MistyX: I sometimes find it eerie how well you predict what I'm going to do. Are you a writer? But I won't say which one of your possibilities is correct..you'llj ust have to read and find out. ;) Thanks so much for the in-depth reviews!

And everyone else, I'm so thrilled to still have your attention in the middle of the summer. Thank you so much for sticking with me!


Chapter Twenty-Eight

Her pacing was about to make him lose his mind. Sawyer sat at the table, watching her go from room to room. The sun wasn't even up yet, and she was obviously in pain. She should have been sleeping...they both should have been sleeping, he thought with irritation. But instead, here she was, flitting nervously around the house tidying things up, acting for all the world like they were getting ready to host their first Thanksgiving dinner.

She came back into the kitchen and stopped abruptly, looking around with a blank stare, her face flushed and her eyes glassy with fever. She seemed to be trying to remember what she'd come in here for.

Noticing Sawyer sitting down, she looked at him accusingly. "You could help me, you know."

"Help you what? Exactly what the hell is it that you're doin'?"

"This place is a mess, Sawyer. I just found a pile of dog crap behind the couch that's probably been there for a week."

"Guess I didn't realize we were gonna have to entertain, Freckles. You want me to pull out the good china while I'm thinkin' of it?"

She actually seemed to be considering this. "Do you have good china?"

"No," he said loudly, getting annoyed.

She sighed. "Tell me again exactly what he said."

"We already been through this." He wearily ran his hand over the back of his head.

"But you weren't specific. What exactly did he say when you told him I was staying here? You said he wasn't surprised, but how did he act? Did he say that he wasn't surprised, or did you just assume it? I mean, did he say anything else about thinking that I should..."

"No. He didn't mention anything about that," Sawyer interrupted her quickly.

"What time was his plane leaving? Are you sure he's flying into Nashville?"

"Like I said, all he told me was that the flight left last night," he answered.

"How can you be sure they didn't have his phone lines tapped?" She looked worried.

"I called him at the hospital where he works, he called me back on a cell phone. I already told you that," he recited in an exasperated tone. This was at least the third time he'd said all this.

Kate still didn't seem to be listening. "Did you..." She paused, looking embarrassed. "Did you tell him about us?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"What about us?" His lips curved up with a hint of a sardonic smile. He looked up from the table at her, his head cocked slightly to the side.

She returned his gaze with an almost identical expression. "You know what I mean."

He shook his head, looking away. "And exactly how you think that would have come up in the conversation, sweetheart? 'Hey Doc, remember how I said Kate wasn't stayin' here? Well, turns out she is, and now she's got all these hunks a' metal stuck in her arm...you think you could come and dig 'em out? Oh, and by the way, I'm bangin' her...hope you don't mind.'" He said this with a kind of relish, as if he couldn't help but get enjoyment out of just the thought of it.

Kate raised her left hand to her face, covering her eyes with it. "Oh God, this is such a bad idea," she groaned.

"You know, if it's really botherin' you that much, maybe it'd be best if I just cleared on outta here till he's gone..came back later when you're all fixed up." He looked at her pointedly, curious to see if this was something she would consider, and secretly worried that it was.

She lowered her hand again with a softened expression, detecting the note of disguised apprehension in his voice. Instead of answering, she came over to the table and bent down to kiss him. Carefully, avoiding her right arm, he pulled her onto his lap.

"You're not going anywhere," she said, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "So don't even think about it."

"Just an idea," he muttered. "Thought it might make things less awkward...Of course," he went on thoughtfully, "that theory's all shot to hell if he brings his new wife along."

"What?" Kate pulled back a little and looked at him sharply, scanning his features. "Does he... Did he say... I mean, what would make you think...?" she stammered, and then stopped, noticing the look on Sawyer's face. He was messing with her.

She breathed out slowly. With a small, wry smile, she nodded slightly, acknowledging that he'd gotten her. "Funny, Sawyer. Really funny."

He tried not to laugh. "Come on, now, Freckles...you know better than that. You honestly think someone would marry that guy after only knowin' him a month? Hell, it would take that long to be convinced he ain't a robot."

Kate closed her eyes for a second, obviously trying to keep her composure. "Look," she began slowly. "I know that you and Jack aren't exactly best friends. That's fine. But could you at least try to be polite while he's here?" She gave him an imploring look. "He didn't have to say yes, you know. He didn't have to agree to drop what he was doing and come all the way out here. Would it kill you to act like you appreciate it?"

He rolled his eyes and tossed his head back a little. "Why don't you just try to stop worryin' about it for a while? What, are you afraid I'm gonna make him cry?"

She stared at him until he dropped his gaze, somewhat ashamed. But he also looked slightly hurt. It suddenly occurred to her why.

Leaning against his shoulder, she said quietly, "I know that calling him was the last thing in the world you wanted to do. The fact that you did it..." She paused and swallowed back emotion. "I hope you know how much it means to me."

He tightened his grip around her waist and kissed her shoulder in response. Now that he'd gotten what he wanted, he was uncomfortable and anxious to change the subject.

"How's the arm feel?" He lifted it delicately.

"You really want to know?" she said.

"That bad?" he asked with dread.

"It's getting worse," she answered after a short pause.

Gingerly, he unwound the cloth bandage that they'd wrapped around it earlier in a futile attempt to help prevent infection. He was appalled by the sight of it now. It was swollen and turning a hideous bluish-purple color, the areas of skin above the metal nearly black. Heat seemed to radiate from it, even more so than from the rest of her feverish body.

"Christ," he breathed.

Kate glanced at it once and then quickly away, over the back of Sawyer's shoulder.

Wrapping it back up, he tried not to hurt her but he noticed that she winced in pain anyway. "I got some pain pills around here somewhere...morphine tablets, I think. You want 'em?"

"You just happen to have morphine lying around?" she asked in an incredulous voice.

"Long story," he said evasively.

"I'll bet." She considered for a second, trying not to be overly influenced by her throbbing arm. "I should probably just wait until Jack gets here."

"Could be a few more hours...It'll wear off by then, anyway."

She still didn't seem convinced.

"There's no point in you sufferin' without any reason," he said, getting annoyed. "If it makes you feel any better, he'd probably agree with me."

Taking a deep breath, she gave in. "All right." She smiled grimly. "I'd be lying if I said I was good at dealing with pain."

"Let's go look for 'em, then." He sat forward and, before sliding her off of his lap, kissed her one more time.

As they moved into the hallway, Kate asked in a nervous voice, "So, tell me again...what time was his plane supposed to leave?"

Sawyer sighed loudly and let his chin drop toward his chest.


Jack looked out the window at the mountainous valleys and ridges as they came into view and then swiftly receded behind the cab. They'd been driving for about an hour now, and he estimated they were probably halfway there. He'd only been here once before, of course, but since he'd planned the route himself that time, he'd been forced by necessity to become familiar with the roads and the distance required.

As grueling as that cross-country trek had been, he had to admit to himself that it had been preferable to this. Last time, he'd been so intent on driving and paying attention to the unfamiliar landscape around him that he hadn't had a chance to think much. It had been simple and straightforward - See if Kate's there, and, if not, turn back around. He hadn't let himself dwell on the possibilities of whether she might be there or not, and if she was, what exactly he planned to say to her. It had been easier that way.

Now, in contrast, he had nothing at all to do but sit back and let the cab driver, a surly, uncommunicative elderly man, find the way for him and deliver him directly to Sawyer's doorstep. It was impossible not to think about her, no matter how much he tried to distract himself with other things.

More frequently than anything else, his mind kept traveling back to the last time he'd seen her.


After all the excitement and terror connected to the successful launch of the raft and the appearance of Danielle and the columns of black smoke, it had taken a few days for everything to settle down again and return to a normal rhythm. While he'd been spending the majority of his time with Locke at the hatch trying to figure out what the hell it all meant, Kate had gotten frustrated with the tedium of it and gradually drifted back to her familiar haunts.

He'd felt guilty about not spending time with her like usual, but ever since he'd accused her of trying to poison Michael, things between them had been slightly strained. Apologizing to her, or at least discussing it and getting it out in the open, had been on his list of things to do for a while now. But there were just too many items already on that list, and somehow, it kept getting pushed out of the way. He told himself that as soon as things quieted down, they'd have plenty of time for all of that.

Then one day, a day he still recalled with heartbreak, he'd realized that that time wasn't ever going to come.

Entering the garden from the south, he had a few seconds in which to observe her before she noticed him. She was planting seeds again. From this far back, he couldn't tell which kind, but he thought it might have been guava seeds...the same kind he'd found for her when she and Sun had first had the idea for the patch. For some reason, the realization made this even harder.

"Looks like you're working hard," he finally called out. He tried to keep his voice calm, delaying the words he knew would have to be said.

She glanced up with a smile. "Hey. I thought I was being watched," she said slyly.

With a sad smile, he stepped into the cleared area, moving toward her.

"Feel like getting your hands dirty?" she asked playfully. "I know you probably don't believe me, but this is actually fun."

He swallowed hard, willing himself not to break.

"Kate," he said softly.

She looked up again, curious. Then, seeing the expression on his face, she froze.

"Jack?" She settled back on her legs. "What is it? Is it Locke?"

He looked away, wishing to God it was Locke. He'd rather deal with a million crazy fanatical bald bastards than with this. He shook his head slightly.

"No. It isn't Locke."

"What, then?" She stood up slowly. "Oh, God...Did something happen to the raft? Are they...Are they okay?" There was a tremor of panic in her voice, and he knew, with a slight twinge of irritation, that she was thinking about Sawyer.

"They're fine." Slowly, he raised his eyes up from the ground to meet hers. "Kate..." He brought out haltingly. "The raft was picked up."

She drew in her breath. He could see her expression change as she continued to look at him. All the light seemed to fade from her eyes as she realized what this meant for her.

He went on. "A couple of helicopters landed on the beach about half an hour ago...you must not have heard it from back here."

"No," she said quietly, dully, as if she wasn't even aware of her words. She looked away. "I didn't hear it."

"There's an agent on board one of them." He said the words quietly, hoping to lessen the impact.

Kate smiled a bitter, painful smile. "Are they looking for me?"

Jack didn't say anything for a second. An answer wasn't really necessary, he supposed. She already knew what he would say.

"I wanted to find you first," he finally said.

She bit her lip and nodded, obviously trying to hold back tears. Realizing that she'd balled her hand into a fist upon standing up, she now unclasped it slowly. The guava seeds trickled from her palm and dropped to the ground. They both watched them fall and disappear under the dense undergrowth. The entire garden, which had looked so flourishing and established just a moment ago, now had a forlorn, inconsequential air. All their efforts wouldn't leave a dent. The jungle would reclaim it in a week.

Kate looked back up at him. "I guess... that's that." She tried to smile, but failed. Then she gazed into the jungle, and an idea flickered briefly across her face. The instinct to run was too strong.

He knew what she was thinking, and also that he couldn't let her do it. And although his torment was overwhelming, he made one last effort to stay strong.

"You can't, Kate." She turned back to him, and he saw her last hope fade away.

"I'll walk you back." He held out an arm to guide her.

"No," she said quickly, pulling away.

He was surprised and a little hurt.

"I don't want you to see it, Jack." Her voice was thick with unshed tears, and she spoke pleadingly. "I know everyone else is out there...and they'll all see it. But not you. Please."

He nodded. "I understand. I'll wait here."

They faced each other for a few more seconds, not knowing how to say goodbye.

"Well," Kate said. "I guess we should be celebrating, right? We're rescued."

He didn't answer. He didn't think he had it in him to make jokes right now.

"Bye, Jack," she whispered.

She started to walk away, but then an impulse seized her, and she stepped back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He hugged her back.

"Thank you."

Before he could ask what she was thanking him for, or even say goodbye, she'd turned and hurried off. The foliage was so thick that she disappeared from view almost immediately. Feeling a wave of sickness and loss wash over him, he sat down on the ground.

Without even noticing what he was doing, he started to pat down her newly-loosened soil on top of the fallen guava seeds.


Sawyer slumped in the chair across from where Kate slept on the couch, trying not to fall asleep himself. The morphine tablets had taken the edge off the pain, but they'd also knocked her out. He wished he could join her.

The puppy was sprawled across her legs, thrilled that somebody was willing to nap with him. Every so often his paws twitched as he dreamed. Sawyer almost envied the damn dog.

Suddenly, he jerked his head up from where it had been drooping against the back of the chair, alert now. He heard the unmistakable sound of car wheels crunching on gravel.

Going to the door quietly, he glanced at Kate one more time as he stepped out onto the porch. Before he would let Jack in, he had something to say to him.

He watched him pay the cab driver and come toward the porch. He looked tired, but still clean-cut and presentable, like always. He carried an overnight duffel bag and a small, black leather satchel.

As he came up the steps, the two of them stared at each other warily for a second.

"Feels like I was just here," Jack said.

"You were," Sawyer replied.

"And if memory serves me, I seem to recall you telling me that you hadn't seen Kate.. and didn't plan to." Jack smiled a little.

"What can I say, Doc...guess I don't get the gold star for honesty." He looked down at the satchel, curiously. "Thought those black doctor bags only existed in Mayberry."

"It's old...It belonged to my dad. I've never used it before...this is my first house call." He raised his eyebrows a little. "Or at least it will be, if you ever decide to let me in."

"Yeah...about that." Sawyer spoke sarcastically. "Before we go inside, I thought I'd give you a little heads-up. You say anything to her about turnin' herself in, I'll beat the shit outta you."

Jack laughed silently. "Actually, I think that's what they call a threat, Sawyer."

"Call it whatever the hell you want. All I know is, last time you were here, she just about went off the deep end after hearin' all that crap about not bein' able to spend her life on the run, and how she should do the right thing, and whatever else it was you were spewin' out."

Jack looked at him in disbelief. "She heard that? Where was she?"

"Yeah, she heard it," Sawyer said, ignoring the last part of the question. "And it's too damn bad you weren't around for the aftershocks. Mighta done you good to see it."

Jack seemed to be thinking about this. He hadn't ever considered the possibility that Kate might have heard him talking. When he'd seen her clothes on the washer as he'd turned to go, it had dawned on him that she was mostly likely there somewhere. But not close enough to listen in.

He sighed. "Look, I'm here as a doctor, okay? The only advice I'll be giving is medical advice. Her life is...really none of my business."

"Glad to see you feel that way," Sawyer said. Now it was his turn to look a little chastened. "Come on in."

He opened the door and led Jack toward the kitchen, not wanting him to see Kate sleeping, for some reason. He reserved that pleasure for himself.

Jack set his two bags down on the table and looked around. "Where is she?"

"I'll get her in a minute," he said, delaying. He went toward the refrigerator. "You want a beer?"

Jack looked at him like he was crazy. "I'm most likely getting ready to operate, if Kate's arm is as bad as you said. You really think it's a good idea to offer me alcohol right now?"

Sawyer turned away, irritated more than ever by what he perceived as Jack's holier-than-thou tendencies. He grabbed a can for himself and popped the tab with a flourish. To his dismay, the can exploded with a loud hiss and before he could jerk it away, some of the foam had sprayed onto his shirt. "Son-of-a-bitch!" Of all times, of course this would happen now.

Jack covered his mouth and made a sincere effort not to smile.

Sawyer savagely yanked a dishtowel from the sink and wiped off his arms and hands, glaring at him.

"Jack?"

The voice came from the doorway, softly.

They both turned at the same time. The expression on Jack's face changed almost immediately, and he had to catch his breath. He'd completely forgotten how beautiful she was.

The three of them remained frozen for a few seconds. Then Kate uprooted her feet and moved toward Jack, embracing him with both arms, even the sore one.

Sawyer stepped back, out of the way. But it didn't really matter. He could see that, as far as the two of them were concerned, he might as well not have been in the room.