In the Most Unlikely Places

Authors Note: I don't have writers block per say for "A Different Place and Time", but after Brodie Wan put this idea in my head…I became determined to bring it to life. For all of you currently reading my other fic…please stick with me…I promise an update soon. But in the mean time…in response to a challenge posted to me by Brodie to write about the development of Sawyer and Jin's friendship, here's a little piece about Sawyer and Jin.

The First Night

"Bottom?" Jin asked.

Sawyer just stared at him. "No way Hoss," he responded while shaking his head. "You get the top, I get the bottom."

Jin rolled his eyes and started to climb.

"Damn bunk beds." Sawyer muttered as he fell into bed.

One Week In

"Miniskirt."

"Min-e—." Jin shook his head.

"Em - I – En – I Skirt. Skuh – hirt." Sawyer annunciated. "C'mon Jinbo it ain't that hard."

"Min-e-skurt"

"There ya go!" Sawyer complimented as he clapped his hands.

"What's the celebration all about?" Juliet asked as she walked into the kitchen.

Sawyer nodded his head towards Jin.

"Juliet?" Jin asked.

"Yes Jin?" she answered, looking at him expectantly.

"Why you no wear…min-e-skurt?"

Juliet just stared for a second then looked over at Sawyer who could hardly suppress his laughter.

"Nice James…" She said as she gave him that knowing look, grabbed an apple and headed for the door.

After she left Sawyer burst out laughing. Even Dan cracked a smile at the confused look on Jin's face.

Two Weeks In

Sawyer had been officially working for the Dharma Initiative for one week; he couldn't remember the last time he'd had any legitimate job for a whole week. He planned on celebrating by going home, popping a Dharma beer, sitting on the porch with a good book and hopefully conning a home cooked meal out of Juliet.

He walked in to an unusually quiet house--with five people sharing a two bedroom place, things were never really quiet. Sawyer ambled to the fridge to grab a beer and noticed someone sitting on the side porch. He walked out the door to find Jin resting on one of the chairs.

Jin looked up as Sawyer walked out.

Sawyer took a long sip of beer as he scanned the quad. "How come it's so quiet 'round here?" He then asked.

"Sub leave today," Jin responded, noticing the quick realization as it came across Sawyers features. He watched as Sawyer swiftly turned his head to scan the house, clearly looking for someone who wasn't there.

Jin waited a beat, then, "Juliet on beach."

Sawyer's body relaxed as he released an audible sigh of relief. Moving off the porch he yelled "Thanks Jin!" over his shoulder and made his way down toward the docks.

Jin smiled.

Three Weeks In

"K-"

"C'mon, you can say it." Sawyer prodded. "Stop holdin' out on me."

"King Me." Jin stated proudly.

"Nice." Sawyer said as he placed one checker on top of the other to give Jin the 'king' status. "Next we'll tackle battleship."

One Month In

"I'm sorry." Sawyer said as they rode in the Dharma van out towards grid four.

"For what?" Jin asked.

"For thinkin' it was you that burned the raft. For attackin' you like I did."

Jin didn't say anything, he briefly thought back to their encounter in the woods and how different their circumstances were back then. Him the hard, domineering husband who constantly took his own shortcomings out on his wife, Sawyer the cocky loner who'd pick a fight with anyone just to have something to do. They'd both come a long way since then.

"Anyway, it was wrong of me to be jumpin' to conclusions. Not like I was in any position to be castin' the first stone."

Jin didn't quite understand that last statement, but he understood the sentiment behind it. "It's okay Sawyer. I forgive you."

Three Months In

"Why were you on the plane?" Jin asked one morning over breakfast.

"The plane from Australia?"

Jin grunted as he shoved another bite of eggs into his mouth.

"I was being deported."

"De-ported?" Jin asked.

Sawyer shifted in his seat and took a sip of his orange juice. "Deported, like being sent away, banished. They were making me go…forcing me to leave the country, kicking me out. Understand?"

Jin nodded. "Why."

"Cause I head-butted the Australian Minister of Agriculture in a bar fight."

"Head-butted?" Jin questioned.

Instead of trying to explain, Sawyer picked up the box of cereal on the table and made the head-butting motion. "Anyway I guess he was an important guy cause they booted me. Lucky I got on 815 huh?"

Jin shook his head and kept eating.

A few minutes later, "So what were you doing on the plane?" Sawyer asked.

"I go to Los Angeles to deliver a watch."

"A watch?" Sawyer was surprised. "Why in the hell would you fly all the way to California to deliver a damned watch?"

"It was for…"

"What's for breakfast guys?" Miles interrupted as he strolled into the kitchen.

After working eight hours straight with Miles the night before, Sawyer was in no mood for him. "This here is ours," Sawyer grumbled as he put his arm around the bowl of eggs. "Get your own."

"Jeez, who woke up on the wrong side of the bunk bed this morning?" Miles taunted.

Sawyer started to push out of his chair…

"Sawyer." Jin called to get his attention. When Sawyer turned to look at Jin, he watched him pick up the cereal box and make the head butting motion.

Sawyer laughed and sat back down. "Let's keep that one on the back burner for now, huh Jinbo?"

Jin smiled and kept eating.

Five Months In

"Do you miss her?" Jin asked one day as they stared aimlessly at the security monitors.

"Who?"

"Kate."

Sawyer sighed. "That's a loaded question Hoss."

"But you love her?" Jin pushed.

"Well you're just full of 'em today aren't ya?" Sawyer pushed out of his chair and started pacing. "Sure I loved her, but not like you love Sun. It was different, heat of the moment ya know? But I always came in second to the Doc, we both knew it. And in the end, she made her choice and I made mine."

"Why did you jump?"

Sawyer was a little surprised by the question, and was instantly reminded of the last time someone had asked him that. When Juliet had questioned him, it had still been fresh, raw. Then, all he could picture was the last glimpse of Kate's face as he asked her to look out for his daughter. Now, that face was becoming blurry, and was slowly being replaced by another.

Sawyer shook out of his reverie. "I jumped cause they needed someone to jump. And cause there was nothin' for me back home. Here is as good a place as any for me. The rest of 'em, they deserved somethin' more. So I let'em have it."

Jin thought about that for a moment.

"You saved Sun."

Sawyer looked Jin in the eye at that statement. The last thing he wanted to be was a hero, because he knew that he took the coward's way out.

"Naw, I just jumped so that she didn't have to."

"You saved Sun." Jin repeated. He held Sawyer's stare for a minute longer, nodded his head, and then turned back towards the monitors.

Eight Months In

"I'm a father."

"You're a what now?" Sawyer asked, distracted by the dying light that was playing shadows against the jungle trees.

"A father." Jin repeated. "We've been here eight months. Sun has most likely had our baby. I'm a father."

Sawyer instantly forgot the shadows and wrapped Jin in a big bear hug, "Well congratulations! Is it a boy or a girl?" Sawyer asked as he stepped back and they continued walking.

Jin smiled. "I don't know," he replied honestly. "But if it is a girl, Sun will name her Ji Yeon."

Sawyer continued to smile as they walked through the trees. "Ji Yeon…I bet she's beautiful."

Jin bowed his head, wishing then, more than ever, that he was home with sun and their baby.

A few minutes later…"You know I have a daughter too." Sawyer stated.

Jin looked up at him surprised. "You do?"

"Yup." Sawyer responded. "Her name is Clementine." They continued to walk. "I ain't never seen her neither."

Jin left it at that, but felt better knowing he wasn't the only one missing a daughter he may never know.

Eleven Months In

During one of the many Dharma shindigs, Sawyer and Jin found themselves enjoying a beer at a picnic table on the outskirts of the dance floor. The Dharma folk knew how to work hard, and they also knew how to play hard. And while they never seemed to get any new damn books on the island, they always seemed to keep up on the latest music.

The music changed and the 'brand new' Lynyrd Skynyrd vinyl was placed on the turn table. None other than 'Sweet Home Alabama' started playing and the crowd seemed to go nuts. In the midst of it all, Miles and Juliet were dancing away, Juliet oblivious to the two men watching her from afar.

"Go dance with her." Jin prompted as he took another sip.

"Naw." Sawyer retorted. "Seems to me like she's doin' just swell on her own."

"You know you want to."

Sawyer turned towards Jin, looking him in the eye. "Now what makes you say that?" He asked.

"Come on Sawyer." Jin responded. "We all see the way you look at her."

"I ain't lookin' at nobody." Sawyer huffed in response.

Just then Juliet's eyes wandered towards the pair and when they landed on Sawyer, she gave him her best smile. Jin watched as Sawyer's face lit up.

"See," Jin taunted.

"Sheesh Hoss," Sawyer retorted. "If it'll make you feel better I'll go dance with the lady. It is my anthem anyway." Sawyer smiled. "Nobody can dance to this song like a true Alabama boy."

Sawyer jumped up and weeded his way through the dance floor. Upon reaching Juliet he grabbed her hand and spun her around. Her laughter rang high above the music and floated back towards Jin.

Miles, being thrown ungracefully to the side by Sawyer, made his way over to sit with Jin.

"Man," he complained. "Why is La Fleur always cramping my style?"

"You know you have no chance with Juliet right?" Jin asked.

"Prsh," Miles responded as he stood up. "Shows how much you know Korean boy."

Miles walked about 10 feet and started flirting with the first woman he saw.

Jin just shook his head and took another sip of beer.

Thirteen Months In

It was unbearably hot out. Not that the island was ever cool, but today seemed to be exceptionally hot. Jin was out on patrol, halfway through his shift and almost through searching grids one and two. He knew Sawyer was determined to keep looking, in case Locke or any of their other friends returned, and Jin understood the reasons behind it…no one would want the hostiles to find them first. But he was simply sick of looking.

Just as he was about to turn around and head back to the van he heard a noise. It sounded like…barking. He walked toward it and as it grew louder, he drew his gun in anticipation. The hostiles didn't strike him as dog owners, but hey, you never know.

He came upon a clearing and noticed a rundown shack, and a stream of smoke from the remnants of a fire. Just then the dog burst into the clearing followed closely by a man and a woman. Jin stowed his gun and walked out into the clearing.

"Vincent? Rose? Bernard?" He said as the man and woman noticed him standing there.

"Jin!" Bernard exclaimed, surprised but happy to see him. "What are you doing way out here?"

"I'm searching."

"Searching for what dear?" Rose asked as she stoked the fire to warm a pot of water.

"Our people."

"The ones who left?" Bernard asked.

"Yes." Jin replied.

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Because Sawyer said when they come back they will save us."

"And you want to be saved?" Rose questioned.

"Yes." Jin said. "Sun…Sun is not here. I want to be with her." He said, suddenly missing his wife terribly. "Don't you want to be saved?"

"No," Bernard responded. "But we already have what we want right here."

Jin nodded, understanding.

"Listen Jin, would you mind not telling anyone we are out here?" Bernard asked. "We are happy here."

Jin paused, looking around at the home the two had built, the life they had built. He was glad they had found peace in a place that caused so much strife. "I won't tell anyone." Jin promised, smiling at the pair. "Well, I better head back, more places to search."

Rose's eyes softened, "Don't work too hard honey."

Jin smiled and nodded. "Take care Rose…Bernard."

…

Later, when returning back to the security station, he ran into Sawyer who was just starting his shift.

"Sawyer?"

"Yeah Jin," Sawyer responded.

"Why do we keep looking?" Jin asked.

Sawyer looked surprised to hear that question from him. "Because we have to." He responded. "Locke said when he came back he'd save us, don't you want to be saved?"

"Well, yes." Jin responded. Then, thinking of Rose and Bernard, "Aren't you happy here?"

Sawyer got a confused look on his face, almost as if he'd never taking happiness into consideration before. "Well, yeah I guess I am."

"Then why do you want to leave?" Jin asked.

Sawyer was more confused than ever. "Where is this comin' from Hoss?" He asked in return.

"Never mind." Jin responded and walked out of the station.

Fifteen Months In

"Hey Jin?"

"Yes Sawyer?" Jin responded wearily. He had just gotten home after an unbearably long shift and wanted nothing more than to crash on the couch.

"So uh, when you told Sun, you know like, how you felt about her, what did you say?"

Jin smiled, his bad mood forgotten. "Are you asking Juliet out on a date?" He asked.

"No," Sawyer shot back, flustered. "Well, maybe."

"When I professed my love to Sun, I did it with a poem."

"A poem?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes a poem." Jin said, closing his eyes, remembering the moment. He had taken her hand in his and recited his favorite poem by E.E. Cummings called 'Somewhere I have Never Traveled, Gladly Beyond'. "Do you want me to teach you one?" Jin asked.

"Naw, sorry Hoss," Sawyer retorted after a brief moment of contemplation. "While that may have worked for you, poetry just ain't my style."

"So what are you going to say?" Jin asked.

Sawyer looked around the room, absently searching for some inspiration. "I guess I'll think of something." He said as he headed back towards the bedroom.

"Flowers." Jin called out.

"Huh?" Sawyer responded, sticking his head out the door.

"Bring her flowers." Jin said.

Sawyer grunted and dug through his clothes for something to wear.

Eighteen Months In

"Hey Jin, remember the first time we rode around in one of these?" Sawyer asked as he pointed towards the parked Dharma vans. For some reason, as they waited at the motor pool for their van, Sawyer was reminded of the time Hurley had found a Dharma van in the jungle, and how they had worked together to get it running again.

"Sure."

"Do you remember the English I taught you?"

Jin laughed. "Should I tell Juliet she doesn't look fat in those pants?"

Sawyer laughed with him. His smile, however died as he spotted one of the new recruits across the way. Sawyer had been in charge of handing out uniforms the previous day, and clearly remembered the weird feeling he'd gotten when he had first seen the shaggy man and his bug eyed little boy.

"Remember the dead guy we found in the van?"

"Yeah?" Jin answered, not sure where he was going with it.

Sawyer then pointed to Roger Linus. "I think it was him."

Twenty Months In

It was a Friday night. Juliet had been invited to hang out with 'the girls' for the night, and Miles was off doing whatever it was Miles did, so that left Jin and Sawyer to fend for themselves for the evening. The two were in the kitchen, trying to put together a decent meal, both grumbling over how reliant they'd become on Juliet to feed them.

As Sawyer poured the pasta into the boiling water he was reminded of the time his Mother had done the same. Only it was macaroni and cheese she had been making, not spaghetti, and long after he had finished his dinner that night, he had watched as his father had beat his mother with that pot. 'It was one of his bad nights.' She had later told him.

"So what'er your parents like?" Sawyer asked Jin.

"My parents?" Jin asked.

"Yeah," Sawyer responded. "You know, your moms and your pops. What'er they like, what was it like growin' up?"

"Well, I never knew my mother." The tone in which Jin said it tipped off Sawyer that it was a sore subject.

"Well your dad then."

Jin paused, remembering his father, and despite their social status, how hard he worked and how proud he was of his son. "My father was a fisherman."

"Aah," Sawyer responded. "So that's where you got those fishing skills from."

Jin laughed. "Yes." He said.

"He must 'a been proud of you when you brought home Sun, huh?" Sawyer asked.

Jin hung his head. "I lied."

Sawyer looked confused so Jin elaborated.

"We were a poor family, lower class. And when I met Sun, well, if she had known where I had come from, let's just say classes didn't mix with each other in Korea." Jin paused. "I told her my parents were dead. That way she wouldn't know about where I came from."

"Why would you do that?" Sawyer asked.

"Sun's father is a very important man, a business man. He wouldn't have his daughter marry a peasant."

Realization, then anger crossed over Sawyers face. "That's a bunch of bullshit." He said angrily.

"It's okay Sawyer," Jin placated him. "Things are different in Korea than in America. It was a fact of life I was well aware of, which is why I chose to lie, chose to shame my father's name. To me it was worth it."

Sawyer mulled that over some.

"So what about your family?" Jin asked.

"Dead." Sawyer responded dully.

Jin nodded and didn't push, but Sawyer felt the need to tell him. He had had this same conversation with Juliet some time ago, but it wasn't the same, she had already known about his past.

"When I was eight years old, my father killed my mother then killed himself." Sawyer stated mater of factly. "I was under the bed when he done it."

Jin stopped stirring the sauce and looked up at his friend. "I'm sorry Sawyer."

Sawyer shook his head. "Was a long time ago Jinbo." He responded. "A long time ago."

The two finished making their dinner in silence.

Twenty Four Months In

Sawyer was all smiles as he entered the house after work. But his mood faltered somewhat as he encountered Jin in the kitchen.

"Hey Jinbo, got a minute?" He asked.

Jin looked up from the sink and smiled. "Sure Sawyer what's up."

Sawyer hesitated. "Well I don't know how to say this so I'm just gonna say it. I'm moving out."

Jin smiled. "I know." He stated simply.

Sawyer's jaw dropped slightly. "You know?" He asked.

"Juliet told me." Jin responded.

"Damn woman," Sawyer muttered. "Sorry Jin, I wanted to be the one to tell you."

"It's okay Sawyer. You two, are you happy together?"

Sawyer smiled and Jin could see it on his face.

"You know, we actually are." Sawyer said. "She…gets me, ya know?"

Jin nodded, knowing what it was like to have a connection of that nature with someone.

Sawyer shrugged and grabbed a beer from the fridge, needing to do something with his hands.

"Guess you get the bottom bunk now." Sawyer said after a minute.

Jin laughed.

Thirty Months In

"Congratulations Jin." Sawyer said, slapping his friend on the back.

Jin had just been promoted to second in command for the security team. While James was happy for him, some others weren't…Miles and Phil to name a few. But Jin didn't care, he was happy to be doing as well as he could in the place he was in.

Every day that passed Jin became more determined. At first, when seeing Rose and Bernard, he considered sitting back and making the most of his situation, but as he continued to see happiness all around him, he realized the one person that could make him truly happy wasn't there. And the only way to get back to her was to get off this damn island.

He worked hard and was good at his job. He was happy to get the promotion but viewed it as just one more step towards getting home to Sun. He missed his wife, he missed his family.

"Thanks Sawyer." He responded.

Thirty Three Months In

"Damn Woman!" Sawyer yelled as he slammed into the house.

Miles and Jin looked up from the table where they were playing a game of Uno.

"What's wrong?' Jin asked.

"Lady troubles my friend?" Miles questioned.

"Shut up Miles." Sawyer grumbled.

"Fine, fine," he responded. "You always want Jin's help but never want mine." He paused. "Maybe a different perspective would help?"

Sawyer stared him down. "Take a walk Miles."

"Are you kidding me?" He shot back. "This is my house."

"I said…" Sawyer sharpened his tone as he took a step towards Miles, "take a walk."

"Fine, whatever." Miles relented, throwing his hands up in the air. "Have it your way."

After Miles left, Jin motioned to the empty seat across from him.

Sawyer grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat down.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked again.

"They just always have to be right, don't they?" Sawyer asked, more of himself than of Jin. "All I was doing was tryin' to tell her that we should get rid of the little creep now, and maybe that'll save us all a huge headache in the future."

"What are you talking about?" Jin asked.

"Ben." Sawyer stated. "You know the little four-eyed freak that's been runnin' around this place for over a year." Sawyer took a swig and continued. "You know the way I see it, if we ship him back to the mainland now, he'll never be able to play out his evil plans. That would make our lives a hell of a lot simpler don't you think?"

Jin thought about it for a minute. "What did Juliet say?"

Sawyer sighed. "She said he's just a kid and that we can't blame him for what he'll become." After a pause, "But he just creeps me out, doesn't he creep you out?"

Jin shrugged.

Sawyer picked up Miles' cards and they continued the game. After a few minutes of play Jin laid down his last card then looked up at Sawyer.

"You know if Ben leaves the island, then he'll never bring Juliet here, which means you'll never meet her, right?" Jin asked.

Sawyer went to respond but all he managed was a drop of his jaw. "Son of a bitch." He muttered then stood up.

"Thanks for the beer Jin, gotta run." He said, then made his way back out the front door.

A minute later Miles entered, "Where was he going in such a hurry?" he asked.

Jin just shook his head.

Thirty Six Months In

"What?" Sawyer rasped out.

"Sawyer. Its Jin. I was searching in grid three this morning and…I found them, they're back. They finally came back." Jin said hurriedly.

"What?" Sawyer said again, more alert this time. "Where?"

"I found them in the jungle, Jack, Hurley, Kate." Jin said excitedly. "Should I bring them to the security station?"

"No, don't bring them in." Sawyer said hastily. "Meet me at the North Ridge."

"Okay Sawyer, meet you there."

-end-