Chapter#3

Reviewing old image flashes wasn't impossible if Walt really concentrated.

They were pieces, bits and crumbs that he had to sort through. Each image flash he had seen was a puzzle even to Walt. Past, Present, and Future it didn't matter it all came out in one jumbled lump. But there were clues that helped him sort through the mess, if he paid attention. There were patterns to follow; Events that if followed by correct actions would lead to future images. Kate and Jack would fall in love, he knew that, he had seen it in their future, but if he paid attention he could put the images together, like a puzzle forcing new events to occur.

One image reoccurred to him again, it was something simple; a conversation was all, not even between Jack and Kate, but something in the dialogue rang and resonated with force. Walt knew he had to get that conversation started. It would be Locke, who got things in motion. Locke was the first piece of the puzzle of images into the future, Kate's future.

"Hey Walt, how are you feeling?"

Walt looked up surprised to see Kate enter his recovery room. He had been so deep in thought he hadn't realized her approaching. "Fine." He replied coolly.

The recovery room was empty besides the two of them. Jack had left shortly beforehand when Sun came by announcing that another passenger, Clint, needed medical attention after slicing his ankle open on a sharp ocean rock while fishing. Jack had taken his medical case and left quickly.

"Where's Jack?" Kate asked looking around the empty hut.

Walt smiled. "Just what I thought," he chided, "quit pretending that you've been coming by here on account of me." Kate face flushed.

"I uh, brought some fruit is all." She replied setting a pair of guavas on a nearby box. "I thought you both might be hungry."

Walt had to admit he felt a little guilty for his comment as he watched Kate try to recover from it. Loose hair fell in her face and she made no attempt to sweep it back up under her ear. He had caught her off guard and knew better than to expose another's unsaid motivation. But this time he was not in the mood for their superfluous chitchat. He had to get Kate to Locke.

"Oh um, Locke came by here, he was looking for you." Walt lied. He would have to get her to him. "He seemed really concerned about something. He said to have you find him."

"Alright." Kate nodded eager for the cue to leave. "If you need anything. . ."

Walt shook his head no. "Thanks for the guavas." He called as she headed out.

Before disappearing from Walt's view he caught a glimpse of her smile back at him. She was pretty, he thought. No wonder they all acted like buffoons around her.

Watching Kate walk down the beach in search for Locke made Walt smile; As simple as that and his plan had been put into motion. Getting that conversation started was the first step and Kate was on her way. Jack though was going to need a little more encouragement.

Finding Locke was easier than Kate expected.

"Walt said you were looking for me." She said stepping into the clearing where Locke stood gathering long bits of leftover wire from Michael's raft.

"Looking for you?" He questioned then thought better of it, "Actually I could use your help since you're here."

"Sure," Kate shrugged bending down to help collect the long wires. "What is all this for?"

"I've gathered some of the others together to help me build a long rope to get down into the hatch,"

Of all the things to be concerned with Kate felt herself appall that this was what Locke had been so edgy about. "Locke why are you so eager to get into that stupid hatch?"

"What I don't understand is why the rest of you aren't as eager to get down there." He said with a deep breath as he stood tall and stretched. Locke was covered with sweat from a full day of obvious labor his shirt was wet in patches around his neckline and back. Wiping a trail of it from his neck he continued, "I want to discover what this island is so bent up on protecting."

"What is wrong with you?" Kate said disgusted dropping her pile of wire and rope to the sand. "If you didn't notice Walt has been hurt, probably tortured from the looks of it. Jin, Sawyer, and Michael are missing. They could be dead for all we know. And all you can think about it getting down that stupid hatch!"

"You don't understand Kate. This island, it has power."

"So what is it Locke." Kate asked folding her arms across her chest, tired of the argument. She had heard it all before. "Just what is this great thing you've experienced on the island that the rest of us apparently haven't. Because all we've gotten from this horrible place is sunburns and malnutrition."

"Kate," Locke said in the manner of trying to take a child seriously, "I think you have gotten a lot more than just that."

Kate felt her defenses rise. Just what was he getting at with that? She thought trying to sort through Locke's constant cryptic allegories.

Sensing Kate's opposition grow Locke attempted to calm her with a clear explanation. "Kate this island doesn't have to be miserable, if you just embrace the freedom of it. I've looked into the eye of this island, and what I saw. . . changed everything."

Kate considered this. The weight in Locke's eyes as he spoke was vivid. Whatever he meant by this Kate knew it was no exaggeration. "I want to see it then too," she said firmly, "What ever it is take me there."

"It doesn't work like that." Locke reproached her. "The island must choose you."

Kate rolled her eyes in obvious annoyance. She didn't have time for his obscure Cheshire Cat remarks anymore. "You know, that's fine. Make your own damn rope." She said turning her heel to him to walk back towards the beach hut. She was sure Jack was going to want to hear what Locke was up to as well.

"Jack! Jack!" Kate called storming back into Walt's recovery room.

"I see you've come to see me again." Walt smiled up at her from the bed.

Kate again was not amused. "Walt, do you know where Jack is?" She asked impatiently.

"Yeah, I told him that you were with Locke so he went looking for you two in the jungle." The truth was that Jack had not even been back yet, Walt figured he was still off tending to Clint's torn ankle. But the pattern of events had started and Walt knew what was next for Kate.

"Thanks!" She called back jogging towards the island's dense forest.

Soon after Kate had run off Jack returned with his medical case in tow.

Walt was beyond impatient. He had wanted to see Jack and Kate arm in arm by now. He sensed that the time was almost there. He just had to get Jack into the forest with Kate. Yet there was something there in Jack's head; a wall that Walt knew had to come down, at least partially, before anything would happen between them.

It made Walt laugh to him self, it was odd that he suddenly cared so much about getting Jack and Kate together. It wasn't any of his business if they were happy or not, he knew, but the new goal had made the entire afternoon of scheming much more fun.

"Kate came twice today while you were gone." Walt blurted out eager to start breaking down the wall around Jack. "She was looking for you." He said, then deliberately, coldly he continued, "How long are you going to make her wait."

Jack looked taken back by Walt's bluntness. "Why, what's wrong Walt."

"She's alone too Jack." He looked around the otherwise empty room, "And trust me on this, it stinks having to be alone."

"What are you getting at?" Jack looked confused setting his medical case down in the sand, "What did she say to you?" Suddenly the confusion turned to concern as Jack approached him tensely, "Is she okay?"

Walt hadn't meant to be so cryptic. "She's fine. She didn't say anything." He knew he was going about this the wrong way, but Walt couldn't help himself. "I may be just a kid, but I can still tell when someone needs companionship."

"I'm guessing you're not just talking about companionship." Jack said amused.

"She's really pretty Jack."

Jack smiled. "I know that."

"So," Walt prodded, "what are you waiting for."

"Walt," Jack laughed, "I think you're a little too young to understand adult relationships. Kate is just fine, and I'm fine. Everything will work out."

Walt smiled to himself, "I'm a little too young to know a lot of things. . ."