The Last Goodbye

Chapter Three

Author's Notes: Just in case there's anyone just tuning into this series, Jack knows about Sawyer's past. It's complicated. So is the Locke/Boone story, so if you don't know it, let me know.

"Jack!" Kate ran to catch up with Jack, who was walking in a faster than normal pace down the path to the beach. "Hey! Jack! Stop!"

Acting like he was hearing her for the first time, Jack stopped and turned around, letting her catch up finally.

"Finally," she said, catching her breath, "what's wrong? Charlie said you just stormed off and left."

Jack didn't answer, only kept walking in the direction he had been traveling, only this time he slowed his pace down for Kate.

"Will you just stop!" Kate said, jerking Jack's arm around forcefully.

Seeing that she had gotten his attention, Kate sighed in relief.

"What's going on?" She asked, a little more lightly.

"You know that guy we found?" Jack said.

Kate nodded.

"He woke up," Jack continued, "he didn't know where he was or what had happened to him, but he did remember his name."

"Well what was it?" Kate was having trouble seeing what was so serious about this.

"Sawyer," Jack said after hesitation.

Kate stared at him.

"Sorry, I thought I just heard you say-"

"I did!" Jack exclaimed, continuing down the path.

"Maybe he just heard it," Kate said, struggling once more to keep up with Jack, "you know, subconsciously or something. Did either you or Alex or Sayid mentioned it when you were out there?"

Jack thought back, remembering.

"No," he said, shaking his head, "that's who he is. His name."

"So where are you going now?"

"To tell Sawyer," Jack said, pointing up the path where Sawyer had made permanent camp on the beach.

However, Sawyer wasn't there. Kate watched Jack's face as he searched up and down the shoreline until spotting Sawyer helping Jin with the raft. Michael was talking to Alex a few feet away. Jack and Kate watched as they shook hands, and parted.

"Wonder what that was about," Kate muttered to herself, unaware that Jack heard her.

"Don't know," Jack shrugged, and continued walking.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" She asked. "I mean, he's been after the guy for years."

"That's why I'm telling him right before he leaves," Jack said, as if he knew everything.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Kate said, "I mean, think about it. Think of what kind of impact it'll have on Sawyer."

"Knowing his ego," Jack said, "probably not a very big one. Best case he could tell us something about this guy."

"You know about that guy!" The sudden raise in Kate's voice caught Jack's attention again. "This guy caused his parents' death. What if someone came to you after almost thirty years and told you that they found the person that caused your father's death?"

Kate stopped as soon as she said it. Jack looked down awkwardly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Yeah," Jack nodded, "that's good."

He began walking towards Sawyer again, Kate running after him, both apologizing and trying to get him to stop at the same time. Finally Jack reached Sawyer, but stopped, not knowing what to say.

"What?" Sawyer said, jumping down from where he was standing on the cabin, which was really a piece of the wreckage they had saved. "Need someone to perform the ceremony?"

Kate watched Jack's expression as he tried and failed multiple times at trying to reply. Sighing, she decided that it was her place to cover for him.

"We just wanted to say goodbye," Kate lied, "just in case we..you know, miss the launching.

"I'm sure you will," Sawyer smirked.

Sawyer looked at Jack, who was still unsure of what to say.

"He gonna say anything?" He asked Kate.

Kate elbowed Jack in the side, reminding him to talk.

"Um.." Jack stuttered, "it was..nice knowing ya."

"Yeah," Sawyer said, "wish I could say the same about you."

Kate looked down, sighing again.

"Come on," she said to Jack, "let's go."

Sawyer watched as they walked back towards the caves, and shook his head.

Carrie's meeting wound up around seven-thirty and just as promised, Sawyer was there to pick her up. He surprised her by taking her to dinner, earning him, just as he was hoping for, a free hotel room, only there was now one queen size bed instead of two twins. Sawyer now lay awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. He was thinking about where his emotions currently stood, something he never did. A guy like him didn't love, Sawyer knew that much, but then, what did you call it? Lust, he decided. Longing and lust. A ringing phone interrupted his thoughts, and Sawyer groaned as he knocked everything on the night stand over, looking for his cell phone and surely waking up Carrie, who had been sleeping beside him.

"What?" He muttered dully.

"Do you have any idea who you're with?" Hibbs voice hissed from the other line.

Sawyer nearly jumped out of the bed, but resulted in a cold shiver.

"You've been following me," he sighed.

He should've known that that guy would've never left him alone.

"Enough to know that that girl your with is the head of one of the top real-estate companies in the US," Hibbs said, "she's loaded."

"Why the hell should I care?" Sawyer grabbed the alarm clock that had fallen, and plugged it back into the wall.

It read midnight, but Sawyer knew it had to be much later than that.

"You should if you care about going bankrupt."

What would he know about going bankrupt? Sawyer thought to himself. Beside him, Carrie stirred, drawing his attention away. If I really cared about this girl, he decided, I would hang up right now. But he also knew that he'd never be able to look at her again without thinking of her money.

"Listen, don't call me again," with no goodbye, Sawyer jammed his finger into the off button, and threw the phone at the floor.

At the sound of the impact, Carrie woke up.

"What's going on?" She whispered, tiredly.

"Nothing," Sawyer eased himself back down into the bed, "just go back to sleep."

Shannon sat on the beach alone, with a small bag beside her. She was staring out into the ocean, contemplating on what she should do. Finally she sighed, making up her mind. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out something hard, but light in weight. It was one of those composition journals, the ones you could by at drug stores for three bucks. Inside the front flap was a name written in tiny, barely legible cursive: Boone Carlisle. Shannon quickly closed the book, feeling guilty already, but the calming ocean waves seemed to urge her to do otherwise. Slowly opening the book for a second time, she began to read.

Author's Note: So sorry for the wait. You see, I was kidnapped by aliens SPOILER FOR WAR OF THE WORLDS! but then saved by Tom Cruise. War of the Worlds was freakin awesome! I've already seen it twice! It actually inspired an idea for the last fic I'll do, unless of course, I come up with another idea. I'll be able to pick the series back up, however, when Lost starts back up this far. The story won't come for four or five fics though, and really it's a last result, plus I'm running out of ideas. I know these chapters have been ridiculously short, and that's for lack of writing time. I'll try and pick my pace back up soon. I just wanted to make sure I got something out today. Final call for those who don't know Boone's back story in this fic, because you'll be confused next few chapters. Thanks so much for the reviews! You guys rock!

Coming up next on "The Last Goodbye":

High winds delay the raft's launching, which gives plenty of time for Jack to tell Sawyer about, well..Sawyer, and Shannon plenty of time to poke into Boone's secrets.

Sorry and thanks again!

Until next time..

October Sky