"I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry I didn't tell you goodbye. We needed the dynamite. The others were on their way. We didn't have time to…time to wait and tell you…" Kate broke down. She was leaning over a seemingly lifeless Sawyer, her tears falling endlessly onto his tattered and soiled shirt that now bore his blood on the left sleeve.
"I knew telling you goodbye meant I might not see you again. And it scared me that I cared. That I cared for a person that reminds me of what I thought I killed years ago. I didn't want it coming back. But I guess my mom was right. You can't help who you…who you…"
The tears streamed even faster now and she found herself collapsed across his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. At least here she could hear his heartbeat, although weak, there was proof hope still remained he could make it through.
Kate realized she wasn't alone in the hatch. She slowly pulled herself up off Sawyer's chest and looked behind her. A worried Jack stood several feet away. Kate tried to wipe the tears from her face, but then even more came. Jack rushed over and knelt down beside her and took her in his arms, where she stayed for several minutes. Jack reveled in this close encounter, though he wished it wasn't under these circumstances; Kate crying over another man. He savored the warmth of Kate's body against his, even her moist tears dampening his shirtsleeve. He couldn't help but feel a bit pathetic. He removed his arms from around her back and grasped her shoulders in his hands.
"Kate he's going to be fine, I promise you. I'm changing his dressing every two hours. There doesn't seem to be any sign of infection and his body is making sure of that, that's why he's been in a sort of coma since he got back."
Tears continued to escape from her eyes. Jack's empty promises weren't helping the stark reality Sawyer might soon reside in yet another shallow grave with all the other dead castaways that seemed to continuously accumulate.
Jack took her chin in his hand, "Look at me." Kate continued to look down for several more seconds before looking up with her sorrowful eyes.
Jack wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Kate he will be fine." He dropped his hands to his lap and looked into her eyes for some sort of acknowledgement of what he was saying.
Her eyes closed and finally she gave a nod.
"Good. Now will you let me sit with him so you can eat and get some r-"
"No. Absolutely not. I'm staying here until he wakes up."
"Fair enough. But I'm not leaving until you at least eat some fruit I cut up for you."
Kate gave a weak smile. "Fine," she said with mock angst.
Jack smiled and got up to get her meal from the hatch's kitchen. He handed her the bowl. He waited with her until she had eaten what he believed to be a reasonable amount and turned to walk out. Kate grabbed his wrist with her free hand.
"Thank you," she said when he had turned back to look down at her. She let go of his wrist. He leaned down and slowly kissed her forehead. He lingered there a moment, then uprighted himself.
"I'll be back in amount an hour or so to punch in the code and change the gauze," he said. Then he turned again and walked away.
Kate realized she wasn't crying anymore. Suddenly she heard something inaudible coming from behind her and spun around in an instant to see Sawyer's lips moving and his eyes slightly opened.
"…painful…" was all she could make out.
"Sawyer? Sawyer? Are you okay? You're in pain?" She demanded with her hands grasping his lapels. She waited an excruciating five seconds to hear another hoarse whisper.
"That…was…painful," Sawyer managed to get out through teeth clenched in pain.
Kate was inconsolable again, "I know! They said you pulled the bullet out yourself. God, I'm so sorry. I'm so-"
"No, freckles…The bullet…that was a cake walk. But lying here while Metro tries to steal my woman…that was unbearable."
Instantly the worry melted from her face, "Oh, Sawyer." And she was collapsed on his chest once again. Sawyer lifted his good arm and wrapped it around Kate's waist.
"Easy there, Princess. I ain't goin' anywhere. Not a chance."
Once Kate had consoled herself, she looked up at Sawyer. She saw a look on his face she had never seen before: compassion. However, there was a hint of self-satisfaction behind that selfless gaze, assuring her that he was still the same Sawyer she knew.
She sat up, leaning her arms on his abdomen.
"What is it, Sunshine?"
Kate smiled and looked away.
"Oh, cat got your tongue? C'mon I ain't really in the position to negotiate here.
Kate looked up, still grinning. "I'm just glad you're out of your coma, that's all."
"Awe. You really did miss me, huh?"
"Nah. We were running low on bandaids and needed to raid your stash, but we still don't know where it is."
"So that's how you're gonna play it, huh? Okay, I'm game. Just seems like a whole lotta tears just for bandaids."
"Well we only had like fifteen left. It was a really dire situation," she said through giggles.
"Is that so?" Sawyer began tickling Kate with his one free hand; she was in convulsing hysterics within seconds. She was flabbergasted he had so much power in just one arm.
"Okay! Okay! I missed you," Sawyer stopped his torture and she wrangled out of his grasp, returning her arms to his stomach. "Just a little." They were both grinning ear-to-ear.
They sat looking at each other for a few silent minutes. Finally a smirk returned to Sawyer's face.
"You know, Sassafras, I ain't so convinced you actually missed me. I think I'm gonna need some proof."
"Oh yeah? What kind of proof?"
"I'd say the kind of proof that involves that shirt and those jeans and whatever's underneath thrown about five feet behind ya."
"Hmm. Because I think a thoughtful "get well" card would suffice."
"As lovely as that would be, sweet cheeks, I'm pretty sure my recovery process can't move forward unless I see you in your birthday suit."
"Really? Did Jack tell you that?"
"Nah I got a second opinion from a specialist."
"Well I think you're out of luck because my birthday isn't for months."
"C'mon, Freckles. I pulled a bullet out of my arm, doesn't that earn me some badass points?" His breath was hot on her face, causing heat to pool between Kate's thighs.
"It does. But Jack's gonna be back anytime and I don't know if he really needs to see me jumpstarting your recovery process." She started to get up when she felt both of Sawyer's arms holding her back. Looking back towards him, she saw that his naturally piercing blue eyes were now darkened with lust. She was tempted to let him do whatever he was scheming, but she then thought of Jack. She had sensed his feelings for her for some time, and him walking in on them would be embarrassing at the least, rude at the worst. She put her hands on either side of Sawyer and leaned up again.
This time Sawyer was ready. He locked his muscular legs over her narrow thighs, holding her to him. Keeping his weak arm around her back, he grasped a fistful of her unruly locks with his right hand and pulled her face to his, capturing her lips in a brusing kiss.
Within seconds of Sawyer's less than gentlemanly attempt to get into her pants, Kate knew it was foolish to resist him. And feeling his cock growing harder beneath her was enough for her to throw all modesty out the window. Before she knew it, her tongue was in his mouth. Both his hands cradled the sides of her face, his right thumb brushing her cheek tenderly. Her hands were feverishly unfastening his shirt's buttons. She moved her lips down between his pecks, following her hands as she quickly revealed more and more of his chiseled chest and abs until her lips reached the top of his jeans. She couldn't resist sneaking a peek up at Sawyer's face. He was watching her intently, eyes hooded and his mouth agape, waiting for whatever she might do next.
Her eyes still on him, she unfastened his belt buckle while opening her mouth to unzip his pants with her teeth. Sawyer chewed his lip in awe, something that rarely happened to him in similar situations. In an instant Kate had ridded him of his pants and boxers throwing them across the floor. Sawyer took her lead and tossed his unbuttoned shirt out of the way as well.
Kate was taken aback at the size of his painfully erect cock, wondering if she would be capable of taking him in her mouth. Regaining her composure, Kate grasped him in her hand and guided him into her mouth. With all the laws he had broken, lives he had ruined, in what world was this his karma? He watched her take more and more of him until he was completely encased in her hot mouth. He didn't know what she was doing with her tongue but, he was starting to feel light headed. Getting shot and being with Kate should probably have been two mutually exclusive events, but no way in hell was he going to stop her.
She could feel him tensing up so she took him from her mouth and climbed her way up his lean torso, but not before leaving a loving kiss on his tip. Again straddling his wide hips, Kate leaned down and sought out Sawyer's lips. He met her s instantly, surprisingly not squeamish about where they had just been. Her lips trailed down his jaw and arm until she was able to lightly kiss the gauze covering his wound. She sat back up, pulling her tank top over her head, exposing her breasts to him for the first time. His eyes feasted upon them, making him unaware that she had slid out of her remaining garments. He was suddenly brought back to reality as she impaled herself on him unannounced.
Sawyer had to bite back a gasp, instead choking out, "Jesus, Freckles. You don't mess around."
Kate ignored him, slamming down onto him again, this time forcing him deeper. His abs tightened and his jaw clenched, stifling yet another gasp. Kate continued to ride him, digging her nails into his chest. Sweat accumulated on her face, her neck, her chest. In minutes they were both panting and Sawyer was beginning to feel that familiar pull. He resented the fact he was too weak to take her in his arms and slam her up against the hatch's wall, instead squeezing her hip with his hands and meeting her thrust for thrust.
Kate's breathing shallowed and Sawyer took it upon himself to move his right hand to where their bodies were joined, his other hand travelling to her breast. "Kate," He commanded. "Look at me." Her eyes flew open, not at his request but because he hadn't called her by one of his tiresome nicknames. Once he caught her gaze, she was unable to look away until he applied pressure to her clit, forcing Kate's back to bow and her a moan to be ripped from her throat. Sawyer's hand travelled up her breast to the back of her neck, pulling her down for a searing kiss. He could feel Kate tightening around him as her climax began, her cries muffled by his mouth. Her spasms dragged Sawyer over the edge with her and his own breathing came to a halt. He thrust into her a final time, her nails digging into his legs as she felt him spill into her.
"Sawyer! Sawyer!"
He could faintly hear a woman yelling his name and possibly slapping him.
"SAWYER!"
The voice sounded more worried this time.
"Sawyer!"
This time a man's voice was yelling.
Sawyer finally willed his eyes open. After several seconds a topless woman on top of him looking close to tears and a fully clothed, defeated looking man to his right materialized.
"Jesus, Sawyer!" Kate flung herself around him.
"What in the hell are you yelling about? I was having a mighty fine dream."
"Kate said you passed out once you…" Jack trailed off.
"So it wasn't a dream?"
Kate sat up, shooting him daggers while covering her breasts. Pissed was tough to pull off half naked, but Kate accomplished it flawlessly.
"Okay glad you're alright. Just lay off the rigorous activity until you're fully recovered, alright?"
"Can't make any promises, Doc, but thanks for the advice." Kate gave Sawyer another look like she might slap him if her hands weren't otherwise occupied.
Jack let out a fake laugh. The alarm began to sound. "Fair enough. Kate I'll punch in the numbers and let you get dressed so I can change his bandage."
Jack turned away and Kate climbed off of Sawyer, trying to find her and Sawyer's garments strewn about the floor, throwing him his when she came upon him. They began robing themselves as the alarm stopped. Several moments later Jack returned to a now more respectable Kate and Sawyer. He then changed Sawyer's dressing, as promised.
"Okay everything looks good. I'll come back to check on you tomorrow. You should be fine until then. It's Locke's shift-"
"Tell Locke I can punch in the numbers, I'm staying here."
"Alright I'll have him bring you some food and water then." Jack sat up and turned to walk out.
"Thanks, Doc," Sawyer said, thoroughly pleased with the circumstances Jack had found him in.
"You're welcome Sawyer," the two heard as Jack walked out.
Kate turned to Sawyer, "I thought you were dead twice in one day!"
"I'd take the second as a compliment, Freckles. No woman's ever made me pass out before."
"Oh I think the gunshot wound you're recovering from had a bit more to do with that than me."
"Oh don't sell yourself short, Kiddo. That was more than alright," he reassured as he lifted his hands to bring her into him.
"No! I'm not getting anywhere near you until you're fully healed."
"Thelma! You're no fun."
"Sorry. That's final."
And they quarreled for roughly one hundred and eight more minutes. Sawyer finally got a few kisses for his trouble, but to his dismay, he didn't feel woozy again for several more days.