Next chapter in my Suliet fic! Hope wewe like it :)
They had been in Dharmaville for 11 days and Sawyer could hand on moyo say he was struggling to think of a reason to convince Horace to let them stay on the island. Finding Steve had aliyopewa him a new strand of hope he wasn’t letting go of anytime soon ... they had people to find, and he wasn’t going anywhere until he had found them. And then there was Juliet ... she hadn’t alisema a single word about the sub since he had convinced her to stay, but he knew it was at the front of her mind constantly. Every now and then he would catch her with a far off look in her eye and want to know what she was thinking ... but he would never ask. He found just the mere thought of asking her embarrassing enough without actually having to ask her anything about her feelings as it was. He was watching her as she read Carrie, her legs stretched out in front of her on the sofa, engrossed in the words but he was positive she hadn’t turned the page for at least 5 minutes.
“Why are wewe watching me, James?” She alisema suddenly, not moving her eyes from the page. It caught him off guard ...
“What? I ain’t watchin’ you.”
“Yes wewe are. You’re doing the exact same thing you’ve been doing for days now only you’ve been dodging the subject because you’re too scared of my answer to bring it up ... if wewe want to know what I’m thinking all wewe have to do is ask me.” She looked up then, raising her eyebrow and turning her head slightly to the left. He paused for a moment, not taking his eyes from hers.
“Alright ... what’re wewe thinkin’?”
“There, see? Now that wasn’t all that scary, was it?” She quipped back, smirking slightly.
“Well now who’s dodging?” He remarked, causing her to shut the book and drop it on the counter before them.
“I’m not dodging anything. I’m not answering wewe because wewe already know exactly what I’m thinking.”
“Oh I do, do I?”
“Yes, wewe do. wewe know because you’ve been thinking exactly the same thing.” It was that remark which shut him up. She was right, of course ...
“Yeah well I guess neither of us should waste time worryin’ ‘bout what’ll go down when that sub floats back up to the surface in 3 days ...” He alisema eventually.
“Why’s that?”
“Because If I can’t convince Horace to let us stay it looks like I’ll be on it with you.” She merely looked at him, a hint of pity in her eyes.
“Can I ask wewe a question?” She alisema after a short while.
“Shoot.”
“Why ... why did wewe want to stay on the island?”
“Because I can’t just leave them here ... I know I ain’t exactly a saint but they’re my friends.”
“No ... no, I get why wewe won’t leave now ... but ... when Daniel and Naomi first showed up ... why did wewe with Locke?” It had been something Juliet had been particularly curious about for some time now. He was quiet for a short while before answering her.
“Because I didn’t have a single thing to go back to.” He cleared his throat before continuing, not once meeting her eyes. “I’m not a good person, Juliet. Trust me when I say they’re ain’t a soul on this earth who’d have missed me when we crashed.”
The silence which fell between them was comfortable, and for a long while each was Lost in their own thoughts.
“You don’t have to be a good person to have a good heart.” Juliet alisema rather out of the blue. “You have a good heart, James.” She smiled warmly, getting up and moving towards the front door.
“Where’re wewe off too?” He enquired.
“Olivia invited me over for coffee.”
“You know we are in the 70’s ... so wewe don’t have to act like a fully fledged 50’s housewife.” He grinned as she giggled, pulling the door open and rolling her eyes.
“I’ll see wewe later.”
-
“Olivia?” Juliet called, pushing the front door, which was already ajar, open.
“Hey! Come on in! Sorry about ... all the boxes.” The blonde before her laughed slightly, kicking a large box aside.
“Wow... wewe having a yard sale?” Juliet asked, marvelling at all the boxes. Olivia faltered for a sekunde before answering.
“No ... no, I’m not having a yard sale. I’m leaving.”
“What?”
“Getting on the inayofuata sub ...”
“You and Horace are ... going? Off the Island?”
“Not Horace ... just me.” A sad smile came about her face, and Juliet felt her moyo go out to her. “It’s fine ... we’ve both known for a long time it wasn’t working out ...” Juliet nodded, knowing exactly what that felt like. “We’re still Marafiki but ... he doesn’t make me laugh the way he used to.” Olivia shook her head slightly, and then let the warm smile appear back on her face. “You want that coffee?” Juliet’s eyes followed her into the kitchen.
“I used to be married ...”
“You did?”
“Yeah ... long time zamani now but ... all the same.”
“What happened?” They were sitting down kwa this point.
“He ...” Juliet started, unsure of how to word the rest of what she wanted to say. “... was a powerful man. I think that’s what attracted me to him in the first place. Anyway, I certainly wasn’t the only person attracted to him and he had a wandering eye.”
“Oh my god ... he cheated on you?”
“Oh yeah ... and I ignored it, the first few thousand times. Kept telling myself it was just sex but ... one siku my sister called me sobbing her moyo out ... alisema he’d made a pass at her. I left him that night.” Juliet went silent, drinking the coffee in her hand. It was then a stroke of brilliance hit her ... it was a long shot, but it was still a chance. “If I can give wewe any advice it’s not to linger in the past. I did ... for much too long. It’s good to stay Marafiki with him, if wewe can.”
“Oh I will ... I do still upendo him, god knows ... but ... we’re not the same people.”
“I get that. Olivia can I ask wewe for a favour?”
“Sure, of course.”
Juliet took a deep breath in, putting the mug down on the meza, jedwali and locking her eyes on Olivia. “James ... is a complex guy. He’s a good captain, isn’t afraid to pad about any situation really ... and though you’ll never get him to admit it, he cares a lot about our crew.” Olivia frowned, apparently unsure of where Juliet was heading. “He’s sitting at ours right now trying to think of any way that he can convince Horace to let us stay. He gets that we can’t stay here because wewe have rules ... and he’s not an idiot, contrary to how he acts most of the time. He gets that they might not be alive ... but ... he can’t, we can’t just leave without knowing. So ... I’m asking wewe ... as a personal favour to me ... would wewe please talk to Horace? Try to convince him that we can stay?”
-
It was much later that Juliet found out that her ‘favour’ had worked. She was sitting, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa. The others had since retired to kitanda and she was just reaching the end of ‘Carrie’ when the door knocked. Sawyer’s door opened with a yank as she reached for the handle.
“Who is it?” He asked, his voice raspy from the tiredness he so obviously felt. She opened the door curiously as he came up right behind her. It was Horace. Sawyer sighed outwardly.
“Hey Jim, Juliet ... I’m sorry I’m calling round late, were wewe asleep?” Juliet shook her head politely as Sawyer answered.
“I was. Now wewe wanna hurry this up before my sheets go cold?”
“Sorry. I just ... wanted to tell wewe that we’ve had a vote ... and my people all agree that it wouldn’t be a bad thing if wewe stayed. I know that wewe want to find your people, and we won’t stop wewe from doing that ... but if wewe do stay, it’s under conditions.” Juliet chanced a look over at Sawyer and had to bite back her grin. He looked truly stunned. Horace continued. “We’re short of a few people around this place, so digging in with the rest of us is the only way it’s going to work. Does that sound okay to you?”
Sawyer’s head nodded slightly. Juliet let out a laugh. “I think that’s a yes.” Her voice snapped him out of his shock, he cleared his throat.
“Yeah ... yeah, thanks Boss.”
“Alright ... well we’ll sort out all the details tomorrow ... get some rest.” He gave Juliet a knowing look, causing her to quickly break eye contact and stare towards the ground. Sawyer frowned at her. Horace turned back to them suddenly, with a smile on his face. “Oh ... I almost forgot ... Welcome to the Dharma Initiative.” They stood in silence, watching him walk away. Simultaneously they both leant against either side of the door frame. Sawyer shot a glance over at Juliet, a slight smirk on his face.
“I wonder what made him change his mind.” Juliet looked back at him, an innocent look on her face. She pouted her lip and shook her head.
“Who knows ...” She folded her arms and stared down towards her feet, trying so hard to act idle. It was then Sawyer really let himself smile. He had no idea what she had done ... but whatever it was, he was eternally grateful. He was about to thank her when he noticed her clothes ... au rather, her pyjama’s. She was wearing a Geronimo Jackson tee shati with some checked boxers. He frowned, turning his body in towards her.
“What the hell are wewe wearing?” This time she really did look surprised, but smiled, tugging at the baggy tee.
“Oh ... they’re Daniel’s.”
“Dan’s?” He was dumbstruck for a second. “Damn ... first Red, now you. What is it about the geeks?” Juliet laughed.
“It isn’t like that ... I didn’t have anything to wear to sleep in so he offered me these, they were in the box of stuff Horace gave us but he didn’t need them so ...”
“What, that box didn’t have any jimmy’s for you?” He raised an eyebrow, causing her to look at him sceptically.
“Yeah it did, but there is no way on heaven au earth I’d wear the nightgown that was in there. Especially not in front of the most sarcastic person on this island.” She nodded towards him. He feigned hurt as she wandered back into the lounge. He shut the door behind them with a click.
“So why did wewe ask Dan? I would have aliyopewa wewe something.” He said, rather defensively.
She snorted as she pulled the blanket over her legs. “Without the mocking and sarcasm?” He shook his head and padded back down the hallway. She smiled to herself. “Good night James!” She shouted, waiting for his reply. It never came. She rolled her eyes at his stubbornness and switched off the lamp beside her, sliding down the sofa in the darkness.
“Good night Juliet!” He shouted back after a minute. She felt the smile spread wider and let herself drift into a deep sleep.
They had been in Dharmaville for 11 days and Sawyer could hand on moyo say he was struggling to think of a reason to convince Horace to let them stay on the island. Finding Steve had aliyopewa him a new strand of hope he wasn’t letting go of anytime soon ... they had people to find, and he wasn’t going anywhere until he had found them. And then there was Juliet ... she hadn’t alisema a single word about the sub since he had convinced her to stay, but he knew it was at the front of her mind constantly. Every now and then he would catch her with a far off look in her eye and want to know what she was thinking ... but he would never ask. He found just the mere thought of asking her embarrassing enough without actually having to ask her anything about her feelings as it was. He was watching her as she read Carrie, her legs stretched out in front of her on the sofa, engrossed in the words but he was positive she hadn’t turned the page for at least 5 minutes.
“Why are wewe watching me, James?” She alisema suddenly, not moving her eyes from the page. It caught him off guard ...
“What? I ain’t watchin’ you.”
“Yes wewe are. You’re doing the exact same thing you’ve been doing for days now only you’ve been dodging the subject because you’re too scared of my answer to bring it up ... if wewe want to know what I’m thinking all wewe have to do is ask me.” She looked up then, raising her eyebrow and turning her head slightly to the left. He paused for a moment, not taking his eyes from hers.
“Alright ... what’re wewe thinkin’?”
“There, see? Now that wasn’t all that scary, was it?” She quipped back, smirking slightly.
“Well now who’s dodging?” He remarked, causing her to shut the book and drop it on the counter before them.
“I’m not dodging anything. I’m not answering wewe because wewe already know exactly what I’m thinking.”
“Oh I do, do I?”
“Yes, wewe do. wewe know because you’ve been thinking exactly the same thing.” It was that remark which shut him up. She was right, of course ...
“Yeah well I guess neither of us should waste time worryin’ ‘bout what’ll go down when that sub floats back up to the surface in 3 days ...” He alisema eventually.
“Why’s that?”
“Because If I can’t convince Horace to let us stay it looks like I’ll be on it with you.” She merely looked at him, a hint of pity in her eyes.
“Can I ask wewe a question?” She alisema after a short while.
“Shoot.”
“Why ... why did wewe want to stay on the island?”
“Because I can’t just leave them here ... I know I ain’t exactly a saint but they’re my friends.”
“No ... no, I get why wewe won’t leave now ... but ... when Daniel and Naomi first showed up ... why did wewe with Locke?” It had been something Juliet had been particularly curious about for some time now. He was quiet for a short while before answering her.
“Because I didn’t have a single thing to go back to.” He cleared his throat before continuing, not once meeting her eyes. “I’m not a good person, Juliet. Trust me when I say they’re ain’t a soul on this earth who’d have missed me when we crashed.”
The silence which fell between them was comfortable, and for a long while each was Lost in their own thoughts.
“You don’t have to be a good person to have a good heart.” Juliet alisema rather out of the blue. “You have a good heart, James.” She smiled warmly, getting up and moving towards the front door.
“Where’re wewe off too?” He enquired.
“Olivia invited me over for coffee.”
“You know we are in the 70’s ... so wewe don’t have to act like a fully fledged 50’s housewife.” He grinned as she giggled, pulling the door open and rolling her eyes.
“I’ll see wewe later.”
-
“Olivia?” Juliet called, pushing the front door, which was already ajar, open.
“Hey! Come on in! Sorry about ... all the boxes.” The blonde before her laughed slightly, kicking a large box aside.
“Wow... wewe having a yard sale?” Juliet asked, marvelling at all the boxes. Olivia faltered for a sekunde before answering.
“No ... no, I’m not having a yard sale. I’m leaving.”
“What?”
“Getting on the inayofuata sub ...”
“You and Horace are ... going? Off the Island?”
“Not Horace ... just me.” A sad smile came about her face, and Juliet felt her moyo go out to her. “It’s fine ... we’ve both known for a long time it wasn’t working out ...” Juliet nodded, knowing exactly what that felt like. “We’re still Marafiki but ... he doesn’t make me laugh the way he used to.” Olivia shook her head slightly, and then let the warm smile appear back on her face. “You want that coffee?” Juliet’s eyes followed her into the kitchen.
“I used to be married ...”
“You did?”
“Yeah ... long time zamani now but ... all the same.”
“What happened?” They were sitting down kwa this point.
“He ...” Juliet started, unsure of how to word the rest of what she wanted to say. “... was a powerful man. I think that’s what attracted me to him in the first place. Anyway, I certainly wasn’t the only person attracted to him and he had a wandering eye.”
“Oh my god ... he cheated on you?”
“Oh yeah ... and I ignored it, the first few thousand times. Kept telling myself it was just sex but ... one siku my sister called me sobbing her moyo out ... alisema he’d made a pass at her. I left him that night.” Juliet went silent, drinking the coffee in her hand. It was then a stroke of brilliance hit her ... it was a long shot, but it was still a chance. “If I can give wewe any advice it’s not to linger in the past. I did ... for much too long. It’s good to stay Marafiki with him, if wewe can.”
“Oh I will ... I do still upendo him, god knows ... but ... we’re not the same people.”
“I get that. Olivia can I ask wewe for a favour?”
“Sure, of course.”
Juliet took a deep breath in, putting the mug down on the meza, jedwali and locking her eyes on Olivia. “James ... is a complex guy. He’s a good captain, isn’t afraid to pad about any situation really ... and though you’ll never get him to admit it, he cares a lot about our crew.” Olivia frowned, apparently unsure of where Juliet was heading. “He’s sitting at ours right now trying to think of any way that he can convince Horace to let us stay. He gets that we can’t stay here because wewe have rules ... and he’s not an idiot, contrary to how he acts most of the time. He gets that they might not be alive ... but ... he can’t, we can’t just leave without knowing. So ... I’m asking wewe ... as a personal favour to me ... would wewe please talk to Horace? Try to convince him that we can stay?”
-
It was much later that Juliet found out that her ‘favour’ had worked. She was sitting, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa. The others had since retired to kitanda and she was just reaching the end of ‘Carrie’ when the door knocked. Sawyer’s door opened with a yank as she reached for the handle.
“Who is it?” He asked, his voice raspy from the tiredness he so obviously felt. She opened the door curiously as he came up right behind her. It was Horace. Sawyer sighed outwardly.
“Hey Jim, Juliet ... I’m sorry I’m calling round late, were wewe asleep?” Juliet shook her head politely as Sawyer answered.
“I was. Now wewe wanna hurry this up before my sheets go cold?”
“Sorry. I just ... wanted to tell wewe that we’ve had a vote ... and my people all agree that it wouldn’t be a bad thing if wewe stayed. I know that wewe want to find your people, and we won’t stop wewe from doing that ... but if wewe do stay, it’s under conditions.” Juliet chanced a look over at Sawyer and had to bite back her grin. He looked truly stunned. Horace continued. “We’re short of a few people around this place, so digging in with the rest of us is the only way it’s going to work. Does that sound okay to you?”
Sawyer’s head nodded slightly. Juliet let out a laugh. “I think that’s a yes.” Her voice snapped him out of his shock, he cleared his throat.
“Yeah ... yeah, thanks Boss.”
“Alright ... well we’ll sort out all the details tomorrow ... get some rest.” He gave Juliet a knowing look, causing her to quickly break eye contact and stare towards the ground. Sawyer frowned at her. Horace turned back to them suddenly, with a smile on his face. “Oh ... I almost forgot ... Welcome to the Dharma Initiative.” They stood in silence, watching him walk away. Simultaneously they both leant against either side of the door frame. Sawyer shot a glance over at Juliet, a slight smirk on his face.
“I wonder what made him change his mind.” Juliet looked back at him, an innocent look on her face. She pouted her lip and shook her head.
“Who knows ...” She folded her arms and stared down towards her feet, trying so hard to act idle. It was then Sawyer really let himself smile. He had no idea what she had done ... but whatever it was, he was eternally grateful. He was about to thank her when he noticed her clothes ... au rather, her pyjama’s. She was wearing a Geronimo Jackson tee shati with some checked boxers. He frowned, turning his body in towards her.
“What the hell are wewe wearing?” This time she really did look surprised, but smiled, tugging at the baggy tee.
“Oh ... they’re Daniel’s.”
“Dan’s?” He was dumbstruck for a second. “Damn ... first Red, now you. What is it about the geeks?” Juliet laughed.
“It isn’t like that ... I didn’t have anything to wear to sleep in so he offered me these, they were in the box of stuff Horace gave us but he didn’t need them so ...”
“What, that box didn’t have any jimmy’s for you?” He raised an eyebrow, causing her to look at him sceptically.
“Yeah it did, but there is no way on heaven au earth I’d wear the nightgown that was in there. Especially not in front of the most sarcastic person on this island.” She nodded towards him. He feigned hurt as she wandered back into the lounge. He shut the door behind them with a click.
“So why did wewe ask Dan? I would have aliyopewa wewe something.” He said, rather defensively.
She snorted as she pulled the blanket over her legs. “Without the mocking and sarcasm?” He shook his head and padded back down the hallway. She smiled to herself. “Good night James!” She shouted, waiting for his reply. It never came. She rolled her eyes at his stubbornness and switched off the lamp beside her, sliding down the sofa in the darkness.
“Good night Juliet!” He shouted back after a minute. She felt the smile spread wider and let herself drift into a deep sleep.
