Chapter 3
Immensely thrilled that you guys are enjoying the revised idea for this fic and without further adieu here's the final instalment. I might leave the ending open for a possible epilogue. However that's if there's any need for one in the first place.
Oh and I probably should have mentioned this earlier but Sawyer and Kate haven't slept together in this fic.
Shock was the first and obvious thing to come to mind and it rendered him speechless as a result, but Jack seemed relentless in his pursuit to get an answer.
When he got back, the first place he went to was her tent or what he had memorized it as the last time he had been in it, but she wasn't in there and that went for her stuff as well. It's as if a passing storm had come by and erased every element of her existence in there.
However he was pleasantly surprised with a smile to accentuate it when Hurley then physically pointed out a tent located just a few feet away from a camp. With a "Thanks man" conveyed to a still gobsmacked Hurley, he was off sprinting towards the directed tent he still regarded as his own, and once he stood before it's entrance, his heart stopped at the sight that adorned him. A sight that was enough to make him speechless.
She was curled up on his makeshift bed, asleep and tightly clutching one of his shirts to her. The very one he had worn on the day of the crash, he keenly noticed while slowly lying down next to her. His hands literally itching to then reach out and simply touch her, to tell her that she didn't have to substitute his presence for a materialistic possession of his any more, but at the same time he couldn't have the heart to wake her, and judging by the paleness in her expression he could see that she was in desperate need of some rest. He would be lying if he thought he didn't need it as well.
So with that he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to finally rest knowing that everything he could have wanted was here with him.
He was with the woman he loved. That's all that mattered.
(Meanwhile – Outside)
As much as he wanted to wake everyone up and let them know that their leader had just returned, he knew that it would jeopardise his own plans in the bargain. So he refrained from doing so in the end and continued on with his festive chore of gift giving, and when he finally did reach Jack's tent he couldn't help but smile at the heart warming sight of the two lovers sub consciously cuddling up to one another. Jack spooning her from behind with his arm wrapped around her slender frame, and Kate somehow sensing his presence and leaning back further into his welcoming warmth and embrace.
No gift required here.
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(The next morning)
She reluctantly woke to the crease of sunlight currently blinding her to the point of frustration and she frowned in confusion when she felt something trapping her from behind.
Naturally she stilled in fear, especially when she then heard a low moan being elicited into her ear as some sort of response to her slight actions.
Her first thought was to knee whoever decided to get cosy with her, but she was stopped halfway by suddenly hearing something or more so her name being spoken in a tone that couldn't be mistaken for any other. If not then the all familiar chills she felt were enough to make her guess with nothing but hope in her heart.
"Jack?" she asked expecting this to be yet another dream, but the loving squeeze she did receive in return clearly suggested otherwise. With that she turned herself around and did nothing but break down in sheer realisation of the fact that he was actually here.
"This wasn't a dream."
In an effort to still dismiss any shred of doubt, she literally lunged at him, hugging his form even tighter to her. Forcing him to simply chuckle though slightly wince as well in pain of the unfortunate injuries he had obtained during his less co operative times with the Others.
"Oh God I'm so sorry Jack. I didn't mean to mphh….." she barely had the chance to get out before he silenced her mumbling lips with a kiss she immediately melted into with a prolonged moan of his name, and if it wasn't for the current commotion outside then she was sure that this would have eventually gone all the way.
She still wanted it to.
Jack on the other hand proceeded to ignore everything else other than deepening the kiss he had gladly engaged himself with in the first place. Slowly massaging her lips with his while using his tongue to explore and taste every crevice of her mouth. Her taste so utterly intoxicating that it caused his appetite for her to only grow among other things that he seemed less than embarrassed about presenting before her now.
"Jack." Kate half strived to utter in an effort to bring his attention to the growing disruption outside, but the feel of his lips caressing every part of her exposed skin broke her resolve considerably and her body left her with no other option but to give into the temptation of his promise.
After spending several minutes of deep kissing and fairly thorough explorations of each other they finally broke apart. Both flushed and slightly out of breath from the sensuous ride they had just taken, but still more than elated to finally be in each other's arms after spending all this time apart.
"I missed you." Jack softly exclaimed with a smile that only melted Kate's heart even more, and all she could do to remotely match what her heart was currently bursting with was to gently place her trembling lips against his again thought this time mouthing the words "I love you."
An emotional exchange she felt was more than needed at this point in a relationship she hoped would only progress and flourish to the fullest from this moment onward.
"I love you too." He responded feeling like it was the most natural thing in the world to say. To love and cherish someone so much that it almost hurt to think of it any other way, and though they had both learnt that lesson the hard and agonising way, it also made them stronger as a unit in the process.
From there on a mutual all knowing silence lingered between them, but within minutes the precious moment was disrupted by what they assumed was Sawyer going off at someone as usual, but the sight that finally adorned their eyes when they finally surfaced from the depths of the tent surprised them in the same way everyone else currently was as they held their newspaper wrapped items.
A majority literally bursting with joy, including Sawyer when they unwrapped their gifts and found that it was an item they had specifically wanted. A brand new carton of cigarettes and a bottle of Jack Daniels managing to put a smile on the Southerner's face, and a similar gesture soon followed through the rest of camp when they finally realised what special occasion this was marking. The decorations and the massive "Merry Christmas" banner of course being the dead giveaway.
"Wow. I can't believe it." Kate expressed in genuine shock of not even realising what month it was let alone the day. Though in her defence she had enough on her mind to deal over the past month and it was only then that she suddenly realised what had happened yesterday. Her expression naturally paling as a result and it wasn't lost on Jack's observations in the slightest.
"Kate is….." Jack barely got the chance to question before he was spotted by one of the survivors.
"Jack?" a voice belonging to none other than Charlie exclaimed with a mix of surprise and elation in his tone of having his friend and leader back, and within minutes Jack was soon pulled into a numerous amount of hugs and friendly pats on the back to clearly show how grateful they were that he had returned to them.
In the meantime Kate simply stood and marvelled at the scene with a swelling heart. Being able to fully relate to their joy and more but it still wasn't enough to ease her impending worry of the treatment she assumed she would receive regardless of everything.
"They seem happy." The person now standing beside Kate stated with a satisfied smile gracing his features.
"For once." Kate joked with a matching gesture and a sigh to show the extent of her relief that things were in fact back to the way they should be.
"You can be too Kate."
Her silence came as no surprise to the person beside her and all he could remind her of now was what else this special day brought along with all it's other traditions.
"It's Christmas they'll forgive you." The man finished with a smile that wordlessly suggested no further argument over the topic and after some considerable thought she came up with a decision a part of her was still admittedly afraid of carrying out, but maybe just maybe they could find it in their hearts to forgive her.
"Thanks Hurley and Merry Christmas." She added as she hugged the man and then braced herself with a deep breath before heading towards Jack and the bustling crowd of survivors. Her acceptance thankfully being issued without any hesitance whatsoever; even from Charlie who briefly hugged the brunette before joining in to mingle with the gathering celebration on the beach.
This is what the spirit of Christmas was all about.
"Ho Ho Ho." Was all Hurley said to himself in amusement before walking towards the roaring celebration.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
Our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
Our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.
Through the years we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
Merry Christmas everyone!!