Disclaimer: I sadly don't own anything, but at least I have my health :)

Jack stood up and started walking back to the caves, followed closely by Ana Lucia. "Thanks for the drink Jack." She said, somewhat flirtatiously. Jack smiled, but before he could say anything, Hurley came running and panting, almost knocking Jack over.

"Jack! Hey, Jack, you should…" but before he could continue, Hurley realized who was with Jack, "umm… yea… you should…".

"I'm Ana Lucia" she said, holding her hand out trying to make an effort like Jack had told her over the drink.

"Uh...uh... Hurley", he stuttered, and put out a shaking hand.

"What is it Hurley?" Jack said, trying to end the awkwardness. "Yeah, dude, Sawyer's awake, I think you should…"

"What? When?" Jack interrupted.

"I don't know but I was just coming out of the hatch and saw him coming back from a walk in the jungle with Kate and…", at the sound of her name, Jack's head dropped slightly forward and he rubbed his forehead.

"You alright dude?" Hurley asked.

"Yeah, I'll just grab my stuff, wanna come?" said Jack, turning to Ana Lucia.

"I don't know, I'm not sure Sawyer would be too pleased to see me." she explained.

"It'll be ok," said Jack, not really interested on who comes with him as long as he does not have to face Kate alone; he just wasn't ready.

They didn't talk much on the way to the hatch. She could see that Jack's mind was miles away.

"So Jack," she said. Jack woke from his reverie; he had forgotten that she was even with him. "Is this Kate why you were drinking?" she continued.

"Huh?" he asked stopping in his stride.

Ana Lucia stopped a few steps in front of him and turned, "well it was obvious you were drinking because of a woman, and the way your head dropped back there when you heard her name you would have thought that was not the only part of you that was hit hard, Jack," she explained.

"What? No, Kate and I are just friends." Jack said quickly and started to walk, quicker than before.

"Are you sure?" Ana Lucia asked, with a bit of jealousy in her voice.

"Ana, we were in a plane crash only over fifty days ago, we've had monsters, polar bears, crazy french women, others and God knows what else, we've been trying to survive not start relationships! We're just friends!" Jack snapped at her.

"Polar bears!" she asked, trying to loosen the situation, but Jack had already walked off.

Arriving at the hatch, Ana became all chatty again. She did not want Jack mad at her too, she was already on everyone's most hated list. "How come you guys got all the best stuff?"

Jack looked at her quizzically, "huh?"

Ana smiled, "well, first of all we were sitting in the tail end of the plane, landed on the bad part of the island, had an episode of lord of the flies, and I hear your hatch had food, all ours had was a bad smell and a leaky roof."

That managed a chuckle from Jack as he was opening the door to the hatch.

The alarm was already ringing when they walked in.

"What's that?" Ana asked.,

"That… that is our destiny," Jack replied sarcastically.

Going to the computer room to check if anyone was "saving the world", Jack saw Sun as she pressed the execute button and the faint click of the timer was the only sound heard.

"Hi Sun."

" Oh, hi Jack," she replied cheerfully, her smile wide, one that never left her face now that Jin was back.

At least some people are happy, Jack thought to himself.

In the other room, Sawyer and Kate were sitting at the table, having a snack of fruits.

"Well, well, if it ain't the hero," Sawyer said as Jack walked in. "Congratulations, Doc, you have a new victory on your record," he added sarcastically pointing to his shoulder.

Without looking at Kate, Jack walked towards Sawyer in his typically doctor way. "How is it? Is your fever gone?"

Trying to avoid looking at both Jack and Sawyer, Kate stared aimlessly at the fruits, trying to seem interested in how the mango peel shined in the light.

"All's good. Your little nurse there made me all good," smirked Sawyer.

Jack's looked flickered for a moment, and Sawyer's eyes narrowed in interest, not knowing what to make of this.

Ana Lucia walked in after a tour of the hatch, catching Kate's eye and stopping. Kate jumped up, an anger unseen in her before, taking over her.

"You- you're the one who killed Shannon," She breathed furiously.

Before Ana Lucia could say anything, Jack turned to Kate, looking at her for the first time since he'd come in, and snapped," It was an accident, Kate… you know accidents happen."

"You're defendin' her now, Jackass?" said Sawyer.

Kate looked at Jake, hurt visible on her face mixed with confusion, the confusion that Ana also felt, but with appreciation.

"I'm just- " Jack began, but he was interrupted by Ana.

"It's okay, I gotta go anyway," she walked out.

No one spoke as Jack got the bandages and medicine, and Kate went back to her study of fruit, color, and light, not knowing what to make of what had just happened, while Sawyer stared at Jack, trying to know what had happened to that usually well-spoken hero.

Closing the cupboard door, Jack turned to Sawyer, "Call me when you're done eating, and I'll change your bandages."

Sawyer looked up at Jack, and in classic sawyer-style said, " Wouldn't wanna be more of a burden, doc. Freckles here can change my bandages, can't you sweet cheeks?" he turned to Kate and smiled.

Barely looking up, Kate managed to nod her head and utter and inaudible "Sure".

Jack turned to Kate for a split second then turned back to Sawyer and put the bandages on the table. "Fine," he said, turned hois back, and headed out.