Disclaimer- I own nothing.
Authors Note: okay, I'm going to wing on my idea on what's going to happen when season 3 starts, but this is probably AU so...here it goes...feedback welcome. Skate. Spoilers for season finale.
Chapter One: Hope is Taken
The last thing he remembered seeing was the back of Kate's head as the black bag went over his head. He heard muffled breathing, which he realized was his own. He felt fear course up and down his body. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. He felt like his rib cage was going to burst at any moment. And that he, in any second was going to die. He had never been this scared in his life. But his fear also went to the women to his right. He had tired to get her attention, but she had ignored him, so he had glanced at Jack, who was telling both that he "had a plan." Sawyer didn't believe it.
He had no hope left, he realized as soon as the dart hit his neck he was gonna die. He remembered the pain and then hearing Kate's voice before blacking out. He felt tears sting his eyes. He heard Kate's cry out in pain, as they were thrown into something. He shook his head, trying to get the mask off him. Trying to look at Kate. He had to tell her, somehow, that he loved her, before it was to late.
But he couldn't get the mask off. He couldn't get the stupid bag off his head. He could barely breathe. He eyes watered, but he still tried. He felt pain suddenly in his head, and made him see stars. He realized he'd been kicked.
"Stop moving you filthy bastard!" He heard a voice say. He heard Kate's muffled cry, his name. She was trying to speak through her gag. Sawyer pressed hard against the gag with his tongue. He knew it was no use but he had to get free. He was going to get free. So, he began to try and shake the bag off again, this time, it came off. He saw that they hadn't noticed.
They were in some kind of boat and it was moving, fast. He saw Jack and Kate lying close. Kate by his right side, both with there mask's still on. Sawyer slowly shifted around. Trying to nudge Kate, let her know he was okay. But, that single movement alerted his captors.
"Boss!" Shouted one, the guy with the beard. "This one's got his mask off!" Sawyer felt the second man grab his hair and hold him up. The thin man, whom Kate had said was Henry Gale, came up to him. Looking at him. His silvery eyes going into Sawyer's. Sawyer however stood his ground. He glared back.
"This man is a feisty one. But, I can see he is also determined." He said cooly. Sawyer wished he didn't have the gag on, for he wanted to share a few words with the man. Quiet a few. Instead however, he mumbled through the gag only a few words.
"Let her go."
"What was that?" Said the man holding his hair. Sawyer winced but continued to stare at Henry.
"I think we can afford to un-gag the girl," Henry said. "It seems that Mr. Ford wants to have a word with her." He nodded and Sawyer felt the hand let go of his hair and he was dragged into another room. Kate being followed after him. He heard Henry's voice: "You have ten minutes, make it count."
His gag was slipped down to his neck before the door closed. Kate was lying on the ground, panting. Sawyer wished his could get up and go to her, make sure she was okay. But for now, he would have to watch her and make sure she was alright from afar.
"Some day huh?" He said finally. Kate looked up at him. She nodded.
"Your bleeding." She stated. He raised his eye brows,
"I am?"
"Yeah, you got kicked in the head right?"
"Yeah," He said. They stayed silent for a moment. "Are you okay Freckles?"
"I think so. My back hurts, a lot." She added. Sawyer nodded.
"My neck ain't to swell either. How's the Doc'?"
"I don't know." Sawyer slowly pushed himself up to his knee's wavering a little and then standing. He moved around, happy that he COULD actually walk now, although there time together was limited. He knew he had to say it before it was up. The words she needed to know.
"Kate, I think you need to know something, something I needed to tell ya before you..." the door opened. Sawyer resisted as the hands grabbed his arms. He decided to shout it. He kicked and hit a man where "The sun don't shine."
"Sawyer don't!" Henry stood at the door and watched them carefully. He then motioned with his head that Sawyer would be taken into a separate room for the rest of the trip.
"Kate, I..I love you!" Was all he had time to say before the gag was placed over his mouth, he watched Kate as the bag went over her head. He felt a sharp pain, and then saw blackness.
Kate pondered his words to her. Love, it couldn't be love, could it? No, she had to have heard wrong, but then again, he had yelled it. She knew Jack heard. That was going to be "fun" to explain, but she was scared now for what was happening to him right now. She could only imagine.
However, before her mind could elaborate on this, she felt the boat stop and she was dragged out, she heard Jack behind her.
"I think we can take the mask's off now, " She heard Henry's cool and flowing voice say. She heard something hit the ground next to her. Although before the mask came off, she knew who it was.
There was Sawyer. Lying on the ground, his hands tied in front of him. He eyes were closed tightly and his breathing labored. However he was awake. Her gag came off and the first thing she cried was his name, which made him look up warily. He still had his gag on, but it looked like it didn't matter. He lay there, blood leaking from his nose, and his eye was blackened in. Henry noticed it to, and walked up the one of the men.
"I thought I said that they were not to be harmed, not yet."
"Sorry, boss." One said. Holding up his arm, motioning to Sawyer, who was now being dragged to stand on his feet. He crumpled almost nearly, but two arms forced him up. "But he resisted a lot, I guess Joe thought he had to be beaten into submission."
"He is not to be touched like that again, not until we reach it." The man, looked at him in a fearful way, especially how dark and forceful his voice was.
Jack looked at Sawyer, who hadn't made contact with either or them. His head just remained bowed, his breathing was easily heard. Someone grabbed and took his gag off.
"You alright Sawyer?" The doctor asked. He nodded weakly. He didn't resist the Others, he just stood there. Looking more defeated than ever. Finally, he looked up, looking at Henry.
"Alright," Henry said. He touched Kate's face. This set Sawyer off. He shifted quickly, although he could barely stand, and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Don't touch her!" He shouted. Kate had pulled away, but Sawyer's reaction made her worried for him. She cried out his name as a fist connected with his stomach. Silencing his yells. He cried out in pain and then fell down to his knees. "Son of a bitch." He mumbled. He was forced up and then Henry addressed them.
"It looks like were going to have to move along on foot. We can keep the masks off. Put the gags back on." He turned in a flowing motion and then walked off. Sawyer was pushed along, followed by Kate, then Jack. Sawyer stumbled on the dock, his legs going out from under him. He fell on his face. Moaning softly. Kate fought her captors for the first time, as she saw Joe approach Sawyer.
"Sawyer!" She cried through her gag. Jack fought back as well. Not like liking his friend man handled as Joe grabbed the mans arm and threw him forward. Sawyer looked back at Kate and Jack, and then walked in pace again. Trying his hardest to stay up.
Sawyer, Jack and Kate moved along silently until, they made camp for the night. There gags were taken off and there hands un-bound. Henry eyes them as Jack rubbed his wrists, and Kate just looked down, as if they weren't her own. Sawyer however, never let his gaze leave Henry.
"You will sit there for the night. If you try to escape you will be caught and bound and gaged."
They were thrown near a fire, and a guard set up at least twelve feet away in each direction. Jack knelt by Sawyer and looked at the nasty cut on his head.
"You need stitches." He said finally. Sighing. "How do you feel besides that?"
"Fine Doc', although I just got beaten by two men, deciding that I was a fun punching bag." Kate looked at the two men. Jack sat down near the fire.
"Were just going to be bound and gaged again tomorrow and the next day, until we reach what ever there taking us to." Jack said in a defeated voice. Kate watched him play with a stick in the ground.
"So that's that then Doc'?" Sawyer whispered. "Were just going to "give up"?"
"What else can we do for now Sawyer? I'm trying to think of something, alright? For now, I say we just go along with them." He said in a whisper. They all knew that talking in there regular voices would alert the Others.
"Go along with them, what if they wanna cut us up or something?"
"Cut us up?" Kate asked. Sawyer looked at her for the first time, forgetting her remark. Just starring at her.
"Are you alright Freckles?" He said quietly. He was sitting next to her, not close, but by the fire. She looked at him, his face, although black and blue, has changed from angry to concerned. She remembered his earlier words and looked away.
"Just a couple of small bruises. Nothing bad." He nodded and then scooted closer to her. Jack looked at them both, then looked away.
"Look, as soon as we get where we are, one of us should escape and warn the others, if we get put in a cell together or something, we should formulate the plan then."
"Okay." Sawyer said. Then, an eerie silence crept between the three. Kate looked at Sawyer and Jack. Jack was looking at his fingers, his eyes showing that he was thinking rapidly, while Sawyer was just watching the fire. The flames lit up his eyes. Making the emotion in them even more saddening. He look defeated somehow. He didn't move. When they were given their "dinner." which didn't surprise them, it was fruit, he hardly ate. Just leaving most of it next to him.
After words, Jack said they should all rest while they could. He had already fallen asleep. While Kate and Sawyer were awake.
"Did you mean it?" Kate finally asked in a whisper. He looked up. He eyes searching hers.
"Yeah." Was all he said. Before he got up, lay down and put his back to her. Kate sighed and returned to gazing at the fire. It was going to a long, hard trip to where ever they were going, but she couldn't sleep.