A/N: Aloha! I'm going to be writing this fic in my spare time until close to episode 2x06 ("Abandoned") arrives. Which is in about 3 weeks. So, this won't be too long a fic, but it'll still be fun. A nice way to spend your time waiting for Skate to happen, right? Anyway, it'll probably be somewhere between 5 to 10 chapters. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Lost...but god, I wish I did.
Making it Through
Chapter One- Watching and Waking
Kate smiled slightly as she watched Sawyer sleeping, an oddly peaceful look on his face. It was nearing dawn, and Kate had been at his bedside all night. Sawyer had just gotten back with Jin, Michael, and the survivors from the tail section two days ago. He had been nearly carried the whole trip it seemed, by Michael and Jin. His bullet wound had become infected a few days after his shoulder had received its particularly painful gift. He'd slowly become feverish and extremely ill, and they realized that if they didn't get him to Jack quickly, he might not make it. But luckily they had, and Sawyer was now on many different antibiotics that would help him fight off the infection. But Sawyer was still very ill and it was quite possible that if he wasn't under careful watch, something could happen. He was still having occasional hallucinations and feverish quite often, but he was getting better. Sawyer was strong, Kate knew, and he could make it through this.
He had to make it through this.
Kate watched the sun continue to rise as she remained by Sawyer's side, watching him fight the pain, even through his sleep. Kate sighed audibly, a look of concern briefly crossing her face. She was tired, but she didn't intend on sleeping. Not with Sawyer like this. Someone needed to be constantly watching him, and Jack had gone to sleep hours ago. Not that any of that mattered to Kate, of course. She wanted to be by his side either way. She cared about his well-being and wanted to be there to see the outcome. To see that he was alright.
He had to be alright.
Because, as much as Kate wanted to deny it, she needed him. She cared for Sawyer deeply. He was the one person on the island that could truly understand her. Who didn't expect anything from her. Just to be herself. Because when she was with Sawyer, it was the only time she could be the person she was, without the irrational expectations of others. When she was with Sawyer she was simply Kate. Not the fugitive. Not Jack's shadow. Not the loner. Not the number one on the island's most-hated list. She was simply…her. She was Kate, unlike any other time. And it was one of the greatest feelings in the world.
Kate didn't know when exactly it happened, but at some point, it seemed she drifted off to sleep for a bit. When she awoke, she found herself sitting in the exact same spot she had been in a few hours earlier. She groggily rubbed her eyes and looked around for a moment, trying to awake. She stared out at the horizon for a moment. It was still very early. She suddenly heard a voice from close by.
"Have a nice nap there, Freckles?"
And suddenly Kate was awake.
Qucikly, immense relief swept over Kate as she turned to face Sawyer, who was laying just where he had been when Kate had fallen asleep. He was grinning at her, despite the pain he was probably in right then. Thank god, Kate thought. "Sawyer!" Kate was smiling brightly now. "You're awake!"
"What, you expect me to sleep forever?" he asked her.
Kate rolled her eyes. She had always loved the playful banter the two of them had always seemed to find themselves immersed in. "Well, you've been unconscious for two days, Sawyer. How are you feeling?" Kate asked.
"Well, darlin', other than the fact that hell seems to have relocated to my shoulder, I'm doing absolutely wonderful!" he said rather bitterly, though it seemed he was just barely holding-back a smile.
Kate rolled her eyes. "You're such a jerk, Sawyer!"
"Aww, come on Freckles, you know you missed me," Sawyer said with a smirk.
Kate tried desperately to hold back a grin, but failed terribly.
After a moment, their smiles faded and they were left in silence. They shared a meaningful look, which said everything between them that couldn't be spoken. It said that he was right, that she had missed him. That she'd missed him terribly. And it said that he had missed her too. It said that they'd both thought about each other and worried about each other. Just a simple look between Kate and Sawyer said so much. They shared such a deep connection that words hardly mattered. They had always said everything they were too afraid to say allowed through their expressions. Kate could read Sawyer like no one else, and vise-versa. Most of the time nothing needed to be said. They communicated through their eyes more than they did verbally. A look was enough. It was always enough.