Disclaimer: Lost is owned by the lovely people who wrote produced and aired the beautiful twenty-eight episodes that we are all so obsessed about!
A/N:I loved this chapter, i loved writting it and i really really hope that you all love it, or at least like it. It is also probably my longest chapter so far so don't get used to that:)
Whirlwind-2005: Don't worry i will let you all know in due time how Jesse died. I will just torture you first! Hee hee, and i meant you are biased because i am your sis! Hello... :)
rain1657: If you liked Sawyer in the last chapter, i hope you like him in this chapter. His humor is just so silly.
Phoenix-Talon: Thank you soooo much. It was sooo fun to write all that Jateness! And OMG i know what you mean, i just adored that loved hilarious scene with Kate in the Shower, Hee hee. Oh... sighs If only this last episode had had more Kate and even a little bit of Kate and Jack would have been good. Instead all we got was two short measly scenes with Kate in it. Maybe i expect to much. Anyways thanks for reviewing!
nikki-da-latina: Wow! Well i am sure happy you stopped by to give me a review, warms my heart that people like my writting!
clarkson04: I am happy to give you some laughs! Hope this chapter gives you a few.
October Sky: Ahhhh, Jealosy! He he, Sawyer is so deliciously hilarious not to mention hot when he is Jealous. Keep sending the lovely reviews my way!
Orlando-crazy: Well, this Sawyer Jealosy has really been a hit! Wow, i don't think i have had so many people comment on the same thing!
Only Memories: We can sure keep on hoping for moments like those on the show, but who knows. The writters could make it a Kate/Sawyer thing completely, you never know... Ug, ignore what i just said, that was a horrible thought!
Riding On The Wings Of An Angel
Chapter 17: The Phone Call
To fight or take flight, that is the question.
Kate:
She stopped quickly causing Jack to bump into her, Sayid to bump into Jack and Sawyer to curse because he had stubbed his toe.
"What the hell was that for, never heard of giving a man awarning, girl." Sawyer hissed, reaching down to rub his foot.
"Wuss." Kate muttered back, before raising her finger to her lips, signaling everyone to be quiet. She looked around, listening.
"What-" Sawyer spoke too loudly causing some birds to squawk and fly from the trees in a noisy manner. Kate shot him a withering glare, which he returned. "What are you doing?" Sawyer whispered. He glanced around superstitiously as if he expected aliens to beam him up to their mothership. Then again who knew with this island.
"I thought I saw someone." Kate replied calmly.
Jack's eyes just about bugged out of his head, "What?" Jack looked around alarmed reaching for the gun he thought was so inconspicuously hidden under his shirt in the back of his jeans. "Where?"
"Are you sure you saw someone?" Sayid questioned with a strange look on his face, like he was not quiet sure if he should deem her sane and believe her or find a straightjacket for her ASAP.
Kate gave the second withering glare in a minute to Sayid, who she thought she could always trust. What a jerk! "Yes." She replied bitingly with conviction. "Look."
Kate was pointing to a patch of wet dirt, and some broken branches. Sawyer didn't see her point and decided it was smart to voice this, "Uh huh! I see him too!" Sawyer spoke with all seriousness and three heads popped up in surprise.
Sawyer pointed to clarify, "The little green midget standing there." He started to grin, covered it with mock seriousness. "Maybe he knows the way to oz."
"Sawyer!" The three groaned in unison, Sayid gave him a disgusted look, Jack shook his head with a small grin and Kate just glowered at him like he was the scum of the earth. "Funny." She stated after a minute in a not so funny voice.
"What?" He defended himself, his grin still lingering. Likely laughing from his own dumb joke, "I don't see nothin' there but a bunch of dirt 'n twigs."
Kate sighed, obviously she saw more, "There, that is half a footprint-"
"Sure it's not yours, Sweetcheeks?"
"We haven't been here before, Sawyer." Kate bit her tongue so hard she could taste blood to stop herself from saying more. "And here," She touched some leaves, "these branches are broken. Someone has walked here. Most likely was crouching or hiding here. And looking by the depth and size of the shoes," She pondered a moment, "I'd say probably a female, about a hundred pounds, shoe size eight."
"How'd you get a women outta that?" Sawyer asked suspiciously but still with a hint of interest, and maybe admiration.
Sayid spoke up, "The shoe is more pointed, that indicates a woman's shoe." He bent down to examine the area. "You're right. Someone has been here, and very recently."
"Do you think it is our people?" Jack questioned.
"Who in their right mind would come out this far by themselves?" Sawyer questioned.
"Locke." Jack and Sayid replied at the same time, looking at each other with a meaningful look only they understood.
"Yeah, but guys," Kate implored them, "This is a woman's shoeprint and last time I checked Locke wore men's shoes."
Sawyer opened his mouth to protest and Kate added; "Besides size eight is too small for him even if his own shoes got ruined or something."
They were all quiet. "Is it the 'others'?" Sawyer's voice was husky.
Everyone looked at one another, the same fear reflecting in each other's eyes.
X X X X X X
Jack:
They were getting closer. Or so Kate had said. She seemed sure that they were nearing the end of their journey, only Kate referred to it as the beginning of something much bigger. She reassured them that 'no' the monster had nothing to do with it. Since Sawyer had been so cocky as to suggest that she wanted to get eaten by fluffy out there. Then Kate had replied that if he didn't shut up she would personally feed him to fluffy, and that is how the middle of the day had gone.
Kate followed a trail that seemed to go in circles. Kate again reassured them that they were not going in circles. That this was new territory they were entering into. And why would she lead them in circles anyways?
Jack had been keeping and eye on her. She seemed fine, except for every once in a while she would seem to see something and she would nod or smile in response. It was eerie and beautiful at the same time to see Kate smile, it warmed his heart, but what was she smiling at?
They were taking a break now from the islands overpowering heat and smothering mugginess.
"Kate." She looked up from a mango and smiled at him in questioning way. "You think we're almost there?"
"Yes." She answered right away without hesitation.
Jack sat down. He frowned. How did she know this? That is what troubled him. How could she be so sure, and what was at the end of this journey?
"Kate," He sighed, "What are you looking for?" His eyed bore into hers and she looked away sadly, putting down the mango.
"You think I am crazy." She nearly whispered, looking at the dirt.
"No," He looked at her, how disappointed she was in him. Why can't I just have faith in her? Faith. Right… "Kate I don't think you are crazy. In fact how can I? You haven't told me anything at all.
"What do you want to know?"
"Where are we going?" Jack asked.
Kate sighed, "To a group of survivors…I think."
"You think?" Jack looked at her hard, "How?"
"How what?" She was starting to get irritated.
"How are you leading us there?" She started to fidget. "It's not just the tracking. I know that." He stated.
Kate dropped her mango and got up. "You wouldn't believe me."
Jack jumped up and reached for Kate's arm, holding it lightly he rubbed his thumb over a scratch. "I would try." He admitted.
Her eyes sparkled with tears, "You'll just think I'm nuts."
"You are not nuts, Kate. I could never think that."
She looked down and breathed in deeply. Recomposing herself to take a leap. A Leap of faith, "He's leading me." She simply stated.
"Who?" Jack asked when she didn't go on.
"My son." She paused, "Jesse." She looked up quickly. "I know he's not real, Jack… At first when I saw him, back on the beach, I thought he was real, but I know he is not now." She breathed in a shaky breath. "He wants me to find her."
"You're following a ghost?" Jack's expression held a funny remembrance, as if he actually believed her. Suddenly Jack smiled and shook his head. "Must be the island."
"What?" Kate asked worriedly.
"I saw my dad." Jack half chuckled. "The first week we were here, when everyone wanted me to be the leader and I didn't want to. I left for a while. Well, I was chasing my dad." He looked at Kate honestly. "He's dead, Kate. He died in Sydney."
"I know. You told me." She reminded him. "I'm sorry."
"He helped me. I know that sounds strange but I wouldn't have been able to do this leader thing if he hadn't helped me sort some stuff out first."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, when it occurred to Jack that he didn't remember them sitting back down.
"Is that weird?" He spoke sounding a little insecure.
"No, Jack, it is not weird at all."
"So doctor, what's the verdict?" She asked it causally, but her eyes held a fear.
Jack laughed and the fear seemed to slip away, "You're defiantly not crazy." He looked at his watch and then the sky. "You got the time, this thing stopped working a week ago."
This made Kate laugh and she answered, "Then I guess we should find this person of yours." Jack smiled as he helped Kate up and they went to get Sayid and Sawyer and pray that they wouldn't have to break up another argument. Maybe she will be okay after all. This faith thing though…I better work on it.
X X X X X X
Someone Else:
"Hurry up!" Ana spat orders. "Whatever you can't carry I suggest you leave behind." With the sound of her voice the encampment grew silent. "We are leaving in one hour." The finality was definite, no one argued.
No one dared to challenge her except one person. "Hey." An angry mans voice reverberated filling up the area and squeezing out every other sound.
Ana had her back turned and she sighed and frowned before turning around. "What do you want?" She asked briskly.
"An hour is not enough time for me to prepare to transport 'the prisoner'." At this Ana laughed.
"Are you serious." It appeared that he was. "I don't have time for this. We leave in fifty-eight minutes, now I suggest you start getting your dangerous prisoner ready to transport." She mocked him sarcastically.
Turning away from him she called to the girl who had seen the 'others' in the first place. "Qui-"
The man's face was turning red now. "I said that isn't enough time!" He growled.
She half glanced back. "Tough." And walked away.
After the man had stomped off, "Good riddance." Ana spun around oblivious to the girl who stood stealthily behind her and startled.
"Thought you would never get rid of that jerk. I still don't see why you haven't just ousted him and gotten Mad-"
"We've been through this before Quinn, I can't just oust him. He's not sick."
Quinn scowled at Ana. Surprisingly Ana smiled, almost softened a little. "Are you all packed?
"Yes." Quinn responded sullenly.
"Do you have enough food? Water?"
"Yes." She replied again annoyed. "I'm not a baby you know! Chanda's younger than I am. I can take care of myself!"
"I am aware of that. "Doesn't mean I am just going to let you run wild on this cursed island." Ana replied in a tone that was meant to scold but didn't hide the worry in her voice.
"I still don't see why we can't just oust him." Quinn returned to the previous argument.
"I already told you!" Ana's voice flashed back into bossy sounding.
"But-"
"No more buts, we gotta move!" Ana's briskness was back and she didn't have time for a fifteen years olds silliness. "Brett! Max!" And she walked off.
The area was in uproar. Everyone was panicked, some were afraid that they wouldn't have enough time to be packed and out of the area before the infamous 'others' arrived, and other people were panicking because they thought they were idiots not to leave right away. It was chaos, but needless to say, the one thing on everyone's mind was, the sixteen people who lost their lives the last time the 'others' had surfaced.
Quinn watched the whirlwind of people flash by as they rushed in and out of the tents. No one saw as she snuck off.
X X X X X X
Flashback:
"Maddie, who was that on the phone?" Kate was darting around making last minute adjustments to her hair and clothes while giving orders and quizzing her sister on safety protocols.
"Maddie?" Kate stopped. What was keeping her? " Madelynne! I am leaving any minute. Would you come down here…" Kate started to ramble on half to herself and half to Madelynne, "I know you are a teenager now and all, but you have got to be kidding me. Adolescent rebellion is not an overnight transition…"
Kate muttered to herself that she would not have any more children, then reminded herself that Madelynne was her sister not her daughter. Funny. She thought. She had practically raised Madelynne since birth and did raise her when their mother died when Madelynne was four. Or at least acted like she was dead, and to Kate she might as well have been.
"Ah-ha!" Kate grabbed her key. "I knew you were around here somewhere." She spoke to the keys, a triumphant grin plastered on her face.
A slight shadow came over her face; this wasn't like Madelynne, "Madelynne Lilly Austin! You better have a good explanation for this!" Kate hollered up the stairs. When she got no response she started to descend the stairs. Which really consisted of five steps and a half turn, weird architecture due to the old style of the building.
"Mad-" Kate stopped short when she saw Madelynne huddled on the floor. "Maddie!" Alarmed, Kate dashed over to Madelynne and started to check her over for wounds or some horrendous explanation for this behaviour.
"Kate." A feeble teary sounding voice responded. Madelynne shook her head numbly, "I'm fine."
Kate looked panicked and amused both at once which was quite a bizarre combination. "When hell freezes over." Was Kate's skeptical response. At this Madelynne started to cry, suddenly, torrents of heart wrenching fear driven sobs.
Kate opened her mouth to speak, but could barely even grasp any words for thought. What could possibly bring this on?
Through her sobs, Madelynne gasped, "The phone was for you." It was then that Kate noticed Madelynne still clutched the phone.
X X X X X X
Kate:
"We're here." She said it so abruptly that no one had realized the meaning of what she had said for several minutes.
"What?" Sawyer asked after a minute, they were all still walking through the bushes and whacking at branches, "Where are we? 'Cause I don't see any street signs, honey."
Jack walked over to Kate and took her hand gently. "I think it's time you tell them the whole story." His eyes held hers letting her know that he had her back. He always had her back.
Kate looked away from him and nodded. Why was it Jack was always right?
"Uhm…well it is sort of hard to explain." Kate fidgeted.
"How about you start with the basics." Sawyer replied gruffly.
Sayid finally spoke up, "Way didn't you tell us we were going to another the camp?" He asked his hands on his hips, looking around.
"What?" Both Jack and Kate asked at the same time.
"What camp?" Sawyer asked.
Kate turned to Jack and asked him, "Did you tell…?"
"No, you didn't…?" Jack responded.
"Of course not, I thought… how did he figure…?" Kate looked very befuddled.
Sayid suddenly spoke up, "Actually, neither of you told me."
"Then how'd you figure it out?" Sawyer asked, "Wait! Don't tell me. You're psychic!" He finished sarcastically.
Sayid simply pointed with a grin that could only be described as goofy, "I saw it."
Sawyer, Jack and Kate turned around and all jaws dropped at what they saw.
X X X X X X