A/N: The last chapter was titled Chocolate because, as I've said before, this story is being written using a Snow Patrol cd (Final Straw). The chapters are each named after the songs on the cd, and the chapters are written based off of the lyrics, although I don't put the lyrics in. The song has absolutely nothing to do with chocolate either, I'm not just being stupid, I promise.
Also, I'd like to appologize for the shortness (is that a real word) of this chapter.
CHAPTER SEVEN: RUN
When Jack and Kate finally saw each other again later that day, Jack sat down beside her quietly, swallowing his fear. His hand found hers, tugging at it until she allowed him to hold it.
"I love you." He whispered to her. He'd say it one last time, so that she'd know. "It's getting late. You should go back to your tent."
Her eyes drifted to his face, and he saw that he had hurt her somehow in saying this. This was what she wanted. She wanted them separated.
"That's what you want, isn't it?" He asked her, and she gave a short shake of her head. He nodded, smiling lightly. "You could come to the caves for tonight."
She gave him a weak smile and nodded, her eyes closing momentarily.
"You've been the only thing that's right in all I've done." She told him quietly. His eyes moved towards her, but he could barely see her in the darkness. Even though he could barely make out the curve of her lips, he felt like they could make it anywhere away from here. When they finally went back to the caves, he lit a torch inside his cave so they could see each other. He whispered to himself, knowing she wouldn't hear, but know that he was right beside her. He whispered words like 'love' and 'home'.
There was a low creak from the bushes and then a terrifying roar as a polar bear emerged from the brush outside the caves without warning. Jack grabbed Kate by the waist, hoisting her to her feet before moving to run as the invisible eyes found them. They ran as fast as they could, Kate a little ahead of Jack the whole time. When they stopped running, he could hardly speak out of exhaustion.
"Jack…" She whispered, unable to raise her voice, and he understood her fatigue. They'd run nonstop for at least fifteen minutes, sprinting the entire time. He clutched her back against his chest, crouched in a small grove of close growing trees. He thought of losing her, and what it would mean, not seeing those eyes. It made him feel as if he would cry, but he bit back his tears. His thoughts strayed to goodbyes then, and a tear threatened to escape him.
"It's ok." He whispered in her ear, wishing she would light up again. The monster was gone, and he pressed his nose into her hair, smelling her hair. He said things so quietly that she wouldn't hear him once more, like they were safe in his cave. He shifted his weight behind her and she clutched his shirt.
"Don't leave." She whispered, and she sounded terrified.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be right beside you." He whispered, his voice so soft and airy that she closed her eyes to feel his words as well as hear them. They heard something shift in the bushes and growl and then an angry boar appeared, his beady eyes fixing on them as he ran at them. Jack pushed Kate into the tree and followed just in time as the boar squealed and hit the tree trunk. He wished it would hurry up and go away, but it lay down instead, resting its large head on the ground.
"We don't have time for this." Jack mumbled to Kate, and she nodded, reaching for the tree beside theirs. She'd found and easier way out than to battle a boar. She was walking through the trees. But the boar followed them, and she seemed to be losing hope and getting more frightened by the second. She finally stopped walking altogether.
"We can't just keep doing this." She told him. He took her hand.
"We're bound to be afraid, but we can make it." In his mind, he told her they could fix every mess they'd made, but he didn't voice this for fear of it becoming a lie.