Small Comforts {Kate}

[Jack Shephard]

Claire had gone up deck to get air. Jack felt himself sigh slightly, bringing a hand up to rub at his face. He noticed how rough his cheek felt against his hand, and he made his way towards the bathroom area, frowning slightly as he went. He still felt horrible about Charlie, almost sick to his stomach at some points, and yet they were going home because of Charlie.

The entire fact left a sour taste in his mouth. Jack entered the bathroom, moving to turn on the tap with another long sigh. He bent down, resting his arms on the sink as he looked at himself in the mirror. They were going home.

He bent down, feeling the hot water wash over his face, and it comforted him slightly. He opened the medicine cabnet, and noticed a razor and shaving cream. Might as well look presentable for whomever was waiting for them at the docks, he thought to himself. Silently, he wondered if Sarah would be there. He wondered if she thought he was dead. He wondered if she cried for him at all.

As he slowly brought the razor across his skin, it was the small comfort that calmed Jack's nerves slightly. He was going home. Going home to cars and planes and trains and people and life.

3 months really did feel like three years as Jack thought about it.

[kateausten]

Kate was going to do it, She was going to once again be on the run, the normality’s of life that she had gotten used to were going to be gone. Even though there wasn’t many, it was still enough to make her miss them. In all honesty, the past little while had completely gone over her head, she knew what was happening and what they were going to be doing, but it was all just so surreal to be taking up his offer. It’d most likely only be a few hours time before they got to LA and she had to make her run for it , before she had to leave everyone behind. Everyone aside from Sawyer, the man who was going to help her… Maybe it was for the best of both of them that they went through with this. Each of them had nothing. It worked.

Sighing Kate laid there, her arm pressed over her eyes as the waves crashed against the side of the boat. How well constructed this was, well she didn’t know but she did know by the judging of the creaking and moans and groans the ship was giving off didn’t sound well at all. Maybe she wouldn’t have to worry about getting back to LA, maybe instead they’d all reenact the Titanic, because stranger things had happened. Such as Islands full of polar bears, stranded French women and a bunch of other people who had built their own little community. It was hard to believe the island was a thing of the past.

Kate massaged her forehead restlessly, she needed out of this cell… this room, it was depressing enough with out the dank smell filling her nose. The dim flickering of the hall way lights was already much better then her room, it felt like she’d been stripped of some type of lifestyle. What Sawyer had said was sinking in and the reality of a jail cell was killing her. Before Kate knew it the hallway had disappeared behind her and she now stood at the community bathroom’s door. Pushing through she noticed Jack was in there shaving and a small smile came to her face. “Looking to impress some one when we get home?” Kate smiled lightly as she joined his side. Her fingers wrapped around the faucet and she turned it on, her hands resting as the water washed over them. “Y’know, we’ve been on the island for three months, they are going to expect us to be dirty.” Grinning she lowered her face and raised a handful of water to her face letting it all wash over.

[Jack Shephard]

The door opened with a loud groaning creak, and Jack glanced in the mirror to see the form of Kate. He tried to still it, but even the simple sight of her made his heart skip a beat. He continued shaving silently, until he smirked as he heard her words.

Looking to impress someone when we get home?

"Why, do I look impressive?" he asked, a genuine smile on his face as she spoke again about people expecting them to be dirty.

"Oh god. If we hadn't found the Hatch...let's just say that I don't have the face for a beard. I havn't grown it out really long, but Sarah used to tell me I looked like one of those people that stand out on the side of the road begging for change. Except oddly attractive." he said with a smirk before bending down, wiping his face clean of the shaving cream. The thought of Sarah and the words she had once said to him made him smile only for a moment until it made him frown. He wondered if she would be happy to see him, if she would run into his arms and tell him she was sorry, that they'd make things work because he hadn't died. He wondered silently if he'd welcome such a gesture anymore. There had been a time when it had been all he'd ever wanted...but now...

Almost dying did funny things to people.

He righted himself and looked at his reflection, running a hand across his cheek before he grabbed a towel to dry his face off.

"They also expect us to be dead." Jack pointed out as he dried his face off. "They can't have everything."

As he moved to wipe off the remaining shaving cream off his neck, Jack simply watched Kate for the moment, her back turned to him. The memory of seeing her with Sawyer in the cage, it burned fresh in his mind, and yet, Jack didn't feel as angry about it now. "Look, Kate, I uh," he started, unsure of how he was going to word what he wanted to say. It sounded so easy in his head. Hey, Kate. How about we go get some coffee when we get back to Los Angeles? or Hey, Kate. I know this great place in downtown LA, we could have dinner?

Everything sounded so easy in his head, and yet the same time, it sounded so idiotic. He watched as Kate turned around to look at him, and he nervously scratched at the back of his neck. "I was, uh...I was just wondering if you wanted to get coffee or something? I-I mean, not like, right as we step off the boat or anything," he added a slight laugh. "but, um...whenever. If you want."

Could you sound more idiotic, Shephard? Jesus...

[kateausten]

To find Jack these days with out Juliet glued to his side was a remarkable discovery on it’s own, nearly impossible to. Quirking her brow Kate smiles, laughing lightly. This would probably be the last bit of alone time that the two would have, or possibly the last time Kate would ever see Jack Shephard face to face. “You tell me.” She smirked wiping the water off of her face with the neck of her t-shirt. Her eyes glanced over his face and then did a quick look up and down before returning to his gaze once more. She’d now known Jack for three months now, but it seemed like so much longer. That however didn’t matter now since Kate would be fleeing town with James Ford.

“You don’t have the beard type of face.” She teased in agreeance. Kate laughed lightly leaning on the counter, “So she thinks you look like a bum? Hitch hiker?” She questioned humorously as her eyebrow quirked. Despite how she was going on, she wasn’t happy. Kate didn’t want to leave Jack, they’d become close friends and well, she had feelings for him- But he wouldn’t understand why she had to run… Or why she would have been better off on the island.

A smirk lingered on her lips for a moment as Jack mentioned how Sarah used to think he was oddly attractive even with a ‘hitchhiker’ look. Kate personally couldn’t picture it, at the very most , scruffy, not incredibly hairy. Beards didn’t work for some people. “What’s wrong?” It was obvious to notice the frown that etched deep in his face, even if it was only for a second. Jack’s next remark made her laugh however. It was true- Maybe if she told Jack what was going to happen, maybe Jack would tell them that Kate died? Maybe the other 815’ers would cover for her incase the people from the freighter gave her away. It was either a very good idea, or a terrible one. Absolutely terrible. “You’ve got a point.” Kate smiled and nodded, her gaze traveling around the bathroom.

It was rather small, and like most of the rest of the ship, it was dank, dark and gave off a dirty feel, grungy and nasty, unnapealing to anyone. Eventually Kate’s attention rested on Jack again as she hopped up and sat on the counter as he wiped his face off. As she banged her feet lightly against the bottom cupboards she ran her hands over her legs only stopping to play with a stray thread. When Jack said her name she looked up, a question present in her face. Kate looked very content as she sat there with him, her thoughts all mixed between her planned escape with Sawyer, thoughts of the island, and thoughts of the future… Even a few of Life with out Jack.

“Yeah?” Kate asked, her brows narrowing a little not in an angry way however. Get Coffee? Lightly she sighed and shook her head. “What about Juliet , Jack?” Her tone wasn’t nearly as friendly as she would of liked, but really Kate didn’t like the woman one bit, she was bad news, and despite everything Kate found it incredibly had to trust her, it was impossible. “I don’t think so.. Jack. I can’t.” Kate said quietly, avoiding his gaze. Even if Juliet was out of the picture, Kate would be as well.

[Jack Shephard]

Jack's smirk only grew wider as he heard Kate asked him to tell her. "Yeah, I think I do, consitering the circumstance." he told her with a smile, before it widened as Kate asked if Sarah thought he looked like a bum. "Yeah," he said sarcastically. "A bum that made more money than she knew what to do with." he told her, but as Kate asked him what was wrong, Jack's smile faded slightly, and he shook his head lightly, looking to the worn Freighter floor. "It's, uh...it's nothing."

However, as Kate spoke about the coffee, Jack's head snapped up, at first, a confused frown on his face. She spoke of Juliet, and his brows instantly furrowed, slightly annoyed. "Oh, jesus christ, Kate." Jack said in a harsh sigh, moving to bring up the towel to his face, pressing it against it in frustration. "You know what?" he asked, his voice muffled with the towel, until he tossed it to the side of him. "I am tired of this bullshit."

Juliet...Jack didn't know what Juliet was. Sure, she and him had grown closer, but Jack knew he didn't love Juliet. Not like Kate. He couldn't even explain the reasons why he loved Kate, the way he felt when he was around her. And now...

"Oh wait," Jack said, a sarcastic laugh escaping his lips as he brought a hand up to his head, as if thinking of something. "I guess I should ask Sawyer first if I can steal you away for coffee." The words escaped his lips before he could catch them, however, it was truth that had been building in Jack for a long while. Ever since he had seen Sawyer and Kate together... A breath escaped his lips, and he found himself laughing frustratedly.

"There is nothing between Juliet and I, reguardless of what you think." Jack told her, crossing his arms over his chest. However, he stepped to her, moving in front of her legs as he watched her fail to look at him. "Look at me." he told her with a frown.

"LOOK."

As Kate's head looked up, Jack frowned deeply, starting to speak however stopping. There was something. He could see it in her eyes. Jack's brows narrowed slightly, and then raised back to normal. His voice was less angry and more soft, though it still held some hurt. "I told you back on the Island that I love you. I've only known you for three months and I love you more than anyone ever before and--" Jack stopped, words failing him for a moment. "And I don't know why." he said finally. "I should hate you. I should never want to see you again and--and yet all I want to do is see your face." Jack's hands rested on either side of the cabnet by her hips. "Tell me. Tell me why that is and I won't ever think of you again. Tell me why I can see you two in a cage together and I feel angry for a moment, and then I start thinking about you again."

Jack wanted to tell her more, but he found his words lost on his tongue. He found himself looking down, his eyes closing for a moment as he sighed out, a harsh and frustrated sigh.

"Tell me why you're leaving."