Cpt 4

Juliet looked in the mirror, pinning her hair up for the day. Another day without Jack. It was eight days now since Ben's imposed break. She fought back the tears, looking into the reflection, avoiding the truth that stared back at her. Who are you? It called out to her. Did she even know anymore? She felt she had lost something she could no longer replace, herself. Then she thought of Jack, his struggle to keep himself and hope was renewed.
…..

"Good morning Jack," Ben said through the glass wall, pulling up a chair and sitting straight backed in it. His posture was perfect. Jack's was hunched over his knees in the corner.
"What do you want?" Jack scowled.
"To see how you are," Ben replied.
Jack didn't respond. He leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling.
"Where's Juliet?" he finally asked although he didn't expect an answer.
"She's with Sawyer," Ben told him, "She's been with Sawyer everyday since she left you. She likes him."

Jack looked hard at Ben. He knew Ben was playing him but the jealousy burned through him anyway. Like a green lit candle in the pit of his stomach.
"Sawyer's," Ben started, "Well, Sawyer's Sawyer. You know how women respond to him. Don't you Jack?"
Jack stood up, walking up to the glass and bent at the knees to be eye level with Ben.
"I want to see her," he said.
"Now who would that be Jack? Juliet or Kate?"
Jack stood straight, the tension stiffening his muscles. He clenched his fists, the knuckles turning white from the pressure.
"Just let me see her," he said, his voice weakening like a child's.
"Juliet is not what you think Jack. You can't win her to your side. She's a broken little girl inside," Ben said and stood up, the chair scratching against the metal floor as he pushed it away from him. Ben's eyes grew dark and sinister.
"I did that Jack," he said taking full delight in his words, "I shattered her into a million little pieces and you can't fix her."
…..

"Hey Alex," Juliet said as she climbed the metal ladder into the control room in the late evening.
"Oh no, not again Juliet. He'll find out, I can't let you in to see Jack," the girl said, turning from the cameras and blocking the doorway into the Hydra.
"Yes you can Alex. I'd do it for you," Juliet pleaded.
"No you wouldn't. In fact you didn't. You never once helped me to see Karl."
"You're right," Juliet said bowing her head in shame, "I'm sorry."
Alex let out a deep breath then seeing a defeated Juliet about to leave, put out her hand to stop her.
"Five minutes, but that's all or we risk being caught," she told an already smiling Juliet.
"Thank you Alex, thank you."

Juliet stepped into the Hydra station. Jack immediately jumped to his feet.
"Juliet," he said pressing his palms to the glass. Her hands went up to meet his. She could feel his energy penetrating the wall. She quickly opened up the door and entered the room. They ran to each other but stopped short of touching, not quite sure where their boundaries should be.
"He let you come see me finally," Jack said.
Juliet shook her head, "No, he doesn't know I'm here. I just wanted to be sure were doing okay."
"I'm fine. He said you were with Sawyer," Jack said stiffly.
"My new duties," Juliet said.
"Oh?" Jack asked.
"It's not the same thing Jack," she said catching the hint of jealousy in his voice. She giggled slightly and her cheeks felt hot and flushed. She felt young again. "I never made him soup you know."
Jack laughed, "It's probably a good thing, Sawyer'd only throw it in your face."
"As oppose to smashing it against the wall like you?"
Jack ran his hand over his head and looked sheepishly away from her. "Yeah," he whispered.
"Jack,"
"Juliet," they said in unison then burst into nervous laughter.
"You first," Juliet said.
"No, you go ahead, ladies first," Jack told her.
"Ahh but you're the guest," she said but Jack looked at her, his brow scrunched up.
"Okay, not exactly a guest, but you know what I mean," Juliet told him as she gazed into his tired eyes, waiting to hear him speak. It wasn't that she was so eager to hear what he has to say. Only that she longed to hear his voice. To take the sound of his words with her until the next time she could be with him. She would be content just to be near him, watching as his eyes squinted with his laughter, counting the lines that formed at the corners. She ached to step closer, to enter his proximity, to smell his skin, to back in his body heat. Jack took a step closer to her but when he did she stepped back, afraid.
"Did he hurt you?" Jack asked.
"Who Ben? No. He likes to be in control that's all. He's like you in that way."
Jack's face clouded over.
"He's nothing like me," Jack barked but then quickly lowered his voice as Juliet took another step back, hitting the wall.
"I'd never tell you what to do," Jack said, "I'd never tell you what to think or tell you what to wear."
Juliet looked up into his eyes. They were soft, non- threatening but focused. He wanted her to hear him, to truly hear him.
"I'd never break you Juliet, never shatter you into pieces."
Jack was so close to her now, she could feel his breath on her face. His arms were on either side, palms up above her shoulders against the wall. But instead of feeling pinned, Juliet felt free. Freer than anytime before. She tilted her head to meet his face.
"Jack," she whispered before closing her eyes, her lips slightly parted in anticipation. Jack bent his head; his lips barely grazed her own before Alex pounded on the glass.
"Juliet! He's coming; you've got to go now!"
Juliet quickly entangled herself from beneath Jack and rushed out the door. Jack pounded on the glass.
"You don't have to leave Juliet; all you have to do is choose. All you have to do is choose me."