Outlaws
Chapter Four

Beginning Author's Note: This beginning J/K moment is dedicated to all of you over at the ABC J/K shipper thread who are waiting for another J/K moment! I originally had may many come in tonight's ep(), but NONE came! They were never in the same scene! So this scene's for all you J/K hopefuls!

Kate found Jack a few minutes later in an empty cave. He wasn't that hard to track down, due to his footprints in the mud. Jack was sorting through some bags of medication and medical supplies. He was throwing things into one larger bag in anger, and it was obvious what Sawyer said was bothering him. Not sure how to approach him, Kate entered slowly.

she said softly as she entered.

Jack didn't answer.

Locke just went hunting again, she tried, said he'll be back in a few hours.

Jack only nodded.

You don't believe what Sawyer said, do you?

This time, she got an answer.

He had the wallet, Jack started.

-that doesn't mean anything, Kate cut in right away, he could've been lying.He mentioned the bar, Jack said, I didn't even have to bring it up and he knew about it.

Kate didn't answer but just watched Jack as he continued to sort through the items. Finally she saw she wasn't making things any better, and decided to leave.

Just don't do anything stupid, Kate said as she stood up.

How could I-

But he interrupted when Sawyer and Sayid entered. Sawyer and Kate immediately exchanged glances, but Kate turned away, embarrassed.

I hope we didn't interrupt anything, Sayid said, hiding his own embarrassment.

Sawyer snorted, thinking the entire thing was some kind of joke.

Jack said quickly, what is it?Me and Aladdin here are going to venture off into the unknown in search for a ship, Sawyer said, jumping in.

Black Rock? Jack guessed.

Sayid nodded.

We're going to try and find the French transceiver, Sayid explained, and possibly the source.

Sawyer looked his way. He hadn't mentioned that part.

Have fun, was all Jack said.

Sayid lingered, expecting Jack to say something else, but Sawyer knew better.

Well you heard the man, he said, let's go.

Kate felt sorry for Sayid who really looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do, but as soon as they left, she rounded on Jack.

Have fun? She exclaimed. Jack, are you crazy? They'll get themselves killed!It's their decision Kate, not mine, Jack pointed out.

Who's going to be there to stop one from killing the other? Kate pressured, nervous about the whole situation.

They're grown men, Jack said, they can get a handle on things.We're talking about Sayid and Sawyer! Kate exclaimed. Or has everything that has happened in the past two weeks been erased from your mind?I just have other things on my mind right now, Jack said, his annoyance showing.

All right, Kate shrugged, but when one of them turns up dead- Jack shouted, standing up. If they're not back tomorrow afternoon, we'll go looking for them. Is that what you wanted to hear?

Kate looked at him, incredulous. She thought of a number of things she could say to him, demand to know what was wrong with him, and get some truth out. But instead..

I'll hold you to that, she said, leaving.

And she did.

......

Any idea where we're supposed to be going? Sawyer said after the first half hour of the hike. Because all that map of yours is is a piece of paper with some clouds inside a triangle. Could've been my third grade homework assignment.You made it to third grade? Sayid said in mock amazement.

While Sawyer's language was full of antics and comebacks, Sayid was slowly catching on, though he really didn't have much of an idea of what he was talking about half the time.

You don't even know what you're talking about, Sawyer said, a step ahead of him.

I went to school once, Sayid said casually, studying the map and compass.

Sawyer chewed on the piece of grass he had in his mouth and then spit it out.

Does that thing even work?See the sun? Sayid said obviously. That, is west. We're going north. Something I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand.Someone like me? Sawyer said. What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Sayid didn't answer him.

Sawyer didn't leave the bar until one that night, contemplating about what to do. It wasn't until after his fifth beer that he had decided: he'd run away. That simple. Catch a plane, become someone else. That simple. That easy. Because he wasn't going to go through all of that again.

Hey, son, we're closing in a few minutes, do you mind?

Looking up, Sawyer saw that the bartender was looking down at him, standing impatiently with a torn cleaning rag in his hand. Normally, Sawyer would've picked a fight over the name son', speaking that he was in his thirties, and the bartender didn't look four years older then him. Instead, Sawyer just finished his drink and left, without paying a tip this time.

......

Kate was furiously throwing things into a bag: water, some medical supplies she had managed to still, and some fruit.

Going somewhere?

Nearly jumping to her feet, Kate turned around. Hurley had come down to the caves and was getting some water.

Just on a hike, Kate lied.

A hike, uh huh, Hurley said, closing the bottle cap, not believing her, aren't you going to tell Jack?Why would I tell Jack?

Hurley looked at her: she was obviously clueless. Kate and Jack were drawn together like two characters in a movie.

No reason, Hurley said, smiling innocently.

Kate eyes him as she left, shaking her head. Chuckling under his breath, Hurley watched her go, and then ran straight for Jack.

......

It was now around three in the afternoon, and Sayid and Sawyer had reached the ten mile mark past camp. They could've traveled faster if it hadn't been for Sawyer's continuous remarks that Sayid was slowly learning to ignore. However, for the past ten minutes, Sawyer had been completely silent, which was uncharacteristic for him. Because of this, Sayid's paranoia had decreased, and he was actually finding little excuses for watching Sawyer's every move.

Sawyer remembered walking out of that bar that night, drunk, but still with a good hold on himself. So the first time he smelled the rancid smell coming from the alley behind the bar, he figured he was just imagining things. But as he got closer and closer, the smell grew stronger, unbearable.

Curious, Sawyer stepped into the alley. He walked cautiously, part of him convinced that this was a set up, but he soon learned it wasn't. Slumped against a pile of week old trash bags was a body- dead. Sawyer recognized it immediately as the man who talked to him earlier. Shepherd, he thought his name was. Or something like that. He began to search for a wallet, or some sort of identification, figuring he might as well give it to that son of his, Josh or Jake or Jack, whichever.

He found a leather, well used wallet in the man's jacket pocket. Opening it, Sawyer was face to face with an inspired medical id. Sawyer searched the inside slots in the wallet, Sawyer found twenty dollars in cash, a credit card, and a hotel's business card with a room number on it, all of which he pocketed. Sawyer then found himself staring face to face an expired medical id. Finally, not being able to stand the smell or sight of the dead body, Sawyer snapped the wallet shut. He was still going to catch that plane, but he had one last stop to make first..

When Sawyer looked up he saw that Sayid was at least ten feet in front of him.

Hey, I thought I was the leader here, Sawyer said.

Then keep up, Sayid called back.

Sawyer was now back at his hotel room. Surprisingly, his jaw had begun throbbing where Kilo had smacked his fist against it, and light bruising had formed. Normally, Sawyer could care less what hurt and what he looked like, but the last thing he needed was for security to hold him up while on the run from the country. So he was holding a bag of ice to his jaw when there was a knock at the door, which was thankfully locked. Moving quickly, Sawyer turned off the light. But the banging kept on.

All right, all right, Sawyer muttered, opening the door.

Some of the hall's light floated into the room, and standing in front of him were two police officers, and the first thing they saw was Sawyer's jaw. The second was that the lights were out.

Sir, can we come in? One of the police officers, a male of about forty.

Sawyer smirked. He just loved the way cops asked if they could come in. Whenever two cops show up at your house with their badges flipped open and guns at short hand, what's the odds that they're about to strip you from life? Pretty good.

Actually I was kind of busy, Sawyer said, using his left arm to hold the door open and his right to hold the ice pack to his jaw.

He felt like an idiot, why hadn't he hid the ice? Now he just felt like the woman from the movie Panic Room, lying to the police about the intruders in her house.

The light's are off, the other police man, who looked a few years younger then his partner, observed.

Sawyer reached over and flip the switch.

And now they're on.Can you tell me what happened to your jaw, sir? The older man said, showing the least bit of sympathy.

Excuse me but do you have some sort of search warrant? Sawyer asked, growing angry at the two men who had just shown up and started asking questions. Or do you normally go to people's rooms in the dead of night?Sir, you're going to have to come with us, the older man said, stepping forward.

Sawyer stepped back.

What, you racist or somethin'?

That just made the policeman even madder. The younger one, seeing this, took over for him.

A man was found dead in the alley of a bar, the policeman said, showing Sawyer a picture of the man he had already seen numerous times that night, and never wanted to again, according to the bartender, you were the last person he talked to. You go into a back room, leave the bar, and the man's dead- with your fingerprints all over the scene.Are you accusing me of something? Sawyer said, eyes narrowing.

Mr. Sawyer-

So they knew his name. Smart people.

You're under arrest, for the murder of Christian Shepherd.

Author's Notes: So there's your chapter for the night. Sorry it took a while, school and all. Sorry about the pitiful ending too. Hmm.. the big plot should start about next chapter. Expect some more J/K arguments. Fun fun fun..

October Sky