Author's Note: This was a really random oneshot. So, uh, I hope you enjoy! Jate is Fate!
A Reel of Memories
You Just Can't Get Tired of Jate
"She's just different, okay, Charlie?" Jack cried, his voice a little under shouting. Charlie smiled. After a moment, Jack frowned, confused. He rose an eyebrow. "Charlie, what're you smiling about?"
"You didn't deny it," he said, his grin widening. Then he looked around to see if anyone was there, and said, "You like her, huh? Kate. You got it bad for her, don't you? I mean...there isn't anything wrong with it, but-"
"W-What?" Jack said, going back a step. He rose his hands in front of him, signaling for Charlie to stop. "What're you talking about, Charlie?"
"Kate," Charlie replied simply. "You like her."
"Well... I..." Jack blushed furiously, looking away. "I mean, it..." He looked back at Charlie, a pleading expression on his face. "Hey, Charlie, why're we even talking about this?" He paused. "I'm going to head back to the caves, uh, now. So...see you later? I'm going to need to come back soon because I have to check on Claire's baby." Charlie's eyes flickered away. Claire. Jack seemed to notice. "You alright, Charlie?"
"Yeah," he replied, distracted. He frowned. "Perfect." Hesitantly, Jack began to walk away. A reel of memories flashed over in Jack's mind. What was up with Charlie? Was he suddenly the new Dr. Phil for love or something? Jack frowned, shaking his head at his thoughts. Why did it even matter? But inside, he knew that whenever he heard the name 'Kate', his stomach began to do a backflip.
He chuckled to himself sarcastically. "Yeah... Perfect word. Backflip."
"Backflip?" a voice said. Jack, startled, turned around quickly. Kate was staring at him with a confused expression.
"Huh?" Jack said. "I mean... I was thinking about Kate- I mean, you- I mean..." He swallowed nervously. Why am I such a babbling idiot? "Backflips."
"Oh. Well." Kate opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. "Um... W-Where are you heading to?"
"Oh. The caves," Jack replied, not sure at what had just happened. "Why?"
"I'm just having one of...'those' kinds of days," Kate said quietly, looking away. "I'm actually not sure of where I'm heading to. So... mind if I join you or not?" She smiled, trying not to look as desperate as she felt. Then she said quietly, "It would help."
"Oh, well, yeah, of course," Jack said, shocked. Where had this new woman come from? Then suddenly, as he remembered that Kate was waiting for him to move, Jack nodded his head and smiled warmly. "Of course."
"Okay, thanks," Kate said, grinning. Jack turned around and began to walk as Kate went up to his side. She looked up at him and wondered what he was thinking about.
Um. She's looking at me. Jack was stuck. What am I going to do? How am I going to start a conversation? How would-? Okay. The babbling idiot has returned. He shook his head, and looked at Kate. He sighed, noticing that she wasn't staring up at him anymore. Kate seemed to hear him sigh, though, and she turned his way. Jack immediatly looked in front of him again. He could see Kate smile out of the corner of his eye. Jack looked at her again and asked jokingly, "What's so funny?"
"Well, if you asked me, Dr. Shepphard," Kate began, "I think that you are avoiding my stares."
"Oh, well, Ms. Kate," Jack said, playing along, "you were staring? Now, tell me... Why were you staring at me?" Kate stopped walking. She seemed to frown, then started walking again.
"Well, uh, I don't know," she admitted. Then she smiled playfully again. "How can I not?"
"Are you proposing that you can't help staring at Dr. Sheppard?" Jack asked, his grin widening. Oh my god. Kate blinked. He better be joking. He's putting me on the spot!
Kate stammered. "Well... I-Is that a trick question?"
"It can be if you want it to be," Jack said, winking. Kate raised an eyebrow and laughed.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she chuckled. Then she stopped and laughed out loud again. "You know what, Jack?" She stopped to stare at him like a caring mother.Jack stopped in his tracks as well to look back at her.
"Yeah?" he said.
"I... I've never seen you this way before," Kate said, biting her tongue. She shook her head, laughing. When she saw Jack's confused expression, she added quickly, "But not in a bad way. In a good way. A fantastic way. A great way." She laughed.
"Um, okay, sure," Jack said, laughing along.
"Yeah...," Kate nodded.
"So, um, we're here," Jack said awkwardly, looking around at the caves. Kate nodded, not knowing what to say. Kate looked at Jack and smiled, remembering about all of the good times they had shared together. She looked away at Hurley, who was talking to Charlie, who had magically appeared there before them somehow. She looked over at Jack, who looked as if he was thinking the same exact thing.
-------------------------------
Everyone was laughing. The survivors were huddled around the fire in a group, having a great time. Jack and Kate were next to each other, Hurley and Charlie, Sun and Jin, Walt and Michael...
"Okay," Charlie said, sitting upright, "who wants to go first in telling a deep island secret?"
"Oh, oh, dude, I got one," Hurley said, raising up a hand. He smiled and Charlie grinned back, gesturing for him to spill it. "Jack has got it bad for Kate! Reaaaly bad!" His grin widened as Jack blushed.
"Mate!" Charlie whined. "I said to say deep island secrets!"
-------------------------------
Kate tripped and toppled onto Charlie, who was in front of her. Jack bent down to help them both up, and Sawyer pushed him down on top of Kate. When Jack looked up, Sawyer had his arms crossed, and he was whistling while looking the other way. Sawyer had a smug smile on his face. Jack was smiling inside.
-------------------------------
"Hey, guys, want to hear my new song?" Charlie asked, holding his guitar in a playing position already. "Do ya?"
"Sure," Kate said, grinning.
"Yeah, c'mon, go!" Hurley pressed playfully.
"Okay...but Hurley, you gotta help me on this one." Charlie winked, and Hurley nodded. "See, mates - as in you, Jack and Kate - Hurley and I have been working on this tune for quite some time now... Okay, ready?" He smiled. "Jack and Kate sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! C'mon, Hurley, Jack, Kate, don't be shy! Join in!"
-------------------------------
"You love Kate, don't you?" Charlie asked, half-serious. Jack looked from Charlie to Kate, who was walking with them. Jack felt like dying.
-------------------------------
"You just have to love this tune!" Charlie cried to Hurley, while Jack and Kate stared at him, flustered. "Jack and Kate, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! I bet Kate helped him climb up the tree, if you know what I'm saying." Hurley and him laughed out loud.
-------------------------------
Kate laughed at the memories. Well... Back to reality now.
"What's so funny?" Jack asked, chuckling. Kate shook her head and bit her lower lip.
"Oh, nothing...," Kate said, and laughed as she heard Charlie singing the well-remembered song in the background to Hurley. Hurley and him laughed again.