jack/kate: "those small steps"
Title: Those Small Steps
Rating: pg-13
Fandom: Lost
Pairing/Characters: Jack/Kate, Aaron, Juliet
Genre(s): Angst/Romance
Word Count: 2,867
Status: Complete
Spoilers: up to 5x10 "He's Our You"
Summary: She watched as he fell apart. In turn, she fell apart with him.
A/N: This is an early birthday gift to _milz_ ; sorry it's so angsty! XD
( Back on the island, everything, all the glances, the flirtations, the conversations, and the sly way their arms wold brush against each other's as they trekked into the jungle together, it was all done slowly, incessantly bothered by interruptions. )
Rating: pg-13
Fandom: Lost
Pairing/Characters: Jack/Kate, Aaron, Juliet
Genre(s): Angst/Romance
Word Count: 2,867
Status: Complete
Spoilers: up to 5x10 "He's Our You"
Summary: She watched as he fell apart. In turn, she fell apart with him.
A/N: This is an early birthday gift to _milz_ ; sorry it's so angsty! XD
( Back on the island, everything, all the glances, the flirtations, the conversations, and the sly way their arms wold brush against each other's as they trekked into the jungle together, it was all done slowly, incessantly bothered by interruptions. )
Their lives, now, were a lie so they clung to each other, the one thing that was real.
That's such a lovely way to put it. Very true.
He asked her out to dinner for the next evening and yes tumbled out of her mouth so quickly (she couldn’t say no, and she didn’t want to anymore) that there was a brief silence on his end of the line and she knew he was smiling.
AWWW! ♥ That's so adorable! :D
He walked her to her front door (the innocence of it made her want to laugh) and she turned to him, her hands reaching up to grasp the collar of his dress shirt and pulling him down towards her to kiss him.
He kissed her back like he’d waited forever for it, and when they finally broke apart, breathless, he said lowly against her hair, “What was that for?”
She smiled, sliding her hands to rest against the back of his neck and replied, “Do you even have to ask?”
He laughed, placing his hand against her back, pulling her even closer, and it felt like home.
This is such a sweet scene, and I love it doubly because you used a Sawyer line. Which makes me incredibly conflicted--on the one hand I'm happy for Jack that her response was different, but I'm so sad for Sawyer. D: OH TRIANGLE.
A week later she gave him a key to her house and he looked at her like she’d just given him the key to her heart, and in a way, she thought she did.
!!!! THIS IS ME IN A PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR.
On the bad nights when he slipped into bed (she lay awake, waiting, because she wanted to, and it was easier to sleep when he was there anyway), she reached out for him, pulling him to her, and he kissed her neck as his fingers tangled in her hair.
“Long day?” She asked quietly and he let out a sigh.
“Yeah.”
It doesn’t take long for them to drift off to sleep this way.
*sniffs* Jate being affectionate like this while falling asleep is a huge pipe dream of mine, and . . . *sniffs some more* That's all that I can say here. XD
She held him tightly to her, the feel of the diamond ring heavy and perfect on her finger, and he moved his hand over her hair and let out a breath that seemed too tired for this kind of moment.
When she pulled away, smiling, he smiled back at her and gently brushed the tears off her face, but his dark eyes conveyed a peculiar, almost far-away look (she had seen that look more often than ever now), and she knew they weren’t really in the same place.
Yes. This is exactly where they were then.
The gradual decline of Jack slipping into alcohol and drugs, you get that so well, and especially here. And I love love love the sort-of-AU-but-not take you have on their breakup: I always assumed that he left immediately after their fight in SNBH, but I like the way you have it much better! And the last part--him packing his suitcase, her just sitting there--truly breaks my heart. This part especially:
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“Why won’t you talk to me?” She asked quietly, and he turned away, his shoulders tensing (everything about him was tense now, like something just waiting to snap).
Her fingers enclosed over his hand and she couldn’t keep the pleading out of her voice. “Let me help you, Jack.”
He looked back at her, his face so tight, and he took her in his arms and she leaned her head against his chest.
She knew then that he was already too far gone.
AUGH. Dead. ♥ AND this:
She stared at his back, the breath held back in her throat, and she willed herself, desperately, to say something, anything (you saved me, so let me save you), and Jack’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he started walking.
The part in parentheses is perfect. *huge sigh*
Aaron asking for Jack! :( That made me more upset than anything else.
So she became the one who turned and walked away this time, and each step she took was harder than the one before.
I’m sick of lying!
She thought of the boy who waited at home (where is Jack?; he’s away, he’s busy, sweetpea) and she knew the feeling was mutual.
Oooh, that's quite insightful! I love how you're paralleling their characters here, and throughout the whole piece, really.
Juliet! That's such a great way to introduce the pregnancy. And the way you wrap it all up with her final line is so nice.
So, if you couldn't tell already, I adored this. :D And on a purely stylistic note, I'd like to say that I love the way you're utilizing parentheses and italics--it adds a whole new layer to your story, but you don't over-do it (as I think that I'm sometimes guilty of ;D). Fantastic work!
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LOL, we just keep killing each other with our fics, don't we? XD
The part in parentheses is perfect. *huge sigh*
Thank you. I was so giddy when that came to me, it was pathetic, really. XD
Aaron asking for Jack! :( That made me more upset than anything else.
I know; I hated writing that part as well, but felt it fit. :/
Oooh, that's quite insightful! I love how you're paralleling their characters here, and throughout the whole piece, really.
Thanks! I thought that part fit, so I put it in. I'm glad you liked it!
Juliet! That's such a great way to introduce the pregnancy. And the way you wrap it all up with her final line is so nice.
Gotta keep putting Juliet in. ;D I truly think it would be awesome if Juliet does turn out to be the one who finds out first (if Kate IS pregnant, that is), since she's so trustworthy and it could really strike up a good friendship between her and Kate. So I'm happy you liked how the fic ended with that.
So, if you couldn't tell already, I adored this. :D And on a purely stylistic note, I'd like to say that I love the way you're utilizing parentheses and italics--it adds a whole new layer to your story, but you don't over-do it (as I think that I'm sometimes guilty of ;D). Fantastic work!
I really couldn't tell, no. ;D And the italics in parentheses were something I never really tried with most of my fics before, but I'm really starting to like it and am glad you are too! And you DO NOT over-do it in your fics, trust me. :D
Now, thank you, again (I'm sounding like a broken record here); your comment really made my day and I very much appreciate it. :D
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Yup! But like phoenixes, we always rise from the ashes. ;D
Gotta keep putting Juliet in. ;D I truly think it would be awesome if Juliet does turn out to be the one who finds out first (if Kate IS pregnant, that is), since she's so trustworthy and it could really strike up a good friendship between her and Kate.
I would love for that to happen, too, for the reasons you list! And of course it would create some really interesting drama with Juliet's loyalties--to Kate and to Jack--being questioned. She'll have to stick with Kate, though. XD And of course she's pregnant. ;D My sister and I had a very long conversation about why THIS IS THE TRUTH the other day (we were bored . . . :D). It will happen, just wait for it. ;)
And you DO NOT over-do it in your fics, trust me. :D
I'm glad you don't think so, because I just typed up a fic chock-full of parentheses and italics and angst. Not the kind of thing I usually write at all. ;D
A broken record? Like THE ISLAND skipping through time? *is geeky* /end lameness. :D
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Haha! Very true. ;D
And of course it would create some really interesting drama with Juliet's loyalties--to Kate and to Jack--being questioned. She'll have to stick with Kate, though. XD And of course she's pregnant. ;D My sister and I had a very long conversation about why THIS IS THE TRUTH the other day (we were bored . . . :D). It will happen, just wait for it. ;)
Exactly. But yes, Juliet, please stay with Kate. XD
The more I think about it, the more it makes absolute sense. I feel that the remainder of this season will only be a week or two for the Losties, so Kate most likely won't find out she's pregnant this season. Maybe in the season finale, but I think that's pushing it. So she'll definitely find out next season, which is so fitting, since it's the last season of the show. Also, Darlton have said quite a few times that whatever happens this season will be for setting up the end-game. J&K having sex in "316" did nothing for their relationship, or the advancement of the episode's plot, so it makes me wonder why Darlton would even put that in there in the first place. If Kate's pregnant, that would answer my question. AND the fact that in the previous episode Kate attempted to ensure the safety and well-being of three children (Aaron, Ben, and Clementine), this also seems to show that she may be pregnant. Also, since LOST is all about symbolism and irony, how symbolic and ironic would it be that, on the night Kate lost a child (Aaron), she gained one (conceiving a child with Jack)? I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE OUR WISH COME TRUE. :D (And sorry about the long paragraph XD)
I'm glad you don't think so, because I just typed up a fic chock-full of parentheses and italics and angst. Not the kind of thing I usually write at all. ;D
Yay! I can't wait to read it then. ;D
A broken record? Like THE ISLAND skipping through time? *is geeky* /end lameness. :D
LOOOLLL. Yes, that is exactly what I meant! ;D
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. . . You smart. Me like. *clap, clap* XD Seriously, I agree one hundred percent with all of this. Especially as regards the sex in 316--it was weird and contrived and really didn't serve any purpose except to demonstrate how screwed up Kate's idea of comfort is, and I think that there's got to be a greater meaning than that. Really. :D And long paragraphs are the best kind. ;D
LOOOLLL. Yes, that is exactly what I meant! ;D
I'm glad we understand each other. ;)
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Hee, thanks! I think obsessed would be a better word, considering how many times I've seen "316". It was a Jack episode, so watching it at least 5 times was a given. XD
Especially as regards the sex in 316--it was weird and contrived and really didn't serve any purpose except to demonstrate how screwed up Kate's idea of comfort is, and I think that there's got to be a greater meaning than that. Really. :D
Agreed. When I first saw that scene, it creeped me out so much. Mainly because of Kate's behavior and Jack just not asking more questions... the music and everything made it seem like a dream of some sort. But then I heard the 'Kate is pregnant' theory, then saw how that matched with the whole proxy thing, and I became a believer. ;D
Kate's idea of comfort... *sigh* Don't even get me started on that. :/
And long paragraphs are the best kind. ;D
Of course. ;D
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Seriously, thank you so much for this lovely, wonderful (insert all positive adjectives here) review! I'm SO happy you enjoyed this. :D
Ow. Ow. OWWW. And I mean that in the best way possible. This is so great! I honestly don't know why you were worried about it--it feels so quietly harsh, and gradual, and honest to them both, and it is wonderful. :D
Thanks! I'm so relieved you think that way. About halfway through writing it I really started to doubt myself, but your kind words have reassured me very much. ;D
That's such a lovely way to put it. Very true.
Great, thank you. :)
AWWW! ♥ That's so adorable! :D
Hee, I know, right? I can so picture that. ;D
This is such a sweet scene, and I love it doubly because you used a Sawyer line. Which makes me incredibly conflicted--on the one hand I'm happy for Jack that her response was different, but I'm so sad for Sawyer. D: OH TRIANGLE.
I'm glad you liked it! And yes- I did indeed use that Sawyer line (yay, you caught it! ;D) but I really wanted to make a contrast to that scene, with Kate being confident and sure, which you clearly noticed. And yes, this triangle... *sigh* It just wears us out.
!!!! THIS IS ME IN A PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR.
LOL. :D
*sniffs* Jate being affectionate like this while falling asleep is a huge pipe dream of mine, and . . . *sniffs some more* That's all that I can say here. XD
Oh, it's most definitely a dream of mine too. It's just so cute. XD
Yes. This is exactly where they were then.
Good! I'm glad you think so. :)
The gradual decline of Jack slipping into alcohol and drugs, you get that so well, and especially here. And I love love love the sort-of-AU-but-not take you have on their breakup: I always assumed that he left immediately after their fight in SNBH, but I like the way you have it much better!
Thank you! I'm very happy you liked that version; as for when he truly did leave, canon-wise, I always assumed that it was after they had their fight in SNBH as well, but then I got the idea of a different scenario, and wrote it, as you saw. :D
And the last part--him packing his suitcase, her just sitting there--truly breaks my heart.
Aww, I know... that was the hardest part for me to write. :(
Now, I'm off to reply to the rest of your comment!
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Now to the comment:
Seriously, thank you so much for this lovely, wonderful (insert all positive adjectives here) review! I'm SO happy you enjoyed this. :D
You're very welcome, as ever. :) You deserved it, really, and I'm glad that it made you happy!
And LOL, icon love. :D
And yes- I did indeed use that Sawyer line (yay, you caught it! ;D) but I really wanted to make a contrast to that scene, with Kate being confident and sure, which you clearly noticed. And yes, this triangle... *sigh* It just wears us out.
How could I not catch the Sawyer line? ;) I still LOVE IT when you re-use quotes from the show; it adds such a nice depth to the story. :)
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I've seriously been going into LJ/fandom/LOST/epic comment spammage withdrawal, and I'm so glad to be back!
LOL, I can imagine! I always feel that way when I'm away from the computer. XD
You're very welcome, as ever. :) You deserved it, really, and I'm glad that it made you happy!
Well, thank you, again. It really did make me happy. :)
And LOL, icon love. :D
Hehe. I saw it and had to use it. ;D
How could I not catch the Sawyer line? ;) I still LOVE IT when you re-use quotes from the show; it adds such a nice depth to the story. :)
Thanks! It's good to hear that; I'll definitely be doing that more in later fics. :D
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