The Con and the Artist

Lost: On a Raft

I've lost count of the days, but we've been here a while. 

The raft is supposed to take off today. Sawyer is leaving with them, claiming he wants to get us rescued. I've tried to be supportive, to be encouraging of his decision to leave...to leave me. But today I don't think I have the strength for it. 

I chat with Claire as I hold Aaron in my arms. I've become friendly with most of the people on this island and I've become somewhat fond of Claire and little Aaron. I've done some babysitting for them, when Charlie lets me that is. I watch and see Sawyer arguing with Micheal about something and go walking into the jungle. 

"Here, I have to go talk to Sawyer" I tell Claire, handing Aaron back to her. 

"Oh, Alright, good luck!" She calls as I jog across the beach and into the jungle after Sawyer. I walk into a clearing and see him shirtless, working on a large piece of bamboo. 

"Hey" I call to him. He stops and turns towards me smile. 

"Hey dimples, here for some afternoon delight?" He teases setting his axe down. 

"Do you have to go?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest for comfort. He looks at me oddly. 

"What?"

"Do you have to leave on the raft?" I ask again. 

"I told them I'd go with them Emelia, I can't go back on my word." 

"Yes you can. You can stay here, with me." I beg, tears starting to well up in my eyes. 

"Don't go, you could die out there and who knows how long it would take for you to find rescue" I try to reason as he walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. 

"You'll see me again. I'm a survivor" He whispers. 

"Don't. Please" 

"Why? Why do you want me to stay so badly?" He asks. 

"Because I love you" I admit. He holds me out from him and looks into my eyes as I say it again. 

"I love you James" 

With that he pulls me into a desperate kiss. His arms wrap around me and my arms wrap around his neck. We pull each other as close as we can get one another to be. When we break apart, he looks at me and gives me a slow smile. 

"I love you too Emelia" He admits, nothing but sincerity in his voice and in his eyes. 

"Then stay" I beg him. He cups my face in his hands, his thumbs slowly brushing away my tears. 

"I need to get you rescued Emelia, all of us. And this is my chance. I'm sorry, but I have to go" I sigh and step back. Grabbing the photo out of my back pocket. 

"I know this is stupid, but I can't have you forgetting me" I smile and slowly hand him the photo I found. He opens up the folded photograph and smiles. 

"Who could ever forget you dimples" He smiles and puts it in his pocket.

***

I keep my eyes on the raft, looking out to the horizon when I can no longer see them. 

"Come back to me James" I whisper out to the ocean. 

***

After maybe a day at sea, the Others showed up that night. Shot Sawyer, took Walt and destroyed the raft, with a bomb. 

Sawyer and Micheal sat next to one another on the raft, Micheal shouting aimlessly for Walt and Sawyer, looking at his picture of Emelia. He felt terrible looking at her, seeing her dimply smile looking at him made him feel guilty. He let her down and now he didn't know if he would see her again. 

Him and Micheal argued continuously, Micheal started crying and early the next morning, the island was in view. 

Sawyer was glad, even if he was a failure, at least he could come back to her. When they washed up, it took them a minute to orient themselves, realizing they weren't on the same beach as the community camp was. Then, Jin came running out of the jungle screaming 'Others'. Sawyer was a bit too weak to fight them, but he was knocked out pretty hard. 

When he woke up, he was in a cage, he check and made sure the picture was still in his back pocket, along with his gun in the band of his pants. 

After a while, a latina girl is dropped into the pit, claiming to be on of them. So, Sawyer told her his plan to get them out, when she turned on them, taking his gun and getting herself pulled out of the bit. Sawyer grumbled some cuss words and sat himself in the corner of the cage, looking at his picture. 

***

Jack told me about the hatch the other day and asked if I wanted to help with food sorting. I followed him inside as he showed me around. 

"Why did you tell me about this?" I ask looking at the kitchen area. 

"I thought you could use the distraction" He tells me. 

"Thanks I guess. Would you mind if I took a shower first? I can't remember the last I took one" 

"Oh sure, of course it's right over there" Jack says pointing around the corner. I thank him and walk over towards it, I see Hurley in what appears to be the pantry. 

"Hey Hurley, oh hi Rose" I greet them with a smile. Rose gives me a warm smile back. 

"Hello honey, what can I do for you today?" She smiles. 

"Do you have any shampoo by chance?" I ask. She nods and hands me a bottle. 

"Thank you Rose" I smile and walk into the bathroom. I shut the door and begin to strip off Sawyer's flannel and my clothes. I turned on the water and sighed in happiness as it came out moderately warm. 

I stepped in and let the warm water wash over my aching muscles. I wash my hair and braid it as best I can before I turn the water off and grab a towel. I'm about to change, when Jack comes bursting in through the wall. 

"Oh...um hello" I mumble wrapping my arms tightly around my body. 

"Oh, Emelia....I just hear this noise and..I'm sorry I didn't mean to burst in on you" He mumbles, his cheeks turning red. 

"It's fine...I was just finishing up" I blush looking down at my bare feet. 

"Right, I'll just let you finish then" He says walking towards the door. I laugh as he exits and quickly dry myself off, pulling my clothes back on. I walk back out into the living area and continue looking around, and later I help carry out the food for the supposed party we're throwing. 

----

Why couldn't I stop crying?

Kate and Claire took me aside yesterday and told me Claire found the bottle wash up shore a few days ago. Said they thought I had a right to know. 

I thanked them for telling me and went into Sawyer's tent and cried. I cried thinking he was dead, that I would never see him again. 

I stayed in Sawyer's tent for hours, until Jack came for me. 

"Hey, you alright?" He asks peeking in through the tent. 

"Yeah, fine. I'm just not use to being alone" I mumble. 

"Then stop being alone for a bit and come play golf with me a Kate" He offers. I laugh, but agree and follow him and later on Kate to the golf course Hurley built. 

"I'm not quite sure how to play" I admit as I'm handed one of the clubs. 

"Here, it's pretty easy." Jack says walking over to me. He adjusts my stance and shadows me from behind, taking me through the motions of a swing.

"I'll go first!" Kate says grabbing a ball and taking a swing, almost making a hole in one. I smile and go next, my ball landing a few yards away from Kate's. 

"Are you sure you've never played before?" Jack teases. I give a smile and shrug as he goes next, his ball landing in the tree line. I laugh as Kate gives an awkward smile, We follow him to go retrieve it. Right as he is about to take his swing, a man appears out of the jungle...carrying

"Sawyer"