A/N: Now I'm finally starting my LOST project, which I've had in mind for ages… This is the beginning of a series of one-shots, each focusing on any two characters – preferably characters who haven't had much to do with each other before; that depends on the topics. Stries may be set at any time in the show, meaning that dead characters might well be included.
The usual "non-native speaker" warning applies – if you spot any mistakes, please tell me! And don't forget your review :)
First one centric: Kate and Sayid. Set somewhere in season 3, though not quite sure where… It has to be in the future, I guess, since there's no way to accommodate this story in what we've seen from season 3 so far (up to "Exposé" at the time of writing this). Some Jate, some Skate, and Kate/Sayid friendship.

Disclaimer: LOST and its characters ain't mine, and I bow to their ingenious creators, Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams.

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Kate wanted to run away from it all. From the hassle and the confusion, from the pain and the guilt, from the uncertainty and the fear. But most of all, she wanted to run away from the two men who were constantly battling for her heart. From her own contradictory feelings.

She wanted to run away from Jack and Sawyer. But of course, if she did, everything would get worse. She knew that unresolved matters between people were far worse than embarrassing or hurtful moments. No, she could not run away. She would have to make a choice.

But how?

Kate rested her chin on her knees and looked out over the ocean. The salty breeze blew into her eyes and made them water, and Kate made no effort to wipe the tears away. The tears caused by the wind mingled with the tears she silently cried.

Why did everything have to be so complicated?

She was just about to sink into deep melancholy thoughts when she heard footsteps. Someone was approaching.

Please, don't let it be Jack or Sawyer. I cannot talk to any of them at the moment.

Her prayers were heeded. The man who came closer, looked at her, and then without any further ado sat down beside her, was Sayid.

"Hey," Kate said and managed a faint smile. She did not know whether she was annoyed or relieved at his appearance. Was he intruding or was he saving her from something worse?

"Hey," Sayid replied, and a small smile curled his lips. Sayid had not smiled very often lately. In fact, he had not smiled very often since she knew him. It softened his face.

"What are you doing out here, all alone?" he asked.

Kate stared out over the ocean. "Thinking…" she replied.

Sayid did not talk for a while, but then he said, "I am well aware that it's none of my business, Kate, but I can see that something is eating you. And you know that talking to someone else can help… so if you want to…" He trailed off, looking at her.

Kate turned and looked at her fellow castaway. Sayid Jarrah, the soldier, the torturer, the man no one really seemed to know. Sayid Jarrah, the man who never lost his temper, never failed to come up with a solution when hope already seemed lost, never said the wrong thing. It occurred to Kate that although they had gone through pretty much together – as part of the group Charlie liked to call "The A-Team" – she barely knew Sayid Jarrah. And it surprised her to find out that still she trusted him.

Before she could do anything, the words spilled out of her.

"Have you ever loved two women at once, Sayid?"

If Sayid was taken aback at the question, he did not let it show. He calmly answered, "Indeed, I have. And it wasn't so long ago, either." A shadow seemed to fall over his face like a veil and his eyes seemed to get darker.

"How…" Kate stopped and bit her lips. She was going to ask how he had resolved the problem, but it had occurred to her that, if "not long ago" meant "recently", one of the women was probably Shannon.

Sayid had of course noticed her slip of the tongue and gave her a sad smile in return.

"Yes, one of them died, so I was spared from having to choose between them," he said quietly. "But by the time I lost her, I had already lost the other one, too. Only the feelings remained."

"Who is the other one?" asked Kate.

Sayid sighed. "Her name is Nadia. I've been looking for her for seven years. I was on that plane because I thought I had finally found her, but I know now that I've actually lost her the day the plane crashed."

"I'm sorry," Kate said quietly. "I had no idea…"

"It doesn't matter, Kate," Sayid said softly. "The pain will heal. It always does. You will make your choice eventually."

"I don't know how!" Kate wiped a tear away. "I don't want to hurt either of them."

"You already have," said Sayid. "I wish I wouldn't have to say that, but you know it's true. You didn't do it consciously, and I know that you didn't choose to feel the way you do, but by the fact alone that you haven't been able to make your decision yet, you've hurt them already." He softened his harsh words by reaching over and squeezing her hand. "But they also know that you're the one who's hurting most," he added. "They know you well enough to know that you're suffering. And that's why they forgive you. Both of them." He smiled. "Yes, I said both, and I mean both of them."

Kate had to laugh a little, but it turned into a sob. Sayid put an arm around her and pulled her closer to him, and she rested her head against his shoulder, grateful for the silent comfort he was offering her.

"One of them deserves you more," said Sayid. "But the other probably needs you more; more than he himself would ever admit. And the problem is that you connect with both of them. You understand both of them. You respect both of them. If I were you, I wouldn't know whom to choose, either."

"Who do you think loves me more?" Kate asked, her voice husky from the crying.

Sayid fell silent for a while. "This, I fear, is the only question I cannot answer you," he said eventually. "They are too different, and their kinds of love are too different, too. Sawyer would be more willing to fight for you. But Jack would never give you up." He sighed again. "No, Kate, it would be easy if I could make that decision for you. But I can't. You will have to wait and see, and one day your heart will give you the answer. Try and be patient, that's all I can tell you."

Kate lifted her head from his shoulder. "Thank you, anyway," she said, looking at him. "For… this."

Sayid bowed his head. "I offered you to talk, and in the end it was me who talked the most," he said with the hint of a smile. "But perhaps you'll find that something I said will indeed help you. Even if it might not seem that way now."