In Shallow Seas We Sail

Author's Note: Finally, another update! Let me know you're still reading. =)

Enjoy,
Sara

*

The world has turned black and cold
And I can't catch my breath
The Smile, The Face

[14]

Sawyer nearly leapt across the couch to grab his cell phone. Jin, finally. "Jin," he breathed into the phone.

"Jim – La – Sawyer." Jin seemed to have this dilemma every time he called, but Sawyer didn't care this time.

Sawyer didn't know what to say. We have to go back seemed too forward; he couldn't risk scaring Jin off. "Jin, what's up?" There was an edge to his voice that he couldn't control, and with that, Jin took off.

"It's Sun – me, too, I guess and – Ji Yeon." There was a quick pause, a deep breath. "Sun sees her, Ji Yeon, our daughter, but she was never born. Can't be born, not here or now. Sun knew her, loved her – I never got to and –" There was another pause, this one longer.

"And you want to go back," Sawyer finished for him.

After a brief but stunned silence on the other end of the line, Jin answered, "Yes, but how did you – "

"No man in white been hauntin' you yet?"

"No, not me, but Sun – she's seen this man. He was the one who told her to go back."

"And you're going to?"

"I have to. For Sun, for Ji Yeon."

After a moment, Sawyer spoke, "They got Juliet. Ben took her back. We got a list of people that have to go back – you and Sun, you're on it. If we don't go back, something bad is gonna happen to each of us. Everything that happened before, it's still going to happen. It's a long, fucked up story, and I'll tell you when you get here."

"You are going back, too?"

"Have to, Jinbo. Even if I wasn't on the list, I have to go back for her."

"I understand." Jin took a breath. "We are in LA. Sun said the man told her to come here, that he would help us get back."

Sawyer was stunned but relieved. He hadn't been looking forward to waiting for Jin and Sun to arrive. "I guess he lead you to the right place," Sawyer answered. He gave Jin the address to Jack's place, all the while thinking that Jack was right. Whoever was running the operation wanted them back, and they knew exactly how to get each of them back. Sun was going back for Ji Yeon, and Jin was going back for Sun.

They know how you get us to go back, by taking away what we love.

*

Hand over her mouth, Juliet walked to the window, just in time to see Ben slip into a house two doors down. She had no idea who lived there now; she didn't know what had changed.

Now was no time to cry, to wonder what would happen next. That was something the old Juliet would do, sit around and hope that something would happen. The old Juliet would do what she was told and hope that eventually she could go home. The new Juliet knew that there was no way she could go home now, not unless she knew how.

She pulled on her shoes that she'd kicked beside the door (out of habit, she looked for James' shoes there, too) and slipped out of her house. She felt like some kind of secret agent, almost silly. She didn't know what she was going to see or hear that would give her any answers, but she had to try.

She pressed against the side of the house, easing around the corner just in time to meet with a familiar face. She jumped back, hands out and fingers spread.

"It's okay, calm down," Richard said in a low voice.

Juliet drew in a deep breath. "What – what are you doing?"

Richard averted his eyes briefly. "I was coming to look for you. I heard you'd arrived."

"Heard from who?"

"Can we go inside? We shouldn't be seen here, together."

Juliet only nodded. She was surprised that Ben didn't have someone watching her (and maybe he did). She led Richard back to her house, taking care to check the area around them. It didn't seem like anyone was out.

Once again, she turned to Richard and continued her barrage of questions. "Why can't we be seen together?"

"Because we are on different sides."

"I'm not on any side."

"You may not know you are on a side, Juliet, but you are."

Juliet stared at him, replaying Ben's words in her mind. We're on the same side, Juliet…the right side. After a moment, she spoke, "Am I on the right side?" It seemed like such a juvenile question.

"It depends."

"On what?"

"On the outcome."

Frustrated, she spat, "Why do you all speak in riddles? Can't you just tell me what's going on?"

"No, Juliet, I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know what's going on." He paused. She gaped. "But I do know this, we need your people on our side."

"My people?"

"Your friends, they're coming back."

"No – " she began, fear rising in her throat and nearly strangling her. James. He couldn't come back. Suddenly, she was back in her nightmare.

"If he takes me back there…like he said he was going to. If he does, don't come after me."

"I ain't makin' you those kind of promises."

Of course he was coming back.

"Wherever you are, they'll come," Richard continued. He looked into her fevered eyes – she didn't know what to do. Ben thought he was on the right side; Richard thought it was on the right side. The right side for Juliet would be the side that ensured James was not hurt, but no side could ensure that.

Richard reached out his hand, palm up. "Come with us, Juliet."

His words struck a chord somewhere in her memory, causing her stomach to sink.

"Under one condition."

"What's that?" he asked, face calm.

"You can't let them come back," Juliet replied.

Richard chuckled. "I can't do that, Juliet. They have to come back, no one can stop them. No one will stop them."

She stared at his hand a while longer. The uneasy feeling in her stomach continued. Her gaze eventually moved to his face. "Then no deal," she said evenly.

*

"Do you hear her?" She sat up in bed, hands grasping the comforter, looking down at him.

"Hear what?"

"I hear her crying," Sun admitted. She averted her eyes. His stomach churned – this was certainly not the first time this had happened. "I still hear her!" she cried. He hands fell from the cover and grasped her ears.

Jin sat up as well, unable to do anything but sit by his wife's side. He patted her leg awkwardly. Part of him was upset that he heard nothing. He would never be able to hear his daughter cry – unless –

"Should we?" he asked. He didn't need to elaborate.

Sun turned on him with fierce indignation in her eyes. "We can't."

"You said the man told you. If we go back, we can have her again."

"We can adopt," Sun said, eyes filled with tears.

"Yes," Jin agreed. He knew how crazy this all sounded, but he could no longer doubt any occurrence that involved the island.

After a few moments of uneasy silence, Sun settled back down in the bed. He eased down beside her, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.

When he awoke, she was gone. He found her in Ji Yeon's room, tears streaming down her face. "I heard her again, came to check and – she was here – she – she was here."

*

Five pairs of eyes stared intently as Jin relayed his tale in slow but comprehensible English. Even Sawyer listened, though his mind was always on time, how much time did they have? How much time did she have?

Seeing Jin and Sun together affected him more than he expected. Sun slumped in her seat, arms wrapped around her mid-section as if trying to keep herself together (she probably was, she still fought going back). All the while Jin told his story, he kept a firm eye on his wife, finally leaning over to grab her hand and entwine their fingers. Only then did Sun seem relieved.

He wondered if Juliet needed him – he hoped she didn't, because he couldn't get to her fast enough. He couldn't protect her.

There was, as usual, a sort of question and answer barrage when Jin finished. Surprisingly, Sun even spoke up as well. The others gave abbreviated versions of their own story, though Jack left out the part about Kate's prophesized death. Jin and Sun were both particularly interested in the list Sawyer had mentioned earlier, but unfortunately, no one could give them clear answers.

When the room lapsed into silence, Sawyer spoke, "So everyone is ready, now what do we do?"

Jin gave a resolute nod at this statement, showing he was ready for action, just as Sawyer was. They'd always made a good team, but Sawyer regretted not being able to formulate the plan this time around.

"We have to get Kate, and then all that's left is Ilana," Jack said.

"How do we find her?" Sayid asked.

"We don't," Locke answered, looking around the room, "She has to find us."