Ok we're on to Chapter 13, please remember to review so I know you are all reading.
Chapter 13
Kate woke up to the feel of Jack gently caressing her face and saying her name. Opening her eyes she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed, unlike her he was fully clothed. She smiled sleepily at him as her eyes adjusted to being awake.
"Hey sweetheart" Jack said smiling at her.
Kate sat up holding the blanket to her naked body. She leaned forward and their lips met in a gentle kiss it soon deepened and Kate found herself tugging Jack to follow her back onto the bed.
"No baby, I can't" he said breathlessly breaking the kiss. He smiled as he saw Kate pout, "It's morning, I have to head out." Jack said placing a kiss on her forehead.
"No" Kate said throwing her arms around him hugging him tightly. "You can go later come back to bed" Kate said huskily. Jack sighed he knew this would be hard for the both of them to say goodbye especially since it could be the last time they ever see each other. He shook his head he didn't need any of those thoughts going through his mind.
"I have to go talk to Sayid, why don't you get dressed and then I'll come back to say goodbye ok?" Jack said gently stroking her hair. He pulled back and could see Kate's lower lip tremble slightly as she fought to not cry. She nodded but even when he tried to get up he had to gently pry her arms from around him. He exited the tent and headed down towards Sayid's shelter. He just needed to go over last minute details.
"Hey man" he said quietly when he saw Sayid waiting for him. It was still very early with the sky just only breaking light so Jack didn't want to disturb the people around. "Ok I'm going to head out as soon as I talk to Kate; I should make it to the other side of the camp by tonight, early tomorrow morning at the latest. I'm hoping to make it while it's still dark and then have a full day to scout. It's Tuesday so I should be back late Thursday early Friday. We can discuss the plans and be ready to move by Sunday or Monday."
"Good. What if you're not back by Friday?" Sayid asked softly.
Jack shot a glance back at his tent making sure Kate wasn't in hearing range. "If I'm not back by Friday night then you have to assume I'm out of play. It's going to be up to you if you want to continue on with the information from Michael. Look Sayid we have to be realistic there is a good chance that I'm not going to make it back, if that happens I need you to watch out for Kate for me. You know how she gets and how blasted stubborn she can be. She'll want to come out and look for me and that can't happen, she can't risk herself like that."
Sayid gave Jack a sad smile, "Hopefully that won't happen and you'll return just fine, but if things do go wrong Kate will be cared for my friend."
Jack let out a small sigh of relief; he knew he could count on Sayid. "I don't know if you heard about it or not but Sawyer and Kate got into a little tussle yesterday, everything should be resolved but Kate is going to stay with Claire and Jin has given me his word he'll watch out for her."
"How is she handling your leaving?" Sayid asked
"I don't know" Jack said rubbing the back of his neck "I think she's upset but she's trying to be brave and not show it."
"Shannon said she had planned a girl's only slumber party tonight to help keep Kate busy." Sayid said with a rueful smile, "Something tells me Shannon is bound and determined to make sure Kate is busy and happy at all times while you're gone.
Jack smiled, "Good she could use the fun, Shannon is a good friend to help her out, tell her I appreciate it. I should get back to Kate I promised I'd say goodbye to her before I left."
"Good luck Jack and may whatever god it is that you hold protect you in return." Sayid held out his hand and the two shook hands and leaned in to give the manly slap on the back hug.
Jack headed back to his and Kate's shelter to say goodbye, when he came in he saw her fully dressed and frantically tearing apart his suitcase. Looking at her strangely he cleared his throat. Kate looked up at him and his heart broke to see Kate with a wild look in her eye as tears stream down her face.
"I can't find it Jack where is it?" she asked him in a panic. Jack thought she was talking about her little toy plane. He had last seen it by her bag. He walked over and opened the little side pocket and pulled out the plane.
"Here baby it's right here." He said holding it out to her. He watched as she turned quickly to him and then watched as her face fell.
"No, no not that I don't want that, where is your shirt Jack?" Kate asked going back to his suitcase.
"Hey hey calm down" he spoke gently taking her in his arms trying to calm her so he could figure out what it was that she wanted. She relaxed against his chest, "Ok now tell me what you're looking for and I can help you look for it. Now what shirt is it?' Jack asked softly.
"The white dress shirt, the one from the day of the crash." Kate's voice was muffled as her face was pressed into his chest. Jack still wasn't sure what was going on but his eyes quickly scanned their space when he saw the shirt tucked under the suitcase she had minutes before been ripping to shreds. He gently let her go and retrieved the shirt and brought it back to her. When Kate saw it her eyes lit up and she snatched from him and hugged it close to her chest.
"You want to tell me what's going on?" he asked her gently. She glanced up and a couple rouge tears slipped down her cheeks.
"It's the shirt you were wearing when we first met" Kate said still clutching the shirt. "It smells like you I need it Jack I need it to get me through the next couple of days." She let out a sob "Oh god Jack I don't know if I can do this. What if you don't come back I can't live without you." She threw her arms around him and let the sobs overtake her. Jack just rocked her back and forth stroking her curls.
"Look at me sweetheart come on look at me" Jack said when she started to calm down; he tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes. Even red and tearstained they were the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. Deep down he knew this could be the last time he would have a chance to hold and love her but he couldn't let those thoughts go to her. "Hey, I'm coming back ok? I've done this before and I will be careful and in a couple of days I'll be back and we'll be together ok" he said in a soft and calming tone. Kate looked at him and nodded needing to feel his strength and belief that he will return.
"Just come back to me Jack, if it gets bad just come back. You and Sayid can figure something else out. And be careful of the security system and the polar bears too." Kate said brushing off the dirt on his shirt and straightened his collar, the move was so domestic that Jack couldn't help smile a bit.
"Ok honey I have to get going, I know you have your slumber party tonight, please stay with Claire for the rest of the time for me please. If you need anything Jin and Sayid can help you. Come here and let me hold you before I go." Jack pulled Kate tightly into his embrace. He felt her hug him back still clutching his shirt in her hand. He kissed the side of her head. She looked up at him and their lips met in a desperate kiss each trying to get closer to the other. After a few minutes of heavy kissing Jack reluctantly pulled away. He smiled at her.
"You take care of yourself and the little one that might be growing inside you as we speak." Jack let his hand gently caress her firm tummy. Kate nodded seriously she would protect his baby with everything she had. Jack cleared his throat and forced the emotions threatening to tear him up back down, it wouldn't be good for Kate to see him break. "Ok so I'll see you soon" he leaned over and gently caressed her lips with his own. With a final squeeze he walked out of the shelter. He saw Sayid and Shannon by their tent he waved to them and they waved back. As he headed away he heard Kate tear out of the tent yelling his name. Jack turned just in time to catch her as she flew into his arms. She kissed him hard and slipped her tongue into his mouth trying to put everything she felt into this one kiss. Jack hugged her back tightly returning the kiss with the same amount of passion and love. Finally when they broke for air Jack saw the tears slip down her face, they were quiet tears unlike the sobs she had cried earlier. He wiped them gently and kissed her sweetly one last time. He pulled away and looked at her.
"I love you Katherine Austin" he said smiling at her.
"I love you too Jack Shephard" her voice quivered. She restrained herself from throwing herself at his mercy and begging him to stay. He gave her a wink and turned to head into the jungle. Kate stood in the exact spot watching even when he was out of her eyesight. She suddenly felt herself being pulled into a hug and found herself being comforted by Shannon. Kate broke down and sobbed into her friend's shoulder.
OK I know I said this was going to be the slumber party chapter but I decided to dedicate this chapter just to their goodbye. So next chapter will be more upbeat.
