Chapter 18- Careless Whispers
Kate lit some candles, and then placed them on the table.
Jack who had just stepped out of the shower entered the kitchen.
Kate looked up at him surprised, because he was wearing his boxers, and a wife beater. "We match,"
"No Kate, you got the tee,"
Kate grinned, "You should raid Sawyer's closets and see what he has,"
"That was a possibility, but this is his place, I don't want to step on his feet too much,"
"C'mon Jack, if we were at your house in L.A., then Sawyer would be wearing your suits, shoes, and eating your food."
Jack thought it over, and then smiled. "You know what, you're right."
"You know it's the truth," Kate said matter of factly.
Jack sat down in a chair, and watched as Kate lit another candle. "Is that like a therapy to you?"
Kate nodded, "How did you know,"
"This might sound less than manly…but I like to light candles too when I'm stressed…which is almost all the time."
Kate inhaled the lavender scent, and then walked over to Jack, "Doesn't this smell so good?"
"I…"
Before Jack could respond, Kate placed the candle under his nose.
Jack paused and took a sniff. "Mmm…that does smell good."
Kate tilted her head to the side, "You have nice eyes, they're like a greenish brown."
Jack was taken by surprise by Kate's sudden change of topic, "Oh…um thanks, you have nice eyes too,"
Kate looked down with the same smile that had been on her face since Jack came back.
"I'm glad I'm back, my only regret is taking a taxi back here,"
Kate shrugged and then sat down across from Jack. She propped her feet up on the chair, and then pulled her thick hair off of her shoulders. It was sweltering in Sawyer's house, and the candles were doing little to keep her cool, but it was helping with the smell.
"Did you eat yet?" Jack asked.
"No,"
Jack looked up, "Want me to turn on the fan?"
"Not if we're going to eat here, Sawyer's "house" keeper hasn't been doing his job, everything is dusty."
Jack frowned, "You're right."
"Since we have so much time, and we'll be staying here until Sawyer's hit men find us, and take us out, or the Marshals come to drag me away, I might do some cleaning tomorrow"
"We'll be gone by then," Jack replied confidentially.
"Will you be gone, or will we be gone."
"I'm going with you, at least until I fulfill my promise,"
Kate held Jack's gaze for a couple seconds longer. "Did you know Sawyer has horses and pigs on this estate."
"Yeah, someone had to be taking care of them, they must've just left."
Kate stood up.
"Where are you going?" Jack asked placing his hands on the table.
"Not far, just to get the food…calm down cowboy."
Jack grinned, "Cowboy?"
Kate winked back at him, "I'll be right back,"
She walked into the kitchen, and then grabbed two plates she had prepared earlier. On her way back to the table, which was in the adjoining room, she glanced out the window. Sawyer had been gone for two hours now, she knew he was coming back, but she was still worried about him.
"I thought you might need some help," Jack said.
"Thanks Jack,"
"Did you make this?" He asked gently easing the plates out of her hand.
"No, Sawyer brought all of this from the store earlier," Kate explained.
"Sawyer brought this?"
Kate nodded, "Yeah,"
"Well, I can't eat his food. I'm sure he bought enough for you and…"
"Jack, now that you're back, you're going to have to eat too."
"Well I know that, but I can't just help myself to his food, when he only bought enough for two, and besides I don't think we're on the best terms right now."
"Why not?" Kate asked.
"He didn't want me back here, and believe me if you weren't here then I wouldn't have come back."
"Well I'm glad you did for the one thousandth time today," Kate said.
"Me too," Jack tore his eyes away from Kate's and headed back into the other room.
Kate stared after him with a smile. It was funny and cute at the same time how they were both wearing boxers and tee-shirts, they needed clothes, but it was okay, because she liked Jack's dark blue boxers. Kate placed her hand to her mouth as she smiled.
"Hey, I'm going to eat. If Sawyer wants to throw a fit, then I'll pay him back."
Kate gave Jack a thumbs up, "There you go,"
Jack returned Kate's thumbs up, "What's to drink?"
Kate looked around and her eye's lit up, when they rested on the single bottle of beer on the counter. Sawyer must've took his. She grabbed the bottle of beer, and joined Jack in the other room.
"Beer, I can't tell you the last time I had one,"
"C'mon, you have to let loose once and a while, and besides you're sharing with me."
Jack grinned. "It takes more than one beer to make me tipsy."
"One beer is just about all I need. Damn, I forgot the silverware."
"You sit down, I'll get it," Jack replied getting up.
"Jack, I'm already up," Kate reasoned.
"I'll get it,"
Kate blocked Jack, "Sit down, I don't think you've eaten all day…and that is partially my fault,"
Jack showed no signs of sitting back down, "How is that your fault?"
"I scared you away,"
Jack smiled, "It's funny now that I think about it. How often do you see a woman of your size take down a 6'2 police officer that weighs about 210 pounds?"
"Very often in my life," Kate joked.
Jack nodded, "Fine, I will sit back down."
"Good," Kate quickly went back into the kitchen grabbed two spoons and a bottle opener, and then entered the room with Jack for the third time.
Jack had already situated a seat for her next to him.
"Thank you," She said.
Jack nodded, "Sure,"
"Doesn't it look good?"
Jack used a bottle opener, and then took the first swig, and then passed it over to Kate. "The only time I drink is when I am extremely stressed out,"
Kate took a sip of the beer, she liked the idea that Jack's lips had been around the rim seconds before hers'.
Jack watched her thoughtfully. Watching her drink after him, brought back memories of their kiss. A smile crept across his face, as Kate placed down the beer bottle, she playfully narrowed her eyes at Jack.
Jack was still looking down, but once he realized that Kate's pretty eyes was on him, he looked up.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked softly.
Jack took a bite of the chicken.
Kate playfully shook her head at him, "Avoiding my question aren't you?"
Jack shrugged, "No, I'm just really hungry."
Kate took a bit of the roll on her plate. "Mm…this is good."
"Is it?" Jack asked taking a bite of his roll. "It's okay, there's not enough butter on it."
Kate looked down at Jack's roll, "Well, taste mine, because there has to be something wrong with yours I mean…this is good." Kate picked up her roll, and waved it in front of Jack's mouth.
"What did your mommy tell you about playing with your food." Jack replied. He was now completely at ease with Kate, all his earlier insecurities had disappeared with the cab he had taken back to the house.
Kate brought her roll back onto her plate. She didn't want to think about her mom.
"Katie," Her mom said bringing her inside.
Kate's eyes darted around her house in fear. She was looking for him, he was somewhere.
Her mom cupped Kate's face in her hand, and then kissed her on the forehead. "I sent Brian out to find you,"
"Where is he?" Kate asked with a shaky voice.
"I don't know, you have to get showered and ready for bed. I'll just tell him you stayed over at your friends' house for the night,"
Kate shook her head as she looked down, "Don't lie to him,"
Her mom looked back at Kate confused.
"He'll be mad anyways, and if you lie to him then he's going to…"
"Kate, go get showered now,"
Tears started to stream down Kate's cheek, "Why are you so weak! Why do you keep that man in this house? We were fine before, we didn't need him."
"Kate, go upstairs now,"
Kate stared back at her mom in anger, and then ran upstairs taking the stairs two at a time. She found her little sister by two years, thirteen year old Kelly, sitting on the top step.
"Why did you do it Kate?" She asked.
Kate looked down sadly.
Kelly stood up, "You always take care of yourself and no one else! He came after me, because he thought I had something to do with it!"
Kate was speechless. "But you…"
"Look what you did," Kelly threw her bruised arm with dark purple blotches in Kate's face. "This should have been you and not me…I didn't even know…" She started to cry and then ran away.
Her mom slowly came back up the stairs.
"You let him do that to her?"
"I couldn't stop him, he…"
Kate's eyebrows lowered over her eyes, and she stared back at her mom in disgust. "You brought him into this house…do you see what he is…"
"I love him Kate,"
"What about us mom, what the hell about us!"
Jack reached for Kate's roll, and took a bite.
"Yours does taste better," He took another bite when he realized she wasn't looking and then stared back at her in concern. "Kate?"
"Um yeah?" Kate whispered.
"Are you okay, did I eat too much,"
"Of what?" Kate's eyes traveled to her roll in Jack's hand, and then reached for it. "No of course not,"
"You got one of those looks again, is it me?"
"No, you came back, how could it possibly be you." Kate said pushing her plate away.
Jack looked down, and then got up. "I know you got a lot going on, and the offer always stands if you need someone to talk to…"
"I don't want to put a damper on this, I mean we were having a good time, and…"
Jack pulled his chair closer to Kate's. "I'm not going to let you down anymore Kate, I'm not going anywhere."
Kate hugged Jack.
Jack wrapped his arms around her. He cared about Kate, more than he could understand. It was as if he knew her before, and they had been through a lifetime of drama together. Jack leaned away from Kate, and then gave her a small smile.
"No more taxis I promise."
Kate looked down, "What if I give you another reason to run,"
"I'm going to have to convince myself that you had a reason for your actions." Jack replied.
"I would never intentionally hurt anyone, or at least that's never been my plans."
"I know," Jack said.
Kate sat back in her seat, and then returned Jack's smile. Her past would forever haunt her, but maybe opening up to Jack would help ease her troubled thoughts. "I'm fine now, thanks Jack,"
Jack nodded.
"Are you sure you aren't a psychologist?"
"I'm positive," Jack said standing up, and then sitting back down close by her.
"You don't even have to speak, all you have to do is look at me…like you're doing right now, and it just makes me feel reassured…I don't know, I sound like I truly am sick."
"No," Jack said.
Kate bit her lip, "I had a troubled childhood,"
Jack nodded in understanding.
Kate brought her legs up onto the chair like a little girl, and then glanced at the candles. Thunder rumbled in the background. "I thought the storm was over,"
"The rain has stopped." Jack replied.
"I see," Kate whispered.
The door swung open.
Kate and Jack turned towards the door surprised. Sawyer stepped in.
"Sawyer, we were worried,"
He remained silent and then walked towards the stairs with a random woman, in a short skirt, with long red hair, and full lips, following after him.
Kate's mouth dropped open, as she watched the woman follow Sawyer upstairs.
"Looks like she's a prostitute," Jack said looking down as he shook his head in disbelief.
"I've lost all respect for him," Kate replied looking away in hurt.
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