects,' she thought.

She had stayed in her hut for the first time in over a month. It was the first good night's sleep she'd had in over a month as well. The first night she hadn't dreamt the David was going to hurt her again.

No, last nights dream was different. Jack was there. She smiled at the thought of him. The cold water rushed over her feet again causing a chill to go down her spine. She lazily closed her eyes and let the sun warm her body.

Jack saw her from where he stood. He was tending to someone withhives. Seems like a lot of people had them lately. It was the first time he'd seen her with out David for some time now. She still had on her blue shirt. And her hair was down for a change. She had been wearing it up lately, probably from the heat.

Jack quickly finished up with his patient and retreated to wear Jane was. She was deep in thought, he could tell by the way she had her eyes closed and arms crossed across her protruding middle. He smiled at her.

"Hey," was his only hello.

She opened one eye to see who it was. "Hey, yourself." She greeted. "I was looking for you earlier. Where have you been?"

"Around. Just doing things." He threw his backpack up further on the beach and hastily took off his shoes. He waded into the shallow water with Jane. The two just stood there for a moment.

"Well I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"Why? What did you do?" Jack was curious.

"I shouldn't have snapped at you. I understand that you were just trying to get a point across to him and besides…he punched you first." Jane had a smirk across her face. The same one, Jack remembered, from when she first arrived. A very flirtatious smirk that brought out dimples that usually weren't there.

There was a minute of silence before Jack opened up the conversation again. "What did you mean by your little 'A miserable life is better than none' statement yesterday?" Jane's face softened. Here eyes became distant but she didn't answer. "Did you ever tell anyone about 'it'?"

"Jessie was the only one who knew. She wanted me to tell someone…file charges, tell the rape crisis center, our mother, anybody. And I was going to, until I thought about it." She paused thoughtfully for a moment. "He raped me over a stupid insult that was supposed to be funny. I thought 'what would he do to me if I told him I was going to leave him'. That's when I came up with the whole 'a miserable life is better than none' thing."

"So, your sister was the only person you told."

"Yeah." She swallowed hard. "God I miss her," she breathed. There was long silence. A respectful silence if you will. "Jack were you able to tell how she died?" Jane suddenly asked.

"I don't understand." Jack was confused by Jane's question.

"I mean…could you tell whether or not she survived the crash. Was it something else that killed her?" Jane was as serious as Jack had ever seen her.

"She drowned. Is that what you were asking?" Jane nodded as her lip quivered.

"She never could swim." Jane whispered quietly, Jack still heard.

"No, something or someone held her under." Jack corrected.

"How do you know that?"

"She had defense markings on her hands and knuckles. She was swinging at something." Jack felt bad after telling Jane the bit of information. Jane's eyes widened. "Jane are you okay?"

"Yeah, Jack. I have to go…I have to go check on something." Jane moved through the water with little difficulty, leaving Jack starring at the gathering rain clouds.

000

It had started raining. Not just a light shower but a regular downpour. Everybody had retreated to their shelters. Everybody except Jack. He was headed to Sawyer's. The rain pelted him leaving him soaked and cold. But all he could think about was getting to Sawyer's.

He had decided to cut through the inside of the jungle seeking refuge from the pouring rain. He could just see out of the vegetation. He was approaching Sawyer's shelter when he saw something that caught his interest.

There in the rain stood Kate and Sawyer. Locked in each other's embrace. They broke their hold on one another and touched lips gently. Jack could hear them talking but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

Jack watched for a moment more, then he saw Sawyer slide under his blue tarp. Kate ran toward the jungle's edge as Jack stepped out.

Kate gasped. "It's okay. It's just me," Jack reassured her.

"Oh my god. Jack how much of that did you see?" She asked worried.

"Enough." He answered.

"Jack, I'm so sorry. Its just Sawyer can give me something you can't. And trust me I'm still there for you. I will always be your friend…" Jack cut her off.

"Kate! It's okay." He didn't want to tell her that he too had found someone. He just smiled and hugged her. "I glad your happy."

"You are?" Kate was confused. She had been keeping her affair with Sawyer a secret from Jack because she thought he would be angry with her.

"Of coarse! Now get out of here. We're both going to get sick." Kate smiled at the doctor for his understanding and then ran down the beach to her own shelter.

Now that she was gone Jack barged into Sawyer's tent and started rummaging through his things.

"Where is it?" He questioned with his back to Sawyer, who by the way, was starring at Jack with the most unknowing look ever.

"What the hell are you talking about doc?" Sawyer pulled Jack's shoulder to turn him around. "Where's what?"

"Sawyer…I need your gun."

A/N: Dun, dun, dun! Yeah, I wrote a cliffie! Finally. But the question is what is Jack going to do with the gun and why did Jane run off earlier? You'll have to wait to find out! Sorry!