Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you all liked it when Jack broke Sawyer's nose. He did deserve it. But, as a few of you pointed out, even though his comments were meant to provoke, there was some truth to them too. That's Sawyer's biggest fear, that he's the consolation prize. I think we'll see that after I Do. Even though he got what he wanted, or at least, what he thought he wanted, it won't be enough, because she doesn't love him. He's going realise that the only reason she would give herself to him like that is because she thinks she can't have Jack. And he's going to force her to admit it, to herself, as well as to him. Then he'll let her go, because he knows Jack can make her happier than he can. (Because he's Wolverine, for those of you who haven't heard my X-Men analogy.)

Enjoy, and please review (what does "Ida" mean, by the way?). This chapter, along with the truth or dare one, is one of my favourites. I love the idea of them regressing back to their childhood together.

Chapter 12. Me Too

James looked from Kate, to Jack, and back again, apparently unconvinced that the break up wasn't solely about Jack. "Fine, if that's the way you want to play it," he said. "But I swear to God, Katie, you'd better be gone tonight when I get back."

He pushed past Jack, shoving him against the wall with one of his shoulders, but before he left the diner completely, he added, under his breath, "And you, you'd betta get her out of here, before I do something we'll both regret." He didn't bother to specify whether the threat was against Jack or Kate, throwing them both one last angry look before storming out into the car park, and out of Kate's life, Jack hoped, for good.

His parting remark was probably as close as he would ever get to giving them his blessing, Jack noted, but at least he wasn't trying to push the point, walking away with as much dignity as his broken nose would allow.

Kate sank into a chair when he was gone, as Jack bent to gather up the letters. "I can't believe I just did that," she said, the colour beginning to return to her cheeks. "I've wanted to do that for so long, I just never knew how. I couldn't face seeing him every day if I..." Her hand went to her bandage as she trailed off, and Jack knew she was thinking about all the times James had lost his temper with her, and all the times the fear that he would hurt her again had kept her from doing anything about it. He couldn't be sure that James would leave her alone from now on, but this was definitely a step in the right direction.

Up until that point, she had been talking as much to herself as to Jack, but she turned to him then, her voice sincere as she said, "Thanks, Jack."

He dropped the rest of the letters into the box, looking up at her, confused. "For what?"

"For making me realise that I didn't have to put up with that crap." She smiled at him, her whole face lighting up as added, "For making me feel like I really am better than that."

You are, he thought, noticing for the first time how beautiful she was when she smiled like that. Her eyes were still sad; she wasn't free yet, not from the baggage she still carried, but it was a definite improvement on what he'd seen last night. No matter how fleeting her triumph was, Jack couldn't help noticing that, even after twenty years, seeing her look happy made him happy too.

He was saved from having to tell her any of this while he was still figuring out what it meant, when her sweet smile turned into an impish grin. "Think you can stand another night on the floor?"

He laughed, feeling his own face split into a grin as he answered, "For you? Yes."

She left work early that day so that they could pick up her stuff. She didn't have much, just clothes, CDs, books, and a few personal items: childhood mementoes she'd brought with her from her parents' house. The rest was stuff that she and James had bought together. Jack tried to convince her to take some of it with her, but since this was her third time starting over, she told him, she was used to leaving things behind.

The first time was after Wayne died, when she'd moved into a small apartment to escape the memories, once she'd won her emancipation from the state. She'd finished high school, only working enough to cover costs (her parents didn't have a cent to leave her), but her SAT score had suffered, she said, too much for her to bother applying for college. She'd finally moved in with James a few years later, when she realised she wouldn't be getting out of there soon, but she'd never really accepted that that was her life. That was why she hadn't married him, or agreed to get pregnant, no matter times he'd brought up the subject of either.

They dropped her stuff off at the motel, then spent the next hour wandering around town, revisiting their childhood haunts. Jack was amazed at how little everything had changed, everything except Kate, though he was slowly realising that underneath all the damage Wayne had left in his wake, she was still the same girl he'd loved all those years ago. She was still Kate.

This became particularly apparent when, passing the creek where they'd swum as kids, she grabbed his hand, hauling him over to the bank. Before he could say anything, she'd kicked off her shoes, peeling off the jeans she'd changed into after work, and climbing onto a rock in only her underwear and tank top.

"You shouldn't go in there until your face heals," he cautioned her, but she ignored him, jumping into the water, her bandage soaked when she resurfaced a few seconds later.

"Are you coming in, or what?" she asked, laughing as she splashed around in the middle of the creek.

He wondered if she would still think it was so funny when her cheek got infected, but he didn't mention it again, remembering her comments last night, and again this morning. At best, she would only tease him again about being old before his time, and at worst, she would lose her buoyant mood, remembering James, and the way he'd hit her.

When he hesitated, she called out, "Don't be such a chicken, Jack. If I can stand up to James, you can get your feet wet."

He flashed her a self-deprecating smile, humouring her, but his feet remained firmly on dry land. He hadn't been swimming in years, much less in his underwear, in front of a member of the opposite sex. In fact, he was pretty sure the last girl he'd swum with was her, twenty years ago, in this very creek. "If I come in there, I'm going to get a whole lot more than my feet wet."

"So? It's just water." To prove her point she splashed him, laughing merrily as murky creek water spread up the legs of his jeans.

"Okay, okay." To stop them from getting any wetter, he stripped them off, along with his shirt, ignoring the paralysis statistics that as a spinal surgeon, he knew only too well, as he dove into the creek. He didn't have to feel self-conscious for long though, because the water came up to his chest, covering his boxers, and most of her body, so that he didn't have to worry about inadvertently checking her out again like he had last night. Not that she'd seemed to mind ogling him back, last night, or just now, before he entered the water.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" she said, swimming up beside him. She turned over onto her back, closing her eyes, and letting herself float.

"It's freezing."

Her eyes snapped open again, twinkling mischievously as she teased him by saying, "I thought I was supposed to be the only girl here."

He mock-glared at her for that, and she splashed him again, ducking under the surface before her could get her back. Everything descended into chaos from there, as they frolicked in the creek like they had when they were kids, shrieking and laughing so loud Jack was pretty sure the whole town could hear them.

He didn't know how long they were in the water, but when they got out again, their hands and feet were shrivelled, their hair thick with mud. He didn't mind though. He'd had more fun with Kate today than he had in years; it had been so long since he'd taken time to enjoy himself like that, especially in such a frivolous, juvenile way.

They didn't bother redressing, sitting on the bank to dry off, watching the sun slip below the horizon in contented silence. Before it disappeared completely, Kate turned to him, her face glowing from the last rays of the day. Or maybe it was just happiness, he mused. "I'm really glad you came back, Jack," she said. "Even if it took you twenty years."

In spite of his earlier doubts, he didn't even have to think about it before replying, "Me too."