Influenza
Chapter Four
Dedication: To Crazyhorsegirl88, who has spent many hours listening to my rambling, and has given me lots of suggestions.
A door slammed shut. The cottage they were staying in lay hidden by a pool of oak trees, lining the boarderline of Vermont.
Tom called, the excitement of his voice ringing through the house.
I'm in here! Kate yelled back from the kitchen, that only had enough food to last them a week in the house of Thelma and Greg Dunbar', the owners of the cottage who were out on vacation.
he greeted, sweeping Kate off the floor and into a bone-crushing hug before pressing his lips tightly against hers in a passionate kiss.
You sound..happy, Kate commented, freeing herself and eyeing Tom curiously.
It wasn't like Tom to sound so excited while on the run. Running wasn't a sport he particualary liked, but didn't complain about, as long as Kate was alive and preferably, unharmed.
I am, Tom ran a hand through his dark brown hair, which was growing long from lack of a decent haircut, and pulled Kate over, sitting her on the couch.
Kate laughed nervously as Tom bent down on one knee. Was this what she thought it was?
Over the past twelve months, Tom began, I've gotten to know you better than I ever have- through the best and worst of times and now..it doesn't look like things are going to change and so I figured what the hell, let's get married!
Kate looked down at Tom, who was smiling like an idiot.
What the hell, let's get married'? Kate repeated, incredulous.
Tom inquired, his smile fading.
He looked like someone had just told them that they were skipping Christmas this year(which had actually happened and for Kate, on more than one occasion.).
Something wrong with it? Tom looked puzzled, as if wandering where he went wrong.
Kate said smiling in reassurance, perfect. A little original, but perfect. Tom said, and pulled her into a second kiss, one that last longer than the first and would bring on many more just like it.
Kate was watching the fire flicker in front of her, only inches from her ankles, which were already covered with masquito bites, though she was sure that for every one she had, Jack had a dozen more. At the very thought of him, Jack stirred awake with a few hoarse coughs.
Kate said softly, handing Jack a bottle of water and a handful of what was either Tylenol or Aspirin.
Jack accepted it with no hesitation no matter what it was, and swallowed all five pills with one gulp. Kate watched him approvingly.
I wish I could do that, said Kate, sincerely.
Jack asked, wiping a trickle of water that had escape his mouth with his arm.
Take medicine like that, Kate explained, I could never do that when I was a kid. It drove my mom crazy.I never got sick, Jack admitted, though not in a boasting way, my parents were those clean freak types.Let me guess, Kate said, crossing her arms, big mansion, huge room, king-sized bed?
Jack's now pink face stood out in the darkness, and Kate laughed.
Let's not talk about it, she suggested.
Jack said, readjusting his position beside Kate.
Let's play a game, Kate said thoughtfully.
A game? Jack repeated, uncertainty. Sorry, but last time I checked, Locke forgot to pack his Checker board.Locke doesn't play Checkers, Kate informed him, rolling her eyes, and I've got better ideas.Bring it on, Jack shrugged, willing to do anything that didn't envelope sitting in silence.
Twenty Questions, Kate announce proudly.
Jack said immediately, this isn't a drinking game, is it? Kate assured him, rolling her eyes, it's simple: I ask a question about you, and you have to answer it, no questions asked. Jack commented, and Kate gave him a light slap on the shoulder, making Jack chuckle.
And then you do the same for me, and so on, she finished,
It was Jack's turn to roll his eyes.
he said and then sighed in agreement, fine, but I'm going first.Your call, Kate shrugged.
Favorite color, Jack said, as if he had been thinking about it for days.
Kate looked at him as if waiting for the real question to be asked. When Jack said nothing, but just continued waiting for his answer, wondering what the problem was, Kate replied:
We only get twenty questions.I know, Jack said, though not impatiently, looking at her, I want to know: what's your favorite color?
Kate sighed.
Jack repeated in awe.
Kate's eyes narrowed.
Do you have something against orange? She asked darkly.
Jack replied, a little too quickly, it's just..Favorite movie, Kate said, just as quickly as Jack had answered.
Jack stared at her, blankly.
You heard me, Kate said, growing impatient, favorite movie.
Jack thought about it for a moment and then:
Kate snorted.
Come on Jack, Kate rolled her eyes, can we at least try and get serious here?I am! Jack exclaimed. My favorite movie's ET. I um..cried during it.You cried during it? Kate laughed in disbelief. Come on, what was so sad about ET?That ending part where the aliens came and took him! Jack cried, louder than he meant to, and then added, mimicking ET himself, you know ET, phone home..
His animated voice sounded errie in the night, though Kate had to laugh when Jack relaxed his fingers to look alien-like and made them dance in a horrorish why in the shadows of the fire.
Okay, okay! Kate said, laughing as Jack attempted tickling her.
She couldn't ever remember have this much fun with Jack, and Kate certainty couldn't ever remember him laughing like he was, making shadow puppets and mimicking movie characters. Kate was beginning to think that Jack would make a good father someday, like the model parent. The game went on a few more rounds, but at question eight, Kate asked Jack the one question he had been trying to avoid:
Kate said flatly, I want to know about your tattoos When did you get them? What do they mean?Well Kate, Jack said in a mock serious tone, you know what they say: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas'.
To Jack's delight, Kate burst out in a fit of giggles.
I'm serious, Kate said, fighting to calm herself down, I really want to know. Jack sighed.
He thought about his answer for a while, and then replied, though this time around, Jack's tone was much more softer and thoughtful.
It was in my fourth yeah of med. school, Jack began at last, and I was stressed out, and my father was giving me a hard time and I just needed a night out. And..That's okay, Kate was clearly having a hard time keeping from laughing, I don't think I want to know.
Even though a heavy weight was taken off Jack's shoulder, he looked at Kate as though disappointed and saying: This was the right time to confess. Kate felt slightly guilty, but when Jack continued with the game, she quickly shook it out of her.
Kate said, laughing twenty minutes later, as fun as this has been.. Jack agreed, ceasing his laughter.
So I was going through your stuff in the caves, Kate began a few minutes later, trying to find some kind of explanation for your disappearance, and I found this:
Reaching into her backpack, Kate pulled out a black velcro wallet, and dangled it in the air in front of Jack, as though they were playing keep away.
Jack exclaimed, recognizing the wallet.
Just as Kate had suspected he would, Jack made a grab for it, but Kate(a step ahead of it) pulled it out of his reach.
And I took the liberty of looking through it, Kate said, smiling gleefully to herself as she opened the wallet, just in case you decided to leave your note on a ten dollar bill, and I found this-
Kate pulled out a picture of Jack, nearly twenty years younger, with dark brown hair that fell in waves past his ears. The tips of Jack's ears turned red in embarrassment.
Now I don't know which is more disturbing, Kate said in between giggles, the fact that you had long hair, or the fact that you carry around pictures of yourself.Someone gave them to me in Sydney, Jack said, still stiff in embarrassment, and making plans to steal the picture from Kate while she was sleeping(assuming she was staying the night) in hopes that she hadn't already spread his past secret around the camp, though he didn't think she would. Even Kate wasn't that low. An old friend I ran into. Kate nodded, did this old friend work at a coffin store?I swear! Jack exclaimed desperately. So what about your hair secrets, huh?I had orange highlights once and that's as bad as it gets, Kate said, shaking her head, but this-
Jack made a grab for the picture and ended up in a midair dive, landing in Kate's lap. He picked himself up, though soon found himself embraced in a kiss, and as Kate moved her arms towards his neck, Jack wedged the picture out of her fingertips without Kate even noticing.
An hour and a half later, Jack was asleep again, snoozing beside Kate in heavy, wheezing breaths. At random moments during the game Jack would cough or sneezed, though made nothing of it. After multiple outburst of laughter Jack's voice became hoarse, thought hers did not, and Kate began to regret suggesting the game. With nothing to do and not the least bit tired, Kate decided to take out Jack's wallet again, only this time, she stumbled across a picture she hadn't noticed before, and it wasn't of Jack, or anyone she had ever seen before.
It was a picture of a little girl, sitting in a small rocking chair. The picture was clearly taken at a photography studio, for there was a white background with excellent lighting that highlighted the blonde that had begun sprouting out of the toddler's short brown hair. The little girl was wearing a white dress that clashed horribly with the background, and was laughing, despite the white had she wore that was obviously too big, with a pink rose sewed into the front. The girl was adorable, Kate admitted, but the oddest thing about the picture was the familiarity of the little girl's small body, in particular, her bright face. Glancing from the girl and the picture to Jack, and back again, a pit formed in Kate's stomach as she realized where she recognized those features.
Author's Note: I'm aware those are Matt's tattoos, and the fact that Jack didn't get them until after his divorce(in the case of my story) with Sarah. Don't worry, thing will turn out okay. Thanks so much for the reviews! You guys rock!
Coming up next, on :
Sayid's plan is put into action(this time it really is, I promise!), Kate confronts Jack with her conclusions, and one rafty returns to the island.
Thanks again!
Until next time..
+ October Sky