Chapter 12
Jack stood in the hallway looking at an enlarged photograph on the wall. "Is this your sister?" he called to Kate in the living room.
No answer.
She sat cross legged on the couch flipping through channels. She sped past CNN, MSNBC, especially FOX News, and lingered on the Discovery Channel. She could deal with the News tomorrow.
"Kate? Did you hear me?" Jack asked, leaning in the doorway that led into the hall.
"Hmmm?" she asked, not even bothering to look up.
He smiled to himself. "You're channel surfing? Really?" he asked.
"What else am I supposed to do?" She asked, eyes still glued to the television. "Can't go outside, and we seem to have exhausted the only other indoor activity I can think of."
"Not necessarily…" He said playfully, trying to extinguish a wide grin.
She raised her eyebrows, finally dragging her eyes away from the screen "You're kidding, right?"
He laughed, "I'm just saying that it seems kind of uncharacteristic for the girl that supplied the entire island with fruit to be sitting in front of the TV watching…" He leaned further into the room to get a better view of the TV. "What is that?"
She tilted her head to the side, "Its one of those fish that live on the bottom of the ocean, the kind with no eyes but bright antennae" She tilted her head the other way, "Or it could be something microscopic? I don't really know. Someone keeps talking over the narrator." She said, looking back at him pointedly.
"Oh, well if you're invested" He shrugged his shoulders and turned to walk back down the hall.
"Wait." She sighed, "You got something better to do?"
"Yeah, come here a minute."
She set the remote down slowly and sighed again "Alright." When he turned to walk down the hallway, she smiled.
They reached the photograph nestled between other candid shots of two adorable happy looking toddlers.
"Oh my God, I can't believe she has this out!" Kate said, covering her face. She looked at the picture of three smiling teenage girls, her face squished in between the other two. One of them, she couldn't remember who, had held the camera at arms length and taken the picture, ithad come out remarkably well.
"That's obviously you," Jack said, examining the photo, "Is this your sister?" The girl he pointed to looked so similar to Kate that they had to be related. The girl's eyes were more blue than green, and her dark hair was straight. But they had the same petite nose and slightly lopsided chin, and definitely the same freckles.
"Uh huh." Kate nodded, smiling a little. "That's Liz, the other ones Beth" Kate said pointing to the girl on the left with short blond hair. "I was a senior in high school when that was taken. Beth and Liz were juniors."
"Wheres Liz now?" Jack asked lightly, trying consciously not to press her for more than she wanted to give.
"Just outside San Diego, with her husband." Kate answered, not taking her eyes of the photo.
"You must miss her." He said, noticing Kate's wistful smile.
"Yeah," she said, her voice low. "Its funny, we fought like cats and dogs as kids, but now…" Her voice trailed off.
"You'd do anything for her?" He asked, finishing her abandoned sentence.
"Yeah, I guess." She said, glancing over at him. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" She asked.
"Nope, only child." He said.
"Well, that explains a lot." She said laughing.
"Hey!" He said with a smile as he reached over and rubbed her neck, kneading the tight muscles just below her hairline.
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When Beth got home later that evening, Jack and Kate were sitting comfortably on the couch watching the discovery channel. It was a surgery show and Jack was explaining to Kate what the surgeons were doing. He had even put the mute button on so as not to be interrupted by the narrator.
Kate's face was turned away from the TV, Her hands covered both eyes and she peeked out through a slit between her fingers. "I'm serious Jack, change it!"
They heard a key in the door and Jack stopped mid sentence and froze. Kate got up slowly. The door opened and Kate brought her hand to her heart and exhaled.
"Beth!" She exclaimed happily as the blond woman at the door shrieked "Katie!"
They hugged tight and as they both broke away Beth looked at Kate's hair. "Oh sweetie, who did this to you?" she asked, laughing.
Before Kate could answer, Beth turned to Jack. He was standing awkwardly with the remote in his hand. "You must be Jack." She said warmly and stuck out her hand, "I'm Beth."
Jack smiled and shook her hand. "Nice to finally meet you Beth." He said, "And that" he pointed at Kate's disheveled hair, "was her idea."
Beth laughed. "Layers, Hun." She said, "With curls like that you've gotta have layers."
"Eh." Kate waved her hand dismissively, "Forget about the hair, tell me how you've been."
After a bit of catching up and some getting to know you pleasantries, Beth stood up "I'm starving." She exclaimed abruptly. "Jack, why don't you fix us up something to eat while I go upstairs and fix our girl's hair."
"Um," Jack said reluctantly, "I'd love to, except that I don't exactly cook. I can order take out though. I'm really good at that."
"With a fridge full of perfectly good food? Nope. Everyone can cook something."
Jack looked at Kate, she shrugged. "Beth doesn't really take no for an answer." She said as she stood up and headed toward the stairs. "I'm sure you'll be fine."
"Yeah, and we'll come down if we smell burning or hear screams of pain." Beth added as she pulled Kate's arm up the stairs.
Beth whispered something in Kate's ear and she stopped at the top of the stairs, looking down at Jack standing confused in the living room. She smiled at him, "He is, isn't he." She said as she gave him a small wave and then disappeared off the landing.
Thirty minutes later they emerged from the bathroom and Jack had made dinner to the best of his ability.
Three plates sat on the dining room table, a sandwich atop each one. There were also three wine glasses filled with red wine.
"Ohh, fancy!" Beth said as she and Kate entered the dining area just off the kitchen.
"It's not exactly cooking, but I do make a killer sandwich." Jack said, as he leaned over and gave Kate a kiss on the cheek. He looked at her hair, the way it fell softly just below her jaw, exposing her delicate neck. "Much better." He said to Beth as they all sat down.
The three of them talked and laughed and drank too much wine until late into the night. At around Midnight, Beth excused herself, she had an early day the next morning.
Jack and Kate followed suit. The two of them unfolded the futon and made the bed, then they both crawled in, tired and content. Jack scooted over to her side of the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pressing his chest and stomach lightly into her back. She felt him kiss her lightly on the back of her neck, then a few minutes later, his breath grew shallow and regular. She wanted so badly to hold onto this comfortable happiness that felt all too fleeting. But the wine was swimming in her head, making her sleepy, making it hard to stay awake and absorb the complete bliss she was feeling, and in just a few minutes, she was out.
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Jack pounded down the stairs fresh from his late morning shower. "Hey, I have an idea." He said to Kate sitting on the unmade bed, remote in hand, still wearing the shirt she had slept in.
She turned to him slowly, her face a mixture of shock and dread. "Jack." She whispered.
He turned to the television and walked slowly to the edge of the futon. A photograph of his mother's face filled the screen, a reporter talked in a small box on the bottom right.
"Again, " He said, his voice aloof and unfeeling. "Ms. Shepard's condition was not immediately known." The reporter glanced quickly at his notes. "We do know that she is being treated at Saint Sebastian Hospital in Los Angeles for what appears to be a narcotic overdose. We can only presume that this apparent suicide attempt is in response to a story that we at CNN have been covering since early yesterday morning." The image of his mother was replaced by a split screen. One half was a picture taken from one of Jack's hospital IDs, the other was one of Kate's mug shots.
The reporter continued. "Dr. Jack Shepard, the son of Margot Shepard, is wanted for questioning in connection to the escape of this woman, a Katherine Austin. Both Dr. Shepard and Miss Austin were the survivors of Oceanic flight 815. At this point, they are considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information as to their whereabouts, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the number scrolling below."