Part 10-the final chapter

Sawyer couldn't believe Jack's words, wouldn't believe them.

"You can't be dying Ana," he said as he paced the room.

Sawyer threw a chair, hitting the armoury door and making Henry inside shake with fear. Sawyer stomped up to the bed starring down at the frail woman in it.

"We have unfinished business, you and I," he hissed in her ear.
"Do you think I'm just going to let you get away with all the lying?" Sawyer said as he choked back the emotion. "You play all nice nice with me when it's been the Doc the whole time. Trying to con the con man, huh?" he continued, "Well I won't stand for it. You and I, we've got to go round two."

Locke glanced over at them, peering over the computer where he sat quiet the whole time. He wondered if he should say something or if he should go check on Jack who was sobbing in the washroom. Locke started to get up but decided words would be futile and sat back down, waiting for the countdown to restart. Waiting to push the button.

"Come on Ana Lucia," Sawyer pleaded through gritted teeth, "Come on."

Ana lay as still as ever, her breaths shallow, more time between each now. Sawyer wasn't the type of man to cry, he was the type to get angry and his rage was building. He needed to find an outlet and Sawyer knew exactly where to go. He stormed out of the hatch, not another word coming out of his mouth.

Jack picked himself up off the floor. He ran the sink tap and splashed the cold water on his face. It stung his eyes but it also calmed him down. Ana was dying, he couldn't fix her, now all that was left was for him to sit with her and see it through. He opened the washroom door and stepped out.

"Jack," Locke said, "Are you alright?"

Jack looked at the man but said nothing; he turned and walked back to Ana. He knelt down beside her, taking her hand in his. Jack kissed the tan skin, growing pale now. He leaned down, the top of his head just resting beside her hip. Jack waited for her final breath in silence.

….

Sawyer tore through the jungle, towards the beach.

"Sawyer," Kate called after him, "Sawyer what happened? Is she alright? Sawyer!"

The Southerner ignored her calls, focused on his task. He caught sight of his target and ran hard towards it. Sayid caught him in his peripheral vision, a blur of anger headed towards him. Sayid turned and caught him by Sawyer's shirt, stopping him before he could hit him.

"You did this," Sawyer yelled pulling at Sayid's arms, "You killed her."

Sayid's eyes grew wide for a moment then turned cold, lifeless and drained.

"Is she dead then?" he said letting go of Sawyer's t-shirt.
"Not yet but she will be soon," he told him.
"Oh my God," Charlie cried and bowed his head, "It's my fault."
"It is not your fault Charlie," Sayid told him.
"No, it's yours! You did this," Sawyer yelled.
"Stop it," Kate screamed catching up to them, "She fell Sawyer, Ana fell."
"Do you expect me to believe that?" Sawyer asked looking at her before turning back to Sayid, "Do you expect me to believe you actually tried to save her after what she did to Shannon?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Sayid told him.
"You wanted payback and now you've got it," Sawyer spat.
"I did what I could," Sayid calmly said, "I didn't kill her; the Others did, just like they killed Shannon."

Kate pulled at Sawyer's arm, tugging him away from Charlie and Sayid. He let her lead him but looked back, "This ain't over Mohamed, not by a long shot."

Sayid sighed, "Let's go Charlie."
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Back to the balloon, back to the grave."
"Why?"
"Because Charlie, we are going to dig it up and see if Henry Gale is truly who he says he is."

….

Jack ran his hand over the stubble on his head. She should have been gone by now, she shouldn't be lingering. Jack knew Ana was in pain, knew her last moments shouldn't be like this. But Jack was no murderer and he couldn't do what he knew he should.

"Just go to sleep Ana," he whispered running his fingers through her hair, "Why won't you go?"

Jack couldn't take the pain anymore; he sobbed into the side of the mattress his shoulders heaving with every cry. He didn't even feel it, it was too light, too slight a movement. Ana was fighting; it was what she knew how to do best. This time she had a reason to. Ana had something, someone to come back to. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't, the darkness fighting to pull her down. But she knew she was alive, the pain told her that. Ana struggled to touch Jack, moving her index finger slightly his way. She could feel his scruffy cheek. The stubble burned the tip of her finger. It felt like she was pushing a mountain but Jack couldn't sense it, lost in his grief.

"Jack," she screamed in her head but knew the words weren't coming out.

Ana tried to take a deep breath before screaming with all her might, "Jack!"

It came out as a whimper but Jack heard it. His head shot up in a flash and he looked at her, her eyes still closed. He thought he was hallucinating; hearing things he wanted to but knew couldn't be true.

"Jack," she said again and this time he saw her lips move.
"Ana!" he cried, "Ana can you hear me?"

He held her hand and felt her try to squeeze it. Jack burst into happy tears.
"Ana, can you try to open your eyes?" he asked.

Her eyelids fluttered as he encouraged her to come back to him. Finally she opened them, her dark eyes glazed by the pain. She winced but managed to turn her head his way.

"I had to come back," she barely managed to whisper, "You never let me finish, always interrupting me, never just listening."

Jack laughed through his tears, "I promise to listen Ana, from now on, I promise."
She tried to smile but only managed a half grin, "I love you Jack."

"I love you too Ana Lucia," he said and kissed her, "Thank you, thank you for not leaving me."

Jack listened to her heartbeat and felt for her temperature. Her breathing was still laboured but she was going to make it.

"Will you be okay for a few minutes? There's something I've got to do but I'll be right back," he told her.
"Sure, I ain't going anywhere," she said.

He smiled before telling Locke to watch over her. Jack ran through the jungle and onto the beach. He stopped just short of Sawyer's tent seeing him sitting there with Kate. Sawyer looked up seeing Jack. He swallowed hard before standing up, a look of sad resolution on his face. Jack shook his head before breaking into a huge smile. Sawyer cocked his head to the side in disbelief but sighed in relief as the news sunk in. Ana was alive and would be okay.

Jack didn't say anything, words weren't needed between them. He turned and returned to the hatch. He was preparing some pain medication for Ana when Sayid burst in, his gun in his hand ready to fire.

"Where is he? Where is Henry Gale?"

The End