In Shallow Seas We Sail
Author's Note: I loved hearing all your speculation about this story! It made me feel like a real Lost writer! Haha. Be sure to continue doing just that, and who knows, I may steal some of your ideas as well. :)
I am going to put all reviewers for this chapter into a random generator, and the person chosen will get a one-shot of his/her choice. I'll announce the winner next chapter, and message you for your request. I'm doing this not only to encourage reviews, but also because, though I love this story and will continue to update on Wednesdays/Thursdays and Saturdays/Sundays (as possible), I'd love to write some other things as well.
Enjoy,
Sara
*
Erase the lines that we have drawn
It's always you we're waiting on.
The Terrible Secret
[7]
He watched in horror as her face disappeared down the shaft, barely felt as Kate pulled him away. Something didn't seem right, but he didn't know what it was. When the sky turned burning white, he almost expected it to happen, and when it faded and he was in Cassidy's living room, he didn't know why his eyes were gritty with tears.
"Sawyer?" Jack shook his arm. "Sawyer?"
He blinked, the white still fading from his vision. "What?" he asked when his eyes finally focused on Jack.
"You were shouting," Jack said, "I think you were back at the Swan."
Sawyer rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. "Where's Juliet?"
"I don't know. When I came out of Kate's room, you were shouting. She wasn't here."
"No," Sawyer said, disoriented, "No, she was just here. We were talking. How long, how long since you went in Kate's room?"
Jack glanced at his watch. "I don't know, five, ten minutes? What were you talking about?" he asked, trying to prompt Sawyer into remembering.
"I asked her what Kate said about me, when she was goin' through her…her brain flashes."
"And she said?"
"She said." He closed his eyes. He remembered what Juliet said, but he couldn't remember anything after that, not until this moment. "She said Kate said I tasted like fish biscuits." Upon saying these words, his eyes flew open. "Son of a bitch."
"What?"
"First, before the Swan, I-I flashed back to the cages," he said, words rushed.
"When you and Kate…"
"Yeah, Doc," he spat. He was suddenly angry and gritted his teeth together to keep from exploding. "Yeah…shit." He stood.
"Calm down, listen. She'll be back. She knows; she understands what was happening, the flash."
Sawyer leaned forward, locking eyes with Jack. "You don't know her." He strode quickly away from Jack and addressed the stairs, "Cass?"
"What?" she yelled down, coming to the upstairs landing.
"You seen Juliet?"
Cassidy put one hand on her hip. "Yeah, what's it to you?"
"Dammit, Cass!"
"Said she went to the grocery store. I was coming down, but she told me to stay up here. She'll be back, take a chill pill," Cassidy said.
Jack joined him at the stairs. "Come on, Sawyer," he said, leading Sawyer back into the living room. Once seated on the sofa, he looked to the other man, "What's really going on?"
"What do you mean?"
"You don't – you don't just flip out about Juliet being out of your sight. I know it was hard, not knowing if she remembered you or not – "
"It's not about that," Sawyer replied gruffly.
"Then what's it about?"
Sawyer remained standing, feeling both anxious and guilty. He paced the room as he spoke. "She had these crazy dreams about Ben comin' back. And she really believed, like she thought it was gonna happen."
Jack knew that Ben had taken Juliet before, and though Juliet had the chance, she'd let the man live, much to Sawyer's dismay. He nodded and allowed Sawyer to continue.
"She says he's gonna take her back to the island, and she told me not to come after her."
Jack sighed. "Just take it easy, Sawyer. She'll be back."
-
Juliet had been gone for over an hour, and Sawyer could hardly keep himself seated. He wasn't the overprotective type, never had been, but at the very least, he needed to speak to her and tell her he was sorry. He hadn't meant to flash back to the cages, but it had happened, nonetheless. Juliet hadn't answered her cell phone the last time he'd called, or when Jack called, but Jack persuaded him to give her some time.
Given Jack's track-record (Sawyer had been stunned to find out that when Jack said he had Kate but lost her, that he was actually engaged to Kate), Sawyer should've known better than to trust his advice.
The two men sat in relative silence until the door to Kate's bedroom squealed open and she stepped out, looking disheveled. "Jack." She stared at him, fists clenched.
Jack turned to face her. "What?"
"He came back – Jacob. He told me to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
"If we don't go back, I'm going to die."
Jack opened his mouth to speak, but Kate cut him off.
"Sawyer," Kate said, her glassy gaze landing on him.
"What?"
"They've got Juliet."
Sawyer cleared the room in three quick strides. "Who?!"
"Ben. He took her."
"Where?"
Kate just stared forward.
"Kate, where did he take her?!"
Kate blinked. "Back to the island," she whispered. She flinched, staggered forward and dropped to her knees. She unclenched her fists, and Sawyer saw something fall from her right hand. She clutched her head in agony; her mouth opened and closed, but only a choked cry emerged. Jack was at her side in an instant, but there was nothing he could do.
She pulled her hands away from her head and looked at him. She brushed her hand under her nose, which was bleeding freely. "Oh, God," she groaned.
Sawyer took a deep breath and reached for the paper that had fallen from her hand. It had been clutched into a wad, and he hurriedly pulled it open.
"What is it?" Jack asked. He grabbed a handful of tissues from Cassidy's end table and offered them to Kate.
Sawyer stared down at the page, speechless. After a moment, he kneeled down to Kate and put the paper in front of her. "This your hand writing?" he asked.
Kate wiped her nose and looked at the sheet. After a moment, she nodded. "What does it mean?"
*
Juliet tentatively pushed the side arrow on the camera, and much as she expected, she saw a grainy, over-zoomed picture of she and James, sitting together on a park bench. She looked up at Ben.
"I should've put it together," Ben said, "The James on your phone was James Ford. From the flight, but it doesn't make sense."
Juliet looked back at the picture. She wasn't about to explain her relationship with James to Ben. He didn't need to know anything more than what he already figured out. "What do you want from me?"
Ben smiled. "I already told you, Juliet. I need you to come back to the island."
Juliet remembered what Ben had told her, that the pregnant women were still dying, but it didn't add up. "Why are you here? Last time, it was Richard."
"Maybe I just wanted to see you," Ben said with a sort of uncharacteristic cheekiness. "I don't want to threaten you, Juliet."
"Threaten me," she echoed.
"I could tell you how easy it would be to take your nephew. Or take care of James."
"They are innocents in this," she said, unsure of what this even was.
"No one is innocent," Ben countered.
Juliet put down the camera.
"I told you, Juliet. The island wouldn't let you leave."
"But I did leave, Ben."
"You may have left the island, but the island hasn't left you," Ben said with a smile. He stood, slipped the camera back into his pocket, and offered Juliet his hand. "I believe it's time to go."
"He'll try to find me, you know. I should go back. I'll end things, I swear. It'll make things easier for you."
Ben shook his head. "That won't be necessary."
She looked at him and tried to keep her face calm, but it was hard. She swallowed audibly.
"Don't be afraid," Ben said.
She felt more than fear. The picture of Julian was burned into her mind. While James may be able to handle himself against Ben, Julian was just a child. She couldn't imagine putting him in danger.
She dug in her purse and laid a dollar on the table. She considered Ben's hand, and finally, took it.
Ben smiled. "I'm not doing this for me anymore. This is what Jacob wants."
*
Ben chose not to be sedated for the submarine ride. Juliet had not been given that option, and she was sleeping soundly. Although Ben felt that it was unnecessary, he had been instructed to handcuff her. He sat in front of her, admiring the view.
She was beautiful. Pale skin, blonde hair. Her eyes were closed, but he remembered her blue eyes, her most striking feature. Something about them had drawn him to her in the first place.
His radio crackled, signaling that they were still close enough to the surface for him to receive a transmission.
"Did you get her?" Mikhail accented voice asked.
"Yes," Ben replied, eyes never leaving Juliet.
"Is he coming?"
"It seems likely."
"We need more than likely."
"Yes, he will come."