Author's Notes: Thank you so much for all of your kind feedback! I'm so glad that people were actually anticipating this chapter! I hope it doesn't disappoint... Anyways, I'm sorry it took so long to get this up, real life has been a bitch. My free time is becoming more frequent, however, so YAY. And, this chapter was really a transition, and now that it's done, the real story can begin! Please, read and review, I love feedback!

Trapped

by touchofxpink

"I'd like that one," Jack said, pointing to his favorite design in the book.

The tattoo artist smirked. "You sure got individual taste there, friend. But I like it. Suits you."

Jack unbuttoned his white collared shirt and took it off, carefully folding it and setting it to one side. He sat on the tattoo artist's chair, looking at expectantly at him. The other man was shaking his head.

"So what's the lady trouble, then, friend?"

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked, flinching slightly as the needle first pinched his skin.

"Guy like you, all proper and stuff, doesn't get a tat unless something serious goes down in his life. So what was it? She leave you?"

The words hit too close to home. Jack grimaced at the guy, and shook his head. "There isn't any lady trouble, man. Just thought it was time for a change."

"Ha. Whatever you say, friend, whatever you say."


Jack hovered to the left of Kate as she sat with her back against the cell's wall. She was breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating. He wanted to comfort her, but was unsure what to say or do. There was nothing he could do to reassure her. He was just as scared.

"God, Jack, how could this have happened?" she asked, massaging her temples.

"I'm the wrong person to ask, Kate."

"Well, there's not exactly anyone else around."

He laughed shortly at that. "You're right. Are you okay?"

She nodded, and got to her feet, swaying a little. "Yeah. This is just… a lot to take in at once."

"No kidding," he said. He reached out a hand and held her forearm tightly as she got her bearings. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said. She brushed a brown curl out of her eyes. "This place is mad." She gestured towards a doorframe opposite them. "What's over there?"

"A bathroom," Jack replied. "I guess we didn't deserve the bed, too."

"Ha," Kate laughed. Then, she turned to the walls and began to tap them.

"What are you doing?"

"Just because we can't say a way out, Jack, doesn't mean there isn't one."

"I know that, Kate, but I've already tried. Trust me."

"Well, I'll double check."

He crossed his arms, and watched her, annoyed. After checking to make sure she was alive and well, the first thing he did was search for a way out. He spent a full twenty minutes checking out the integrity of the walls. There was one that sounded hollow, but couldn't be opened, no matter how hard he tried. He had a feeling it could only be opened from the outside.

"Ah! I found something," Kate said, stopping triumphantly in front of the wall he had discovered.

"I found that, too. It doesn't open from in here."

She pressed on the door once, and it didn't budge. She began to hit it, harder, just as he had done. Nothing helped. Finally, Kate threw her entire body weight into the wall. It shook, just a bit, but that was it. Jack watched her desperation, trying to think of anything he could possibly do that would help.


His arm was burning, but he didn't care. He was otherwise occupied with a young Thai woman named Sukhon. He had picked her up in an underground club. She was looking for somewhere to sleep for the night. He was looking for someone to fill the giant void inside him.

They fell in a tangled mess of arms and legs onto his hotel bed. His room was scattered with clothes and dirty dishes. The maid at the Metropole Hotel stopped cleaning after the first night. She couldn't make her way around the piles.

Jack roughly shoved his hand up her turquoise tank top, feeling her delicate breast. She moaned into his mouth and he worked harder.

She responded in kind, tracing patterns up and down his back with her tiny hands. Her touch was so light he could barely feel it, and so he pressed closer. He wanted so desperately to feel something.

He worked his clothes off, and then hers, throwing both sets into another untidy heap on the floor. He broke their kiss, adjusting himself at his entrance.

Before he could move, however, he looked down at her. She smiled, just barely, enough to signify her consent. But that smile cut through him like a knife, and he rolled to the side, overcome.

Tears cascaded down his cheeks and he heaved huge, wracking sobs. Sukhon sat up in alarm, and gently touched his arm. He cried out as she touched the fresh wound.

"I am sorry," she said, in heavily accented English. "Why are you sad?"

He opened his mouth to try and tell her that it wasn't her fault. But he found that the words would not come.


"Kate! Cut it out. You're going to hurt yourself."

Indeed, she was. She kept throwing herself at the wall. Her shoulder was bruised and bleeding.

"I know what I'm doing, Jack. It's almost there, I can tell." She backed up.

He quickly moved to her side, and grabbed her arms, preventing her from trying again.

"What the hell are you doing, Jack? I'm trying to get us out of here."

"It's not going to work, Kate, you're just going to seriously hurt yourself trying," he said, twisting her closer to him.

She pulled away, but he was stronger. "Let go of me."

"No."

She looked up into his eyes from his arms, and this time, he didn't see desperation. He saw anger. She shook her shoulders, trying to get him to let go.

"Jack. Would you please just let me go?"

"That depends."

"No, it doesn't depend. You're going to let me go now."

He glared down at her but released her just the same. She winced as her raw shoulder brushed against the scratchy fabric of his shirt.

"Kate, let me see that. I can try to stop some of the bleeding."

"I'm fine," she snapped. She stood against the wall opposite the door, and steeled herself.

"You aren't seriously going to try again?"

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to get out of here." She ran at the door, and just before she reached it, it opened.

A man was standing there, dressed in a white jumpsuit, and he caught Kate as she flew into his arms.

"Are you still hungry?"

Jack shook his head. He pushed the bowl of noodles away listlessly. "I'm good, thanks."

"Good?" Sukhon asked quizzically.

"I'm not hungry anymore," he clarified. "Thanks."

"You are welcome," she said, collecting the dish. She placed it neatly on a tray sitting near the door and began to pick up the rest of the plates around the room.

"Sukhon," Jack said, "You don't have to do that."

"Your room is dirty."

He attempted half-heartedly to stop her, but she shoved him away and continued to clean. "Sometimes, we all need someone to take care of us," she said.


"Kate!" Jack screamed, and hurried toward the man, who smiled and released his hold on her.

"Don't worry, Jack, I wasn't planning on harming her."

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, grabbing Kate and pulling her to his side. He could feel her heart beating against his chest.

"That is not important, Dr. Shepard. What is absolutely imperative is that you come with me right now. There are some people waiting that are very interested in meeting you."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Jack spat.

"Oh, I think you will come with me, Jack. I'm afraid if you do not, there will be very dire consequences for the young lady in your arms."

Jack felt his blood run cold. He steeled his jaw, however, determined not to show his fear. "Really? I think, if I don't come with you, all you'll do is throw me back in this cell."

Click. "You are gravely mistaken." The man pulled a pistol out from the inside of his suit and fired, just above Kate's head. She screamed. "You better believe that I intentionally missed, Jack. And you better believe that next time I won't."

Jack let go of Kate. She clutched at his shirt as he stepped away from her. "Don't hurt her," he said, his voice quavering. "I'll come with you."

"Jack! Don't go!" Kate shouted.

"Don't worry that pretty little head of yours, Ms. Austen. He'll be back." He smiled again, and then took Jack by the shoulder and ushered him out of the room.

The Panda Club was empty when Jack walked in. He ordered tequila, wanting nothing more than to drown out his sorrows. He poured back shot after shot until a hand on his wrist stopped him.

"That is enough, Jack," the person said.

He turned to see Sukhon, holding out his coat and cell phone. He brushed her off and finished the shot. "I'm good, thanks."

"I have no doubt that you will be," she said, pushing the items towards him. He bristled with anger but still shrugged on his coat and pocketed his cell phone. He threw a wad of money onto the counter and waved to the bartender, stumbling on his way out. Sukhon steadied him with her small hand, leading him out into the bright light of the streets.

"I have packed your belongings," she said, once they had turned the corner towards Jack's hotel room.

"What? Why?" he asked, wrenching himself out of her grasp.

"You have mourned long enough. It is time to move. I have phoned your mother. They will be waiting to pick you up when you return to the United States."

He looked over at her and she smiled demurely. "Sukhon…"

"You do not have to thank me, Jack. I was happy to help you." She held out an envelope with an airline ticket in it. "Here."

Jack fumbled for his wallet in his back pocket. "I can't accept this, let me at least pay you back."

She laughed, and reached into her own pocket, brandishing his wallet. "You have already paid, Jack."

He looked at her, and then laughed as well. He took the wallet from her and replaced it in his pocket. "You know, that's the first time I've laughed since… Well, in a long time."

"I am happy that you are happy, Jack."

He started to reply, to tell her that he wasn't really happy, but then discovered that his lips would not tell such a lie.


He was brought back to the room two hours later. The man, who still had not revealed his name, opened the door and shoved a tray into Jack's hands. He then pushed Jack through the frame, and waved before shutting the entrance once again.

Kate looked up at the noise and rushed over to Jack as soon as she saw him. He put the tray down before she reached him and threw her arms around his neck.

"You're okay… Jack, I was so worried."

"I'm fine," he said, burying his face in her hair.

She pulled back slightly, still in his arms, and ran her fingertips over his face. "You really are? You're fine?"

"Yeah," he said, "I'm fine." He gestured towards the items on the tray. "I brought you a bandage, for your shoulder."

"Jack, my shoulder's okay. What happened out there? Where are we? Who is that guy?"

"I don't know," Jack replied, and began to wrap the fabric around her wound.

She flinched, and pulled away. "Jack. I'm serious. You were gone for several hours… What happened?"

"Don't worry about it, Kate."

"Of course I'm going to worry," she said, and distanced herself from him. "Now, are you going to tell me, or not?"

Jack rubbed his eyes. "No, Kate, I'm not going to tell you. It doesn't concern you." He put down the bandage and picked up a deck of cards. "Do you want to play?"

She looked at him, agog at the notion. "Are you insane? Of course I don't want to play cards. I want to know what happened to you, Jack."

"I can't."

"Fine," Kate said, and sat down in one corner. She shot him one last look, full of concern and anger, and then rested her head on her arms.

Jack stared at her for a few moments, hundreds of conflicting emotions battling inside of him. Finally, he sank to the floor and shut his eyes, hoping that sleep would bring the peace he sought.