Lost: "Home" (Ensemble) FINAL CHAPTER
Title: Home
Chapter: Eight, final
Fandom: Lost
Characters/Pairings: All season one characters, Jack/Kate, Jack Shepard, Kate Austen, James 'Sawyer' Ford
Rating: PG
Narrative: Jack's POV, third person
Genre: General, Romance
Length: 8 chapters
Warnings: None
Spoilers: Season one
Disclaimer: I do not own Lost or the characters
Author's Note: Final part
Summary: The survivors have finally been rescued, but everyone has mixed emotions about leaving. Part 8, final.
CHAPTER EIGHT: What Is 'Home'?
What is ‘home’? Many say ‘home’ is the house they live in. ‘Home’ is just a word, or so Jack believed. His mother had always insisted that ‘home’ was the people, not the place. Jack didn’t see what was so special about ‘home’. Sure, it was a place where everyone felt ‘safe’. But how safe? Jack had read about children, partners, getting abused at ‘home’. Robberies, kidnappings, abuse…the list goes on forever in Jack’s mind. Jack had felt more comfortable on the island than he ever had at ‘home’. Well, maybe that was a stretch. Jack sat near the exit of the airport with his cup of coffee, as many of the fellow castaways said goodbye to him as they left. It was easier than standing and doing a lot of formal goodbyes, he felt. It gave him a chance to think, and reflect. When the door opened near him, he got a blast of cold air on his body that was blessing. It felt like his head was becoming clearer and clearer with each blast. He was finally relaxing.
Jack’s attention was turned elsewhere when an indignant Sawyer was being dragged away by the police.
“I didn’t do anything!” He yelled.
“Yeah, and I’m the Queen of Sheba.” A burly police officer grumbled. If anything, this angered Sawyer even more and he kicked up even more of a fuss. He finally realised he wasn’t going to win and let them hand-cuff him. Sawyer turned to Jack and grinned.
“Well, Doc, they finally got me.” Jack smiled.
“About time too.” Jack replied playfully. He stood up and approached the blond. He shook one of his cuffed hands.
“See ya round.”
“I’m sure you will.” Jack smiled. Sawyer wasn’t so bad. If he wasn’t so annoying and arrogant, then he would be a pretty decent guy.
Sawyer was pulled away by the police to where Kate was standing solemnly. Sawyer pretended to act shocked.
“Freckles! What are you doing here?” Kate didn’t even flinch.
“Leave it, Sawyer.” Kate voice didn’t crack, her expression didn’t change. She stood stock still, her body tense.
“Looks like it’s you and me in the car tonight.”
“Shut up, Sawyer.” He raised his eyebrows and didn’t say another word. The police began to escort him outside the airport.
Jack approached Kate cautiously. She had now been hand-cuffed. He surveyed her face.
“Are you ok?” She lifted her head to meet his eyes. Jack almost jumped back when he looked into them. Her eyes were as deep as whirlpools. The rims were lined with droplets, ready to explode any second. In her eyes, Jack could see everything that had happened on the island. From the plane crash to the rescue plane arriving. Her eyes were filled with more sorrow and fear than he had seen in his life, and he was a spinal surgeon.
Neither of them said a word. There was movement in her eyes. Kate suddenly threw her hand cuffs around his neck and hugged him tightly. Jack returned the hug, and a cloud of sadness fell over him. As well as the sadness cloud, the realisation cloud followed. As Jack received his last, warm embrace from Kate, he realised that what his mother had always said was right. ‘Home’ is not a place, or just a word, it is the people.