Broken


Author's note: Ha, I said I'd just do four. One of my reviewers (Mic226) suggested I do a fifth part, as like an epilogue. So this is it. Hopefully it wraps everything up, and it's kind of in everyone's perspective.
Every once in a while, your lies will catch up to you. Your heart will tell you what you want, and maybe, just maybe, you'll listen for a change.

Some days, you'll become so stretched apart that you'll rebound back into each other without even trying. Other days, you'll permanently lose sight of what you really want. What you really need, and always will.

Kate would forever see life through two paths-the one she'd taken, and the one she wished she'd taken. She was a cynic.

So was Jack.

For a moment, Ana-Lucia wished wildly that Kate, or Jack, or anybody, would reveal what the four of them knew to be the truth. That Jack was in love with Kate, that he always would be. That both her and Sawyer were fighting a losing battle that refused to be drawn to a close.

But of course, no one did. It was so much safer for Kate to have two lovers than the risk of having none. As Sawyer clamped an arm around her shoulders, she looked appealingly up at Jack. Ana-Lucia shook her head in disgust. She'd be attracted to Sawyer, if he weren't the dumbest man she'd ever met.

They were all stupid, for even still trying.

Sawyer stared at Ana stare at Kate. Ana was beautiful, and feisty. He could see himself happy with her, if he ever let himself stop being miserable with Kate.

The idea of Kate making him miserable was still incredible to him. He'd spent months yearning for her. Months playing for her. Even a few weeks of rubbing his victory into the Doctor's face, before the realization set in that it wasn't him that Kate wanted.

Jack glanced toward Sawyer wondering how his lover (who wasn't exactly his lover) could possibly be with such a man. Sawyer was everything he found objectionable in another human. He knew that on many levels, she felt the same.

Would Kate have ever gotten together with Sawyer on any level, except for to get back at Jack?

In the outer orbit, somewhere beyond the four of them, others hovered. Hurley, seeking advice. Claire, soothing a crying Aaron. These people didn't matter. Right then, they were less than nothing.

Saywer didn't pay Jack any heed when the Doctor sighed impatiently. Jack was always upset about something, but he never bothered to deal with it. He wasn't impulsive. He wasn't Sawyer.

Kate realized what was happening an instant before Sawyer did, but not before she could react. She didn't particularly want to react.

Jack snapped. His eyes falling from Ana to Kate, he reached forward and pull her toward him, away from Sawyer's arms before the other man could react.

Kate didn't even think of resisting as he crushed his lips on hers. She kissed him deeply, her shut eyes blocking out the sun, the island, his eyes.

His eyes. Boring into her. The woman he loved. Always.

It wasn't this that made Kate break away. It wasn't her guilt, or the sun, or Jack's lip that fit so perfectly in to hers. If she'd had her way, she'd have kissed him forever.

But she didn't. She couldn't.

Jack expected Sawyer to hit him as he pulled away, he even expected Ana to do so, but he was surprised when his Kate stingingly slapped his cheek. He rolled his eyes as he saw what she was doing. She was denying.

She was still pretending.

Sawyer knew better.

She followed him at a run as he walked off to the jungle. Kate was impulsive. Too much so.

Sawyer shook her off as she clutched his arm, willing her to look at him. Suddenly, he almost felt relieved. At least the charade was off. At least she was no longer the innocent, smothered by his love.

As she grabbed his arm again and attempted to turn him around to face her, he backhanded her. She reeled back in shock and he disappeared in to the jungle without looking back.

She glanced back to where Jack still stood, talking to Ana-Lucia.

For the first time in her life, she had nowhere left to run.


Ana-Lucia had known for months, and Jack had known she'd known. It was as if she'd been slowly peeling off a band aid for months, and suddenly it was ripped from her. She felt completely detached. Everyone on the island, everyone that existed her, stared at them in surprise. They weren't sympathetic. They were even smug. She'd hurt them, and now she was being hurt. They didn't care what happened to her. No one did.

It wasn't exactly a coincidence when she ran into Sawyer in the jungle. He walked loudly. She ran fast.

He silently regarded her, the same thoughts in his eyes that she felt in her heart. She maintained eye contact with him as she stripped off her black tank top. She shrugged her bare shoulders.

"They have it coming."

Sawyer stared at her. Kate would always love someone else. He'd always love her. The life he wanted was over forever.

Ana-Lucia looked expectantly at him. He scoffed.

Some people just didn't get it.

Unfortunately, he was one of them.