5

Her outburst had been unexpected. She was so close. Not only was her body within arm's length of him, but he'd been on the verge of a major breakthrough with her. He saw the vulnerability in her eyes, knew he was about to get something from her. But he'd been too eager, and scared her away.

Damn him, he drove the heel of his hand into his forehead. She was within his grasp, and he let her slip away. Again. He knew he had to do something about her, or else it'd torture him into sleeplessness. As if she wasn't doing that already.

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Jack shined his pen light into Sun's eyes, observing normal, healthy reactions. He told her so with a smile. But she just watched him closely with a knowing smile, the many emotions and thoughts in her face so blended he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Not that he ever could.

"Kate told me what happened yesterday."

Jack cocked his head in thought. Oh, the cliff, he remembered. Jack shrugged.

"She had a pretty close call."

"Yes, she did." Sun agreed, though Jack suspected Sun interpreted something different.

But, like all things on this island, he would not get an answer. She slid from the cot and rejoined her husband. Jack tilted his head back slightly to look at the light blue sky, as if pleading with some higher power to give him insight into the enigma that is woman.

"Things like that seem to happen to you." Keli commented, after Kate had relayed her Almost Fell Off A Cliff To My Death story to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you get chased by a monster our very first day here, you and Sun nearly get run down by an angry boar, and now you nearly fall off a cliff to a gruesome death."

She did have a point.

"I guess I'm a magnet for trouble." Kate scoffed sarcastically.

"Either that or you go out looking for it." Keli observed, suddenly taking on the look of a woman far too knowledgeable for her years. Kate didn't want to, but she scowled at Keli anyway.

"I wasn't looking for trouble when that monster chased Jack, Charlie and me in the jungle, and why would I look for trouble when Sun was with me? I don't want her to get hurt. And I certainly wasn't looking to jump off a cliff to my death. Those were accidents."

"Sure you never mean for anything serious to happen, you just want him to pay some damn attention to you."

Kate was stunned into silence for a moment before choking out, "What?"

"Oh don't pretend it's so ridiculous. It's actually quite common. Stupid, but common. He's preoccupied, you're feeling ignored. If you get hurt, he'll have to see you."

"Since when have you become my psychiatrist?" Kate snapped defensively.

"In another year I'll have my degree."

"Great." Kate grumbled. Another person to analyze her emotions.

"Think about it, Kate. You probably made some silly promise to stay away from him, even though he's exactly what you need, and your subconscious mind knows this and is creating ways to draw him to you. It makes perfect sense." Keli explained fervently, obviously happy with herself for figuring it all out.

"I can't listen to this." Kate pretended to be disgusted, and walked away from Keli, something which took more strength and will power than Kate thought it would.

She found a nice, quiet stretch of beach. Secluded from the rest. Ironic, she recognized with a scoff. Kate mulled over Keli's words, and realized with much dismay that she had a point. She was never usually this careless. She was actually very good at keeping herself out of injury. All those years running, she'd hardly had more than three or four brushes with death. But, she countered herself, this island was far from the real world. There were many more hazards here than in any city in the world she'd bounced to and from.

Kate stood and started toward a group around the fire. She felt the sudden need to be a part of something tonight, instead of sitting by herself in the dark.

"Mad at me?"

Kate stopped, and her eyelids slid shut at the sound of his voice. He gingerly stepped around in front of her, and she managed eye contact.

"Why do you ask?"

He smiled. As if it wasn't obvious, "Last time we talked, the conversation ended with you yelling at me and storming off."

"Oh, that." Kate realized flatly. It seemed like years ago she'd had that little spat with him, but it was only the night before.

"So? Still mad at me or what?"

Kate smiled softly at his attentiveness. "Of course not. I can't believe you're not mad at me."

"What reason could I possibly have for being mad at you?" Jack said as they started toward the fire together. Hisarm brushed hers, and Kate flushed at the proximity.

"Last time we talked, the conversation ended with me yelling at you and storming off for virtually no reason at all." Kate admitted.

"Well, I'm glad you recognize that fact." He replied slyly. They walked together and discreetly took a seat among the people about the small fire. Keli was telling a story, and at the sound of her voice, Kate felt a pang of regret for being so short with her.

"My Grandmother was pure Tibetan Indian, and she used to tell my brothers and me a legend when we were young. She'd say in Tibetan folklore, the Gods created humans after they made all theother creatures, because they wanted their children to be perfect. A model of them. They gave them strong bodies and strong minds, but when they were finished, they realized their creations were no more than animals. So, they granted humansthe Five Graces, with which to enjoy and embrace life the way only humans can appreciate. Smell, Sight, Touch, Sound, and Taste."

Kate smiled, and was glad she'd heard Keli tell the story, because it all made sense to her in a way she suspected it wouldn't have a few days ago. She hadn't truly enjoyed life before, hadn't appreciated all the beauty it had to offer. But in the past two months, in the past week, Kate had experienced more beauty in life than she had in all her years before the crash.

"What?" Jack grinned upon seeing the wistful and sleepy smile on Kate's face. He'd never seen that kind of smile on her before, the woman who, to everyone else, appeared withdrawn and frigid. But Jack knew better.

Kate shook her head. "It just makes sense to me now, that's all."

"Why does it make sense now?"

That was the question she didn't want to answer. It was because of him. Because of the sight, smell, touch, and sound of him filled her with a sensation she couldn't describe.

Taste. She'd skipped that sense. If only…

"It's just been a beautiful day." Kate lied with a sigh, casting her gaze over the heads of her comrades to the ebb of the waves.

Jack seemed to accept this explanation, and before long, Kate flashed him a goodnight smile and stood to return to her shelter. She didn't particularly have anything to do, she just felt she'd been social long enough. Not to mention if she sat any longer with Jack, she'd go crazy restraining herself from leaning her head onto his shoulder.

He watched her retreat, knowing full well she was uncomfortable around him. He'd always wondered about her and why she acted the way she didaround him as he went about his daily tasks in the caves. Jack had his suspicions, little feelings he got deep in his gut, but was too afraid he'd be wrong to act on them. But tonight the sky was clear, the air crisp, and Jack was tired of lying to himself.

The Five Graces make sense because of me. The thought burst into the front of hismind from seemingly nowhere. It'd been forming since Keli had shared that bit of Tibetan culture with the group. Just like all the rest of his suspicions, it was completely un-provable, except by Kate herself, and Jack was too afraid to confront her with it.

His legs lifted him from the sand and tread heavily toward her.

"Kate!" He heard a voice that didn't sound like his own coming from him. She stopped and turned to him at her tent, which was placed at the edge of the jungle.

A burst of adrenaline shot through him at the recognition of what he was about to do, and he gripped her shoulders powerfully, practically lifting her up and coaxing her a few steps back to pin her against a tree. He placed his hands on the rough bark on either side of her head.

Kate looked at his face, so close to hers. His deep eyes sparked with some wild emotion. His breathing was slightly labored, and he clenched his jaw when he couldn't find words. He hung his head as his brain swam, trying but failing miserably to find something to say. To explain to her all the things he'd been feeling.

But he instead set the top of his head against her chest, just under her chin. When all else fails, just come out with it.

"I want you, Kate." She heard him say, and she clutched the tree behind her even harder. "I want you so much." He almost whimpered, as if it had been driving him crazy and he didn't know what to do about it.

She was shocked into silence for a moment. She'd been thinking for so long her feelings were one sided. If she ever confronted him with it, she'd be heartbroken because he didn't look at her like that. How could she have been so wrong?

Keli had known. She'd explained it all to her, but Kate ignored it. Kate convinced herself Jack didn't feel the same so she'd be forced to keep her feelings to herself. So he wouldn't even have the chance to reject her. Which he would never do, Keli had known, and Kate was realizing now, hearing the desperation in his voice as he plead for her to release him from his torture.

Kate's hands didn't shake like she expected them to when she liftedthem to his face, drawing his chin up. His eyes begged for her, and she drew him to her quickly for a kiss. The moment his lips met hers, Kate's heart felt as if it would burst. His mouth, his lips, his tongue tasted vaguely like a brilliant mixture of berries.

He kissed her forcefully, wrapping his powerful arms around her waist, holding her body against his. A heat and a shiver ran through her at the same time. Kate's head was spinning and she was disoriented, yet she knew exactly where she was. No matter where she ended up, she knew she was in the right place.

When Kate was in his arms, she resented her entire life up until that point. It was as if she hadn't existed until he kissed her. She hadn't really lived. It had taken her all these years to find out how beautiful, how endearingly delightful life could really be.

Kate had thought God had forsaken her. But not anymore. Yes, Kate knew now that she too had been blessed with the Five Graces. She'd been blessed with Jack.

I'm such a sap. A totally commercial story, I know, happy ending and all. But doesn't it just make you feel good? Hopefully, my story did. Thanks guys for all the reviews! You know what to do, now.

What a premiere. It was amazing, when they showed the scene with Desmond in the stadium, my mom goes, I bet he's the one in the hatch. I'm like no way, that'd be too much of a coincidence. Turns out, my mom's psychic. Now we just have to find out how the hell Desmond got on the island and in the hatch, and why it said Quarantine on the lid. And where Kate is. …and if Sawyer's okay, etc…thank goodness this is the 'answers' season.

Elvenlady – I guess that familiar face Shannon saw in the jungle was Walt. Creepy, huh? The water was just pouring off him continuously, and when he opened his mouth, it sounded like jumbled up whispers. Jeepers creepers.

Hekate-Trivia, lostrayne, ashlee, nikki-da-latina, nicolle, OrlandoCrazy, Antatobo, Eclypse

LostWithoutLost – of course they confessed before the end of the story. And I write lots of Jate stories all the time, and don't intend on quitting soon.

PITAchic – I'd love to be in a Lost club. I'd totally be the president. The writers said that? Skate and Jack/Ana? No! I hope it doesn't last long, either. Jack and Kate were meant to be together.

-Austin B.