Chapter 78
Kate and Sawyer stood together until the last of Vincent's mournful song died away; Kate sighed and wiped her red eyes on Sawyer's shirt as he gave her a mildly disgusted look. "I don't have any more clean shirts, you know."
"Have you ever thought about washing them?" she retorted, and the sadness and anger lifted, just a little. They were still alive, and together, and as much as Eko's loss hurt them, they were still happy and they trusted that he would understand.
But Sawyer was still angry enough; Locke was going to pay for that. Jack and Ana could go to hell; he couldn't see their faces so he didn't know what they had been doing or thinking, but they damn sure hadn't made a move to stop John from shooting Eko. They were all crazy and he was going to put an end to this damn place before it killed the only person left that he cared about; in less than twenty four hours he had lost both Cassidy and Eko, and now Kate was all he had left, and she was the only one that mattered anymore. "Yeah, I thought about it, Freckles. But I guess my powers don't include maid service."
She grinned and kissed him softly. "Now that would be useful." She could feel his smile in the darkness and she touched him, gently, afraid. "What do we do now, James?"
He could feel her fear and it inflamed him even more, though he couldn't resist digging at her a little; he grinned slyly and said, "We're gonna do what you do best, darlin. Run." Eko was gone; the weight of responsibility fell on his shoulders as he made the decision almost without thinking. It was really their only option, until they could figure something else out and he was suddenly very glad that Kate was along; she definitely had expertise in this area.
Her eyes were rolling, he knew it even without being able to see her. "Funny." Excitement was stirring in her belly; she was in her element now and the adrenaline bagan to pump as she contemplated where they should go. "I think we should push on to the Eagle Hatch."
Eyebrows raised, he said, "And why would we want to go there?"
She smiled. "Well, it's someplace new, and we may find something there we need, some information. We can't go back to camp, that would put everyone else in danger, and if we try to hole up anywhere, They'll just find us. So we keep moving, and if we have to do that anyway, then lets explore. Maybe we find a way to end all of this."
He paused for a second, then smiled. "Why else, Freckles?" She was holding something back, he could tell just by her voice.
She was quiet for a minute and he couldn't see her in the dark, he panicked as he reached out to feel her, expecting to grasp nothing but air; his fingers fell on her solid flesh and he sighed silently in relief and irritation with himself for being so silly. His touch prompted Kate to speak, and she said, "And because that is where Locke is most likely to go."
Sawyer nodded; he knew it. "Out for a little revenge, sweetheart?"
She nodded slowly. "Maybe." He was suddenly scared that she was going to do something crazy; he knew she loved Eko and he was sure that it was tearing her up and he grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him squarely; the moonlight glowed a little brighter as he said, "Kate, whatever you're thinking about doing, don't. Eko wouldn't want you to; we have bigger things to deal with."
She knew he was right, but she couldn't help digging back at him a little. "That's a little hypocritical, coming from you, James." She grasped his pocket where the wadded up letter was stuffed and he winced as her fingers grazed across the front of his jeans. "Or should I say Sawyer?" His hand grabbed hers and removed it from his pocket; he reached in and drew out the dried lump of paper and as Kate watched he held it in his fingertips, then with a whoosh it burst into flames. Sawyer held it aloft and blew on it; a million little red sparks floated up to the ceiling of the cave. He blew once more and it dissolved into a flea-circus fireworks display, brilliant red blossoms bursting from the burning paper. It dissolved into nothing and floated away on the wind as Sawyer leaned forward and said, "You tell me."
Kate watched the last of the sparks drift up to the roof and as they faded she smiled, throwing herself on him and hugging her body to his. "Oh, James," she said, and he shivered becasue it was his name now; he had forgiven Frank, once and for all. After all, the bond he and Kate had was one of love but also of sorrow and loss and damaged pasts and he may not ever have had that if Frank hadn't done what he did. So in a crazy, very implausible kind of way, he owed Frank Sawyer for making him the happiest he had ever been in his life. He shook his head. Life is weird that way. Kate sighed happily. "You are completely mine now. No one else has an inch of you."
He hugged her close and whispered gently into her ear as he held her, "Completely, Kate. I belong to you."
She was quiet for a minute, enjoying the feel of his breath in her ear. "Then I guess we're ready."
A surge of power ran through him and it was so strong it melded Kate to him; they were one single person for that brief second and they knew everything there was to know about each other, every thought, every feeling, every memory, every want...every desire. The surge passed and they both trembled a little as they came apart; Sawyer led Kate outside into the moonlight so he could see her and when she saw him, she trembled even more. He had changed again; he was Sawyer, but not Sawyer, he was beyond Sawyer or even James; he was a celestial being, a planet, a star, a universe; he was an angel and a devil. Power and purpose radiated from him as he smiled at Kate, taking her hand and holding it to his lips. "Now I am."
-----
Jack had his pack on and was helping Ana with hers as Locke came up to them. "What are you doing, Jack?"
He didn't answer right away, as he finished helping Ana adjust her pack comfortably he turned to Locke and said, "We're leaving." He was sick about what he had been about to be a part of and he wanted to get as far away from Locke as possible.
Locke smiled softly. "Oh, really?" Something flashed in the moonlight and Jack paled as he saw Locke's gun pointed at him. "You know I'll use it, Jack."
Jack glared at him as he stopped, and he said, "Yeah. You've already killed two of us, John. Why not make it three? Or four?" His lips curled into a snarl. "Oh, yeah, that's right, you tried that tonight."
Locke's eyes were cold as he stared Jack in the eyes, the gun held over his heart. "We are at war, Jack, and you are deserting. That's treason, and in any real army I could shoot you for it." He smiled and it was chilly in the cool moonlight. "Where are you going to go, Jack? Back to Kate?" Ana flinched at that, and when Jack didn't deny it her anger stared to kick in. "They know you were there, that you were going to let me torture Kate; that you didn't stop me from killing Eko. To them you are a traitor." He shook his head, smiling coldly. "I don't think you'd be welcomed back with open arms."
Jack was wavering a little but he kept seeing Locke pull the trigger. "You shot him without warning, Locke."
Locke was tired of Jack's whining. "This is war, Jack. Sometimes bad things happen. People die. A famous general once said, 'It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it'. Robert E. Lee was considered a traitor, too."
Jack knew Locke was right; where else could he go? "You can't kill Kate."
Locke scratched his head. "Well, do you have any other suggestions? Because I can promise you Sawyer won't come willingly and this is the only way to weaken him."
Jack was torn; the Island had him in its grip and he was fighting it but it was winning. He tried another feeble protest. "It's Kate, John. How can you even think about it? Killing her?"
Locke stared at the sky a moment, then pointed to a star. "Do you know how many billions of miles away that star is? Do you know how many billions of those stars there are? And how many planets circle each sun? How many of those planets have life?" He paused and Jack followed his finger through an opening in the canopy to the immense night sky; it was black velvet with diamonds sewn on and they glittered and flashed at him as he stared. "You, me, Kate, Sawyer, Ana...Eko...we are all just a speck of dust on a hum-drum planet in an unremarkable galaxy that is tucked away in a far corner of the universe; we are insignificant. But the island," his eyes glittered crazily, "The Island is forever. And we will live on with it."
Ana kissed Jack, suddenly, her arms snaking around his neck as she flickered her tongue against his; he felt his resolve and his convictions fade as she pressed her body against his and whispered, "Don't go, Jack. Let's just see what happens, okay?"
He rested his forehead against hers and looked aside at Locke. "Okay," he said, resigned, "But no one gets hurt. If we can help it."
Locke smiled and it chilled even Ana; she wasn't too hot on the torture/murder deal either, but she was going along, hoping to stop things before they went too far. She was pissed and hurt about Eko, but they had drifted apart, too, since he had started spending so much time with Sawyer and Kate. Always Kate. Ana snorted at the thought; suddenly a little Kate baiting didn't seem like such a bad idea. She spoke up. "Sure, Jack," she said, smiling at him. "Not if we can help it."
-----
The little stone church was close to the glade and Sawyer decided that would be the best place for them to be; he could barricade them in, at least, and give them a chance to prepare if They decided to come for Kate again tonight. Somehow, he didn't think They would attack twice but it was better to be ready.
Vincent came to them before they left and he was sad; his ears and his tail drooped and his deep doggy eyes were forlorn; he barely wagged his tail at them before sitting down with a weary thump next to Sawyer's pack. Sawyer reached down to pet him and Vincent perked up as he scratched his ears and scruffy neck and said, "I know he was your best friend, Rover, but Ed wouldn't want you to be like this." He kissed the dog on his wet nose and smiled. "You've still got us." Vincent woofed and it was a little cheerier; Sawyer laughed and ruffled his fur. "Yeah, you are the lucky one, you ungrateful mutt." He stood and helped Kate on with her pack as she kissed Vincent gently on the nose; he began panting, his tongue hanging out.
Shaking her head, she laughed and said, "I swear, James, that dog is just like you." Grinning, he kissed her, softly, then pulled away and started panting on her neck, kissing it as he did. She got chills from the hot puffs of air against her skin, and she pulled his mouth hungrily back to hers.
Sawyer broke away, reluctantly. "We have to go, Kate. Come on, it's only a little way." He took her hand and with Vincent in front of them they headed for the chapel. It was a quick walk as they went pretty fast; they were quiet except for their breathing and the jungle was still and silent. Kate was amazed at how he had taken charge, as if he had just been waiting for an opening and now he wanted to show her what he could do. That he could take care of her.
They reached the gate and made their way up to the door of the chapel and Sawyer stopped Kate and Vincent. "Stay here, " he said, motioning for them to wait. "Let me make sure it's okay." Kate gripped his hand and wouldn't let him go and he smiled at her, "It's okay, Kate. I'll only be a minute." She let go and watched as he disappeared inside the door.
They heard scraping and banging and Kate exchanged a glance with Vincent as they heard him curse at something; then he came back, smiling and kissed Kate before she could go through the door. "Wait, Freckles, this needs a proper entrance." He swept her up into his arms and carried her across the threshhold as she wrapped her arms around his neck; she gasped with delight when she saw what he had done.
"I love what you've done with the place," she said, and he grinned. The two pews they had pushed together the other night were still there, but he had gathered flowers from the garden and made a bed of them on the pews; somewhere he had found a glass Virgin Mary candle and it was lit, casting a strange glow on the flowers. The fountain was only a few feet away and it tinkled merrily as Kate crawled into the makeshift bed while Sawyer blocked the doors of the chapel with the remaining pews, waving his hand to guide them against the entrances. When he was done and satisfied that they would hold at least a minute if someone tried to get in, he sighed, then climbed in next to Kate, pulling her body close to his as he breathed in the scent of flowers. She kissed him, but it was sweet and slow and she pulled away, finally, resting her head on his shoulder and caressing his chest. Sleep was overtaking her, she felt so safe and warm with him beside her. "It's beautiful. I love you, James," she said, mumbling sleepily.
Sawyer squeezed her shoulder and whispered, "I love you too, Freckles."
A few minutes later she began to snore and Sawyer smiled as Vincent jumped up into the bed and curled up against Kate's feet; he lifted his head and looked at Sawyer, his eyes glowing in the soft moonlight. He woofed softly and Sawyer grinned as he looked at Kate, sleeping peacefully against him, inside him.
He and Vincent stayed awake, watching over her as dawn crept up over the treetops.
