Kate stared out the plane window, as if she could see anything. It was dark, and she wasn't even paying attention anyways. After she said goodbye to Jack she hadn't felt anything. She jumped off the cliff and swam to the boat. She and James got to the other island and she talked to Claire and then they were on the plane. It was all a blur to her. All she could think about was that she had to get herself and Claire on that plane so that what Jack was doing wasn't going to be for nothing. She hates how stubborn Jack was when his mind was made up, and it hurt her that he wouldn't go with her. But she knew his purpose was on the island. It was why their relationship suffered off the island, because he was supposed to be on the island, doing this. But now she feels the pain. It started in her chest, and not just from her wound in her shoulder, which was definitely bleeding from all the use of it the last few hours. But she didn't care. That was nothing compared to her chest. It started there, this deep, clenching pain that started spreading, and soon it was in her throat forming a large lump that made it hard to breathe or swallow. Claire had long ago fallen asleep, and Kate had moved to the back of the plane to be alone with her thoughts. But she wasn't really thinking, she was just feeling. She knew tears were falling down her cheeks, but she didn't have the energy to wipe them, or the energy to try to stop them. She knew it was useless.
"You okay?" James voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed him sit beside her.
She turned to him, just staring. Her wet cheeks told him everything he needed to know.
He glanced at her shoulder and his hands slowly moved. One gripping her arm to prevent her from struggling, and the other pulling her shirt back to look at the damage. But there was no need to grip her arm; Kate had no intention of fighting. He grabbed a few napkins to put some pressure on the wound and to try to stop the bleeding, expecting Kate to wince, but she didn't. He gently put her shirt back into place, and Kate brought her hand up to the wound, closing her eyes, remembering when Jack sewed her. She had been scared, and angry about Sun and Jin, and in pain. All she could do was look at Jack, and yet that was the best thing she could do, because just looking into his eyes made her feel better. They always had. But now she was never going to look into those eyes again.
A sob escaped from her mouth, and Kate's eyes opened, the tears now streaming freely down her face. James' hands slowly reached for her face, pausing a few times before finally reaching their destination. He wasn't sure how she would react, but he definitely knew how she was feeling. He attempted to wipe her tears with his thumbs, but it was no use, the tears were just replaced with fresh ones.
James sighed and cursed Jack under his breath. Of course he had to leave her behind. James didn't know what to do next so he removed his hands from her face and just sat beside her, but Kate craved the comfort James was offering, and she collapsed into him, now not even trying to contain her sobs. James wrapped his arms around her, the pain from Juliet's death starting to resurface. He was leaving the island, something Juliet had been trying to do for over six years. He missed her like crazy and although Kate's warm body against his was comforting, as they were both seeking the same thing, it was nothing compared to the way Juliet made him feel. And he knew he would never feel that way again, nor would Kate.