Pronouns

[failoh.livejournal.com]

Title:  Pronouns
Rating: PG- one bad word
Characters/ Pairing: Sayid, Juliet, Sawyer, Sayid/ Juliet
Summary: Maybe taking themselves out of it with bring the other ones back...
Notes: Season Four speculation. Spoilers and all that fun stuff.I would really appreciate constructive criticism or comments. Thanks so much!
Also posted for Challenge 65: Lost fic challenge.

 Sayid will watch them get into the plane. With him. And her. Whoever thought they would be the ones left?

The camp is quiet; the six left in plain sight; there was no disguising the fact, no hiding from the watchers. In a way, it should hurt less. It doesn’t.

 He still watches for boats. For planes and helicopters. Sometimes, she joins him and the two stare in silence. If she would, she could say something teasingly tender about his optimism, which they both know is foolishness. If she would, she could say something cruel. She decides the safest route is neither.

 They- the three- become the leaders. The con man, the torturer, and the other. There’s a joke about a bar in there somewhere. One thinks they will return. The other doubts it. The other says the one, but watches the skies and the seas when no one is looking.

 And they continue on with routine. Eat, sleep, watch. Eat, sleep, watch. Until one day, the watching stops.

 They- the six of them- are not coming back. Who would?

 And you would think that, following this realization, the apocalypse would begin shortly after. People would cry, some would die- most certainly the new leaders; Sayid, Juliet, and Sawyer.

 But the world ends slowly, pieces crumple and fall apart. People walk off and don’t come back. Locke goes first and no one is surprised. Then others leave. Sayid is worried but optimistic.

 Until the day he leaves the beach forever. Juliet is sitting by him, her head buried in her arms until he says, “Where can we go?”. She knows.

 It feels like betrayal, like cowardice. They go to the Other’s old community (Ben is gone, there is nothing to fear, no danger left in those without a leader). Sawyer finds a small house on the very outside; right by the electric fence. There is a library and a wine casket and he keeps to himself. Every now and then, Sayid will come over and the men will sit, drink, and talk. Talk about the books, talk about the wine, and sometimes make plans to leave. But eventually one will say something and the other will leave.

 Sayid dreams about a beautiful woman in a dark basement. About a young girl with blonde hair and innocence still in tact. Every once and a while, he sees one of them. Or Jack. Or Kate. He ignores it.

 He has begun to fix things around where he lives now. Fixing and baking. Cleaning, repairing. He should be ashamed. He’s too tired to care.

 She finds him one night. He is on his porch looking up into the sky.

 “It’s too late for anyone to fly out,” she says.
“I was looking at the stars,” he replies.
"Liar,” she says, not completely cruelly.
“Would you like to have a drink?” he asks.

 Of course she would. And so they go inside the home he is staying inside. And she’ll stay there, for a time. Because there is something about Sayid that impresses her, something that she respects, and something- a small part of him- that reminds her of herself. Or maybe, as she’s fond of calling herself, she’s just the island slut. Or maybe she’s just as stupidly romantic and foolish as he is.

 Whatever the reason, they build a relationship. And the last remaining survivors of Oceanic 815 form a life somehow; they make their own community inside of a larger one, and- like being on this island, like being on the beach- they all manage to convince themselves that this is not giving up; this is not failure; they do not hate this life, this way of living. They are simply waiting- waiting…

 Sayid has a secret. It’s in the top drawer of one of the cupboards in the room where he spends most of his time. It’s silent most of the time, but every time there is a slight noise- a whisper, a cough, lovers speaking to one another, sure that no one is listening…but Sayid is. And he’s waiting…hoping…praying to God, to Allah, to whatever name given to him in any part of the world…and waiting.

 And, one day, the walkie will squeak and dust will seem to come out of the speakers. People will return- from boats, from planes, from the jungle where they lost themselves again- people will return. And on the walkie, a familiar and forgotten voice will sound out and Juliet instantly will regret tormenting Sayid for his optimism…

 They have returned.

Comments

[elliotsmelliot.livejournal.com]

This was nicely done. I could see the three of them taking over the leadership roles even if it does sound like the beginning of a bad joke. You make a good point about each of them approaching "the return" with different opinions. Sayid comes across as very rational but there is a romantic side to him too, so it seems right for him scanning the stars for a sign of a helicopter or simply a sign of hope. I also liked the mysterious nature of the some of the points like Sayid's dream. Good work!

[failoh.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

And, yes, that's pretty much how I think of Sayid. He's rational, romantic- occasionally scary, but he's been my favorite character since season one. I only wish they used him more in the show!

I'm very glad you liked the story- and much love for your icon.

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

I really liked this. I like the thought of Sayid, Juliet and Sawyer as de facto leaders, and how they handle things when no one returns for them. It was a very atmospheric fic.

[failoh.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

And yeah, I like the three of them together. They would get into fights constantly- I think- but each would probably be a strong leader.

Thank you for reading!

[bachlava.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. This is, I think, the perfect canon-compliant island-future fic. And you've even made me believe Sayid and Juliet... you are incredible.

[failoh.livejournal.com]

Wow to you! I'm so speechless right now; thank you so much! Thank you again- so, so, so, sooooo much! I can't stop, wow.

And yeah, Sayid/Juliet only popped into my head after 4.2, but-thinking about it, it makes some kind of sense.

And I just realized I never finished your "Leaves" series, which is a mistake I intend on fixing soon...by like August, sigh-school.

Thank you so much for your great comment!

[bachlava.livejournal.com]

thank you so much!
Quite welcome!

And I just realized I never finished your "Leaves" series
...which has since morphed into a post-island sequel that refuses to die. Argh!

Another note: I was looking over my f-list and realized that you're not on it. May I correct that?

[failoh.livejournal.com]

Not argh! Yea! (at least to me...)

And yes, please do! As long as I'm allowed to friend you so I can now when the growing series/ sequel continues!

[bachlava.livejournal.com]

You are definitely allowed to friend back! Adding you right now; many thanks!

[halfdutch.livejournal.com]

Oh, I liked this. I can see them settling into this kind of relationship, well, not settling for each other, but taking this long to circle around each other and get close. I like Juliet teasing Sayid about his never quite giving up hope, and the fact that he doesn't give up hope. And I can see Sawyer living quietly, more or less on his own.

[failoh.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Juliet and Sayid both seem the type to take a while to make a move or get to know one another-at least too me-and yeah, I don't think Sayid would ever give up hoping for a rescue, for his friends. And Sawyer- he's the hardest for me to understand- but I think that without Jack or Kate, he might want to perfer to live by himself.

I'm glad you liked it! Thank you so much for reading/ commenting!