Fic: Lost Reflection 1/1 PG

[blueruin26.livejournal.com]

Title: Lost Reflection
Author: blueruin26
Chapter: 1/1
Pairing: None
Rating: PG
Summary: Kate has a bad dream and reflects on a better time.
Archiving: Ask please
Feedback: Makes me happy
Disclaimer: Kate and Charlie are the property of ABC and I lay no claim to them. This is fiction and no money is made from it.
Warnings: one swear word
Notes: Thanks to "J" for the look over.


Kate woke with a start. Bolting up and wildly looking all around. It took a moment for her to realize she had been dreaming. She let out a sigh, then took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She closed her eyes for a moment listening to the pounding of the ocean waves. Over time the sound had become quite calming to her. Nights when she couldn't sleep she would sit near the water's edge and just listen, waiting for the dawn.

Kate looked over to the camp fire still burning bright in the darkness. It was quiet and for once she wished someone was awake. Even Sawyer would have done. She did not want to go back to sleep, fearing the dream would come back. She stood, wrapping the blanket around herself and walked down to the water. She sat, pulling the blanket tight around her as a shiver went through her body. It wasn't the first time she'd had the dream since being on the island, but she didn't like dwelling on it.

She sat staring out into the black waters. And try as she might she could not shake the dream from her memory. She had been in the infirmary checking on the air marshal. As she leaned down his eyes popped open and he began screaming her name, saying she would pay for her crimes, that there was no escape. Then his hands were around her neck, choking her as he continued to rant at her. She couldn't breath and she tried to pull his hands away, but she couldn't move. And to make matters worse the other survivors had surrounded her and were encouraging the air marshal. Not one of them tried to help her. And that was when she always woke. Kate closed her eyes and pulled the blanket tighter around her.

"Guess I'm not the only one who couldn't sleep." Kate's eyes flew open at the sound of a voice. She turned to see Charlie standing beside her.

"Guess so," she said smiling faintly.

"Mind if I sit down?" Charlie asked. Kate shook her head and Charlie sat. "So what's got you up so late?" Charlie seemed like a nice enough guy, but Kate wasn't about to share with him why she was unable to sleep. She could feel his gaze heavy on her even in the dark.

"I've been thinking about home," she said finally. It was an easy lie. And who around there hadn't been thinking of home. Charlie nodded his head. "And you?" Kate asked wanting to take the focus of her, "what has you up so late?"

"Not to sound like a broken record, but I've been thinking about home as well," Charlie said with a slight grin. It wasn't the whole truth, but he couldn't tell her he was trying to make it just a few more hours without having to take a hit of the dwindling drug that lay in his pocket. Almost instinctively his hand went to the pocket, pressing gently, reassuringly against the denim. Feeling the outline, he let out a silent sigh of relief.

"What do you miss most about home?" Kate asked wanting to keep the focus off her. She knew Charlie wouldn't be able to resist talking about the band. So she listened as he began talking about his band and the better times as well as his brother Liam. After several minutes she tuned him out. It wasn't that she didn't care what he had to say, but she had come here to be alone. This was her time, her place, her space.

"Other times I just miss a big juicy cheeseburger with french fries and a cold beer," Charlie laughed. His laughter brought Kate back to the moment. "What about you, anything you miss a lot?"

Kate smiled. "A nice soft bed, long hot baths and chocolate."

"Ah, you've got a sweet tooth," Charlie said.

"Just a little bit," she grinned.

"I never did like sweets much, but my Mum made the best oatmeal cookies in the world when I was younger." Charlie smiled as he remembered.

"Do you ever miss just being a kid and not having any worries?" Kate suddenly asked surprising even herself.

"Yeah, I think we all do," Charlie said pulling his knee's to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. "But we all have to grow up, take on responsibility and all that shite sooner or later." Kate slowly nodded her head. They fell into silence. The stars above were beginning to disappear from the sky. Kate let out a sigh lost in a myriad of her own thoughts. No longer just the dream.

"Think we'll ever get rescued?" Charlie finally asked quietly.

"I don't know," Kate replied still staring into the water.

Charlie stared at her again. A strange feeling coming over him. "Well, I'm going to try and get some sleep," he said as he stood dusting the sand off.

"Thanks for the company, Charlie," Kate said looking up at him.

"Anytime," he smiled. "Goodnight Kate."

"Night," she said watching as he walked away. When he had gone Kate stood and walked to the waters edge letting the water tickle her toes. The stars were now all gone and the misty gray dawn was just beginning to break. The camp still quite. She waded out further into the water, letting her feet sink into the sand and the water rush over her feet. She stood for the longest time, remembering a time when laughter and love surrounded her. A time when the ocean water pooling around her feet meant she was safe and loved. A time that for all intents and purposes no longer seemed real to her, but that she held onto for dear life. For it was the one thing in her life that had been good.

Kate suddenly realized tears were rolling down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. The dawn was coming faster and the sun was peeking over the horizon. Soon another day would begin. She took one last glimpse into the vast ocean before turning and slowly making her way back up the beach.

The end