dimples, james "sawyer" ford

thirty

the morning sun filtered through the trees, casting a soft light over the camp as lana, sawyer, and kate woke to find karl missing. his absence was quickly explained by the sound of muffled sobs in the distance. sawyer, with a groan, pushed himself up and followed the sound, finding karl hunched over, crying quietly.

lana stood beside him, watching as sawyer crouched down beside karl. he'd seen that look before—the kind of heartbreak that rips you apart from the inside.

karl looked up, his eyes swollen with tears. "i can't leave her with them. not after what they've done."

sawyer nodded. "i get it, kid. i get it more than you know. you love her, don't you?"

karl didn't answer, but the look on his face was enough. sawyer sighed, glancing back at lana for a moment, thinking about how lost he'd felt when they'd been separated, how desperate he'd been to get her back.

"then go get her," sawyer finally said, standing up. "go back for alex."

karl hesitated for a moment before nodding, determination hardening his features. he turned to leave, and sawyer didn't stop him. but as soon as karl disappeared into the jungle, kate walked up, tension already radiating off her.

"you just let him go?" kate snapped, crossing her arms. "he's a kid, sawyer. he could get himself killed."

sawyer's jaw tightened. "he's got his mind set. same way you got your mind set on jack."

kate's eyes narrowed. "this isn't about me."

sawyer scoffed, his frustration barely contained. "sure as hell feels like it." he glanced at lana for a moment then looked back to kate. "you wanna run off after jack, go ahead. but me? i'm getting us back to camp."

lana stood off to the side, watching the two argue again. she hated this—seeing sawyer so worked up, feeling the tension between them all. but she also understood where both of them were coming from. kate was worried about jack, just like sawyer was worried about her.

eventually, they made their way back through the dense jungle, silence falling between the trio. sawyer led the way, but the peace didn't last long. as they trekked through the brush, sawyer suddenly yelped, stumbling forward.

"son of a bitch." he cursed, looking down to find a dart embedded in his foot. "damn debris from the discharge."

lana immediately crouched down, her hands steady as she began to remove the dart, her face focused. kate stood a little way back, watching but unsure how to assist. as lana tried to help him the best she could, kate shifted uncomfortably, glancing at sawyer.

"sawyer," kate began, her voice softer than before. "i think we need a clean slate. after everything, we should just—"

but sawyer cut her off, glancing up at her from where he sat. "i got nothin' to be sorry for," he said coldly, turning his gaze back to lana as she finished with his foot.

lana stood, her eyes flickering between kate and sawyer. there was tension, but she stayed quiet, not wanting to add fuel to the fire.

kate watched sawyer walk away, his usual swagger hiding the limp from his injured foot. lana, still standing beside her, turned and gave kate a small, understanding smile.

"he's complicated," kate murmured, watching him disappear into the trees.

lana nodded, her voice soft but firm. "i know. he's always been like that—tough on the outside, but it's just a defence. it's how he protects himself."

kate looked at lana for a long moment, sensing the deep understanding she had of the man. there was a bond there, something stronger than words, and kate realised lana was probably the only person who truly saw him.

they walked together behind sawyer, the jungle around them alive with the sounds of distant wildlife.

kate hesitated for a moment, as if weighing her next words. "does he know how lucky he is? to have you?"

lana looked over at kate, surprised by the sincerity in her voice, and stifled a light chuckle. "he's not all bad. he's just... scared of losing more people. when you've lost enough, you start to expect it."

kate looked down at her feet, the weight of their conversation settling in. "yeah, i know the feeling."

they walked in silence for a few more steps before kate spoke again, her voice a little softer. "you're different from what i expected."

lana raised an eyebrow, glancing at kate. "oh yeah? how's that?"

"i don't know. i guess i thought you'd be more like sawyer. tough, closed off." kate paused. "but you're... kind. you see the good in people."

lana's lips curled into a wry smile. "i guess i've just seen enough bad to know when to appreciate the good."

kate looked over at her, a glint of respect in her eyes. "that's something i need to work on."

lana stopped walking for a moment and turned to kate. "it's not easy, you know. being open, letting people in. especially out here, when everything feels so... uncertain. but, sometimes.." she glanced at the man ahead who led them through the jungle, "it's worth it. when you get past the walls, there's someone worth fighting for."

kate studied her for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "i see that now."

they walked together in companionable silence, both understanding that they were on the same side, fighting their own battles but still part of something larger—something that tied them all together.