Chapter 43
When Kate woke she knew without looking that Sawyer was not next to her; a cold emptiness filled the space where he should have been and she sat up in a panic, casting her eyes around the plateau frantically. They lit on him where he was sitting at the edge of the path facing the sun, his shirt off as he basked in the sun. Vincent sat next to him, also staring at the sunlit jungle below them; Kate started as she noticed Sawyer's hands. A little bird was perched on his finger, chirping madly at him as he smiled at it, nodding. As she watched in amazement another flew in and landed on his shoulder, also chirping at him angrily. Sawyer noticed her watching him and he grinned at her; she looked back at him questioningly.
"Problems at home," he said, motioning to the two birds. Kate rose and went to him, and as she sat next to him one of the birds flew onto her shoulder, chattering madly in her ear; she froze and looked at Sawyer, who smiled at her reassuringly.
"He bring another chick home to the nest?" The shock of the bird landing on her faded and she smiled back at him.
Sawyer grinned, his eyes shining as he gazed at her. "Nothing that interestin'," he said. "Wings," he pointed to the one on his shoulder who was still nattering angrily at the other, "I guess he left the eggs alone while Beaky was out."
She sniggered. "Wings and Beaky? Are those their names or yours?" The bird on her shoulder suddenly stopped chittering at Wings and instead started to squawk in her ear.
Laughing, Sawyer said, "Those are their names. And I think you pissed Beaky off." He listened for a second as the little bird chirped, then he said, "She says Kate is a pretty funny name too."
Kate turned and gave the little bird sitting on her shoulder a disgusted look; chirping angrily once more at Wings she flew off towards the jungle. The bird sitting on Sawyer cocked his head in the direction his mate had gone; giving one little whistle of despair he turned his little eyes on Sawyer, who chuckled a little, stealing a furtive glance at Kate. "Yeah. Women."
Kate giggled, hiding it behind her hand. Wings fluttered his wings and took off into the sky and Sawyer watched them go; smiling he turned to Kate and hugged her. "Mornin' Freckles."
"Hey," she said softly as his lips met hers. She sighed a little as he broke away, his arms still enfolding her. "So now your powers extend to marriage counseling?"
He chuckled. "I was kinda dragged into it." He shivered a little as her fingers caressed his bare chest and he gave her a warning look. "Don't start somethin' you can't finish, Freckles."
Eyes flashing mischieviously she kept her fingers roaming over him; he groaned a little as her fingers slid low, across the front of his jeans and he kissed her hard, sliding his hands into her hair as her hand stopped and pressed gently down on him.
Vincent rolled his eyes up at them and huffed through his nose; Kate stopped and pulled away, cutting her eyes at the dog. "Sawyer, he's watching us." It was a little weird.
Giving Vincent a look, Sawyer said, "Do you mind?"
Vincent rose, looking insulted. He woofed angrily at Sawyer, then giving Kate a withering stare trotted huffily into the jungle. Kate waited for Sawyer to translate but he grinned but didn't say anything. "Well?"
"I'd keep a good eye on my pack if I were you." He pulled her close again, grazing his lips across hers; he could feel the goosebumps raise on her arms. She wanted him again; sometimes he was amazed at her appetite for him, for them. He was just as hungry for her; he craved her touch and her body, her love and her heart.
The kiss deepened; it was broken by Vincent barking ferociously in the trees. They jumped to their feet, running to their packs to grab their guns and Sawyer said, "They have Mike."
They ran into the jungle as Kate shot him a terrified glance; Vincent's barking had become more urgent and Sawyer ran even faster as Kate tried to keep up. She lost sight of him and cold panic set in, freezing her breath in her chest; she stopped dead in her tracks as she came up on him, gun out, pointing it at Frank.
Two shadowy figures stood behind him, holding...Michael. He was awake, but immobile; Vincent was trying in vain to lick him but the shadows kept rebuffing him. He whined and Sawyer snapped at him, "Vincent." The dog dropped his head and came to stand beside Sawyer, who patted him gently between his ears. Kate's stomach dropped; his voice was cold and distant and deadly; Eko's words echoed in her head, Do not let him do anything...rash. This didn't feel right; she ran to him, putting her hand on the arm holding the gun steadily on Frank. "Sawyer, don't do this."
He didn't answer her. "Where are you taking Mike?"
Kate got her first really good look at Frank; he was young; she expected at least someone in their late fifties; he looked like he was thirty-five at the most. That was impossible, of course, even if he had only been in his twenties when he conned Sawyer's mother that would put him in his early fifties. His hair was dark with no trace of gray; he had a bushy beard but his eyes were hard and empty; Kate shivered and instinctively moved closer to Sawyer as his hand went around her, pulling her behind him. "Well, Ford, we're takin' him to Walt. Because he wants him."
"I don't believe you're gonna do that, Pard." He had reverted to his icy drawl and Kate's skin crawled at the coldness of it.
"Really? And what do you think you're gonna do about it? Shoot me?"
Sawyer growled, "Yeah."
Frank smiled and Kate shrank away from it; she could feel his eyes on her and it made her feel dirty and tainted, like she wasn't good. "Well, I guess if you shoot me, then We'll just have to shoot her." He nodded at Kate and Sawyer froze as he felt Kate's terror soaking into him; smirking, Frank said, "That's what I thought. You Ford men let these women get under your skin; that's why your daddy shot your mama, it wasn't the money, it was that she had been with me."
He leered at Sawyer, who had not lowered the gun; Kate willed her thoughts to him as hard as she could, Don't do it, don't do it, please, please, don't do it. He hesitated, then looked back at her. "I have to."
Vincent growled at him and Sawyer looked down at the dog, "You too, huh? Since when are you on her side? Guess I can't win." He lowered the gun, defeated, and Kate noted the look in Frank's eye; he was staring at the dog in amazement.
Eko chose that moment to come into the clearing; he stopped at the scene before him, Sawyer with lowered gun, Kate and Vincent by his side, the Others with Michael. He put his hands up and approached them, his eyes searching Sawyer's. "James, what is going on?"
Sawyer looked away. "Nothing. We were just leaving." He looked at Michael sadly and whipered, "I'm sorry, Mike." It was tearing him apart to give up but Kate was more important than anything; if she died what good would killing Frank do him? If Kate died he was dead anyway.
He turned to go back to the plateau when Frank spoke again; Kate froze, stepping in front of Sawyer to block him as he said, "You and I will have our time, Ford. Remember, we play by the laws of the jungle here. To the victor go the spoils." He eyed Kate at that. "And I can't wait to get my hands on them." He licked his lips nastily and her stomach churned; she felt Sawyer tense to spring through her to get at him but Eko's hand fell on his arm, shocking him before a surge of power from him made Eko draw his hand back in surprise.
He was going to do it, Kate could feel it; there was no stopping him. She spun around to face him, putting both hands against his bare chest; jolts of electricity ran through her arms into her shoulders but she kept them in place, holding him back with her presence. "Sawyer, please don't do this now. I'm not worth it. This isn't the right time."
He stared at her like she was insane. "You're not worth it?" His eyes shone with hurt as he stopped trying to get past her; Frank snickered and waved to him nastily as they melted into the jungle.
Sawyer dropped his gun on the ground, suddenly hating the feel of it in his hands. He turned away and walked into the trees blindly, Vincent at his heels, growling with concern. Kate hesitated a second before running after him. "Sawyer." He didn't stop. "Sawyer! Please stop!"
He did, turning slowly to her. "How could you say that?" He stepped up to her, eyes blazing with anger and love. "Do you want me to be with you, Kate? Do you want me to be wholly yours?"
She stared at him, terrified at the look in his eyes; she held his gaze, whispering, "Yes, I do, Sawyer. I want all of you."
Love shone a little brighter in his eyes. "Then I have to kill him. I have to. James can't ever belong to you until I do."
Her eyes didn't leave his as she said, "I know that, Sawyer. But this wasn't the right time." She sighed and put her arms around him, holding him tight; after a second his arms went around her too. "I want you, Sawyer. I don't want a single inch of you to belong to anyone else." Pausing, she looked up to him and met his eyes, holding them. "But I don't want you to die for it. I'll give up that inch for the rest of you."
He buried his head in her hair, his heart beating wildly as her voice spoke in his head. I love you. I love you. I love you.
-----
The campfire had burned low; it was just a glowing pile of embers as three pairs of dirty legs in ragged pants materialized beside it. They snuck around the sleeping bodies until they found the one they wanted; in a flash they had him restrained and were dragging him through the jungle before he could make a sound. Michael strained against them; their touch was unpleasant; it was that strange tinfoil sensation. One of them said something to another and he felt something touch his forehead. Everything went black.
Locke snapped awake at the rustle of the bushes; he glanced around. Jack, Ana, Danielle...where was Michael? Dread settled in his gut; he jumped up and shouted, "Michael!" No answer, but his cry woke the others. "Michael!"
Jack leapt to his feet, scanning the clearing blearily. "What's happening?"
Locke was feeling a little panicky. "They took Michael. He's gone."
Jack flared instantly into action. "What?" He turned to Danielle, who was standing serenely behind him. "Where are They taking him?"
She shrugged. "I don't know."
He got in her face; Locke and Ana stared as he snarled at her. "Yes, you do. Tell me where he is."
She didn't look upset, surprised, nothing. She was blank. "I can't tell you."
Jack was glaring at her crazily; losing Michael was freaking him out. "You're hiding something. Why are you protecting Them?"
Danielle stood straight, looking down her nose at Jack with disdain. "You really are thick, aren't you?" She leaned close to him, all pretense of insanity gone. "I am one of Them."
They all stared after her as she disappeared into the jungle, a hazy, smoky cloud enveloping her as she faded into the trees.
