Disclaimer: I do not own Lost or any of the characters in it.

Notes: Thank you so much for all of your reviews. It really means a lot to me that you think I'm a good writer. Its definitely a passion of mine.

Summary: Sawyer gets poisoned and Kate tries to keep him from leaving on the raft.

Scarlett Loves Rhett: In her own way

The raft was just about built, and Kate was getting more and more antsy by the day. Sawyer would watch her fiddle with her fingers and constantly look around her, as if someone or something was out to get her. Seeing Kate this way made Sawyer even more nervous then he already was. Sawyer wasn't usually the nervous kind, he tended to stay out of conflicts that weren't his own and was focused mainly on himself and his own worries. But, then again, nothing about him had been the same since Kate had come into his life.

Sawyer was taking a break from the raft, and taking a swing from his water bottle, when it happened. At first he thought the pain might just be caused by his regular diet of mangos, bananas, and the occasional fish. Hell, what kind of man could really survive on that kind of diet anyway? He coughed and put down his water bottle. But the pain continued to grow. It became more and more sharp and torturous with every second. He gripped his stomach and laid down on the sand.

"Goddamn!" He cursed loudly. It was getting worse. Now it hurt constantly. He turned onto his side just in time to vomit up the water that he had just drank. "Dammit!" He said even louder. Soon Sun was there, asking him what was wrong. "Somethins' trying to eat its way outta me, that's what's wrong." His face was contoured in pain and he felt his eyes tearing up. He wasn't crying of course, Sawyer never cried.

Sun ordered Hurley to run and get the doctor. By now there was a large crowd hovering around him. They were all watching, both in concern and satisfaction that the criminal was finally getting what he deserved. Sawyer thought it was funny but he wasn't quite in the mood to laugh at the moment. "Enjoyin' the show?" He asked with s cocky grin. The others just shook their heads, as if his comment was completely preposterous.

"Sawyer…" Then the doctor was there. "What hurts?" He asked, all medical like. Sawyer found this funny too and smirked through his pain.

"Hey there Doc…" He paused to breath. "Just ate somethan' bad I guess." The doctor seemed concerned. This wasn't new so Sawyer didn't start to worry just yet. He felt around his stomach, and it hurt like hell.

"Ah Dammit!" He screamed out in pain as the doctor found the spot that was killing him.

"What did you eat today?" The doctor asked. Sawyer thought back and rolled his eyes at his own stupidity of having to think so hard. It was an easy question.

"Pancakes and grits. Hell, what do you think I ate doc? A couple of grapefruit and a banana, the usual around here." He closed his eyes. "Sure as hell feels like I'm dying here Doc, you gonna fix me or what?" The doctor seemed to consider this a moment. Sawyer rolled his eyes in annoyance and stopped when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

It was Kate. She was standing on the side of the crowd, watching and worrying. He could see the fear in her eyes. He could see her watching him as he watched her. She knew he was looking at her. She had tears in her eyes and more then anything he wanted to go over and make everything ok for her. But, hell, he may very well have been dying right there. He wanted her to come to him this time, but she wouldn't. Just like she never did. He tried to convey his need through this eyes, and she saw it. She saw it and turned away, just as he'd expected her to do.

"Sawyer?" The doc was talking to him. He considered keeping his gaze in Kate's direction, ignoring the doctor, just to make him squirm a bit but then he realized that his life was technically in this man's hands. Only a fool would mock the person who's saving his life.

A fool or a masochist that is.

"Yea Doc I'm here." He finally replied. "Ain't dead yet." The pain was dying down a bit now. He closed his eyes.

"Did you drink out of this water bottle?" The doc held up the bottle lying next to Sawyer. Sawyer took one look at it and nodded.

"Yep." He paused. His voice was weak, not strong and steady like usual. "Why? Someone try to poison me?"

The doc said nothing. And Sawyer knew he was right. He got an interesting look on his face, one that no one could really read. It was a look of knowledge. He nodded in response to his own thoughts. So he'd been poisoned. Strangely, he was able to accept this with little shock. He looked back up at the doc and wiped some of the sweat off his forehead. "So, you want a list of all of my enemies? It might take awhile."

The doc smiled slightly at the comment. Sawyer could tell that even the doctor didn't care so much about who did this. It would have been different if it were one of the others, someone everyone actually liked. But he was just an asshole and everyone pretty much agreed on that. And no one would be so stupid as to poison everyone's worst enemy because everyone would be a suspect. Then whatever revenge the culprit was trying to take would be easily looked over and unacknowledged. The doc knew that, as did Sawyer. As much sense as it made to poison the asshole of the camp, it also made no sense at all.

"Here." The doc handed him a drink he'd concocted. "It'll settle your stomach." Sawyer took the drink in his hands and, after casting a suspicious look towards the doctor, took a sip.

"Ah, tastes like piss and crap mixed together." He put the drink down. "You sure your not trying to poison me here doc?" Jack stood up and moved to leave. "Hey! You got malpractice insurance right, just in case this stuff kills me?" He enjoyed the irritation that crossed over the docs face as he left.

Now he was all alone, lying there on the ground, pondering what had just happened. He knew he wasn't dying. He'd known that from the get go. No one would be stupid enough to kill him, not when he was about to sail away on the raft anyway. And now the doc and the Iraqi had a fun little mystery to try and solve. Hell, at least it would keep their minds off of him anyway. He struggled to sit up and barely made it before buckling down in pain again. Hell, whoever had given him this stuff sure knew how to put a man down for a day. This was worse then eating too many damn coconuts.

He looked around, but saw no sign of Kate. He wasn't surprised. He knew she was bad with situations like this. This is how he knew she cared about him. Funny how he didn't care about her complete and utter disregard for his well-being. Most guys would just assume she was a cold-hearted bitch and be done with her. Unfortunately, Sawyer knew what it was like not to be capable of caring for another person. He knew that when you've never been given a chance to learn about loving a fellow human being it was difficult to just start from scratch and know exactly what to do and how to react. Hell, he and Kate had been for the most part together for the last month and he still didn't know how to say the words he wanted to say to her. His mind knew that he felt something for her, but he was completely incapable of saying any of it out loud or barely even showing it. He just knew that he felt an incredible need to be near her and to touch her and kiss her. It was different then with any other woman.

He had decided awhile ago that he wasn't going to be stupid and push her away just because he didn't want to deal with it. The funny thing was, for the first time ever, he did want to deal with it. He felt like he needed to deal with her bad habits and sorted past in order to be happy himself. It was an odd conclusion to come to, but it was his decision. And hell, even if he stuck to his old philosophy of 'the more pain the better' she still fit into his life perfectly.

But ever since their confrontation on the beach, Kate had not been herself. She was extremely nervous and constantly looking over her shoulder. When they'd met in the woods, at their special spot, she had been paranoid of somebody following them and finding out about them. The only people who knew were Charlie and Claire, and they weren't going to say anything to anyone. Kate preferred it that way, Sawyer didn't really care either way. He understood where she was coming from. The only thing he couldn't stand was when she went along with the doctors flirtations. He was a jealous man, he could admit that. The doctor was his main competition here and he had to admit that the man was what every woman wanted. Kate had made it clear that it was Sawyer that she wanted, she made it clear every time they were alone together. Sawyer smiled at the thought. Yea, she liked him. He could tell that much. He also knew that one of the main reasons she followed him around and found him wherever he was was that she felt safe with him. It had been that way from the beginning, even before they had first kissed. He liked that he could make her feel that, it made him feel good inside.

Leisurely, he sat back in this shelter and put his arms behind his head. He stared out into the ocean for awhile just watching the waves roll by. He watched a few people walk past him, all of them either giving him a dirty look or pretending not to see him at all. Hell, he was used to it. He just grinned mockingly at them as they walked by. No one seemed to care that he'd been poisoned. Even the doc and Muhammad, who were currently investigating the matter, seemed to dread the fact that they had to do something nice for him. But none of this bothered Sawyer. The only thing that was bothering him at that particular moment was that Freckles wasn't anywhere to be seen. He wasn't stupid. He knew that when she wanted him to find her she would show up. She always did. But still, the urge to know her location was very strong and hard to ignore.

So Sawyer decided to read a book, hoping it would clear his mind.

And it did much more then that. Sawyer closed the book and smiled mischievously. Of course, it had been in front of him all along. He knew who his poisoner was. He struggled to get up to go find the person who'd done it and teach them a lesson, but before he could go anywhere he saw her.

"Hey." She said simply. Her arms were folded over her chest. Her hair was flying with the wind but most of it stayed back in the holder she used. She had a worried expression on her face.

"Well hey there Freckles. Long time no see." He patted the sand next to him. She hesitated before taking the offer though. "What's the matter, feeling a little guilty are we?" She frowned and looked down. A moment later she looked back up at him.

"How'd you know?" Neither of them looked particularly upset. Any bystander watching the conversation would have thought they were talking about the weather or a good book or anything other then one of them trying to poison the other.

He shrugged. "Well now, anyone else would have killed me. You're the only softy here who likes me enough to give me a couple of stomach cramps and be done with it." She smiled and laughed silently. "You know its safe to sit down. I promise I won't kill ya." He gave a suspicious smile. She rolled her eyes and obliged.

She hesitantly looked over at him. "Are you mad?" He kept eye contact with her the whole time, trying to gauge her emotional stance.

"Na. You'd be surprised how many women I've known who've wanted to poison me." He paused. "You're just the only one who had the guts to go through with it."

She smiled. "I bet." A serious look came over her face. "Sawyer…" She began.

"Stop right there peaches." He paused. "I'm still going on the raft." They both looked out into the ocean, deep in thought and feeling. She nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Yea. I know." She sighed. "I just wish you wouldn't." He looked over at her. The emotion in her words silently touched him. She did care about him. He saw it.

"You like me. You really like me." He mocked her. She rolled her eyes.

"OK fine…." She said to make him stop. Their eyes met and they both smiled sincerely. "I like you Sawyer. I don't want you to get hurt or…anything" He snaked his hand along side of him until he had her fingers entwined in his. Their hands were hidden between them, like a secret.

"Come on now, don't get all sappy on me." He paused. "You know Scarlett didn't give a rats ass what happened to Rhett when he went to war." She smiled.

"Well that's because she was in love with Ashley." She said pointedly. Sawyer winced playfully.

"Ouch." He said. She playfully hit him on the arm, and then hung herself off of it, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Just, don't die ok?" He looked at her head, resting against him, and breathed deeply. For once in his life he had something to live for. For once it mattered whether he lived or died. Suddenly, he wished he didn't have to leave her. Suddenly, he became afraid for his own life. This was a first for Sawyer. He leaned his head against the top of hers and enjoyed the feeling of her hair against his cheek.

"I won't." He looked out into the ocean and watched the waves as far as they would go. He looked out into the horizon, the place he would be heading out to in just a few days. As much as he hated this island, he had no reason to leave it anymore. He didn't care if they were every rescued at that moment. All he cared about was this person sitting next to him.

And they sat together and watched as the sun set on camp. And later, when Jack came to Sawyer and asked if he had any idea who could have poisoned him, Sawyer shrugged.

"Sorry Doc." He said. "Can't think of nobody. Don't rightly matter anymore though does it?" And Jack had been shocked at his lack of concern and anger, but Sawyer knew the truth.

Being poisoned was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for him.