Title: Bitten
Author's Note: Thanks Foxygirl33 for your excellent comments and additions!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except my cat. And neither one of us are profitting from this venture.
Kate looked up at the sun beating down on her. It was only midday and she had already finished her usual island chores. She had piled more wood onto the signal fire, delivered some fish to the caves, picked some fresh bananas and mangos, and pulled a few weeds from the garden she and Sun had been working on. After nearly a month on the island, she had become more efficient and seemed to have more free time each day. Sitting idly on the beach was ok for some people, Shannon in particular, it seemed. But Kate had never been good at sitting still for very long. Too much time to think when you're sitting still; too much time to remember.
Feeling frustrated, Kate sighed and leaned back until she was lying flat on the hot sand. She watched as the clouds drifted past above her, melting into different shapes as they drifted toward the horizon. Funny how so many of them took on the shape of rescue boats, she thought wryly. Although, one was unmistakably a flower. Kate smiled. She had always liked flowers. When she was younger, her mother always had fresh flowers on the kitchen table. If Kate tried hard enough she could still smell their sweet scent drifting through the house.
Suddenly, Kate had an idea. There were lots of beautiful, exotic flowers on the island, and it would be fun to create her own little flower garden. It was just the kind of project she needed. With that, Kate grabbed her backpack and a bottle of water and headed for the jungle.
Twenty minutes later she had already collected a beautiful array of pinks, reds, and deep oranges. Kate recognized orchids, birds-of-paradise, and red hibiscus, but hoped Sun could identify the others for her. She planned to plant then in a small clearing she knew of just outside the caves. She reoriented herself and began walking in that direction, but stopped when she noticed a brilliant yellow peeking out from under the tall grass. I don't have any yellow yet, she thought. Kate bent down and began tenderly digging the flower's roots out of the damp earth. She felt a sharp sting on the inside of her left wrist, and looked down to see a particularly large spider.
"Ow!", Kate yelled, jumping back in surprise and swatting the spider away.
"What? What's the matter?", a voice called from several yards behind her.
Kate turned abruptly and found herself face to face with Sawyer.
"What the hell are you doing out here, Sawyer? Following me again?"
"Wouldn't have to if you'd quit walkin' off into the black forest all alone," he said, annoyed at her reaction.
Kate sighed, not in the mood to argue with him. She turned back to the yellow flower and freed the last of the roots from the dirt.
"So… what exactly are you up to anyway?", Sawyer asked. "Pickin' a nice bouquet for Jackass?"
"Most people don't include roots and dirt in a bouquet," Kate retorted. She wasn't really angry with him, but this was the game they played; trading jabs and sarcasm was easier than acknowledging that anything real or honest had ever passed between them.
"Well, what do I know? I ain't exactly the flowers and candy type," he replied, his lips tilted up into a sexy half smile.
Sawyer always enjoyed these exchanges with Kate. He had a suspicion that she did, too, although she would never admit it. Everyone else on the island was fairly predictable, but he was never quite sure what to expect from her, and he liked that.
"So seriously, Freckles, what are you doing out here?"
Kate paused. "Making a flower garden," she replied, expecting him to laugh.
Sawyer raised an eyebrow. "You're nesting now, Freckles? Does this mean you've given up on a rescue any time soon?"
"It just means I was bored, okay?" Kate turned from him and started for the caves.
Sawyer jogged to catch up. "Well, hey-- why'd you yell a few minutes ago?"
"What? Oh, it was nothing. Something bit me. A spider, I think," she replied, scratching absently at the welt that had risen on her wrist.