Fall from Grace
Part 3: Learn to Be Still (Continued)

“You really should be trying to get some rest,” Kate said in a low tone as she approached Jack with an uneasy gait. She was not entirely sure if he had heard her at all, he kept his back rigid and facing toward the thundering waves. He flinched when she crouched down to drape the blanket over his shoulders but otherwise remained unmoving.

Kate chewed on her lip, watching the set of his jaw tighten as she shifted to sit beside him on the sand. His hands were clenched making his knuckles white against the skin of his thighs.

“Jack, talk to me.” She commanded in a tense voice.

“I need you to tell me what’s wrong.”

His head jerked up as if he had been scalded. He heard the pleading tone that hovered in her voice and hated it.

“Nothing.” He grunted coolly, though he looked as though he had been forced to swallow back something that he had been fighting.

“This isn’t nothing Jack,” she warned. “I want to know what happened to you out there, why you didn’t call me.”

“I did call you Kate,” he spat through clenched teeth. The bitter grimace on his face was flooded with pain, making his eyes seem darker in the dusty gloaming.

She looked stricken.

“I’m sorry...I...didn’t know.”

When she made another move to touch him he emitted an anguished cry that could neither be contained nor held back. It was primordial and erupted within him with all the ferocity of a volcano. He was only half aware of the wild tears that ebbed at the edge of his vision, making his surroundings seem hazy and difficult to place.

She had never seen him look so out of touch with reality before, but was relentless when she reached out to pull him against her chest. It was somewhat surprising that the slight struggle he did put up was weak at best.

“I’m turning into my father,” Jack laughed harshly into her neck and turned his head skyward so that the hot tears assaulting her shirt were by gravity alone. His breathing was ragged and desperate as the sobs that hitched in his throat forced their way upward.

Kate was dangerously near tears herself, but she fought back the urge to breakdown and drew him closer.

“Jack,” she stared intently at his face, rocking him slowly back and forth in a pace that was rhythmic and steady.

“Jack, I want you to do something for me, okay?”

She waited a second before encouraging him to sit up on his own, grasping his hand tight as he cast his gaze toward his feet.

Kate gave him a little squeeze, hard enough to get him to look at her, bleary-eyed.

“Come on, you just need to relax a little. Take a look at the ocean, watch the folding of the waves as they strike the rocks.” She inclined her finger to a point far off in the distance.

“You see that?’

He nodded glumly.

“Good, now I want you to count to five.”

“That’s not going to change anything.” His tone was rough yet he almost laughed.

Kate failed to see the humour in her suggestion.

“Just trust me.” She ran her thumb over his knuckles following the trail of dips and groves leading to the back of his hand.

“One.” She prompted when he made no motion to speak.

Jack sighed, “Two.”

He set his eyes on a sail boat a quarter of a mile out.

“Three.” The tiny vessel bobbed up and down over the pounding surf.

“Four.” He drew in a languid breath that tickled his lungs making his lips purse.

“Five.” Kate gave his hand a finial squeeze and smiled at the mild expression on his face. He seemed calmer than he had been in a long time.

“Better?”

Jack eyed her as though he had just been shaken out of a very long dream. One eyebrow was pivoted on an angle above the other.

“Yeah,” he admitted still crimson faced. The buzz of the alcohol had started to deteriorate again, leaving him with a dull, thudding ache that consumed the whole of his body. Aside from this, he felt strangely at peace with himself, allowing the salt sea air to ruffle the gray and white blanket that Kate moved to secure tighter around him as the fog crept in along the trees.

“Wow Freckles, are you gonna have him recite the alphabet next? What’s two plus two, Doc?” Sawyer drawled, grinning from ear to ear as he approached.

She gave him a drop dead glare that clearly warned not to screw this up. He flashed her a dimpled smile and cleared his throat.

“I hate to break up this little get together but it’s freezin’ out here so why don’t y’all head over towards the fire before you catch cold.”

It was Jack’s turn to emit a rugged snort, finally trusting his voice.

“Since when do you care?” He asked breathlessly.

Sawyer shrugged, “I don’t but Freckles here gets cranky when she’s cold.”

Kate ignored the comment.

“You built a fire?” She asked sceptically.

The sandy haired man grinned, “I’ve had lots of practice Sweetheart.”

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