A/N:I apoligize for not updating...but wow...reviews are great!Thank you guys so much.
Being as a new season won't be up til what...september?We have FanFic...that's good.
Anyway, Kate...yeah, I know I ended with a cliffhanger...so, without further adieu...
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Time.It's a funny thing. When we have too much of it...we grow bored. When we have too little of it, we grow sad. And when we feel time slipping away-we become desperate, clamoring for answers.It had been two days since Sayid had carried Kate down into the sick zone, and Jack had practically been glued to her side ever since.
"Jack."Sun said, breaking him from his thoughts.
"I could watch her for a while...You need to rest."
"No.I need to stay here...in case she wakes up."Jack insisted, grabbing hold of Kate's hand.
Her skin was a pale color, somewhere between its natural color and white. After she had fainted, she hadn't actually regained conciousness, but her fever had never spiked above what it had been That alone was the ray of hope that Jack clung to.
Sun stared down at him, kneeling beside her bed. The spot had been occupied by him for what seemed like ages, but in reailty had only been an hour-this time. His shift had ended just minutes before, but he still refused to move.
Claire's condition had improved, but only slightly. She could now move her arms, allowing her to stretch, but speaking was still difficult.
Shannon was somewhere between dilusion and reality, the medcine seemingly helped. But once it wore off, she went back to her 'daymeres'. Sleep was something that none of them had easily. Claire slept some, but was woken up every once in a while, for fear of falling into the sickness even deeper.
Shannon slept, but was interrupted more often, partially due to her nightmares, partially due to the fact of her constant shivering.
And then there was Kate. Kate laid on her bed, frozen in the same position she was when she had been carried in.
"Have you eaten?"Sun asked, urging him to atleast keep himself healthy.
Jack shook his head, indicating that he had not. The silence that blanketed the room was doused with sadness, with desperation. "If she doesn't say something soon...doesn't..."
Sun placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, in understanding. Neither of them had ventured out of the hatch in those two days, both for their own reasons. Jack because he feared leaving Kate for more than a few hours. Sun because she knew that Jin would have questions for her, he would wonder.
Charlie rushed in the door, seemingly worried. "Jack, you have to come."
"What's the problem?"He grumbled, standing up.
Charlie stared at the man, weary. "Sawyer...um...he's hurt."
Jack sighed, knowing what that meant. "Is anything broken?"He asked.
"Well...I don't know.I just...he's a little-"
"Disgruntled?When is he not?"Jack said, stealing a glance back at Kate. "I'm sorry.I...Sun, will you come and get me if-"
"Yes.If anything happens.I will have someone come get you."
Kate could hear them, or atleast she thought she did. Fighting to open her eyes, her limbs felt heavy. Fog filtered any vision that she would have, and her breathing wasn't as easy as she had hoped.
She thought she called out to them, but couldn't as her throat was dry. Fighting it, she could feel it pulling her back in, back towards whatever it was that held her.
(Kate's Dream)
She was on an boat, a ship. From the side, she could see an approaching dock.
For a moment, she felt free. She saw Jack. Walking towards him, she smiled. "We're free."She said, linking her hand with his.
Looking around the ship, she saw Saywer with Ana, laughing about something. Shannon stared across the water and for a moment, sadness tinged her. Shannon was one of the few who had basically lost everything on the island-she had lost Boone.
Jack suddenly grew stiff, a look of sadness waving over his face. "What is it?"
Kate turned towards the dock, seeing the wave of police who had suddenly appeared. "No."She said, feeling tears stinging her eyes.
"Maybe...Maybe they're hear to escort us somewhere.To...To help us."Jack said, clamoring for answers.
Kate could feel the stares, could hear the whispering. Glancing over Jack's shoulder, she saw Sawyer, who simply shook his head, looking the other way.
"They can't...They can't take me,Jack!They can't."Kate said, growing desperate.
"They won't...Kate, look at me.Kate-"
Her breathing became bated, between sobs, she shook her head. "You don't know that.I killed someone.Maybe it was long ago but these people...these people never forget that sort of thing.They...they're going to lock me away."
Suddenly, a look of sadness, harboring just beyond fear shadowed Jack's face. "I'm sorry, Kate."
"What?What are you doing?Jack, where are you going?Jack..."
He turned around, walking away. Ignoring her, ignoring the problems that loving her would bring.
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"Couldya be a little easier?"Sawyer insisted, somewhat embarassed by his current situation.
"Well, I could be had I an actual sling. Locke made this somehow..."
"You're a doctor...aren't doctors supposed to...know how to do this sorta thing without harming the patient?"
"It wouldn't be that hard if you'd just sit still..."Jack protested, trying to place Sawyer's arm in the sling. "How'd this happen, anyway?"
"I was playin' superman...waddayou think?"Saywer said sarcastically. "I was wrestlin' with a boar,he wouldn't stop..that gun Kate gave me the other day was empty.Imagine that-I'm out there in the jungle,thinkin' the thing is gonna save my life...I see a boar...we need food.So, I figure it shouldn't be too hard.In any case...Am I gonna live?"
Jack stared up at him at the mention of Kate. "It's just a sprain.Just be careful next time you feel like wrestling down food, okay?"
"I'll have to keep a watch out for that, then."Sawyer said, standing up. Staring at Jack's bag, he saw that he had brought bottles along to fill up in the spring. "Fillin' those back up for your little group in the hatch, huh?''
"Yeah..."Jack said, pulling one out, filling it with water.
"She's unconcious."Jack said, knowing full well Sawyer knew who 'she' was.
"Unconcious?"Sawyer said, walking to the entrance of the cave.
"She's been that way since Sayid brought her in.What happened?"
Sawyer stared back at Jack, quizzically. "You think I did this?"
"I didn't say that."Jack said, putting the cap back on one of the water bottles. "I just asked you what happened.
Usually people faint for a reason.Granted...she came down with the virus...but something triggered her fainting."
"Look, all I did was carry her to the hatch door. I wasn't gonna let her lay there...it was raining."
Jack nodded, going back to filling the water bottles. "Why didn't you volunteer?"
"Volunteer?"
"To be a part of the group.You know...the people to watch the sick.After Kate fell...why didn't you?"
Sawyer flicked the ash of of a cigarette, blowing a puff of smoke into the air. It was one of the few he had left, until he'd have to raid suit cases again.
''You wouldn't have let me."
Jack didn't answer him, but he knew Sawyer was probably right.
Swinging he bag back over his shoulder, Jack turned towards him. "I'll need to look in the medicine later...the medicine she got from you...it's spreading thin."
"What do I get?"Sawyer asked, snubbing his cigarette off on the cave wall.
Jack sighed, walking past him. He needed to get back to the hatch.
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(Kate's Dream)
She stood before a mirror, checking her hair.
"You look beautiful, Kate...almost like a dream.''Claire said from behind her.
Kate smiled, knowing she was right. After the boat had arrived, fear had been swimming inside of her. Jack had walked away from her, fearing the worst. But when the boat arrived at the dock, once they were safely ashore, the police had escorted all of them into town, and had determined that she was no longer a threat to society.
"Thank you...Claire.For...for coming.I swore I wasn't going to cry..."Kate said, wiping a tear away.
"You're getting married...you're allowed to cry."
Kate nodded. "I know, I know...when I think about the times that we spent...together on the island...he was always there.Ya know?I mean...on the ship...I saw this...doubt in his eyes.Like he was afraid he was going to lose me."
Claire shook her head, putting a lock of hair out of her face. "Jack loves you...and you love him."
Charlie opened the door to the bride's room, holding Aaron's hand.
"Hello, sweetheart...have you been staying out of trouble with Charlie?"
Aaron simply smiled.
"He's grown up so much..."Kate mused, picking up her boquet off of the table.
"Guys...I don't mean to interrupt...but everyone else is ready to start the ceremony."
Kate looked at Charlie, smiling. He was the last person she would expect to be Jack's best man.
And yet there he was, ready to begin the wedding. She reached for the ring around her neck.
"We'll be right out."Kate assured, taking one last look in the mirror.
"This is really happening."
Claire stared at her, wondering what she meant. "Of course it is.You aren't having second thoughts,are you?"
"No...No.I'm not having...second thoughts.I just..."Kate leaned against the chair for support.
"You just what?"
"It's kind of like...I feel like part of me just...when we were on the island, we all made choices.If one of us needed food, we all worked together to get it. If one of us was hurt...we all worked to make sure that they were better.And now...I'm just worried that...we're going to lose contact.Or...something."
Claire laughed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Listen...you are about to walk out there and marry the man that you love.All of us are in the audience.Me...Charlie...Sayid...Locke...Hurley.Even Sawyer."
"Sawyer's...out there?"
"Yes...with Ana.I guess he...realized something.Anyway-"Claire said, pinning the flower in her hair.
Sun opened the door. "Kate?Are you ready?"
"Yeah..."Kate said, turning towards the door. "I'm ready."
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Jack opened the door to the sick room, sighing.
"How is she?"
Sun just looked up at him from her chair, little to no emotion on her face. "I'm...sorry."
"No...it's not your fault, Sun."Jack said, tossing his bag onto an empty bed. "Sawyer's fine."
"What happened?"Sun asked.
Jack sighed, opening a water bottle. Taking a sip, he swished it around his mouth. "Apparently he was wrestling a boar...trying to get food, I guess. Somehow his arm got trapped and...well, it's just sprained...he should be okay."
Sun walked over to Shannon's bed, checking her chart. "It's time to give her the medication...but if I give it to her...then we will have to dilute the dose that we give to Claire and Kate."
Jack stared at Shannon, pale and drawn. "Give her the medication."He said, hoping he wouldn't regret it.
"Jack..."
The voice was faint, almost a whisper. Had anyone been talking at the time, he wouldn't have heard it.
"Kate?"He said, running to her bed. "Kate?"
She struggled, trying to open her eyes. He put his hand on her cheek, rubbing it with his thumb.
"I'm right here...Can you hear me?"
She winced, drawing in a sharp breath. She tried to speak, but was discouraged when she couldn't.
"Sun...could...could you get her something to drink?"
Sun poured Kate some water into a cup, carrying it over to Jack.
"Thanks."Jack said. He put the cup up to Kate's lips, urging her to drink. "Please, Kate...you need to drink."
Kate tried to drink, but wasn't sure she did until she felt the fluid flowing down her throat, easing the burn.
"It's so...cold."Kate said, shivering. She closed her eyes again, pleading the pain to go away. "What's wrong with me?"
Her voice came, rough and painful. "You're sick,Kate...Sawyer carried you to the hatch...Sayid carried you in here.You've..."Jack said, carefully thinking of how he would tell her. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. "You've been unconcious the last two days."
Kate opened her eyes, trying to breathe. "How's Shannon?"
Jack couldn't help but smile. Though her condition was still bad, Kate was worried about someone else.
"It's still bad...Claire's the healthiest out of all of you."
She tried to left her hand, but let out a sob when she couldn't.
"Hey...shh...It's okay."
"I'm sorry, Jack."Kate muttered.
"For what?"
"You asked me...to let you go..."She closed her eyes, growing weak.
Jack knew he shouldn't bother her much longer. As long as she knew he was there, that was what mattered at that moment to him. "That doesn't matter right now, okay?I'm right here..."
"Please..."Kate cried. "I'm so tired..."
"You can't sleep..."Jack urged, feeling a pang of guilt. Kate laid before him, weak and pleading.She was asking him for relief, for rest. But he was afraid. Afraid that if he let her sleep, then she'd dive right back into the way she was before.
"I'm not leaving, Kate...that's all I can tell you."
Kate gently reached out, attempting to squeeze his hand. For now, she was safe. And that's all she needed to know.