Chapter 2

First off thanks for the reviews guys, but after re reading the fic myself I felt that the second idea I had in mind for this scenario would have worked better and probably gained more interest as well. So I tweaked with the first chapter a bit, only in the Jate department. Therefore I would advise for you guys to read the revised Chapter 1 first before any confusion erupts in reading this instalment.

P.S. Sorry for the last minute change of plan guys, but it's still Hurley Claus centric :)

This chapter is set on Christmas Eve.

He ran through the jungle like a mad man. His determination to see her fuelling his need to run even faster, and he didn't care about how much his body could take.

All he cared about was having her in his arms again. A woman he undoubtedly loved with every inch of his beating heart, and it made him truly marvel the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

It was surely an understatement in his case.

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The first thing he headed for was the food store cupboard. Knowing that majority of the arguments he had heard before he snuck away in fear were over food. As ridiculous and petty as he thought it was, he also took into account that if he were in the same unfairly restricted position then he would have probably done the same thing.

It was times like this that really made him regret having been present when the Hatch was first unearthed. Ever since word spread of it and the sheer luxuries it had to offer, nearly everyone was fighting for their fair share of supplies. Thankfully a resolution was later found and maintained somewhat, but that all went to hell when the Others decided to carry out their hinted plans of invading their camp and kidnapping Jack, their leader in the process.

It came as no surprise to them that Kate was the person who took this devastating news the hardest, and they also assumed that she would later take matters into her own hands and do something about it. Unfortunately the numerous treks she had organised for his rescue awarded her with the same discouraging result. So she was left with no other choice but to then rely on the hope that he would be returned to them, more so to her.

In the midst of her grief she rarely found an interest in anything. Even the bonfire get together Hurley and Charlie had organised in an attempt to get everyone's minds off their current leaderless fiasco.

The only thing or person who could put a smile on her face again was Jack, and as much as Hurley knew that that would be the perfect Christmas present for her, he also knew the odds of the Good Doctor ever coming back were highly unlikely. However the best he could give her in the meantime was hope and to be her friend.

He had also considered planning to say a few words about Jack seeing as it had been nearly a month already and no word as to whether he was still alive let alone returning any time soon.

"It seemed fitting." Hurley affirmed herself and then added it to the rough to do list he had quickly written up. The next thing on the list was decorations and as much as he hoped that Dharma would have included that within their supplies, he knew he would have to improvise and be creative.

So he wracked his brain for alternatives and this is what he came up with in the end:

Food

"Lots of it"

Paper chains

"Easy twenty minute job"

Popcorn and cranberry chains

"Popcorn's fine but might have to work around the cranberries."

Paper angels

"Scissors and precision"

A Tree

"Eko"

Tree Decorations

"Popcorn chains and Paper Angels should do for that too."

Last but not least Alcohol

"Lots of it but not too much. Don't want Sawyer making the moves on me again."

A little more thought would have to be devoted towards the tree part, more so excuse wise, but he was greatly committed to believing that it would all come together in the end.

The next thing to consider was where he was planning on holding this Christmas gathering.

His first option was of course the Hatch because it was convenient for the obvious reason, but he also thought that it may just be better to have it on the beach. Seeing as some people were still wary of the jungle and wandering within it's depths in the middle of the night was a formidable risk he didn't want or need for anyone.

"Beach it is then." He confirmed it to himself and then moved on with the easiest part which was the gifts. Granted the choices were limited but at the end of the day it was the thought that counted, and personally the food was something he always looked forward to on Christmas day, second to the presents of course.

By having it on the beach it also meant that decorations weren't really a pressing necessity but he didn't eliminate the idea altogether.

So with that jotted down, he moved on to the next thing which was to make a list of names and then add what he felt would be a desired gift for them. That was honestly one of the perks of associating yourself with practically everyone.

Twenty minutes later and he was immensely satisfied with his list, even with Vincent's gift, but there was still one he frowned upon and it was all the more frustrating because there wasn't much he could do about it.

"Hurley? You in there?"

Speak of the devil.

"Uh, yeah. Everything alright Kate?" he asked the brunette through the locked door of the store cupboard he was currently within, planning for the big night ahead.

"I just wanted to borrow some shower gel and…." She barely got to the end of her sentence before Hurley quickly acquired the item and then poked his head through to give it to her. Then closing the door on her and not even bothering to explain his reason for being so secretive.

Thankfully she didn't stress any further on the issue. Instead all she did was head towards the bathroom, her mind still conflicted but hopefully a nice hot shower would take her mind off the world for a while. More precisely her endless thoughts of a man she longed for every waking minute of the day, especially now more than ever.

The rest of the day went off a lot faster than Hurley would have liked, but thankfully he managed to get a majority of the stuff done, packed and ready to deliver tonight.

Sunset soon approached and the hours counted down to when "Operation Claus" would finally get underway. He felt that a festive outfit should have come with it but in the end he decided to settle with his casual attire.

"Hurley, mate where you been?" was the welcome he was adorned with the moment he vacated the hatch from it's hidden entrance.

"Pushing the button Dude." He simply answered while trying to hide the first batch of gifts he was planning on taking back and stashing in his tent.

"Need a little help there?" Charlie offered and then took slight offense when Hurley immediately refused and then quickly walked off, leaving the man confused to say the least.

A few agonising trips later and he managed to get just about everyone's gifts fitted into his reasonably sized tent. As much as he wanted to let Charlie in on his plan, he also knew that by telling him, he might as well be using a loudspeaker even if he was no better himself, but he still liked to believe that it wasn't as bad as some people made it out to be.

"How will I know if they don't tell me."

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He estimated that he was about a mile away from camp, maybe less so he decided to stop and catch his breath for a bit. Knowing that a minute wasted was another minute delaying getting back to her, but he took hope in the fact that she would be waiting for him. The same way he had been for her all this time despite the planned and attempted distractions.

The day of his kidnap was the day he was finally going to come clean with everything. He had even written it all down at one point, but what he had to say was already etched into his heart, and his time away from her had only made the feeling stronger and clearer.

"I love you Kate Austen."

Plain and simple.

With that set in his mind he resumed with his journey once again. Energized and ready to deal with the sure promise life had for him now.

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(Later that night)

He waited till the last of the survivors retired to their respective tents and once they were clear and out of sight, he commenced with the plan to finally bring Christmas.

With his fairly well made decorations in tow, he headed straight for their Island Kitchen seeing as it was everyone's local hangout, even his. Twenty minutes later and he was done. Stepping back to admire his work and when he was satisfied with everything, even the very noticeable "Merry Christmas" banner, he then moved onto the gift giving part.

Silently moving through camp and placing their newspaper wrapped gifts at the foot of their tents, along with their names and a brief note of Christmas cheer.

The last person on the list was left at that position mainly because he was at a loss as to what they might want other than the one person they had all needed for the past month. The very person he had just bumped into literally out of nowhere.

Maybe that was all about to change.

"Jack? Dude wha….." was all he could mouth in genuine shock of seeing the man here in the flesh.

"Hurley, where's Kate?"

Next Chapter: The Christmas celebration is underway and of course the Jate reunion.