Desmond couldn't stop the laugh that left his lips as Kali wolfed down the Dharma cookies in front of her, pouring the last of the crumbs into her mouth. She had all but inhaled the food, giving Desmond a bashful look when she realised he was staring.
"I've barely eaten in the last week" Kali stated, as Desmond held his hands up in defence.
"I'm not judging. Just remembering" Desmond chuckled.
He had been quick to tell her of their meeting in 2001, desperate to see if she would remember it. To know that he wasn't losing his mind. As a look of recognition dawned on her face, Desmond felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was right. It really had happened. Her memory of the meeting wasn't as vivid as his, most likely as for her, it had happened years ago.
"…You took me to McDonald's. I ate like three burgers" Kali giggled, the memory flashing before her eyes.
"It's strange, isn't it? It feels almost like a dream" Desmond mumbled, passing her a bottle of water.
"I don't understand how I could forget that we had met off the island. It doesn't make any sense" Kali frowned, taking a swig of the water.
"Maybe it hadn't happened yet" Desmond shrugged.
"What, like you travelled in time or something?" Kali scoffed, as Desmond raised an eyebrow at her.
"…Oh, you're serious…alright, let's pretend that's true. Why would you travel all that way just to end up meeting me in some dingy pub?" Kali pointed out.
"You're special" Desmond exclaimed, causing a huff to leave Kali's lips.
"No, you are. Almost all the flashes I've seen so far, they're all about you, Kali. That has to mean something" Desmond insisted, deciding it wasn't his place to tell her about the flashes he had concerning Charlie.
"You know, some would class this as stalking, Des" Kali teased, making Desmond laugh lightly.
"Aye. Maybe I've just latched onto the first pretty girl I saw on the island" Desmond shrugged, as a smile grew on Kali's lips.
"Charmer" She muttered, nudging him with her elbow, playfully.
Desmond's mind soon went to the most recent flash he had, a chill going down his spine at the memory. He debated for a few moments whether or not to bring it up, knowing the event would be far more painful for Kali to reminisce about.
"…I saw you die. A man slit your throat, all that blood…it was the most horrific thing I've ever seen. I can't believe you're alive" Desmond explained.
He had seen more and more flashes of Kali lately, some on the island and some of her past. He felt like he had known the young girl his whole life, despite in reality having only met her a handful of times. He could still hear the awful gurgling sound she had made as her throat had been cut, the look of panic in her eyes. A strange feeling of loneliness had come over him when he believed she was dead. When she arrived on the beach that morning, it seemed like a miracle. And when she had told him how the island seemed to be keeping her alive, it just made him more confident that what he had been seeing was real. There was power on the island, like nothing any of them had ever seen before.
"Half alive. Every time I die, it…it feels like another part of me chips away" Kali admitted, eyes downcast.
"You seem pretty complete to me" Desmond reassured her, placing his hand over hers, giving a comforting squeeze.
"I'm uh…I'm sorry for what I said back in 2001. For shouting at you like that" Kali stated, sheepishly.
"You thought I'd let you down. I said I'd be there for you, and I wasn't. I understand" Desmond replied, pulling his hand away from hers.
"Yeah, you were real dick" Kali said, sarcastically, earning an amused scoff from the older man.
"You haven't changed a bit, have you?" Desmond laughed.
"I'm gonna' take that as a compliment" Kali grinned, as Desmond shared the expression.
Kali's eyes flickered away from him a second later as she watched Claire walking through the camp, rocking Aaron back and forth. Kali raised her hand to wave at the blond, forcing an awkward smile onto her face. Claire simply pursed her lips before turning on her heel and scurrying away, seeming to want to put as much space between her and Kali as possible. Desmond watched as the smile faded from Kali's lips, a despondent expression growing over her features. She was still expecting to be dragged out of the camp at a moment's notice.
"They'll come around," Desmond told her.
"No. I don't think they will. I really fucked up this time" Kali sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"Hey, I may have only seen a few flashes of your past, but I've seen enough to know you're not someone to be afraid of. They'll figure that out too" Desmond pushed.
"Why are you being so nice to me, Des?" Kali frowned, almost growing suspicious.
"Because you believe me. Because…well, I reckon you're the only person on this whole island who can actually understand me" Desmond explained.
"What, because of your accent?" Kali mocked, as Desmond rolled his eyes, fondly.
"There ain't nothing wrong with my accent, mate" Desmond retorted, in a terrible English accent.
"I do not sound like that!" Kali exclaimed, indignantly, shoving him in the chest.
"Aye, maybe I'm thinking of Charlie" Desmond suggested, making them both laugh.
"Where is it?" A familiar voice suddenly boomed behind Kali, making the brunette whip around, shooting the intruder with a glare.
Sawyer was standing at the entrance of Desmond's makeshift tent, his muscular arms crossed over his chest, his attention on Desmond alone, seeming to completely avoid glancing in Kali's direction. The tension was thick as Desmond's eyes darted between the pair.
"You're gonna need to be a bit more specific, brother—" Desmond began, as Sawyer instantly cut him off.
"My bottle of scotch. And I ain't your damn brother" Sawyer huffed.
"Ah. Well, you see, I uh…I drank it" Desmond admitted, watching Sawyer's eyes widen.
"All of it?" He gaped.
"Well, there was three of us. Myself, Charlie, and Hurley. I didn't realise it was—" Desmond started, but Sawyer was quick to stop him once again.
"And where the hell is Jumbotron?" Sawyer questioned, earning an eye roll from Kali.
"If he's got any sense, avoiding you" Kali muttered, pushing herself to her feet, crossing her arms, all but mirroring Sawyer's body language.
"Oh, very mature" Sawyer mocked, as Kali's nose crinkled.
He let out a yelp as she slammed the heel of her foot down onto his shoe a second later, crushing his toes. She gave him a self-satisfied smirk, as Sawyer reached down to clutch at his sore foot, shaking his head ruefully.
"Last I heard he found a car out in the jungle this morning. About a mile from the camp. Jin went with him" Desmond spoke up.
"See, now was that so hard" Sawyer murmured, before turning on his heel to limp away.
"Lover's quarrel?" Desmond asked, amusement clear in his eyes as Kali turned to him.
"He's a prick" Kali replied, simply, her eyes never leaving Sawyer as he walked into the jungle.
"And that's why you're about ten seconds from following him?" Desmond grinned, watching her purse her lips.
"…What, someone has to keep him out of trouble" Kali shrugged, before rushing after him.
The pair last almost five minutes in silence before Sawyer couldn't take anymore, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. It seemed that he still had a hard time thinking straight whenever Kali was around him.
"I thought we agreed to stay on separate sides of camp?" Sawyer announced, causing her to shrug.
"I'm only here to see my friends. You can go back if you want" Kali muttered.
"They're my friends too, you know" Sawyer pointed out.
Kali gave him a surprised look, a little taken aback at his openness. Sawyer would usually rather eat seaweed than admit to actually caring about anyone. Kali allowed her eyes to drift over him for a second, seeing he was wearing his old blue shirt, the one that brought out the colour of his eyes and made her legs weak—
She was quick to pull her eyes away when she realised Sawyer had caught her staring, feeling a blush rising over her cheeks. She was supposed to be pissed at him, not acting like a little schoolgirl.
"Maybe you should tell them that once in a while instead of just calling them your asshole nicknames" Kali exclaimed, hearing a scoff leave Sawyer's lips.
"You like my nicknames" Sawyer smirked.
"Yeah, because you don't call me things like lardo or pork pie" Kali snapped, watching a frown grow on Sawyer's face.
"Hurley knows I don't mean it" Sawyer shrugged.
"Does he?" Kali insisted, as Sawyer came to a halt, unseen by Kali.
His brow furrowed further as he wondered whether Kali was right, only to be brought out of his thoughts by a familiar voice. They were both rushing forward a moment later, finding the two men they had been searching for attempting to flip the car over with broken branches clasped in their hands.
"Hey. Where the hell's my stuff?" Sawyer announced as Hurley's eyes lit up when he saw the pair.
"Dude, your alive!" Hurley gaped, excitedly.
Hurley was dropping his branch and lunging at the blond a second later, almost bowling him over by the force of his hug. He wrapped his arms tightly around Sawyer, who blew a piece of Hurley's hair away from his mouth, returning the bear hug for a few seconds. A genuine smile grew on his lips as he felt the other man laugh almost manically, his happiness becoming contagious.
"Yeah, yeah. It's good to see you too…Hurley" Sawyer replied, his eyes connecting with Kali's for a second, calling Hurley his real name for once.
A pleased expression grew on Kali's features before she too was pulled into a hug, Jin appearing overjoyed to have her back. Kali wrapped her arms around Jin's shoulders, feeling relief wash over at her as she realised maybe one more person in the camp had missed her.
"I was worried…for you" Jin admitted, as they pulled away.
"I'm good. Really. And you?" Kali asked, watching Jin nod quickly.
"Happy. Sun…also doing well" Jin exclaimed.
"Well, look who's hooked on phonics" Sawyer stated, as Jin turned to Sawyer, giving him a hug a moment later.
"Sawyer" He grinned, patting the other man on the back.
"How you doing?" Sawyer questioned, pulling away.
"Good to see you" Jin replied, earning an impressed look from the blond.
"You'll be speaking better English than me soon" Sawyer laughed, patting Jin on the shoulder.
"He already does" Kali teased, as Hurley approached her slowly.
"I thought you were dead, man" Hurley confessed.
"And you're happy I'm not?" Kali queried, trying to gauge how he was really feeling.
"Come here, dude" Hurley mumbled, before grabbing her and pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.
"I'll take that as a yes" Kali giggled, returning the hug, ignoring the way she was choking on his hair.
"I'm really sorry about everything I said before, I was just…scared, you know. And when I came back to camp, I didn't think of how people would react. It's my fault that—" Hurley began, but she was quick to cut him off.
"They would have found out sooner or later, Hurley. I don't blame you" Kali admitted.
"Oh thank God" Hurley sighed in relief, breaking the hug.
"I'm uh, guessing Jin's the only one who doesn't know? I thought Sun would have told him?" Kali whispered but evidently wasn't quiet enough.
"I know" Jin announced, as Kali's eyes widened.
"About my past?" Kali asked, watching him nod.
"And you're not freaked out? I've done some…really bad things, Jin" Kali frowned.
"I have to. You and me…friends. Past is past" Jin replied, as a broad smile grew on Kali's lips.
"What about Jack and Kate? They with you?" Hurley inquired.
"Kate's with us. But the doc, they still got him" Sawyer admitted, scratching at his hairline as he did so.
A nervous tick for when he was feeling guilty about something, Kali thought to herself. It was strange how she was able to read him so easily now. Sometimes she thought she probably knew him better than himself, which was what made it so hard watching him push her away. Sawyer had always been complicated. Was he simply trying to protect himself from the hurt, or had he really made some sort of deal with Ben? She couldn't be sure.
"It's ok. That's okay. Everything will be alright" Hurley announced.
"Well, what a relief" Sawyer scoffed, sarcastically.
"Nah, see things are getting better. The car, you coming back safely - it's a sign" Hurley informed them.
"Yeah, a sign I want my stuff back" Sawyer pointed out, in a clipped tone.
"Uh-uh. You're going to help us fix this thing" Hurley announced, as Kali quirked an eyebrow.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because there's beer" Hurley announced, as she and Sawyer shared a look, before nodding simultaneously.
After twenty minutes of sweating their asses off, they managed to flip the van over, hearing the contents inside shift and spill over the backseats. Sawyer was first to rip the side door open, his eyes going straight to a box of beer, which had the Dharma logo printed on the cans. Just as he was about to grab the box, a pale arm shot out to grab the other side, stopping him in his tracks.
"I should get first dibs" Kali exclaimed.
"And why's that?" Sawyer huffed.
"Emotional trauma" Kali shrugged, tugging the box towards her.
"From what?" Sawyer muttered, straining to keep his grip on the beer.
"Putting up with you" Kali said childishly, watching Sawyer shake his head, fondly.
"You can't handle your alcohol" Sawyer stated, pulling harder as two cans rolled out onto the ground.
"Says the guy who was a borderline alcoholic—" Kali cut herself off with her own scream after she had crouched down to pick up the cans, only to come face to face with a human skull.
She jumped back, colliding with Sawyer's chest, who instantly dropped the beer, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders in an almost protective gesture. His own eyes widened when he saw the blackened skull on the floor, yelling out to Hurley.
"Son of a…what's a head doing back here?" He cried, mouth hanging agape.
"Oh, that's just Roger" Hurley replied, dismissively, seeming more interested in the engine of the vehicle.
"Right. Roger, that makes complete sense" Kali mumbled, realising Sawyer was still holding her close to his chest.
With an annoyed groan, she brushed his hands away before crouching down to pick up the forgotten box of beer, ushering Sawyer out of her way. Sawyer grabbed the cans that had rolled out, as Hurley made his way to the front of the van and attempted to turn the engine on. His world appeared to come crashing down, as the car didn't make a sound, causing him to curse under his breath.
"Well, at least we can get drunk now" Sawyer grinned.
Kali watched with narrow eyes as Sawyer took his first sip of beer as if expecting him to keel over dead in a matter of seconds. His nose wrinkled at the taste, but he was soon taking another sip of the alcohol, throwing a can towards Kali, who caught it easily.
"It's flat and it stinks. But it'll do the job" Sawyer exclaimed, as Kali opened the can, grimacing at the smell that wafted out.
"Cheers" Kali sighed, before knocking the drink back, finding it wasn't quite as bad as she had been expecting.
Her eyes flickered over to Hurley and Jin, who were still busy trying to fix the van. Kali wasn't sure why Hurley seemed so concerned with getting the vehicle working, it's not like it would change anything. Maybe he just wanted something to keep him busy?
"You wanna' play Never Have I Ever?" Sawyer grinned at her, as Kali found a smile playing on her lips a moment later.
"Didn't that game end last time with you volunteering to have sex with me?" Kali teased, quirking an eyebrow in his direction.
"Well, I know we're on the outs with each other, but I'm up for it if you are—" Sawyer replied, only to be cut off as Kali kicked out at him with her foot, hitting his thigh.
"I've got a better idea. Truth or dare?" Kali exclaimed, as Sawyer gave her a suspicious look.
"…You're on, blue eyes. I choose dare" Sawyer announced, making her scoff.
"Of course you do. Alright, I dare you to…lick that rock" Kali suggested, gesturing to a nearby blackened rock.
With a grimace, Sawyer was quick to pick up the rock, his tongue darting out to lick the rock, before he gagged, quickly downing his remaining beer. Kali couldn't help but giggle at his reaction, enjoying the small bit of sweet revenge.
"My turn. Truth or dare?" Sawyer questioned, once he had composed himself.
"Truth" Kali answered, easily.
"Alright. Why did you follow me out here? The real reason?" Sawyer inquired, as Kali pondered over his words.
"I wanted to see Hurley and Jin. And…maybe I didn't like the idea of you going off into the jungle on your own" Kali admitted, taking a swig of her beer.
"You were worried about me?" Sawyer teased, making Kali roll her eyes.
"Your turn. Truth or dare?" She dismissed quickly.
"Dare" Sawyer replied, watching Kali let out a low groan.
"Fine. I dare you to…tell Hurley how much he means to you" Kali grinned.
"What kind of lame dare is that?" Sawyer huffed.
"Well, if you want to change to truth…" Kali trailed off, as Sawyer pushed himself to his feet, storming over to the other man.
"Hurley" Sawyer announced, coming to stand behind his friend.
"Yeah, dude?" Hurley mumbled, not bothering to turn around.
"I, uh…just wanted to say…out of all the assholes in this camp, you're probably the one that annoys me the least. I might have even…I don't know, missed you or something…" Sawyer stuttered over his words, watching as Hurley stilled, and turned to him with wide eyes.
"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me" Hurley cried, before lunging at Sawyer, wrapping his arms around him, pulling the older man off the ground.
"Alright, alright. Enough with the hugs" Sawyer complained, quickly brushing his hands away.
"I missed you too, dude" Hurley beamed, as Sawyer gave a grunt of acknowledgement, before turning back to Kali.
"Adorable" Kali teased, as he came to sit back beside her, a little closer than before.
"Yeah, yeah. Truth or dare?" Sawyer grumbled, taking a long drink from his beer can.
"Dare" Kali shrugged.
"I dare you to drink that whole can of beer…in thirty seconds" Sawyer exclaimed, watching Kali pout.
"…Bottoms up" She muttered, raising her drink in the air, before knocking it back, quickly drinking the contents.
Sawyer's eyes widened as he saw her finish the drink just before the time was up, shaking her head a little as she threw the can to the ground. She made a disgusted sound, wiping at her mouth, finding Sawyer giving her an impressed look.
"Feeling a little lightheaded, blue eyes?" Sawyer chuckled, as she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.
"Your turn" She announced.
"Truth" Sawyer replied, as a sly smile grew on Kali's lips.
"Have you made a deal with Ben?" Kali questioned, feeling Sawyer tense beside her.
"Alright, dare then" Sawyer stated, as Kali raised her hands in the air, beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol.
"That's not fair" She grumbled, as Sawyer simply shrugged.
"…Fine. I dare you to kiss me" Kali said, watching Sawyer's forehead wrinkle.
"Why the hell would you want that after all the shit I've been saying—" Sawyer began, but Kali was quick to cut him off, reaching up to clutch onto the collar of his shirt.
"A dare's a dare, James" She mumbled, her eyes flickering down to his lips.
Appearing to not need any more persuading, Sawyer slowly leaned closer until his lips were brushing against hers, hearing her inhale sharply. The second their lips touched, Sawyer couldn't stop the moan that left him, his hand suddenly reaching out to cup Kali's cheek as he pulled her closer. His tongue was sweeping over her bottom lip a moment later, begging for entrance, as Kali parted her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Goosebumps rose over the nape of her neck as Sawyer moved his hand to tangle into her hair, kissing her feverishly. Kali was pulling away a moment later, not before nipping at his bottom lip with her teeth, earning a low groan in response. The pair stayed like that, breathing heavily before they heard a clunking sound from a few metres away. They twisted around to see Hurley with his mouth hanging open, and Jin with a mildly disgusted expression on his face.
"You two seriously need to get a room" Hurley exclaimed, before turning back to the engine.
Sawyer realised he was still holding her close, and quickly untangled his hand from her hair, turning away from her, his heart still pumping fast in his chest. Running a hand over his face, he tried his best to avoid her eyes as she spoke.
"I suppose that meant nothing to you, right?" Kali murmured, as he kept his eyes downcast.
"It's not your turn to ask, remember" Sawyer stated.
"Fine. I choose truth" Kali grumbled.
"…What's the deal with you and Scotty?" Sawyer asked.
"You mean Desmond?" Kali scoffed, receiving a nod in response.
"We've met before. Off the island. A couple of years before the plane crashed. He's been having some sort of weird visions about me, about my past too—" Kali began, but Sawyer was quick to cut her off.
"That's not what I was asking. What is he…to you?" Sawyer clarified, finally meeting her eyes.
"You don't have the right to ask me that right now" Kali pointed out.
"Maybe not, but I'm still asking. You like him, don't you?" Sawyer pushed, as Kali shook her head, ruefully.
"We have a…connection" Kali admitted, not sure what else to call him.
"Either you like the guy, or you don't, Kali" Sawyer insisted, growing annoyed.
"Fine! Maybe I do like him, but I fucking love you, James. Why can't you just say it back?" Kali cried, loudly.
Sawyer kept his mouth clamped shut, turning away from her again, his chest tightening at the hurt tone of her voice. Realising she wasn't going to get a response from him, Kali pushed herself to her feet and stormed over to the van. Sawyer opened his mouth to call her back, but the words died in his mouth. He was just making it harder on both of them. Kali had to leave the island, and she couldn't do that with him. Nothing else mattered.
Hurley had left soon after, telling them he was going to bring Charlie back, for what reason none of them were sure. Kali had been busy trying to teach Jin a few new important words, such as 'beer' and 'asshole', while pointing to Sawyer. She was confused when Vincent came bounding towards her, his tail wagging madly in the air as he all but collided with her.
"Hey, boy! Aw, I've missed you" Kali giggled, stroking his soft fur, as she crouched down in front of the excited dog.
"Was that directed at the dog or me?" A familiar voice chuckled, as a figure came to loom over Kali.
"Didn't we talk about you stalking me earlier?" Kali teased, as her eyes connected with Desmond.
"Can't help myself, love" Desmond shrugged, taking a hold of Vincent's lead, not hearing the irritated scoff from Sawyer.
"Here, have a drink" Kali exclaimed, pushing herself to her feet, as she handed Desmond a beer.
"Thanks, but I was just walking the dog around. I wouldn't want to intrude—" Desmond began, as Sawyer chose to speak up.
"Bit late for that, mate" Sawyer grumbled, putting on a terrible Scottish accent.
"C'mon, I insist. We never did get that drink the first time we met" Kali stated, as Desmond let out a laugh.
"I thought that bartender was going to take a swing at you" He stated, making Kali giggle, as they sat down in the van, continuing their conversation.
"Friends?" Jin questioned, as he walked over to Sawyer, pointing towards Kali and Desmond.
"They've got history" Sawyer muttered, taking a long sip of his beer, before throwing it onto the forest floor to join the other five crinkled cans.
"Ah…jealous" Jin nodded, knowingly, as Sawyer gave him an indignant look.
"Please! Like I would be jealous of him!" Sawyer complained, crossing his arms, making Jin's smile widen.
They looked towards the pair, watching Kali shaking her head fondly, as Desmond seemed to be telling a joke. They clinked their beer cans together, laughing harder as they spilt. Sawyer was the first to pull his gaze away, his jaw clenched so hard he thought his teeth would shatter.
"Hurts?" Jin suggested, as Sawyer gave no reply.
"Sun forgave…Kali would too" Jin went on, as a huff let Sawyer's lips.
"That's because you're a good man, Jin. Kali deserves…oh c'mon!" Sawyer cried, when he saw Desmond placing his hand on Kali's thigh, in an almost comforting manner.
Jin couldn't stop his laughter, far too amused by the scowl on his friends face. He didn't really understand what had gone on between them, but he could tell they were both hurting. He found himself missing the way they had been on the raft, which seemed like so long ago.
"She could do better than that!" Sawyer huffed.
"Like…who?" Jin asked, a smug smirk on his face, giving Sawyer a knowing look.
"I think I preferred it when you didn't speak English" Sawyer grumbled, opening another can of beer.
"So, how long am I supposed to keep my hand on your leg?" Desmond questioned, as Kali shrugged.
"Is he still looking?" Kali inquired, as Desmond's eyes flickered over the blond.
"I'd say glaring" Desmond chuckled.
"Well, if he'd just stop being a dick, I wouldn't have to torture him any longer" Kali shrugged, as Desmond dropped his hand from her leg.
"You want to hear my opinion?" Desmond replied, as Kali nodded.
"From everything I've heard about you two, he's always been trying to protect you. I've got a feeling that's exactly what he believes he's doing" Desmond explained, as Kali mulled over it.
"Hmm. I suppose if roles were reversed and it was Penny here with Sawyer, she'd probably be handling this a bit more maturely" Kali mumbled, watching Desmond's face fall.
"Aye, maybe. Then again, your boy does seem like quite the charmer" Desmond stated.
"Ugh, you have no idea. I swear my heart speeds up every time I just look at him. It's a pain in my arse" Kali complained, making Desmond chuckle.
"Hey! Time to get up; we've got work to do" Hurley's voice announced, as he came rushing over to them, Charlie following just behind him.
"What's your problem, Jumbotron" Sawyer questioned.
"Shut up! Red…neck…man" Hurley retorted, lamely, as Kali had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"Touché. What is Jiminy Cricket doing here?" Sawyer asked, with amusement.
"To push this car" Hurley informed him.
"Push it? Push it where?" Sawyer scoffed, as Hurley grabbed him under the shoulders, hauling him upright with ease.
Ten minutes later, the group were shoving the van forward, as it went hurtling forward, almost rolling down the steep heel only a few metres away. Kali thought Hurley's plan was insane…but that it could just work. She supposed there was only one way to find out.
"Are you nuts? You're not going to drive down that" Sawyer pointed out, as they all stared down at the valley below.
"We're going to jumpstart it. You guys are going to push it. And then on the way down, I'm going to pop the clutch and get it started" Hurley explained.
"You see those rocks? All you're going to do is crash into those real fast. If you don't roll over first" Sawyer insisted, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Hurley, no" Jin exclaimed, shaking his head vehemently.
"Dudes, I know how to drive. Now come on, just push me. This will work; I know it" Hurley replied.
"What are you out here for, watch him crash and burn?" Sawyer queried, turning to Charlie who had so far been silent.
"I came to ride shotgun" Charlie grinned, as he shared a fond look with Hurley.
"…I guess that means I'll be taking the backseat" Kali added, as Sawyer's eyes went wide.
"You can't be serious" Sawyer groaned.
"Deadly. Now, you gonna' push us or what?" Kali retorted, as the three made their way towards the van.
Hurley and Charlie were quick to jump into the front, while Kali pulled the side door open, only for Sawyer to reach out and grab her arm a second later. She turned, ready to argue that he wasn't going to stop her, when he instead pushed past her, climbing into the back.
"You really think I'm gonna' let you do something this stupid…by yourself?" Sawyer asked, a grin growing on his lips.
Kali shared his expression as she jumped in beside him, closing the door behind her. The pair grabbed onto anything they could hold onto as they watched Jin and Desmond take their place behind the van, ready to push it down. Kali was quick to notice the nervousness on Sawyer's face and nudged him with her arm.
"I ain't holding your hand, dimples" She exclaimed.
"Course not" Sawyer smirked back at her.
"You guys ready?" Hurley asked, as everyone in the van gave a firm nod.
"Push!" Hurley ordered, as Desmond and Jin began shoving the heavy van forward.
It didn't take much force, before they were speeding down the steep hill, with Hurley clutching onto the steering wheel. Kali's eyes widened as they went hurtling through a bush, obscuring the view of the front mirror for a few seconds. She gulped as she saw they were making a beeline for the rocks at the bottom of the valley just like Sawyer had suggested. A bump had Kali almost flying up against the roof, as Sawyer grabbed onto her shoulder, helping to keep her in place.
"Now would be a good time, Hurley! Like right now!" Charlie cried, as Hurley reached down to hold onto the clutch.
Kali and Sawyer shared a fearful look as they saw they were almost at the rocks, expecting to be flung forward in a matter of seconds. Of all the ways she had been expecting to die on the island, a car crash was not one of them.
"There is no curse. You make your own luck…there is no curse!" Hurley exclaimed.
Kali scrunched her eyes shut at the last moment, turning to look away, all but hiding her face against Sawyer's shoulder. She heard a loud cranking sound a second later, as music began to fill the van. Her eyes shot open to hear the van spluttering to life, as Hurley turned them away from the rocks at the last possible second. They all began cheering as Hurley drove them around the bottom of the valley, barely able to believe it had worked. It was then that Kali looked down to see that at some point she had ended up clutching Sawyer's hand, despite saying only minutes ago that she wouldn't. Sawyer was also staring at their intertwined fingers but wasn't pulling away. Before either had too long to think about it, Hurley was turning them back around, meeting Jin and Desmond who were racing towards them. Jin pulled the side door open as Hurley slowed down, allowing them to jump inside, with an excited Vincent following close behind. The group yelled louder as Hurley sent them driving around in circles, feeling the warm air blowing through the window. Kali was grinning from ear to ear as she realised it was the most fun that she had for a long time.
"Hurley! Hurley! Hurley!" They all began to cheer, hitting the metal roof of the van with their hands.
She still hadn't let go of Sawyer's hand, figuring that for that one moment they could forget about all the pain and hurt that had happened on the island, and just be grateful to still be alive and with each other.
Unbeknownst to the group, they were being observed by two men on the hill, who shared the same sad expression. It was difficult watching people who were so happy when they knew what was to come. Knowing that not everyone in that van would still be alive in a month.
"Should I stop her? From leaving with Kate and the others?" Ken spoke up, turning to his blond companion.
"What good would it do?" Jacob replied.
"Ignorance is bliss, isn't it?" Ken pointed out.
"She has her own path to follow, as do you. Perhaps you should join them?" Jacob suggested, watching Ken shake his head.
"What's the point?" Ken muttered; eyes downcast.
"Three weeks is not a long time—" Jacob began, but Ken was quick to cut him off.
"I know" Ken sighed, running a hand over his face.
"…Where's your sidekick, anyway? Doesn't he follow you around like a dog most days?" Ken inquired, as Jacob shot him a cold look.
"Careful. I enjoy you, Ken, but not that much" Jacob warned, as Ken clamped his mouth shut.
"Boone is making amends for his past mistakes. It's all he has left now" Jacob announced, as the two continued watching the van for a few more minutes.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sorry if it seemed like a filler update, but I really loved this episode, it's definitely in my top ten so I just had to include it. How long do you think Kali and Sawyer are going to be able to stay mad at each other? My guess is not for much longer, haha. Please leave a review:)
carmelitajones: Thanks for your reviews! I'm really glad you're still enjoying this fic:)
Kz4: Thank you for reviewing! I hope you liked the Kali/Sawyer scenes and the mystery that seems to be connecting Kali and Desmond together.
AsukaHyuga: Haha, lots of jealous Sawyer in this chapter! He's practically boiling over with rage. We have a lot to thank Desmond for! Thanks for the reviews:)
johnsonsweett: Aw, that is so sweet! I love the fact that you're thinking of this fic while you watch the show, I wish there was someone like Kali who had been with Sawyer since the beginning.
Guest: Thank you! Glad you're liking the story:)
MyCookiemonster95: Yes! As we'll see later on, Desmond has seen and will see a lot more of Kali and her past. It's going to be quite the wild ride.
scripturient3201: It's great that you're still enjoying her character, I do my best to keep her complex and interesting. Even when they're fighting, Sawyer and Kali will always have each other's backs. Desmond was definitely happy to see her, maybe too happy in Sawyer's eyes, haha.