Influenza
Chapter Seven

Author's Note: I apologize ahead of time for this chapter. I'm battling characterizing amnesiac Jack, so please, bare with me. Luckily, he won't last long.

They were already lost

I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart
-The Scientist Coldplay

Kate stumbled back into the jungle a few hours later, around three o'clock. It wasn't until then that it accurred to her that Jack might've wondered off and gotten lost, but her fears were proven against her when she arrived back at their campsite and Jack was still sitting in the same position he had been in when she left, looking both helpless and devastated.

Sayid thinks your memory will come back, Kate told him as she sat down in the same spot she had been sitting in for the past twenty-four hours, I mean, a little of Claire's did, and Locke remembers some things..

Jack looked at Kate blankly.

Never mind, Kate muttered, and took out a piece of wrapped fruit, it's not McDonald's or anything, but here.

I never liked McDonald's anyway, Jack said with a small smile, taking the fruit.

Kate had hoped that maybe the taste of the guava would strike some kind of recognition in Jack, but a swallow after getting used to the sweet taste damaged Kate's hope.

So why were you on the plane? Jack asked out of nowhere.

The question caught Kate off guard. She stared at Jack, praying he would change subjects. How was she supposed to answer that? Last time, Jack had found her out by mistake, but what would've happened if she had been honest with him from the start? Would he have still trusted her?

You don't have to tell me. Kate looked up, unaware that Jack had been watching her contemplate her decision.

Why you were on the plane, there was that smile again, you don't have to tell me. Kate said, taking in the offer,

an awkward silence followed and though he didn't say it, Kate had a feeling that Jack was wanting to know more about her.

I'm from Iowa, she offered, feeling that was safe, haven't been there in a while though. Jack said simply, clearly uninterested.

Who's Sarah? Kate asked before she could stop herself. The woman you said you ran into in Sydney?

She looked at him, searching Jack's eyes to see if he, like she had done, was trying to think of a way around the question.

My ex-wife, Jack answered finally, we got married a few years ago and then divorced when she got pregnant. said Kate, too surprised to say anything else.

Kate had known from the picture that the little girl was Jack's daughter, but she had never really let the information process, and Jack telling her the story was making her feel uneasy, even a little guilty.

Jack said with an ironic half-smile, it was more like she left me.So your daughter, Kate began, using her hand to push his wallet further into her stuff behind her, praying that he hadn't already noticed it, does she live with you? Jack shook his head, I didn't even know she was mine until just yesterday. One of those wrong place at the wrong time things.

Kate raised an eyebrow.

You weren't happy to see either of them?Not when it envelopes your old girlfriend asking you to marry her in front of six drunken losers in a gas station, Jack added with a touch of sarcasm that made Kate smile, anyway, it was actually the cashier guy who noticed.What did he say? Kate asked, intrigued by the story.

I think it was something like-, Jack's face was scrunched in memory, 'tell your daughter to stop stealing the candy'.And what did you say? Kate could just imagine Jack in this situation, and the thought of it made her smile despite the situation.

I think I almost had a heart attack, Jack admitted, and sure enough..there was Sarah with a little girl who apparently, looked just like me.She does, Kate didn't realize what she had said until the words were out of her mouth.

Jack looked at her curiously.

I um..found your wallet, Kate said apologetically.

She handed him the wallet, now covered with dirt in twigs which Jack scraped off, acting as though it didn't bother him. Kate had expected Jack to take the picture out, since that was their topic of conversation, but he didn't, merely placing the wallet into his back pocket, as if he was planning on going to the store later on.

he said as he did.

What was her name? Kate asked. Your daughter. Jack said with a smile,

He looked at Kate, who had told him her name right off the bat.

Ironic, huh? He smirked.

Kate whispered quietly, looking down.

It seemed that all Jack had done in the past day was sleep, which was no problem to Kate, who preferred Jack's slumber over the awkward silence that awaited them. This alone time also allowed her to take in all Jack had told her.

He was married. Jack..married, that wasn't what she had expected, even if she saw it coming. How long was Jack planning on keeping that from her? The pit that had made home in Kate's stomach grew when Jack stirred awake, as she had seen him do so many times in the past twenty-four hours. Sitting up slowly, Jack rubbed the back of his head, and he must've gotten used to the idea of being in the jungle, Kate thought, because he looked so much less confused and more at home than she had last see him.

What, did you hit me in the head? Jack groaned as he sat up.

Kate said, rolling her eyes, don't tell me you don't trust me already. Jack looked at her curiously, rubbing the sleep out of his eye.

He reached for a bottle of water nearby.

You okay? He asked, concerned.

I'm glad to see your doing better at least, Kate said truthfully, but hey, that reminds me.

She turned to face Jack, sitting Indian style, like they were two girlfriends at a sleep over doing each other's hair.

Charlie told me that when Claire lost her memory, he'd take her around to different places on the beach, and caves and all, Kate said, oblivious to Jack's confused expression, and I was thinking, since you seem better, why don't we do that? I mean, if you're up to it.

Jack blinked.

What are you talking about? He asked, almost sounding agitated. I'm just dizzy, I never said anything about amnesia. Kate stared at him.

Jack saw that she wasn't playing with him.

Maybe you should go to the caves, Jack suggested, taking a sip of the water, been out in the jungle almost two days, no sleep, little food. Go on, I can take care of myself.You mean- Kate began slowly, you don't remember.. she realized what she was saying, oh God.

She realized she had been using Jack when he was an amnesiac. Using him to find out the secrets she longed to know, that he wouldn't tell her. Now what was going to happen?

What happened after I passed out? Jack inquired.

Unlike earlier, Jack's voice was no longer hoarse, only a little sore. He sounded much better, like someone whose allergies had just cleared.

You woke up, Kate said, recalling the scene, you didn't know where you were. You said the last thing you remembered was being in Australia, looking for your dad.

She purposefully left out the part about Sarah, unsure if she wanted to bring that up so soon.

Anything else? Jack asked, apparently interested.

The pit grew. Kate looked down and bit her lip and looked down to hide the look of guilt on her face.

Jack asked, more slowly, was there anything else I said? Kate looked up at Jack with a small smile.

Jack said, eyes narrowed. Because somehow, I remember talking about my ex-wife. Kate tried to control herself, I..I don't know what you're talking about. Jack drew back a breath to keep himself from losing control.

Why are you lying to me? Jack demanded, in a tone that wasn't his. Kate pleaded, looking down, look, I just wanted to know-If you wanted to know something, Jack said, calming down, you could've just asked.

Now it was Kate's turn to lose her temper.

No I couldn't of! Kate nearly shouted. Everytime I want to know the slightest piece of information about you, it takes some big..tragety just to get it!Oh, and like I know anything about you! Jack retorted, outraged. I mean, I don't even know where to start!Well, Tom, if you'd just- Kate stopped short.

A hand flew to her mouth and she looked down quickly to avoid Jack's haunting gaze.

Jack said slowly. Who's Tom, Kate?

Suddenly, Jack's temper came back.

Or is he just another one of your secrets? Jack said, furious, Because God knows I'm not the only one who-

Pop.

Jack's cheek bone stung like fire, and it took him a moment to realized what had happened: Kate had slapped him. Kate brought back the palm of her hand and looked at it, in more shock than Jack, if possible. Just as the skin of Jack's face began to redden where her palm had hit it, Kate opened her mouth to apologize and then closed it again, unable to find something to say. So instead of talking, Kate jumped up, and ran, with no particular destination in mind. Jack watched her go, and for a split second, he considered letting her go; but then his senses returned to him, and he followed her to what turned out to be a second path to the beach.

He ran after her, calling her name until the dirt below them dissolved into sand. Head spinning, Jack looked around and was surprised to find that he was at the beach camp, in the mist of at least a dozen other survivors, but they paid no attention when Jack and Kate entered the scene.

All the castaways were standing in some sort of a circle, eyes following an argument between Sayid and Locke.

What's going on? Jack whispered to Hurley, who usually stayed at the caves.

Locke came back, Hurley whispered, forgetting that Jack had been gone for nearly two days, he says he doesn't remember anything but looks like Sayid's not buying it.

Confused, Jack looked from Sayid to Locke, and then to Boone, who stood on the side, looking slightly embarrassed. The arguing was so loud it was incomprehensible, and Jack didn't have a clue what was going on, and considered yelling for them to stop(the blinding sun wasn't helping Jack's headache) when a gunshot did it for him.

Locke dove to the ground, narrowly missing getting shot. All heads turned Jack's way, and he looked at each castaway in turn before noticing that they weren't looking at him, but beside him. At Alex.

Damp and smelling of saltwater, Alex stood, her bottom lip trembling as she held a gun in front of her, both hands shaking as she tried not to fall forward. Her face was pale and turning blue as a mixture of swear and water ran down it. Alex was shaking from head to toe, shivering, despite the afternoon's heat.

Jack said, careful not to provoke her, and turn the gun on him.

She told me to do it! Alex cried.

Waving the gun madly, she finally managed to set it on Danielle, who stood, shocked, beside Jack and Kate.

She said he had it! Alex screamed, leaving everyone in a stunned silence. Alex began to stumble over her words, she said..she said..

Rather she did not know the rest or was too shaken to say it, no one ever found out. Throwing the gun fiercely to the ground, Alex gave one last look to the group, lastly looking to Jack, and then turned on her heal and fled into the jungle.

Author's Note: Sorry that took a while to get out. I needed to think about that chapter, making sure I got everything in. I know it wasn't the best, but hey, I tried. Thanks for the reviews! You guys rock!

Coming up next, on :

Makeups all around, along with explanations, and(if I can get it into the plot line), Sayid will tell Shannon about Nadia, and Boone's journal will reveal one last secret- one that I meant to put in a long time ago but, well, forgot. Anyway, that will be the last chapter, so I'll go ahead and give out the summary for the next story:

A Night To Remember(working title):

With a second rafties' return and warnings of others' who are set on revenge, a manhunt begins as well as a frantic search for three missing castaways, and flashbacks recall a similar night sixteen years earlier. Danielle-centric.

Thanks again!

Until next time..

+ October Sky