A/N: Another year, another chapter! Lol, ok, maybe not a year, but I DO apologize for the length of time I took to write this chapter, which actually isn't that long. Anyway, lets take a look in the mail bag and see what the nice reviewers have been saying…
Orlando-crazy: Again, thanks!
COLEHARLEY: Oooh, now that would be telling! I don't wanna spoil anything, but that would be a good explanation, wouldn't it?
shirik1: Great! Hope ya enjoy this chapter, too!
hottietom: lol, we sure did! And what a debut it was! And I still have NO idea where you got that crazy saying from, but I'm still using it for my msn name!
October Sky: Wow! Those are a lot of reviews! I can't believe you read the whole thing so quickly! Well, thanks for all of them, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last fifteen!
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The waves lapped gently against the sandy shore and the sun was gloriously high in the sky, creating the scene for the perfect day of island life.
A few young boys - including Walt - tossed a bright red Frisbee back and forth, the golden Labrador running around after it, barking excitedly. The Korean man stood waist-deep in the ocean, trying to trap the fish in a handmade net, and his wife watched him from a rock on the shore, giggling, her hand covering her mouth politely, and shouting occasional encouragements to her husband. Claire and Charlie were sitting outside Claire's tent, giggling and fussing over baby Aaron, who was gurgling happily as he stared up at the two with wide, curious eyes.
Everyone was having a good time, and once again, all Sawyer could do was watch.
It had been this way for three days now; 'Take it easy', 'Just stay there and rest', 'Don't do anything strenuous' was all he'd been hearing since the attack. Sitting still was driving him crazy, but he didn't want to accidentally pull his stitches out - yes, that's right, his stitches. He's discovered those little numbers when Richard had been changing his dressing the other day. He must have been out really cold for him to be able to put them in without Sawyer noticing.
He turned back to his journal with a heavy sigh. Now, where was he? Dear Diary; attacked by a madman. Nearly killed. Nothing serious. Am v. upset.
He sniggered as he put his pen (which had been thoroughly cleaned) back to the paper and began to write again. It was a good thing that it was his left arm that was wounded, not his right, or he wouldn't even have this.
After a few minutes, a shadow fell over his book. He growled, but didn't stop writing.
"You're in my light." Sawyer said gruffly, without looking up.
The shadow moved off his book, but whoever it was didn't leave.
"Can I help you?" Sawyer asked in frustration, finally looking up from his journal.
A woman stood in his tent, a small smile playing on her face as she looked at him. She had shoulder-length black hair, pale skin and bright blue eyes. In her hand was a hand-woven flax basket covered in a banana leaf. She looked mildly familiar, but Sawyer couldn't quite place it.
"Well, I heard about your… accident." She said, choosing her words carefully. "And I wanted to bring you a muffin basket with a 'get well soon' card, but then I remembered that we're on an island, and it doesn't exactly have a bakery or gift shop or anything that might sell muffins or cards…" She stopped, realizing that she was babbling. "Anyway… I decided that this would be the next best thing. It's nothing fabulous, but…" She pulled the banana leaf off to reveal the inside contents of the basket. "Ta-da!"
Sawyer moved a little so he could see, and peered in. Lined along the bottom of the basket in neat little rows were small packages wrapped in what appeared to be more banana leaf, and tied at the top with green string.
"It's coconut." The woman explained. "I hope you like it. I know these things can get a little old when you have to eat them every day, but y'know…" She trailed off. "There's a card stuck to the bottom."
Still completely bewildered, Sawyer reached under the basket and pulled off a hand-made card, the words 'Get Well Soon' printed in bold letters across the front. He flipped it open. Inside was a message from the woman which said, with words to the effect of, exactly the same thing which was written on the outside.
He closed the card and looked up at the woman, who was still holding the basket and smiling apprehensively, obviously waiting to see if her gift was appreciated.
"Uh…" Sawyer said, not exactly sure what to say. "Do I know you?"
The woman blinked, surprised.
"Yes." She said. "Well, sort of. I'm Kelly."
Sawyer scanned his memory for a woman named Kelly. An old 'business' partner? Probably not, he worked solo. Had he slept with a Kelly? Probably, but not necessarily this one. He shook his head.
"Name doesn't ring a bell, sweetheart." Sawyer replied.
"Oh, come on… it was only a few days ago." Kelly pressed, placing the gift basket down on Sawyer's side-table. "We were at the lake… I was swimming…"
Sawyer frowned. He still didn't remember her, or this event, assuming that it was true. Kelly sighed, and reluctantly finished her sentence.
"…naked." She said, grimacing.
And suddenly, Sawyer remembered. A wide smile grew across his face.
"Ah." He said smugly. "How could I forget?"
"Yeah…" Kelly was obviously uncomfortable talking about this. "Sorry about that."
"Hey, you don't need to apologize." Sawyer replied, his cheeky smile widening to reveal his dimples. "I didn't see nothin' to complain about." Kelly's eyes went wide.
"Hey!" She said, smiling just enough for him to know that she wasn't completely furious. "You were supposed to be looking away"
Sawyer just smiled.
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"I meant to visit him that night." Kate told the Korean woman as the two walked in the direction of Richard's medical tent, which he had set up on the edge of the beach, mainly to accommodate Boone, but had been useful in recent events, too. "But things sort of… happened, and I didn't get the chance, you know?"
"The accident? Yes, I had heard of that." Sun replied, nodding. "It was surprising; I never would have believed that…" She stopped herself, realizing this probably wouldn't be Kate's discussion of choice. "I am sorry. You have talked of this enough."
Kate nodded, staring at the ground. The urge to cry whenever Jack or his 'condition' was mentioned had gone by now, but that didn't mean she was over it.
It was a good thing that they reached the tent just then, or Kate may have cried anyway.
"Hello?" She asked, swallowing her tears before they reached her eyes and pushing back the tent-flap. "Anyone home?"
"If you're looking for Richard," Boone's familiar voice rang from the back of the tent, where he was propped up in an airline chair, and covered in a warm, woolen blanket. "He's due back any minute now."
Kate smiled and ducked into the tent, taking a seat, cross-legged on the floor in front of him. Sun remained by the door, hands clasped shyly behind her back.
"Feeling better?" Kate asked, doing her best to sound cheerful. Boone nodded.
"A little." He admitted. "Apart from this rash on my side… at least I'm conscious."
Kate laughed, and patted Boone encouragingly on the arm.
"That's a good start." She said, grinning, then frowned. "Do you have any idea what caused it?"
"Well, don't write anything in concrete just yet," Richard's strong, British accent making them all jump, most of all, Sun, who politely moved aside to allow him to enter. "But I think I have a pretty good idea."
"I didn't see you there." Kate said, her heartbeat gradually slowing back to its normal pace.
"Sorry." Richard apologized, entering the tent and squatting beside Kate. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"What caused Boone's… fever?" Kate ignored Richard's apology, choosing her words carefully.
"Well, it appeared that he had some sort of allergic reaction to something… a herb, possibly." He explained. "We're just not exactly sure what."
Something clicked in Kate's head, and she turned around to the Korean woman.
"Sun, what was that herb you gave Boone for his wounds the day he got sick?" Kate asked.
"Oh…" Sun frowned, her brain working busily to retrieve the information behind her thoughtful eyes. "I'm sorry, I don't remember… it was a few days ago."
"Wait." Boone interrupted. "It was a flower… like a huge daisy with lots of petals, only it was orange."
"Ah." Sun nodded. "Calendula."
"Well," Richard said. "That would explain a few things." He smiled at Boone and patted him on the shoulder. "Just make sure you stay away from giant, orange flowers from now on, ok?"
"Will do, Doc." Boone replied with mock seriousness, a smile tugging at the side of his mouth.