Chapter 17- Rain will send you back

Kate woke up for the 2nd time that day. She scowled when she realized that it was still daylight, and even worse there was still no Jack. Kate sat up, and ran her hands through her hair. She must've really scared him. Kate pouted, she still wanted to hold onto the chance that he would come back for her, like he did in the woods. But maybe she was dreaming, Jack had a soon to be fiancé in L.A., so what did he need with her.

Kate stood up, and walked towards the door. Sawyer probably didn't return from the store yet, because if he did, she would probably hear him. Sawyer was never quiet, he always had to draw attention to himself. Kate wandered into the kitchen, the burnt eggs he had made earlier was still sitting in the sink, and he had left a note for her on the table.

Kate smiled and sat down. She was surprised at herself that she hadn't left yet. She was so used to running, and the only reason she had stayed was because of Jack, and now he was gone.

Kate closed her eyes. She couldn't think about Jack right now, because she still was heartbroken over him leaving. She opened Sawyer's letter, and started to read.

"Hey there freckles. If you're just reading this now. Then you got up before I came back. After you went to sleep, I got tired and went back to sleep, so I left about 4:30. I woulda asked you what you wanted for dinner but you were knocked out on that bed. Well I got to go. And if you get bored, you can always do some cleaning. Be back soon."

Kate smirked. Cleaning? Was he serious. Kate placed the note back down on the table, and then looked around the house. Sawyer's boots were still by the door. She raised an eyebrow, "Don't tell me you went to store barefoot Sawyer?"

She thought it over. He probably did. She got up, and then placed her hands to her hips. Kate wasn't sure how long she would be staying with Sawyer, but for now she had no where else to go. Maybe she could do some exploring, and then afterwards if she was extremely bored start cleaning. Kate walked upstairs. She had never been up here before.

Kate opened the first door as soon as she got upstairs. Her eyes first rested on a bed, the only staple in every room she had seen so far. The bed was unmade, and it appeared as if Sawyer had slept there last night.

Kate sat down on the edge of his bed, and looked around. She liked Sawyer, she thought he was handsome in a rugged, bad boy kind of way…but he wasn't usually the type of guy she went for. She went for guys like Jack, and Tom. Tall, dark, and handsome. Kate placed her hands to her face. Why was she doing this to herself? Once again daydreaming about Jack. She forced herself up, and then walked over to the window. If she was smart, she would do just like Jack, and takeoff. But the only thing that seemed to be keeping her was the company. She was so used to being alone, and ever since she ran into Jack and Sawyer, she was part of a group. Kate rested her head against the wall, as she glanced out at the sun high above the green mountains. She missed Jack so much.

Kate watched as Hailey's car pulled up close to the house. She got away from the window, and ran out of his room closing the door behind her. Taking the steps two at a time, Kate quickly pulled out a chair and then sat down.

As if on schedule, Sawyer opened the door.

He smiled when he saw her, "Why do look you so guilty?"

"What?" Kate asked trying to appear innocent.

Sawyer placed down some groceries on the table. "Don't give me the ol' golly eyes. I saw you in my room. What were you looking for? A woman stashed under the bed, guns, mugshots?"

"Actually I was about to clean your room." Kate lied.

Sawyer placed three paper bags down on the table, "Yeah, and when were ya going to do that?"

Kate shrugged, "Eventually, did you get the things at the store I needed."

"I tried, you didn't really tell me what to get, all you said was feminine products." Sawyer said closing the door behind him, and then looking out quickly to see if anyone had followed him.

Kate glanced down at his bare-feet. "So you really went to the store with no shoes on?"

"We're in the country now, this is how I do…I'm not a man that likes to wear shoes."

Kate shook her head, "I'm not surprised…hillbilly."

"Hey," Sawyer protested.

Kate smiled, "Ha, ha, just kidding."

Sawyer raised an eyebrow, "Okay, you seem a little better."

"After what?" Kate asked swatting a fly away and then moving over to the groceries.

"Jack,"

Kate ignored Sawyer's question.

Sawyer's eyes zeroed in on the fly that was flying right in front of him. "I hate damn flys, when you try to eat dinner, they go botherin ya, when you take a shower there right there with ya…" Sawyer pulled off his shirt, and started to roll in up.

Kate looked at him oddly, "What are you trying to do?"

"Killing that fly."

"With your shirt?" Kate asked moving out of the way.

"I don't have any fly swatters,"

Kate watched Sawyer in amusement as he crept towards the fly which was now perched on the refrigerator.

"I'm gonna get you," Sawyer flung his shirt outwards. In the knick of time, the fly flew away.

"Damn, pest," He muttered under his breath.

"Just leave the door open, it'll fly out." Kate suggested.

"Sweet Cheeks if I do that a dozen more will fly in. That ain't happening." Sawyer tossed his shirt to the side. "It's hot in here,"

"Yeah," Kate said glancing towards the window.

Sawyer took some candles out of the bag. "So what are these for?"

"To get rid of the dank smell…it smells like a Men's locker room in this house."

"We'll I'm never here," Sawyer protested.

Kate looked up at the ominous clouds, "It looks like it is going to rain."

Sawyer pulled out two beers and a container of cooked chicken wings, a side of macaroni and cheese, and another side of rolls.

"That looks good." Kate replied.

"It should because I didn't cook it."

As soon as Sawyer finished talking, lightning pierced the sky, and then rain started to fall down from the Heaven's above.

"You ready for a blackout doll?"

"What do you mean?" Kate asked setting out the scissors, "Where's the hair dye?"

"You're not dying my hair,"

"Sawyer," Kate started.

"I know what I'm doing, and besides if I'm smart they won't even see me."

"They've been following you, they might know…"

"Leave the worrying to me, okay, I brought us some sweet potato pie too, now all we need is a movie." He chuckled.

"Or we could watch the rain." Kate suggested.

"Watch the rain?"

"It's peaceful, when I have a lot on my mind, I can…forget it, I don't even know why I'm trying to explain."

"No go on, I'm listening." He sat down and then placed his arms on the back of the chair.

Kate suddenly felt ridiculous. Why was she bothering to tell Sawyer, about childish activities that she used to enjoy doing with Tom.

"Come on Freckles, I'm waiting."

"They're looking for you Katie," Tom yelled running over to her.

Kate looked up, "I haven't been gone that long."

"They stopped by my house, my parents started asking me questions."

Kate's eyebrows knitted together in concern. "You didn't tell them where I was did you?"

"No,"

Tom sat down by Kate against the tree. "You have to go back,"

"No, are you kidding!"

"Where are you going to stay? Where are you going to sleep."

Kate stared back at Tom pleadingly.

"No, you can't stay at my house, they already looked and they might come back."

"Or not," Kate reached for Tom's hand. "Tom, you're the only person I can count on besides myself, don't let me down."

The skies started to open, and rain poured down.

Tom collapsed against the tree next to her, "Don't worry Kate…I won't let you down. You can stay with me,"

Sawyer opened the door and peered outside. "It's coming down ain't it."

Kate snapped out of it. It was very usual for her to slip into a daydream, or flashback, and get caught up reminiscing. She sighed, and then looked down at the food in front of her.

"Staring at the rain is a simple activity, you don't have to do nothing except stare out."

Kate smiled, "You kind of said the same thing, except in a different way."

Sawyer smiled, "I'm a simple guy."

Kate looked down at his feet, "I can tell, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure sweetheart,"

Kate looked down, "How exactly are you planning getting back at this guy? Julian."

Sawyer's smile disappeared for a second, "I can't get to him right away, I have to get to other people first."

"It sounds dangerous," Kate replied in a low voice.

"It is, but if I ever want to be free, then it has to be done."

Kate frowned, "Sawyer,"

"Yeah?" He asked.

"I want you to get away from them with your life, and I'm not sure if that's the best way…going after them."

"So you do care about me?" Sawyer asked pulling open his draw, and taking out a corkscrew. He walked over to the table, and uncapped the beers.

"Of course I care about you,"

Sawyer handed her a beer, "It's really coming down,"

Kate accepted the beer from him, "I haven't had a beer in so long,"

Sawyer smiled and took a swig, "You don't drink that much do you?"

Kate shook her head, "Did Jack say anything to you before he left?"

"Like what?" Sawyer asked getting slightly irritated.

Kate shrugged, and then stared off, "I don't know, something."

Even if Jack did tell him something he probably wouldn't have told her.

A car door slammed outside.

First Kate felt a feeling of fear surge through her body, and then her fear was replaced with anxiety. What if that was Jack. She stood up.

"Freckles, don't answer that door." Sawyer got down low, and placed his beer on the table.

Kate ignored Sawyer's warning, and got up anyways. She walked over to the window, and rested her chin against the sill as she watched a cab pull up. She held her breath for a couple of seconds.

Sawyer slowly stood up, "Kate,"

She ignored him, "I think it's Jack,"

Sawyer clenched his jaw. He didn't want him to come back.

Kate held her hands together in anticipation as she watched the door open.

The rain started to pick up, and lightning ricocheted against the sky.

Jack closed the cab door, and then stared back at the house.

Kate squealed excitedly. She was surprised at herself, she never really squealed, but Jack seemed to have mysterious effects on her.

Before the taxi could reverse all the way out of Sawyer's dirt driveway. Kate had already thrown open the door. Her bare feet came in contact with the wet grass, but she didn't care. Through the rain and the lightning all she could see was Jack, he had come back to her!

"Hey, what are you doing out here!" He yelled back.

It still sounded as if he had some reservations about her, but he came back, so he was willing to work through all that.

Kate ran over to him, and wrapped her arms around him.

Jack picked her up in his arms, and then held her tightly. "I tried to get away from you,"

Kate slowly let go of him, "So why didn't you?"

"Because I made a promise to you, and I got to keep it." Jack said placing his hands on her soaked sleeves.

Kate smiled back at him, "Don't ever leave me again."

"Only if you promise not to beat me up,"

Kate hugged him once more, "Never,"

Jack reached for Kate's hand and then looked down at her feet. He let go, and then picked her up in his arms.

Kate's heart started to beat faster.

"In case you haven't noticed, you're not wearing shoes,"

"I was so flustered when I saw you, I didn't have a chance to put any on."

Jack smiled and shook his head, "Sanity has officially gone out the window," Once he reached the door to Sawyer's house he opened it, and then closed the door behind him. He gently let her down and then wiped the water out of his eyes. "Where's Sawyer?"

Kate looked around surprised, "I don't know, He was just here?"

The engine started up outside, Kate looked down at where Sawyer's boots had been sitting. They were still there. "I think he parked in the back."

Jack slipped off his shoes, and then followed Kate to the back of the house. Kate rested her knee of a couch right by the window and peered out. Sawyer reversed and then drove off.

Kate sighed, He really didn't want Jack to come back. Was that because he had feelings for her too? No matter how many times Kate entertained the idea, it felt ridiculous.

"I was this close to getting on the bus…any sane person would have, but I just couldn't."

Kate turned away from the window and then relaxed in the chair, "In all honesty if you left me like that then I would've been crushed for a while."

"C'mon, you got Sawyer,"

"I know, but he's not you." Kate looked down at her entwined hands and then looked back up at Jack intently. "Just in case you decide to leave again before I wake up, I wanted to give you something."

Jack raised an eyebrow, "Me?"

"There's no one else here," She reached in her pocket for a letter she had written when she had extra downtime earlier and she couldn't get him out of her head.

Jack accepted the letter. His hand touched hers as he looked down at it.

Kate smiled back at him, "You don't have to read it now…"

Jack started to open it anyways.

Kate looked back at him nervously. "I um…"

"Shh," Jack whispered softly. His eyes scanned the note quickly, and then he looked up. "Kate, you really feel that way about me?"

"Yes,"

Jack tilted his head to the side, "We barely even know each other,"

"I know enough about you, to know that you're caring, and selfless, and extremely handsome…I don't know why I gave that to you." Kate tried to take the letter out of Jack's hand, but he snatched it away.

"Jack," Kate pleaded.

"I feel the same way,"

Kate's mouth slowly dropped open as she searched for the right words.

"When I was at the bus station I was trying to figure out what I was doing there. Back in L.A. my life was all work and no play…and whenever I go back, I know that's not going to change."

Kate nodded.

"I never really got a chance to take a break, and think about my life, but while I was with you and Sawyer on this crazy adventure of ours I got to thinking a little, and I realized…"

Kate bit her lip.

Jack paused, and then winced. "This is hard to say, but I realized I never really lived."

Kate looked back at Jack with big eyes. Every word that came out of his mouth just made her love him even more.

"Kate, despite your shady history…" He chuckled. "Not a good way to express this."

"That's okay," Kate whispered.

Lightning struck more violently.

Kate jumped, and Jack reached for her hands.

Kate relaxed. "I hate lightning."

"Really?"

She nodded, "Proceed,"

Jack grinned, "I want to get to know you more, because I can't get you out of my head. You do things to me Kate,"

Kate smiled back at him, "I feel the same way about you,"

Jack smiled nervously, "I never met a girl like you and that's why…"

Kate placed her hand under his chin so he could look into her eyes, "That's why you stayed."

"I'm talking in circles here,"

Kate let go of his hand and hugged him, "Thanks for coming back to me Jack,"

Jack placed his chin on top of her head, "Thank you for not running before I got back, it's pretty bad out there, I hope Sawyer will be okay."

Kate leaned away from Jack for a second and then glanced outside where it started to pour harder.

(Thanks guys for the reviews.

Rain1657, you're hilarious…don't worry Jack is not going anywhere! October Sky and Orlando Crazy, thanks too…you guys rock!)