Thanks for your reviews. I won't reply personally, because I know the email system isn't working at the moments, but I will add my comments here. You're right, ms metaphor, that song does fit (I love The Goo Goo Dolls by the way), but that wasn't in the list of songs I've been influenced by in this fic. I got Sandi Thom's album for christmas, so I've been listening to that a lot, particularly "Lonely Girl", which I think describes my Kate well, and "Sunset Borderline", which is about a lost first love, as is The Dixie Chicks' "Voice In My Head". I've also been listening to Coldplay's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head". I know my Sawyer is a jerk, and that's kind of ignoring the progress he's made, but it's necessary. I could have made up a new character, but I thought it would be fun to include him, along with references to a few other characters (Claire, and Ana, who for the record, I still think should have been with Sawyer). Thanks everyone for your comments on my writing style, I try to make sure everything flows well, so I'm glad that you've noticed. I'm putting up two new chapters which I think you'll like, it's more of Jack and Kate in the motel room, but they've got a lot to work through, so it does advance their relationship.

I think one of the reasons I don't get many reviews is because I don't write enough sex, or any, actually, in my stories. I know it's what everyone wants to see in a fan fic, but it doesn't make sense to me that after twenty years, while Kate still has a boyfriend, Jack and Kate would jump into bed together just because they're alone in a motel room. If it feels right later, I will include it, but at the moment, they need to work on rebuilding their friendship. Although, as you'll see in chapter 9, there's definitely an attraction there.

Enjoy, review, and I'll try to update again soon.

Chapter 8. Friends

She wouldn't let him take her to the hospital, but she did let him stitch up the wound. It didn't feel fractured; he probed the area gently with his fingers, making her flinch, but the bone seemed to be intact. That was something to be grateful for, at least. She'd probably have a scar, but that would fade in time.

It wasn't the scars he could see that Jack was worried about though, but the ones that were there long before James ever laid a finger on her. He had to get her out of this town, away from Wayne, away from James, away from all the other men who'd ever hurt her here. This place was destroying her. He couldn't just stand by and let it happen.

"Has this happened before?" Jack asked her when he'd finished closing up the wound. He taped a piece of gauze over it to protect it from infection, not really caring if James knew he'd treated it, in spite of Kate's protests. Maybe if he knew that Jack had seen his handiwork, he wouldn't touch her like that again. It was one thing to hit a one hundred a twenty pound woman, but did he really want to take Jack on too?

It was a nice thought, and Jack wanted to believe it, but he knew it was too late for that. If it was already a pattern of behaviour with him…

Though she couldn't turn her face away from him this time, Kate wouldn't look at him either, making her answer pretty clear. Jack couldn't believe this was happening; she'd always thought her mother was so weak for refusing to stand up to Wayne. When had she become so broken herself? Was it Wayne, or had she lied when she said she didn't really love James?

"How many times?" he pressed.

"I don't know." She ran her fingers pensively over the bandage. "I don't remember."

Jack finished packing the medical supplies into his first aid kit, and pushed it aside, sitting beside her on the bed. "You should have gone to the police, Kate," he said gently, reaching over to push a lock of hair out of her eyes.

She looked up at him, not angry anymore, but tired, all of the fight gone out of her, along with her pride. "You know what this place is like, Jack," she said. "It's not that uncommon. The police don't have time to deal with it."

As much as Jack wanted to march her down to the station right then, he knew she was right. It wouldn't do any good. Even if they arrested him, James would be back on the street tomorrow, incensed, and looking for someone to take it out on. Someone like Kate. He couldn't do that to her. But wasn't going to let him hurt her again either.

"I don't think you should go back there tonight," he told her, figuring it would be better to let James get his head together before either of them confronted him again.

He expected her to argue, but she didn't, looking miserable as she confessed, "He's all I've got. Why do you think we're still together? I don't have anywhere else to go."

Jack wasn't sure if this was a hint, or a veiled request, but he took it as such, telling her, "I'll take the floor."

She smiled at him, her first real smile. "Why are you being so nice to me, Jack, after everything?"

There were about a million ways he could answer this question, a million different reasons for his wanting to help her, but he decided to go with the simplest. "Because we're friends."