A/N – A one-shot of when Sawyer, Claire, and Miles return to the beach. Spoilers for episode 4X09, The Shape of Things to Come. PLEASE TAKE NOTE – I have NOT seen episode ten yet and do not wish to be spoiled. If any of this contradicts that episode, it may seem weird, but don't tell me what should have happened (think of it as AU if you have to).
Jack is not sitting alone, but his thoughts are in no way connected to the conversation. Kate seems similarly distracted, her eyes roaming between the jungle and the coastline intermittently. He doesn't wonder why. She appears on edge, as if waiting for something she doesn't know is coming. His gaze returns to the rest of the survivors, collected around the main dining table, discussing the implications of Daniel's revelation – though his father once told him serious discussion should never be done at the dinner table.
For the first time, Jack can't motivate himself to care. The light is waning as the sun struggles to remain above both the horizon and the gathering storm clouds which are threatening to break at any moment. Jack's eyes flicker to Kate once more, wondering if she's the sort of person to get nervous before a storm. Odd. He should know that by now.
He is about to turn away, to find something less dangerous – though probably not as attractive – to look at, when he sees her back straighten. Her hands, busy fiddling with a loose strand of hair, suddenly still. For a few more seconds, she doesn't move, and then with the energy of a hare leaps away from the group and is running up the beach.
Everyone else turns now, too, and a few gasp. Staggering down the beach, the baby cradled in his arms and the mother leaning against him for support, is Sawyer. Miles is behind them, and he walks nervously, as unsure of his status here as he was sure of it in the last camp.
Kate isn't doing a traditional Chariots of Fire greeting. This is a small comfort for Jack, who follows, guessing that for whatever reason, Sawyer is back to stay. Jack's not the most vindictive man, but he would like to see Sawyer say sorry (for once). But as he comes much closer, he can see what Kate's keen eyesight probably saw the instant the trio came onto the beach.
Sawyer is limping. His eyes are large white holes above deep black rings of exhaustion. His shirt is ripped in many places. Claire has burns and scratches on her arms, and there's a nasty gash on her forehead. The ends of her hair are scorched black, and Jack finds his feet dragging, reluctant to have to deal with whatever new catastrophe has occurred.
As he comes up, Kate is already shaking her head, trying to deny what she is being told. But then Sawyer's haggard features turn to Jack, and the doctor is shocked by the sorrow he sees in the pale eyes.
"They never even had a chance," he whispers, and Jack can only guess at what he's talking about. Sawyer elaborates. "They... Jack, they're all dead."
Kate sucks in a quiet breath beside him, as he tries to work out what those words mean, how they could possibly be put together like that, how could they possibly...
"I'm sorry," Sawyer whispers, and his arms clench, holding the infant closer to him, as Claire raises her own empty expression to Jack's. "I'm sorry," he repeats, and Jack is horrified to find that hearing the words spoken doesn't feel nearly as good as he thought it would.
At that moment, the heavens open and cry alongside the remaining survivors, the tears of God large enough and heavy enough to bruise the skin on impact.