Chapter 1.
Kate sat quietly gazing at the shore of the sandy beach.Her black hair was pulled in a rather hurrid bun under tired brown eyes.Sweat poured down her skin which had
turned golden from the unmericful heat.she sighed and closed her eyes,her feet in the warm water.It had been a while since she had just lain around doing nothing in pacticular.Usually she was either working on this or that with jack( struggling to make camp, getting antibotics) or helping son pick food and locke hunt boar or even sometimes trying to get back something sawyer had taken.
"how long am i going to be on this island?" she wondered."is anyone ever going to rescue us?...people are just settling done...building a house--or getting a boyfriend--which is just stupid! we're not supposed to stay here! we're supposed to leave!" her mood swings were out of control and pretty soon kate had begun to cry.
It just all came out,her stress,sadness,pain and hard labor under the sun and most of all jack, jack married...she had seen the wedding ring on his finger but did'nt ask about it not wanting to sound like a jealous little girl...he did'nt care for her that way...and also...he does'nt,does'nt trust me..Kate groaned and put her head in her hands.
"noone trusts me, everyone see's me as a crinmal...which i am...but i don't want to be anymore-i don't want to be useless!"
red eyed she pushed herself from the sandy ground and swaying from side to side,started for the tent with jack to see if he could use any help.Her feet dragged,her arms were so heavy and she felt so..so dizzy but she had to help,wanted to help.
"i'm not useless"she said softly.
Peope passed her from camp,shannon sun-tanning looked up at her-her shades on
"jeez you need a break! does'nt any one give one--you look terrible--ask your boss for a break" she turned back around,eyes closed.
"no thanks" kate said with a smile and walked on...
"hey,freckles!" a conceited voice called behind her.
She turned around and sure enough there was sawyer,sitting in his tent holding a book and a bottle of water.
"what?"she called.
"wellthat's a nice-e greeting you have for me-- no respect do you---
"what do you want sawyer?"
"nothing freckles you just go on your way--going to your dear doctor are you?"
yeah,yeah i am" and she walked off but a picture of sawyer lay in her mind's eye.his sandy blonde hair ruffled and wild under a face with sly green eyes and a cocky smile.She smiled in spite of herself,that was sawyer all right...kate trudged on.
There was jack.She looked at him quietly.He was'nt facing her so she saw his wet,dirty shirt and black hair from the back.He was examing a map and a little piece of paper at the same time.A few anti-biotics lay on the table.He ran his hand through his hair and a ripple of emotion flickered through her but she shook it down.She wanted to help not fall in love.
"jack"she called hoarsely.
He turned around so fast that she did'nt even blink.
"kate! you starlted me! are you ok?...do you need something?"
"no...no.. i i want to help..is there anythign i can do?" her voice drifted off weakly and she grabbed the table beside her because her legs were trembling.
He looked at her concerned and walked over to her.His hand placed on her brow..so soft and gentle...she brought her voice back to what he was saying.
"you have a fever..let me give you some medicine."
"no! i don't want to waste it! i want to help"
"kate,he smiled at her,don't be over -reational,medicine is for times like theses so you don't get into worse critical predictment"
"i don't want it.i want to help."she said stubbornly.
""kate..this isn't like you..maybe you should rest"
"i'm not useless! i'm not jack! why don't you trust me!" she cried out and ran
"kate! kate! wait!"he called despertaly behind her.
She ran,ran past rthe beach,past shannon,past jack,sawyer looked up as she flashed by but she did'nt give him a glance.Sobs caught in her throat but she ran on.Her muscles taunted and tight.The beach whirled past and finally she tossed herself on a rock far from inhabitants.There seh lay her shoulders heaving,her hair hung loose(the hair tie had falled out lond ago) and cried.
"hey freckles, what's wrong now?" a voice asked.
"not now sawyer!" she said and looked at him.He seemd taken aback by her tears.Before he could say anything however a sound suddenly echoed through the forest.The roaring of the monster-of the thing.The glanced around.Kate wiped away her tears and sawyer pulled out his gun tossing a knife into kate's hand.
"keep close"he muttered.
His hand was steady as he pointed the gun into the forest his face hard.kate stood a little behind him...there was anthor roar shaking the bushes and trees..."come'on sawyer lets run!"kate said tugging at his arm.
"i wanna see what the damn thing is"
"do you want to die!" she cried out fiercely.There was a rustle in the bushes and they snapped aorund quickly.Beads of sweat rustled down there brow.And suddenly a figure jumped out.Sawyer shot his gun,aiming for the heart, at the same time kate yelled "NO!" and pushed him.The shot went astray and hit the shoulderblock.There was a yell of agony and kate cried
"JACK!"
Sawyer was stunned for a moment...then kate's voice woke him up, "c'mo n help me sawyer!"
He ran over.Jack's eyes were squinted and his arm was a bloody mess..."arrgh" he muttered.
"hold on jack,hold on!" she was looking at him so despertatly.
I did this...if it had'nt been for freckles i would have killed anthor man..and now i wounded him...
Sawyer gently put jack's arm o his shoulder letting him lean on him.He breathed heavily.Kate was holding his other arm...
Anthor roar made them move as fast as was possible with jack there.
They stumbled fell,and ran again.Kate's bisecips pushed hard as she pludded on.Finally they found a lone cave and hid inside it.Kate was holding jack's head in his arms and sawyer feeling uncomfortable went to get some firewood.
A half-hour later.The light and warm heat made all feel better while two fish were roasting in the spilt that sawyer had caught.Now they were attending to jack's wounds.they did'nt have any oitment or bandages so Sawyer took off his shirt and handed it to kate.
His face was gray as was hers.She was about to tie it before he said softly
"kate..kate wait..the bullet,it has to come out.."
She was stricken as he had expected.
"i'll do it"he said firmly,you hold his head and arms,don't let go no matter how he struggles.She nodded,her hands trembling as she grasped him.
There were many yells from the cave before it was finally over.Jack was lieing his arm bandaged,a bloody bullet thrust across the room.Sawyer sat in a corner,he was'nt hungry anymore.He would'nt admit it but he was ashamed with himself.
Kate was going to the fire and took out a fish.It was slightly burnt.She fed it,piece by piece to jack and then a spring of water.Her biggest priority now was was etched in her face as she wiped the beads of sweat off his face and sawyer watched the care and affection she showed for him.So that was love.He had never felt it,never cared for anyone that much ...Color returned to jack's face and kate smiled wearily.She went to the spilt once more and took the secnod fish...she was probably going to eat that one herself...he thought.
Instead to his suprise,she came to him.
"thankyou"she said.
"for what?"
"for proctecting me and helping jack. It was'nt your fault sawyer"Kate handed him so fish and sat beside him.
His face was happy.she did'nt know how much those words meant to him...it was'nt your fault...it was'nt his fault he shot jack...that his mother was dead...that that man was bad...
He took a piece of the fish and smiled.She smiled back.His heart skipped a beat but he did'nt think about it.He was too tired...he ate one more piece of fish before his eyes drooped and he slumped against kate's shoulder.