"Dammit, Katherine! What did you do?" Sawyer cried when he burst through the door. Kate laid on the couch, one hand dangling off the couch. On the coffee table sat a bottle of Jack and Jack's pill bottle.

"Kate? Kate?" Sawyer tapped her cheek trying to wake her. When she didn't respond, he lifted her into his arms. As he carried her to the bathroom he couldn't help but notice how frail she was. She felt lighter in his arms and he thought he could spot areas where her bones were protruding against the skin.

He carried her to the shower and turned it on. He was still fully dressed and Kate's cotton shorts and tank top were immediately soaked. As he adjusted her to her side, he pushed two fingers down her throat.

"I will not let you die!" He snarled. When he pushed his fingers deeper her body curled as she threw up.

"That's it," he soothed, rubbing her back. The water continued to fall over them as Kate.

"James?" Kate whispered weakly. He flipped her so she was on her side facing him. Wet hair clung to her face and her pale skin made her freckles even more prominent. The instant her green eyes caught a glimpse of him the smallest of smiles crept across her face.

He pulled her against his chest, hugging her tightly.

"The water is getting cold," she finally whispered.

"I'm not ready to let go yet," he said softly.

She tightened her grip on him. "I'm sorry," her voice shook. "I'm sorry."

"I don't need you to be sorry. I just need you."

"Now tell me what this is all about," Sawyer wore a pair of Jack's old sweatpants but no shirt as he dried his hair with a towel. "And start at the beginning."

The brunette nodded slightly. Kate knotted her hands nervously. "Well, um, the first time we came home everyone had family and friends and ... I just had Aaron. No one came for me. I had no family. I had no friends. And then I had Aaron... and eventually Jack... and now..."

"Hey, hey, Aaron is still around."

"Claire said he's having a hard time adjusting to the changes," a tear slid down Kate's cheek. "so she asked me to stay away."

Sawyer sucked in a breath. He knew leaving Aaron was hard on her but he never imagined her goodbye to Aaron being forever.

"And it was so awkward to be around you. You were still reeling from Juliet's death and I was devastated that Jack wasn't on the plane with them. It seemed to hurt you to even look at me," she admitted. "So I stopped reaching out."

"And I didn't make much effort to reach out either," he realized aloud.

"I don't have a job because of the settlement. I wouldn't even know where to start for a job. What would I even list on my resume? Plane crash victim and former fugitive?" Her voice rose in panic at the idea.

"Hey, hey, calm down. It's okay. We're just talking," he reminded her. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Do you know how that feels? To have no one. No family? No friends?"

"Yes," he admitted. "But you have me, Kate. I'm not going anywhere again." He threw his towel to the carpet and scooped her up. "I can't do this without you, Kate."

She wiped the tear from his cheek, her own eyes tearing up.

"Not after everything we went through... how hard we fought..."

"I'm sorry," she squeaked. "I just... I..."

"It's okay," he ran his fingers through her curls as he held her, rocking softly. "I'm here now. And I'm not going anywhere, Freckles.