Chapter 51

Right... last one folks. Thank you for sticking with it! Let me know what you think of the ending! And a word to sum it all up.

"Are you sure you're up to this?"

"Jack, yes."

"You can stay here."

"I'll be the only one ever stranded on a tropical island with cabin fever. I need out."

"And you're sure you don't want me to bring the wheel..."

"Doc, no. Now come on."

Sawyer, Jack and Rose walked to the hatch door. As Rose pulled it open, Sawyer slowly walked through. The trees were spaced out, he could see the sky. Jack watched as he breathed in the air, closing his eyes. As he took a few steps, he breathed out, looking at Jack beside him as the wind blew his hair.

"Feel good?"

"Feels great. Last time I felt like this... was on the boat. Before I saw Ben." They hadn't said much about it, now was the chance.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"On the boat, you jumped in front of Walt."

"What about it?"

"You jumped in front of him. You knew what it was. What it would do. You'd already felt it. You knew you could die. But you did it anyway. Why?"

"Why would you ask me that? I was supposed to watch him get shot? Watch him die? Just stand there and let it happen." For the first time in a long time, he looked angry. Really angry.

"No, Jack didn't mean that he just..."

"I know what he meant. Look, I know what people think about me. What they say, how they feel about me. And I don't care. I don't. They can say what they want, I'm used to it. But I saw Ben on that sand. I saw it and I acted. Did the only thing I knew I could. I'm not good for much, but I knew I could help. He's a kid. I wasn't going to let him die. Not when I could stop it."

"All you wanted to do was protect him. The whole time we were with them. I know that. I just meant... you could've died."

"I know. I knew it then. But I had to save him. Better me than you. Or Mike or Sayid."

"What? No..."

"Yes. We know it's the truth. Besides, no one would've missed me."

They just looked at him. They didn't know what to say. It was clear he was mad, the happiness from less than two minutes ago vanished. Rose hated that he had said it, hated even more that he had said what everyone else had been saying when he was gone.

"Sawyer..."

"I'm going back inside."

"How many laps today?"

"Fifty. Personal best."

"Yeah, go me."

"Sawyer. You did good. Soon you can get back to the beach. See the water. Back to your tent, and everything inside it." But he didn't look happy, instead he just gave a small nod.

"Don't worry," Rose had pulled out a chair for him, "People there will be so happy to see you."

"Course they will."

"You're a hero."

"Yeah right."

"You are... just ask Walt. Or Mike."

"But everyone else..." She could tell he was really worrying.

"It's not gonna be like you think. They will be happy to see you."

"Yeah. Whatever."

Today was the day. He had been trapped in that hatch for over six weeks. Today, he was leaving. He would run if he could, although that would be a stretch. Jack thought he should wait, but he was determined. As they walked through the jungle – Sawyer, Jack and Rose – he felt free. Tired, but free. They walk, further than he had before. But he wasn't going to stop. He needed this. The fear of how his return would be received was still there. But he needed to get back to normal – his new normal.

They were nearing the edge of the trees. He heard them first. The talking, laughter. He saw the sand come closer, hear the waves. He looked over at Jack, standing right beside him. He stopped, turning to him.

"Thank you, Jack. For everything." He put his hand out, Jack ignoring it, leaning in towards him, putting his arm lightly around his back. Sawyer was shocked, flinching back slightly. But he put his arm around Jack, feeling Jack relax, maybe for the first time since this had started. As Jack stood back, Sawyer turned to Rose, "Thank you." He only got the first word out before she enveloped him in a hug. He felt her shoulders rise and fall, wanted to tell her not to cry, but then she was looking at him and her eyes were dry. She put her hand on his cheek, before walking back to Jack. They stood, all looking at each other, took a deep breath and walked.

He felt the heat on his face. It was a different type of heat. He felt the sun, heard the waves. He had missed it. He walked over the sand, seeing people on all sides. He tried to keep his breathing steady. Slowly, everyone stopped moving when they saw him. Just those closest at first, but slowly everyone was looking, people moving closer. He looked for Walt first, saw him right at the back, beside the water. His face broke into a smile as he noticed Sawyer was there, started running towards him, people looking at him as he ran past. When he reached him, he hugged him. Sawyer hugged him back, tight.

As he looked at those around him, he felt nervous. Sayid had come the closest, walking right up to him, putting his hand on Sawyer's shoulder, Mike walking up behind Sayid. Then he heard it. It was muffled and slow to start. But very quickly, everyone started clapping. He looked over at Jack, standing there clapping at him. He didn't know what to do, so he just stood there, looking down at Walt's face, looking up at him.

They had survived. They were home.