From Familiar Eyes

Kate waved as she backed out of my driveway. I waved back and called, "Remember, we'll do drinks here tonight!"

It was nice to meet up with one of the Oceanic 6 that wasn't bent on returning to the Island. I was worried about Hurley and Jack. Kate and Sun, who I chatted with on the phone quite often, agreed that we were not returning to that Island for anything. They were coming over tonight while Sun was in town for business.

I tried to juggle my shopping bags and purse in order to get to my keys as I walked up the driveway. Kate and I had just done some power shopping. I had a short list, mostly gifts for Sayid's upcoming birthday. I wasn't sure which year, because he swore he was turning 32 – again.

I went to stick the key into the lock, but found it was already open. Strange, I had thought. He's usually out jogging. I pushed the door open and tried to hide the shopping bags.

"Sai?" I called. "What're you doing home?" I hurried into the bedroom, kicked the packages under the bed, then wandered through the house. "Hello?" I turned into the den and saw a woman pulling away from Sayid. Her arms were around his neck.

I froze in the doorway. "What's going on?"

"Anya," Sayid said when he saw me. He lifted a hand toward me. The woman backed away from him. Her long hair fell in front of her face, and she bowed her head.
I felt as if someone had filled my lungs with cement. I struggled to catch my breath. The cement seeped down to my stomach and weighed me down to the floor.

Sayid was shaking his head. "Anya," he said again.

"I'd better be leaving," the woman said, her head still lowered.

I couldn't help but notice a thick Middle Eastern accent. "This!?" I exclaimed. "This is why you were on the plane, wasn't it?" I couldn't decide whether I wanted to storm away, or keep blocking the doorway. "How long?"

"How long?" Sayid repeated.

"How long have you been seeing her?" I stormed into the room and gave him a shove. The settee groaned as it slid back on the hardwood floor as Sayid crashed into it. The woman backed up a few steps, flattening herself against the wall as I continued yelling. "In our house! You sure had me fooled this morning." I felt my face flush. Anger mixed with humiliation and finally, rage.

Sayid had learned how to argue with me by now. He sat quietly, watching me without replying or trying to defend himself. That's when the woman stepped forward and touched me on the shoulder. I spun around, shocked enough to be speechless.

The woman held up her hands. "Please. You cannot be mad at Sayid."

I stared at her, dumbstruck.

"I did not know about you. I knew Sayid when we were younger. He saved my life and I have loved him ever since." She pursed her lips and stared at me. "This was supposed to be the day my life started with him, but you ruined that." Her lip quivered.

Sayid took a breath and opened his mouth to object, but she continued anyway.

"He wanted nothing to do with me," she said. "I'm not sorry for coming here, but I'm sorry he treats me so coldly." She threw Sayid a dirty look.

I looked back and forth between the two. My Sayid, sitting on the settee where I'd thrown him, and the woman who had been kissing him. What to do, what to do?

"He spoke of nothing but you." She actually laughed. "There's nothing I could have done to interest him." Anger had cut in to her voice by now.

"Who are you?" I cut in.

"My name is Nadia," she answered. "You are very lucky. Just hope he doesn't move on from you as quickly as he did from me." I glared at the woman. She went to pass by me and out the door, then paused. "His kiss has changed since I last remember it," she whispered in my ear. I saw her pull back with a smirk on her face.

"No," Sayid called out as I grabbed the woman by the shoulders and drove her into the wall. She cried out in surprise, and I closed my fist to hit her. I heard his footfalls on the floor. "Anya," he said through his teeth as he jerked me backwards. We tumbled onto the floor and I scrambled to regain my footing. He pulled me back to the ground. "You can't!" he called over the sounds of the skirmish. That bitch had it coming but I knew it'd be a challenge to fight off Sayid. Nadia was standing, terrified, against the wall again. After a moment, she finally dashed towards the door.

"Let go," I growled. I knew damn well he'd been using civilian detailing on me, but his comfort wasn't my priority at the moment. Before I knew what I was even doing, I broke into my hand to hand combat moves. I struck out with my arms and legs. I felt my elbow make contact with what may have been his temple. He groaned. I was up and to the door when Sayid kicked my legs out from under me. I felt my nose break as I hit the floor, and heard the front door click as Nadia escaped.