Cpt 3
Juliet
observed Sawyer as he wheeled the barrow full of rocks away from
Kate. She smiled at the way he kept turning back to look at Kate. To
make sure she was okay. He wasn't all bad, Juliet thought as she
stretched in the noon day sun.
It had been three days since she
last saw Jack, when Ben had walked in on their moment. Juliet closed
her eyes, trying to recall Jack's touch as he swept her hair
away.
"I'm putting you on Sawyer duty for awhile," Ben
had told her.
"Why?" she asked although she knew the
answer.
She was getting too close to Jack. She could feel his
magnetic pull, drawing her in. Ben could feel it too.
"I think
you need a change. A break for now," Ben said.
"I'd like to
break you. In two. Smash your face in," Juliet thought.
"Okay,"
she replied and walked away.
She thought it wouldn't be this
hard. This hard to be away from him. But Jack was her gateway,
opening her gilded cage, teasing her to come out. And she wanted to
fly now. No, she thought, she always wanted that for herself. Jack
wasn't freedom; he only held the mirror up so she could see it for
herself. But oh, how beautiful those hands of his were as he did
it.
…..
"Hello Jack," Ben said through the glass
wall. Jack stood up, tall and erect, defiant.
"Where's
Juliet?" he asked.
Ben smiled, his head tilted in thought. It
hadn't escaped him that Jack had stopped asking for Kate and was
now asking for Juliet.
"She's busy Jack," Ben told him.
Jack
marched up to the glass, glaring at the man opposite him.
"Did
you hurt her?" he demanded to know.
"Now why would I do that?"
Ben asked calmly as Jack raged on the other side.
"Because she,"
but Jack's voice trailed off, his eyes cast downward. He ran his
hand over his head.
"She's fine Jack. You'll see her again
when the time comes."
"I want to see her now!" Jack yelled,
his fist pounding on the window, making the glass tremble, thundering
to match his anger.
Ben flinched but only for a second, for a
split second he quaked. Then he was calm again, a smile across his
face.
"I like the way you fight," Ben said.
Jack's face
shot up at the familiar words. The words she told him He had said to
her. Jack gave a slight snort.
"Am I supposed to thank you for
that?"
"Only if you want to Jack," Ben explained.
"You'll
never have my gratitude," Jack said and walked away from him to the
back of his cell.
"You think," Ben started then corrected
himself with a shake of his head, "No, you're sure you know what
is true." Ben paused waiting to see if Jack would turn around but
he continued to face the wall, his back to Ben.
"But you're
starving here in some deep mystery Jack, you're starving. But I can
feed you. I can teach you something new."
…..
It was
late in the evening as Juliet shivered in the cold air, hidden by the
trees. She bided her time, waiting for her moment.
"He's
sleeping so he won't be much trouble, focus on the caves instead,"
Ben said.
"Yes Sir," Alex replied.
Ben smiled and touched
her face; she recoiled slightly before giving in.
"Please, I
keep telling you to call me Ben," he said.
"Goodnight Ben,"
Alex said wrapping her sweater tightly around her as he left for his
home.
"Psst," Juliet called then put her finger to her
lips.
"Juliet? You know you're not supposed to be here,"
Alex whispered.
"I just want to see him. Only for a minute,
please?"
"Ben says you're supposed to take a break from
Jack."
"Like you were supposed to take a break from Karl? Has
he let you see him yet?" Juliet asked knowing just how to
manipulate the young teenager.
"Okay, but just for a minute,"
Alex agreed.
"And you won't say a word?" Juliet asked.
Alex
shook her head and led the way in.
….
Juliet opened the
steel door as softly as she could. Jack was sprawled out on his side,
atop the metal table of his room. His chest rose and fell softly as
his eyes fluttered behind their lids. Juliet stared, wondering what
he dreamt of. Did he dream of home? Of freedom? Of her?
She
yearned to touch him, the desire taking over her and she reached out
tentatively. Her hand went over his leg at the foot of where he lay.
He was deep in sleep and didn't feel her as she inched up his thigh
till her hand rested on his hip.
"Jack?" she whispered,
leaning over him, her hair draping over his face. Jack mumbled
something and turned onto his back. Juliet remembered reading in his
file that Jack talked in his sleep, but she couldn't make out what
he had just said. She watched him as his right hand came to rest on
his stomach, his left lay open, palm up beside her. Her finger traced
his life line softly before she bent down, her lips hovering above
his. She wanted so badly to taste him but her courage failed her and
she stood back up.
"Goodnight Jack," she whispered, "If you
dream, dream of me."
