Chapter 2: Admissions

When Kate awoke it was morning and the fire was dead. She didn't' open her eyes right away because somehow she felt comfortable. She wondered for a moment where she was. Then she remembered what had happened the night before. She opened her eyes and saw the jungle. She felt something warm behind her and looked over her shoulder to see Jack. He was asleep and had his arms around her. She smiled slightly. Kate turned so she was facing Jack. One of her hands she let rest on his shoulder. The other gently stroked his face.

She started whispering to him even though she knew he couldn't hear her. "Jack, I'm sorry. I've been an idiot. You aren't Tom. I shouldn't hurt both of us because I'm scared his fate will be yours. We have enough to worry about without us fighting. I'm just so scared Jack. I love you so much and I know I have to tell you what I did but I'm afraid you'll leave. I'm afraid that you'll just treat me like everyone else has." she paused and buried her head in his neck. "I killed my father. I didn't know he was my father until just before I killed him. Until that point I thought that Sam Austen was my father, not Wayne Janson. He beat up my mom, was a drunk. And he beat me up too. So I killed him. But the funny thing is even though I did it to save my mom, she still loved him. She loved him even though he beat her. Even though he beat me. I don't want you to leave like the rest of them Jack. I don't want to be alone again." Kate sighed and felt tears sting her eyes again.

"I'm not going anywhere Kate." Kate's head shot up and she saw that Jack was awake.

"You-you heard me?" she asked in a choked voice.

Jack nodded. "I'm not going anywhere Kate. I don't care what you did. I don't care. It doesn't matter anymore. We're not going off this island Kate. Our pasts...that's exactly what it is. The past. It doesn't matter anymore." He looked into her gray-green eyes with his dark ones. "I said it last night Kate. I love you. Nothing could ever, ever change that." He reached up his hand and stroked her cheek.

Kate felt tears run down her face but she smiled through them. "I love you too Jack. I love you too." Jack smiled and leaned down to capture her lips with his.

"Thank you Jack. For everything." she whispered when they broke apart.

"I'd do anything for you Kate. You should know that." he smiled at her.

Kate smiled back. "I know. I know Jack."

The End