Author's Note: Um. Due to fear of death, this story has been cancelled and I have flee'd the country. (Just Kidding.) Don't shank me. This story is so much longer then I originally planned. It was only supposed to be a couple chapters. This one goes to AdulterousWhore. Don't kill me :( you always think I'm serious at first when I say things like that!
Heartland:
Chapter 20: Indulgences
Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
Shes lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart
-Garth Brooks(If Tomorrow Never Comes)
Juliet shook her head, only able to give him a small smile filled with absolute sorrow. "I have to.." she told him. "Because.. I'm Ben's.."
Sawyer took a step forward almost immediately, only stopping at the sounds of guns cocking. He didn't believe Juliet's words for a second, no matter how much they hurt. He knew that was Ben's intentions. His intentions had, and always would be, to play mind games with people. This was his mind game for the two of them together.
Juliet turned immediately to Ben. "Ben, don't," she pleaded. "I'll go with you."
Ben raised an eyebrow up in curiosity. Finally, he held his hand out to her for a second time. "Then come with me."
"Juliet, damn it!" Sawyer yelled.
Juliet glanced back at Sawyer, just as Ben turned the opposite direction having known he won, she mouthed him the words, 'I love you' before she let Ben take her hand and start leading her down the beach.
As Ben led Juliet away, he grinned, not bothering to look back. "Now shoot them."
"NO!" Juliet screamed, managing to wrench her hand from Ben's and go running back towards Sawyer. She pushed her way through Ben's militia and simply threw herself into Sawyer's arms.
Sawyer looked shocked as he wrapped his arms around her in return.
Ben turned and narrowed his eyes, walking up to the men with him. "Well.." he stated. "That was unexpected, to realize you really do care, Juliet," he told her. "It's been a long time since I've seen you care about somebody other then yourself on this island."
Juliet didn't answer him. She simply kept her head buried in Sawyer's shoulder.
"Shoot them," Ben ordered again.
Juliet fell backwards into the sand as suddenly both Jin and Sawyer fell forward unconscious. She managed to grab hold of Sawyer in her arms and simply go down with him. She looked up, staring into the eyes of none other then John Locke. "John.. what are you doing?!" she questioned immediately.
Locke smiled down at her. "Sorry about that Juliet."
Juliet stared at him incredulously. She cradled Sawyer's head in her lap, laying her forehead down on his.
Locke watched as Juliet mumbled something to the now unconscious Sawyer. He sighed, shook his head and glanced back up at Ben. "I'm indulging you by letting you have what you want, which is Juliet," he told Ben.
Juliet looked up immediately. Locke had been leading her the entire time towards Ben? She stood now, after resting Sawyer gently down on the beach. "You son of a bitch," she muttered, taking a page right out of Sawyer's book. "I trusted you!"
"Trust is a funny thing, Juliet," Locke told her. "I've trusted people as well, and yet somehow.. it just never seems to work out."
Juliet couldn't believe it. "You ass," she stated, shaking her head.
"Anyways," Locke started. "I think it's time to get rid of the problems on this island."
Juliet watched in disbelief as Locke pulled out one of his hunting knives.
What happened next, Ben didn't even see coming. First Locke had the hunting knife up and ready to plunge into one of the unconscious men, next he saw Juliet ram into him, full-force, with her shoulder and knock Locke down to the ground.
Locke couldn't help the way his face contorted with slight rage. He quickly grabbed Juliet's leg, pulling her down onto the ground and rolling over. He held her arms down with one hand over her head and put the knife to her neck.
Juliet kept her mouth shut as she felt the tip of Locke's blade on her throat. When she stared up, looking him in the eyes, she could see it all. This definitely wasn't the Locke that she used to know. When he died, he'd become somebody else completely, there was no doubt in her mind.
"I want you to listen very closely to what I'm going to say to you, Juliet," Locke told her. "I have no desire to keep any of you alive," he explained casually. "The only reason you have that chance is because Ben wants it, so I'm letting him have you. Do you understand?"
Juliet remained silent, even as the tip dug further into her neck, almost piercing skin. It made her scared to breathe, to move even just a little.
Locke sighed, but he looked up suddenly, glancing around. He narrowed his eyes before standing up, pulling Juliet up by her hair. "Fine," he told her. "If you cooperate, Juliet.."
Juliet flinched at his hold.
"Then I won't kill them."
Juliet was quiet at first in response to his order. "Fine.." she told him.
Locke smiled now. "That'a girl," he told her, before hitting her over the head with the butt of his knife. He shoved Juliet over to Ben. "Consider her your property," he told him. "That means she's also your responsibility."
Ben glanced at Juliet as he caught the now unconscious woman. "Of course."
Locke nodded and turned, glancing to the side where he saw Richard finally appear. They'd only been lucky he realized Richard was nearby, otherwise, none of them would be alive now.
()()FLASHBACK()()
Juliet blinked as she opened the freezer in their home in Portland. As if it weren't enough it was 1978.. there was also no ice cream.
"Lookin' for somethin' sweetheart?" Sawyer questioned as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in the doorway.
Juliet eyed him as she turned from the freezer. "You ate all the ice cream."
Sawyer coughed. "Uh.. I might've."
Juliet rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her now swollen stomach. "Can you get more?" she questioned.
Sawyer stared at her. "You realize, it's after midnight don't ya?" he asked.
"You realize I'm seven months pregnant don't you?" Juliet asked as she groaned and sat down at the table. "Oh come on, James.." she muttered. "I can't help what I want, and I really want ice cream.."
Sawyer sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright," he stated, putting his hands up in mock-surrender. "The baby excuse wins, any particular flavor?"
Juliet just smiled now. "Vanilla.." she told him. "And uh.. can you get pickles?"
"Pickles?" Sawyer questioned, staring at her with disgust. "If you tell me you're gonna eat pickles and ice cream.. I'm gonna gag."
Juliet chuckled in response. "No, the pickles are for tomorrow."
Sawyer let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, alright.. pickles and ice cream."
~*~*~*~
Sawyer pulled up to the little market and shook his head as he got out of the pick-up truck. Pickles and ice cream, he couldn't believe it. It was by far the strangest two things he could be sent to go buy. Well, maybe not, he decided. She could have asked for ice cream and sauerkraut. He shuddered at the thought.
As he walked in the store he gave a wave to George behind the counter. The good and sometimes bad news about living in an extremely small area, was the fact everyone knew everyone.
"Hey Jimmy," George stated with a grin. "She finally sending you out on those midnight runs?"
Sawyer snickered and nodded. "Yup," he admitted. "You were right."
George let out a hearty laugh and shook his head. "So what do ya gotta get her?"
"Ice cream," he told him. "And.. pickles."
"Jesus," George said. "Juliet ain't gonna eat those together is she?" he asked in disgust.
Sawyer shook his head quickly. "She swore the pickles were for tomorrow."
"Well, all things considered, it could be worse," George noted to Sawyer, leaning over the counter. "My wife made me get shrimp and chocolate syrup.."
Sawyer couldn't help it. He looked about as disgusted as he could. "And she.."
"Yep," George stated.
Sawyer made a face. There was no denying it, shrimp and chocolate syrup was just plain wrong. "Oh.. that's just.. wrong on so many levels."
George let out another laugh, straight from the belly. "Better hurry for that pickles and ice cream. They don't like to wait."
~*~*~*~
Sawyer walked back in the door with the bag. He had ice cream, and pickles. He went into the kitchen and stared as Juliet munched on french fries. "I thought you wanted ice cream.."
"I do," Juliet stated, glancing up at him. She stood up and got a spoon, chuckling as he handed the tub of ice cream to her. "Thanks."
Sawyer just shook his head as he put the pickles in the fridge. When he turned around he couldn't help but stare at Juliet in shock. "I swear.. did I just see french fries on your spoon with the ice cream?"
Juliet smiled and looked up at him. "Shut up," she told him. "This isn't a pregnant craving, I always do this."
Sawyer remained silent in response.
"Stop looking at me like that," Juliet stated, eyeing him. "Don't knock it til you've tried it."
Sawyer sat down at the table. "This is something a five-year-old would eat."
Juliet narrowed her eyes.
"Uh.. nevermind.." he mumbled, before taking the spoon and getting some ice cream and a french fry on it. He didn't say anything else, just shoved it in his mouth. He blinked, and stared at her as he swallowed.
"Well?" she questioned.
Sawyer dipped the spoon in for more ice cream, and put another french fry on it before taking the spoonful into his mouth again. "Not bad."
"Good, now get your own spoon," she stated, taking hers back, straight out of his mouth.
()()END FB()()
Sun glanced up from where she was sitting beside Richard. She stared in shock as Ben came towards them, putting an unconscious Juliet onto the ground in front of them. "Keep an eye on her for a bit, Richard," Ben told him.
Richard glanced down at Juliet, then back up at Ben. "Fine," he told him. They were making it easy for him to carry out Jacob's wish if they left him in charge of Juliet and Sun for the night. He watched as Ben walked away with Locke and shook his head before squatting down, looking at the cut on Juliet's forehead.
"Is she okay?" Sun questioned, looking at Juliet over Richard's shoulder.
"Locke knocked her out, but she's fine," Richard told her. "She should wake up soon."
Sun frowned, because as if on cue, Juliet's eyes opened into a squint. The last time she'd seen Juliet, she'd gotten her onto the freighter first because of her pregnancy. Juliet had never even gotten the chance to leave the island, to board that freighter, and here the poor woman was again. With the Others', and obviously not willingly. "Juliet.."
Juliet groaned, putting her hand to her head. She sat up with Richard's help and looked at her hand when she felt something wet and sticky. "Wonderful.." she muttered out. It only took a moment for her to notice Sun was right beside her. "Sun?" she questioned, obviously surprised.
Sun was surprised by the smile that grew on the other woman's face. "Why are you so happy?" she asked. "Didn't you just get captured?"
Juliet couldn't rid the smile from her face though, as she wrapped her arms around Sun. "Jin.." she told her.
"You've seen Jin?" Sun asked immediately, the hope in her eyes lighting up.
Juliet nodded immediately. "He's been looking for you.. everywhere."
Richard sighed at the little reunion. He was seeing too many of these. And he knew he was going to see one last one. "It's nice to see you two being friendly," he told them. "Now would you like to listen to the plan?"
"What plan?" Sun questioned.
Juliet eyed him carefully. "Why do you keep helping us Richard?"
Richard smiled a little now. "I was helping because you deserved it after everything that's been done," he explained.
"Was?" she questioned next.
"Now, I'm helping because Jacob has ordered it."
Juliet raised an eyebrow up at him. "I'm not sure I understand why Jacob cares what they do with me."
Richard sighed and shook his head. They were keeping their voices low, and so far, no one had yet to hear them. "He cares because the two of you both got pregnant on this island," he told her. "He cares because you safely had your daughters, regardless of the fact you weren't on the island."
Sun stared at Juliet incredulously now. Why had she never told anyone that she'd had a child? Unless.. she had a child within the past four years.
Juliet remained silent at first, but finally she looked at Sun's gaze on her. She said nothing about the unasked question in Sun's eyes, instead she turned to Richard. "Where is she?"
"James gave her to Kate, to bring to your sister," he explained. "Kate has safely done so.."
Juliet took a breath of relief.
"James?" Sun finally questioned.
Juliet glanced over at Sun. "Sawyer.." she explained.
Sun couldn't help it. The look of shock spread quickly across her face.
Juliet was definitely tired of that look. She knew it was surprising, hell, it had even surprised her at first. Sometimes it still did. But was it necessary for everyone to have such obvious reactions?
"I'm sorry," Sun apologized quickly, noticing the slightly annoyed look that crossed Juliet's face. "I didn't mean to stare like that.."
Juliet smiled a little. "I'm getting used to it.."
Richard chuckled. "Alright.. we leave in two hours, when everyone's asleep, understood?"
Juliet and Sun glanced at each other, but they both nodded as well.
~*~*~*~
"Son of a bitch!" Sawyer growled out, banging his fists on the sand of the beach. "JULIET!"
Jin frowned, watching as his friend called for the woman he loved. The last thing either of them remembered was the guns aimed at them, and Juliet with her arms wrapped tightly around Sawyer.
Sawyer remembered what she said though. As she kept her face buried in the crook of his neck, she was apologizing, saying she loved him in hushed words. He never felt worse then he did right now. Because now she was gone, and what if he never got the chance to say it back to her?
()()END()()
Hope you liked the flashback!
