Flights of Fancy

Nifty

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:14:30 GMT

Play It Again, Baby (Chapter Two)

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:46:47 GMT

CHAPTER TWO - WALKING AFTER MIDNIGHT

Hannah kicked in her sleep and Kate pondered on what the baby was dreaming of, if in fact she was dreaming at all. She always hated how late she got home, and though she had the whole day to spend with Hannah, she still felt like she needed to be there for her all the time. Times like this, looking at her sleep, she wondered if their life would ever be different. Wondered if she would ever be able to move out of this situation. If she would ever be able to quit her job at the bar. And perhaps the most frightening thing that she worried about was if she would be a good mother. Would she be able to give her daughter what she herself didn’t have growing up? A stable home environment, a mother that always put her first. Or was she going to be forced into the same cycle in which her mother was inexplicably trapped.

One couldn’t fault her for trying. She tried and tried, but things never seemed to work out the way she wanted. She never seemed to get the simplest of things. The things that other people have and take for granted. And she was increasingly beginning to think that maybe Nikki was right. Maybe it was silly for her to hang on to this image of a perfect family. Mommy, Daddy and baby altogether as one. And unbeknownst to her it was that same kind of thinking that kept her mother with Wayne when he was at his worst.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a series of knocks on the front door, and she went to answer it, wondering who it could be in the middle of the night. She peeked out the front window and shook her head in annoyance, let out a frustrated sigh and opened the door to the late-night visitor.

“What are you doing here?” she asked rather abruptly.

“Can I come in?”

“Jack I haven’t seen you in nearly two months…”

“Look I drove all the way up here, are you going to let me in or not?”

“Please it’s a half hour drive. Don’t act like you ran a marathon.” Kate rolled her eyes at the man in front of her.

Jack leaned towards her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips to which she was unresponsive. If that was meant to keep her anger with him at bay, it didn’t work. However, she did move out of the way so he could enter the house.

“Look Jack, it’s really late and I’m tired. Just tell me what you want.”

“What? Why are you so mad at me Kate. I don’t know where this is coming from.”

“Oh really. You don’t know where this is coming from? Really?” her voiced heavily laced with sarcastic dsbelief.

“Ok, so I haven’t been up to see you…” his tone suggested that he didn’t care for hers.

“It’s not me I really care about. It’s your daughter. You’ve been here what? Five minutes? and you haven’t even asked a single question about her have you.”

“Kate you don’t understand how busy I get. And I know that’s no sort of excuse. But seriously. I lead a hectic life. I promise though, once I take the Chief of Surgery reins from my dad, I’ll have more time to work with. Not much more but it will be something.” Jack tried to placate her, but Kate just rolled her eyes again and moved away from him. He caught her and held her to him, an action that only made her squirm to get free. She hated when he did that. “Kate, I came to see you. Is this how you’re going to treat me.”

Jack leaned in and kissed her. It was rough, there was no care in it. Just need. He came here for something. He came here for her, no, he came here for what she could give him. But she kissed him back anyway. She had an obsession with him, one that she thought was love at first, but long since figured it wasn’t. Instead it was the association with him that she was drawn to. He was a brilliant surgeon, helping so many people day in and day out. To everyone around him he was good, admirable, respectable. Everything she thought she wanted in a man. Everything she wanted to be herself.

So that is why two years ago when he came into the bar, she hit on him. And he responded.

“Jack.” Kate pushed him away, “I’m tired of this, I’m tired of your promises.”

“Then what do you want? Tell me what you want Kate?” Jack started to raise his voice which got a cruel look from Kate. The last thing she wanted was Wayne yelling about not being able to sleep.

“You know what I want.” She whispered to him desperately.

Jack shook his head. “Kate I can’t give you that. I have an image to uphold. I can’t…”

“You can’t leave your wife for a woman like me.” Kate finished the sentence for him. Knowing he wasn’t going to say those exact words, but positive that he was thinking them. This is how Jack looked at her. And what they have, if it was anything, was merely him seeking to break from the strict code he lived his life under. It was all about him, not about her, not about Hannah.

“That’s not how it is Kate. You don’t understand what it’s like. To have everybody look up to you as if you were some hero. To have to be perfect all the time, making sure you never slip up…”

“Well you slipped up bigtime when you fucked me and got me pregnant, Jack.” Kate seethed, “Why didn’t you think about your marriage then. Huh?”

“Kate you know I love you…”

“Oh do you? Because I don’t think you do. I think you’re in love with the idea of me. You see you have your pretty little wife that you can take to all your high class functions, and you have your mistress up in the hills. You like the fact that regardless of how perfect you have to be on the outside, on the inside you know you’re not as squeaky clean. You know you are just like any other man. It keeps you sane.” Jack looked away from her clearly upset, she was hitting a nerve. “You try so hard so that people don’t see it, but you are exactly like your father.”

“I am nothing like him!” Jack got in her face, she could smell that he had been drinking. He wasn’t drunk, but he had a few in him.

“No you’re not actually. He’s a lot smarter than you are. He had the good sense to have his affair on another continent.” Kate commented cruelly, “Too bad Claire came looking for her real Daddy though. It was a perfect plan up until that point.”

Jack fumed at her, she could almost see the streams of smoke coming out of his ears. But slowly, she saw him calm down, reign in his temper. It seemed a difficult task but he managed.

“I don’t want to argue with you.” Jack reached out and brought her into his arms, “I promise I’ll work on it, ok?”

Kate rested her head against his chest. She wanted to tell him it wasn’t ok. That this was it. But that stupid, unhealthy obsession of hers, locked her lips and didn’t allow her to say anything, but just nod her head as much as his tight embrace would allow. It made her kiss him back when he bent his head to hers, and it made her allow him to pull her into her bedroom.

She lay there as he did whatever he wanted. It was over relatively quick, and Kate wondered, where was the romance, where was the passion, there wasn’t even any foreplay to speak of. Unless you count the argument they had before. She felt nothing, like she’d been listening to the same song for a hundred years and it failed to evoke the same emotion it did the first couple times around.

He reached his release, and she faked hers. Not that he would have done anything if he knew she was left unsatisfied. But she didn’t want to make him feel bad. Jack just didn’t do it for her anymore. And she could lie to herself as much as she wanted about it being just because he wouldn’t commit to her, but it was so much more than that.

“Where are you going?” Kate questioned him when he rose off of the bed and began putting on his clothes.

“I…uh, have to get back home.”

Right, Kate thought Sarah would become suspicious, he probably has the perfect lie planned up to tell her already. Emergency at the hospital, lost track of the time. Any one of those will do.

“Are you going to check in on Hannah?” Kate rose to a sitting position, and watched him fumble around in the weak light looking for his clothing.

“Uh…I can’t right now, but I will soon, when I have more time.” He finished dressing and headed for the door.

“Jack.” She called after him. “Don’t bother coming back.” Her face didn’t register her own shock at the words that just came out of her mouth. Had she really said that to him?

“You know you don’t mean that, Kate.” And with that he was out the door. Kate let herself fall backwards on the bed.

She supposed that most women would say she deserved it for messing around with a married man. And she would accept that, even though she was already four months pregnant when she found out that there was a Mrs. Shephard. After she had already heard that little heartbeat, saw the amazing beginnings of the life that was growing inside her. Even at times like this when she thought she couldn’t hate him more, she still loved what he gave to her. She still wanted a normal family.

Well he’s gotta be a jackass if he hasn’t hooked you for good yet. Sawyer’s words suddenly sprang into her head, and she smiled at the memory. Aside from the encounter with Jack, Sawyer and the memories of him had been making her smile all night. She knew she was developing a crush on the smooth-talking, blue-eyed charmer. A harmless crush, she doubted she was ever really going to see him again though.

Kate showered and got ready for bed, it was already three o’clock when her head finally hit the pillow and she went off to sleep. And if she could have been aware of her dreams as she dreamt them, it wouldn’t surprise her one bit that the first one she had was about a particular Southern gentleman she had met that night.

It was six on the dot when she awoke the next morning. Three hours of sleep could hardly be considered healthy for her, but she had gotten used to it. She couldn’t sleep in because she had Hannah to take care of. And when she pulled on her robe to go check on the little girl, she saw that she was standing in her crib looking around, wide awake and starting to get fussy. A big smile erupted on her face when she saw her mommy, and Kate lifted the girl out of the crib, smothering her with kisses.

Kate spent the rest of the day doing various chores around the house that needed to be done. Laundry was top priority so she started that first, and did some other stuff while she was waiting for the clothes to dry. She watched on as Hannah kicked and rolled around on the blanket she had spread on the floor for her while she folded one of Wayne’s t-shirts. She had no idea what compelled her to do the older man’s laundry. But since her mother died, he had pretty much become helpless. So doing this one thing for him made her feel like she was doing her one good deed. She didn’t want to analyse it further, because whenever she did she went to places she didn’t want to go or even thought existed. Like the thought that deep down she felt obligated and did it because he was her father. Kate shook her head to get her mind off the track to where it was headed. She still despised Wayne. Nothing would change that.

There was a rapping on the door and Kate knew by looking at the clock that it was Alex. She hadn’t even realized that the whole day had flown by already, as the hour hand was slowly approaching five. It was a Saturday, so Alex normally took Hannah over to her house. Kate insisted that she was a teenager and needed to have a social life, so if she wanted to go out, Hannah would be alright with her mother, Danielle, until Kate returned from work. Alex wasn’t a heavy party-goer though, opting to spend quiet weekends with her Mom and her boyfriend Karl. She was very responsible for her age and Kate trusted her daughter with the girl completely.

Kate let Alex in and busied herself with getting Hannah’s bag ready, while the teenager went inside the living room to play with the baby. Hannah immediately reached out her hands for Alex, who scooped her up and bounced her gently on her arm.

“Here you go.” Kate handed Alex the bag and accepted a big, wet kiss from her baby girl. “Now you be a good girl for Alex ok?”

Kate saw them out and then got ready for work. She wondered if Sawyer would really come to the bar again tonight. She dismissed the thought as quickly as it came to her with a smile and shake of her head. He probably wouldn’t.

As expected, the Saturday crowd was buzzing. It was only seven and all the seats were filled making some people have to stand with their drinks and chit chat. Kate surveyed the room, her gaze resting on the door for a few seconds as she poured a round of shots for a group at the bar.

“Hey.” Nikki snapped her fingers in front of Kate’s face when she noticed the woman was over filling one of the glasses. Kate became aware and hurriedly got her rag out to wipe up the mess. “You ok, girl? You’ve been staring at the door since you got here.” The frown in her brow smoothed as a slow smile spread across her flawless face. “You’re looking out for that guy aren’t you, Mr. Boogie Shoes from last night!”

Kate cut her eyes at her friend in annoyance, “Oh please! No I’m not looking for him!” Nikki fixed a droll stare on her, and she felt her face flush. “Ok…I’m just wondering if he would do as he said. He said ‘See you tomorrow’ and I just want to see if he meant that.”

Nikki brightened at this. Her friend needed some fun in her life after the way that idiot Shephard treated her. “Ooooo, so it’s like a date.” Nikki grinned mischievously.

“Nick.” Kate held up her rag for the woman to see, “I’m working, how could it possibly be a date?”

“But he’s coming here to see you. That can be considered a date.”

“I don’t know, we do have some of the best burgers. Maybe he’s just coming for that.” Kate did her best to be nonchalant as she knew it would irk the woman in front of her.

Just then a loud blast of feedback pierced the room from where Paolo was setting up the karaoke equipment. Kate heard the unmistakable sound of glass breaking. No doubt, a dropped glass from a patron who sought to protect his ears over his drink.

Nikki sighed and held out her hand to receive the dustpan and hand broom that Kate kept under the counter. “I got it.” Nikki said, accepting the items.

“Tell your boyfriend to be more careful. We don’t need hospital bills for burst eardrums.” Kate said seriously, but then laughed in spite of herself. Nikki waved her off as she set out into the throng of people to clean up the mess.

For the next hour or so, Kate busied herself with filling relentless orders and keeping the peanut and wasabi bowls topped up. The karaoke night was in full swing and Kate laughed as a short, balding guy in his fifties absolutely butchered ‘Pretty Woman’, but then was touched as it appeared he was dedicating it to a woman in the front. His wife.

A pang of sadness cut through her. She would give anything to have that at their age. Someone to grow old with. Someone she could count on for once to be there for her.

“Hey there, Freckles!” the voice boomed in front of her, and she looked up to see her southern gentleman standing there.

A huge smile erupted on her face before she had a chance to cover it. “Hey.” She said almost too happily.

“Goddamn, so many people in here ya can’t even stir ‘em with a stick.” Sawyer commented, and Kate laughed at his expression.

“You really are a southern boy aren’t you?”

“Well ah didn’t wake up one day with the accent, Darlin’” Kate smiled and noticed Charlie for the first time, who seemed to be more interested in what was going on onstage.

“Hey Charlie.” She greeted him, “Can I get you anything?”

“Uh no thanks, not yet.” He said still looking at the singers, “Nice...Karaoke night. I think I’m gonna have a go then.” Sawyer rolled his eyes, and Kate smiled as the young man walked off as if drawn inexplicably to the karaoke machine.

Nikki squeezed into a slot between Sawyer and another patron, and only then got a look at who she was rubbing shoulders with.

“Boogie Shoes!” Nikki eyed him appreciatively, and raised her eyebrow at Kate while she handed her the dustpan filled with the broken shards.

“I ain’t never gonna live that down am I?” Sawyer grimaced.

“Nice to see you here, again. You know Kate’s been…”

“Nikki! Uh…table five looks like they need you.” Kate cut the woman off before she could incriminate her any further. Nikki looked irritated at being silenced but then passed her a quick ‘don’t-screw-this-up’ look before she left to tend her table.

Kate saw another devilishly handsome man come up behind Sawyer and give him a solid whack on the back.

“Dez, so you got Pen to cut the leash on ya.”

“No such thing, Love.” Kate watched as a beautiful blond with a perfect English accent stepped out from behind the other man. She leaned over and gave Sawyer a familiar kiss on the cheek.

“Damn it, just when I thought we would get to hit the strip club after.” Sawyer pounded his fist on the bar in mock frustration. Kate observed them, highly amused. This was a fun bunch of people. She felt the need to surround herself with people like this.

“Freckles, this is Desmond and Penelope Hume.” Sawyer made the introductions, “This is Kate.”

“Aye.” Desmond smiled and extended his hand to shake Kate’s. Penelope smiled warmly at her, and Kate recognized a certain gleam in her eyes. It was the one that Nikki always had when she was trying to play matchmaker for her.

“Is that Charlie up there?” Penelope pointed at the stage where Charlie had now struck up his version of ‘Hard to Handle’. Kate had to admit, he was pretty good. Penelope nudged Desmond in his back, and Kate could make out a squabble over finding a table to sit at. Eventually Desmond spotted one in the corner and led his wife to it.

“How long have they been married?” Kate asked, nodding in the couple's direction as the scurried away to grab the only available table in the place.

“’Bout five years. Still act like damn newlyweds though. Stuck on each other like white on rice.” He took a swig of the Jack Daniels she fixed for him. “Thanks, Freckles.”

“So what do you do besides being great advertisement for this little bar up in the hills?” Kate questioned as she wiped down the bar.

Sawyer raked his hand through his hair, which sent a shiver of desire through her. “I read books.” He said simply, “I write a Critic’s column for the South Pasadena Chronicle.”

“A book critic. Interesting.” Kate nodded her head. “So do you write as well?”

“A little here an’ there. Nothin’ to speak of though.”

Kate again was pleasantly surprised when he spent the rest of the night by the bar with her. She found herself enjoying his company more and more. He made her feel comfortable. But at the same time the way he watched her, the way his eyes smoldered on her, made her feel very aware that she was a woman and he was a man. A man that liked what he saw. They flirted with each other shamelessly. But even more than that, Kate loved that he could make her laugh. Maybe it was his southern accent or his colloquialisms, but she positively cackled when he expressed his discomfort with the amount of people in the bar by announcing that he was ‘hotter than a whore in church!’

Desmond and Penelope came to say their goodbyes, as well as Charlie, who had delighted the crowd all evening with his impressive talent. Sawyer waited for her to hand over and pack up, and walked with her outside.

There was a pleasant silence as they simply looked at each other. Kate didn’t want to say goodbye to this stranger that seemed to swoop into her life and make it that much more enjoyable.

“Aren’t you going to offer me a ride home again, Cowboy”

“Nah.” He sucked in a breath of air. Kate hid her disappointment well. This was it, he probably realized after talking with her more tonight that he was no longer attracted to her.

Still thinking the worst she was surprised when he took her hand in his and started walking in the direction of her house. “Thought we’d walk tonight. Try this ‘fresh air’ thing you were goin’ on about.”

Kate couldn’t have been more pleased, but she couldn’t show that. Then he would think she was over eager. “Oh no, I can’t let you do that, then you’ll have to walk all the way back here to get your truck…” Still holding onto her hand, Sawyer stopped and turned to her.

“You gonna begrudge a man the right to walk a woman home, Sweet Cheeks.” The smirk on his face contradicted his serious tone.

“Of course not.” Kate smiled and let him resume his pace.

The night was very chilly, more so than the night before. And Kate found herself leaning into him for warmth, and at some point he had flung his arm around her shoulder, squeezing her even tighter against his body. Oh yeah, this walk was a good idea. She smiled to herself and relaxed against him, enjoying the quiet of the night, and the comfortable silence between them. Score another point for Sawyer, a man she could be around without feeling the need to fill up awkward time with needless words.

After about fifteen minutes, they neared her house and Kate could make out the outline of a black truck parked on the curb in front of it. She let out a soft chuckle, and he gave her a quick squeeze, knowing exactly what made her respond that way. Sawyer had parked his car in front of her house and walked to the bar earlier, fully intending on walking her back home after she had finished work. Smart, and very charming. She decided not to comment on it though, preferring to spend the last few moments just soaking his presence in.

Unfortunately, once they reached her front porch it was time to say goodbye.

“Thanks for the walk.” She said meekly, suddenly overcome by a bout of shyness. She looked away from him, intent on not becoming a blushing schoolgirl.

“Anytime Freckles.” Sawyer stepped in closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. A move that forced her to look up into those pools that now seemed midnight black in the dark of night.

Their moment was interrupted by Wayne stumbling out onto the porch. He was shouldering on his coat and it appeared he was on his way out. No doubt to go find some more alcohol to drown himself in.

“Who the hell s’this?” his slurred speech indicated he had already had one too many.

“None of your business Wayne.” Kate said annoyed and a bit embarrassed that he was making some sort of scene in front of Sawyer.

Wayne took in the tone of her voice and decided to back off. He said nothing more as he stumbled down the steps and started walking in the direction of his favourite liquor pitstop.

Not wanting to explain what just happened, Kate looked back up at Sawyer who was still holding onto her. “Where were we?” she looked at him from under her fanned eyelashes. She guessed he liked that because the evidence of his arousal pushed slightly against her stomach. And as if fuelled by that alone, Kate reached her hand into his hair, dragged him down towards her and assaulted his lips with hers.

The kiss was rough at first, with almost a desperate quality to it. She wanted to feel something, and she knew that this was the guy for the job. For years she had pinned over a man that she had long fallen out of love with. And this was her chance to just let go and have fun. Sawyer took the reins and slowed her down. The long, languid strokes of his tongue against hers, sent a shiver straight to her core. But eventually they both had to come up for air. Breathing was so overrated.

Kate cleared her throat and sucked in the cool night air. And she suddenly felt very hot. Wherever his hands were it felt like they were burning through her.

“What about your ‘someone’?” he asked with a mischievous grin.

Kate smiled up at him and captured his lips once more, already missing the feel of his mouth on hers. She pulled away again, a heady euphoria surrounding her. “You can be my someone new.” Her voice husky and sensual.

Sawyer kissed her again and the world around them disappeared. And just for this moment, Kate allowed herself to feel again.

Slowly Until Sunset

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 04:11:26 GMT

“Any chance he’ll talk to me anytime soon?” Sawyer looked at his step-mother with a wince of a smile.

Juliette smiled softly at the attractive man in front of her. Sawyer was charming, and devastatingly gorgeous, and also only a few years younger than her. So could anyone really blame her for carrying on an affair with her husband’s son a couple years ago? Either way, that was over now, and she felt responsible for Sawyer being kicked out of the mansion, and totally cut off by his father, especially since Darius ‘forgave’ her and spared her the brunt of his anger, but not Sawyer.

She shook her head gently. “I’ve been trying to talk to him. Telling him that it was as much my fault as it was yours. But he doesn’t see it that way. He knows your ways with women, he was actually proud of that trait in you, until me of course.” Juliette blushed slightly and looked at her finely pedicured feet. The blood red nail polish matched her peep-toe pumps and contrasted sharply with her creamy white skin.

“I have to go.” She spoke after a long pause, “He’ll be wondering where I am.”

“Mmhmm.” Sawyer agreed with her.

“You know you’re not making it any easier for reconciliation with this new female of yours.”

“He knows about Kate?” Sawyer suddenly became very alert.

“Your father knows everything Sawyer.” Juliette replied. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“I’m in love with her, of course I don’t know what I’m doing. And it will probably be the death of me, but I can’t help it.”

Juliette nodded her head as if she understood, but she really didn’t, she couldn’t know what kind of position he was in.

“You know there’s a very simple solution…”

“I ain’t doing that.” Sawyer shut Juliette down before she even finished her suggestion. “I ain’t never doing that to her.”

“Well what are you going to do Sawyer? He would never…”

“I’ll figure something out.” He cut her off again.

“He would never let you jeopardize everything for him…for all of us.” Juliette said, determined to finish at least one of her sentences. Sawyer knew she was right, he just didn’t want to hear it, so he shook his head in an effort to block her words from sinking in.

“Shame.” She sighed, “I never pegged you for a forbidden love kind of guy. Figured you liked things easy and uncomplicated. She’s changed you…” Juliette slipped into her fur-trimmed coat and smiled at him, adding, “For the better.”

***

Two Weeks Later

“Hey.” Kate beamed as she opened the door allowing her lover to enter.

“Hey yourself Freckles.” Sawyer greeted her by pulling her to him and engaging her in a soft, romantic kiss. When he pulled away she was left staring up at him in starry eyed wondered. Love drunk from his attentions.

“Brought take-out.” He announced, holding up the paper bag while she regained her senses.

“Oh, great!” she relieved him of the food and went to deposit it in her small kitchen. “I was wondering what I would do for food.”

“Since you don’t cook and all.” Sawyer added.

“I cook.” Kate came back out defensively, “But trust me, you don’t want me to cook, at least not for you, I may end up poisoning you.”

“Darling, you just may." Sawyer chuckled, "But I don’t need you to cook for me. The way to this man’s heart ain’t through his stomach.”

“I know.” Kate smiled that special smile of hers that he loved. He watched the way her nose crinkled and her eyes sparkled. She was beautiful.

“So, you gonna eat with me?” she questioned as she perched on her tip toes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Nah, not hungry. I brought it for you.”

“You know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat anything, you on some diet Cowboy.” Kate teased him. “Maybe we need to work up your appetite.” She suggested, kissing and lightly nibbling on his lower lip.
Sawyer felt his blood start to boil. He inhaled the scent of her, delighting in it. He was intoxicated by her, the need for her growing stronger. Kate took his hand and led him to her bedroom.

He picked her up almost effortlessly and placed her on the bed. Running his hands over her, he felt how small, and fragile she seemed compared to him. He wanted to protect her. To lock her in a box so nothing and no one could hurt her. Including him. She had latched onto a spot on his neck, suckling, driving him further and further over the edge. A metallic scent, only noticeable to him filled the air, and his heart raced against his mind in a battle of wills. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Now she was grinding her lower body against him, while her hands made their rounds against his chest. He gripped one of her thighs, hard, and she moaned her satisfaction. She liked it rough, but he doubted she knew how rough he could be. Beating, beating, now pounding, pounding. He wanted to consume her, devour every last bit of her. He was losing it again. He pulled away.

“What?” She breathed out, “What is it?” she said, frustrated now.

“I…I just.” Sawyer tried to explain but knew he couldn’t. There was no explanation except the truth. And she didn’t want to know the truth.

“Sawyer, tell me what’s wrong. We’ve been together for over five months and this always happens.” He watched her kneeling on the bed in her panties and bra and had no recollection of ever taking them off of her. “We always get this far and then you pull away from me. Why?” she pleaded with him. She wanted him, and she was so close to admitting to herself that she was in love with him. She didn’t want to lose him.

Sawyer turned away from her questioning stare. “Freckles I don’t wanna hurt you.” It was the truth, but not the whole truth, he hoped it would get him by this time. Kate came up behind him where he was seated on the edge of the bed and encircled her arms around his waist.

“Baby, you’re not gonna hurt me. Really. I know you’ll never hurt me…”
Out of the corner of his eye, Sawyer observed a shadow by the window, fleeting, there and then gone. His senses heightened, something was wrong here. He rose quickly, setting Kate of balance.

“Put on your clothes, we have to go.” He commanded her.

“What?”

“Just do it Kate.”

The use of her name shocked her into action. He was serious about this, and she couldn’t help but get a bit scared by it. She was dressed in no time, and saw that he had put himself together as well. Taking her hand he led her out of the apartment.

“Leaving so soon Sawyer. I was just stopping by to say hello. Meet your new girlfriend.” They both spun around to see two men walking down the corridor. The man in front appeared to be the speaker.

“Well if it isn’t my father’s lapdog.” Sawyer remarked sarcastically. “What are you doing here Jack?”

Kate felt the mood change. She felt a darkness fall around them, even though the corridor was well lit. She continued to watch the man that Sawyer addressed as ‘Jack’ approach them. She gave his hand a squeeze, communicating her discomfort, and hoping he would put her mind at ease.

“You can make this easy for all of us and just let me take her. But we both know you won’t do that.” Jack’s smug demeanour irritated the hell out of him. Kate grew more restless by his side, he could smell her fear and it pained him. He didn’t want her to have to see any of this. Didn’t want her to know any of this.

“She doesn’t know anything. Why is he doing this?” Sawyer said, his voice low. “Don’t do this Jack.” It was the closest he would ever come to making a plea to Jack.

“You know why he’s doing it. You love the thrill of revenge almost as much as he does.” Jack motioned to his partner to grab Kate.

“Run Kate!” Sawyer yelled, before springing into action. He knocked the other guy to the ground and then grabbed hold of Jack. Kate was rooted to the spot not able to move. The turn of events had left her mind reeling, unable to grasp any of it and unable to force her body into action. Then it happened.

Jack delivered a blow that sent Sawyer crashing into the wall. But he was up a lot quicker than he should have been. Kate watched unblinkingly as the two men began to change. Their grunts became deeper, more fierce. And it wasn’t long before she saw the silvery blue flashes of their eyes. They now clawed at each other. Sawyer leaving four deep gashes across Jack’s jaw, while Jack shredded the other man’s shirt in an attack of his own.
Sawyer looked back at her, and it wasn’t Sawyer anymore. It was something else.

“Run!” he yelled at her again and this time her body responded. Jack’s henchman made pursuit and Sawyer tried to hold him back, but Jack delivered another blow that sent him several feet backwards.

If it was one thing she was good at, it was running. A talent that did not fail her in this situation. It helped that she got a headstart, and she managed to get to the elevators before her pursuer, who had turned from man to beast as well. She frantically pushed the door close button and felt a small measure of victory as it shut just in time. She leaned against the wall of the elevator and listened to the quiet hum of the machinery, trying to steady her racing heart, only a clear mind would get her out of this. At the lobby, she paused before exiting, afraid that there might be sentries standing guard, waiting for her to be stupid enough to make it easy for them.

After a few moments, and nothing to indicate she had company, Kate stepped tentatively out of the elevator. Looking around again and finding she was still alone, she raced to the large doors that opened to the darkness of night outside. Once there, she got as far as the other side of the street when she heard the clatter of broken glass, and a strange flapping sound coming from above. She looked up to see Jack’s accomplice descending from a tenth floor window. He landed on his feet and continued to give chase. But as quickly as he had appeared a car swung around the corner in a loud rumble, and Kate watched slack jawed as it mowed the man over and came to an abrupt halt.

A pretty blonde stuck her head out of the window.

“Kate!” She called to her, “Get in.”

Kate was not about to get in this strange car with this strange woman, who mysteriously knew her name. It could be a trap. She turned and began to run again when she heard another crash like before. Another man descended from the building in the same way.

“Kate, you can’t out run them. If you want to live get in the car. Now!” The blonde demanded. And Kate decided to trust her in that brief moment. Running to the passenger side door, Kate yanked it open and got in.

“I’m sorry I have to do this.” The blonde reached across the center console and stabbed something into her neck. Kate felt the fluid draining into her body, and was unconscious in a matter of minutes.

***

Kate slowly opened her eyes. In dimmed lighting she could see that she was lieing on a couch in a small living room. As she came further out of her drug-induced haze, she realized that both her wrists and ankles were handcuffed. A wave of panic swelled in her when she heard keys jangling and turning in a lock. She looked to the door to see the blonde enter, and a second person behind her. As they came in, she could see it was Sawyer. He was a mess of blood and torn clothing, but a cursory appraisal revealed not a scratch.

“Good” the woman said, “You’re awake.” Kate tensed as she came closer to her. Ready to head butt her or clobber her with restrained hands if she had to.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you.” She produced a key for Kate to see, “Just taking these things off. I’m sorry, but I had to make sure you wouldn’t go running off on your own.” Kate allowed the woman to remove the handcuffs, and watched as Sawyer hung back in semi-darkness.

“Are you one too?” Kate asked, rubbing her wrists. She could have run, but the coffee table and various other small pieces of furniture didn’t allow her a clear path to the door, and besides they would have caught her anyway.

The woman smiled secretively, as if she knew something no one else did. “I’m Juliette.” She didn’t answer Kate’s question, but she didn’t have to, Kate knew the answer.

Juliette went over to Sawyer, fishing a set of keys out of her coat pocket.
“There’s a car downstairs with a full tank of gas for you. You need to move as soon as possible. Get as far away as you can before sunrise.” She put the keys in his waiting hand. “There’s also cash in the glove box, it’s not much, about five grand. I wouldn’t be able to explain anything more to him.”

“You didn’t have…” It was Juliette’s turn to interrupt him.

“I did.” Juliette gave him a look that brook no argument, “Now go, quickly.”

Kate had listened intently to the whole conversation and now watched as Juliette glided out the door. There was an uncomfortable silence after she left. Both of them not knowing how to speak to the other after this night of revelations.

“Kate…” Sawyer began first in an attempt to explain, but she got up swiftly, a little too much so as she wobbled drunkenly. Sawyer stepped towards her and held her, preventing her from toppling to the ground.

“She said we should get going.” Kate looked up at him briefly as she extricated herself from his embrace, “Let’s go.”

***

They had driven in silence for over an hour, and Kate finally couldn’t take it anymore.

“Is this really happening. I mean are you really a…” she stopped herself, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Go ahead and say it Freckles.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what to say. I just think I’m going to wake up from some kind of dream…I can’t believe that you’re a…”

“A vampire.” He finished for her what she seemingly couldn’t bear to utter.

Kate sank back into her seat. It was finally out there. He had said so it must be real. And what she had seen wasn’t a figment of her imagination.

“I couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t risk him coming after you because you knew about us. But he did it anyway.”

“’He’ being your father?” It wasn’t a question. His conversation with Jack outside her apartment had made that much clear to her.

Sawyer simply nodded, and the quiet fell upon them once more.

“I haven’t exactly been honest with you either.” Kate spoke up again.

“I’m kind of a fugitive.” She took a peek over at him, where he remained unmoved, still looking out at the road ahead of them, “I’m wanted for murder.” She added, thinking he may not have gotten it the first time.

“I know.” He said simply.

“What?” Kate didn’t hide her surprise.

“Why would you give me your real name? I knew you were hiding something, I can read you like a book Freckles. Didn’t take me long to find out about Kate Austin. You should never give anyone your real name.”

“I don’t.” she said quickly, “Just. I didn’t want to lie to you, I felt like I could be Kate with you.” Kate bit her lip, realizing that she had revealed so much more in that one sentence than she had wanted to. “I asked him to stop chasing me, the Marshall. I asked him to stop and he said he would if I stayed in one place. He’s going to come after me now.”

Sawyer pulled the car into a parking space in front of a lonely motel. Looking over to her he said “Don’t worry Freckles, I’ll protect you.” And she believed him.

***

After watching her scarf down a burger and fries that he had gotten for her at a 24-hour fast food joint, Sawyer took a quick shower and climbed into the queen-sized bed. He noticed the glow of dawn beginning to arise outside the heavily curtained window. Kate padded out of the bathroom wearing one of his shirts. Juliette had also packed some of his stuff and left it in the trunk of the car. It would have to do until tonight when they found a store to get her some stuff of her own. But to Sawyer she had never looked more beautiful.

Kate got into bed next to him, and turned off the bedside lamp. It was brighter outside now, and she could see him looking at her in the dim light of the awakening day. She reached out and touched him, because she couldn’t help it. Dragging her fingertips lightly over his chest, she turned into him and met her lips to his. He was cautious at first, but then he deepened the kiss, and soon their hearts were racing in time as their tongues tangled and their hands roamed each others body, seeking to claim every inch as their own. Sawyer wanted to dive into her, and so completely take her over. The need was overwhelming for him. He wanted to taste every last drop of her.

Kate sensed he was about to pull away, and held him to her.

“What is it? What do you feel?” she asked breathlessly against his ear. He didn’t answer her. “You said you didn’t want to hurt me. Is it that you think you’re going to…”

Sawyer rolled off of her, trying to calm his heart and cool his blood. But she made it harder for him to do so when she straddled him and slipped off the shirt. She was wearing nothing underneath, an observation that sent him skyrocketing again.

“Kate…” he began to protest, but she quieted him with a kiss.

“I’m not afraid of you. You won’t hurt me.” She whispered softly against his lips. She freed him from the confines of his boxers and sank onto him, starting up a slow rhythm, and then increasing the pace. Their breaths quickened and Sawyer took over from her but not for long as he felt the familiar stirrings and turned away. Ashamed of what he was, ashamed of what his instincts were driving him to do.

“Hey,” Kate turned his head to face hers, “Hey, look at me.” Sawyer opened his eyes, and instead of being confronted with the normal, deep pools of blue, Kate now stared into cold, icy-blue orbs. But where she would have thought there would be ferocity, she saw openness and vulnerability instead. Holding his face in her hands, she said deliberately “You can control this. We’ll take it slow.”

Sawyer had never been the kind to take it slow. His sexual trysts were always full out, and it was fine because he had only ever been with women like him. Biting was acceptable. Biting was pleasurable. But he had never taken it slow, had never made love to woman. He never felt the need to. But now he wanted to, so badly, and he just didn’t know how.

Kate rocked against him gently, and whimpered softly as he hit a spot inside her, “That’s it Baby, slow.” she whispered. She was like a goddess hanging over him. Her hair brushing against his chest, her eyes closed in pleasure. She was in control, something a woman had never had over him, but he gladly relinquished it to her. He felt the craving ease, and she opened her eyes to see the eyes of her lover once more.

They took it slow. Slowly until sunset.

Give Me Life

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:59:37 GMT

“You should have seen him James…he’s a mess…”

“I have seen him, and that’s why I don’t like ya going to see the guy.” James took his eyes off of the road and gave his wife a cross look.

“I know. You think I want to go? It’s just that…that…” Kate searched for a way to explain it.

“You’re a sucker for screw-ups.” James supplied.

“Well yeah. I married you didn’t I?” Kate snickered at the scowl he threw in her direction. “You know I’m kidding baby, besides Jack is in a totally different realm of “screwed up” right now.” She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek and then turned to check on the sleeping toddler in the car seat.

“Hey,” she began in a more cheerful tone, “I got your birthday present. You wanna know what it is?” she teased.

“You wrapped up in nothing but a big ole bow?” James grinned, his dimples on display.

“I thought about that but it’s too cliché.” Kate commented, “And you know how I like to be original.”

“Mmmmhmmm.” James murmured sensually as he remembered all of the very original things she had come up with since they’d been together.

“So do you want to know or what?” Kate pressed him, a smile plastered across her face.

“No. I’ll find out tomorrow.” James told her but he had to admit she had piqued his curiousity.

“Really? You sure about that Baby. I mean this is big. I think you may need a heads up.” Kate was now unable to stop grinning, she knew he would cave and then she would have so much fun telling him no, and that it would spoil the surprise.

“Ok, what is it?” James questioned. He fell for it.

“JAMES!” Kate let out a high-pitched, terrified scream.

All he saw was the SUV careening towards them on the right, mere seconds before impact. Then…nothing.

He couldn’t believe it.

James reached out, still not fully awake, and cupped her face in his hand. She was beautiful, especially now with her dark curls cascading down and pooling on the soft, jade green linens. His hand moved across the three-inch long scar that had all but disappeared from her right temple. Kate saw the flicker of pain in his eyes. He blamed himself for what happened, she didn’t like when he did. She responded by capturing his hand between her head and shoulder and smiled at him sweetly.

“It wasn’t your fault James.” He looked at her and for now it made him feel a bit better. But it was something he knew he would never quite get over for the rest of his life. Kate decided that she needed to change the subject.

“So do you like your present Baby?” she enquired.

“I made this birthday wish four years ago, Freckles. Every damn day since then.” He responded, his voice heavy with emotion. And his head still a bit foggy with sleep.

Kate leaned in and kissed him, softly at first but then deeper. It felt so right to be wrapped in his strong arms. She wanted it to last forever.

“Happy Birthday Daddy!” The bedroom door burst open and Kate looked on as her little girl bounced into the room and flew on top of her father, smothering him with hugs and kisses.

“Hold up Shortcake.” James laughed as Chloe squealed her protest at the tickling he was giving her.

“How many kisses do I have to give you Daddy?” Chloe asked when she had settled down on the edge of the bed next to her father.

“Uh…that would be a hundred and sixty-eight.” James said in the most serious voice he could muster.

“Nooooo. You’re not that old Daddy.”

“Of course I am.” James blustered, shocked that she didn’t believe him.

“No you’re not. You’re not all grey and wrinkly.” Kate couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “I have a surprise for you!” Chloe jumped topics and began to pull James out of bed.

Kate followed captor and captive to the kitchen where Chloe had an impressive spread of cereal and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches all laid out.

“My, my , my well doesn’t this look…tasty.” James was impressed with the 6 year olds talents in the kitchen.

“Here.” Chloe pulled out a chair, “Sit here Daddy.”

James was firmly yanked into place on the chair and was taken aback by his daughter’s obvious strength. Kate stood by the counter looking at the scene before her and positively glowed with pride and love. Chloe ran out squealing something about forgetting his present.

“She’s getting so big.” Kate commented absently.

James reached out and pulled her into his lap, his hand found its way under her white silk and lace top and glided over her abdomen. There he found a scar that hadn’t disappeared. Kate placed a kiss on the top of his head and held his face to hers.

“Hey, you’re supposed to be happy today.”

“I am Freckles, you’re here.” He replied with a genuine smile.

He woke up feeling disoriented, the white , sterile room looked more like an alien landscape than a hospital room to him.

“Mr. Ford, you’re awake!” The attending nurse said a bit too cheerfully as she fussed with the IV bag that was hooked up to him. “I’ll go get the doctor, he wanted to speak to you as soon as you woke up.”

The nurse hurried out of the room and a few seconds later a man in his mid-fifties, with graying hair entered the room with a solemn look on his face. It was at this time James realized that Kate wasn’t near him. Where was she? He thought as waves of panic started to crash over him.

“Where’s my wife?” James demanded to know.

“Take it easy Mr. Ford. You’ve just been in a terrible accident. I was hoping we could test some of your responses.”

“I want to know where my wife is goddamn it!”

The doctor looked sympathetic, James hated that look. Nothing good ever came of that look.

“I still can’t believe it, Freckles”

“I know.”

“Mommy?” Chloe called out to her from her bedroom.

“Yeah Sweetie” Kate answered, “I’ll be there in a sec, ok.” She turned back to James and smiled.

“We can’t get too attached to this, you know. The doctor said it was a miracle we conceived, and it would be another for me to carry to term. But he said there’s a whole bunch of treatments I could go on to increase our chances. We just have to go in and have a talk with him.”

“Mommmmmyyyyy!” Chloe called to her again, this time more urgently.

“You better go tend to Her Majesty.” James winked and unseated her from his lap.

“And you better start eating, nothing worse than soggy cereal.” Kate grinned and headed to her daughter’s room.

He had to wrap his mind around it. He was going to be a father again. Something they both wanted for the past four years but thought they would never have again. But they were thankful. They had Chloe. He got the same feeling whenever he thought about what the doctor told him on this day four years ago. Kate had undergone surgery to remove a column of steel that had done considerable damage to her internal organs. She would pull through, but her uterus had been severely damaged. They wouldn’t be able to have more children.

James wondered how he ever got so lucky. What he ever did to deserve this life. If he knew what it was he would keep doing it forever.

He took a bite of his cereal and grimaced. It was soggy. He would come back to it later. For now he would go see what his two favourite girls were up to.

Too Gone, Too Long (Part Two)

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:16:07 GMT

“He’s on his way.” James came back into the room and saw her lying with her head on her mother’s stomach. He walked over, everything that had gone on before forgotten, and rubbed her back gently. All they could do, was wait.

They watched nervously, James’ arm snaked comfortingly around her waist, as the doctor checked Diane out. She had regained consciousness a short while after the doctor had arrived, and that was a huge relief to them both. Dr. Flanigan finished the examination and packed up his instruments, gesturing for Kate and James to follow him outside. Diane had already drifted back off to sleep.

“I’m sorry,” the doctor began in a solemn tone looking between both of them, “she doesn’t have much longer…I think it’s best that you start making…arrangements.”

Kate simply stared at the short, slight man in front of her. She didn’t want to comprehend what he was saying, even though she knew that this was what was bound to happen eventually. She fought hard to maintain her composure.

“Is there anything we can do?” she asked him.

“Same as you have been doing, keep her comfortable, make sure she is at peace for when…the time comes.”

“Thank you for coming out Dr. Flanigan.” Kate bowed her head slightly in a bid of appreciation, and then returned to her mother’s bedside. James showed the doctor out and then came back to her, moving another chair from the corner so that he could sit next to her.

“I can make the calls if you want.” James offered. Kate nodded.

“I’d appreciate it. Thanks.”

The two sat in silence, watching over the sleeping woman in bed.

“I’m sorry.” Kate spoke up, “I shouldn’t have said those things to you.”

“Don’t worry bout it.”

“No. You’ve done so much for her. I was out of line.” James accepted her apology with silence, “She told me that you paid for everything. I can pay you back as…”

“Freckles don’t be silly.”

“Well it’s a lot of money, especially since I know Wayne never let her have Health Insurance.” Kate rationalized, “When did you get so rich though, win the lottery or something.”

“Since you been gone I’ve done well for myself. I’m COO at the steel factory. Get a tidy sum with that. Plus I have my own personal business ventures.” James explained to her. And Kate knew that the other business ventures were the random con jobs he did out of state. He had told her about that too. They had no secrets from each other.

“How come you’re still living here? I’m sure you could have found a much nicer house in a much better area.”

“Not too fond of jumping from place to place Freckles.” He fixed her with an accusing gaze.

“I deserved that.” She admitted.

“Yeah you did. Now you know what you really have to apologise to?”

“What?” she asked, intrigued.

“My goddamn bedroom floor. Wasn’t a nice thing you did to it.” He remarked, unable to keep a straight face. Just then they heard the slam of a door a short distance away. They both looked at each other knowingly.

“Linda.” They said in unison.

“Sorry about that too, ruining your night and all.” Kate apologized again, It seemed like she had a lot to be sorry for tonight. “You should go drop her home.”

“Nah. Let her walk, catch a bus or something. Didn’t like her much anyway. Surprised she stayed that long though, must’ve really wanted it.” Kate looked over at him in mock disgust, and then they both had a good chuckle.

“Hey uh…that thing you said about the uh…the thing, with Linda…”

“The syphilis…yeah it was true…there was some kind of outbreak in school. Remember I told you about that?” James shook his head, not able to recall, “I know I told you, but anyway, Linda had it. Everyone knew and no one was surprised. But they treated her, so she’s fine. I guess.” James looked mildly nauseous.

“You did use something whenever you were with her right?” she questioned him growing concerned.

“Never done her before. Tonight would’ve been the first. And yes, I always use somethin’ Freckles. I ain’t some irresponsible teenager. Jus’ feel like it’s a person’s duty to tell someone, that they plan to sleep with, that they had a past rife with STD’s. That’s all.”

Kate rolled her eyes and smiled broadly. For the first time she noticed his state of undress. He was still shirtless, and his pants were still unbuckled. And from her vantage point she could tell he wasn’t wearing anything underneath them. She cleared her throat feeling a heat rush to her cheeks, the little that she did see was more than enough.

“Uh, James.” She got his attention, “You may want to buckle up.” He looked at her confused for a second before looking down.

“Shit!” he got up quickly, turning away from her as his hands moved furtively to redo the zip and buckle. “You couldn’t tell me that sooner Freckles. Damn Doc must think I’m some kinda pervert!” Kate launched into a series of soft giggles which didn’t stop even after he threw a mean scowl in her direction.

“Well aren’t you?” Kate teased.

“Ain’t never been one to you.” He retorted.

“No. You haven’t.” she said with only a hint of sadness as her laughter died down.

James reclaimed his seat and they sat in silence again. Kate taking unseen glances over at him, while he did the same.

“I’m going to have to call her brothers and sisters.” She suddenly acknowledged sadly. James looked at her puzzled, he had never known that Diane had other family.

“They all disowned her when she refused to give up Wayne.” Kate answered to his questioning look. “I hope they’ll be able to put that aside to grieve her properly.” He gave a look of understanding, and they both looked back to Diane, still sleeping soundly.

“Our mother’s dieing James.” Kate said quietly. She looked at him tiredly and saw exhaustion in him as well. But more than that, she saw acceptance. He had been there the whole time. He had accepted her fate. Knew that eventually the day would come when she would be gone. She, on the other hand, hadn’t come around just yet.

“You look tired Freckles, go get some rest.”

“I can’t…what if she…”

“I’ll stay here, watch after her.”

“No. I’ll stay too.”

“Freckles, you’re about ready to fall asleep on yourself. Go, we’ll be fine here.” Kate contemplated the offer.

“You’ll come get me if anything happens, right?” she asked.

“Yeah, of course.”

"Ok.” She nodded her head, getting up from the chair and moving over to the door where she stopped and turned back. “Thank you James. Thanks for everything.” He gave a short bow of his head indicating that she was welcome.

After leaving the room, instead of going to get ready for bed, she decided that she needed some air. She went out on the front porch and sat on the steps there, staring up at the night sky. She couldn’t help but remember the last time she was sitting here. A house slowly filling with gas behind her and a lighter in her hand. Waiting for Wayne to come home so she could end the misery once and for all.

It was a few months after her eighteenth birthday. Her mother had given her a brooch, that she had bought with money she had secretly saved up without Wayne’s knowledge. She had also gotten the long talk about becoming a woman, and this being the beginning of the rest of her life. She took her mothers words to heart and decided what her first action as a responsible woman would be.

So she sat there, flicking the lighter. On. Off. On. Off. Laying in wait for her prey. She heard the old truck coming down the road, and tensed up. Preparing for what would happen next. She had no second thoughts. She was committed to do this.

But the truck that came pulled up into James’ driveway. Fear creeped in on her. He wasn’t supposed to be back until the next day. He had gone down to Tampa to pull a job three days ago, and she distinctly remembered him saying he would be back on Sunday. She remembered it so well because she had planned this whole thing around it.

“I’m back Freckles.” He sauntered up the front walk, “What no welcome home party.” Kate smiled sweetly hoping he would stay at a fair distance. But she had no such luck as she watched him walk right up the steps to lean against the post and look at her.

“I thought you were going to be back tomorrow.” She said, trying to make conversation so that he wouldn’t see what was written all over her face.

“Was easier than I anticipated. Not happy I’m back earl…” James paused and Kate’s back went rigid, her insides turning over on themselves, “What’s that god awful smell…is that…gas.” James went into the house to investigate. And as if things couldn’t get any worse. Wayne picked that exact moment to arrive. She watched wide eyed as he pulled up and stumbled out of the truck. He almost fell on her as he struggled to climb up the steps.

Kate looked straight ahead, her plan crumbling all around her.

“Th’ fuck you doin’ in my house boy!” she heard Wayne shout. She finally looked back to see James coming back through the door.

He stood there a long while looking at her and then looking back at the house. Repeating the action several times. She knew he had put two and two together. She turned back to face the road, her shoulders slumped, defeated. He walked up next to her and held out his hand.

“Give me the lighter Freckles.” He ordered. But he didn’t seem upset. He almost spoke as if he had expected something like this to happen sooner or later. She reached up and pressed the lighter into his hand.

“Come on.” He walked down the steps and called her to follow. “You can stay by me tonight.”

Kate lay in bed, in the small guestroom next to his. She couldn’t sleep, an affliction that was made worse when she heard the commotion begin shortly after her mother returned home. James had lent her one of his work shirts to sleep in and it was in this that she tiptoed over to James’ room.

A sliver of moonlight fell across the bed as the sheer curtains billowed into the room. James was fast asleep lying on his stomach in the middle of the queen-sized bed. He had kicked off the covers and Kate stood admiring his strong, muscular back. His boxers had ridden down slightly exposing the beginnings of his round, firm ass. She felt herself go weak in the knees at the sight before her.

Climbing onto the side, she lightly shook his shoulder. It took a few tries but eventually he moaned as he opened his eyes, straining to make her out in the dark.

“I can’t sleep.” She confessed to him. She watched every movement he made as he drowsily repositioned himself to lie on his back on the far side of the bed, leaving enough space for her.

Kate climbed in and settled next to him. She lay perfectly still staring up at the ceiling, and after a few minutes she heard his breathing even out, signaling his return to sleep. This wasn’t the first time he had let her sleep next to him, just like this wasn’t the first time her body burned and ached just to reach out and touch him.

Turning onto her side to face him, she watched the rise and fall of his chest. Taking note of how the moonlight shifted and played upon the contours of it. Unable to stop herself, she reached out a hand and gently caressed the smooth skin on his stomach. He mumbled as he swung his head around to face her. She froze until she was sure that he was still asleep, and then took the opportunity to slowly move in closer careful not to wake him up.

She placed her face right in front of his, their noses touching, and gazed unblinkingly at his closed eyelids. She continued stroking his chest and stomach. He mumbled something again, and she watched unafraid as he opened his eyes sleepily. They stared at each other like that for what seemed like an eternity, until Kate breached the couple of inches between them and met her lips to his.

He was slow to respond but eventually started kissing her back, allowing her to part his lips with her tongue and explore the warmth and softness of the space within. Her hand kept moving over his chest as he brought his own hand up to the back of her head, and shifted to lie on his side.

Kate hooked her leg over him and pushed herself onto him, and him onto his back. He rubbed her back as they continued to dive their tongues into one another, playing their sensual game. Kate reached between them and started to undo the buttons on her shirt. She sat up, straddling him and feeling his excited state beneath her, as she sought to release the last two buttons. The sides of the shirt fell open to reveal her small, firm breasts and lacy black panties. He let out a small moan as he reached one hand around her back, using the other to cup one of her breasts. He pulled her back down, capturing her mouth once again.

Kate broke away from him, trailing her tongue down past his chin to his neck, where she sucked and nibbled a path to his chest. She moved her mouth over one of his nipples. Lazily circling and flicking her tongue across it, then sucking gently. It was driving him crazy, evidenced by his moans.

“Kate…no.” he managed to breathe out, but she kept on. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her off. “No Kate.” He said more audibly, trying to mask the desire in his voice.

“Why?” she asked him, her eyes smoldering. She ran her hand up to his face and made an effort to lean forward and kiss him again. But he kept her steady where she was.

“Freckles you’re looking for something…you just tried to kill a man tonight.” He spoke softly to her. She shook her head.

“No, that’s not what this is…” she reached up and plucked his hand from her shoulder, slipping one of his fingers into her hot mouth, before sliding it out again and kissing the tip, she felt him jump beneath her and smiled seductively. “Come on James. Tell me you want this.” She leaned down to him once again, and again he kept her at a distance.

“No Freckles.” He said again. A flash of anger flared in her eyes.

“Am I that undesirable James?!” she raised her voice at him, “I’m practically throwing myself at you!”

“Kate…” he tried to calm her down, but she was already climbing off of him, furious and embarrassed. “Kate. Listen to me. Wait.”

She wrapped the shirt tightly around her and ran out of the room. James ran after her, but by the time he got outside she had already reached her house.

Kate went straight into her room, roughly wiping away the tears that blurred her vision. She packed her few precious belongings, taking the stash of money she had saved up over the years. By the early morning hours she had already vanished into the night.

The next morning, Kate woke up with a start. Literally catapulting herself off the bed, she glanced at her old fashioned alarm clock, before running to Diane’s room. The television was on and James was there feeding her mother while they watched old reruns of The Match Game. It was her mother’s favourite game show.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Din’t have the heart to Freckles.” James looked back at her and flashed his dimples.

“Why aren’t you at work” she questioned, leaning against the door jam, arms folded against her chest. “It’s half after ten already.”

“Took time off.” James answered, continuing to spoon feed Diane and keeping one eye on the show. “Help you take care of her.”

“Don’t be ridiculous James. Go to work…I’ll manage. I have for the past week.”

“Well, if that piece ah snorin’ you put down last night was evidence of it. I don’t think you been managing all that well Freckles. Thought you were gonna bring the whole house down ‘round us.” Kate blushed beet red. She never snored…unless…she was…really tired. And of course, he knew that. So she didn’t even bother to protest.

“I’m ok now. The first week was hard getting used to. I don’t want you to inconvenience yourself. I’m here, I can take care of her.” James smirked at her.

“’K then, but you won’t mind if I give Betty a call and have her come assist. I’ll feel a whole lot better.” He said casually. Kate knew exactly what he was doing. She walked over to him and took the bowl from his hands.

“I’m sure you would. I’ll take over, go get some sleep.” James smiled triumphantly, evacuating the seat so that she could resume the duty.

The rest of that day went by fairly comfortably. James had called the priest and the funeral parlour, and had booked appointments to see them the next day. He then settled himself on her bed and took a nap while Kate tended to Diane. She smiled to herself subconsciously when she realized that small glimpses of what her relationship used to be with James, were coming through much more often.

James woke up later in the afternoon and relieved Kate so that she could contact her mother’s family members. She never thought of them as aunts and uncles, because she never really knew them. She just knew their names and that her mother kept an address book that detailed their numbers and addresses, though she never needed to access them. Ned, Rita, Margaret and Susan, she called each one and told them the news. Rita broke down, apparently she was the closest to Diane and had tried unsuccessfully to get the others back on speaking terms with her mother. But in the end, she had to follow the pack or risk banishment as well.

“Your mother loved that man.” Rita summed it up, “But she made her bed. Who were we to pass judgment on her.” Kate recognized the line. Her mother had said it to her often about her relationship with Wayne. Kate couldn’t understand the view that these women had on love. Just because you loved someone, didn’t mean you had to stand still while they slowly sucked the life out of you, or in her mother’s case, beat the life out of you.

They all expressed their condolences and the three sisters said they would want to be there. Ned, however, wouldn’t be a part of it, and she just had to accept that. She felt sorry for him, even though she had no clue if he would regret his decision later or not.

“How’s it going Freckles?” James placed a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s…painful.” She sighed and then gave him a weak smile.

“I know.” He gave a little squeeze, “I know.”

Three days after that, Diane’s health started to decline rapidly. James and Kate were by her side while she mumbled incomprehensible things under her breath. They smoothed her hair, held her hand, wiped her face. The doctor came and told them she was in the final stages, she wouldn’t last much longer. Father Geoffrey, who was put on standby days before, was summoned to the house to keep vigil and read her last rites.

At 4:16, in the wee hours of Monday morning. Diane clutched onto Kate’s hand with such power, that Kate was startled, and thought for a moment that the women had been cured.

“Katherine…” her voice weak but understandable now, “Katherine, I have…always…loved…you…I’m so…proud…of you.” Kate stared at her, wide eyes brimming with tears as her mother then slipped away from her and took her last breath. Kate looked around her in a panic. Saw both the doctor and priest move towards the bed, saw James cradling his face in his hands.

“Ma?” Kate let out a small cry, turning back to the now lifeless form on the bed. She moved from the chair and sat on the edge, leaning over to embrace her dead mother, sobs now racking the entire length of her body, “Ma…”

She felt someone sit on the bed next to her, and place a comforting hand on her back. Knowing immediately it was James, she got up and curled into his waiting arms, finding a spot on his neck to cry into. He rocked with her gently back and forth, and she felt his own tears hit her forehead and run down the side of her face. This was them. And this was how they mourned the passing of their mother.

Kate looked in the mirror as she buttoned up her black, long-sleeved blouse. She went over to the bed and picked up the black, knee-length pencil skirt and slipped it on, tucking the blouse in at the same time. She was dry-eyed when she placed the black, veiled hat over her hair that was styled in a loose bun at the nape of her neck. A lot of tears had been shed over the last four days. She had relocated to James’ house, unable to live in her own. The memory of her mother too strong, and still too painful to bear.

But today wasn’t going to be about tears. It was going to be about honouring her mother. It was about celebrating her life. About the woman she was, the woman she struggled to be, and the woman she had finally become. Kate smoothed her hands over her skirt and adjusted her hat, tilting it to the side. No tears.

“Freckles.” There was a soft tap on the door, followed by James peeping in. “Ready to go?” He stood waiting for her, looking solemn in his black suit, as she slipped on her black pumps and grabbed her purse.

She walked up to him and they shared a mutual embrace, taking a deep breath and exhaling before releasing each other.

“Let’s go.”

The funeral service was touching, but Kate made sure to tell Father Geoffrey to include happy hymns, that celebrated her life, and not just the sorrow of her death. She had gotten through the eulogy in one piece, taking furtive glances at James in the front pew who nodded his head at her in encouragement. Rita even got up to say a few words about her sister, and Susan and Margaret both offered to do readings.

James along with Tom and a few of the guys that used to work with her mother at the diner, carried the casket to the gravesite, while Kate and the rest of the small group followed behind. Rita was crying and Kate placed a hand around her shoulders. The other two sisters were wet-eyed, but what Kate saw most in them was guilt. She only hoped that by them attending they would be able to achieve some peace in that aspect.

After they had placed the coffin, James took his position at Kate’s side, pulling her to him with one hand, and holding her hand with the other. She felt solid against him, unbreakable. This would be the hardest part, and they both knew it.

Father Geoffrey said the committal prayers as the casket was slowly lowered into the grave. Kate struggled to keep herself together, she looked up at James who seemed to be succeeding at keeping his emotions in check, but only barely so. The coffin hit the bottom, and then she heard him.

“Diane!” a loud, tortured wail was carried on the wind towards them, “Oh Diane!” Everyone around the gravesite started whispering amongst themselves, and Kate turned around to see a drunk Wayne stumbling towards the group.

He was a mess, even though he had managed to put on a suit. His jacket hung open exposing his untucked, and half unbuttoned shirt. The tie he was wearing hung loosely around an upturned collar. Kate stole a glance at her mother’s sisters who were fixing murderous eyes upon Wayne.

“Son of a…” James muttered angrily under his breath, while Kate hung her head ashamed and angry that Wayne was causing such a scene. He hadn’t changed at all. James left her side, her eyes following him to where he grabbed hold of Wayne and moved him a distance away from the site. The priest continues the last rites, and Kate divided her attention between what was going on there, and the two men off to the side.

Wayne was crying, collapsing at one point on his knees in front of James, who quickly dragged him up and pointed in the nearest direction that would take him out and far away from the cemetery. Wayne hung his head defeated, and instead of leaving, propped himself against a tree next to the road, where he just leaned and watched from a distance.

James returned to her and she could sense the tension in him. She gently threaded her hand through his arm, holding onto him, and noted that he relaxed some. Even after her death, James had still managed to be her mother’s protector. He was her protector too. Her knight in shining armour.

The interment ended solemnly, and James held Kate’s hand in his as the walked down the gentle slope to where the cars were parked on the road. Kate tensed up a bit when they passed Wayne, and saw him move in the opposite direction to where the undertakers were filling her mother’s grave. She stopped in her tracks and looked back, ready to march up there and have words with the drunk, but James held firm to her and pulled her along.

“Let ‘im say goodbye.” He said in her ear, “He can’t hurt her anymore.”

Kate understood James’ logic, but kept casting glances backwards to see Wayne bending over the grave, kneeling, and hanging his head in grief. It was hard to think of him then as the same man that beat her mother mercilessly when she was alive and well.

By the time they got home it was already beginning to turn dark outside. She stepped up onto James’ porch and waited for him to unlock the door, gazing over at her house that lay now in complete darkness. No lights. Nothing. It was like all the life had come out of it.

James held the door open for her to enter. She walked slowly into the foyer, removing her hat and unpinning the bun allowing her chestnut curls to cascade down her back. She held herself tight, feeling the tears that she had refused to cry that day come back and hit her full force. James seeing her shoulders heaving spun her around to him and held her close, while she cried.

Kate inhaled the scent of his cologne, musky and masculine. Reaching her hand around him and into his hair, she pulled her head away and stared at him. He had the same pained look on his face, and she couldn’t help herself when the urge came to kiss him. In a smooth motion she gently pressed her lips to his, and he responded, his mouth warm and soft on hers. His tongue sought access that was immediately granted, and they swam in each other. The pain and sorrow of the day intensified every caress and stroke.

James broke away first, resting his forehead upon hers and taking deep breaths.

“Kate. We’ve been through a lot.” He spoke huskily, “I don’t want this to be how we deal with it all.” Kate breathed along with him.

“This isn’t…” she began, “Don’t push me away again James.”

“We’re both looking for comfort…”

“Do you really think that this is what this is James?” she pulled away from him, looking at him, tears still in her eyes. “Yes, she’s gone. And yes I need comfort. But I don’t just need to feel something James. I need to feel YOU.” He looked at her, his brow slightly furrowed.

“James, I’ve been in love with you since I was twelve.” She said emphatically, “Twelve. And all I ever wanted was for you to love me the same way. You thought Tom was the great love of my life. He wasn’t. It was YOU.”

After her revelation Kate felt exposed, and a little foolish, especially since he hadn’t moved from his spot in front of her. Here she was pouring out her heart in front of him and he was just standing there looking dazed. Kate was just about to give up when he suddenly drew her roughly to him and crashed his lips against hers. The force of the kiss snapping her head back as he devoured her. The next thing she knew, he had her pressed against the wall, lifting her along with her skirt so that she could wrap her legs around him.

She clung to him, tasting every bit of him as he made his way up the stairs with her, and into his bedroom. Both of them crashed onto the bed, and Kate let out small moans as he moved from her lips to her neck, paying special attention to a spot just below her ear. He licked and sucked while his hands moved to unbutton her blouse. Kate made quick work of removing his jacket and shirt, along with the tie. And had started on his pants when she felt a coolness over her bra and panty clad body. He placed his arm under the arch of her back and lifted her skillfully, placing her against the pillows and then reaching up to unclasp her bra, while kicking off his pants.

His mouth was on hers again, his tongue darting out and dueling with hers while he cupped her breast, rubbing and pulling at the delicate skin there. Kate kissed up along his jaw and rested her mouth against his ear.

“Make love to me, James.” She whispered, her voice husky and filled with desire for him, “Make love to me.”

And he obliged. Making love to her over, and over, and over again.

The next morning, their naked bodies lay entwined among a mess of tangled sheets. Kate awoke first and mischievously reached her hand downwards. He mumbled appreciatively as they both were slowly awakened.

“What you tryin’ to do to me Freckles?” He smiled, kissing the top of her head.

“Giving you a wake up call.” She tilted her head up to kiss him. It was deep, and breath-taking.

“So what are you gonna do now Sassy…run off on me again?” he asked her.

“Well, I don’t know. Do I have a reason to stay?” she looked up at him inquisitively. He looked towards the ceiling pensively.

“You know I didn’t tell you all of my secrets.” He started in a confessional tone, changing the subject. Kate leaned up on her elbows, intrigued by this revelation.

“Diane kept my biggest one.” Kate’s brows furrowed, she was more interested now than ever. What secret could her mother have possibly kept for him?

“I told her I was in love with you.” James admitted, surreptitiously glancing at her to gauge her reaction.

“What did she say?”

“What could she say…you were sixteen at the time. I just had to tell someone. Was understood that nothing could come of it.” Kate stared at him, doe-eyed before leaning down to kiss him once more.

“Thank you.” She said, licking her lips.

“For what?” he raised his eyebrows, and she snuggled against him once more.

“For giving me my reason.”

Too Gone, Too Long (Part One)

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 12:53:54 GMT

She had kept the key. So getting in wasn’t the problem, it was working up the courage to go in that was. Taking a deep breath she turned the key and disengaged the lock. The click sounded familiar, but from a time long ago past. She stepped into the small living room, the scent of potpourri and moth balls filling her nostrils. In the dim light, she could see that everything had mostly remained the same. She somehow wished it had changed, even just a little bit.

Six years, eight months, and fifteen days. That was how long she had been gone. And if you had told her a month ago that she would be back. She would have laughed and said ‘Not a chance in hell!’. But here she was now, standing in her mother’s immaculately polished and maintained living room, staring at trinkets from the past. Kate shook her head at it all.

Moving further in, she passed her hands lightly over the wallpapered walls. She walked by her old room, peeping in and noting that it was as frozen in time as the rest of the house. She stood for a while staring at it, memories flooding her, some good, but most bad. Her ears piqued slightly when she became aware of soft voices. Straightening her back, and wiping her sweaty palms on the seat of her jeans, she advanced forward in the direction of her mother’s room.

Creeping along silently, she reached the threshold without being noticed. Her breath caught in her throat when her eyes fell upon the scene before her. She knew that it was inevitable that she would see him. What she never counted on was seeing him this soon. He sat on the chair with his back turned to her, busy swirling a spoon around in a bowl, before lifting it to her mother’s lips.

Her mother. Oh! Her mother. Kate shifted her gaze over to the bed where a small, almost insignificant looking woman, lay with her head and upper body poking out from under the sheets. She looked so weak, so fragile. Kate fought tears at the sight of her.

“Katherine?” a soft, curious voice rose up from the bed.

“I know.” James lay a comforting hand on the woman’s arm, “She’s gonna come, ok. She’s gonna come.”

“Katherine.” Her mother used what little strength she still had to lift her hand and point towards the doorway. James thought she was finally succumbing to the cancer that riddled her body, until he glanced behind him. At first, it didn’t register. But after the second look, he was convinced. He let the spoon fall away into the bowl as he took a good look at her.

“Well there now Diane. Look at what the cat done drug in.” James glowered at her, and she felt the animosity building. He got up from his seat, leaning over to kiss Diane on the cheek. Walking over to her, he shoved the bowl, of what Kate could make out as oatmeal, into her hands. She forgot how menacing he could be. His height, his build, he had such a presence about him that fascinated and scared her all at the same time. She craned her neck to look up at him, waiting for whatever would come next. “She’s all yours, Katherine.” His tone contemptuous and accusatory. Kate closed her eyes and hung her head as he brushed roughly past her, almost unseating the bowl from her already shaky hands.

Kate stayed rooted to her spot by the door until she heard the front door swing shut and his heavy footsteps gradually fade away. She approached her mother’s bedside tentatively, the woman watching her every step.

“Hi Ma.” Kate uttered as she sat down in the chair recently occupied by James.

“Katherine…oh my Katherine! You’ve come back.” Diane reached a hand out to touch her daughter, checking to see that she was real, and she was there. “Oh Katherine! I’m so sorry.” Tears formed in her mothers eyes, and she felt herself becoming misty eyed as well, “I’m so sorry I never took your side…that I never listened to you. So sorry.”

“Shh, Ma. It’s ok, I’m here now.”

“I was weak Katherine. I was in love. You can’t help who you fall in love with sometimes Katherine.” Kate listened as her mother struggled to speak. “I wasn’t strong enough to let him go. I’m so sorry.”

“Ma it’s ok. You need to rest.” Kate teared up as she used her free hand to smooth her mother’s hair. “I’m not going anywhere Ma, just rest.” She resumed feeding her spoonfuls of the oatmeal.

“So James…he’s been taking care of you?”

“James has been so good, Katherine. He’s like a son to me.” Diane spoke fondly of him.

“I see. He doesn’t seem too pleased with me.” Kate admitted.

“He was in a bad way about you leaving. I was too.” Kate found that hard to believe. Her mother was the one person she thought wouldn’t even notice if she left. Her surprise must have been readable on her face. “I understood why you had to do it Katherine, and I forgive you. I know I need my fair share of forgiveness as well. But James, you two were so close Katherine. I think when you left, without telling him anything, it hurt him deeply.”

What her mother was saying was right. She and James were extremely close back then. He had saved her life. Kate continued feeding her mother as her mind conjured up images of the past.

Her life was miserable. When he came it was still miserable, but it seemed a little more bearable. It was a month before summer, a Saturday, when she heard the old truck coming down the dirt road. It was unusual because they pretty much lived in isolation, so thinking it was someone visiting, she ran to the kitchen window and peeped outside.

He came about the same time puberty hit, and her hormones had started doing weird things with her body and mind. So when she saw this handsome devil of a man pull up in front of the only other house on their road, she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Never much of a wallflower, she decided to go and see if he was lost or something.

“Hi!” Kate chirped, walking up to the truck. He had already switched the engine off and started getting out. He was even more handsome than she could have imagined from the kitchen window. Golden blonde hair cut short but not too short, striking blue eyes, and when he smiled he showed the most impressive, gorgeous pair of dimples. Her eyes grew wide taking in all of him. Her twelve year old mind thinking he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

“Hey there, Freckles.” She grimaced as he noticed the little annoyances that marked her skin.

“Are you lost?” she asked, choosing to ignore the nickname.

“Nope. I’m home.” He pointed to the old, dilapidated two story house that stood a short distance away from hers. No one had lived in it for years now, so she was a bit surprised to hear this stranger call it ‘home’. “I bought it.” He said.

“Well Sir, as you can see, you were ripped off.” Kate looked at the eyesore in front of them.

“Nope, got it for a steal. Gonna fix ‘er up. And what the hell you calling me ‘Sir’ for?”

“Because, you’re…old…er. It’s being respectful.”

“I ain’t that old. I ain’t ‘Sir’ old.” She looked at him expecting him to continue. “I’m nineteen. That ain’t ‘old.”

“Nineteen. And you own a house?”

“Yeah. Who are you anyway?” he started to walk up the gravel pathway to the shaky front stoop.

“Well I guess I’m your neighbour. I’m Kate.” She walked alongside him as he went to the front door and took out the key to unlock it. She stepped inside after him, the smell of mold, dust and must assaulting her.

“Holy Moly! It’s even worse than the outside!” she exclaimed at the condition of the house.

“Nah it’s alright, just needs a little love that’s all.” James looked around at the work he no doubt had in store.

“So what’s your name?...Where are your parents?...Are you going to do this all by yourself?” Kate shot off a flurry of questions.

“Do you always ask so many damn questions?” she fixed her eyes on him, obviously waiting for the answers. “Name’s James Ford. I ain’t got none. And yes.” His tone made her wary of asking anything else.

“You’ve got a lot of work to do then, James.” She walked around surveying all the damage that needed to be repaired. “School’s off for me in two weeks. I can help you, if you want.”

James studied her closely, contemplating her offer. He honestly wouldn’t mind having some help, she seemed really young though. So how much could she really do? In the end he figured that even a little help would go a long way.

“Alright Shortcake, I’ll appreciate it.”

“Ok then.” She held out her hand for them to shake on it. That was the first time she would say a boy ever gave her the ‘tingles’. But he could hardly be called a boy now could he. Tom was a boy, but he…James…he was a man. And she had the biggest crush on him.

Kate smiled at the recollection of the first time they had met. Her hands moved over the bowl as she washed it in the kitchen sink. She looked out towards his house and saw that there were no lights on. He must have gone out. A tiny, amber flicker caught her eye, and on further inspection she saw that he was sitting on his front porch looking out pensively and having a smoke.

She finished washing up, drying her hands absently on the front of her jeans. A pass by her mother’s bedroom ensured her that Diane was sleeping soundly, so she hauled on her jeans jacket and headed out the door.

Walking up the brick pathway, she noticed he didn’t move to acknowledge her presence. She let her fingers glide along the railing as she climbed the steps into his balcony, never taking her eyes off of him. He had pulled the bench up some so that he could prop his feet up on the banister. He took long deep puffs of the cigarette, and exhaled equally long trails of smoke. Kate walked slowly towards him and seated herself on the bench.

They sat in silence, as Kate played nervously with her hands, taking quick glances over at him while he dragged on his cigarette, stopping only to tap the ashes into the ashtray he had placed next to him. His hair was much longer than when she left, touching the tops of his shoulders. And rather than before when he used to keep his face clean shaven, she could see that he had allowed some stubble to grow out. He had changed, instead of being incredibly cute, he now seemed rugged and sexy to her.

There was so much to say, and she didn’t know where to start. It had never been like this between the two of them. She always found it so easy to talk to him, more than anyone else. But now she was at a loss for the right words to say.

Kate enjoyed that summer when she helped him fix up the house. They would talk about a whole bunch of stuff. He would tell her about his work down at the steel factory, and she would tell him about how she spent her days while he was out. He treated her like a little sister, and she was content with that. As long as she got to spend time with him, and be close to him, she was happy. He had asked her many times why she didn’t bring her friend Tom along to help with the house as well. And she always made up some excuse. She didn’t want Tom there, she wanted it to be James and her alone.

That summer, she had also told him about her home life. Not that he couldn’t have heard about it for himself. Her mother’s screams, the thumps and the crashes. Kate felt that what was going on in her house could have been heard from miles away. But he never asked her. She volunteered the information, and found that he was a good listener. She had told him about how she found out that her Dad wasn’t really her dad, and how it made her feel. How she hated Wayne with a passion, and hated the fact that she had his blood running through her veins.

Soon after, he began coming over to their house before Wayne got home. Kate knew that he was there mainly to diffuse the situation in case Wayne came home drunk, which was almost always the case, and started beating up on Diane. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t. He and Wayne got into a good many scuffles.

Wayne hated James, he saw him as a more than able adversary. Diane loved James, and saw him as a willing protector. With James around, she didn’t have to worry about leaving Wayne, because James would prevent him from seriously hurting her. Kate saw James as her knight in shining armour. Even though he couldn’t prevent all the abuse, he was still her Saviour.

Diane would cook enough dinner, so that eventually James would eat by them every night. And everything was going well like that for about a year. Until one night, when Wayne put a gun to her mother’s head and told her if he ever saw that boy in his house again, he would kill her. So Diane begged James to stay away, but she still sent Kate over everyday with a container of his dinner. The beatings got even worse after that, and all James could do was listen to what was going on next door, and try to keep Kate out of it.

The summer after was James’ turn for revelations. They were fishing, something they did quite often together, when he told her about his own parents. How they were conned. How his father murdered his mother and then shot himself right on top of the bed he was hiding under. The hell he went through in the foster care system, and how as soon as he got out of it he bought the house, desiring to settle in one place and only live for himself.

Kate thought it the most tragic story she had ever heard, and her heart went out to him. That summer, she felt she truly had fallen in love with him. But she kept her feelings a secret. She prayed every night for God to make her wake up a few years older, so that he would see her as more than just a little girl. More than just a little sister.

“So are you never going to talk to me again?” Kate finally spoke up, casting a glance over at him. He didn’t respond, taking another drag on the slender stick.

“I don’t know what you want me to say James. I’m sorry I left without telling you. But I’m not sorry I left. I had no other choice.” Still he sat looking out from the balcony.

“You stopped me the first time James. What would have happened if you weren’t there to stop me the second time…or the third…or the fourth. If I stayed, I would have killed him eventually. I was set on it. I have a life now because you stopped me…”

“He left a month after you did.” James finally broke his silence, but still didn’t turn to face her.

“I know.”

“Then why the hell didn’t you come back.” He said, anger just below the surface.

“I don’t know James. I had a taste of freedom. After being in that house my whole life. Going through that practically my whole life. I wanted something more. Something different.” Kate looked at him, willing him to just look in her direction. It was painful feeling the coldness that was coming off of him in ice waves. “What made him leave anyway? Tom never told me.”

“He sent Diane to the goddamn hospital. I said enough was enough, went over there and beat the shit outta him. Hightailed…well more like dragged himself outta there and never came back. Surprised the good ‘Ole Doc didn’t tell ya.” James paused to flick more ashes, “Speaking of the Doc, got himself married, a kid, one on the way.” This time he did look at her, searching her face for the desired effect. He wanted to hurt her. He had no idea.

“I know.” She replied, “I’m happy for him.” James looked away again, obviously pissed that she showed no signs of jealousy or hurt.

“You best go check on her.” He commented, getting up from the bench and walking to his front door, “Don’t want her dieing, now that you’ve just made your glorious return an’ all.” The bitterness in his voice stung her. And when she heard him close the door and lock it behind him, she felt a sharp pull on her heart. She sat there a while longer, listening as he stomped up the stairs to his bedroom. She hugged herself as a chilly gust of wind whipped around her and slowly rose to make her way back home.

Voices and soft giggles woke her the next morning. She stumbled out of bed and followed the noise into the kitchen, still wiping the sleep from her eyes. What she saw was enough to wake her up completely. James stood there with a woman she had never seen in her life, sandwiched between him and the kitchen counter. Kate watched as he whispered in the woman’s ear and planted kisses along her neck, rising to capture her mouth in a serious lip lock. Needless to say, Kate was furious. She folded her arms over her chest and cleared her throat loudly, causing them both to spin around and see her there.

“Who’s your friend James?” Kate asked him snidely.

“Uh…this is Betty…Diane’s nurse. She looks after her while I’m at work.” He said a bit guiltily but not apologetic in the least.

“Looks after you too I see.” Betty brought a hand to her brow and blushed red with embarrassment. Kate didn’t fail to notice the engagement and wedding rings she wore on her ring finger. “Hmm, I wonder if her husband knows what a great job she’s doing here. She work overtime too?”

James and Kate had a staring match, while Betty tried to hide her ringed hand behind her back. She looked uncomfortable, like she was the unsuspecting guest at a battle royale. Kate broke eye contact with James and looked at the woman.

“Your services won’t be needed anymore.”

“But Miss Austen…”

“I am her daughter. I’ll be taking care of her from now on.”

“You’re crazy, you don’t know the half of what goes into taking care of her!” James argued.

“She’s my mother and I will take care of her.” She turned back to Betty, “You can leave now.” Betty wasted no time in gathering up her bag and practically ran through the living room to the front door.

“What the hell is your problem?!” James started in on her, Kate opened her mouth to speak but he continued. “You know what…no…I don’t give a damn! I gotta get to work anyway.” he took the same path Betty did and left the house. Kate shook her head, walking in to the living room and spying through the curtains.

Betty was obviously upset and James was trying to comfort her. Eventually he succeeded and Kate wished she had eaten breakfast already so she could have thrown it up. It always ate at her to see him with other women. She absolutely hated it.

Kate was sixteen when she really began to realize that he had women over on a regular basis. And not just one woman, oh no, he had several. She would watch from the kitchen window as he escorted them in through his front door. She swore that her heart broke every time. And what was worse, was when he brought home a particularly frisky, and vocal one. She would lay in bed, and even though her room was on the side of the house farthest away from his own home, she would still hear the girls cries of ecstasy. It made her sick. And sometimes it even made her cry.

It was ok if he didn’t see her the way she so desperately wanted to be seen by him. But to see him with women, to know that they were getting his attentions in that way, it was torture for her. Perhaps that was why she was leading on Tom the way she was. Tom was her ‘just in case’ guy. ‘Just in case’ James never woke up one day and suddenly fell madly in love with her. Thing was, it felt like she was waiting forever for that day to come, but she still wasn’t prepared to let go of the hope of it coming around.

So she had decided to take the ‘bull by the horns’, literally. One night when Wayne came home drunk as usual, she went over to his house. He rarely locked his door, and that night was no exception. She found him in the living room watching television, and flopped on the couch next to him.

“He’s drunk again.”

“What else’s new Freckles?”

“Can you take me to the Ridge?” she asked. They went to the Ridge often. James had started taking her after he was banned from her house by death threats from Wayne. He took her away so that she could escape, and not have to hear the horrors that ran rampant in her house almost nightly.

“Alright then, let’s go.” James got up and searched for his keys, while Kate walked on ahead to the truck outside. She hopped in and waited for him.

The drive up was normal. They talked about everything other than what was going on back home. He was good at taking her mind off of things. Cracking jokes and teasing her. He made her feel safe.

The drive wasn’t too long and they were there within five minutes. You would think that with a name like ‘The Ridge’, it was some popular make out spot for experimental teenagers. But this hilltop was relatively unknown.

James parked and got out, Kate followed along with the regular routine. In a few seconds they were settled. James lying flat on the truck bed, Kate perpendicular to him with her head on his stomach and legs swung over the side. She loved these moments. They were so intimate to her. They talked for a while, and looked for shooting stars. Eventually she got up the nerve to execute her plan and took a deep breath.

“What do you do to them to make them scream like that?” she asked him, as if she were asking about the weather.

“Come again?” James thought he had heard wrong.

“The women you bring home, I hear them screaming sometimes.” She clarified for him. James looked down his nose at her as she flashed him an inquisitive look.

“Now that’s hardly the kinda thing I should be talking to you about Freckles.” He said with a chuckle.

“Why? We talk about everything.” Kate lifted her head from his stomach and sat up to face him properly.

“’Cause…you don’t need to know about that yet.” He made sure not to make eye contact with her.

“Well…” she lay down next to him and snuggled close. “If you don’t want to talk about it…maybe you can show me what you do.” She nestled her head in the crook of his neck and began placing soft kisses there, letting her hand trail over his chest on its way downwards. She felt his body go rigid and alternated her kisses with soft sucking motions. She couldn’t believe she was doing this, she knew she was being overly forward, but she was in heaven.

James grabbed her hand before it reached its target. And she was brought back down to earth. He pushed her away from him and looked at her crossly.

“Girl, are you out of your damn mind?!”

“What’s the problem?” she asked innocently.

“The problem?” James questioned, “You want to get me arrested for statutory rape or somethin’ Shortcake?”

“It’s not rape…I’m consenting.” She reasoned, as if he was being ridiculous. “Besides, who’s going to charge you with it anyway. My dad doesn’t want me, my mother could care less about me, and Wayne is drunk all the time.” Kate leaned into him again, “I want this James.” He again held her at a distance.

“You don’t want nothin’, and I ain’t givin’ it.” He said seriously. Kate felt like screaming, he was pushing her away, and it hurt like hell. She wrenched her hand away from him and got up quickly. Anger rose to cover the utter embarrassment she felt. She vaulted over the side of the truck, and swung her head back to him furiously.

“For your information, I only wanted to impress Tom.” She spit at him, “See me and him, we’re looking to take our relationship to the next level, so I just wanted to be a bit more…” she struggled to find the word to use, “experienced.” This was obviously a lie, but she didn’t want him to think that she actually really wanted him.

“Say what, Freckles?” James was now standing up in the back of the truck, towering over her, “You ain’t takin’ anythin’ to any other level, you’re too goddamn young to be doing those things.”

“Young!” she yelled at him, “You told me you were fourteen when you lost it! I’m sixteen! You know what…no one can stop me, especially not you…I’m doing it!” James jumped down from the truck in front of her.

“Look Freckles, that’s different, I’m a guy. An’ besides I ain’t no kind of role model. I din’t exactly have anyone that cared enough to stop me.” He spoke softly to her, placing his hands on her shoulders hoping to get his point across. “Don’t do this Freckles, I don’t want you to regret it. At the risk of sounding like a lovesick girl, your first time should be special Freckles.”

Kate rolled her eyes and shrugged out of his grip. She wanted so badly for him to see that it would have been ‘special’ for her. He was all she needed to make it ‘special’. She marched to the passenger side door, slamming it after she seated herself in the truck cab. He let out a loud, frustrated sigh and got in on his side as well.

They drove back in silence, Kate kept her eyes fixed outside her window, struggling to keep the hot tears at bay. She was relieved when they finally pulled up in his driveway and she wasted little time getting out of the vehicle.

“Freckles…” he called after her. She spun around and looked through the window at him.

“I’m fine.” She said in her most cheerful voice, “See you tomorrow James.” And with that she made her way home.

The next day, they both steered clear of any discussion regarding the previous night, and they were back to normal. Everything appeared to be unchanged. But something had changed. Kate had decided while laying in her bed, after crying for about an hour straight, that she would lock away her foolish dreams of ever being with him. She had Tom, and Tom loved her. She would stop wishing for something that was wholly unattainable.

She stopped wishing for a grand total of six days.

Kate moved away from the window when she saw James and Betty leaving. He gave her a ride into town. She went to check on her mother, saw that she was still asleep, and decided she would start to make preparations for the day. She didn’t know the first thing about care-giving for the terminally ill, but she was determined to do this.

A week had passed and Kate had pretty much settled into life back home. It was much different with Wayne absent. Quieter, sometimes eerily so. Her mother and her talked little, as she didn’t want her to exert herself. James came every morning before work as well as for a little while when he got home in the evenings. They still were barely talking to each other, and he did his best to stay out of her way.

Kate stood over the stove scooping out the oatmeal into a small bowl. Her feet ached and she was dog-tired. Taking care of her mother, alone for the most part, was extremely exhausting. But she was not about to complain. There was no way she was having Betty back, and she would die before she told James about her fatigued state. She went to the dish rack to find a spoon, just in time to catch James walking up to his house with another of his bimbos. She shook her head in disgust as she went to her mother’s room.

“Time for dinner Ma.” She said with a smile, resting the food on the nightstand and helping her mother sit up in the bed. She took great care in placing the napkin to work as a bib on Diane’s chest, and started stirring the oatmeal again to cool it down even more.

“Ok, now I think I got it this time.” Kate commented as she spooned the mixture into her mother’s mouth. “Hmm…what do you think?”

Diane slowly shook her head, making a face at the taste of the oatmeal.

“No?” Kate’s disappointment was apparent, “Well, I’ve tried everything you told me to Ma. Can you at least explain what it tasted like?” she watched her mother and grew frustrated.

“You know, maybe I’ll just go ask him.” Kate pushed out of the chair, went to the kitchen and grabbed the pot of oatmeal off the stove.

She didn’t know what flew into her, but she wasn’t even really thinking when she stormed over to his house, barged in the front door and stomped up the stairs.

She flung his bedroom door open with such force that it ricocheted off of the wall and all most hit her on its return journey.

"Son of a BITCH!” James jumped up from his position between the woman’s legs and Kate thanked the Lord for small miracles when she saw that they were still semi-dressed. He was in his jeans, unbuckled but still on, and the woman who frantically grabbed at the sheets to cover her top half was in her underwear. Wait a minute, the woman…

“Linda?” Kate said in disbelief as she saw the same girl that had gone to school with her.

“Katie? Is that you?” Linda squealed. James glanced from woman to woman.

“Least I don’t have to make any introduct-“

“Shut up, James!” Kate snapped at him.

“Katie, I didn’t know you were back.” Linda screeched out in her irritating high-pitched timber, “My God you haven’t changed one bit.”

“Neither have you Linda. I see you’re still whoring your way around town.” Kate smirked, and Linda gasped covering her mouth, “Oh come on, you know everyone says it about you. By the way did you ever get rid of that syphilis?” then turning her head to James, “I really hope you’re using protection James, this one’s as nasty as they come.”

James was upset, but on the other hand, he was struggling to keep back a fit of laughter. He always knew Kate was a spit-fire, but to see her now in all her snarky, bitchy glory was an eye-opener for him. She seemed to have gotten ten times worse during her absence. Linda was ok as long as she kept her mouth closed and her legs open. But she couldn’t hold her own against Kate.

“And James, I’m so disappointed in you, I mean don’t you think she’s a bit too young. She could be your sister!” James didn’t particularly like when the heat was turned on him, and he scowled at her. But before he could fire off a come-back she had turned around to leave.

“Oh yeah.” Kate turned back around and threw the pot against the hardwood floor, sending ribbons of oatmeal flying everywhere.

“Jesus Christ, Kate!” James looked at her incredulously.

“I don’t know what the fuck it is you put in this thing. But she won’t eat it when I make it.” And with that said, she stormed out of the house.

She could feel James closing on her as she blazed a path across the lawn. Felt him grip onto her arm and yank her around to face him.

“Let go!” she screamed at him, trying to wrestle away her arm, “Let GO of me!”

“Not until you tell me what all this is about, woman!” he had never called her woman before, it was always ‘girl’. And why was she taking note of that anyway.

“This is about you stealing my mother!” after it came out of her mouth she knew it sounded entirely stupid and immature.

“Say what?”

“All she ever talks about is James this, James that…oh James is so wonderful, he’s so great…he’s like a son to me…James, James, James...constantly.” Kate spoke passionately, “I can’t stand it! She’s not your mother. I’m not your sister. This is NOT your family!”

James was stunned and she used the opportunity to rip her arm away from him. He quickly tried to regain a hold of her, but accidentally grabbed onto her hair. Her head snapped back and she let out a small yelp.

“Sorry.” He said quickly releasing the tresses, while she got up in his face, her hand raised. “What? You wanna hit me? Go ahead Freckles. Right there.” he pointed to his cheek, “If it’ll make you feel better.” Kate lowered her hand.

“You’re not worth it.” She growled at him, before continuing her trek, “I’m leaving.”

“What!” James followed her all the way into her room, where he saw her take down her suitcase and begin opening drawers and closets and throwing things in haphazardly. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Are you deaf?” she went out of the room and came back with her toothbrush and some other toiletries. “I’m not needed here. I’m leaving.” James began unpacking the suitcase, making the entire process counterproductive. “Would you stop that!” she cried, swatting at his hand.

“You ain’t leaving Freckles.” He said placing a pile of her clothes back in the draw, “I ain’t letting you.”

“Well there isn’t…” Kate stopped holding her hand up to silence him as well, and listened carefully.

“Katherine…” It was very faint, and almost inaudible, but yes, she had heard it. She raced past him and made a dash to Diane’s room. James was on her heels.

When she got there she saw her mother’s eyes rolling into the back of her head, and then suddenly she was unresponsive. Kate shook her, trying to make her regain consciousness. James stood behind her holding his head.

“Go call the doctor!” she yelled at him, and when she didn’t hear him leave, “James!” he snapped out of it and ran out of the room.

“Ma? Ma listen to me, you need to wake up. You can’t go Ma. You can’t go.” Tears that had been building up for a week now were finally shed, as she held tightly onto her mother’s hand. “Please Ma, you have to wake up, don’t go yet.”

Play It Again, Baby (Chapter One)

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:52:00 GMT

CHAPTER ONE - BOOGIE SHOES

Kate Austin looked around the old dive bar where she worked nights. It was packed. They always did pretty good business during the weekdays with the after-work crowd, but now, on a Friday night they came in droves to slake their thirst, indulge in fries and burgers and prepare themselves for the weekend ahead. Hardly what you would call a ‘modern’ bar, it was comfortable and much resembled an old Wild West saloon. It was filled with sturdy wood furnishings embellished with leather and gold studs, and a substantial oak wood bar with a dark-green, marble, counter-top, which Kate polished almost hourly and took great pride in. None of her patrons would have to belly up to a bar that was less than sparkling.

Located in the Californian foothills in the relatively small town of Tujunga, it was really a word-of-mouth spot. People stopped in, liked what they saw and told their friends. But lately it was attracting a lot of the Hollywood, movie-industry types, who liked the escape from the hustle and bustle below. Kate had lived here since she was around twelve years old, when her mother in a rare moment of clarity, and after a particularly bad beating from Wayne, decided they needed to get away from their home in Iowa. Unfortunately not a year after they had settled in here, Wayne showed up and her mother once again took him back.

“Hey Katie!” a patron sat heavily at the bar and greeted her.

“Hi Jimmy, what’ll it be tonight?”

“Just a Bud.”

“Coming right up.” Kate busied herself completing the order, handing off the beer to Jimmy and then looking around to see if anyone else needed attention. There was a college football match on and most people had their eyes glued to the televisions. She saw one of the waitresses in the corner by the bar with her tongue down some guy’s throat and shook her head.

“Nikki, table 8 looks like they could use refills.” She cut the make out session short. Nikki frowned a bit before grabbing her tray and heading over there. “You know you’re nothing but a distraction for her.” Kate raised her eyebrows at Paolo who only grinned from ear to ear. God she thought to herself, Why did love make people so silly sometimes?

With no orders to fill Kate got her trusty cloth out and started wiping down the bar. Nikki came back in a short while, with more requests.

“One JD, one gin on the rocks, and a beer.” She listed off the drinks by memory, “You know there’s this guy at table 8…smoking hot!” Nikki’s eyes sparkled with glee.

“Nikki, Paulo’s sitting right over there, you do remember Paulo do you? Your boyfriend? The guy you were just playing kidney hockey with a minute ago?”

“Pssh, just because I have a boyfriend doesn’t mean I’m blind. Not like you who doesn’t even have one and still refuse to acknowledge fine-looking men.”

“That’s not fair. You know….”

“Yeah yeah, I know, you’re waiting for something to kick that loser in the head so that he’ll finally come around.”

“You know why.” Kate rolled her eyes and placed the beer on Nikki’s tray as well as the other two elixirs.

“I know that we’re in the 21^st century… and you should act like your living in it Katie.” Kate watched after Nikki as she made her way through the crowd at the bar to deliver the drinks. Her friend wasn’t the kind that let you down gently, she told it like it was, or at least how she saw it. Nikki didn’t understand the complexities of the whole thing. And if she was honest with herself, she didn’t either at times.

A loud cheer erupted as a player scored a touchdown within seconds of the end of the final quarter. And all at once the bar became much louder as people high-fived and talked about the game that had just concluded. Some though had gone quiet, the outcome of the match not what they had expected, or wanted. Someone started up the jukebox and the sounds of The Kinks ‘You Really Got Me’ rode on waves throughout the bar. Kate bobbed her head to the music, she preferred the old jukebox over the music system. It gave a much more authentic feel, and the tunes were just her style.

“Yeahhhhhh, you got me going now…” The sandy-haired, Englishman at table eight began singing to himself, while his other two friends were having a good-natured argument.

“They lost, which means you lost the bet, which means you have to…” The middle-eastern man said, his accent heavy and slightly out of place in the seemingly All-American bar.

“I ain’t doing that! At least change the terms.” Cut in the blond-haired, blue-eyed Southerner.

“I thought you were a man of your word. I must have been wrong.”

“You know damn well I’m a man of my word. But why’s it gotta be that.” He protested.

“A bet is a bet.” Was all the Iraqi offered him.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

Kate straightened the last of the bottles so the labels faced outwards and then set to work on removing the empty shot glasses, and beer mugs off the bar. She grooved along with the music as KC and the Sunshine Band struck up ‘Boogie Shoes’, but stopped in her tracks when the bar shook and almost in an instant a man had vaulted on top of it. She was dumbstruck when he started dancing, mesmerized for a moment. Goddamn he was hot.

“Hey Hey!” she yelled once she got her senses back, “Get down from there! You can’t do that!” She swatted at his feet with her cloth.

The man stooped down, and she caught a glimpse of his deep blue eyes and charming dimples, “Sorry Princess, take it up with that man.” He said pointing towards his friend, “A bet is a bet. And I’m a man of my word.”

Kate watched in utter amazement as he started to unbutton his shirt while his waist swung in time to the music. Jesus, Kate whispered to herself as his golden, well muscled chest came into view. All of the women in the bar started screaming and whooping. And Nikki was beside herself when she caught the shirt he threw at her. Paulo on the other hand wasn’t so thrilled.

“Dudes, why is Sawyer stripping on the bar?” A large man joined the two still at the table, and was answered only by a bevy of laughter.

Sawyer was now in full swing. The women’s screams drove him even further in his erotic little dance. Kate tried to look away but found it very, very hard. Is he…Oh my God…he’s…touching himself. He looked straight at her, from under his lashes, sexy as hell, as he stroked his chest with one hand while the other roamed to his belt buckle. Kate felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she blushed beet red. He’s not gonna do that…Is he? His low riding jeans told an obvious tale that he wasn’t wearing any sort of underwear. There went the belt, and quickly after that the first button. Kate stopped breathing in anticipation for it, but he had timed his little performance perfectly.

The beat stopped just as he was about to pull down the zipper, and he gave a teasing smirk, as he buttoned himself back up. The ladies in the audience let out a collective groan as he jumped down off of the bar, while their husband’s and boyfriend’s scolded them. Nikki sauntered over to the exotic dancer and handed him his shirt along with a very sensual “Here you go, Stud.” Kate shook her head at the woman who went back over to Paolo.

“What the hell was that?” Paolo admonished her, “Stud?”

“Oh baby, don’t be jealous.” Nikki teased her boyfriend, while giving him soft pecks all over his face. Kate turned her attention back to the man who was in front of her.

“You know, I really should ban you from this place for that little show you just put on.” Kate tried to sound serious but those dimples were making her happy for some reason.

“But you ain’t. ‘Sides I think it livened the place up a bit.” He reached over the bar and yanked the cloth she had draped over her shoulder from her. Kate was impressed as he started to wipe down the bar top for her. He finished up and handed it back to her.

“Thanks.” She smiled softly.

“Welcome Freckles. Name’s Sawyer.” He extended his hand to her. Kate chuckled a bit at his chosen nickname for her and reached out to him.

“Kate, but everyone here calls me Katie.” He surprised her when instead of shaking her proffered hand he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of it.

“I prefer Freckles.” He drawled, and Kate felt her cheeks burning once again.

Sawyer took a seat at the bar, and she found that she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. A blonde came behind him and slipped him a small piece of paper along with a wink. Her number Kate guessed.

“Well you seem to be a big hit.” Kate smirked. “This your first time here? I’ve never seen you before.”

“Yeah, I heard about this place from some guys at work, decided to come check it out with a couple buddies.” Sawyer pointed to table eight, where his three friends were now sitting and talking to each other. “That’s Sayid, the show coordinator, the hobbit looking one is Charlie, and the big guy is Hurley.”

Kate nodded her head and smiled. “Nice, we’re always happy to get new customers here.”

“Well I’m thinking if all the bartenders are as pretty as you, you got no problem’s getting new customers.” He flashed his dimples, and Kate playfully rolled her eyes in an effort to unsuccessfully contain her smile. She leaned over the counter, resting her elbows on the surface.

“I’m the only female bartender.”

“When’s your shift, I’ll make sure I only come then.” Kate started laughing, and Sawyer found that it was contagious. She was beautiful.

“I work here every night, six to twelve.” And why exactly was she volunteering this information, she wondered to herself.

Nikki came up and called out another list of drinks for Kate to prepare. After placing them all on the tray she put an extra Jack Daniels in front of Sawyer. Nikki gave her a look that said ‘You go girl!’ before she sashayed off.

“On the house, for the entertainment provided.” She smiled flirtatiously.

“How did you know I was a Jack Daniel’s guy?”

“Dunno. You look like the type I guess. I serve a lot of customers. Sometimes I can just tell what they’re gonna order before they say anything.” Sawyer smiled and accepted her explanation. It was understandable that she would begin to learn how to read her customers.

For the rest of the night Sawyer stayed by the bar. Chatting with her every time she had spare time and no orders to fill. Kate was having fun. It was a long time since she flirted so much with a guy, and the fact that this one was particularly handsome, made it so easy. She couldn’t explain it, but when he looked at her, she felt a certain thrill. Like he was igniting every square inch of her body.

“So you have a boyfriend…husband?” he asked her after a particularly long stretch of conversation between them. Her shift was almost up and Nick, her replacement, had already arrived and began tending.

“I uh…I have someone.” Kate replied, looking down at the bar, but Sawyer did notice the melancholy that had suddenly creeped into her voice.

“Not a boyfriend though.”

“No, not a boyfriend.” She smiled, trying to seem cheerful once again.

“Well he’s gotta be a jackass if he hasn’t hooked you for good yet.”

Kate was thankful for the compliment. This man made her feel desirable. She hadn’t felt that really, ever. You could say she didn’t have the greatest luck with men.

“I think your friend there has had enough.” Kate nodded to the table where Charlie had his head resting, knocked out. Sayid had come over about an hour before and announced that he was going home, and Sawyer made some joke about his ‘prima ballerina’ kicking him in the ass for being out late.

“Yeah, I think it’s time for me to head out as well.” Sawyer replied, and Kate found herself oddly disappointed. “You’ll be seeing me again Freckles.” He winked at her as he paid the tab and went over to his friends, helping Charlie up, while Hurley followed behind. Kate watched after the group, laughing at Charlie’s failure to walk straight, even supported by Hurley.

She checked her watch and realized her shift was up. Saying her goodbyes to Nick and the two waitresses that came on to do the graveyard shift, she went to the back room and got her purse. A smile played upon her face as she remembered the night’s events, the strip-tease still fresh in her mind, and the charming Southerner occupying her every thought. Kate walked out into the brisk night air still smiling as she started her trek home.

“Don’t drive Freckles?” she spun around to see him leaning against the wall outside the bar.

“Yeah, but I prefer walking.” She smiled sweetly. “Plus gas prices are ridiculous these days.” Sawyer walked over to her and she felt the electricity building.

“Chilly out, I’ll give ya a ride.”

“No, that’s alright. Really it’s only about ten minutes walk.” Again why was she volunteering such information. This guy could be a serial killer or something. Somehow she highly doubted that but still, weren’t they supposed to be charming and irresistible?

“I can get ya there in three. Just a ride Freckles.” He cocked his head to the side and his eyes cajoled her.

“Uh…” she looked away in order not to be influenced by those very convincing blue peepers, “Well, I suppose.” Sawyer grinned and she found herself smiling in return.

“Wait here, I’ll bring my truck around.” Kate shuffled around in her spot to take the chill off as he hurried around the bar to get his vehicle. Not a minute later she saw the black Dodge Ram pull around the bend and up to the curb where she stood.

“Hop in Freckles.” He said as he reached over and pushed open the door for her.

Stepping in, she really couldn’t believe she was doing this. If she was murdered tonight she deserved it for being totally captivated by this man, like a schoolgirl with an instant crush. Once inside though she tried to relax, and sank comfortably into the leather seat.

“Heater or fresh air?” he asked, startling her a bit.

“Um…fresh air would be good.”

“My kinda girl.” He flashed his dimples and pressed the button to roll down both his and her window.

She directed him to go straight on the road they were on for now. He didn’t drive too fast, but not too slow either. Kate enjoyed the feeling of the crisp, breeze on her face as it whipped at her hair gently. It was quiet until he started singing along to the Credence Clearwater Revival CD he had in the deck. She watched him for a moment as he sang, he actually sounded really good.

Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man

“Impressive. An exotic dancer and a singer.” Kate teased him, “Is there any talent you don’t have?...Oh make a left here.”

Sawyer chuckled as he made the turn onto the residential street.

“This is it.” She pointed to a house and he pulled up on the curb in front of it. “Thanks…for the ride.”

Kate jumped a bit when he reached across her to pop the door open for her. She inhaled the scent of him as he invaded her personal space, and found it incredibly hot. Her heart beat faster as he pulled back over to his side, stopping when he was in front of her face and looked straight at her, their noses a mere millimeter away from touching and said in a low, husky voice “You’re welcome Freckles.”

Kate could find no words. All she could do was awkwardly extricate herself from the vehicle, almost tripping on her way out. He kept his eyes on her the whole time as she shut the door and started to make her way to the house.

“Hey Freckles!” he shouted to her, she stopped in her tracks and turned around, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

They shared a smile and she continued on. He stayed until he saw her reach safely to her door and turned back to wave at him.

Kate backed inside, as she watched him drive off, and bounced into Alex on her way in.

“Hey, watch it.” Alex laughed.

“Oh I’m sorry Alex.” She apologized to the teenager, who waved her apology off to say there was no harm done. “Did he give you any trouble?”

“No, passed out on the couch drunk as usual. It was a pretty quiet evening in that regard.” Alex responded as she shouldered on her coat and accepted the money that Kate was now extending to her. “Thanks. I’m heading home now. Have a good night Katie.”

“Yeah, you too, and be careful.” Kate said opening the door again so the girl could get out. Alex only lived a couple houses up, and the neighbourhood was pretty safe, still Kate showed concern.

“I will.”

After locking the door, Kate moved through the dimly lit house, and noticed that Wayne was no longer on the couch in the living room like Alex had said. Probably finally dragged his sorry ass to bed she thought. She thought too soon.

“Who was that in front the house?” he questioned her, his words only slightly slurred, as she passed his room, the one that he had shared with Diane when she was alive.

“None of your goddamn business.” Kate bit at him.

“Now look here girl, I’m your…”

“Oh shut the fuck up Wayne. Go to bed.” Kate said flatly, but not without a good dose of venom. In the year since her mother passed away from lung cancer, she had gotten increasingly bold with the man. And she was at the point where she took no shit from him, and he rarely messed with her. Realizing that she was not one to knock around and step on like he did with her mother. Wayne almost meekly turned back into his room, not testing her any further.

Kate wasn’t pleased with her living arrangements. Her mother had decided to give her a final gift of part ownership of the house with Wayne. And she had tried many times to buy him out, but he was a spiteful, loser and refused. So she was stuck here for now until she got up enough money to move out on her own. It would have been so easy if it was her alone.

Feeling for the switch and turning on the lamp, Kate placed her hands on the rails of the crib and looked in on her sleeping daughter. She didn’t have only herself to think of.