Jack scooped and carried Kate to bed, letting her cry. On the bed, he pulled her against him, his chest immediately soaked with her tears. "Shhh, let it all out," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "I know you've been holding onto this for a while." He hoped she couldn't feel his own tears falling as he held her. He couldn't remember how long it had been since they'd split. Had she felt this way for over a year now? Had it killed her to see him at every drop off? Had he made it worse by trying to toy with her and warm her to the idea of a reunion? He gently massaged the back of her neck, holding her tightly. She felt so frail in his arms. She always put up such a tough exterior that he forgot that underneath it all, Kate would always be a scared little girl.
Although she didn't sleep, when Kate lifted her head from Jack's chest it was daylight. "You didn't sleep?" She asked, squinting at the sunlight.
"I didn't know if you'd start crying again or if you'd need to talk," Jack admitted. "I just wanted to be here for whatever you needed." He scratched her scalp gently, loving the feel of her curls.
She rolled over, letting him spoon her from behind. She pulled his arms, wrapping him tightly around her waist.
Suddenly, she shot up. "I'll be right back," she blurted. "I just need a minute…"
Jack huffed as he ran his hands in his hair. Every time he got two steps forward with Kate she took three steps back. He thought they'd had a breakthrough and he knew by the panic she was worried about getting back. She was regretting it all. Regretting him holding her all night. Regretting letting her walls down. Regretting every kiss they'd shared.
He began sliding into his jeans, knowing it was time to go back to reality. The longer Kate was gone, the angrier and angrier he got. This had been his last chance and once again, he'd lost her.
"Clothes are dry," he grumbled when she returned. He threw her jeans for her to catch.
"Jack…"
"Kate, stop!" Jack raised his voice, making Kate jump. "It's time to take you back. Back to him."
"Jack, please!" Kate pleaded, her eyes welling up.
"Please what, Kate? Please watch you walk back into the home you share with him? The home that used to be ours? Watch him take everything that was mine?! It was supposed to be me!" Jack yelled. "It was always supposed to be us, Kate. Katherine Ann Shepard; I've heard that name in my head since the island. You aren't supposed to have kids with him, it's supposed to be me! I saw it all, Kate! I saw our future! A little girl named Claire and a boy named Christian. Our 3 kids and we'd build a house all our own. I could open a private practice and have steadier hours…"
He could hear Kate's gulp as tears fell from her cheeks. "Jack, please…" her voice was shaky.
"What?" He sighed, exacerbated.
"I called Spencer. That's where I was. I told him that I was with you and the storm flooded the roads. I told him that it might take a day or two until we can get out…"
"What?"
"I just didn't think we were done," she admitted. "But if you want to leave…"
He raced to her, pinning her to the wall as his lips crashed into his. Her arms coiled around his neck and her lip brushed against his ear as she moaned at his kiss. She giggled when he carried her back to bed.
"Make love to me," she begged. He grabbed her hand, holding it as he kissed her neck and down, sucking and kissing her collarbones. His lips trailed down her stomach and down to the parting of her legs. She was panting and squirming, desperate for him.
He pushed into her, his eyes locked on hers. She cupped his face with one hand, studying him. Her eyes were almost a plea but he didn't know what she was pleading for. She already had him. She had all of him.
They kept their eyes locked on one another, their expressions a mixture of surprise and comfort all in one. He brushed the damn tendrils from her face, loving the way she nuzzled against his hand.
He held her hips as they came together, their foreheads touching while they struggled to catch their breaths.
He collapsed onto the bed, pulling her against him. He loved the feel of her bare skin, sticky with sweat, against his. "What does this—"
"Just stop talking, Jack." Kate whispered. She continued playing with the tufts of hair on his chest as he played with her curls until they both fell asleep.
