Disclaimer- See Prologue

A/N- An update from Lauren? Is the world coming to an end? Most likely. When I said that I'm a slow updater, I really didn't mean THIS slow! So I'm really sorry for this chapter that is long in coming. This chapter is also unforgivably short, but I had to post, so that people didn't think I was dead or terminally ill. I hope that I haven't lost all of my readers, since I really appreciate the feedback and I couldn't do this without all of you. I really want to continue this story, I think it may have potential, so hopefully you'll be hearing more from me...and hopefully in a more timely fashion.

It was sunlight hours now, and the bright light spilled into the pickup that Kate was sitting in. She stared out of the window, determinedly not looking at the driver of the truck. She tried to focus her complete concentration on the scenery flying past her. The world was a beautiful palette of every imaginable color, and there was an amazing clarity to them. The birds chirped and whistled cheerfully, the trees' leaves rustled as a gentle wind played with them, people were out and smiling and stopping to talk with one another, and the sun beat down, coating the world with a gorgeous gleen. But no matter how happy and brilliant the day was, Kate couldn't shake off her somber mood. Her thoughts still drifted back to Jack and how she had left him so abruptly, with no preamble. What was he thinking? What was he doing? Did he understand? Did he forgive her? Certainly, he was upset, but knowing Jack, Kate assumed that he was out saving the world, trying to make up for not being able to save her.

"Turn here," Kate said to the driver, not turning her head to look at him. Eye contact would be dangerous, her eyes were no doubt overflowing with information that she didn't want to let out, she would hardly admit it to herself. If she didn't let it out, maybe it wasn't true, she thought to herself, sounding like a little girl in denial that her cat was dead.

The driver obliged and soon they were on a dirt road, heading into the pastoral part of the town. Kate had missed it here, she really had. It was a place that she had actually called home, but never out loud. Seeing all the familiar scenery gave her paings of nostalgia and almost pushed away all thoughts of Jack. But nothing on the earth was strong enough to complete erase the thoughts of Jack. Except maybe death, but Kate had her doubts.

They were drawing near to the one place that Kate had found the loving embrace of safety, and she was becoming surprisingly giddy and eager to see the one that had opened his arms to her. A rusty, unfamiliar smile started to appear on her face, but it wasn't a smile that was completely carefree. Always, the thought of Jack and her remorse hung heavy on her heart, so that her smile was a sad one. She wondered now if she would ever feel free, to laugh just for the hell of it, to be happy. She'd thought she found her sweet release in Jack, but as soon as they were dropped back into civilization, she was off and running. She was punishing herself, she knew it. She ran because she knew that Jack deserved better than her. She was a wanted criminal and Jack was an upstanding doctor. It would never have worked out, and if it had, she would be seen as another one of Jack's charity cases, and she didn't know if she could stand that. But as of now, she would be willing to grin and bear it, because being away from him was worse.

"It's this one," she said, pointing to the old farmhouse on their left, still refusing to meet the eyes of the man opposite of her. They turned into the driveway and gravel crunched beneath the tires. Kate hastily unbuckled herself and threw herself against the door to get out. She leapt out of the car and slammed the door, starting towards the house earnestly. She stopped short however, when she noticed how unkempt the garden and house were and how the animals were suspiously missing. She barely registered the sound of the door slamming and the crunch of someone walking up behind her, as she unwillingly came to realize that he hadn't gotten his money to pay off his mortgage.

"Don't look like anyone's home, Freckles."

A/N- This chapter seems a little all over the place and pointless, but hopefully it wasn't too unbearable. The next chapter should be longer. Oh, in case you are interested, and I plan on dividing the chapter between the four characters, at least for a little while.

Please review and I promise a more punctual update next time!

-Lauren