dimples, james "sawyer" ford

thirty four

claire's face was pale, her body trembling as she spit up blood, struggling to breathe. everyone gathered around her at the sudden condition of the blonde, the island's air heavy with tension.

"i know what's happening," juliet said, her voice steady despite the murmurs around her. "there's medicine in the jungle, where ethan left it. i can get it. but i need to go now."."

lana stood over claire, her eyes filled with distrust as she watched juliet closely. the tension between them was palpable, and sawyer noticed the way lana's jaw clenched.

"why should we trust you?" charlie declared, brushing back claire's damp hair.

juliet didn't say anything, turning away without offering any other words. lana's mind raced with fear and anger. she wanted to help claire, but the idea of trusting juliet felt like a betrayal. after everything that woman had done to her and sawyer, after the trauma of being held prisoner — lana couldn't forget it.

sawyer didn't trust the woman either. he followed juliet, keeping his distance as he watched her navigate through the dense foliage. he had to know what she was really up to. when juliet finally stopped and retrieved the medicine from a hidden stash, sawyer stepped out from behind a tree, surprising her.

"didn't think i'd let you go on your little stroll alone, did you?" he said, his voice low but full of suspicion.

juliet, startled, turned to face him. "james," she said calmly, holding the medicine case in her hand. "you shouldn't be here."

"i could say the same thing about you," he shot back, taking a step closer. "you're playing a dangerous game, sweetheart. after everything you've done, you really think we can trust you?"

juliet's expression hardened. she looked him dead in the eyes, not backing down. "i'm not here to hurt anyone. claire needs this, and i'm trying to help."

sawyer crossed his arms, glaring at her. "you don't get to play the hero."

juliet's gaze flickered, then she said quietly, "does lana know, james?"

he blinked, caught off guard. "know what?"

"about what you did in australia," juliet continued, her voice dropping lower, like she was prodding at a wound. "about the man you killed in cold blood. does she know who you really are?"

sawyer's jaw tightened, his breath catching in his throat. the weight of her words hung between them like a storm cloud, dark and threatening. he had never told lana about that night in australia, about the weight of his past that still haunted him.

he stayed silent, backing off. juliet had hit a nerve.

"that's what i thought," juliet said softly, turning away from him. she pushed past him and made her way back to camp, leaving sawyer standing in the jungle, the guilt pressing down on him like the thick island air.

back at camp, juliet administered the medicine to claire, and within minutes, her breathing began to calm, the colour slowly returning to her face. lana watched from the side, arms crossed. she still hated juliet for what she'd done, but at that moment, all that mattered was that claire was getting better.

when it was clear that claire was stable, lana left the tent, her mind racing as she headed back to sawyer's. she needed to clear her head, get out of her current clothes, and figure out what the hell was going on.

when she walked into sawyer's tent and started to change, she barely noticed when the man came in behind her, his presence filling the small space.

he raised his eyebrows, watching her. "you know," he said, his voice casual but full of that familiar charm, "this reminds me of something."

lana turned, pulling on a fresh shirt, eyebrow raised. "oh yeah? what's that?"

sawyer took a step closer, a smirk playing on his lips. "that time in the cage. you pushin' me back, actin' all tough. i'm thinkin' we might need a rematch."

lana chuckled, pushing him playfully against the edge of the tent. "you're impossible."

he laughed, catching her hand and pulling her closer. "well, darlin', you're stuck with me."

they stared at each other for a long moment, the tension between them dissolving into something warmer, more intimate. the memory of their time together in the cage played in both their minds. lana stepped closer, her fingers trailing down his chest.

"do i need to make you a mix tape or somethin'?" sawyer teased, his voice dropping lower.

lana shook her head with a smile. "you think you're funny, don't you?"

"i know i'm funny," sawyer replied, his hands slipping around her waist.

their lips met in a slow, deliberate kiss, all the unspoken words, the pain, and the love between them spilling over. they fell to the cold sand, and they made love again, their bodies tangling together as the world outside disappeared.