A Different Place and Time
Chapter One

Synopsis: What if the flash didn't take them anywhere and instead of being saved they found themselves being held prisoner by the very people who had once trusted them. With the purge looming on the horizon, how are they going to get off of the island alive? --A possible take on what could happen after the season five finale. Will include all of our survivors but will focus on Sawyer and Juliet.

"We're all walking a fine line and I'm
Walking towards you, and I
Hope that I'm right in thinking, I'll never walk alone
I'm always running from something
Now I'm running towards you
It may not be the right thing, but it's what I want to do

I'll be biding my time, and I'll be
Watching my step, 'cause I don't want to
Be starting something here that I might live to regret
'Cause I have learnt my lesson
And I have learnt it well
There are some things in this life best left for time to tell

I believe I could safely lay my life down in your hands
I believe that's what I'd do if you gave me half the chance

In a different time, in a different place
I could see myself with you
And in a different time and a different place
I believe you could see yourself there too"

Different Time, Different Place ~Julia Fordham

It took him awhile to open his eyes; the pounding blood that was coursing through his veins was so painful he thought his head was going to explode—the stone beneath his temple and the odd angle of his body only accentuated this feeling. The brightness against his eyelids told him it was daytime, but the light also could simply be remnants of the flash. Kate and Jack had been struggling to drag him away from the shaft when the intense light had suddenly, utterly consumed them.

He could describe it as the flash of all flashes, and like the flash they had experienced when Locke turned the wheel, this one too had been different. The feel of it he could only describe as intense pressure, the light literally pushed them to the ground, or was it the magnetic force pulling them? Either way, they were rooted to the spot and when it felt like the ground would give no more, the pressure was suddenly released. After that, it was just blackness. He didn't know how long he had been out for, but after waking up like this, he wished he'd been out longer.

Sawyer shifted so that he was lying on his back in order to relieve some of the pressure that was pooling in his head. He tentatively opened his lids and as the wind brushed over his face he watched the trees rustle back and forth creating a kaleidoscope of colors as the sunlight reflected off of the leaves. He wondered how such a beautiful day could still exist after all that he had just gone through.

Focusing more clearly he noticed there was something between him and those trees; rusted metal bars encompassing him. Looking from side to side he quickly realized this place was very familiar. The bear cages again? Was this some kind of sick joke? Sawyer quickly became angry that their sacrifice had simply brought him back to this place, but as quickly as his anger had risen it had dissipated. The only thing he truly cared about anymore was gone. Her bright eyes and beautiful smile, the smell of her golden hair, all he had now were his memories and because of this he didn't care where he was, he was content to simply lay and dream.

He thought about those last moments as his chest tightened and tears threatened to fall from his half open eyes. He hadn't wanted to give up, hadn't wanted to give in. Even as he felt her fingers slipping from his grasp, he wouldn't relent—he wouldn't give up on her. But in his sheer stubbornness to keep her, he refused to tell her the only thing she wanted to hear. In her dying breath she proclaimed her love for him, but he didn't want to let her go, he didn't know how to do it without her. Now, he just hoped that she knew how much he truly did love her. If there was one thing he'd ever regret from his (for the most part) sad, miserable life, it would be not telling her how much she meant to him—how much she had done for him—how she had saved him.

His thoughts left her for only a moment, as he briefly wondered what time period he was in, thought about the others and whether or not they had survived the flash as well, and wondered how long he'd be held prisoner before his fate would be decided. As he slowly began to succumb back into his half-dream state, he almost didn't hear the sudden string of expletives. Focusing on the noise Sawyer half sat up and directed his attention toward the cage across from him. Inside he spotted Kate and Jack—so he wasn't alone after all. Kate was lying on the ground, much like he had been, and was not moving. He could see the rise and fall of her chest which confirmed she was still alive, but she must not have come around yet. Jack on the other hand was trying to push himself up into a standing position to make his way over to her, but wasn't having much luck.

"Jack!" Sawyer called out as he sat up the rest of the way. A bit of nausea overtook him and he decided to take things a little bit slower.

"Sawyer, are you okay?" Jack called back while making his way over to Kate's side.

"Yeah I think so, my head is poundin' but other 'n that I'm okay, you?"

"Same here. What about Juliet, is she alive?"

"What, are you tryin' to be funny Doc?" Sawyer demanded as he brought himself to a standing position. How could he bring her up as easily as that? If he could get out of his cage he would have finished what they had started earlier and the Doc wouldn't be saved by anyone this time. But Jack just pointed.

"Sawyer, look…" He followed the direction in which Jack was pointing, and behind the fish biscuit dispenser he saw just a splash of red. Could it be? Sawyer moved as fast as his limbs would carry him and as he rounded the oversized machinery, he couldn't believe his eyes. How had he not noticed sooner? She was as still as death but upon a closer look, he could see that her chest was moving, she was breathing but barely.

Sawyer bent down and gently cupped her cheek like he was touching an expensive china doll. She was covered in blood and had gruesome bruises forming on both of her arms. Her fingers were scraped and raw where she had tried to grasp the rocks as she was pulled by the chains down the shaft and she had a trickle of blood oozing from the corner of her mouth. He ever so carefully lifted her shirt and his nausea almost overtook him—the porcelain skin of her torso was stained completely black and blue, Sawyer could actually make out impressions of the chain links that had bore into her skin. He swallowed the bile that was rising in his throat and prayed to whatever god there was that she would be okay.

"Juliet" he whispered, afraid that she wouldn't respond, afraid to lose her all over again. He slowly rubbed her cheek, careful not to touch any of her bruises and called out her name over and over again—each time with a little more urgency. After almost a full minute of trying to rouse her, Sawyer was about to give up when he felt just the slightest movement. She turned her head in his direction and opened her mouth as if to say something, but gurgling was all she could muster.

"It's okay Juliet," he reassured her frantically. "Don't try and talk, save your energy." She slowly opened her eyes, and Sawyer couldn't help but let a few tears escape, he truly thought he'd never see those shining blue eyes ever again. He bent over and carefully kissed her forehead, whispered "I love you more than you will ever know" in her ear and gave her the most genuine smile he could muster. She tried to move but he knew that wasn't a good idea.

He held her down while stroking her head, murmuring that she should stay still and that everything would be okay, but he was slowly starting to panic, he could see that she was severely injured and if she didn't get help soon, she was going to die. "Lie still sweetheart, I'll be right back." He wanted to tell Jack what was going on without making her worry any more than she already was.

Sawyer walked quickly to the front of the cage and saw that Jack had roused Kate and the two were standing waiting for him to speak. "Doc it don't look too good. She needs help and she needs it now"

Just as Jack was about to say something, the Hydra Station doors opened. They all turned towards the noise and saw Horace accompanied by two Med Techs who were carrying a stretcher.

"H, what the hell is all this about?" Sawyer yelled as he quickly made his way back to Juliet's side. The med techs approached the cage, opened the door and advanced on Sawyer and Juliet.

"Don't you touch her," he warned as he stood between them and Juliet. He was outnumbered but he didn't care, he would do whatever it took to get her to safety.

"Listen Jim," Horace began as both him and the med tech's raised their hands in the air. "We're going to do everything we can to help Juliet, but you have to remain calm and do what we ask; you want to save her right?"

Sawyer was torn, he didn't want her to suffer, but he no longer trusted the Dharma Initiative—they had him locked in a cage for christ sake. "What are you gonna do to her," he spat out as he quickly glanced back to make sure she was still breathing.

"She's badly injured Jim. She's bleeding internally and we have to perform surgery in order to stop it. The sooner we get her in there, the better her chances are."

"Then you'll bring her back to me?" Sawyer asked, trying not to sound desperate.

"We'll talk everything through soon Jim, but you have to let us take her."

"Let them take her Sawyer," Jack shouted. "She needs surgery right now."

Sawyer relented, but first bent down to kiss her goodbye. He carefully touched his lips to hers and whispered his love for her in her ear. Her eyes fluttered as she whispered "James…" on a breath of air. The med tech's gently placed her on the stretcher and as they carried her out of the cage, she mustered all of her strength and held out her bruised and bloody hand.

Sawyer gently took hold and looked her right in the eye, "I ain't lettin' go of you ever again Blondie, you better get used to that."

Juliet smiled and closed her eyes, so she didn't see Sawyer choke on a silent sob. They carried her into the Hydra and the trio watched the door slam behind them.

Sawyer collapsed in the very place where Juliet had lain, he could feel the warmth from her body in the soft bed of grass. He would have lain in that very place forever but he knew they only had so much time. He'd let them fix her, but then he was done asking for favors. He would do whatever it took to get them off the island, he promised her a good life and that was what he was going to give her.

As thoughts of Juliet bleeding and broken consumed his mind, Sawyer knew they had to take action.

He glanced over and saw that Jack and Kate were waiting for his cue. "So Doc, what's the plan?"

TBC

Authors Note: Like many of you, it's taken me awhile to come to terms with the events that took place in the finale. For four solid seasons I loved every aspect of the show, but season five gave me something different and better to love. And now we may never get it back! Like so many others, I want the spirit of James and Juliet to stay alive…and I hope that the writers realize what an impact this relationship has had on the show as a whole, and that they shouldn't throw it all away. Anyway…I've truly enjoyed reading everyone's work and have found inspiration within a lot of the work I've read over the past few weeks. I'm attempting my own version of what happens after the finale…I have to admit this first chapter was a struggle to write and I don't quite know where it's going yet or if it's even any good. Feedback is always loved, suggestions even more so…I just want to do these characters and the show justice (and to get the sinking feeling out of the pit of my stomach for crying out loud!). Long live James and Juliet!

PS: Sorry the first chapter is mostly narrative…I know I get caught up in inner monologues, but I promise that this story will have way more dialogue than some of my other pieces…just need to get the story set up before we get into the thick of things!