Chapter 20
It was already dark by the time Jack set off to find Kate, eventually discovering her where she'd fallen asleep in his quarters – still slightly groggy but seeming much more her usual self than she had been a few hours earlier, much to the appeasement of Jack's conscience.
"Hi." She smiled as he entered the cave. "How are Locke and Sawyer faring?"
Jack tried to force a smile in response to her, but the events of the past few hours had left him feeling drained and frustrated.
"Jack?" She pressed him again, concern growing in her own voice at his failure to respond to her, and she noticed the despondent look in his eyes.
"Sawyer will be fine." He replied at last.
"And Locke?" She asked.
"Locke's gone!" He told her.
"What? Where? I don't understand." She said, getting to her feet hastily – alarmed.
"There's nothing more I can do for him." Jack explained, looking up at her. "To all intents and purposes he's better… I let him go."
"Well then that's good isn't it?" She asked him, relived to discover that he hadn't just taken it upon himself to disappear, and a relieved smile started spreading across her face.
"I don't know." Jack shook his head. "I just can't shake the feeling that there's still something not quite right with him. I get the feeling that he's hiding something, but as of yet I have been unable to get him to open up to me about what it is."
"Maybe he just needs some space." Kate sighed.
"Maybe…" He shrugged.
"You don't sound so convinced?" She frowned.
Jack turned to her and smiled – she was pleased to see that it was at least a genuine smile.
"Thanks Kate." He said.
"For what?" She beamed back at him, somewhat confused by Jack's apparently sudden change of heart. But he couldn't respond as he kissed her gently on the lips.
"For being amazing." He uttered as he pulled away, before asking, "Where did we leave off this morning?"
There was knowing grin spreading across his face.
"Well…" Kate smiled as she jumped on him playfully – both of them laughing hard as they found themselves on top of each other, caressing each other's bodies with every available limb.
"Tonight there will be no more interruptions." He hugged her, holding her tightly to him.
Kate never noticed as the smile faded from his face the instant he knew her back was turned.
