Chapter #5

Kate awoke as the sun's brilliant rays crept through the overhang of the trees and nestled on her face. She felt warm and vibrant waking up, refreshed and beautiful. It had been an amazing night, feeling Jack's kisses in her neck every time she stirred in her sleep. At times she stirred on purpose loving the smell of him that his kisses left behind. Kate sat and stretched comfortably at the beautiful morning. The night before had been amazing. Something that she had only dreamt about.

Kate turned to where Jack had been and found an empty space staring back at her. In the night he had mentioned that he would need to check on Walt again early this morning, but waking up without him there beside her, holding her was hard. She promised herself that it would never happen again.

Oddly, looking around, Kate recognized this place. It had a much different feel at night, but now in the morning light she knew exactly where she was. It was actually a place she had commonly come to stop for a rest or to find time alone. Making it back to the beach from here would be easy, how funny she thought, that she had been lost so close to camp.

Kate found Jack down by the water collecting fish from Hurley. He looked sexy in the sunlight there on the beach and she had to control herself from jumping him right then in front of everyone. As she approached Hurly didn't give her the immature googley eyes she expected and figured that Jack hadn't told him yet. She didn't care. If Jack wanted to keep their reunions private she didn't mind as long as they continued.

Looking up from Hurly Jack brightened as Kate approached. He had always done that when he saw her, Kate realized with a grin, and she loved it. "Hi." she smiled. He smiled back. "Hi Kate."

Bending down Jack threw the last of Hurley's fish into a basket. Standing straight again he brushed his hands together knocking the wet sand from them. Jack looked for conversation, "How did you sleep last night?"

Feeling daring Kate stepped to him and smiled coyly. "You should know." She said grabbing his ass. Jack's eyes widened with amusing surprise.

Triumphantly she caught the look of giddy surprise on Hurley's face as she walked away. She didn't get far before she heard her name called out.

"Kate!" Locke called walking towards her, "Where have you been? Jack was looking for you last night."

Kate smiled unable to keep the bounce from her step, "Well he found me."

Locke eyed her curiously, "Why are you so chipper?" he asked, "It's not like you."

Kate grinned, "I'm just doing what you said Locke, and experiencing the beauty of this island." Locke's eyes widened and he grabbed her arm urgently.

"The island chose you didn't it." He said intensely, "What did you see?"

Kate shook him away annoyed, "I don't know what you're talking about." She said rubbing the sore spot at her arm where he had grabbed.

"What did you do last night?" Locke asked his eyes shining wildly.

Kate considered his question carefully to keep out the details. "Well, I went into the jungle and bumped into Sawyer there who told me about the guys on the raft who all made it back. "She smiled mischievously at the next bit of detail, "Then I watched Jack pound on Sawyer for being a complete ass." She straightened, "Then Jack and I spent some time together."

"So you saw that Sawyer was okay and survived the raft, and then," he tried to control a chuckle, "then you made love to Jack."

Kate felt defensive. It was like he was reading the words right off of her forehead. "After Jack beat the sense out of Sawyer, yes."

Locke laughed, "Well, if that was what the island made you see."

"I don't understand. The island didn't make me see anything," Kate protested, "Ask Sawyer he was there he got the life almost knocked out of him." But even as Kate felt herself say the words, something seemed odd. She looked down at her shirt still clinging to her body each button still in perfect place.

"Sawyer?" Locke laughed, "Sawyer, no one has seen or heard from Sawyer or anyone else from the raft since they left. Well, besides Walt, who doesn't seem to remember a thing either."

Suddenly Kate's world got fuzzy. And she stumbled back.

"Remember when I said that the island has a power Kate?" She didn't nod a reply but heard him anyway, "Well it does, and it's chosen you too."

Kate couldn't speak. Locke's voice sounded broken and unorganized in her head.

"Think about it." He continued, "What did the island make you see? It established that Sawyer is safe, it showed you your secret desire for Jack's dominance over him, and then it revealed Jack's need and longing for you. Hasn't your inner worry over those things what has kept you so tense and upset lately?" When Kate didn't reply Locke continued, "Maybe we'll all get a chance to see our perfect moments. I had mine, Boone had his, and now you have been able to see what you truly desire."

Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing, "So it was all an illusion," she whispered somberly, then remembering the detail of how Jack's wet lips felt against hers and how he smelt as he held her close to him she retracted, "but, no, it couldn't be. I remember it so clearly."

Locke stood unmoving. "So did I, and so did Boon."

Kate shook her head as Locke did his best to explain, "What Boon saw was something he had a secret deep desire for, but couldn't even admit it to himself. It took me three days to convince him that what he experienced was from the island, seeing a desire in the depth of his subconscious. I think your desires Kate were a little more obvious."

"It didn't happen." Kate stated remembering the empty space next to her as she woke up, knowing in her gut that Jack would have never left her without saying goodbye. Her eyes glossed over. Locke nodded.

"Oh no." She whispered, remembering her recent encounter with Jack. She had grabbed his ass, and there was no way she would be able to take that back with the look she gave him. He would think she was absolutely crazy. She panicked, what was he thinking now?

Turning Kate dashed furiously away stopping shortly at the wreckage of the fuselage. She couldn't understand it, didn't want to. It had all felt so real so tangible. She kicked a lump of sand in the air and watched it dust up then settle again. It wasn't fair. She felt cheated and compromised. Oddly she felt herself furious with Jack. Why couldn't it have been him? Why wouldn't he go to her like that? Couldn't he see that she loved him? The questions fumed through her mind. Why didn't he need her?

She had to see him.

Silently Kate slipped into the opening of Walt's recovery hut out of view and watched Jack work. His bare cannonball shoulders bent sweetly, hanging down to meticulously check each of Walt's small cast fingers. Jack was like that, Kate thought, one to take care of the details. Kate frowned bitter sweetly. It felt so real. Her eyes softened watching Jack from behind. She could remember the way he touched her, the way he felt under her skin, how he tasted. Had she somehow made all that up? It still felt too real to be in her head.

Her eyes moistened. Maybe, she admitted reluctantly to herself, he would never see her or need her like she needed him.

Under the stare of Kate, Walt caught it all.