Title: Reload

Author: Crimson Coin

Rating: T. This is a tough one. T for teen possibly bordering on R for violence.

Copyright: This fan fiction is by no means intended to infringe on any copyright. I do not own the characters nor the series lost. My ideas are my own.

Genre: Drama/Romance

Pairing: The romantic pairing is Juliet/Sawyer – as per canon.

Summary: After a life of crime, Sawyer must prove himself worthy of an afterlife with Juliet. A continuation from the series finale.

Pain

He couldn't identify where it was coming from, possibly everywhere. He didn't want to open his eyes. The rhythmic beeping of medical machines lulled him.

"Wakie wakie Ford, I see your eyes fluttering."

James moaned, his head moving slowly from one side to the other. He didn't recognize the voice but … it was so familiar.

"I know how to get him up."

That voice was Miles. He'd know that annoying voice anywhere.

"How?"

"Hey … Hey Fox check that out."

"Where?"

Miles grinned. "Never noticed before. But Juliet's pretty damn hot. Look at her out in the hall there … bending over that bed there. An ass you could just cup in your hands. She can bend over my desk any day."

James fought the darkness and moaned then licked his lips. The voice that came from him was unrecognizable. "I'll rip yer head off."

Fox laughed. "There he is! Knew you were too stubborn to die, Ford."

James forced his eyes opened and stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't move. Tight bandages wrapped his legs and chest, both of his ankles elevated just slightly. He tilted his head to the side then another, taking in the machines. Pads pressed to his chest, IV's in his arms and he groaned.

"How you feel?"

James focused on the source of the voice. Trimm. He scowled. "How you think I feel, T?"

Fox chuckled. "Like a damn Mac truck hit you, I'll bet."

"Yeah, somethin' like that." He squirmed a bit. "Juliet. Where … where's Juliet?"

Trimm reached out, pressing a hand on James' chest to ease him down again. "She's here. Delivering a Baby."

"What?"

Fox laughed. "Yeah can ya believe it? You've been out for four days."

Trimm nodded, expression serious. "She hasn't left your side, you know." And with a nudge of the head, he motioned for James to look to the side.

James tilted his head and looked to the bed beside him. It was empty though freshly made and Juliet's incidentals set on the nearby table. "Juliet …"

Miles smirked and hopped onto that bed, feet dangling. "She's been sleeping here. Guess when you're a top doc in the joint, ya get some perks."

Seriously, James looked up at Trimm, his eyes dazed from sleep. "Edmund … what happened?"

Miles grinned brightly. "I do believe I made the arrest of the century. He's currently in custody."

James sighed in relief. "What about the two men … downstairs?"

"Dead," Trimm answered simply. "You did good work on them."

James nodded again then shifted his weight, struggling against the restraints on his legs. He reached up to his chest. "I … gotta see her." And he tugged on the probes for the heart monitor. The machine flat lined.

Juliet walked down the hallway back to James room. She'd changed out of the bloody smock and gloves from the delivery but still wore the scrubs. She reached up to pull the tie from her hair, ran her fingers through the strands and then retied her hair into a tight ponytail.

James' room was just ahead. It had been four days since Edmund took her, since she watched James die. He survived for so long until they had him in the emergency room and during surgery, she heard the haunting flat line of his heart monitor, the familiar frantic actions in the room. Her legs had given out and she nearly collapsed, falling into one of the chairs.

She mourned instantly as other doctors pulled at her, trying to get her into another room. She knew she needed medical attention, to make sure nothing was broken or worse. But she couldn't tear herself away.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, racing to the door of the operating room to peer in through the small window. She swallowed the lump in her throat as the doctor rubbed two paddles together, looked at the nurse and everyone pulled back. James' body jerked and arched with the power of the jolts.

Flatline.

The nurse fiddled with the machine as the doctor demanded a higher voltage.

Clear

James arched.

The heart monitor beeped, rhythmic and steady.

Juliet smiled softly at the memory, flooded again with relief that he was alive. His condition was critical, but stable. He survived. And she could nearly sob again with joy. Her smile fell as she heard the flat lined heart monitor again. "No …" she whispered and raced down the hall, tears springing to her eyes the closer she came to James' room and the realization where the incessant sound originated.

James struggled against Trimm as he tried to pull out the IV.

Juliet stood at the door, tears in her eyes in shock before doctors and nurses pushed passed her. The one nurse frowned. "Sir, what are you doing? Sir, you can't do that!"

"I gotta … Juliet …" James frowned and struggled but too weak, he let Trimm push him down again.

Juliet stepped forward. "James?"

He smiled at her, complacent. "Hey Blondie."

She tensed as she walked to the bed, watching as the nurse reinserted his IV. "You stupid ass, I'm walking down the hall way and hear you flat lining and all because … I could ring your neck, you know that! Doing this to me!"

His eyes softened as he looked at her and his heart monitor came back, steady and persistent. "I had yer back … I promised you."

She took his hand and squeezed. "You did," eyes slightly teary. "James you … I watched you die."

"Ya ain't that lucky. I'm still here."

She choked on a laugh and ducked her head into his hand, nuzzling the fingers. "I have a feeling you're going to be a horrible patient."

"Ya got that right."

She kissed his hand then looked at him, reaching up to slide her fingers through his hair. The nurse watched him with narrow eyes and shook her head. "I'll be right back, Dr. Burke." The nurse stepped passed the detectives and out of the room.

Miles stood by the door with Trimm and Fox. "Now Ford, remember. No strenuous activity. But I'd be happy to take your place, you know should the lady need a warm bed." Then winked at Juliet.

Juliet laughed at him and shook her head. "Goodbye, Miles."

Fox laughed too and patted Miles back. "Good try there, Straume."

Miles shook his head. "Worth a shot. Figure with him layin' there lookin' like shit, it was the best chance I had."

Trimm chuckled. "No chance in hell, Straume. No chance in hell." He guided the other detectives out of the room, leaving James and Juliet alone.

James closed his eyes a moment. "I'm still gonna rip his face off … He was talkin' about cuppin' yer ass in his hands and bendin' ya over a desk."

"Well you don't have to worry about him. There's only one cop cupping my ass or bending me anywhere anytime soon."

He grinned at that. "I knew it … you and Trimm."

She frowned and nodded. "Oh yes. The man I never met before today. That's it I just saw him and couldn't resist. It was like fate. We were in my office, right there on the desk."

He scowled at that and eyed her, narrowed and intense.

Juliet smirked slowly and leaned forward to kiss his hand again. "I tease you, James."

The nurse walked back into the room with a long syringe. She tapped the needle then stood at the bedside, eyes firm as she added the medication to his IV. James frowned. "Alright, Nurse Ratched, what the hell is that?

Juliet chuckled and rolled her eyes. "It's likely a pain reliever, possibly a sedative. Don't worry, it's perfectly ok. And her name is Betty and she's a very lovely nurse. Thank you, Betty."

The nurse smiled at Juliet. "You're welcome, Dr. Burke." She eyed James a moment. "Now if you move again, we'll have to restrain you so you don't hurt yourself. And I'll be happy to do it after the stunt you just pulled."

James scowled as the woman left the room then turned to Juliet. "Nurse Betty? No … Nurse Ratched. Cuz that battle axe is no Renee Zelwegger."

Juliet laughed at him and shook her head, affectionately stroking a hand down his rough jaw. "Betty is a wonderful nurse, I'll have you know." Her hand moved to his lips and she touched the corners. "You probably have a bad taste in your mouth."

He winced. "Yeah you could say that." Then yawned.

She stood and poured some water from the bed stand into a small cup. Reaching over she lifted his head slightly, arm cradling him. "Here … just swish it around a little." She poured the little bit of water into his mouth and watched as he swirled the water then swallowed. She frowned. "You were supposed to spit it back into the cup."

"That's nasty. Don't want you seein' that." He grinned teasingly then laid back again, eyes half closed from the medication pumping through his veins. He fought the effect valiantly.

"You saved me, James." She whispered and tears stung her eyes again. "I let go but … you didn't."

"Don't you ever let go again. I'm not going through all that a second damn time."

"I won't," She whispered and smiled for him. She clenched his hand, watching as his eyes fluttered shut. His grip never released even in sleep and she resumed her position in the chair beside the bed.

He smirked. "Not asleep yet, Blondie."

"Stop fighting it. You need to rest. Because they're going to have you up on your feet in no time and you're going to wish they let you sleep."

He muttered a few unintelligible words before his head lulled to the side and he succumbed to the sleep.

Her smile remained as she watched him sleep. He risked everything for her without hesitation. Even when she let go, resigned to her own death, he held tight and refused to release her. She didn't think it possible to love the man more but as she sat on the rolling stool in the hospital room, she knew her heart could burst with the burning affection she harbored for this unconventional, maddening and absolutely wonderful man.

Maybe when he awoke, she could tell him that. But knowing James, he'd do something so exasperating, she'd forget. Juliet smiled, ducking her head to slowly kiss his fingers before disentangling her hand from his. With a relaxed sigh she stretched out on the empty hospital bed and picked up her book from the bed stand.

FIN

Author's Final Note: And that's all she wrote for this story. I would love to know what you thought of the entire fic and this ending. I know I left a lot unanswered and I do have the plans for a sequel if anyone would be interested in reading. I'm I have an island reset story, a real world reset story and this sequel that I'm working on. Let me know which you want first. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this. So by all means review me on the story or to let me know what kind of story you want to see from me next.