Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.
Jack shifted in the underbrush, covered by the darkness of the night. Alex had left him alone three hours ago. She had given him a gun, which he had tucked safely away. Now he was waiting for the right opportunity. Everyone was asleep, and his clone was in his tent. Juliet and the clone had set up a tent next to Jack's tent, and she was asleep in hers.
Jack stood up and slowly went to his tent, opening it up. He saw a figure on his bed. He approached the clone, and gasped. He looked exactly like himself. Jack wanted to kill him right then, but he knew that the gunshot would wake people up, so he planned to carry him into the woods.
He attempted to pick him up and grunted. He was heavy. He wondered if it was because he was a clone or if he really did weigh a lot. He didn't think about it for long though. He was concentrating on getting the clone out of there before someone saw him.
Suddenly the clone awoke and punched Jack in the face. Jack fell against the side of the tent, shocked at how powerful the clone was. Jack stood up, determined not to lose this fight and swung a punch at him. He tried to get his breath back, standing a few feet away from the clone.
"I thought they had you." Jason glared at him.
"I got away."
'Well you're too late. Juliet knew you were coming. I've already killed Austin." Jason said with a grin.
Jack punched him again, this time harder, throwing them both to the ground. "No you didn't."
"Yeah. I did. You have no way of knowing."
"I'm you, remember? I can tell when you're lying."
"What's going on in here?!"
Jack turned, and looked up at Kate staring down at them. She backed away as she gasped and put a hand over her mouth. "What..?"
Jack closed his eyes for a second before opening them again. He didn't want her to see him yet. He didn't want anyone to see him yet. "Kate. It's okay." Jack slowly stood and approached her.
"Get away from me."
"I was cloned. I know it doesn't make any sense, but it's true. He's the clone. Trust me." Jack said slowly, begging her to understand.
Kate shook her head.
"Kate, I'm Jack." Jason stood up.
Jack turned towards Jason. "No you're not!"
"Kate, ask me questions that only I would know." Jason said.
"Don't do it Kate. He was given all of my memories." Jack shook his head at her. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. Her hair was up in a hair band and she had cleaned up. Jack also saw that her eyes were red and wet with tears. She had been crying.
Kate shook her head as she backed into the wall of the tent.
"Please don't leave. Just listen to me." Jack said softly.
Kate's eyes shifted from one man to the other. "You were cloned?" She asked them both, unsure of who was the real Jack.
"Yeah." Jason said. "And now he's trying to make you think that it's me."
Jack looked at Jason and back at Kate. He couldn't think of anything that would make her think it was him, so he just stood there staring at her.
"Why would they clone you?"
"They needed me." Jack said.
"They also needed to keep you and anyone else out of the way so that no one would come back for me." Jason said.
Kate stood in front of the two men. It all made sense now. Jack had been cloned, and she was the only one that could tell the difference. She knew that she had no choice.
Kate slowly approached the first one, the one that had come to her.
Jack watched her as she came up to him. He held his breath, noticing that she was shaking.
Kate noticed the raw emotion in his eyes, and the way he flinched as she placed a hand on his wrist. She gave a slight nod. This was him. This was Jack. Her other hand rested on his chest as she leaned in to kiss him. The vulnerability in Jack's eyes made her heart race, as she knew it was her fault that he was this way. She hesitated for only a second before their lips met, and Jack didn't respond as Kate continued to kiss him, needing him to kiss her back.
"Come on Jack." She whispered and Jack felt her warm breath on his face.
Kate reached around his back and clasped her arms around his waist, feeling the need to be close to him again. She felt something. Something cold and hard. Jack had a gun on him. Finally, Jack realized that if she was really going to know that it was him, he was going to have to kiss her back. As he kissed her back, Kate let out a sob and a tear rolled down her face.
Jason watched them, trying to memorize every move that Jack made. Kate had put her arms around him, but his arms still hung loosely at his sides.
Kate pulled away and looked up at Jack. The pain in his eyes broke her heart, and she wished she could do anything to fix it all.
Kate walked over to the clone and started to kiss him. Jason put his arms around her, and Kate shivered in disgust. He looked like Jack, but without the spirit Jack had, he was nothing to her. She deepened their kiss as she withdrew the gun that she had taken from Jack. She pulled away and pointed the gun at him.
"Kate, it's me! Don't you understand?" Jason panicked.
"Kate, you shouldn't kill him here. The others will hear it." Jack said hoarsely, finally finding his voice again.
"Hand me that pillow." Kate motioned to the bed.
"That won't work." Jack said.
"Yeah it will. Trust me."
Jack nodded and brought her the pillow. A second later, the clone slumped to the ground.
"Okay. Let's take him out." Kate said, putting the gun down.
"Wait. I'm going to change into his clothes and put mine on him. That way Juliet will think that I am still the clone. I have to take this guy back to the Pearl Station." Jack said bending over the clone.
"Let me help you." Kate moved to help him, and then Jack straightened up.
"Why don't you wait outside and I'll switch our clothes." A smile played across Jack's lips. She could barely notice it, but it was there.
"Okay." Kate nodded and walked outside. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have to undress a clone of herself. It was just weird. But it all made sense, and Kate was relieved to know that Jack was still the same, that she hadn't completely broken him.
She wanted to explain everything to him, she wanted to make things right between them. But she wasn't sure if he was ready to forgive her. It was hard to remember that it hadn't been him that she had apologized to.
"Kate?" Jack poked his head out of the tent.
"Yeah?"
"I need help. Either the clone is heavy, or I'm heavy. I don't know which one it is."
Kate went to help him and he put his arms around the clone's shoulders while she picked up his legs. "It's the clone."
"How do you know?" Jack asked her as they started walking back.
Kate blushed. "I once had to help carry you."
"When?"
Kate shrugged. "It was a long time ago."
Jack grinned at her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Kate looked down at the clone, hiding the smile that was spreading across her face.
A couple hours later they finally reached the station.
"I've never been here." Kate said.
"Neither have I. But Boone and Locke have. That airplane is what crushed him."
Kate looked at the plane for only a second before looking at Jack again.
They got inside of the station and started to walk towards where they had kept Jack.
"Okay put him in here." Jack told her as they reached the cell.
"They had you in here?" Kate asked, looking around.
"Yes." They set the clone down and shut the door. "We should get out of here before the Others come to get me."
Kate started to walk out and Jack followed her, but then she turned around. "You haven't become one of them." She said, as if trying to reassure herself.
"No." Jack stood, waiting for her to move.
"You're still.. Jack. " Kate said uncertainly.
Jack looked at her in confusion. "Yeah."
Kate nodded and continued to stare at him.
Jack looked down for only a second before looking at her again. "Thanks Kate. Thank you for coming to get me. You did help."
Kate's eyes filled with tears. It was all she needed to hear. That she hadn't disappointed him again. She hadn't come to get him for nothing.
"Thank you for coming back." Kate whispered. "I'm so sorry for everything."
"Sorry for what? You didn't do anything." Jack gave her a fake smile and walked past her.
Kate sighed and grabbed Jack's arm. "Jack, we need to talk."
Jack's eyes flickered in panic, and he hesitated. "Let's get out of here first. We can talk later." Jack quickly turned back around and Kate let go of his arm as she followed him up the ladder.
When they reached the top, they began to walk back. Kate struggled to keep up with Jack, who was going at a fast pace.
"Jack?" Kate asked.
Jack looked at her, and Kate bit her lip. She didn't know how to form into words what she was feeling, so she slipped her hand into Jack's. His grip tightened around her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
Kate's heart immediately leapt into her chest. Jack still cared for her, after all she had done to him. That meant that there was still hope for them. Kate smiled as they continued to walk back home together.
A/N: There's still a couple more chapters left. Thanks for the reviews!
