A/N: One again, thank you all for the reviews, constructive criticism is ALWAYS welcome.

ANOTHER A/N: sorry that it's taken me so long to update, but I've had a maths test on Monday, a science test and a history test yesterday (do I really care about Pythagoras' bloody Theorem, ecology or the Islamic world during the middle ages?) and an English assessment which I handed in today! (stupid anecdote!)

DISCLAIMER: yeah, yeah, you know the drill

CONFESSIONS DURING KARATE

About a week later, Jack woke up a lot earlier than usual. I'm talking 'crack of dawn' earlier. He had been thinking about what Luke had said to him before, but still couldn't bring himself to face Kate. He decided that he needed a break from everything and went for a walk. He started walking through the jungle aimlessly in the general direction of the beach. Suddenly he heard strange noises in a small clearing off to his right. He peaked around a tree and got a shock from what he saw.

Kate and Luke, both in loose fitting tracksuit pants, Kate wearing a white tank top and Luke wearing no shirt at all. What were the doing? They were practicing karate and chatting between kicks and punches!

Jack decided to watch, but then got another shock when he realised what was so familiar about this place. It was the clearing where Kate kissed him!

Luke suddenly threw a punch at Kate that she easily dodged.

"You're losing your touch!" She laughed, but then got a shock when he suddenly dropped to the ground and kicked her legs out from under her, but before he could pin her down she pushed herself off of the ground and back flipped out of he way.

"Not bad," commented Luke as they started to circle each other, "You've been practicing."

"I like to do my homework," she smirked at him. This playful teasing, along with the kicks and the punches went on for a few minutes when Luke suddenly asked:

"I'm going to move to the caves, want to come with me?"

"You know perfectly well that I'm not going to move to the caves," Kate replied indignantly.

"Come on Katie," Luke laughed, "it's about time you got over this claustrophobia of yours!"

"Easy for you to say!" she retorted angrily, throwing another punch at him, "Wayne didn't lock you in the tiny cupboard under the stairs for a whole day and a whole night when you were ten!"

This shocked both Jack and Luke.

"He what!" Yelled Luke suddenly stopping

Big mistake.

Kate took this opportunity to do a spinning kick, which he ducked at the last minute.

(A/N: They keep trying to pin the other to the ground during this conversation, neither one doing better that the other. I'm not going to describe many more of the techniques because I know nothing about karate and I don't want to embarrass myself by trying)

"The point is that I am not moving to the caves, too closed in. Can we please change the subject now?"

"Ok then," smirked Luke, "Jack."

"What about him?" snapped Kate.

"You like him."

"What in the world would have given you that idea?" she replied in an icy tone.

"You're avoiding him."

"So."

"Come on Katie, I know you. The last time you were this desperate to have nothing to do with someone was when you realised that you loved Tom."

Jack was stunned speechless.

"And I've talked to everyone around here and they all say that you and Jack used to flirt and talk all of the time."

"I flirt and chat with Sawyer, that doesn't mean anything."

"Come on Katie, I think I've pretty much figured out what happened."

"Then enlighten me Dr Phil."

"You and Jack had an argument, he started hanging out with Ana Lucia, you felt lonely and felt that the only person you could turn to was another criminal low-life like yourself, aka, Sawyer."

A stunned and VERY awkward pause followed this statement.

"Wow, you're good," Kate finally managed to choke out.

"Thank you," he replied smugly.

Another awkward pause.

"Come on Katie, just tell him how you feel!"

"I can't! We can't be together, we just can't!"

"Honestly I'm sure we've had this conversation before. Now why not?"

"It isn't as simple as it was with Tom!" she finally yelled.

"I repeat: Why not!"

"Because that was in High School, and all I was worried about then was that Tom being seen with me, the daughter of a drunken bastard, would ruin his reputation and his chances of becoming a doctor like he always wanted! Don't you understand! It's much more complicated this time! After Tom died I swore that I'd never love again! I swore that no one else would ever suffer because of me! That's why it's different! I spent five years building a wall around myself to keep people out so that they wouldn't get hurt, and then Jack comes along and tears it down in a few short weeks! Not to mention that he's a perfectly respectable surgeon and I'm a wanted criminal! I'm not good enough for him! I know that no matter how hard I try I'll only end up disappointing him! About two weeks ago in this very clearing I finally gave in and kissed him! When I realised that I had gone too far and crossed the line I did the only thing I knew how to. I ran. It's not that I like running, it's just that it's the only thing I know how to do! Once, before this God damn island, and after Tom, I came close to falling in love but ran as soon as I realised how I felt! I thought that it was hard to run away from him, but it was nothing compared to running away from Jack! I turned to look over my shoulder at him as I ran away! I've never looked back before! How does he do this to me? How can he make me feel so safe and yet so vulnerable at the same time! Not even Tom could made me feel like this!" She yelled at her brother.

I think I might take a second to tell you about their position at this time. Luke was lying face down on the ground with one of Kate's knees digging into the small of his back. She had also twisted his right arm around behind his back in a position that looked anything but comfortable. Luke suddenly jerked up and put Kate in a similar position to the one he had been in a moment ago.

"Listen to me Katie," He said quietly, "I can't say that I understand everything that you've been through, but I'm going to ask you this, what does Jack have in common with Tom?"

Kate paused at the unexpected question and then answered, "Well, Jack's a doctor like Tom was. Jack has the same strange obsession that Tom had, he has to fix things, he can never just let it slide," She suddenly laughed and said, "I always admired their determination and their unwillingness to give up. Ummm, what else? He only ever sees things in black and white, he refuses to see the grey. Just like Tom refused to see me as anything other than 'Katie, The Girl Next Door', Jack seems determined to picture me as a hardened criminal with no heart and no regrets." Kate sighed sadly.

"And how are they different?" asked Luke

Kate thought for a minute.

"Jack is more of a leader than Tom was. Tom was always in the background, unwilling to take charge. Jack was reluctant too, but he did what needed to be done for the good of everyone when Tom would have refused point blank. Also, even though Tom was determined, he was impatient and he would eventually give up. He seemed completely unfazed whenever a patient of his died, whereas Jack seems to go into denial whenever he thinks he's going to lose someone or something. Charlie and Claire once got kidnapped by the Others and Jack and I followed the trail into the jungle where we found Charlie hanging by a noose in a tree. We cut him down and Jack kept giving him CPR, even after about two minutes. I told him to accept that Charlie was dead but he kept going and, against all odds, Charlie started to breathe again. Knowing Tom he probably would have given up after the first minute." Kate shoved her brother off of her and sat up, "Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because you needed to say certain things out loud before you could accept them," answered Luke as he dusted himself off, "I'll see you later, ok?"

"Sure," replied Kate in a dazed and confused voice before walking off. As soon as Kate was out of earshot he said, "You can come out now Jack."

Jack sighed and decided to face the music. He walked out from behind the tree to see a very amused Luke buttoning up his shirt.

"I should go talk to her huh?" Jack mumbled without being able to meet Luke's eyes.

"I'd give her a day to think and then confront her. Katie's an early riser so I'd try to catch her around dawn tomorrow," Luke smiled knowingly. "I don't think that I'll be moving to the caves now, I think I'm needed at the beach. See you later Jack."

And just like Kate did, he Luke walked off.

A/N: It might take me a while to update as I have another HUGE English assessment that needs doing, but more reviews might motivate me enough to write more sooner!