Chapter 3

Kate looked up at Jack sensing that he had something on his mind. 'Oh no here it was she thought he didn't want things to get more serious between them, the kiss the night before was a mistake.

She held her breath dreading the words she was sure he'd speak.

"I don't want you to come with tomorrow" okay that wasn't what she expected to hear.

"Before you start arguing just hear me out" he insisted as he saw the look on her face.

"Jack" she started to object

"Please Kate" something in his voice made her hold back on the argument.

"Claire, Rose, Bernard, and a few others are staying behind and Locke's leg… he can't go either"

"But my leg is fine and I can shoot and track. Don't do this again Jack. Sun is my friend, I can help"

"I know. I don't doubt that, I know you're capable but …" He trailed off not sure how to put his thoughts into words.

"but what?" she could sense his internal struggle but she wasn't going to let him off the hook this easy if he didn't want her to go he'd better have a damn good reason this time.

"I can't let something happen to you" well there he thought she was going to make this difficult. Force him to break down his own barriers.

" It's not up to you to protect me, Jack and just 2 days ago you asked me to come with you, what's different now?

"Everything. Nothing. Damn it Kate. This is going to be dangerous we're going to need someone capable to stay here"

"Locke is capable to protect the ones staying behind, that's a lousy excuse and you know it" she was getting just a little peeved at him. why can he trust her one day and the next push her aside. "I'm a big girl I can take care of myself, this isn't your decision."

"Why do you have to be so headstrong stubborn about everything" He let out a breath shaking his head.

"you're the one who came to tell me I cant come with. I know it's going to be dangerous we've been in dangerous situations before. What's different now?"

Jack sighed held her gaze for a long moment, then after what felt like hours broke the gaze and stared into the fire. She sensed he had something big on his mind.

"Kate, last time I told you not to come I was angry but then when you followed and they held you with a gun to your head…" he paused not sure how to tell her this he'd barely gotten his head around it all himself.

"When they had the gun to your head it felt like the world stopped. I was terrified, frozen with fear, I counted to 5 but for the first time in my life it didn't work. The fear just intensified. I thought they were going to kill you."

"Jack…" but he just continued afraid if he stopped now he might not have the guts to tell her this again.

"Then after he let you go when I was sure you were ok. The anger returned at you for not listening but mostly at myself for feeling like that, I knew I had no right telling you to stay. I was confused everything was, is just so damn confusing"

She gave him a small smile' you can say that again'.

"2 days ago when I asked you to come with me, I did it for my own selfish reasons. I wanted to try and fix things between us again. I missed you. I was advised to take someone with me and couldn't think of anyone I'd rather have with than you. I never went to Sayid first I came straight to you."

Kate was surprised by this "why didn't you just say so"

"I wanted to keep a bit of a cover; I wasn't sure how you'd feel about that, feel about everything that happened"

Kate licked her lips, that little motion made Jack switch positions a bit uncomfortably again.

His heartbeat was going at marathon speed. He was sure she was going to get up and run again any minute now.

But she didn't she reached out a hand to touch his. A bolt of electricity shot up through both of them at the simple small touch.

"I'm glad you asked me and I missed you too" she said her voice sounding huskier than normal. "But that still doesn't mean I'm not coming with tomorrow."

"Kate please I can't lose you" The words slipped out before he could stop himself.

She gripped his hand tighter didn't know what to say. He dropped his gaze towards the rain outside.

"You won't lose me Jack and what about you? what if I asked you to stay because I'm afraid something will happen to you? Will you stay?"

"Kate it's different. I have to go"

"So do I. Please Jack. Trust me to have your back again. We can do this together. You don't have to do everything on your own. There's always danger, threats here. And who says its safer staying here. Sun was taken from here"

Jack sighed, how was he supposed to argue with that? "Ok" he breathed in deep and concentrated on their hands touching.

He felt her lean closer reached over with her other hand to touch the side of his face lifting his head so she could see his eyes that were dark with emotion and something else. Desire.

It felt like his cheek was on fire where she touched it. He knew his feelings were bare in his eyes but he suddenly didn't care anymore.

She was still here. Why not take the leap. What else was the alternative? Continuing on as they had the past 2 months? He didn't think he could do that.

For a moment he saw something cross her eyes and feared she'd pull away but she didn't. "I think I'm falling in love with you" he whispered.

The words had barely passed over his lips before she was kissing him.

He was startled when she pulled her hand out of his and he backed off to look at her. Putting both of her hands around his neck, she pulled his face close to hers again. As they continued to kiss, her hands roamed over his shoulders and down his chest. He was mildly surprised to feel her tugging his shirt out of his pants.

He had moved from her lips to her neck, kissing and nibbling his way down to her shoulder. She sighed softly across his ear and ran her hands, which were now under his shirt, lightly across his chest.

He ducked his head slightly to briefly move down to kiss her ear, nuzzling her neck He then moved his hand up to brush her hair aside, revealing the soft skin of her neck. He opened his mouth and bent his head down, letting his mouth fall on the crook of her neck and shoulder. He let his tongue slip over the soft skin to taste her.

Kate exhaled suddenly. She reached for his shirt and started unbuttoning it.

He froze under her touch, not breathing, mesmerized by her eyes. They were darker than normal, focused on the buttons on his shirt.

She slowly unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his muscled torso and noticed the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Placing her hands lightly on his shoulders and sliding his shirt off them, she pushed him back, forcing him to lie down. She took the opportunity to straddle him, offering herself a better position from which to explore him.

His body unwittingly sprang to attention, rising under her command, seeking her mouth.

She leaned forward and kissed around the edges of his full, moist lips, drugging him, she let her tongue glide lightly along the outside of his mouth. He brought his hand up to grasp behind her head, at her neck, allowing him some control of her movements.

He then brought her mouth to his. His mouth opened and his tongue entered her, moving over her lips, her teeth, exploring her thoroughly. She tasted sweet and hot. His tongue moved deeper into her mouth, possessing all of it.

A sigh deep in her throat emerged and he felt his muscles tighten. He brought his other hand around to grasp her side, pulling her whole body to him and rolling them over in one fluid motion when she was flat on he back trapped under him he pressed himself to her. His hands slid up under her t-shirt, lifting it to expose her abdomen underneath.

She pulled back slightly and nipped at his throat, drawing her nails down his back.

He groaned quietly.

Desire ran through them both like molten lava. Neither was aware of anything except the other. One bruising kiss followed another; they explored each other's bodies with possessive hands and mouths.

His arm continued to pull her fiercely to his pelvis and she could feel the shudders shaking his core, could feel the restraint tearing at his sanity.

He managed to lift himself up enough and smiling at her, he pulled the t-shirt all the way up and over her head, revealing the soft tanned color of her skin contrasted against the white bra she wore. He let his fingers graze the tips of her breasts and then cupped them, rubbing their tips with his thumbs. Kate jolted and moaned.

He bent over her to taste the hollow of her throat as he deftly undid the bra and tossed it out of the way.

Kate's eyes closed in pleasure as he drifted downward to lick around the edge of her right breast in teasing circles, working inward slowly - slowly. He wanted to be slow with her, make this last.

Her head fell back, a cry escaping her parted lips as he finally closed his mouth upon the already-hardened nipple, grazing it with his teeth, and then caressing it with his tongue. After a few moments, he moved to give the other one the same meticulous attention, loving the way her soft flesh molded to his lips.

He gently began stroking her hair and neck with his hands, from her shoulder down her arm to the rise of her hip.

Her hands traveled down below to grasp his swelling erection. He could feel his body responding to her so quickly and he needed to rein himself in.

But Kate had other ideas as she cupped and stroked him through the heavy material of his jeans.

He reached down to unbutton her jeans slowly sliding them down her legs.

She reached up pulled his mouth down to hers. He met her fiercely, his hands closing upon the sensitized flesh of her breast. They stayed locked in that position for a few moments, then he reluctantly released her mouth, both gasping for breath.

With every intention of taking it slowly, he began to kiss his way down the length of her body, pausing to breath in her warm, sweet scent of her breasts, to taste again each rosy tip, to bite at the gently-rounded skin of her belly. But his desire to know all of her rose sharply as he stripped away her remaining undergarments, pulled up away from her, then came down covering her, silencing her with another passionate kiss.

Her whole body coiled tightly as she felt him through the barrier between them. Reaching her hand down, she unzipped his pants and pushed them over his hips. He paused momentarily to take them off entirely. She turned her head to the side and watched their shadows against the side of the tent. It was dark outside and they could just barely make out the other's silhouette in the glistening moonlight peering in through the side of the tent the rain had stopped at some point since he came to sit next to her and now as their breathing both quickened holding on tightly to each other, wanting more, needing more.

She let her arms go around him, stroking his long muscled back, reaching to clasp his buttocks, to bring their two bodies together.

His body was screaming, broken with the longing for satisfaction. Capturing her mouth in his, he let his hand fall between her legs and started stroking her.

She gasped into his mouth as he snaked a finger inside her. With his free hand he pulled off his own boxers in one swift motion.

As he once again leaned forward, bracing himself over her with his arms, he contemplated with half a mind his desire for her. He was hard, ready, holding himself back for her benefit. A primitive part of him longed only to enter her, fill her with his erection, poised in potent desire for her.

Feeling him settle down between her legs, she moaned into his mouth, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Please..." she murmured against his lips, "now."

In response, he poised himself to enter her. She clutched at him wildly, but as her passion-filled eyes met the question in his, she sighed and forced herself to relax. She was desperate. Moving her legs tighter around his hips, she dragged him to her, pulling him inside her, and he groaned as she did so, unprepared for the warm heat enveloping him.

His hips moved of their own volition. Her unexpected movements hadn't allowed him to anticipate this. He clung to her shoulders and thrust into her, the rippling within him overlapping with her sighs.

They started with a slow, easy motion at first, moving rhythmically and, always, in total synchronicity. But neither remained in control for very long and their movements quickened. Jack thrust into her over and over, harder and faster. She arched her hips up against him, inviting him, welcoming him.

Kate was straining to hold back, panting, with every thrust. She circled her hips, whimpered, and shook her head, her hair encircling her head like a halo. She felt a small earthquake inside her, knocking over her barriers, breaking her reef of pent-up frustrations, letting his body carry her away. She was close to it. Seeing her eyes close and her biting her lower lip, he quickened himself, allowing his animal instincts to overwhelm him. He leaned into her sweet embrace and sank his teeth into her neck, at the same time letting a hand reach behind her to grasp her buttocks and bring her to him more fully. She spread herself open, letting the expanse of her depths shelter his desire.

When she felt herself dancing the precipice, so close to drowning, she succumbed to his heat and let the tides crash over her. She cried out, shrieked and spasmed around him. Her eyes glazed over with pleasure and the waves of pleasure were unimaginable.

Jack thrust faster, endlessly, couldn't wait, couldn't stop, he was lost in her. And then he felt his own release, exploding inside her, shaking him relentlessly with the strength of it. Jack's body shook, while Kate dug her teeth so deeply into his shoulder she pierced the skin. For one brief moment, their bodies, minds, and souls melded into one.

Their limbs haplessly entwined, they felt sleep drift over their conscious state and they pulled their bodies closer, tied perpetually together.