Essence of Two Men
Disclaimer: Some language and sexual content
As always I don't only any part of LOST or it charcters. THey are the brain child of other geinus(s). So enjoy despite the fact.
Not in the Mood
"You're not the only one on this island Jack!" Kate voice could be heard all through the caves.
"Kate calm down." Jack tired to coax her.
The others sat listening and watching as the two fought. No one really knew how it started. Just that Kate flew in ranting and raving with Jack right behind her trying to clam things down.
The two had been trying to be secret about the way they were together. A few had seen them kiss and giggled behind their backs. They all knew it as well as themselves what was going on. What was the sense in hiding it anymore?
Now they were fighting. It had been a while since they had fought. A long while. And before that it was only a little bicker here and there. This time it was different. This time he had made her mad.
"I am so fed up with you acting like you know what we're all going through." Kate yelled as she turned to face Jack.
Her face was on the verge of tears as his was filled with apology.
"Kate look…' Jack began as he went to rest his hands on her bare shoulders only cover by the small piece of cloth that was the strap of her white tank top, which came down over her stomach and rested over the top of the long flowing hippie style skirt that flowed over her feet the ground. She had found it in abandoned luggage.
She looked down to his hand. Pulling out of his grasp he looked down to her with a puzzling look.
"I'm tired of looking Jack." She said in a low voice as turned away.
"Kate…" He called as he watched her walk over to her stuff next to Charlie's.
She ignored him as she pulled her loose curls into a bun and then picked up her backpack and swung it over her shoulder. She wasn't in the mood for his games. They were begging to aggravate her. She looked back at him standing there with a distrustful glare and turned down the trail to the beach.
"Where are you going?" He called after her.
"I'm staying on the beach." She yelled back not caring whether or not he followed her.
He started after her before Locke grabbed his arm and stopped him. Jack turned to see Charlie and Locke behind him with opposing stares.
"Let her go." Locke said letting go of his arm.
"It's for the best right now.' Charlie said before walking over to the waterfall under Jack's stare.
Kate hurried off in trawled with her own thoughts. Jack sometimes acted like such a child. Like he was only one on the island with problems. She looked down to the ground in a daze not paying the least to anything around her. She didn't care about any of that at the moment.
"Whoa Boy! If it isn't miss tomboy wearing a skirt." A familiar, but less aggravating voice then the voice in her head called.
If she hadn't been so irritated over Jack and been paying attention she would have saw as she bumped into him.
"Whoa there Freckles." He chuckled as he looked down catching her.
She looked up seeing that smirk on his face as she pushed herself from his arms. Brushing down her clothes she turned and started on again not in the mood for his antics. She quickly got away from him.
"What's your problem?" He asked with a hint of offense in his voice as he quickly caught up to her.
"Not in the mood Sawyer." She shot back turning to miss a branch in her way.
"What do you mean not in the mood?" He questioned as he leaned in close to her.
As she neared the valley she stopped almost causing Sawyer to bump into her. She looked out over the valley seeing the ocean in the far off distance. The waves coming and going back out. It seemed so far from where she stood. It made her feel so small.
"Hello? Earth to Kate." Sawyer called from behind her.
Reminded he was there she turned around.
"Look. I really am not in the mood right now. So please for once just leave me alone." Kate snapped before turning around.
He stood there watching after her with question. She seemed a little more then not in the mood she was down right pissy. What had happened to her? Brushing off as not his problem he headed on after her to the beach forgetting the reason he had come up there.
No one came out and questioned why she was on the beach, but they all wondered. Sayid and Shannon, now an item sat in their tent watching her as she walked with fury. She said nothing and didn't look to either of them. She just walked over to a deserted part of the shore and made a small camp. When Sawyer came out only minutes behind her some questioned if he was the reason.
As the sun set Kate stared in a gaze. The sky turned with brilliant purples, pinks, and oranges as the sun slowly disappeared behind the water taking all the colors with it leaving a sky of black spotted with sparkling stars. A now dwindling fire lit up her surroundings.
Everyone had cozied down to a restful tone. Some asleep and some taking in the advantages of the night. Kate sat alone in her spot staring into the flames watching them dance as they created heated shadows upon her face.
Jack hadn't come looking for her. That kinda of worried her, but also put her at ease. He finally got the point. Still she wished he would have followed her and tried to resolve their issues. But for the first time he hadn't done that and it was weird trying to adjust to that fact.
Caught up in her thoughts she didn't see Sawyer walk up. She didn't even notice him until he sat down next to her. She glanced over to see him for the first time without that grin greeting her. Turning away she looked back to the flames.
"Gonna be miss quiet?" He asked looking over to her with seriousness on his face.
She nodded her head as she leaned over adjusting some twigs in the fire. Quickly she became aware of him watching her. She wanted to look over and put her heart out on her sleeve, but this was Sawyer. She couldn't do it without fear of repercussions.
"What's wrong? Jack not giving it up good enough?" Sawyer asked bringing that smart ass attempt into play.
She closed her eyes exhaling.
"No Sawyer. We haven't even slept together." Kate announced.
"Oh. Maybe that's the reason your pissy.' He assumed with sloppy chuckle.
Kate turned back to him opening her eyes. The looked she gave him was of aggravation that let him grin. Turning away trying to hide his smile he came back to see her turned back to the fire staring aimlessly into it again. Something was really bothering her. It sorta poked him in the wrong places to see her like this. The places that told him to actually give a crap.
"What wrong?" He sighed leaned up next to her. She looked back to him.
"You really wanna know?' She asked taken back by the mere thought of his concern.
"Yeah. I don't like seeing you like this." He said trying his hardest to sound honest
She turned back not believing him. There was no way that Sawyer actually wanted to know what was wrong with her. And if he actually did it was for his own benefit.
"Come on." He tried to coax her as her nudged her in her side with his finger.
Taking a deep breath she pondered what she was doing as she turned to him.
"Jack is a real asshole." She said feeling good to get it out.
"More like Jackass. Could've told you that." Sawyer sniggered.
"He just acts like he knows everything and that he's the only one out here." Kate began, as she didn't even seem to notice Sawyer's comment.
"He always apologizes for it and I forgive him. Then he just does it again." She kept on as anger filled her voice.
"Maybe I should just forget about him or …God I don't know." She said as tears formed in her eyes.
Sawyer was taken back at the sight of a tear rolling down her cheek. His brow was furrowed at the thought of what he should do. She lowered her head trying to hide it knowing it made him uncomfortable. Bringing her hand up she wiped away her tears as thoughts of everything Jack wound a knot in her stomach.
They sat in silence as neither wanted to say anything. Kate was too upset and Sawyer felt awkward with the whole thing. A breeze came up taking her loose curls across her face. As it wiped across Sawyer's face it changed. His face lightened up as he looked over to Kate who still sat in pity.
"Look I'm sorry he's such an ass." Sawyer tried to get out as he got up.
Looking up to him she had a look of plead in her eyes. For once she wanted him to say she had at least someone to talk to.
"Don't let him being an ass get you down." He said trying to give her some advice.
She turned back to the fire with tears again in her eyes. He stood next to her wanting to say more, but couldn't bring himself to it. With that looming thought he turned and headed back to his tent. The more he inched away from her the worse he felt. He scuffled his shoes in the sand brining piles of it up in front of him. Putting his hands in his pockets he lifted his shoulders in a stiff walk.
As he came to his tent he stopped and looked back to Kate across the beach. Her body only lit by the fire as she sat in front of it. Her curls caught up with every ocean breeze that came in. She leaned over at fire and poured the last of he bottle of water over it extinguishing it. Then she lay back on her backpack and turned to her side. A lump grew in his throat watching her. He held his head up from the gravity of shame as he ducked under the tarp into his tent.
With the sun coming up it brought with it an old habit. Kate stood now in a pair of pants in the surf with her arms folded across her chest. She had a gaze upon the horizon. Blocking out everything and every thought she just stood there as the waves came up burying her feet even more.
Today was her day off. Every since they crashed on that island she's done her part and more. Now it was time to just stand her and do nothing. Sighing at the feeling of being alone striking her she closed her eyes. Suddenly there was a commotion on the beach. Opening her eyes she looked up the beach. Jack had made his way from the caves. He was walking around with Sayid handing out water. She took a deep breath knowing something was going to happen.
Quickly he spotted her. As he came down the beach she started to make her get away. She glanced over to see the pleading in his eyes, but didn't let them get to her. She walked right past him up the beach. He stopped stunned by her rudeness and watched her as she climbed through the sand towards Sawyer's tent. Without a warning or gesture she pulled the tarp back and walked in.
Sawyer stood up as the tarp came down. He only wore pants that were held low to his hips with a raggedy old belt. He looked over to see her standing there with uncertainty written all over her.
"Looking for something?" He asked pulling a shirt over his head.
She looked around at the many things in his tent.
"Jack's on the beach." She said in a low voice.
Sawyer quickly caught on.
"Oh. So you thought you could hide in here?" He asked as he sat down on the airplane seat that was dug deep into the ground.
"Can I?' She asked thinking if she actually asked he'd let her.
"Sure. Sit down." Sawyer obliged extending his hand to the bed he had made also out of airplane seats.
Slowly she walked over under his watchful stare and sat down. They sat there in silence for minutes before any word was uttered.
"Look I'm sorry I just barged in here-"
"Don't worry about it." Sawyer assured her with a quick smile.
Looking over to the tarp as it was picked up by the wind Kate caught the sight of Jack walking back up the beach towards the trail.
"I guess I can head back out." Kate smiled meekly glancing over to him.
As she got up and headed out she stopped and turned back to him. Walking slowly over to him she felt nervousness in her stomach. He looked up to her with wonderment as she came over him. Leaning in she rested her cheek upon his. Rubbing her soft skin upon his stubble as she came back. Before she stood up she left a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you." She whispered in his ear.
Pulling back she quickly stood. Turned around and headed out. He sat there in a bit of shock of her actions. Reaching up he covered his cheek where she had kissed him. Walking out of his tent she had no thoughts in her mind about what she had just done as she quickly spotted Jack walked towards her. That feeling of nervousness turned to aggravation. She walked towards him hoping she could get past him.
"Kate." He called as she neared.
Not even giving him the satisfaction of a glance she walked right past him. She was in the clear before she felt his hand around her arm. She turned looking him in the eyes giving up.
"What was that?" He asked.
"I go to talk to you and you walk past me to Sawyer's tent." He exclaimed.
"It was nothing." Kate stammered as she looked away under his furious stare.
Jack let go as she slowly dropped her arm. He had never seen her this upset.
"Kate I'm sorry for acting like a jerk." Jack tried to apologize.
Hearing his apology Kate couldn't take it anymore. She looked up to him with new strength in her.
"Sorry isn't good enough anymore Jack." She whispered as she turned away.
He stood there let down by the little hope he had of getting her to forgive him. Watching her walked over to her stuff. Watching her walk away.
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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I am almost done with my next chapter for "Surviving the Unknown" I'll have it up on Thursday and maybe along with it a new chapter for this...