Title: Scared With/Scared Without
Disclaimer: I am not the rightful owner of Lost. No copyright infringement is intended.
Spoilers: Everything up to "Fire + Water". Then AU.
Summary: Sawyer walks in on Kate and Jack arguing about their kiss. He no likey, kids. Skate/Jate goodness.
Author's Note: Finally, an update !
Something in Kate snapped. She got in Sawyer's face and pushed him back. Hard.
"Jack and I, that has nothing to do with you, do you understand that?" she sputtered. "Nothing. Stay out of it"
Sawyer's face burned. At last, a response.
"Not a problem, sweetheart," he snarled. "Who'd dare get between your pathetic back-and-forth romance? Not me. Not ever."
"Then we don't have a problem, do we?" she snapped back.
Sawyer chuckled dryly as she continued to glare at him.
"No, Kate," he replied slowly. "We don't have anything."
He held her stare for a moment, until her eyes seemed to shake with uncertainty.
With that, he adjusted the collar she had flipped up when she pushed him and walked away.
When Jack stepped out of the storage room, all he heard was the latch slamming shut. Kate stood there quietly, her fists clenched.
"Well, I guess he feels better," he said walking up to her.
She looked up. Although she had a lot to say to Jack, and most of it not concerning Sawyer, she knew it wasn't the time to get into it.
"Yeah," she said quietly. "Back to his old self."
"He should take these, though," Jack said, holding up the bottle of antibiotics. "He missed a day."
He looked at her curiously, but without expectation.
"I don't really wanna talk to him right now," Kate said, slipping her hands in her jeans. "And I've got shift for two more hours"
"No, I'll go," Jack said as he gathered his backpack from the floor.
She nodded and made her way to the desk.
"Hey, uh, Kate?" Jack asked with uncertainty. "Can you stick around after? Maybe we can talk."
She looked up at him, surprised, and maybe just a bit grateful.
"Sure," she said, nodding. "I'd like that."
"Good," Jack murmured, cinching the straps of his pack. "And, uh…"
"Yeah ?"
"I think I might give him enough meds to finish out his course," Jack said. "You know, let him start taking care of himself."
Jack could tell she was processing as she tucked her hair behind her ears and locked down. He was about to say something when she began to nod slowly.
"I think that might be good," she said, looking back up.
He nodded and awkwardly waived as he made his way out.
He was about halfway to the beach when it started drizzling. He was about to quicken his step when he heard a branch snap behind him.
"You love her, doc?" a voice asked hoarsely.
Jack didn't turn around. There was no mistaking the voice.
Sawyer.
TBC…