AN: Sorry this took so long to come out. There some complications and I got overloaded with real life. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. If I do another one of theseand I'm not too inspired to do it right nowafter what happened to Ana, I won't post it until it's completrly done. Thanks for reading and to those who reviewand to my beta for editing.
Enjoy!
Sawyer glanced around, his eyes wide open with shock. When he took a step, it echoed loudly off the floor, but his movement felt stilted and slow. An unseen force seemed to be holding him back. His steps were loud but everything else seemed muffled, except for one thing.
/You must save her/You are her future, you are her past/Show her the truth/You are her future, you are her past/
The words blended and separated, flowing over him like a faint breeze. His face twisted in confusion, not knowing what to do, or when he must do it. Sawyer knew he had to do something, but he'd be dammed if he knew what it was.
After a few more steps, the blinding white walls softened. They slowly changed into a long white corridor. He began to see the faint outlines of doors. He began to see faint outlines of doors, some with windows, some not. Sawyer glanced at a few and then decided to try one. He reached for one, but the door sped past him. He tried again several times with the same result happening.
"What the hell!" he exclaimed, frustrated. He didn't get it. What was going on? He just wanted to help Ana. How in the hell was he supposed to do that if he couldn't figure out what was going on?
He continued forward as the encouraging whispers persisted. He figured as long as the chant continued he wasn't any worse off. As he walked he kept thinking about Ana and why he wanted to save her. No, he needed to save her.
When Walt told him what he said to Ana, Sawyer's heart just about stopped. He wasn't sure he heard correctly. Yet the look in the boy's eyes told him that he had heard his very own words. In that moment, Sawyer completely trusted the boy. He also realized that he would do anything in his power to save her. He did not care if nothing romantic happened between them, he just wanted her to be around. He needed her jokes, her valuable and different perspective, and the honesty he had never gotten from anyone else.
He and Ana deeply connected in the hatch. Sawyer realized that he barely knew the girl, yet he was in some weird dreamlike environment with no clue as to what he would do or even how to do it. He only had his trust that the strange child before him could give him the chance to save Ana. For the first time in his life, he placed his faith in someone else for a chance to save someone else. It was mostly a selfless act on his part, which was something new for him. He was doing it for a woman and a promise. He was doing it so that once in his life, his word would actually mean something.
The chanting became softer as a female voice scream and men shouting came into earshot. He walked forward, noticing that one door seemed to be pulsing. He knew that if he reached for that door it would open.
Sawyer!
Hearing a voice he recognized, Sawyer spurred forward. He grabbed for the door, but it would not open. He jiggled the handle but he couldn't get it to move. A window suddenly appeared on the door and he saw Ana outside, hanging from a tall pole just like Mike had described. He swore under his breath as a man swung his fists at her, calling her a killer who deserved all of the pain he was inflicting.
"You sonovabitch!" Sawyer shouted, banging on the window in frustration.
The images in the window, swirled and changed as Sawyer helplessly watch different men take turns beating the life out of Ana, while she tried to fight back. The weak bastards then tied her up so they could continue their assault unhindered by her fists.
Time seemed to slow as he tried the door handle once more. Sawyer heard a big BOOM echoing all around him. In a rush, he was sucked into Ana Lucia's nightmare world.
Ana snapped awake in a dense fog. The gag had been removed from her mouth, which was now dry. She touched the back of her head, feeling a knot there.
"Great," she thought. She couldn't see a thing, but she knew that she wasn't in Kansas anymore. She sat up and tried figure out where the heck she was.
As she pondered, the fog seemed to split and she heard the sound people approaching her. As they got closer, she saw the Others. She slowly staggered to her feet, and received a bone crunching punch to her face in greeting.
She landed dazed on the ground. She dimly saw a boot swinging down towards her ribs, so she rolled away. She did not see the other foot headed towards her torso. She curled into a ball, as more and more kicks came her way. She groaned in pain, but as the next foot headed towards her, she grabbed the boot and twisted it, making the man fall. Ana felt a small surge of satisfaction, but a kick to her back ended the short-lived victory.
Ana's faced grimaced in pain as she moaned softly. She saw rock-hard fist coming at her face and despite the protests of her muscles, she leapt to her feet. The man swung at her again, and Ana dodged and grabbed his arm. She used his momentum to toss him into the other man swinging at her. The two fell to the ground and a third man came running up. She ran towards him as she led out a guttural scream. Her forward attack caused the man to pause just long enough for Ana to deliver her desperation fueled right hook at his face. The man's head whipped to the side and Ana kicked him with all her might in the crotch.
She heard the men behind her getting up and running towards her.
"Merde!" Ana cried.
She ducked from the first's blow, and then hit him with an upper cut to his chin. Her right hand came around and smashed the man's nose, immediately breaking it. She did not have time to shake out her right hand when she was grabbed from behind.
Ana struggled wildly and knocked the man holding her off balance. They fell backwards, and their heads bumped. The knot on the back of her head got bigger, and the pain radiating from it made black spots dance in front of her eyes. She rolled off the man in a daze, and the punch directed towards her face landed on his fallen comrade.
The wind was knocked out of her as a kick made its mark on her stomach. A second kick brought on such a blinding pain that Ana could feel the blackness ready to swallow her up. She lay on the ground, fighting to stay conscious as she felt them drag her across the ground. After what seemed like miles, they stopped and tied a rope tightly around both her wrists. Then she felt her body slowly being lifted up, and they hung her dangling from a pole.
When she woke again she noticed Michael walking past her. She saw the freaked look in his eyes. She knew she looked like shit. But she tried to give him a look that said that while she may be down for the count, she was definitely not out of the game. She would get the hell out of this joint and make the Others pay. She could only hope Mike saw the determination flashing in her eyes before the fog swallowed him up.
She tried to stay awake, waiting for the Others to come back. Her eyes eventually closed and she slept. She slept fitfully. With her arms getting stretched out of their sockets, restful slept was a laughable illusion. When she woke, an old man with a ratty beard was staring at her. He sneered then viciously slapped her, splitting open her lip. Ana glared at him, then spat in his face. The man slapped her back even harder.
"Take her down," he said.
Moments later she was down, a blindfold was tied over her eyes and she was flung over someone's shoulder, fireman style. The walk seemed to go on forever, as each step sent jolts of bone-jarring pain through Ana's battered body. She heard the click of an automatic door and then the body continued forward.
Ana was flung down onto what felt like a leather padded bed. It reminded her of something used in a doctor's office, sans the annoying paper. She was strapped down to the table. Her blindfold was removed and the ratty bearded man was malevolently staring at her.
"You killed a good man. One that was trying to help you…"
"Fuck you and fuck your help. Snatching people in the middle of the night, that's some help..." Ana's angry voice was silenced as she received a slap to her face.
"Silence, killer. You will face judgment for the crimes you committed. You will pay and in the end will beg for death.
Ana weakly coughed. "I doubt it."
"You confidence is amusing. But soon you will suffer. You will know who the true power on the island is."
He and the other men left. The door closed and the light faded. The next thing Ana saw was a dark plume of smoke snaking around the room. She watched it shift and flow effortlessly without losing substance. The smoke curled over her, before hovering over her face.
Then, with a violent force it dove into her nose choking her and forcing her mouth to open. As soon as it did, the smoke invaded her body there, suffocating her until it disappeared. Ana's body shook, then stopped moving as she lay still. Seconds later, her body trembled then shook with a violent series convulsions. If the straps hadn't been holding her down she would have flopped off the table. She chocked and screamed as the pain wracked her body. A large probe above her began emitting electrical pulses. The pain was so intense, her body tensed up and her face scrunched up in a silent scream. The machine pulled away. Ana felt a sharp prick in her neck and her world went black.
Ana was in a foggy area. She could barely see in ten feet in front of her. It wouldn't have matter because before her stood Sawyer, hand over a bleeding wound in his chest. Ana held a knife in her hand that she dropped a second later.
"Why did you kill me?" He fell to his knees and then tumbled face first to the ground.
By the time Sawyer became aware again, Ana was in a lab lying on a table like a slab of meat. Her eyes were glazed over, her face slack. Every so often she would blink. There were two men in the lab, Zeke and his flunky. Zeke was laughing and asking a question. Sawyer heard the man wearing a lab coat talking.
"This worked better than we expected. We were able to use our thoughts and her guilt to convince her of a different reality. She is reliving the past and the fake death of that man Sawyer. She has been like this for two days. You were right. That's what broke her. She seems to have some anchor to him and when we faked his death she finally snapped."
Sawyer flinched at the thought. Dead? They convinced her that she killed him. They used him to break her? He got so angry at the thought of it that he stormed over to Zeke and swung only to go fly straight through him.
Dammit, thought Sawyer. He wondered why the hell he was there until her heard the boy's voice.
Listen. Understand. Learn. You must tell the others.
Sawyer took a deep breath and glared at Zeke. He looked at Ana's poor body and focused on listening to the rest of the conversation.
"Good. I thought that would help. This will stick. Will we be able to do this to others?" Zeke asked.
"Yes. And when we get the children ready, we will be able to do this without the use of the other method. The old way is too complicated, what with the gas, having to stop their heart bring them back with the injection. It works, but with the kids we'll finally be able to understand how to use the mind without any outside assistance."
"I see. When will she be in a highly suggestive state?"
"In two days, maybe sooner."
"Good. Toss her with the man, Michael. We'll test the kid on her."
"Yes sir…"
Sawyer watched them leave. He walked over to Ana taking note of all the bruises over her exposed body. He trembled with anger. The room faded out and when his world brightened again he saw Ana propped up against the wall. Mike was trying to coax her out of her catatonic state. Mike seemed to be begging Ana to come back to life, to no avail. Sawyer stared horrified. The story Mike told him had been true. Seeing it with his own two eyes scared him and humbled him in a way that he couldn't imagine. What could he possibly do to save her? She seemed liked a shell of her former self. He could tell she was dying.
You are her past. You are her future. She needs to know now the truth so that you can save her later. You must show her the truth. You must bring her back. She trusts your word. You drive away the cold. You are her past. You are her future. You must save her or we are not saved.
"I can't…I don't know what to do?"
Yes, you do. Believe in yourself. You too, seek redemption. Forgive yourself. Then you can help her find her own forgiveness.
He started to shake his head. "I don't know what you mean."
Then we are dead. We are lost. If you aren't her past, she has no future. You must save her or she will not be saved…she will die and so will you all.
Sawyer stared Ana, thinking back to what happened, why he was there and realizing that he couldn't remember, but he knew something had happened that brought him here but now he couldn't remember it.
"What the hell? Why can't I remember?"
It's happening. You are her past. You are her future. You must act. The longer you delay the faster the future will change. Save her, Sawyer! You promised never to forget her. You promised to look out for her. She needs you now. We need her to escape. You must hurry. I can only fool them for so long. You must act or she will die. You are her future. You are her past. You said she's the one you want. You'll never have her if you don't act NOW!
Sawyer took a deep breath. He let go of his doubts. He felt his mind slipping and he knew if he didn't act this time he'd regret it more than wasting his whole like looking for Sawyer, more than betraying a woman that a part of him knew he only loved for her money. Fortifying himself with the knowledge that he doesn't give up easily, he walked to Ana. He bent in front of her.
"Xena. Snap out of it."
Ana didn't react, eyes still glazed over.
"Xena girl, c'mon. You ain't that weak. And you know I ain't dead. You didn't kill me. You can't believe that cockamamie crap. As if I would come at you without letting you know I was coming. Besides I ain't that easy a kill."
He reached for her and was surprised that he could touch her. That's when he got his first visible reaction from her. She seemed to tense at his touch.
"I know you're still in there. Them boys couldn't have crushed you completely. I don't know how they did this to you, but you ain't no killer and I sure as hell ain't dead. So you need to wake the hell up, get off your ass and help Mike get those kids the hell out of Dodge. I promise ya, if you do I'll be there. I'll be there to cover your back."
Ana started shaking. Then she began whispering,
"I'm a killer, I killed you, you're dead. I killed you…like I killed Danny's baby, our baby, Jason, Goodwin, Shannon." She lifted her hands, her eyes getting rounder as if she was staring at something horrifying. Then she began wiping her hands furiously on her pants.
"I can't get the blood off. I can't get his blood off my hands."
Sawyer gripped her shoulders. He shook her. "Stop it," he growled. "Stop it. I'm not dead and you're no killer. These are lies. They are trying to fool you. This shit ain't real. But I am. Mike and those kids are. C'mon, girl. You know the truth…"
"You're lying. It's true. Everything is true. I kill everything I touch. You don't know. You can't know. You're not him, I killed him…"
He shook her harshly, causing her to stop talking.
"Then show me what they said. Help me understand what they did to you. What happened!"
She shook a moment. Her body relaxed and she slowly looked up. When her dark eyes connected with his he felt pulled into their depths. Like sliding into a vortex, he was there and saw everything. He saw all of her Ana's demons. He saw her get shot, lose the baby, agonize through counseling, Danny leaving her, her problems at work, going to Sydney, crashing on the island, Goodwin's death, shooting Shannon, and then killing him
But, Sawyer saw the truth. He saw that there was no knife in Ana's hands, that his whole death was one big illusion. They used images of people from her past. They stood in and made the old images, seemingly come back to life to taunt her.
Anger and hatred coursed through Sawyer. He couldn't believe someone could be so damn heartless. But he also knew he had to get her to see the truth. She needed his strength and he would give it. He suddenly knew his purpose and he wasn't going to fail. He walked over to the fake Sawyer and said,
"Let her go."
A weird wave rippled over them the man looked confused. Moments later, everyone else disappeared and it was just Sawyer and Ana.
"I'm not dead. That was a lie. I don't know about the past Ana, but I know you did what you thought you had to do. You made mistakes. You got some demons. But, you don't deserve death for it. You didn't mean for your child to die and that bastard that claimed to love you, you can live without."
He stepped closer to her collapsed body. "Who the hell are they to judge you? You were angry. That bastard Jason killed your child. You wanted to help him and he used it against you. Maybe you shouldn't have shot him, but you did and it's done."
"I done told you what happened to Shannon was an accident. You thought we were in danger and you acted. You did what any leader would do. You protected your own. Anything less would have been just down right stupid. And Goodwin got what was coming to him. That bastard ain't worth shit. He played with fire and lost."
He reached for her again, lifting her face so that she could look into his eyes.
"I don't know what its like to lose a kid, but I tell you Ana you ain't no bad person. Everyone takes a fall. The problem is do we let the fall break us or do we get up and keep living. It's easy to stay down. It takes courage to stand up, take responsibility for what you did. I know you can. I know you will because you don't lie to yourself. Out of all the people on this fuckin' rock I know, you lie to yourself the least. The fact that you care proves that you aren't no killer. If you were I would have never given you that gun. I would never have promised to look out for you if I thought you were weak. Are you gonna let these clowns break ya? Are you gonna die here?"
The fog parted showing the ocean, showing him sitting on the sand, "Or are you going to come back? If you do, I'll be there. Believe that if you don't believe anything else."
His intense blue eyes stared into her deep brown ones. "I know you can do it. You need to believe it. You already did it. Just believe it."
/He is waiting for you. He believes in you. You must believe in him. He is not dead. Can't you hear him? He is talking to you. He said he wouldn't forget. He said he would have your back. Look Ana he is waiting for you. But he loses faith as you lose it in yourself. You must act. You must believe. Hear him. He speaks to you/
She heard the words but didn't know what it meant. Sawyer was dead. She stabbed him. She watched him die.
"I'm not dead. Ana, look at me."
She heard his voice, but couldn't believe it. She just saw him die. She killed him didn't she?
"Xena, girl c'mon. You ain't that weak. And you know I ain't dead. You didn't kill me. You can't believe that cockamamie crap. As if I would come at you without letting you know I was coming. Besides I ain't that easy a kill."
It sounded like Sawyer but could it really be him? She didn't dare hope. No, she is just imagining things. She is just going crazy after killing yet another person she cared about. No, the voice is lying.
/Believe Ana. He waits for you. You can't hide here or we'll all die. You must listen. You must believe. You are not bad. You are good. You will save us. You will make it to him. But you need to believe/
Ana wanted to believe, but what about the blood on her hands? She caused so much pain, she was guilty of hurting so many. She began to fall back into her despair, as Sawyer's ghost started choking her. Death would end her pain.
"Let her go!"
In an instant, everything changed. The choking stopped and before her was Sawyer looking at her with determined caring eyes.
"I'm not dead. That was a lie. I don't know about the past Ana but I know this, you did what you thought you had to do. You made mistakes. You got some demons. But you don't deserve death for it. You didn't mean for your child to die and that bastard that claimed to love you, you can live without."
She listened to him, talking to her without judgment, but with understanding. When he lifted her face, she found that he wasn't disgusted by her. He believed in her. That he didn't see her as evil. He believed in her and her strength. He told her that she needed to face her pain; he knew she could handle the past. That she doesn't shy away from a fight. He knew she could face all demons and not let it cripple her but make her stronger. Then he showed her the beach.
/He is waiting for you. You will save us Ana because you are a good person. You are not dead, you are not bad. Forgive yourself. Fight them. Don't let them win. We are not abandoned. He made a promise. He will be there. He is your future and he is your past.
He is waiting for you/
Ana shuddered, then taking a gasping breath she focused Mike was before her. And she realize that there was a chance to try and make things right from now on. But her memory of what happened started to fog. She squeezed her eyes closed but by the time she opened them again, they memory was gone. When she opened them again, she felt determined to get the hell out of dodge.
Sawyer began to remember. He remembered the shooting at the beach, swimming for Ana, carrying Ana, giving her treatment, sitting with her, talking about medicine and her going into a catatonic state. He smiled at her then.
"I knew you could do it Xena."
But she was gone and the most blinding light replaced the image before him. His head began to feel like it would explode. He squeezed his eyes shut, groaned in pain and just as suddenly as it started it ended.
When he opened his eyes he was back in the hatch, Ana still in his arms. Walt stared at him, before a smile formed on his face.
"You saved her."
Sawyer just looked at him a moment before directing his attention to Ana. She seemed the same. Sawyer was doubting that he did anything when Ana jerked forward with a loud retching couch. A dark plume of smoke came out of her lungs. When it was all expelled from her, she collapsed back against Sawyer breathing heavily.
The smoke stopped before Walt. It formed into a face looking at the boy.
It isn't over.
Walt stared at it before taking a deep breath and blowing it away. The smoke flew, passing out of a window above the bunks.
But you won't win any time soon. Thought Walt. Then he turned along with the other children and left the room. Jack rushed over to Sawyer and Ana. Checking her pulse he glanced at an anxious Sawyer and nodded.
Sawyer held her close whisper in her ear. "I knew you could do Xena."
Two Days Later …
Ana woke with a start. Sitting next to her was Jack, putting away his stethoscope. She watched him a moment before speaking.
"So, am I dying?"
Jack shook his head. "You're not dying, Ana. It's good to have you back. You just need some good old fashion rest."
She smiled. "Good. Sorry, I scared you. I must have been out for a long time."
"Naw, just a couple of days."
"Is that why I'm so hungry?"
Jack nodded, "Probably."
Ana begins to sit up and Jack reaches over helping her. But when she swings her legs off the bed he tries to stop her.
"Ana, you really shouldn't be getting out of the bed."
Ana rolled her eyes, "Jack, I need to go to the bathroom and I'm starving. Really it's fine."
She tried to stand, but fell back onto the bed. Her legs were very weak. She sighed with annoyance. Jack smiled tenderly at her before reaching down picking her up.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm carrying you to the bathroom? Unless you want to go back to what you were doing before?"
She raised her right hand a little, "That's okay. I think you just want a peek."
He blushed slightly before saying, "I am the island doctor. What makes you think I haven't already taken one?"
She laughed. "Pervert."
He carried her to the bathroom and help her use the toilet. When she finished he helped her get cleaned up. After wards he carried her to the kitchen and gave her some food. He filled her in on what had happened from the time she had disappeared. By the time he finished, she was exhausted again. But, she didn't want to sleep anymore. So she asked about the kids.
"They're fine. It's the reason everyone is outside. The kids told us that the others weren't around so everyone took advantage of that news."
"What? Are the kids your psychic hotline to the others?"
Jack shrugged, "I guess. But it's nice to have some warning. I'm sure eventually that won't help but for now, why not."
"Yeah, why not?"
They are silent for a moment. Then Ana says, "Jack, about the gun. You know before…"
He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're back safe."
"No, Jack. I shouldn't have done that."
"Will you just forget, please," he said with a smile.
She smiled back. "Okay. So we're cool?"
"Yeah we're cool," he said clasping her hand.
He took her back to the bed and she immediately fell asleep. Later that night she woke up. She thought she saw Sawyer, but when her eyes finally focused he wasn't there.
Days passed and she got stronger. She ate lunch with Jack. Mike visited a few times and Eko came to see her often. He even carved her a walking stick. But she hadn't seen a hide nor hair of Sawyer. She began to wonder why he was avoiding her and then thought it had to do with what they shared.
Though she doesn't discuss it, she did remember what happened and what she shared with Sawyer. She could only conclude that after seeing her past he didn't want to have anything to do with her. But that didn't make any sense. After giving her that little speech, it didn't seem that she disgusted him. So what was it?
After a week and a half had passed, she determined that she had to approach him because he was making every effort to avoid her. She pulled on the clothes that Rose life her, a loose button down shirt so she wouldn't have to lift her arm and some short pants. She wasn't keen on showing of him the patchwork of bruises on her legs but they were faded enough not to look too disgusting. Grabbing the walking stick Eko gave her, she slowly made her way out of the hatch.
By the time she found Sawyer, she was swearing like a sailor. She felt like she had walked a marathon especially when trekking in the sand and she was winded. That sorry cowboy is gonna pay for this. Scaredy cat bastard. Why could he just tell me that he hates me and to fuck off. I can't believe I had to chase this asshole down… and various other nasty thoughts.
Sawyer was tossing rocks into the ocean. He had a rifle slung over his shoulder and seemed to be thinking hard about something. Must be hurting his brain. She smirked and continued her laborious trudge. When she was close enough to get his attention he spoke first.
"Shouldn't you be in the bed some place?"
"I got tired of staring at the ceiling."
He snorted but didn't turn to her. Ana waited for a moment before frustrated she snapped.
"What the hell is your problem?"
He turns to her face expressionless, "What makes you think I have one?"
She shakes her head, "Maybe the fact that you have been avoiding me like the bubonic plague?"
"What makes you think I've been avoiding you?"
"Will you cut the shit! What's up with you?"
"There's nothing up with me, Ana."
"Something is on alright. I wasn't referred to by one of your little nicknames. Listen, James. Why are you avoiding me and don't play. Every since that weird walk in hell I haven't seen you once. Found out who I really was and had a chance to think about it. Can't stand me now you know the truth about me?"
He sneered before turning away, "Yeah, you would think that."
"Well, what the hell am I suppose to think?"
When he didn't speak, she slammed down her walking stick before turning away.
"Screw this. I don't need this crap. I just wanted say thanks for bringing me back. Best of luck, Sawyer." She began her slow hobble back to the hatch.
"You scare me."
He said it so quietly that she wasn't sure he spoke. She turned back to him. "What?"
When he faced her again she saw a fury in him that wasn't present before.
"You were just gonna die. Just give up on living. That's scary. Let's just forget the fact that it was stupid to go running off in the woods by yourself in the first place. But then you let them break you. Convince you that you that you deserve to die for getting revenge against that bastard. For a couple of accidents, that you wished didn't happen but did happen. You scared me because I almost didn't reach you. You scare me because I like you and I'm afraid that you may not be string enough to fight those demons of yours and you may fall in the dumps and just killed yourself."
He had walked close to her breathing heavily as he spoke. Ana stared at him amazed but her own anger was brewing. How dare he think that how dare he… then she realize that at some points recently even before the kidnapping that she would look at the ocean thinking that if she just walked into it she may finally find peace. That fact didn't cool her jets.
"You asshole! I was bombard by the worst images in my life and I can't help it that even I have a breaking point. But I came back. I fought back. I thought you helped me because you believed in me. You knew I could do it and you found me and I fought back. I didn't quit."
"But you would have! Why should I think you won't again?" he shouted.
Ana heard his fear in his voice. The emotions she was witnessing belong to James the man, not Sawyer the island asshole. He was afraid for her and of her because she had a power over him. Ana didn't know how she knew that but she did. His fear is in losing her and she knew James never wanted that to happen.
She swallowed before slowly reaching for his face. Cupping his cheek she said, "Because my demons don't haunt me anymore. I don't want to die. I want live like I never wanted to live before. Believe me, I want to live or I would have never come back."
Sawyer stared into her slightly swollen eyes before pulling her to him kissing her fiercely. Ana got into it at first but her shoulder started screaming in pain and she started pushing away.
Sawyer moved back and when he saw her reach for her shoulder actually blushed and mumbled and apology.
"For what, my shoulder or for treating me like a pariah?"
He smirked, Sawyer attitude back in full swing, "Girl, please. The way you was flirting with Jack? I didn't think you'd want me crashing that party."
She shakes her head, "You are such a jerk, hillbilly. Besides, I saw Jack and Kate making out in the hatch when they thought I was sleep."
Sawyer's face fell, "What!"
"Sorry to disappoint," she said with a smile, though slightly aggravated by his reaction.
Sawyer smiled at her fake smile, "Well I guess she's made her choice."
"Yep."
He raised his hand moving hair from her face, "And so have I." He whispered.
Ana reached up and kissed him softly before gingerly reaching for her stick. Then she began her long hobble back.
"What are you doing?"
She rolled her eyes, "Making waffles. What's it look like I'm doing? Heading back."
A second later he had picked her up.
"What…"
"Shut it, Xena. Place nice or …"
She raised her eyebrows. "Or what? You owe me anyway, making me chased your stupid ass all the way out here."
"Complain, complain, complain. Girl, there ain't nothing a man could do to satisfy you."
Ana thought a second and then said, "I could use my hair washed."
Meanwhile…
"How did it happen?"
"The boy tricked us. He played along until we released the woman and then used his real power to have that man help her escape her mind."
"How did we not know?"
"They are stronger than we know. We have to get them back. But I don't know how. They always know when we are around."
Zeke glared at the man before saying, "Let me worry about that. In the meantime, keep getting prepared. It's time they truly understand the true power on this island.
LOST