Thanks for the reviews. Now that I've set up the basic premise, things should get more interesting. I know Kate's being pretty awful to Jack, but she has a good reason for being so angry, I promise. You'll find out what it is when Jack does, in about chapter 6. I know you're all a little concerned about the introduction of Sawyer too, but don't worry, I know where I'm going with this, and by your comments, I'm pretty sure you do to. He's really not that important to the story, except to show where Kate is in her life, and how Jack leaving has changed her. As I said before, this is a Jate story, so that's what I'm focusing on.

Now that I've put your fears to rest, enjoy this chapter. Everything is still kind of vague, but you'll get more of an idea of Kate's situation, particularly in relation to Sawyer. And of course Jack being heroic is always good...

Don't forget to review. The more interest I get, the more inspired I'll be to keep up the (almost) daily updates. (I never thought I was going to be one of those people who tries to blackmail people into reviewing, but this is what I've had to resort to... Three reviews per chapter? I've seen one shots with way more. There has to be more people reading...! Although a lot of people are probably still away...)

Chapter 4. You Can't Save Me

"James Ford?" Jack repeated, incredulous. Back when he'd known her, Kate had had tussles with James almost every day at school. She'd even broken his nose once, when he started calling her "Freckles". "But you hated him."

"Yeah, well, things change. I've changed. Or hadn't you noticed?"

As he watched her walk away, Jack knew this was true. Things changed, and so did people. He was closer to Kate than anyone else in the world once. But that was twenty years ago. He didn't know her anymore.

He swallowed the rest of his coffee, and stood, tossing a fifty-dollar bill onto the table with the rest of the notes. If she was still working for minimum wage, he figured she could probably do with a decent tip. It really was the least he could do for her.

He was on his way to the door when it banged open, bell jingling wildly, to admit a tall man with long blonde hair and a stubbly beard. The stranger ignored him, sauntering up behind Kate, and sliding his arms around her waist.

She started, then relaxed a little, seeing it was him, but not all the way, Jack noticed. After eight years of dealing with patients, he'd become something of an expert at reading body language, and hers was distinctly uncomfortable. In fact, she looked relieved when the blonde man released her, like she couldn't stand the feeling of his hands on her.

This must be James, he thought, wondering, once again, why she was with a man she'd hated as a child, a man who'd picked on her, and not just in the usual troglodyte-with-a-crush kind of way. He'd been downright mean to her at times, taunting her about Wayne, stealing things from her backpack, and goading her into fights, tackling her, then making suggestive comments once he had her on the ground.

It had bothered Jack at the time, the way he'd treated her, but now… the idea that she would willingly give him what he'd tried to take from her all those times, that power, that consent… that revolted him, and he found he couldn't leave her. Not yet. Not until he talked some sense into her.

They weren't married yet, and as far as he knew, they didn't have any children. It wasn't too late for her to walk out on him and come to L.A. The hospital was always looking for administrators. He could get her a job, find her a place to live, and then he would have kept his promise. He would have set her free. She couldn't hate him anymore then, couldn't blame him for the shambles her life was in. And he wouldn't have to blame himself, because he knew that if he left again today, liked he'd planned, he always would.

Changing course, Jack headed back in her direction.

She had turned to speak to a customer, so James saw him first, a malicious grin spreading over his face in anticipation of the coming confrontation. "Well, if it isn't Jackass—" he laughed "–sorry, Jack, Shephard. You've got some nerve, showing your face in here."

Jack felt himself tense, like he always did when he was forced to speak to sub-humans like James Ford. "It's a public building. I'm allowed to get coffee, aren't I?"

"Not from my girlfriend, you ain't," James spat back, his eyes livid at what he saw as insolence on Jack's part (it kind of was, but it wasn't like he hadn't deserved it), and Jack couldn't help coming to the sudden realisation that Kate's boyfriend couldn't care less where he got his caffeine.

Kate must have picked up on the innuendo here too, because she dropped her order pad, reaching out to touch her boyfriend's arm. "James…" She trailed off as he rounded on her, flinching almost imperceptibly. It was only slightly, and she recovered fast, but still, Jack saw it.

"Stay out of this, Katie," James snapped, yanking her hand off his bicep too roughly for Jack's liking. He felt himself tense up again, this time, in preparation for a fight.

"You've never been able to see straight where he's concerned," James continued, letting go of Kate, and turning to look Jack in the eyes, through his words were addressed to her. "He thinks he's better than us, with his college degree, and his city apartment. You think that doesn't include you? He doesn't care about you, or where's he been all these years? The only reason he's here, talking to you now is because I took something from him, and he thinks he's got some God-given right to get it back."

He shifted his stance, posturing, the challenge clear, not just in his words and voice, but ever fibre of his body. "Well she ain't yours anymore, doc, so you'd best be going on your way."

Jack had managed to keep his composure until then, but at that moment, all he could think about was how much he wanted to hit him. If Kate hadn't been there, watching the exchange, he probably would have. But his relationship with her was precarious enough as it was. Punching her boyfriend's lights out in front of her wasn't going to inspire her to trust him.

He took a deep breath, willing himself to let go of his anger. But spinal surgeon or not, he was only human. If he was going to back down from a fight, he couldn't resist getting in one last jab first.

He turned to Kate. Her eyes were wide with fear, but it subsided a little when she saw that he wasn't going to engage. "If you need anything," he said, emphasising the last word, "I'll be staying at the Sunset Motor Inn." He hadn't checked in yet, but he figured they'd have a vacancy. It may have been one of only two motels in the area, but this wasn't exactly a tourist town.

She wasn't as incensed as Jack thought she would be. She gave him a tiny nod, too small for James to see it. Of course, he could have imagined it, but he didn't think so.

Satisfied that she would find him again if she needed him, Jack acknowledged James with a parting nod, grinning to show that he wasn't intimidated. James took a step forward like a provoked pit bull, but he didn't attack, though Jack could feel his hate-filled eyes on him all the way to the door.

He called out a goodbye to Margaret, and let himself onto the street, wondering where he should go in the mean time. Checking his watch, he decided that his father's wake would still be in progress, and most of the townspeople, barring people like Kate and Margaret, would be there, but he didn't want to wait too long before signing over the deeds to the house and his father's practice. His relationship with his father had been so rocky, and damaging, that he just wanted it to be over. He wanted to move on.

He was just trying to decide whether or not it would be worth heading over to the complex that housed both his father's lawyer and the real estate office, when at door at the back of the diner swung open, and Kate emerged, carrying a black garbage bag. She offered him a small smile as she headed towards the dumpster. Taking this as encouragement, Jack met her there, holding the lid up for her while she hoisted it on top of the pile.

"Thanks," she said, wiping her palms on the sides of her dress. She looked up at him seriously as she added, "Listen, I just wanted to apologise for what happened in there. James… he gets a little jealous sometimes. He shouldn't have said all those things."

Jack shrugged dismissively. "Water under the bridge."

She looked grateful at this, her smile widening into what could almost be considered a friendly grin, were it not for her eyes, and Jack realised that this was his chance. He had her alone, and she was actually talking to him. Maybe now she would listen.

"You know, you shouldn't let him intimidate you like that," he said, trying to keep his tone as conversational, and non-judgmental, as he could.

That obviously wasn't how it sounded to her, because her temper flared again, her grin disappearing, the walls going up, shutting him out. He'd lost her. "That's none of your business," she said coldly, stalking back in the direction she'd come.

"I was just trying to help." Jack help up his hands to placate her, following her to the back door.

When they reached it, she rounded on him, her eyes exuding, not anger, like he'd imagined, but pain. He'd hurt her somehow. Again. "I know," she said. "I've read the papers. You're a big shot L.A. surgeon now. You save people. But you can't save me, Jack. So just do us both a favour, and don't try."

Stepping into the kitchen, she slammed the door in his face, leaving him feeling guilty, and bewildered about it. All he wanted to do was help her. Why was she making it so hard?