Author's Note: Well, apparently I'm making Kate-haters, LIKE Kate.. that must be a new skill of mine. Because I feel like I'm making myself like her too.. weird.
This chapter is going to rmm8127, thanks for the giggle-worthy review. Maybe I'll make a crack!fic where Ben slips on a banana peel onto a land mine for you.
And no people, Kate DIDN'T steal another baby, ahahah. You bunch of crackheads. I love you guys, seriously.
Heartland:
Chapter 23: Means to an End
The smile on your face, lets me know that you need me.
There's a truth in your eyes, sayin' you'll never leave me.
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me, wherever I fall.
You say it best, when you say nothing at all.
When You Say Nothing At All(Ronan Keating)
Sawyer watched as Juliet stayed by Richard's side, checking on Claire on their way to the temple. He managed to swing back further to where Sun and Jin were walking now. "Sun.."
Sun glanced at Sawyer. She watched him nod forward to Juliet and smiled sadly. "Jin.. can I talk to Sawyer for a moment?" she questioned her husband. Regardless of not wanting to be apart from him now, she understood Sawyer had worries about Juliet's behaviour earlier.
Jin glanced forward at Juliet and nodded, kissing Sun on the top of the head before walking forward ahead of them near Juliet, Claire and Richard.
"I know ya' don't like me, Sun.." Sawyer told her, walking beside her. "And I don't blame ya' one bit for that.." he admitted.
Sun eyed him curiously. She'd expected him to get straight to the point, but instead he did the exact opposite. "You kept Jin safe, Sawyer.." she told him quietly. "And for that.. I cannot thank you enough."
Sawyer was surprised by the statement.
"But that's not what you wanted to talk to me about," Sun told him, smiling a little.
Sawyer sighed but nodded his head. "I could tell earlier.." he admitted with a frown. "You know something about what's wrong with her.. what is it?"
Sun glanced down at her feet for a moment as they were walking before she locked eyes with Sawyer. "Before we left with Richard.." Sun stated, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Juliet was telling me how she fell in love with you.. how if she had the chance to change things.."
Sawyer frowned. Suddenly he wasn't sure he wanted to know. "She would?"
"No.." Sun said quickly. "No.. she said.. she would do it all over again.."
Sawyer stared at her incredulously. "What?" he asked, a little more loudly then he meant to.
Juliet glanced back at the two in slight confusion.
"Juliet, is Claire okay?" Jin asked, studying the young blonde in Richard's arms.
Juliet glanced at Jin and then back at Claire. "Well.. she seems to be.." she stated in slight confusion. "I honestly don't know what's wrong with her.."
Jin smiled and nodded. It worked, at least. He'd distracted her from Sawyer's outburst.
Sawyer frowned, and let out a sigh of relief. "Why would she want to do all of this over again?" he questioned quietly.
Sun smiled now. "She told me, if she went through all of this, and got to be with you in the end.." she stated, remembering Juliet's words. "Then she would do it a million times, even for just one more day with you.."
Sawyer felt his lips curve into a smile automatically as he glanced forward at Juliet once more.
"But.." Sun said quickly. "She was afraid to leave The Others' camp.."
Sawyer frowned.
"Because she's afraid Ben will kill you.." Sun told him. "And she's afraid Ben will find out about your daughter.." she explained carefully, watching the guilt cover Sawyer's face. "She loves you.. very much, and I can tell you love her too.."
Sawyer closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.
Sun smiled now, putting her hand on Sawyer's arm. "She just needs you to reassure her, Sawyer.." she told him. "She needs you to tell her that everything will be okay.."
Sawyer glanced back at Sun. "For what it's worth.. I'm sorry, for what I did all those years ago on the beach.."
"I know.." she told him. "Jin told me that you told him.." she admitted. "And.. I forgive you as well.."
Sawyer smiled a little at her now and nodded. "Thanks Sun.."
Sun smiled too, watching as Sawyer went forward and patted Jin on the back.
Sawyer watched now as Jin went back to his wife's side, then he took Juliet's hand in his, watching as she looked back and smiled, slowing down to walk beside him now. "You okay?"
Juliet glanced down at their linked fingers and smiled back up at him. "Of course.." she told him.
"Everything's going to be okay, you know that, right?" Sawyer questioned, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Juliet's smile grew a little at his statement.
"As long as I'm with you, everything will be alright.." Sawyer told her. "I won't let anything happen to you.."
Juliet's eyes softened at his statement. She gave his hand a squeeze and then gave him a true smile. "I just.. don't want you to get hurt because of me.." she admitted quietly.
"I love you, Juliet.." Sawyer told her, "Don't you ever believe otherwise.. and it would hurt more then anything else, if I couldn't be with you.."
Juliet felt the tears, but she held them back this time and only let her smile broaden. "I love you too.." she told him
"We're here."
The four looked up at the temple as Richard nodded his head to the temple doors.
Sawyer smiled at Juliet before going to push the temple doors open for Richard.
()()FLASHBACK()()
Juliet sat silently in the classroom filled with children. So far they'd only been on the island for two months, but Olivia had asked her to keep an eye on the class for a little bit while she ran an errand anyways. She sighed, watching the kids talk amongst themselves.
She watched little Ben Linus sit quietly, keeping to himself. It was strange, to know that his childhood was so sad, and it made her feel pity for the man she hated. In a sense, she hated him a little more for that pity, but she emptied it from her mind. Because it didn't matter anymore. He wasn't that Ben yet. He was just a child.
Juliet glanced up at the knock on the doors of the classroom and smiled at the kids. "I'll be back in a moment.." she told them, standing up and stepping outside. She glanced at Sawyer and chuckled.
"Babysittin'?" he questioned, with a look of pure amusement.
Juliet shrugged. "Olivia asked me to keep an eye on the kids for 30 minutes.." she admitted.
"What's worse, bein' a grease monkey or running the daycare?" he questioned with a grin.
Juliet let out a laugh in response to his statement. But she turned quickly and frowned at the sound of the kids going into an uproar inside, and she opened the doors going inside quickly with Sawyer right behind her.
She looked on in shock as one of the other boys had Ben up against the wall, and regardless of what he would become, she couldn't help but save the poor kid. So she went over there quickly, grabbing hold of the other boy and pulling him off of Ben.
Sawyer watched, slightly surprised at how quickly Juliet moved to grab the kid picking on Ben Linus. He'd be damned if he thought he'd ever feel bad for Ben, but living in the 70's made him feel just that, and obviously Juliet was the exact same way.
"What are you doing?" Juliet questioned, sitting the boy down in one of the empty seats in the front of the room by Olivia's desk. "You can't hurt other kids like that.."
The kid frowned and stared over at Ben. "He's such a creeper," he told her. "All he does is sit and stare at everyone."
"What's your name?" Juliet asked, eyeing the kid with certain disapproval. It was no wonder Ben was barely passed a sociopath, he got picked on and neglected as a child.
"Goodwin.."
Juliet's eyebrow arched up. Goodwin had been in the Dharma initiative too as a child? Then.. how had Ben and Goodwin both come to be part of The Others? It didn't make any sense to her. "Well.. Goodwin.." she said, masking her surprise. "I think you owe Ben an apology," she stated.
Goodwin frowned. "No way.." he told her. "He's weird.."
Juliet managed not to roll her eyes.
Sawyer held back the laugh he was dying to let out, watching Juliet try to deal with the kid. He'd noticed how shocked she was when the kid told her his name, and he made a mental note to ask her about it later.
"Then you can stay up here until Olivia comes back," she told Goodwin. "Or until you apologize, because I don't think you'd like it very much if someone ever did that to you."
Goodwin was silent in response.
Juliet stood, leaving the childlike Goodwin by himself and going over to little Ben who was still sitting on the floor. She knelt down and smiled at him, "Are you okay, Ben?"
Ben glanced up at her and nodded silently.
Juliet smiled a little at him. She felt even more pity now, as she watched the little Ben try to figure out what to say.
Ben couldn't help but notice this was the second time Juliet had been really nice to him. The first time had been when his father was yelling at him, and now she'd helped him with a bully. She was the first person to actually care. "Thank you.."
"You're welcome, sweetie.." she said quietly, giving him another smile before pulling him to his feet. She turned as Goodwin came over and watched him with slight suspicion.
"Sorry.." Goodwin said to Ben. "I wouldn't like it if someone did it to me.. so I'm sorry."
Ben shrugged it off. "It's okay.."
Juliet raised both eyebrows up at Ben's response.
"Really?" Goodwin said. "Well.. you could like.. play at recess with us if you want.."
Ben smiled now. "Sure.."
Juliet chuckled before standing to her feet and heading over to where Sawyer was now standing with Olivia.
"Wow," Olivia stated with surprise. "I've never seen Goodwin be nice to Ben before, you have a way with kids.."
Juliet smiled softly at Olivia. "Guess it helps if you've ever been the Ben in that scenario.."
"Thanks a lot," Olivia stated, watching as Juliet and LaFleur left.
"No problem.."
~*~*~*~
"So, I got a question for ya'," Sawyer stated as he walked Juliet to the motor pool.
"Okay, shoot," Juliet stated, glancing at him.
Sawyer watched for her reaction. "Why'd you seem so surprised when that kid told you his name?" he finally asked, and watched the strange look that came across her face.
Juliet frowned, debating on how to explain Goodwin to him. "Because.. Goodwin is an Other.." she told him carefully.
"So's Ben, what's your point?" Sawyer questioned, eyeing her curiously.
Juliet sighed now. "I.." she stared, trying to figure out an easy way to explain it. "He's.."
Sawyer watched the baffled expression that crossed her face as she tried to explain things to him. He never found something more funny then when Juliet got confused.
"The boy is.. will be.. the man I fall in love with when I come to this island.." she muttered out.
Sawyer raised arched both eyebrows up in response to her statement. "Well.. that's," he started, though he didn't quite now how to finish the statement. "Awkward.."
"I just.. wish I could warn him now.."
Sawyer stared at her, perplexed by that comment. "Warn him about what?"
Juliet frowned pulling him away from the motor pool now. "That he shouldn't fall in love with me.."
Sawyer narrowed his eyes now in response. "Why not?" he asked, generally curious.
Juliet froze suddenly, not bothering to answer his question. "He knew.."
"Wait, what?" Sawyer questioned, extremely confused now.
Juliet frowned again running her fingers through her hair. "Goodwin.. he had to of known who I was.." she told Sawyer.
Suddenly Sawyer understood exactly what Juliet was talking about. "James, I finally understand what Daniel was talking about.." she admitted, taking a seat at the sudden realization. "The people in our time, that are here as children recognize us, but they never said anything," she stated, rubbing her temples with her fingers to relieve the ache in her head. "Because we're in their past.."
Sawyer sat down beside her, still completely confused. "So.. why don't we remember?"
"Because," Juliet stated. "This is their past, but this is the time we live in now.. this is our present.."
"So.. in a sense, you're saying we're living in the past and the present?" he questioned in a baffled manner.
Juliet sighed. "It sounds so ridiculous.." she muttered out, shaking her head.
Sawyer just grinned though. "Ridiculous or not, I think I kind of get what you mean now," he stated. "Maybe you should be glad we're not in the future," he told her. "Then we wouldn't know what the hell was going on."
Juliet laughed now. "What do you think lies in the future?"
"Hell if I know," he stated with a casual shrug. "I know my planes gonna crash."
Juliet chuckled.
"And I know I'm gonna get sent back into the seventies with some crazy blonde yappin' about the past and the present," he said, nudging her with his shoulder.
Juliet smiled now and shook her head slightly.
Sawyer smiled at her now. "But you know what?" he asked.
"What?" Juliet responded, staring at him with curious eyes.
"Least no one gave you a taser this time," he told her, grinning as he stood to his feet.
Juliet let her mouth hang open for a moment in surprise before she let out a laugh in response. "That's right," she said, standing up with a knowing smile. "This time they gave that thing to you," she stated.
Sawyer smirked now, leaning down and placing his lips next to her eat. "Guess its a good thing I ain't so spiteful anymore.."
Juliet felt the shiver go down her spine, not because of his words, but because of the closeness. She pulled her face away and looked him in the eye, watching the amusement in his disappear. She felt herself inch her face slightly closer to his, at least until she heard someone clear their throat, and she quickly stepped away from him.
Sawyer frowned as he felt the cold as she put the gap between them and he turned to see Miles. "What?" he questioned, slightly annoyed.
"The boss wants you back at the monitors.." Miles told him, glancing between the two wearily. He watched as Sawyer walked over to him in silence, not saying a word. As he walked with Sawyer he glanced back at Juliet who was watching them walk away in slight confusion. "You didn't say bye?"
Sawyer just eyed him before rolling his eyes. Honestly he just didn't trust the damn words to form from his lips.
()()END FB()()
Juliet reached her hand behind her back, nervously fingering the gun tucked in her pants that she'd managed to nab from The Others' camp when nobody was paying attention. She was positive even Sun hadn't noticed her take it, which was slightly surprising. She wasn't sure why, but she had one of those bad feelings in the pit of her stomach.
She sighed. She supposed after all this time she was just being cautious, so she put her hand back at her side and closed her eyes for a moment. She took a deep breath and released it before she heard it. The click of the safety on a gun.
"If you won't be mine, you won't be anyone's Juliet.."
Juliet backed herself up against the tree, knowing better then to go for the gun tucked in her pants behind her back as she watched Ben Linus at the tree line aim the gun at her. His face was still cut up and bleeding from where Sawyer had repeatedly hit him, and suddenly she regretted having stopped him. She regretted showing Ben mercy.
Sawyer turned immediately when he heard the words. And as soon as he saw Ben with the gun aimed at Juliet he felt his heart drop instantly.
Juliet closed her eyes once again, and turned her head as she watched Ben go to pull the trigger. She heard the pop of the gun, and suddenly she opened her eyes, hearing it. She stared in shock as she saw Sawyer in front of her, the blood pouring from his shoulder. "James..?" she questioned, staring into his eyes, and feeling as though she were trapped in some sort of nightmare. She felt her lips try to form more words, but she couldn't manage it. And when he fell forward, she caught him, holding him to her as they both dropped to the ground.
Richard looked on in stunned silence. He placed the blonde, Claire, down inside of the temple and turned to confront Ben when he heard another gunshot, and watched Ben fall. He couldn't help the look of shock that crossed his face as he turned to look at the shooter, and saw Juliet drop a gun onto the ground beside her, a horrified expression on her face.
Sun went to Juliet and Sawyer immediately, with Jin right behind her. She watched as the other woman tried to form words through her tears, but was unable. "Juliet.."
Juliet watched as Sawyer opened his eyes back up and stared up at her. She felt the relief of him being alive only for a moment as she pulled off her over-shirt and tore off the sleeve with her teeth, leaving her in a tank top. She quickly started tying it around his shoulder for pressure.
"Juliet.." he muttered.
Juliet finished tying it and stared down at him through the blur, noticing she could hardly see because her eyes were so watery. She leaned down and rested her forehead against his, letting the tears fall now.
"Get into the.. damned temple.." Sawyer muttered.
Juliet shook her head through her tears. "Don't you dare say that.." she whispered hoarsely. "You can't do this.. you can't leave me.. I can't leave you!" she said angrily.
Sawyer groaned, closing his eyes.
"Damn it, James!" she growled out through the tears. "Open your eyes.." she ordered. "Open your eyes, I can't do this alone.."
Sun covered her mouth with her hand as Jin pulled her to him comfortingly. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She'd never seen these two like this, she never saw Sawyer risk himself for somebody, and had never seen Juliet cry until today.
Sawyer opened his eyes a little in response and frowned at the tears in her eyes, and flinched slightly when he tried to move his shoulder. "Yea' you can.."
"No I can't.." she muttered, shaking her head. "I need you.." she told him, her voice filled with raw emotion. "I love you.." she told him. "Don't do this.. don't leave me.."
Sawyer moved his head slightly, kissing her on the forehead. "No matter what, Juliet.." he groaned out. "I'm always with ya'.."
Juliet frowned, closing her eyes now. "It's not supposed to be like this, James.." she told him quietly. "It's not.." she said again. "We're supposed to grow old together.. raise Rachel together.." she cried out. "You need to see her and Clementine grow up.."
Sawyer smiled vaguely at her words. "I love you.. remember? No matter.. what.."
Juliet opened her eyes again and stared down at him. "Don't do that.. you can't die.."
Richard knelt down, placing his hand on Juliet's shoulder.
"Let go of me," Juliet yelled, shrugging Richard's hand off of her. "James.. James, wake up.." she whispered as his eyes closed again.
Richard frowned and glanced at Jin. "I'm going to need you to grab her for me.." he told Jin.
Jin stared at Richard, and watched as Juliet blatantly disregarded the statement. He watched as Richard nodded his head toward the temple and he sighed, before nodding. He released his hold on Sun and wrapped both arms around Juliet, pulling her up off the ground.
"Let go!" Juliet screamed, struggling with Jin to get free.
Jin felt his own tears forming now. "We need to get him inside to save him.." he told her. "Juliet.. listen to me.."
"Let go!" she yelled again, obviously not listening. She watched as Richard got a hold of Sawyer and started bringing him towards the temple. "What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled quickly, breaking out of Jin's hold and running into the temple after Richard and watching as he laid Sawyer down next to Claire.
"Remember what I told you last time, Juliet.." Richard told her, as Sun and Jin also entered the temple. He watched as Juliet cradled Sawyer's body to hers once again. "When I close the door, you'll be exactly where you need to be.."
Juliet stared up at him with tears in her eyes as he left without another word, shutting the temple door on all of them. She saw the light, and she felt it fade away. And as she looked up, she felt a sudden spark of hope. "JACK!"
()()END()()
Heh. Well, the length of this goes to AdulterousWhore. I did agree that if you updated tonight, then I would give you a longer chapter then usual and I would give it a grand ending.. well.. I'm not sure you meant grand in the same sense that I did.. you probably meant a nice chapter ending. Oops.. sorry.
PS. No, I'm really not cold-hearted.. writing that damned scene just made me baul my eyes out, and now my family staying here tonight while we do some renovations think I'm seriously retarded.. so. Yeah. Next chapter in 2010. Just kidding.
