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SuperKC
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 Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:27 pm Post subject: But Not Broken (Jack/Sun): Ch. 6 - God (Feb 7th) |
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The Premise: Sun and Jack are on the run in a stolen pickup somewhere in Central America. Five years after the island, the survivors are still being hunted, one by one. Locke awaits their arrival in a Peruvian monastery. But how long can they run and how much can they endure before they lose the last vestiges their humanity? Will they be able to find salvation in each other? Perhaps, with the help of an unexpected friend, they can make it to safe harbor.
Last edited by SuperKC on Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:00 am; edited 6 times in total |
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IntoTheVoid
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Joined: 09 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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I am SO looking forward to this 
_________________
"Jack is the guy she should be with.
She does genuinely love him.
And she knows that he would take excellent care of her." - Damon Lindelof |
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SuperKC
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| Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:35 am Post subject: |
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| Haha, I knew you were gonna say that. (Amipsychic?) |
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MovieGuy
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| Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:54 am Post subject: |
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Intriguing... Will check it out.  |
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SuperKC
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| Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:41 am Post subject: |
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Wow Colin thanks. I have to say, it's gonna be Jack/Sun intensive and shippy in that way, but it's going to be 20 chapters long and a good portion of that is action/adventure-ish.
I hope you like it. Hope to have the first chapter posted within a couple days. Before I leave for Thanksgiving. |
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SuperKC
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| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:46 am Post subject: |
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Thanks to everyone who gave me their opinion on this. Jen for being my first beta here and kmousie at eljay for signing up to beta the whole story. (I put it in quotes becauseI think it makes it easier to read.
Chapter One
Time
| Quote: | It used to be the story of how they all came to know one another that was the big mystery. But that long-forgotten island was now five years gone, and Sun had trouble really recalling any of the details. Sometimes even the crash itself escaped her memory. Now, the real mystery was how any of them were still alive.
Not even half had made it off the island. Her recollection of that remained clouded in her mind. Perhaps, if she had lived a quiet life from then until now, maybe then, those screams would still haunt her. But their faded guttural cries didn’t bother her any longer. They had been the lucky ones; she knew that now.
Jack drove down the deserted road, the stolen white pickup kicking up rocks and mud in their wake. They were in some unnamed Central American country. Sun had trouble keeping track these days. She rolled down the window, allowing the cool humidity from that afternoon’s heavy rainfall to waft into the cab and fill her nose and lungs. She knew that smell – the must from the forest, the freshness of tropical rain. Along with the noise from the truck grinding its way through the underdeveloped landscape, the scent of the air was somehow a comfort to her. Running was the easy part. It was staying that scared her now. It always ended badly.
He hadn’t spoken in a long time. Hours? Days? She didn’t know. He’d pull over so they could sleep – always in the truck – or stop for food, but she’d barely heard more than a grunt from him since Claire had been taken in Mexico City six days ago. She had been the last. Jin had been the first. They had long since stopped any rescue efforts. It was no use. They were taken and they were as good as dead. Now, she and Jack, along with John Locke were the last known survivors of flight 815.
Locke had found safe haven somewhere in Peru, and they were traveling south to join him. Flying wasn’t safe, and they’d almost gotten nabbed at a couple of borders. Whoever they were, these guys had connections. They weren’t the Others. That seemed like a joke to her now. No, these guys were different. And whatever they’d seen on that island, they wanted the survivors gone for it. No negotiations, no explanations; only executions.
She turned towards him and reached out, absently fiddling with a hole in his sleeve. The white t-shirt he wore now resembled the worn-down rags they wore on the island. She swallowed and turned her gaze back to the road and then down to her sandal-clad feet. It would be nice to have a pair of sneakers. The better to outrun them with, she thought and then pushed the notion to the back of her mind.
“Jack,†she finally spoke, “we should really see if we can find some clothes somewhere.†They’d had to leave their things behind when Claire was taken. There was no time. It had happened before and it would inevitably happen again.
“Yeah,†Jack said quietly, not bothering to look away from the road ahead. Sun closed her eyes. She preferred the silence over these uncomfortable words.
Jack and Claire had shared a bond. Both of them had seen someone they loved die at the hands of these merciless people. After Aaron, Claire was different. She stopped caring whether she lived or died. Truthfully, that had been hard on all of them. The child was more than a child. He was a symbol of hope. With him gone, it was hard to keep going, yet easier to hide – a truth none of them would ever speak aloud.
More than anything Jack wanted to protect Claire, this childless mother, broken from all she had witnessed and all she had lost. He was one of the few who had ever gotten away. When they killed Kate in front of him, Jack vowed it would never happen again. It was like he felt guilty for escaping, like it was his duty to make sure everyone else stayed alive. And they had, for a while. But now Claire was gone too and he knew there was nothing he could do to save her. Sun knew that all these quiet days were spent with that heavy burden.
Jack could sense her uneasiness. He glanced sideways to the passenger seat where she sat, staring out the side window with one knee propped under her chin. Her dark messy hair was pulled back into a loose bun with several free strands falling haphazardly around her neck and down the back of her red tank top.
She bore no resemblance to the woman who had crash landed on that island with him just over five years earlier. That person had long since gone. She was stronger – soft flesh giving way to lean muscle, hope giving way at first to despair and then finally to resilience. Her voice had changed too. Once timid, she was now all conviction and thoroughly American, only a hint of her Korean accent left. It was deliberate. Sounding more American helped her to blend in and likely saved her life more than once.
“We should get a tank of gas and clean up before heading back to the coast. There will be a lot of tourists,†he paused, realizing how foreign his own voice sounded to him after going so long without using it, “good for getting lost in the crowd.â€
“It would be nice to sleep in a real bed,†she added, hopeful. She turned towards him, her lips curling into that slightly lopsided vulnerable smile she reserved strictly for moments like this – when it was a choice between another uncomfortable night in this smelly truck or a bed and a shower and, if they were lucky, a television.
He chuckled slightly, bowing his head. “Very subtle.†Back roads, with few amenities, had all too often become a necessary evil.
“We need the rest. I can’t sleep in this truck,†she said, vying for the sympathy vote. Then she added, “It’s not safe, Jack.â€
He nodded gravely, dodging a puddle in the road ahead. That, he knew, was true. They’d have to get rid of this truck soon anyway – and sleeping in the open had been a risky move to begin with. He always found a remote place to park, but with the world outside no more than a windshield away, he’d begun to feel apprehensive. They’d stop a little ways ahead and check the map. They were somewhere in the middle of Costa Rica. They’d be in Panama soon.
He sighed, glancing at her once more, finding her eyes full of hope. It was nice to see, but beyond that hope hid fear. “We’re probably just a couple of hours east of Quepos. We can find some food, clothes, and a place to stay for couple of days there before heading on to Panama.â€
“Thank you,†she mouthed silently and smiled before he turned back to the road. She leaned into the seat, sinking into it fully for the first time in six days.
* * *
Sun rinsed her hands in the tiny sink of the gas station bathroom and dried them on a paper towel. It had been the only station they’d seen in a long time, so they had little choice. Jack spoke Spanish, a language that she only vaguely understood, to the short balding attendant in order to get the key to the toilet. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
Wanting to stretch her legs a bit, she let Jack go first with the promise that she’d stay close by. She almost laughed at that. The place looked as though nobody had been there in a hundred years. What were the odds that anybody would find them out here? Instead of running water, she’d half-expected spiders to come scurrying out of the faucet.
She sighed and stared at herself through the soiled foggy mirror, which was cracked precisely down the center, distorting her vision of herself even further in the dim yellow light of the room. Cleaning up in here hadn’t been exactly easy. Luckily, she’d picked up a few bars of soap and a couple of rags at the last station because this dump had none of it.
Hooking her finger underneath her ponytail holder, she let the loose tendrils fall around her face and shoulders. She thought she was imagining it, but now she was sure that her hair was adopting a slight curl. Her entire life, she’d always had straight hair. This was new to her. She shrugged, tossing her things into the brown sack she’d carried them in with and exiting the lavatory. She allowed the heavy metal door to slam shut behind her.
Jack was standing at the payphone on the wall by the door as she came out. He uttered one last instruction into the recording and hung up the receiver.
“Touching base?,†she asked as she walked past him to open the door of the truck and put her things inside. He turned to watch her as she went, catching her scent. He still smelled like shit, he knew. How was it possible that she could smell so good after attempting to clean up in that dirty little hole?
“We’re getting closer,†he answered finally, remembering himself. “We still don’t know exactly where we’re headed. Peru is a big country.â€
Sun shrugged turning back towards him, “Do you think he’ll try to contact us soon?â€
“I hope so.†Jack said, following her to the attendant’s station to pay for their gas and a few bottles of water. “…I hope so.†|
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SuperKC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:53 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Chapter 2
6th Sense
Jack felt a heavy weight in his stomach, like a stone – which made no sense because he hadn’t really eaten much in a couple of days. Everything tasted bland, and the customarily colorful mangoes seemed dull and faded. He just stopped being hungry. Sun would hand him a piece of fruit or hard bread or whatever junk they had picked up that day and tell him, “Eat.†And he would, absently, functionally – bite, chew, swallow, don’t choke as it goes down, half-chewed and unevenly shaped, scraping his esophagus.
Even on this empty stomach, he felt an uncomfortable fullness come over him as they reached the coast. Something about being at the edge of jungle and sand still made him anxious – too many memories. It was like the rewind button was somewhere near, if only he could find it. He didn’t like that inexhaustible feeling of regret, and he avoided it whenever he could. In truth, he could see no other way around it. It was what it was. There was no point in looking back. He swallowed hard, ignoring the memories which bubbled to the surface at the sight of the blue ocean once more.
They had come out about twenty miles north of Quepos, and he continued driving the pick-up south. It wouldn’t be long. They’d buy some clothes, a decent pair of shoes for her, and some food. They’d done this all before.
Her dark hair caught the afternoon sun that streamed in through the passenger window. She was sleeping with her head resting against the window frame, curled up and turned away from him. He smiled; glad she was finally getting some rest. He couldn’t explain what Sun had come to mean to him. On the run so long together, he’d somehow known it would be the two of them alone in the end. Even before Kate. He remembered during those first weeks on the island, Sun had somehow found a way to take control of situations in a way he never thought of – when Boone was bloody and on his table and Shannon was gasping for much needed air. He shook the thoughts from his mind. It wasn’t the memory that bothered him, but the fact that he could barely remember their faces.
It was her idea to find a place to stay, and he couldn’t really blame her. Days got long when you were out of places to run to. The fear and perpetual motion had worn them both down. After she suggested it, all he could think about was a soft bed, a real shower, and four thick walls to hide behind.
A bump in the road and she began to stir, yawning, stretching, her arm in front of him, grazing his shoulder and chest before she sat up fully. She glanced at the ocean and then at him, still sleepy-eyed.
“Sorry. These roads aren’t exactly up to code,†said Jack.
She let out a short laugh. “No,†she said, shaking her head in agreement. “Are we close? Should I drive? You’re probably tired.â€
Before he could answer, a small cluster of stucco buildings became visible on the right side of the road. He nodded towards them. “Looks like we can do some shopping here first,†he said, as he pulled up to one of the small buildings. There was a gaudy blue and pink surfboard logo with the words “Surf’s Up†printed on the window. He put it in park and got out of the truck.
Sun was still too tired to move. “This is Quepos?,†she asked, after he walked around the truck and opened her door, which creaked in protest, to coax her out. At this point, nothing would surprise her. The small strip of businesses and buildings looked more like pit-stop than a town.
“No. Not yet.†Jack shook his head. “But, it’s about time to ditch this truck. We can probably find something else here.â€
“Oh,†she nodded and stepped out of the truck. Jack instinctively grabbed onto her arm, helping her out. She ignored his strong fingers wrapped around her bicep and the cold she felt when he let go and turned to lead her to the door of the surf shop. She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. Touching wasn’t new – tight quarters and all. But some days she could feel their physical proximity becoming something more – something she wasn’t ready to admit she needed. There were more pressing matters at hand.
***
“Perdón, uh…†Jack fumbled with his Spanish as he dumped an armful of clothes and two shoe boxes on the countertop in front of the young floppy-haired clerk, whose nametag read “Miguel.†The selection was limited, but they had plenty of khakis, t-shirts, and even underwear – that is, if customers didn’t mind the tacky Surf’s Up logo and the slight smell of marijuana. He handed Miguel a few tags from the clothes Sun was putting on in the restroom, and gestured to the empty shoe box. “Me… disculpo, Miguel. Ella está cambiando de ropa en tu baño. ¿Está bien?â€
“Está bien,†the clerk replied quickly before he gave Jack a sideways glance. “¿Habla inglés, bro?,†he added in a decidedly Californian accent as he rang up their things with one hand and shook a brown paper bag with the other until it opened obediently.
“SÃ,†Jack answered. “I mean, yeah. Sorry.†He glanced down the hall on his right towards the bathroom door instinctively, checking for Sun, and then turned back to Miguel. “Actually, I’ll just put those in my pack here.†He took off his backpack and tossed it onto the counter. “I guess you’re not from Costa Rica, then?†he asked, although it interested him very little.
“Nah, man. My parents are. I grew up in Encinitas. The folks moved back down a couple’a years ago – needed some help in the shop.†Miguel looked at him expectantly with his soft dark Hispanic eyes, but when Jack didn’t make further conversation, he continued ringing the merchandise.
Down the hall in the single bathroom, Sun stood in her underwear. She folded her dirty clothes and placed them carefully into her backpack. She slid the long khakis onto her legs and pulled them over her hips, covering the red Surf’s Up panties she was wearing. The pants were a little loose when she buttoned them, but they would do. She zipped them and then searched for the socks she’d picked out.
According to the map, they only had about a half hour’s drive to Quepos. She was grateful for that and happy to be out of those old clothes. Outside the cracked window, Sun could see that it was now dusk and it smelled like it was going to rain again.
“Your friend’s a hottie.†Miguel said casually after Jack paid for their stuff. At that, Jack flashed him a disapproving look. Jack’s face felt warm, flush with a sudden anger he hadn’t expected. Before he had the opportunity to embarrass himself further, Miguel covered. “Aw, no harm meant. You on your honeymoon or something?â€
Jack laughed, nodding slowly. “Something like that,†he said. A lie was good. It was much easier to pass as a couple of honeymooners now that it was just the two of them. He didn’t even notice the bell chiming behind him, signifying the arrival of another customer.
“Ah,†said Miguel knowingly, “I get it, hombre.†He winked then, giving Jack the you dog, you look before skipping off to help the new customer.
Jack sighed, still feeling a little tense. He wished she would hurry. He suddenly had the urge to leave immediately. He finished stuffing his pack and zipped it. As he flung it around and slipped his arms through the straps, he caught sight of something in the mirror on the sunglasses rack by the counter.
He recognized the man to whom Miguel was currently pitching his surfboards. His back was turned and he was partially covered by a rack of wakeboards, but Jack knew that stance, those shoulders, the salt-and-pepper buzz cut, and the bulge of his gun on his back behind his black t-shirt. Winchester. He’s the one who killed Kate. He had introduced himself to Jack in the crowded diner that morning. Kate had been in the bathroom. She could have walked. But when she came out and saw him standing with this man they’d run from so many times, her only instinct was to save him. She couldn’t leave him. She couldn’t. Jack had gone over this before. If only. Terrible words. But no matter how it ended, he would have made the same decision as she had. It was a mistake that would be her death sentence. History was repeating itself. Now he had a chance to give it a different ending.
Miguel kept talking, his fluent Spanish now hiding every trace of California. Winchester was a patient man. Jack remembered that about him. Based on his experience in the half an hour they’d been in the store, Jack knew that Miguel would give them a head start. He grabbed a pair of dark sunglasses and slipped them on. It was a haphazard disguise – foolish even – but at the moment, it was the only thing he could think to do.
He had to get to her. There had been a window in the bathroom, he’d noticed that when he handed her the sneakers she’d picked out. It was big enough to fit through and they were on the first floor. All he had to do was turn right and slip down the hall towards the lavatory. Easy. Had she locked the door? He couldn’t remember. Regardless, he made his move. Winchester didn’t notice. As he rounded the corner and retreated down the hall, he heard Miguel calling after him.
“Where ya goin’, bro?,†he called, and then a moment later heard a scuffle. “What the hell are you doing, dude?!†By the urgency in his voice, Jack could tell that Miguel’s attention was now focused on Winchester. “Hey, stop!†Miguel’s shouts were followed by the sound of shelves breaking.
The door was unlocked. Sun jumped, her eyes wide. She had just slipped on her backpack. “What?,†she asked.
There was a shot and then a sound that Jack knew was Miguel’s body hitting the floor. There were no more words necessary. He nodded towards the window, and she went to work, pushed back the curtains and pressed up on the frame forcefully. He locked the door behind him and shoved the trashcan under the handle. Heavy footsteps pounded towards the hall, then voices. Winchester wasn’t alone, as he so often was. A shout, “Shephard!â€
“I can’t get it open, Jack!†Sun cried.
“I got it,†he said, stepping towards the window. He reached back and pulled out the 9mm Beretta that he carried in his belt loop. He gripped the gun by the barrel and used the butt to break the window. He hit the glass repeatedly until it was completely shattered. Then, he knocked out the shards with his elbow, leaving jagged cuts in the process. The weakened frame moved easily out of the way this time. Winchester was now pounding at the bathroom door.
“Let’s go,†Jack said. He grabbed Sun’s hand, and she shimmied backwards through the window with no problem. He pushed through head first, falling with a thud to the ground. They were in the small dirt alley beside the shop, and he could see the truck from where he landed. She bent down and helped him up. They ran toward the truck, and a glance around the corner revealed that the way was clear; they could make it without anyone seeing. Jack slumped against the wall, his confidence of a moment earlier ebbing with the sensation of warm blood trickling down his arm. He’d cut himself deeper than he had thought.
“Jack,†Sun said, gripping his arm. She touched his face. He was getting pale. “Jack, we have to go. They’re coming.†He closed his eyes as his vision blurred. “Jack!,†she screamed, and he started to walk, his feet dragging like heavy weights. She pushed him into the passenger seat and climbed over him to the driver’s side. She reached into his pants pocket, searching for the key.
“Other pocket,†he grunted before losing consciousness. |
Last edited by SuperKC on Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:50 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Aislynn
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Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 35782
Location: Sawyerville, USA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:16 am Post subject: |
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My highly intelligent review:
Guh...  Just...guh...
That is SO GOOD! I mean, it's amazingly awesomely fantastically so incredible I'm not even using commas right now even though I'm supposed to excellent!
Jack and Sun? So good together it's scary. And they sound right, they sound like their characters, which is THE hardest thing to get right in fanfic. I just... guh.
Need more... Need more soon! This has all of the elements that I adore in a story and I can't wait to see where it's going next!
Guh...
*goes back to read both parts again* Sister, this is some seriously good writing right here! |
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SuperKC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:17 am Post subject: |
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| Aislynn wrote: |
That is SO GOOD! I mean, it's amazingly awesomely fantastically so incredible I'm not even using commas right now even though I'm supposed to excellent! |
Best. Compliment. Ever.
I love you! |
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SuperKC
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| Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 5:20 am Post subject: |
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WARNING: As of now this fic is most definitely rated R. Oh, and, Merry Christmas!
Chapter 3
Prompt 20 - Reflection
He would often dream of her. It wasn't the same with Aaron. He had witnessed that too, in the stairwell, holding Claire back, pulling her to safety – her wild hair a mess of blood and tears, arms flailing. It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach every time he thought about it – the child's lifeless body being thrown over the railing, landing in front of them on the stairs, face up, bloodied, arms and legs twisted and broken, eyes wide with terror. At least they'd shot him first, he had thought at the time, the cruel words pounding in his head much louder than Claire's cries. He had become accustomed to this. But there were never dreams about Aaron like there were with her. They always started differently, but ended the same: with her dead and with blood on his hands.
"You're an excellent chef," he said. He was sitting on a flat rock on the beach back on the island. Everything was brighter than usual. She scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I don't know about that," she said, laughing as she grabbed a slice of mango from the plate he was using. It was the same china his mother used for company when he was a kid. He was never allowed to touch it. Now, that forbidden dinnerware seemed suddenly small in his large hands. "Doesn't take a culinary miracle to chop fruit." He kissed her then, tasting the sweet juice lingering on her lips. She was cold. He shivered as they parted.
"Why did you stay, Kate?," he asked abruptly, and suddenly the plate was gone. The façade of the beach began to diminish around them, and after a few moments, they were once again tied up and huddled together on the stone floor of that basement.
"Don't you know?," she asked, discarding her bonds as though they were made of paper instead of thick rope.
"Would I have asked?," he reasoned. She took his hands palms-up in hers and kissed his fingertips.
"You know something, Jack?" She looked up. He could vaguely sense her reaching around to grab the 9MM from behind him, could feel the cool metal move over his skin as she pulled it out from its familiar spot at his back, but he couldn't stop what would happen next. Never could. "You won't ever find out." And he knew the rest. She pressed the cold barrel of the gun against her temple and squeezed the trigger in one swift motion. The sound of the bullet never changed - a blast and a sickening splatter as she slumped into his arms - all life drained from her in a single moment.
He awoke with a start in an unfamiliar bed. Had he slept all this time? He tried to think, the floodgates opening when he twisted in an attempt to get up and he felt the sting of pain in his arm. He grasped it involuntarily, feeling the rough work of her quick sutures which lay just below his tattoo. He remembered an abandoned barn, the smell of fuel oil and pig shit, the sting of her needle and an all-black 1975 Chevy Camaro, which she'd hotwired like she'd been doing it for years. She had been doing it for years.
None of the memories were clear. It must have been the drugs. They carried some of the strong stuff with them at all times. They couldn’t afford the risk of hospitals, so they chanced it. They could always get rid of it in a hurry if they needed to, and Jack always knew how to get more. She must have overmedicated him when before stitching him up. He’d have to remind her to be more careful with that. How long had he been sleeping?
He sat up and immediately felt a wave of nausea hit him. He pressed his palms into the edge of the bed as he hunched over and dry heaved. He really had been sleeping a while. He stood up and felt a subtle loss, a lack of pressure around his neck. On the nightstand was a withering black fabric cord with a key attached – the key to the box that housed Kate’s secrets and that he had kept with him to this day. Why had she taken it off? He grabbed it and tied it quickly around his neck.
Sun came out of the bathroom with a towel around her neck followed by a billow of steam. The top of her slender legs disappeared underneath a long t-shirt. She stopped when she saw him.
“You’re up,†she said, taken by surprise. She paused when she noticed him finishing up with the knot. “It fell off,†she said simply, resisting the urge to ask him why he still wore that, feeling the weight of her wedding band pressing against her ring finger. She knew why he did. What she didn’t say was that it fell off because she had been messing with it as he slept, fingering the knot a little more roughly than she maybe should have. When she had helped him into bed, she was surprised to see the black fabric peeking out from behind his white t-shirt. She didn’t realize he had kept that thing all of these years.
“Did you check us in under…â€
“Archie Canyon? Yeah,†she finished for him, “I remembered.â€
“Good.†He sighed. It was a code. He’d leave a voice message on a landline answering machine based out of Ottawa Ontario with the name of a city and a different alias so that Locke could reach them wherever they were going.
“How are you healing?†Sun walked over to him and reached for his arm, her gentle touch much less abrasive than his was a moment earlier.
“Stitch job could have been better,†he teased, finally shaking off the last bit of sleepiness.
She looked at him and smiled shyly, “Well, I was in a hurry, Doctor Shephard.â€
He turned his head slightly towards hers, the distance between them becoming almost non-existent. “You did a fine job,†he assured her, brushing a strand of wet hair from her eyes. She blushed violently.
“Well, I only learned from the best.†She quickly let go of his arm and turned away from him, grabbing a towel off of the dresser and tossing it to him. “Shower’s free.â€
He sighed, knowing he had crossed the line. It happened much more frequently now that they were alone. “Thanks,†he nodded, walking past her to the bathroom. “Oh, Sun?,†he asked, turning towards her as he passed.
“Yes?â€
“Any word?â€
“Not yet.†She swallowed, shaking her head as she shot him a grave look. It had been over a day. “Not yet.â€
***
Sun lay on her stomach and flipped through the channels on the small television, searching for something in English. Usually the hotels would have a few programs for tourists. She heard the shower being turned on as the hard spray hit the walls of the tub and the cheap metal rungs of the curtain screeched in protest at being yanked across the bar.
She tried not to think about the exchange that had occurred between her and Jack. It wasn’t the first time they’d shared awkward moments such as that. But each time, it seemed increasingly harder for her to ignore the stirring in her stomach when he looked at her that way, the way his voice dropped to a level that she knew could mean only one thing, when she could feel his hot breath on her neck.
Three sharp raps at the door pushed the unwelcome thoughts from her mind. She jumped up as a lump rose in her throat and waited for four more knocks to signify that it was a friend. She tiptoed to the door, looking through the peephole. The hall was empty. She could hear the water running, so she knew that Jack was still in the shower.
Her hands shook slightly and she willed herself not to call for him. It was probably no big deal. She looked again. Still nothing. She turned and headed for the bathroom door when she heard four more sharp knocks.
***
Jack stood directly under the shower head and let the cool spray beat down onto his head and back. He pressed his palms against the wall in front of him and examined his stitches further. She really had done a shoddy job, but he couldn’t blame her after the chase.
He tried to push away the images of her: sewing him up, hotwiring the car, walking around in that night shirt, blushing at his touch. He tried to ignore his growing erection at the mere thought. The cold shower wasn’t helping him at all. He closed his eyes and ran both hands over his head and then his neck before dropping one arm down to remedy his situation. He sucked in a sharp breath, water filtering in through his lips and stopped fighting the images that flashed in his mind.
***
When Jack came out of the bathroom a half an hour later, Sun was sitting cross-legged, on the bed, surrounded on all sides by what looked like the New York Times. “Jack!,†she said excitedly. “Locke sent us a message.â€
She jumped from the bed, papers rustling in her wake, some falling to the floor behind her. She handed him a small notepad on which she’d scratched some notes. “These words and letters were marked in a yellow highlighter. I put them together in order. It’s a message of some kind. At the bottom.†She pointed to the only coherent bit on the page.
| Quote: | | Go to God, where I’ve been kept safe for two years. |
“’Go to God?’†Jack repeated.
“I know. It doesn’t make sense to me either,†Sun said. “But look.†She turned, grabbed the front page, and thrust it at him. “Our numbers are written here.†She pointed to some handwritten numbers in the center of the page. Jack held the page closer, examining the numbers intently.
| Quote: | | 24 32 61 51 8 4 :51 40 - 21 50 |
“The first group is the numbers from the computer in the hatch. They’re backwards,†she added. “I have no idea what the second group of numbers mean.â€
“Well if they’re backwards…,†Jack said, walking past her to sit on the bed.
“Then these others must be backwards as well.†She turned around, knitting her brows in thought. He reached out, his fingers brushing hers as he grabbed the pen from her hand. He wrote the numbers in reverse.
| Quote: | | 05 12 - 04 15: 4 8 15 16 23 42 |
“Five twelve,†he said aloud, “May twelfth. That’s my birthday. Sun, is your birthday in April?â€
“The fifteenth,†she said quickly, glancing at his notes. “But what does that mean?â€
“Was there any delay in getting our room? Anything weird when we checked in?â€
“Well,†she paused, thinking as she sat next to him. “The front desk clerk,†she said finally, “there was this look of… recognition,†she continued, “when I gave him the name – Archie Canyon. I mean, I’m no Archie Canyon. I figured he just assumed it was an alias. But maybe… maybe not. I had to wait a full half hour before the room was ready. Do you think they were waiting for us?â€
“It’s happened before, Sun,†Jack said. He stood, walked over to the dresser, and began opening the drawers. “Maybe there’s something else here. What about a date book? Did you see anything?â€
“No.†She reached for the drawer in the night stand. “Here.†A small black leather-bound date book sat alone in the top drawer. She opened it to May 12th, the first date in the message. “Meet at Club Revelation,†she read aloud. She flipped back to April 15th, “Thirteenth Street.â€
He picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. “SÃ. Inglés, por favor.†He waited. Sun walked over to him, showing him the notes in the date book.
“Yes, Hi,†he said finally. “Is there a Club Revelation in town?†He paused momentarily, allowing the attendant to answer. “Okay, well, are there any clubs on Thirteenth Street?,†he asked. After a quiet moment, he thanked the attendant and hung up the phone.
“There’s no Club Revelation. There’s not even a thirteenth street.†He looked at her and she met his gaze. They stared at each other for a few moments, both lost in thought.
“Isn’t Revelations a book in the Bible?,†she finally asked.
“Of course,†Jack said. “’Go to God.’ It makes sense.†He glanced toward the night stand. “Was there a Bible in there?†He hoped that Gideons International hadn’t forgotten about Costa Rica.
“I don’t know. I didn’t check the bottom drawer,†she answered.
Jack crossed the room and pulled out the red hardcover book. He flipped through the pages until he reached Revelations, chapter 13. At the bottom of the page were a set of global coordinates.
| Quote: | | 15° 33' 46S 72° 56' 18W |
“Bingo!,†he said, a smile creeping onto his face. John never let them down. “He left us some coordinates. This must be where Locke is hiding. I’ll need access to a computer.â€
“There was one in the lobby,†Sun said. “We can check tomorrow.â€
She walked back over to the bed and plopped down. “How does he do it?,†she wondered.
“Do what?†Jack asked, sitting beside her.
“Trust all of these people,†she answered.
“He’s foolish.†Jack answered simply.
“And us?,†she asked, looking at him her eyes locking with his. “What does that make us?â€
“We’re desperate,†he answered. “We have no other choice.†|
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IntoTheVoid
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Joined: 09 Apr 2006
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Location: Narnia
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:38 am Post subject: |
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That was SO good! How did you think of the secret message that Locke sent them? I was getting confused just reading it! That must've taken you a while, I bet.
I actually can't wait until the next chapter. I wanna see where Locke is!
PS: KATE SHOT HER SELF! OMG!
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"Jack is the guy she should be with.
She does genuinely love him.
And she knows that he would take excellent care of her." - Damon Lindelof |
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SuperKC
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Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 3667
Location: On a Stick
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 2:07 am Post subject: |
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Nonono! That was just a dream! LOL.
And yes, it did take a while to figure out. It was actually more complicated to start with (if you can imagine that) but I dropped a lot of that stuff. I figured simpler would be easier to follow and more believable.
Glad you're enjoying it! |
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rbexter93
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:24 am Post subject: |
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I loved it KC, poor aaron!
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IntoTheVoid
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Joined: 09 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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| SuperKC wrote: | | Nonono! That was just a dream! LOL. |
Ohhhhh..!
Phew! Cos that scared me. And yeah poor Aaron  And Claire! These Others are bastards  But it's really intresting to see them like this. Better than the other fluffy fan fics that i've read. They make me heive  
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"Jack is the guy she should be with.
She does genuinely love him.
And she knows that he would take excellent care of her." - Damon Lindelof |
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Aislynn
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Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 35782
Location: Sawyerville, USA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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Sun/Jack is SO my new crack!ship!
Beautifully, beautifully done! It's a fascinating story, an awesome take on the characters, and just all around fantabulous! And woo, I have to say, you definitely write hot!Jack well! *fans self* 
When's the next chapter coming? Huh? Huh? Huh? *bounce* 
*hearts* |
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