Chapter 122
Ana ran quickly through the dark, hurrying back to Jack; she was beginning to regret what she had done because if Jack ever found out...she didn't want to think about it. The Foundation was looming ahead; she could see the stars reflecting from the polished glass and she burst from the bushes, sprinting to the door as she pulled out the security card she had lifted from Jack's pocket.

There was still no one at the desk and she popped over it, pressing the button before leaping down and going to the entrance to the courtyard; only then did she slow down and cautiously push open the door, peeking out. No one. Sighing with relief she pushed the door all the way open and walked in to the darkened yard and sat wearily down on one of the benches, resting her head in her hands.

She didn't understand; if she was an angel, if she was supposed to be good, then why was it so easy for her to slide, to let her feelings take over for her brain and help Jack down the wrong path? Why wasn't she guiding him instead of letting him choose the road that would affect both of them? Why wasn't she fighting it?

It was too late now, she had let him make his choice and there was no going back and so there was no going back for Ana either; she loved him and he needed her, she couldn't leave him now.

"Man's power of choice enables him to think like an angel or a devil, a king or a slave," Locke's voice made her jump and he loomed in front of her, out of the shadows, his eyes glining in the starlight, "Whatever he chooses mind will create and manifest." His voice was quiet and clear and Ana felt paranoia creep upon her as he stared and said, "Do you believe that, Ana? Do you believe that the path you choose really matters?"

Did she? Did it really matter to her what became of anyone else because of her actions, or Jack's? She was surprised at her answer. "No." The act in the glade had been the last, the last good thing she would do that didn't benefit either her or Jack; no one else mattered anymore. I think I am a devil, she thought, and so I am.

"Good, Ana." He glanced up at the sky making his eyes twinkle. "It's the ends that matter, not the means." He paused and glanced over at her, still sitting warily on the bench and he said, "Have you been to see him?"

She froze and shook her head, feeling a little panicky; had something happened? Was he okay? Swallowing her fears, she shook her head trying not to sound scared. "No, why? Everything okay?"

She didn't do a very good job and Locke touched her shoulder gently, making her recoil from his touch as he said, "He's fine, he's fine. They brought him out of the room a few minutes ago-"

He didn't bother to finish; she was already halfway across the courtyard.

-----

Sawyer built a fire with a careless flick of his hand and he held Kate tight in his lap, wrapping his body around hers, like a shield; after everything Ana had told them he was suddenly very, very glad Sara was there and he whispered into Kate's ear, "You were right, Freckles."

She glanced up at him in mock surprise. "Moi? I was right? About what?"

He gave her a scornful look. "Don't be an ass, Kate." She rolled her eyes as he said, "Having an angel doesn't hurt."

"You've got room to talk about being an ass," she muttered under her breath, making him grin as she said, aloud, "No, it doesn't."

Sara was sitting across the fire from them, smiling gently; she was sure that the earlier confrontation between herself and Ana had scared them and it was good to see them laughing, over the initial shock. "Well, thank you. I don't mind being here myself."

They both turned to her and Kate grinned; she had forgotten, wrapped so comfortably in Sawyer's arms that there actually was an angel there. Well, that there was actually anyone there at all. "That was an interesting display of the Bible, Sara. Did you know all of that before?"

She grinned, shaking her head. "Hardly. I spend all of my reading time going over papers and reading literary analyses of the books we're studying in class. I think that other knowledge comes with the territory." She glanced at Sawyer, who had his forehead against the top of Kate's head and she said, "I hear you read a lot, Sawyer. Ever read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?"

He lifted his head and smiled. "As a matter of fact, I have." His finger slid lightly along Kate's arm as he said, "It was a long time ago though."

Sara smiled, watching as Kate lifted her face to his, goosebumps erupting beneath his fingers; he kissed her tenderly, his hand moving to cup the side of her face gently and reverently until Kate pulled back, flushed and glowing. "So, anyway," she ignored Kate's slightly embarassed grin and continued, "we just finished reading it at the end of last year, while we were sudying Biblical allegories in modern literature. Four children are taken to live with an eccentric uncle during World War Two and they discover a magical wardrobe that takes them to another world. Three of the children fall in with some talking animals but the fourth is taken in by the White Witch, who keeps all of the land in perpetual winter." She paused, making sure Kate and Sawyer were listening. "The three children are taken to meet Aslan, the giant lion, the King of Everything, pure and holy. They love him immediately, without reservation or reason, they love him because he is." She stared steadily at Sawyer as she spoke, and then she continued. "The fourth child, the Judas, he betrays Aslan to the White Witch and she traps and sacrifices him, but in truth it is he who sacrifices himself, to spare the life of the Judas." She shook her head at the way he tightened his grip around Kate. "Don't read too much into it, Sawyer. It's just a story and my point lies elsewhere." He didn't seem very comforted. "In the end, Aslan is resurrected and he joins the children's animal army, finally defeating the White Witch and saving Narnia."

He glanced down at Kate, looking a little dubious. "Animal army?"

Kate was shaking her head. Of course. She'd been an idiot not to think of it; even Sara had said the animals were turning. "James, of course. You can talk to them, they love you." He still seemed unsure and she sighed, "You're already using the birds, James. Think of all of the other things here, like the horse, and the polar bear, and the giraffe-"

"What the hell is a giraffe gonna do?"

"What?"

"Well, I mean, I can see the horse, 'cause we can ride it, and the polar bear is obvious, what with the claws and teeth, but what the hell will a giraffe do? We gonna use it's neck to scale the castle walls?"

"I was just naming off what we knew was here. Don't be such an ass." She beamed at him wickedly. "Or a Jack."

"Now that really hurt, Freckles. I was simply pointin' out that a giraffe ain't gonna be much use in an army. What we need are the big brawny ones, like..." his eyes wandered to hers and he smiled, "...like a boar."

A huge smile lit up her face, blinding him for a second with its brilliance and she said, "A boar, huh? And what's a boar gonna do?"

His voice was soft and Sara could tell that they had forgotten she was there again and she loved how they could weave a spell around themselves to keep out the rest of the world; in their golden bubble nothing existed but them. "I think you know what it can do, Freckles," he teased, and his hand brushed her cheek where the boar had scratched her, so long ago...was it really only two and a half months? "That was the day I decided I was going to get a kiss from you."

Her eyes were shining and as she said, "Oh, really?"

"Mm-hmm. You goin' off into the jungle with Locke and Michael worried me 'cause neither one struck me as very stable. I even made an offering to the Gods for your safe return, Milady," he teased, his eyes dancing with the same light as hers, "I gave Mamacita some of the wallets from my stash for her memorial."

Kate grinned, nodding. "I'm sure that was quite a sacrifice, too."

"It's the thought that counts, sweetheart. Proven by the fact that you came back, safe and sound. Almost." His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek again. "You had on an orange shirt and the sleeves were pushed up under the straps of your backpack. You were sweaty and dirty and bloody, I was so relieved to see you come back I had to stop myself from running to you." He stopped, swallowing a little as he looked away. "I wanted to...I wanted to kiss you, you were so goddamn beautiful, and I made up my mind that I would kiss you." He pecked her on the cheek, then said, cockily, "And the rest is history. So now you see the power of the boar." His cheeks flushed a little at Kate's somewhat amazed look.

"You remember what I was wearing?"

He hesitated and she could see an earnest remark on his lips but he said, "If I'm gonna mentally undress you, Sweetheart, I gotta know what I'm takin' off." He shook his head, grinning ruefully. "All of that and you're impressed that I remember what you had on?"

She took his hand and held it to her cheek, gazing up at his blue eyes as she said, "Yeah."

He kissed her, his lips lingering on hers, tasting them as he whispered, "You really are one of a kind, Kate. One of a kind."

-----

Ana was beside him holding his hand when he woke up and he jerked in panic against the binds that held him to the bed, groaning in fear until his eyes came into focus and he saw her; afraid but trying to hide it behind a sweet smile. He stopped struggling and smiled at her weakly as she said, "Hey, Jack. You okay?"

He nodded, speechless at how glad he was to find her next to him; she cared, she loved him. He'd been terrified that she would leave, that he'd be doing this for nothng and to find her there waiting; his heart nearly exploded with emotion. "Yeah," His voice was hoarse as she leaned forward, kissing him softly. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Where else would I be?" She untied the binds around his wrists and moved to his feet.

He sat up, groaning a little and rubbing his wrists as she touched the cut over his eyes where he had slammed into the door. "I feel a little woozy," he said, and she slid onto the bed behind him, sliding her hands beneath his shirt and hugging him, her face pressed against the strong muscles of his back. "Ana..." Her hands circled his waist and she could feel his breath evening out gradually as she held him.

"Jack, are you okay, really?" His hands covered hers, playing with her fingers and he nodded. "I was worried about you...I was scared something would go wrong."

"I love you, Ana." He didn't turn to look at her; it was just something he felt he needed to say and her nails scratching gently across his chest was answer enough for him. He leaned back until he was in her lap and pulling her head down to his he kissed her; it quickly grew more frenzied and within minutes they were thrashing frantically around on the cot, a mad tangle of arms and legs and lips and flying clothes.

He was beginning to feel different but he didn't say anything to Ana; he couldn't form any coherent words anyway, not with her skin so hot against his because his senses were heightened, he felt more, every sensation was more vivid, more real than anything he had ever known. Her fingertips blazed like fire and her tongue scorched like the sun and he moaned as she slid over him, sighing softly as he began to move against her, already frantic and frenzied and she cried out, arching her back as he groaned and spasmed, grasping her hair and pulling her mouth to his. It was too much, the sensation; he was tingling and shuddering as Ana's tongue met his and he came close to the edge of concoiuosness as she tensed and groaned again, panting as she slumped across his sweaty chest. "Wow."

Her body felt like rubber; she was limp and spent and she just lay, basking, as Jack shuffled around until he got the sheet pulled up over them and he grinned happily as he cuddled with her, holdng her sweaty, pliable body to his and kissing her; each time his lips touched her his emotions would soar and he would pull her closer. "I love you, Ana, " he whispered, trembling against her as his hands slid around her, "Stay with me."

His constant insecurity was sweet and it made her feel protective; his face was buried in her shoulder and he didn't see her eyes begin to glow red like the coals of a campfire as she kissed the top of his head, her hands burning his skin as she said, fiercely, "Oh, Jack, I wouldn't be anywhere else."