"Woah Dudes" Hurley said running up to Jack, Sawyer and Kate excitedly "Were like off this rock"
"What?" Jack said shocked.
"Its true there's a rescue boat on the sea!" Charlie said, running up to them "Sayid says it's about an hour away"
"And their definitely heading towards the island?" Jack said, a huge grin bursting across his face.
"Yes I believe they are" Sayid said, in his usual calm manor, it seemed like everyone wanted to have a part in spreading the happy news.
"Wow, that's great!" Jack said jumping up "Is everyone sorted, we need to pack up and…"
"Its all under control Jack" Sayid said "Believe it or not, after spending 6 months on a desert island, most people are pretty eager to get off"
"Great" Jack said "So, does everyone know?"
"Well there's the others obviously, but after what they did to us, I don't think they really deserve to know, besides there happy know on the other island" Sayid said "Locke went hunting so no ones told him yet…"
"No ones told me what?" Locke said, heading up behind them.
"Well rescues here, finally here" Jack said.
"Well that's great" Locke said happily "Has everyone been told?"
"They have know" Sayid said.
"Ok lets get started" Jack said, heading back to the caves to collect his things, as Sayid and Locke left for the beach and left Sawyer and Kate stood alone.
They stood in silence for the best part on 10 minutes until Sawyer finally spoke.
"Something tells me you aint as happy as the rest of this crew to get off this damn island"
Kate said nothing, but finally sank down onto her knees on the muddy floor. Her shoulders began to shake, she lifted her hands to her face as sharp, short shuddering breaths escaped from her lips.
"What's up Freckles?" Sawyer asked her softly.
"Their gonna be on there, Sawyer" Kate said "Their gonna be on there, and they will be looking for me, its over"
Sawyer didn't need to ask who they where, as he knew already, the FBI.
"On the island I finally felt, free, Sawyer for one time in my life I actually felt free, like id died and started all over again, I was a different person" She sobbed "Here, well it's the only place i've ever been really happy, I was stupid to think it would last forever."
Sawyer didn't say anything for a while, his brain coming up with several quick thinking schemes to hide Kate away from the FBI and the fate she faced, each as unlikely as the next. Then suddenly he had an idea.
"Maybe it could last forever Sweet Cheeks" He said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"What do you mean?" Kate asked, looking up at him with hope in her tearstained eyes.
"Maybe, if we tell Jacko and his little buddies down at the old beach, that there never was anyone called Kate Austen on this island, she probably died on the plane crash, the marshal she was with died shortly after, just like everyone knows" He said, his plan unravelling "There are no records of her, as we burned the fuselage on the first week, so there's no body for them to collect"
"Great plan, but where does that leave me Sawyer?" She asked "There bound to recognise me, what do I say, don't mind me i'm just a dead woman walking, a ghost?"
"You just don't understand do ya Sassafras" He said grinning "It leaves you here, was I hearing things or did you just tell me the happiest you've ever been was on this god damn rock?"
"Oh Sawyer" She said wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug.
"So we gonna go tell the rest?" He said.
"Yeah" She said, much happier as she took Sawyers hand as they headed back to the beach.
"So you think you can get that around before the arrive?" Sawyer said to the small group of Sayid, Jack, Charlie and Hurley that he had gathered.
"Yeah" They said in agreement.
"Kate was a good friend to me here on the island" Sayid said "This is how we can all pay her back"
"Nice to know ya care Mohammed" Sawyer said. "So any goodbyes say them quick. Freckles is gonna need a head start into the jungle, just for if they decided to snoop a bit"
"Ok" They said, and left to say their goodbyes to Kate.
Jack was the last to speak to her.
"Are you sure you want to do this Kate?" he said worriedly "We could get you a good lawyer, say about hasn't this been punishment enough, we could get your sentence reduced by years"
"Jack, its ok" Kate said "I'm staying here and that's my choice, this island, it rescued me in a different way, a better way than any ship ever could"
"Well…" Jack said, admitting defeat "I guess this is goodbye"
"Bye Jack" Kate said, giving him a hug.
"Bye Kate" He replied "Ill miss you" And before he could say anything else she had turned away and walked over to a waiting Sawyer.
"So…" Kate said, trying to think of how she wanted to say goodbye, but she couldn't. Instead she leaned up towards Sawyer and placed on his lips the most passionate, loving kiss he had ever received. "Ill guess ill see you in another life then" She finally said after they broke apart.
"What do ya mean?" He asked.
"Well I need to go now" She said "Need to get a head start for when the boat comes for you all"
"You seriously thought that I was gonna let you stay back here alone Freckles?" He said, a half sarcastic, yet half caring look on his face.
"Well uh…" She stuttered before he continued.
"Look Freckles" He said "My life back there aint so peachy either" He said, and then he grinned and said "And after that little leaving present there, do you think I'm just gonna sail away and leave ya?"
Kate didn't say anything, she just burst into a huge grin, and clamped her hand with his as they ran into the jungle.
Sawyer had packed all the remaining food and anything that people had given them that they would need back home like, poles and bottles, things that had been essential for living on the island, and he had put them in the jungle already for him and Kate to start up again when the coast was clear.
Kate scrambled up a tree in the middle of the jungle quickly followed by a grumbling Sawyer. They watched as the ship hit land and everyone, who looked to them just like dots, got onto the ship.
It sailed away into the distance as tears pricked in Kate eyes, suddenly she was aware of a hand on her arm as she turned around to see Sawyer staring at her.
"Its just me and you know Kate" He said "Just me and you"
Kate kissed him lovingly and tenderly before they climbed down from the tree, ready to carry on as they had before.