Sorry for leaving you guys hanging but here it finally is.
In an effort to bring in the festive season, I've got and am planning to post my "Lost" Christmas fic as soon as this Friday. Like last year I've split this one in 5 parts, leading all the way to Christmas Eve. So keep on the lookout for it. I'd share the title but that would pretty much give away the basis of the story. It is Jate though, that I can confirm lol.
Anyways enjoy and thanks for the reviews.
It all happened so quickly. One minute he was talking to Diane and the next he was witnessing Kathy being pulled away screaming by Security. However her screams paled in comparison to the frantic beeping of the machine which was practically keeping Kate alive.
That wasn't so much the case now, despite it being switched back on by one of the Nurses. The situation worsening within seconds when Kate suddenly flat lined.
Like Diane, he was in a state of shock, but snapped out of it quick enough to tend to the situation as best he could.
Pushing through the working Doctors, Jack reverted to using the traditional method of revival. Seeing as the advanced was achieving no success whatsoever.
"C'mon Kate" Jack softly chanted as he went about performing CPR. Growing relentless in his attempts, both verbally and physically, when still no sign of life was achieved from Kate.
She felt like she was flying. A murky coloured tunnel with rays of light cracking its foundations. What also lingered within those cracks were voices. Incoherent and Kate spent little time trying to decipher them in light of a little girl's voice calling "Mommy!" from the blinding light at the end of the tunnel.
The more she floated towards it and the stronger the voice got. Now bringing with it a familiar warmth Kate could mistake for no other.
"Lily?"
"Mommy." It came again, answering Kate's question and with that she chose to embrace the light fully. Firmly believing that her daughter was there waiting for her, but just at that moment she was suddenly jolted backwards.
The reason not clear to her at first but the second jolt was followed by a voice; Jack.
"Mommy." Came the girl's cry for the third time, gaining her attention and just at the moment of succumbing to it, she heard his voice again. This time more firm and demanding.
"Don't you leave me!"
It was loud and clear. Thrown by it so much that she didn't even feel the jolt that came along with it and the next minute everything went black.
"Jack! Jack, stop it, she's gone…." Marc urged, trying to pull Jack off a seemingly lifeless Kate. Jack of course putting up a struggle in return, clearly still refusing to believe that she was gone.
"Time of death?" one of the Doctors then inquired as procedure. Gaining his answer in the form of a loud, sudden intake of breath from Kate, earning everyone's attention in the room.
Shocked at the sight, Marc released his hold on Jack in the process, allowing for him to tend to a confused Kate.
"Wha…." Kate stuttered, mystified by her surroundings but they gained some clarity when she saw his face. A smile splitting it through the tears that still ran down his unshaven cheeks.
Caught in the spirit of the moment, he leaned down to kiss her. Relief flowing through him at feeling the warmth on the surface of her lips and out of the volition of simple feeling he pulled away and spoke.
"I thought I'd lost you." He whispered, his emotions rising once again but he shut his eyes tight to conceal them, resting his forehead against hers. Unwilling to let her see him so broken and vulnerable.
Smiling, she brought her right hand up to touch the side of his face. Wincing slightly as she did so, but regardless she made the effort much like he'd just done for her.
"You saved…..you…" Kate tried again, but this time she couldn't fight or overcome the fatigue. Understanding right away Jack took hold of her hand, placed another kiss on the inside of her palm and carefully rested it by her side again. Urging her to take it easy and also assuring her that she wouldn't be alone during the process.
With that said he leaned down to kiss her on the side of her head. Coherent of his actions, yet at the same time he could see no wrong in a simple peck against the lips. Compared to the fact that she'd died and come back; such a gesture held no spotlight of significance.
Regardless of it all he was just happy to have her alive and so was Diane whom Kate spotted once Jack moved aside.
"Ma?"
"I'm here sweetie." Diane assured, walking up to her daughter and immediately taking hold of her hand whilst seating herself at her bedside. Jack took the cue at that moment to wordlessly excuse himself and give them some much needed privacy.
However in the midst of his departure Diane stopped him.
"Jack"
"Yes Miss Austen?"
"Thank you." She stated with a sincere smile. Earning a similar response from Jack and with casting one last look toward Kate, he let himself out.
Once outside, he took a moment to consider what just happened. As premature as the thought was he'd like to have believed that what just happened was maybe a start to acceptance instead of blame.
Just maybe.
(Later that evening)
She hadn't been to jail before, but there was a first for everything and to a certain extent she felt such a punishment was perhaps deserved in light of what she did.
The jealous fiancée in her however saw justification in it.
Fiancée; She questioned the title now. Not just cause of what she did to Kate but of what she knew was the truth. He still loved Kate.
No matter how hard she tried to ignore it and make him move on from it, it was pointless. Inevitable.
Her train of thought was broken at that moment by the sight of a Guard followed by…..
"Jack?" she questioned solely in surprise of seeing him here, especially after what happened and immediately assuming that he no longer cared as a result.
"Perhaps I was wrong."
"You're free to go." the Guard announced, opening the door to her cell and stepping aside to let her through.
Once she stood before Jack, she could see the anger in his eyes and distinct distance in his body language too.
"C'mon." he spoke in a low tone, leaving it at that and Kathy had no choice but to follow through with it.
The car ride home was spent in silence. Kathy itching to say something but on second thought what could she possibly say to turn it all around?
Twenty minutes later and he was pulling into the driveway of the home they shared. Jack surprising Kathy once again when he failed to vacate the car just as she'd just done.
"Are you coming in?" Kathy asked, peeking through the passenger window to achieve some kind of reaction from him.
"No." was Jack's simple monotonous reply, giving Kathy a brief glance before he moved to turn on the ignition.
"C'mon Jack I'm sorry." She apologised, sincere in her intent and when that failed to work, she allowed brutal honesty precedence. "I only did it because…."
"Save it Kathy." Jack cut her off, finally giving her his focus in the form of a glare.
"I didn't mean for it to go this far. It's just…."
"Well it did and I'm NOT gonna take that risk again." Jack warned, sparking question and a hint of worry in Kathy in response.
"What are you saying?" she inquired despite assuming where this was probably heading. But she would not accept it. Not until he said the words.
Much to her dismay he drove away instead, leaving her on the driveway alone and confused.
So where does this leave Jack and Kathy? The end? Will Kathy accept that?
Next Chapter: Diane's proposal for Jack and another proposal of a different kind….