Chapter 20- Early Morning Dawn

Jack opened his eyes. Somehow he found himself back in the room. How did he end up back here? All Jack could remember was having a nightmare about his father, and then waking up upset. Jack glanced to the side if him, where Kate had been sleeping last night. He placed his hands to his mouth in thought and then looked down. Last night, he had come clean to Kate about his relationship with his father. She knew almost everything. Jack scowled, He tried so hard to keep his emotions in check around her, but the longer they stayed together, and the stronger his feelings for her grew, it was getting harder to stay the "sane" one in their "Outlaw" camp.

Jack stood up, and then walked towards the door.

Sawyer walked past, and then paused.

Jack stared at Sawyer's back awkwardly. They hadn't talked since he showed back up the other day.

Sawyer slowly turned around, "So look who's back, Jack attacks,"

"I can't just leave her,"

Sawyer smiled, "I know, and I can't either."

Jack looked away from Sawyer, "Have you see her?"

"Yeah, she's tied up in my bed room, where going to have a good ol' time when I get back."

Jack narrowed his eyes back at Sawyer, "Where is she really? I don't feel like playing right now."

"Who said I'm playing,"

Jack clenched his jaw, he still hadn't fully settled from the range of emotions he had experienced yesterday, and Sawyer wasn't helping. "Dammit, where is she,"

Sawyer smiled amused, "Am I getting under your skin Doc? Is Katie the one thing that can set you off?"

"I know she's not in your room, so I don't even know why I'm entertaining your nonsense."

"Actually she is, Freckles came to me after you had your meltdown yesterday. She told me she needs someone stable in her life, and she isn't sure if it's you anymore."

"I'm more stable than you." Jack growled.

Sawyer grinned, "I don't think so, we're all teetering on the edge of insanity and that includes our girl too,"

Jack walked away from Sawyer. "You're an asshole,"

"Right back at you jackass,"

Jack turned around to face Sawyer. His fists were clenched and blood was rushing through his veins.

"Do you want to fight me, take your best shot, and we'll see who wins,"

"I don't have time for your games." Jack relaxed his fists, and then forced himself to take in slow breaths.

"You don't have time to play my games, but you sure do have time for hers,"

Jack rested his back against the wall. "I don't like you anymore than you like me…"

"Ain't that the truth," Sawyer said with a nod.

Jack sighed, "But we're all working towards the same goal…you, me, and Kate."

"And what are you working to? Kate and I want our freedom…what about you Doc?"

Jack knew what he wanted. A ticket out of his own personal hell back home, but he wasn't sure yet, how this adventure was helping him. Maybe it was Kate?

"Hey," Kate said stepping into the hallway with Jack and Sawyer.

Both men looked at her awkwardly.

Kate kept her eyes on Jack's, she refused to look at Sawyer. "What's going on Jack?"

"I'm bothering him, it's all my fault." Sawyer replied jokingly.

Kate still didn't look at him, "I don't think it's safe anymore to stay in one place, we have to keep moving."

"Nothing we do is going to be safe." Sawyer pointed out.

"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Jack, you have to finish your crazy plan to take out hit men,"

Sawyer remained silent. He knew his idea was a little outlandish…if he could just get to Julian, then he would be set, but of course it didn't work out that way.

"We can't just leave Kate, we need a plan." Jack said.

Kate glanced at Sawyer, and then looked back at Jack. "Well let's form one."

"Well, if you'll are leaving then ya minus as well take the clothes." Sawyer said.

"What are you talking about?" Kate asked.

"Well I didn't expect you to be walking around in my boxers for the whole week. When I went shopping for groceries, I stopped by a clothes store, don't ask why…I just thought it would be appreciated."

Kate wasn't sure what to say. At first she thought Sawyer was kidding, but he looked serious.

"Look in my room, I'm not kidding." He responded.

"But why? I mean we didn't ask you…"

"Just look, it's a brown paper bag…and there's more stuff in there for you freckles, than the mad hatter." He directed at Kate first and then at Jack.

Kate didn't want to accept anything from Sawyer. She was still upset about seeing him with that prostitute.

"Well if you'll just want to stand there looking, I'll see you'll later."

"Where are you going?" Kate asked.

Sawyer smiled, "Like you care sweetheart."

"I don't…are you going into town to pick up another prostitute?"

"What if I am? Maybe I might pick up two…and some toys on the side." Sawyer teased.

Kate turned away from him in disgust.

Sawyer grinned for a couple seconds longer. "So are you really leaving me?"

Kate looked at Jack, "It's too dangerous for Jack and I to stay here, if you try to go out and kill all those guys. It's never going to work Sawyer,"

"Even if it doesn't…"

"What? You end up dying. If their men are targeted, don't you think they'll notice that something is up?" Kate reasoned.

Sawyer was surprised. First she didn't even want to look at him, and know she was trying to reason. She cared. "What makes you the expert on hitmen and drugs 101?"

"I'm not…it's just your idea seems flawed in so many ways."

"If he wants to get himself killed, then we can't save him Kate." Jack spoke up.

"Almost forgot you were there," Sawyer said.

Jack looked back to Kate, "We'll figure out what we're going to do, the sooner the better."

"I'm leaving," Sawyer said.

Uncharacteristically Kate grabbed his shirt. "Where are you going,"

"If you keep on acting spastic then I'm gonna have to give you the nickname mad hatter…what d'ya mean where am I going?"

Kate let go of Sawyer's shirt, and stared back at Sawyer awkwardly. He seemed just as surprised as she was. Kate didn't want anything to happen to Sawyer, and she knew if he followed through with his plan, then he was going to die.

"I'm going to check up on the status of Julian…like where he's at, and who's with him."

"How could you do that?"

Sawyer playfully squeezed Kate's arm, "Are ya worried."

Kate didn't want to answer him, but it was obvious that she was.

"I thought you had plans on getting outta here like a bat out of hell."

Kate shook her head, "Just be smart Sawyer,"

"I will, you be safe too. And if you leave before I get back…" He looked down at her. She looked so beautiful staring back at him like that, trying not to care, but obviously she did.

"I'm going with you," Kate spoke up.

"What?" Jack said surprised and startled.

Kate turned to him, "Someone has to keep him out of trouble,"

A smile crossed Sawyer's face, "Don't worry Jacko, I'm not taking her into danger, and besides even if I told her no, she would go anyways."

"He's right," Kate confirmed.

Jack stared back at Kate in defeat, "Kate c'mon,"

"I want to go Jack," Kate said.

"At least you'll get some time to yourself Doc,"

Kate pulled her cap low over her eyes, and then adjusted her sunglasses over her face. The clothes Sawyer had gotten for her, actually wasn't half bad. He had thought of everything, glasses for her, a wig, and even a cap to put over the wig. She felt like he needed a disguise more than her.

"Jack is angry, because you didn't follow his orders,"

"He just has a lot on his mind, and he needs someone to talk to."

"So why did you leave him?" Sawyer questioned.

"Because I want to make sure you won't do anything stupid…like go after the hitmen, and start killing them one by one."

Sawyer chuckled, "I guess I think I'm Vin Diesel or something."

"You must, so…" Kate shook her head.

"So what?"

Kate waved her hand forget it.

Sawyer slightly raised his chin, "I still can't believe you decided to come with me, Jack is like the Runaway Bride, he likes to disappear."

"But he always comes back." Kate defended.

Sawyer shrugged, "So far he has, what if he runs, and he decides not to come back the next time?"

"Don't say that, where are we going to?"

"A friend of mine's."

Kate looked at Sawyer cautiously. "Would they look for you there?"

"No, because they think he's dead."

"Huh?"

"Do you see how they're going after us sweet cheeks?"

Kate rolled her eyes at his nickname, but nodded anyways.

"Well they went after him too, he went to the cops, and they got him in the witness protection program."

"What happened?" Kate questioned.

"They killed a close friend of his for cheating Julian out of his money kind of like me…and then they went after him."

Kate bit her lip, "How did they kill him?"

"Barged into his house, and then killed him…and his family."

Kate's mouth dropped open.

Sawyer turned away from the road and glanced at her. "Julian doesn't play…and he's not going to stop until I'm dead."

"That's why you have to get out of the country," Kate reasoned.

"Not until I finish my business,"

"Why are you so determined?" Kate asked. "What happened?"

Sawyer remained silent.

Kate leaned back in her seat.

"They killed someone I cared about…let's just leave it at that,"

Ten minutes later, Kate and Sawyer arrived at an old house, with rusted white paint, and broken windows.

"Is this house abandoned?" Kate asked.

Sawyer looked around. "I think I'll take you up on a hair cut later…and a shave,"

Kate smiled. And then her smile disappeared. This was definitely not the time to smile. "So your friend he lives here?"

"I think so, unless they moved him again."

"It looks pretty deserted," Kate said.

Sawyer opened the door.

Kate held her breath, expecting someone to shoot Sawyer out of nowhere.

She moved to open her door, but he stopped her.

"Wait one second freckles,"

Kate let her hand slip away from the door handle, and then placed it in her lap. Hopefully Jack was safer back at Sawyer's place.

Sawyer knocked on the door.

He wasn't sure if Vinnie was going to answer the door, so he walked around the house. Sawyer peeked in the windows, the house was dark. Sawyer raised an eyebrow, "What the heck is going on here,"

"Hey,"

Sawyer jumped, and then turned to Kate surprised. "What are ya doing out of the car! Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm no more safer in the car, than I am out here with you,"

Sawyer reached for Kate's arm, and brought her close to him. "I don't know why I let you come,"

Kate gently eased her arm out of his, "We don't have time for regrets, is your "friend" here or not?"

Sawyer shrugged, and then stared into the dark house once again. "I don't know,"

"How exactly is he going to help you?"

Sawyer walked to the next window, "He has insider information,"

"That's a good reason for him to be in the witness protection program," Kate said.

"Yeah, I'm going to go to the door, you should probably stay back, okay."

"No, we're in this together right."

"I thought you were bent on leaving." He said.

"Not anymore, I want to see you through safely, and besides I'm not in a rush to send Jack back to L.A."

Jack leafed through the clothes Sawyer had picked up for him. Maybe Sawyer wasn't that bad. He would give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Jack glanced up on Sawyer's press. Two folded sheets of paper sat next to a carton of empty cigarettes. He got up, and walked over to them.

One was addressed to Sawyer, and the other one was to him.

Jack raised an eyebrow. Hmm, why did Sawyer have a letter addressed to him, and even more important how come he hadn't seen it. Jack picked up the letter, and then started to read.

Hey Jack,

This is kind of awkward, because I just met you. But this just seems fitting. We have already been through more in one day than many people go through in a lifetime, and I just wanted to let you know it's been fun. Well not really fun…but I don't regret any of it…after all if Sawyer and I never held you hostage, then I would've never got the chance to meet you. I think you're a beautiful person inside an out. And I don't want to say Goodbye to you. I want to know you Jack. I want to know everything about you, and prove my first instincts about you right…but then again I don't deserve that chance. I know your soon to be fiancé feels so blessed to have a guy like you…I know I would. Please be safe, and maybe I'll see you again. Never change, there are so many people in this world…lost people like me, that need saving by a guy like you. A hero like you, Jack.

Love,

Joanna Heart, Maxie Bruins…but you can call me Kate. That's my real name.

Jack was smiling from ear to ear. He was tempted to read Sawyer's letter to see if it was as personal as his. Soon enough he realized that was childish, but he still wanted to know. Jack sat down on Sawyer's bed. No matter what Kate did, he was already invested in her. He loved her. Jack clenched his jaw. Love didn't come easy for him, but he loved her. He closed his eyes, maybe he would go with her. Forget about L.A., and go wherever Kate went, whether that was Brazil or Mexico, it didn't seem to matter as long as she was right there next to him.

(Thanks guys for reviews! October Sky, don't worry, Ana's not coming in. Rain1657, don't worry Jack is here to stay. And I do like the Jack and Kate fluff, they make a great couple. Also thanks to Orlando-crazy, and Laurenasbrufra!)