All You Got To Do Is Ask

This story is set after DOC, about day 90, early afternoon before The Brig

Kate watched Jack and Juliet talking outside Juliet’s tent. After spending a couple hours with a distraught Sun, Kate felt she needed to let Jack know what was going on.
Juliet saw Kate approaching. “Listen Jack, I’m going over to the kitchen to get some supplies.”
“No, Juliet,” Jack put his hand on her arm as she turned to get her backpack. “Anything Kate wants to say to me, she can say it in front of both of us.”
Juliet smiled at Jack. “Really Jack, we need supplies. We have places to go and things to discuss. We’ll be on our way faster if I go.” She gave Jack’s hand a squeeze after removing it from her arm, turned, and picked up her backpack. She smiled at Kate, nodded her head, and went to the kitchen.
Jack took a drink from his water bottle and offered it to Kate.
Kate shook her head, “No thanks,” and watched as Juliet walked away.
Jack looked at Kate expectantly. “You need something?”
“Yeah, I’m glad she left.” Kate nodded toward Juliet, who was almost to the kitchen. “You know no one trusts her.”
“What do you want, Kate?” Jack asked, sounding slightly hassled.
“What did you say to Sun the other morning in her garden?” Kate forged onward, sounding slightly hassled also.
“Just asked her some questions about her pregnancy.” Jack replied putting his water bottle into his backpack.
“Well, whatever you said to her made her approach Juliet and ask her about pregnant women and the island.” Kate replied.
Jack raised his eyebrows. “Oh?” Jack looked toward the kitchen where Juliet was putting some bananas into her backpack.
Kate glanced over too and added, “Yeah, and Juliet told her they die. I just came from Sun’s tent. She’s really upset, she said she couldn’t sleep last night, and Jin isn’t even around.”
Interested by this new information, Jack looked back at Kate, “Where’s Jin?”
“He’s off on a camping trip with Desmond, Hurley, and Charlie. But that isn’t important, Jack. I need to know what we are going to do about Sun.” Kate demanded.
“We aren’t going to do anything. Stop worrying. It will work itself out.” Jack answered.
“Come on, Jack…How?” Kate was aggravated now.
“Look, Kate, you’re always asking me questions. You just need to trust me. It will work itself out.” Jack swung his backpack over his shoulder. “I need to go.” He nodded toward Juliet, “She’ll be wondering where I am.” Jack walked off toward Juliet.
“Right, go off with her. That will help Sun.” Kate fumed.

Five year old Katie was at the park with her daddy. She was climbing up the slide for the umpteenth time when she saw an ice cream man. “Daddy, look, the ice cream man. Let’s get some ice cream.”
“Good idea, Katie,” Sam replied. “We can sit on the bench and talk while we eat it.”
Katie slid down the sliding board one last time and ran over to the ice cream man. Sam caught up, smiling at his daughter who was jumping up and down saying, “I want a fudge bar. I want a fudge bar.”
“Can you say ‘Please’ to the man?” Sam asked.
Katie turned, brown pigtails still bouncing, and asked politely, “May I please have a fudge bar?”
The ice cream man looked at Sam who nodded and said, “Make it two, please.”
Katie took her fudge bar and ran to the bench to eat it. Sam paid the ice cream man and went to sit by Katie.
“Daddy, did you know my friend, Tommy, got a kitten? It’s all black, except for some white on its feet. The kitty looks like its wearing white socks, so Tommy named him Socks. Isn’t that a funny name?” Katie told him some more about Tommy’s new kitten, but Sam didn’t really hear, knowing he was going to break his little girl’s heart.
When Katie was finished eating her fudge bar, and telling stories about Tommy and Socks, Sam said, “Katie, you’re a big five year old girl now. I have something important I need to tell you.”
“Yes, Daddy?” Katie was swinging her feet; they didn’t quite reach the ground.
“Your Mom and I aren’t going to be able to live together anymore.”
“What?” Katie was very confused.
“Your Mom and I aren’t going to be able to live together any more. We both love you very much, and we are going to take care of you. If you ever need anything from me, all you have to do is ask. But I have to live in another house.” Sam sadly informed her.
“But…but…I won’t live with you?” Katie didn’t understand.
“No.” Sam replied calmly. “You’ll live with your Mom. But you can come and visit me. We’ll go camping in the woods on the weekends you visit.”
Katie started crying.
Sam got a tissue out and wiped the tears off her freckled cheeks. “Look, sweetheart. I know you have a lot of questions. You just need to trust me. It will all work itself out.”

Kate watched Jack go to Juliet and they headed off into the jungle together. “Hmm…Maybe he’ll wonder where I am.” Kate mumbled sarcastically under her breath. Kate surveyed the camp. Sawyer wasn’t outside his tent, maybe he was in it. Making her way over to his tent, she peeked inside; no Sawyer. Next stop was Sun’s tent, where she found Sun settling down for a nap. Heading further down the beach, she heard the familiar sound of wood being chopped.
“Hey, James, you look hot.” As soon as it came out of her mouth, Kate realized the double meaning.
Sawyer stopped chopping, slowly turned, a big grin on his face. “Well, well…and you’re here, because…?”
“Want some water?” Kate got her water bottle out and came over to Sawyer.
“Is that all your offering?” Sawyer teased as he leaned in to take the bottle.
But Kate held on to the bottle, their eyes met and then their lips. Sawyer took control of the kiss, making demands with his tongue and lips. Eagerly, Kate responded while pulling the hem of his blue tee shirt out of his jeans. Removing the tee shirt broke off the kiss. They parted for a second, catching their breaths. Kate ran her hands slowly up Sawyer’s tight abs to his shoulders. Sawyer touched his forehead to hers and whispered in his low, sexy voice, “So, the mix tape got you to reconsider a little afternoon delight?”
Kate froze, dropped her arms and started to back away from Sawyer. The mix tape… “You ain’t got to use me, Freckles, all you got to do is ask” came back to her. What was she doing here with Sawyer?

Sam was tired after putting in a long day of work for the Army. The last thing he expected to see pulling up to his military housing unit was 15 year old Katie, sitting on the front door step with her backpack. As Sam got out of the car, Katie met him with a big bear hug.
“I miss you so much, Daddy.” Katie said, hugging Sam hard.
“This is unexpected Katie. I thought you weren’t coming to visit for two more weeks.” Sam said, returning the hug and patting her on the back.
Katie wouldn’t let go of Sam. “Daddy, when you and Mom got divorced, you always said if I needed anything, to just ask. Right? Well, I need to come live with you now.”
Sam took Katie’s arms and put them by her side. “We’ll discuss this inside. Do Diane and Wayne know you are here?”
Katie gave her dad a disgusted look. “Like they’ll be wondering where I am.” Katie sneered and rolled her eyes. She followed Sam inside.
After calling Diane to inform her of Katie’s whereabouts, they made a quick dinner of sandwiches, chips, and lemonade, and then sat down at the table to talk.
“Daddy, I hate Wayne. He isn’t my real father. Mom doesn’t understand me or listen to me at all. I don’t want to live with them any more. I can’t live with them any more. I want to stay here with you.” Katie stated her case.
Sam sighed, “Honey, you need to live with your Mom and Wayne.”
“Please, Daddy, I’m asking you. Let me come live with you. I promise I won’t be any trouble.” pleaded Katie.
“Katie,” Sam reached across the table and held his daughter’s hand. “I am going back overseas for another tour of duty and I’ll be gone at least 13 months. I leave in six weeks. I was going to tell you on your next visit, but you need to know this now.”
Katie looked down at her half eaten sandwich, removed her hand from her dad’s hand, and crossed her arms in front of her. She felt like she had been sentenced to prison for the rest of her life.

“What’s wrong, Freckles?” Sawyer was startled by Kate’s reaction.
“James, I’m so sorry.” Kate saw Sawyer’s confusion which seemed to mirror her own. What am I doing here? I don’t want to hurt him again. “I saw Jack and Juliet going off together…” Kate confessed, having difficulty making eye contact with Sawyer. “But it’s not like that…honest…” Kate quickly added, looking right at him when she said the word honest.
Sawyer was watching her intently the whole time. He took a tentative step toward her.
Kate had been backing up, but turned to go. After everything we’ve been through, he’s never let me down. He doesn’t deserve this. Picking up her backpack, she hesitated and turned back for a moment. “I’m just really sorry.” Kate headed off down the beach.
“Freckles… wait,” Sawyer started after her. “Your water bottle…”
Kate, looking puzzled and sad, stopped and turned to face Sawyer.
“Look, go back to camp, get on an outfit to swim in, and we’ll take a dip and have some dinner. Okay?” Sawyer suggested gently.
Kate’s bewildered expression changed to hopeful with a small grin forming.
“I’ll pick you up at your tent in about 30 minutes.” Sawyer gave Kate his winning smile.
“Thanks, James.” Kate was feeling almost shy. “And if I want anything, all I got to do is ask?”
“Sure.” Sawyer held his arms out with Kate’s water bottle still in his hand. “Want to give it a try?” He shook the water bottle a little, and looked surprised to see it in his hand. His smile turned mischievous and his eyes were twinkling.
“May I have my water bottle James?” Kate took his cue, as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Catch.” Sawyer tossed her the water bottle and winked at her. “All you got to do is ask.”