DISCLAIMER: I don't own Lost. (:Groans from peanut gallery:)
-POPROCKS AND COKE-
-BY WHENICOMEAROUND-
-CHAPTER NINE-
Here goes nothing, thought Jack. He was going to do it. He was going to tell Kate what he really felt. He was cleaning out the skeletons in his closet.
Here it goes, thought Jack as he marched towards the beach where Kate was sitting alone. He knew that was where she was. That was where she always was lately. Sitting alone on the beach. Jack always wanted to say something to comfort her, but he never quite knew what to say.
That was always Jack's problem with Kate. He never knew what to say.
Kate wasn't sitting at the beach in her normal spot, though. He heard sobs. He could tell by the sound it was Kate.
"Kate?" he said quietly. It was dark out.
She didn't hear him. She cried on. He could hear her sobbing, "Why? Why did you leave me? I loved you!"
Jack's heart nearly stopped. Was she talking about who he thought she was?
"Why did you leave me here all alone?" she sobbed.
Jack slowly walked away. He walked on and picked up speed. He walked faster and faster until he was running. He stopped at the edge of the sand, where waves were crashing on the shore.
Then, he started crying.
Jack hadn't cried since his father died. But then it was more out of guilt and grief. Now he was heartbroken. Jack never cried over a girl before. Mostly he would just sit around and pretend it didn't bother him. He wouldn't let himself cry.
But Kate... Kate... why did it have to hurt so much to think about her?
Jack put his face in his hands and cried.
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Jack woke up on the beach the next morning. He looked around and saw Kate sitting next to him.
"Hey," she said with a smile. She held out a cup. "I brought this for you."
"Thanks," he said. He knew he must have looked a terrible mess, but Kate didn't care. He knew it was true- she was in love with Sawyer and she missed him.
"Why are you on the beach?" Kate asked him. "I looked for you last night, but you were here. You, um... looked a little busy." she said.
Jack felt his face heat up. He hoped Kate couldn't see it.
"I cried yesterday too. Sometimes it's too much, living, you know? What made you cry yesterday?" said Kate.
How was he supposed to say it? How was he supposed to tell Kate that he was crying over her?
She went on. "I... I was thinking about... about Tom. You know. My... who... he... died." she looked away.
Jack looked up at her. "Tom?" he said.
"Yeah," said Kate. She sounded weird. Then she closed her eyes and bit her lip. "I can't believe I killed him, Jack." she whispered. "He was my best friend."
She put her hand over her face. She was crying, Jack knew. This made him miserable.
But somehow, knowing it wasn't Sawyer...
He was happy.
He pulled Kate closer to him and put his arms around her. She continued to cry.
"Kate," he whispered. "it wasn't your fault."
"It was, Jack, it was!" she sobbed. It was like all her bones had disappeared from her body. She felt like rubber. She couldn't move. All she felt was Jack's arms around her and the familiar fireworks and explosions in her stomach.
Poprocks and coke.
He let her cry. He just wanted to be there for her.
Kate cried for about two minutes straight. Then Jack said, "Kate. I cried because of you last night."
She looked up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy, but to Jack, she still looked as beautiful as always. "What?" she said.
"Because of you, I cried. I think about you all the time. I never forget you. You're never far from my thoughts. You know why, Kate?"
Kate sniffled. "Because you feel like you just ate poprocks and coke." she whispered.
Jack smiled. "Yes." he whispered. "That's exactly it."
"Does that mean you love me?"
Jack smiled. He pulled her arms away from her face and she turned around. Then he put his arms around her and kissed her.
And Kate's question was answered.
A/N: About time, if you ask me, but I had to drag it out a bit. Speaking of which, who saw "What Kate Did"? We've got a new name for the ugly skater moments that punctuate all the Jate- "It's not skater, it's Jate angst!". Pathetic, I know, but I'm a Glass-Half-Full type. AND AT LEAST THEY FINALLY KISSED, YIPPEE!