Hey! Cheers to everyone who reviewed! Here's your reward- the full chapter. Lolz. It's full of Jate fluff!

Soz for not mentioning any reviews. It's like 7 in the morning here and my comps on so I thought I'd treat you before I go to skul (sigh). I'll read all reviews in a while so R&R ASAP! Coz I will need them today- it's double algebra first (screams)!

xXx Tiana

Kate and Jack were now sitting alone in the hatch, on the couch. Kate sat with her legs crossed, facing the wall opposite her, winding her hands on her lap. She simply stared in front of her, not knowing what had happened. Sure, sure knew what had happened, but it hadn't registered yet.

Jack sat next to her, right knee bent, facing Kate. He could only see the left side of her face, but it was enough to know what was going through her mind. His arm was resting on the back of the couch behind her, and was gently stroking her hair.

He finally sighed and took a breath to say something. They had been sitting like that for a while now, at least an hour. But now Jack wanted to get Kate out of her trance, and talk to her.

'Kate. What Ana said, it - ' he had begun softly and gently, but Kate interrupted him.

'Was true.' she said basically, not turning nor moving a muscle except for her mouth to speak.

Jack nodded his head. He knew it was true, he could have seen it in her eyes when Ana Lucia had confronted her. But to have Kate admit it was… surreal, to say the least.

He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it almost immediately when he thought about it. I can't ask her that now. It'll have to wait till later.

Kate had seen the movement out of the corner of her eye. She could also see the minor change on Jack's face when she had said it was true. It was one of confusion and sympathy.

'I'm a … murderer.' She said, once again with no trace of emotion in her voice. As if she was trying to convince herself, and Jack along with that.

'Kate. No -'

'It's true. You can't cover it up. I killed someone. I took away their life. Lives.' Kate expressed the last word with an emotion, finally. Unfortunately, It wasn't what Jack had anted. It was denial yet acceptance. It was guilt yet pleasure. It was grief yet love. But it was tearing her apart.

Jack moved closer to her. He now whispered to her, almost straight into her ear.

'Don't to this to yourself, Kate. You don't deserve -'

'Yes, I do!' she interrupted again. She looked at Jack this time, but immediately looked back, realising how much of a mistake that was. She was doing her best to hold her tears back. She didn't wasn't to break down now. She had done so too many times in the last 24 hours.

It was funny how one person could make her feel like this. One person that she hardly even knew. One girl who she would never had met if the plane had never crashed. And that one person who did this to her, in front of the others who she now considered as friends, and more even.

What I don't deserve is Jack. But she couldn't say it out lout. Jack wouldn't' hear her. He would ignore it and continue to be there. Like I want him to be.

After a while, and sorting her thoughts out, Kate took in a long, shaky breath. She was trying o clam herself down, but it wasn't working. She knew what she had to, no, what she wanted to do. But kept on opening her mouth to get the words out of her mouth, but each time, but closed it right up again. She was scared.

Jack saw every movement, outside and in, that Kate was making. After she had made her last comment, Jack left her alone. He just held onto her, comforting her how he could. But now he just knew what was going to help her. Even if it did mean her hating me at the end.

'Kate,' he started after a quick intake of breath, 'tell me what happened.'

Kate turned to look at him. It was what she wanted. But now that Jack had given her the opportunity, she didn't want to take it. She shook her head. When she though about it, she didn't want anyone else to know.

'Kate. Please. Let me in. I know you don't want us to keep secrets from each other.' When Kate made no sign that she was going to response, Jack continued.

'Please. Kate.' The emotion in Jack's voice caused Kate to turn to look at him. Another mistake. His face was as pleading s his voice. He didn't want to intrude, but help she could tell. Kate turned her eyes quickly to look back at the wall opposite her. She took a breath. This time she didn't let it out. Instead, she found her voice.

'He wasn't my father. Not really. He was just married to my mother and had me. But in all other ways, he wasn't my father.' She forced the last three words out with sheer disgust.

'He use to come home, drunk, and lash out. Then the next day, he'd do it again, regardless of the promise he would always make. He worked for the family, so he deserved it, or so he said. The only thing he deserved was to be kicked out. But my Mom loved him. Loved him!' Kate's face was frowned, with disgust now showing over her face. Jack just sat next to her, listening to her, going at her pace. He hadn't removed his arm from behind her.

'So he stayed. I was about 15. Mom started working late at the café. Because we needed the money. And because she wanted to get away from him. I was old enough to look after myself, apparently. I had a bike, so I must've been.' Kate narrowed her eyes at the memory of her mother's words. They had stayed with her for o long. She hadn't known it, but they were important words.

'I use to get home before Wayne did.' She smirked as she said his name for the first time. 'I'd go straight to my room, stay there until the next day. I had nothing else to do. Then when my Mom came home, I'd wake up at the sounds of… crashing. She would yell and scream and then go to her room slam the door. 10 minutes later, he would come up, go into the room and…' Kate stopped. Jack nodded his head, understanding what she what trying to say. It wasn't that had to get.

'It was the same everyday. Like a play, performing over and over and over. Then the morning, she would never look at me. I asked why she put up with it. Because he was worth it. I use to get so angry. Why couldn't she get back with my real father? It's all I use to say. But she would shake her head and say it wasn't that easy. Then she started to work even later. All night sometimes. And then I had to make sure that Wayne got in properly.' Her voice started to break, memories flooding back to her.

'I never knew he was my real father. I only found out two weeks before. It was too much. I couldn't handle it, Jack. It was just- just- just too much.'

'Shh.' Jack moved closer to her. Kate had started to break now, and had let him in. he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She gratefully melted into Jack's arms. For a while, they stayed like that. But finally, Kate detached herself from Jack and wiped her face gently with her fingers. Jack still had one hand holding onto her leg, still crossed on the couch, and the other arm on her shoulders.

'I couldn't take it.' Kate now wanted to finish the story that she had started. She had never told anyone all this before. But now, she had to get it out of her.

'Not after everything that had happened. After years of torment and abuse, he was my father. He was supposed to be my guardian, to stop me and protect me. But he didn't. He didn't!' Kate was angry now. Jack could here pain in her voice. He knew what she meant.

'Kate. What did he do?'

Kate took a breath. 'He abused my Mom, took her for granted, but he never got it! She wasn't enough for him.'

Jack continued to stroke her leg and her shoulders. But he had to know. Curiosity won out, as it always did.

'Kate. What did he do to you?'

Kate looked at Jack, taken aback with the question. She hadn't registered what he had said. She opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't. She took a deep breath, while Jack have her a reassuring squeeze. Kate knew it was time to finally let someone in completely.

So? What did he do to Kate?

What's Jack's reaction gonna be?

And what about Sawyer and Ana Luca? What's going on over there?

Well, R&R and you might just find out. Lolz.

xXx Tiana