Lost and its characters belong to JJ Abrams and crew. I'm just borrowing for fun. Written in response to the Fanfic100 prompts – Red
Lost – The Long Road: Role Reversal
By Mystic
Oct/Nov
August 2012
Red.
It was the color of her jumper. Not even orange, like the ones you saw on television. Jack watched her walk down the long hallway; he could tell it was her by the way she walked. She had a stance, something strong, and a walk, a bit masculine. Muscular. Fierce. Jack watched her walk down the hall and in through one gate and through another and finally towards the seat across from him.
He stared at her through the bars, through the sheet of thick glass as she frowned at the table in front of her. She couldn't even look at him. Her cheeks flushed in two spots that made the rest of her look that much paler. Her freckles even hid from him. He watched her bottom lip quiver slightly and her eyes tear up the longer he watched.
Jack didn't say a word for a very long time. He just watched her. He hadn't had the pleasure in a very long time. Her shoulders slumped, her arms twitched, her chest rose and fell slowly with each breath, but he could see the quick pulse at her neck. Jack sat still, feeling the air between them fill with tension again. Like old times.
"I love you."
Her eyes came up to meet his and her expression was one of complete fascination. He wondered what she was thinking. Just what was going through her mind. It wasn't the first time he'd had the thought, he'd had it a million times since the day he met her. Even on the day he met her. What was she thinking?
"I love you."
He repeated the words, watching them strike her each time, as if with a whip. I love you. Jack meant it. From the bottom of his heart, he meant it. He'd always loved her. Even when he hated her to death. Even when he wanted her dead. Jack loved her. Her mouth parted, but no words came out. He could see her lips were chapped, in one spot they'd been bleeding.
"It's been five years since I wanted to say that to you. You never gave me the chance."
Kate lowered her eyes again. He didn't think she understood him. He knew she assumed it meant he loved her then, but not now. He smiled, watching her eyes brim over with tears. The first one slid quickly down her face leaving a wet train that made the pink shone bright red. He folded his hands on the table in front of him, his charcoal suit strained at the back.
"I love you."
Her eyes came back up, confused. "What?"
Jack shook his head. "They really are doing a number on you in there."
"What?" Kate grimaced.
"You fucked up, Kate." He shrugged. "But it's the best thing you could have done." Jack lowered his eyes a moment. "You made him polite. You made him generous and selfless. You made him strong. You made him smart and honest. You made him obedient and wonderful and mine."
Kate let herself smile and Jack got the impression it was the first time in a long time.
"He's growing." Jack grinned. "I bought a chart. Sam thinks it's ridiculous. It's one of those giraffes you tack to the wall and you measure yourself every few months. He's grown two inches since you brought him." He slapped a picture down on the white table of Sam pointing at the giraffe. Kate touched the glass between them as she stared down at the image of her son laughing.
"I took him down to the school and enrolled him. He starts at the end of the month. Kindergarten. They have a uniform. Khaki pants and red shirts. Took him to get his uniforms the other day. He likes the clothes alright, but thinks the shoes are uncomfortable." Jack put down a picture of Sam showing off his uniform and Kate laughed, glancing up at him a moment before he put down another picture of Sam barefoot.
"Then we went to Disneyland. They let him in, even if he was too small, and we rode everything. He says it's smaller than Disneyworld, but he wants to take you when you get out. Got over his fear of Mickey though." Jack dropped an image of Sam hugging Mickey Mouse and then pressed a picture of them on Splash Mountain up against the glass for Kate to see.
"I miss you." Jack told her softly. "Sam misses you too."
Kate dropped her face into her hands and he watched her shoulders shake as she sobbed. "I'm sorry, Jack."
"You can cry." He whispered.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry for not bringing him to you sooner." Kate shook. "I'm sorry for the time you missed." She looked up at him and the remorse on her red face rendered him speechless. "I'm sorry for the god damned letters and all the fucking pictures." Kate put a hand to her head. "I'm sorry."
Staring down at the pictures in front of him, Jack shook his head. It wasn't what he'd expected. He thought she'd be happy. Jack swept the images up and pushed them down into the inside pocket of his jacket and when he looked up, she looked horrified. Her mouth fell open and she had a hand half reached out to the glass.
"I miss him," she told him, staring at the pocket of his jacket. "I miss him."
"They won't let me bring him." Jack watched her nod slowly, mumbling that she understood. "Hurley had good news, but they wouldn't let me bring him in either." She laughed. "It's done."
"What?" Kate shook her head. "What? No." She sat up straight. "What?"
"It's not that simple." Jack bit his bottom lip. "The original charges are soon to be dropped. It's everything else. They want you to serve some time."
Kate nodded quickly. "I understand."
"Looks like five to ten years." He watched her release her breath. "Maybe less on good behavior."
"Ten years," she told herself, her face becoming hard. Determined. "I can do ten years."
"I'll take care of him, Kate."
She smiled. "I know you will."
"I'll send you pictures. He'll write you letters."
Kate nodded. "You'll visit?"
Jack grinned. "I'll visit." He stood and watched her stand, her red jumper hanging limp on her body. She nodded her head as he waited. Jack did love her. He loved her more now than ever. He didn't think he'd ever understand why. He walked out of the building and down to the car where Hurley sat with Sam.
"Is she ok?" Hurley asked as Sam watched.
"She took it well." Jack started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot, moving to a traffic light and watching the red light shine in front of him. "She'll be fine."
He watched the way Sam nodded his head. He knew better than anyone. Sam knew his mom was tough. Jack watched the boy hold tight to the jacket in his hands. The one that had become his blanket, his teddy bear, his companion. Jack touched the boy's head and waited until he turned to look up at him.
"She'll be fine."
"I know," Sam smiled.
End Chapter 9
Lost and its characters belong to JJ Abrams and crew. I'm just borrowing for fun. Written in response to the Fanfic100 prompts – Colorless
Lost – The Long Road: Reunion
By Mystic
Oct/Nov
January 2017
It wasn't the birthday he expected. There were no clowns or guests or presents. No colorful banners or extravagant cakes. He'd gotten used to it. His father had learned to indulge. So had he. In five years Sam had seen everything he'd seen with his mother again with his father.
He climbed onto the tallest trees and skied along the slopes of mountains. Sam went to baseball games and he attended board meetings sitting quietly in a corner listening to his father debate surgical procedures. He'd visited dams and bridges and skyscrapers. He'd eaten in the finest restaurants and the dirtiest holes in the wall.
Sam'd watched sunsets from Key West to New York to Seattle to San Diego. Sam had seen museums and monuments, read books and gone to plays. He learned he hated the opera and loved Hockey. He gained a few aunts and uncles he'd only known by phone and finally met the other man who held his mother's heart in his palm.
His father had him make a list. Every single place he could remember loving. Every single place he could remember wanting to go. They did it all. Together. Jack taught him how to stitch an apple closed and Sam had taught Jack how to make the perfect chocolate milk. They spent Saturday nights eating ice cream and watching scary movies and all Sunday afternoon watching football and screaming at the television.
Sam walked with his father, a scarf hanging loose against his chest and he felt his cheeks burning with an excitement he'd never felt. They walked down a long hallway, his sneakers squeaking where his father's shoes clicked. It was colourless. He studied the walls, he studied the lights and the bars and the people. Everything stared back at him, making him feel frightened and small.
The gate squealed under the weight of itself as they led them through the last door where she waited. Sam watched her tighten the belt around her waist, fidgeting with the buckle as if she hadn't done it in a long time and had forgotten. He moved forward, touching her cold fingers, pushing them away as he ran the metal spoke through a hole the way she used to when he was smaller. He pulled it tight and smiled up at her.
Her eyes studied him. He was taller now, his head reaching just under her chin. His hair had was longer, hanging shaggy with just the hint of a wave. "Hey, mom." His voice was deeper and she laughed, hearing it.
"My boy," she told him, cupping his face in her hands and she kissed his forehead, pulling him into a hug, tight against her. Sam rubbed her back gently, smelling moth balls and sweat on her clothes. The same clothes he'd last seen her in.
Sam raised his head, seeing Jack approach and he looked up at her. "We got a new place, mom. Two bedroom, nice yard and a dog. German Shephard named Rusty. He's still a puppy and real gentle."
Kate smiled, walking with him to where Jack stood. His hair had gotten longer too, shaggy, and Kate saw her son in him. He held open her brown suede jacket and waited. Kate released Sam and put her arms into it, feeling Jack wrap his arms around her and she turned, looking up into his eyes.
Sam watched them kiss. He'd never seen them kiss before. Jack held her face and pulled her off the ground and she put her arms around his neck. Sam saw the tears streaming down both their cheeks and he felt himself blushing, turning away. He turned back when he felt her hand on his arm.
"Hey kid. It's your birthday."
"Yeah." Sam smirked.
Jack sighed. "Didn't want a party."
"You're ten, ten deserves a party," Kate told him, her hand rubbing circles on his back the way she used to when he was a baby.
"This is my party," Sam said, shrugging his shoulders. He smiled up at them when they exchanged a look. They'd talked about each other so long, Sam had been waiting for this day forever. To see them together. To see the spark he knew was there. To finally see his parents. He grinned, walking forward and sighed, "I still expect presents though."
Jack laughed and Kate buried her face in his shoulder as they watched their son smile back at them. "I feel bad," Kate told Jack as she watched Sam jump into the car ahead of them. "I don't have a present for him. I always have a present for him."
Jack kissed her gently on her forehead. "You are his present, Kate."
Sam waited in the car as they climbed in and he stared out the back passenger window as they drove home. He felt his chest swell at the idea that he'd finally be going home with his mom and his dad. Sam had counted down the days. He'd wished on every birthday candle, on every shooting star, every wishbone at Thanksgiving and every Christmas.
He listened to them. It started quietly, slowly, but they began a conversation. It was like watching a rolling wave crashing onto shore. Beautiful and natural and never-ending because he knew they'd never be apart again.
It was Sam's best birthday.
Finis