Quick Note: Please, people, review! This is the worst torment you could put a writer through... and I'm sick. A brief warning – I'll be going into hiatus for the summer holidays, beginning in a few days. I hope to get two or three more chapters up before then, and I promise I won't leave it on too much of a cliffhanger. I'll be back mid-January.

Dear Skaters: I'm sorry for what happens in the first half. You'll understand later in the chapter. And you'll love it.

Chapter Eight

Kate moved closer, her fingers moving slowly under Jack's shirt. She breathed out slowly, and he bent to kiss her once more, and together they relished the sensation. Kate felt a blissful calm take over, that she hadn't felt in a week, ever since Sawyer had left.

They'd managed to find a secluded area of jungle, mostly subconsciously. Who could have known a friendly walk would have turned into this? But then, if they hadn't wanted it to, they never would have come. There were just so many problems right now. Ever since they'd returned from the radio tower, their worries had been growing. The Others had backed off, but Jack had no idea what to do with Ben. There was the rescue boat that had never come – though Ben wouldn't shut up about the coming threat. There was Juliet struggling to find a cure for Sun. There was Locke, who wasn't exactly part of their camp anymore – but he hung around their part of the jungle, and Jack was worried someone might start a confrontation. He was very worried that someone might be him.

Kate had her own issues – had had them ever since taking that pregnancy test after coming back from the radio tower. Then Sawyer had left, and she'd felt not only cold and alone but abandoned. Her feelings for Jack had been simmering softly, too little for her to question them just yet.

But now – now was the time to question. She wondered whether they would go all the way. Unless something disrupted them, she had no doubt about it – and not even the monster could distract them right now.

As their hands moved experimentally, Kate felt her thoughts collapse into a calm, serene pool of peace – she wanted this. She was supposed to want it. What else could she be wanting right now?

"Sawyer," she whispered. And then she snapped back to reality, realising her mistake even as Jack pushed her away. He stared at her, a mixture of shock and confusion and hurt etched across his face. She could do nothing but stare straight back at him.

And then that primeval, hated, ever-rising feeling sprang up, and latched its claws into her mind.

RUN! it screamed. GET AWAY!

And before she could mumble an apology to Jack, she was running through the jungle, with no destination or thought except the all encompassing need to flee the danger that threatened her comfortably shell.

She kept running, even though her breathing was ragged and her heart pounding in her throat. She tripped a few times, and there were numerous scratches and scrapes appearing all over her body. She only stopped when she realised with shock that the buttons on her shirt were all undone.

Tears leaking out from clenched shut eyes, Kate did them up with shaking fingers. She couldn't work out what had happened. Worst, she had no idea where she was. But that wasn't too much of an issue – she could just head east, and that would lead her to the beach eventually, and she could follow it back to camp. To Jack.

Her breath caught again, and only her current exhaustion stopped her from taking off again. What would she say to Jack? And why couldn't she have Sawyer? She was angry at him, but she would take back all the hard thoughts if he returned.

Sawyer, she pleaded. Come home.

She took a few shaking steps, and began to walk calmly, to stop herself from chilling. Wanting to see where she was, she aimed for the closest tree, and scaled it with expert efficiency. She was enjoying the view, enjoying being able to see around her for at least a mile in every direction – and then she heard a voice.

"Kate!" Jack called. "Kate!"

She drew her legs up against the branch, looking down, trying to stop her throat from closing over. She couldn't face him, not now. Maybe later. He kept moving, unable to find the trail any longer. If he'd had any skill as a tracker, he might have traced her prints to the bottom of the tree – but he didn't, and had only come this far because she'd practically left a highway behind her.

She didn't call out to him. Over the next week, she would do all in her power to surreptitiously avoid him, not knowing that very soon she wouldn't be able to talk to him.

Kate woke, her cheeks stained with brown streaks were tears had mixed with dirt. She lifted her head, blinking, unable to fight the despair that was pulling at her, the remains of a dream that was more memory than imagination.

The fire had burned down. She got up and added another few sticks to it, blowing it into life, just for something to do. They didn't need a fire now. It would be dawn, soon enough. Feeling another shiver rack her body, she gave upon the losing battle in her mind, and lay down again – beside Sawyer.

Her movement woke him, and slightly confused, he looked up. She didn't say anything, burrowing into his body heat, trying to express her need without words. He responded, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"Jack's dead," she replied, her voice muffled.

"You don't know that," Sawyer replied, sighing.

"Yes I do," Kate said. Sawyer repressed another sigh, and held her closer. He gathered she'd had a nightmare.

"What exactly happened between you two after I left?" he asked.

"Nothing," Kate said. He gave a wry smile, but stopped himself from scoffing out loud.

"Did you sleep with him?" he asked. He hadn't asked before now because he was afraid of the answer.

"No," Kate replied truthfully. She looked up at him, and he placed a light kiss on her forehead, one eyebrow raised. Kate sighed.

"I didn't. I was going to. We were..." she hesitated, unsure of how to go on. She met Sawyer's eyes, and he gave her a searching look. "We were making out and I... I..." Kate felt her mouth twitch into a smile, and she reprimanded herself it wasn't funny. "I said your name."

For a moment, Sawyer couldn't reply. That was certainly intriguing. He wondered what Jack had thought. Finally, he'd won. He started laughing softly.

"It's not funny," Kate said. Sawyer grinned.

"Maybe not. But I'm having a lot of trouble not laughing right now," Sawyer said. "What did he say?"

Kate bit her lip. "I haven't talked to him since," she replied, mortified. "I think I managed three words over the course of a week. I shouldn't have..."

"Hey. Don't start blaming yourself," Sawyer reprimanded her. Kate sighed again.

"We'd better get some more sleep. It'll be light soon," she said. Sawyer agreed, but even though she lay still in his arms and they didn't say anything more, neither slept.