Kate ran through the jungle as fast as she could. Her legs felt as if they were about to fall off, and that sense of freedom and relief that normally accompanied that feeling wasn't there. Her heart was pounding and her breathing was heavy and ragged. She felt like her lungs were full of water and every step she took was like being stabbed with twenty knifes.

Consciousness wavered and everything became blurry as she continued her run. The sounds of the jungle all merged together and she could hear the sound of clicking far-off and whispers that sounded like they were being said into her own ears, rather then someone deeper into the jungle.

She ran towards the voices, towards the clicking. She didn't know why, she just knew in her mind that she was better off there. That it was safer then the alternative. She couldn't make herself stop running. She knew that he was there, behind her. He was close.

Her eyes clamped shut as she continued her maneuver through the jungle, she knew where every root and rock lay, she knew exactly where to step without seeing it. She had run this path before, many times. She could run this in her sleep.

Then she heard it, the sickening sound ahead of her. Somehow he had found a shortcut and without her noticing it, had cut her off. Her run was steady and there was nothing she could do to slow herself down or stop. She was trapped and she knew that when he got to her, it was over.

A crash and then strong arms were around her. She let out a cry of agony as she was pulled closer to the man's body.

"Stop running Freckles." His voice was rough and she was forced to look up at him. His eyes were full of anger and hate. Hate for her. She tried to speak but a mangled whimper was all that had left her mouth. He knew what she was feeling, he could hear her every thought and feel her pain. And he needed it to stop.

She pushed back from him, trying to get his arms off of her. "Stop it." Her struggle increased at the sound of his voice.

"No… please… no." Kate pushed away finally and turned to take off again.

"You killed it Kate. You killed our baby." He grabbed her arm roughly.

"She was… evil. Dark."

"She was good."

"She was yours Sawyer." She turned around, hatred in her eyes coming with the fear. "Nothing of yours would ever be good. If she had been Jack's…" With those words, he slammed his closed fist across her jaw, knocking her down and wetting his rough knuckles with her crimson blood. His assault didn't stop there. He dropped to his knees and pounded his fist against her temple, hearing her neck snap under the force. A smile came across his face and a feeling of peace washed over him as he stood up, looking over her now lifeless body. She was bathed in sweat and blood.

---

"Sawyer? Sawyer? Sawyer!" Sawyer opened his eyes, pushing away the person next to him and sitting up with a new level of self-loathing. He looked down at his knuckles and tried to catch his breath as the fear and reality of what he had just done hit him. But he was bathed in confusion when he noticed there was no blood.

"What…"

"Sawyer…" Sawyer turned around to see her face.

"Kate!" He shook his head and pulled her to his chest, kissing her forehead in the process. He rocked back and forth slightly. "I am so sorry… I… I'm sorry Kate."

"Sawyer? Why are you sorry? What's wrong?" Sawyer pushed her away, standing up. Kate just sat there and watched him, more questions pouring into her mind.

"I have to go."

"What? No Sawyer, why?" Kate stood up, reaching out to his arm, trying desperately to pull him back to her, to snap him out of his frantic state. As soon as her hand connected with his arm, he pulled away violently.

"Don't." He turned around, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on. He dove towards the door, but Kate had pulled him back, causing them both to fall back to the sand, Sawyer struggling to stand back up, but he stopped when he realized that she had fallen rather roughly.

He didn't know much about pregnancies, but he knew that falling down was never good for the baby. She noticed his struggle die down and held him closer rocking him back and forth, she kissed his forehead. "Sawyer…"

"I have to go Freckles. You have to let me go." Sawyer couldn't turn to look at her, and he sat up, pulling out of her grip as she loosened it in her confusion. Kate shook her head, still she couldn't think of why he wanted to leave her so badly, why he thought he couldn't be near her.

"Why?" her voice wavered, threatening to break, causing his heart to lurch. He closed his eyes, his thoughts going back to her lifeless body on the jungle floor, the blood that stained her face and his knuckles. He stood up, leaving her alone, kneeling on the ground. He didn't need to see her to know that the tears were streaming down her face.

"Because I don't want to hurt you."

"What…"

"If I don't leave right now… I'll kill you Kate." His voice was quiet and his hand rested on the tent flap. "And that's not just my worst fear… that's the truth." Sawyer sighed, pushing open the flap.

"Sawyer, please…" She stood up, placing a hand on his back. "It… it was just a nightmare. You know…"

"I know you're better off without me Freckles." He closed his eyes and swallowed a lump in his throat as he focused on the hand resting on his back. He wanted more then anything to just be able to turn around and go back to bed with her. But he couldn't do that. He couldn't put her in danger like that.

Everyone always knew that they wouldn't work. Him and Kate weren't supposed to be together forever, they were just the people who got together and went at it, they didn't get to have anything more. They could never know love, and it was time to stop pretending. It was time to stop the wishful thinking, and leave.

"No Sawyer, I'm not. I can't do it without you… I can't…" Kate's voice showed the desperation that must have been mirrored in her eyes. He almost turned around and pulled her to himself, he wanted to hold her in her arms and promise everything would be ok. But he couldn't do that to her. He knew it was a lie.

Taking a deep breath, Sawyer prepared himself to do some of the best acting he'd ever done in his life. And it was going to take a lot to get it past Kate. He pulled away from her roughly turning his glare on her, but not letting his mind think about what he saw when he looked at her. He wouldn't think about the tears and the pain in her eyes, this was all about saving her. He started to speak to her, in a voice with overflowing hatred, making it seem like it was for her.

"Don't you get it Kathrine? I'm trying to get away from you! I don't want this baby, I don't want you anymore, and I was just going to leave and let you think it was because I didn't want to hurt you, but you had to keep pushing girl." He shook his head. "So I'll just say it; I don't love you. Never did. So leave me alone and let me go. Because you're suffocating me, and I'm done putting up with it. It's over!" Sawyer watched her take a few steps back, the tears falling harder now, but she kept the cries silent.

It was clear she had fallen for his act as she brought a fist against his cheek, causing him to stumble back slightly. She bit back her sobs and back up towards the bed, sitting down and digging her nails into the mattress. Sawyer wanted to run off. He hated himself even more, and wished that she had hit him even harder. He wished she had knocked him off his feet and he wished that he hadn't expected that kind of reaction.

With an overwhelming sense of self-hatred he nodded down at her, turning around and pushing open the flap. "Glad we have an understanding." As he walked away from the tent, he could hear her sobs finally break through the barrier she had set up. His teeth sank into his bottom lip, bringing blood to the surface. It did nothing to ease the numbness that had set in.

As soon as he stepped into the jungle he took off, almost at a run, wanting to be as far away from her as he could possibly get.