Chapter 15

5 years later

Kate woke up to the sound of crashing waves and the chatter of birds. Yarning she rolled over, feeling for Sawyer, but her hands gasping only empty air. Startled she opened her eyes.

The part of the tent Sawyer usually occupied was empty. Kate frowned, it was unusual for Sawyer to just leave her without saying where he was going, it was unusual for him to get up early and even more unusual for him to get up without waking her.

Kate turned around automatically, and with a feeling of sickening dread saw the place Lilly usually occupied was also empty.

Trying to stop the feelings of panic that were rising within her, Kate struggled to her feet and walked outside the tent.

"Mornin' Freckle's." Sawyer walked towards her, usual grin on his face.

"Lilly!" Kate said, her voice thick with sleepiness, "Lilly, she's not in the tent!"

Sawyer's smile vanished and was replaced by concern. "She's not?" he asked in horror. Then Kate saw the corner of his lips twitch, and he broke into grin. "Gotcha! She's with doc Freckle's. You really think I'd lose my own kid?" He was grinning stupidly at his own joke.

Kate glared at him, furious that he'd been able to trick her. "That was not funny!" she growled, hitting Sawyer hard on the arm.

"Ow! Jesus Christ it was just a joke!" Sawyer shot at her, as he rubbed his arm hard. "No need to get all violent on me."

Kate rolled her eyes. "You deserved it Sawyer, and why didn't you wake me?" she added.

Sawyer was glaring at her, still rubbing his arm where she'd hit him. "Cos you need your rest!" he said grumpily, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Isn't that what the doc said? Plenty of rest for you and the kid?"

"And since when do you listen to Jack?" Kate asked with a sly grin. Sawyer threw her a death stare, and Kate burst into laughter. Even if Sawyer and Jack got on better now than they did before, there was still a distinct rivalry between them.

"Freckle's you're pregnant!" Sawyer exclaimed, "Anyone could tell you need rest-I don't follow no orders!" he added as an afterthought.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a familiar cry.

"Mummy! Daddy"

Five year old Lilly threw herself into Sawyer's arms.

"Guess what?" she yelled excitedly, then, before giving them anytime to even guess she continued. "Uncle Jack gave me five whole dizzy wizzys! That's two more than you daddy."

"Is that right?" asked Sawyer, giving Jack a strange look as he watched the three of them, "well, what if I give you ten?"

He began to spin a delighted Lilly round as fast as he could. Kate sighed. "Sawyer, careful." She warned. Honestly, the things Sawyer did just so he could outdo Jack amazed her sometimes, and yet at the same time she couldn't help but love him for it.

Sawyer put a very dizzy Lilly back on the ground, and Lilly raced to her mother's side. "Can we go for a walk, mummy please!" she begged.

At five, Lilly looked just the same as Kate had at the same age, with Curly locks of brown hair, freckles and pale skin. The only difference was her dimples that showed when she smiled, and her eyes; they were a deep blue, just like Sawyer's.

"Maybe later Baby," she said softly, playing with a lock of Lilly's hair as she spoke.

"When's the baby coming?" Lilly asked suddenly. It had almost become a habit with her, something she asked often and always received the same answer to.

Kate put a protective hand over her pregnant belly and smiled. "Soon."

"Can I play with Bae, Aaron and Cho now?" Lilly asked in a whining voice, rounding on Sawyer. "Please!"

Sawyer sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright Kiddo, c'mon."

Kate watched with a grin as they went. Lilly was a bundle of energy, and as much as Sawyer loved her, he found it hard to keep up with her sometimes. She was one of those children you constantly had to keep an eye on, or they'd get themselves into trouble. Kate could distinctly remember the time Charlie had been looking after her, and she climbed a tree and couldn't get back down. Kate had made a note not to ask Charlie to look after her on his own again after that.

"How's the baby going?" Jack asked quietly as soon as Sawyer and Lilly vanished from sight. Kate smiled.

"Alright, I mean, besides the fact that it only kicks when I'm going to sleep, and I can hardly walk, and I have cravings for chocolate all the time, it's great."

Jack burst into laughter. "You remember that you're due around today or tomorrow?" he asked, suddenly serious.

Kate nodded slowly. "Yeah," She'd rather not think about that, it made her too anxious.

"So everything feel alright?

"I'm fine Jack. Really."

He looked as if he almost didn't believe her, but he didn't press matters further.

"Well, take it easy, alright? Lots of rest." he picked up his backpack and began to walk away.

At the same moment Kate's water broke.


Hope you liked the chapter. I don't know how people will react to me jumping five years into the future, but I thought it would make for a nice change.