Title: Choices

Author: littleton_pace

Rating: PG with slash. It's not vulgar or explicit but if you don't like same sex relationships then you might not like this. I ask that you be open minded though.

Spoilers: Mentions facts we discover about both characters in season 4.

Characters/Pairings: Kate, Juliet, Kuliet or New Jate :)

Summary: When Juliet gets the opportunity of a lifetime she has to leave Kate behind. But when Kate goes after the woman she loves she finds that Juliet is no longer the person she thought she was. But now Kate is in way to deep...

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Lost. Credit goes totally to the writers and creators of the show. This was written purely for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 1: Opportunity

It was a dreary night in Miami when Juliet pulled up to Regan's bar. She'd just spent a long day helping her sister Rachel through another round of chemotherapy to perhaps cure the cancer in her body. So far it was working but Rachel was extremely weak. And the cancer was preventing her from doing the one thing she wanted to do; become a mother. That was why Juliet, a doctor specializing in fertility, was medically trying to help her sister conceive using her own vaccines and treatments. So far nothing had worked but Juliet wasn't going to stop trying; all she wanted was to be able to give sterile women hope.

That night had been rough on Rachel; she'd become violently sick after this bout of chemo and had been vomiting all evening. Now she was sleeping so Juliet took an hour for herself and came to Regan's just to get a drink. She sat at the bar and ordered a beer. She rested her head in her hands and let her long, blonde hair flow freely over her shoulders so it covered her face; she was not in the mood for socializing.

"I'll have a beer." A female voice said beside her.

The tone of the woman's voice made Juliet peer out from behind her hair. A beautiful brunette had just sat beside her and was obviously distressed. Her eyes were red and her cheeks stained in tears. She rubbed her temple as the bartender put her drink in front of her. She saw Juliet watching her. "Can I help you?" She asked irritably.

Juliet hadn't realized she was staring. "Sorry." She muttered. She paused before continuing. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." The woman said as she downed almost half of her drink in one sip.

"Yeah; same." Juliet told her, tiredly rolling her eyes. "I'm Juliet."

The woman looked at her for a moment before replying. "I'm Kate." She said with a nod.

It turned out that Juliet stayed at the bar longer than she'd planned. She and Kate talked for an hour before they moved from the bar to a booth in the corner. They laughed while eating stale peanuts and trying to flick the shells into shot glasses. Juliet was happy she'd gotten a smile on Kate's face seeing as how she'd been so depressed when she'd arrived.

"Where are you from?" Juliet asked her when their laughter had died down.

"Iowa; born and raised." Kate said with a smile.

"What are you doing in Miami?" Juliet asked.

Kate's smile faded and she shook her head. "It doesn't matter..." she said quietly.

"If you're upset then it does matter." Juliet corrected her. "I can put on my doctor cap; stick it under doctor/patient confidentiality?" she offered.

Kate smiled but scared tears formed in her eyes. "I just...I...my step-father died recently." She said as she fiddling with a peanut shell. "And I can't deal with being at home so I left."

Concern filled Juliet's heart; even though she'd only known Kate a few hours she immediately wanted to help her. "Where are you going?"

Kate shrugged. "Wherever."

Juliet leant back against the booth and bit her lip. She was evasive; but who wasn't? Especially in a bar. As Juliet watched Kate take another drink of beer, she felt an odd attraction in her heart. Kate intrigued her; excited her, in a way she hadn't experienced before.

xxx

It had really only been a matter of time before Juliet and Kate began their relationship. Neither had been with a person of the same sex before; but they didn't see it as being 'gay'; they were just in love. Rachel was completely on board with Juliet's decision; she actually thought it made a lot of sense as to why Juliet had married such a hideous man all those years before.

Kate didn't end up leaving; she moved in with Juliet two weeks after they met at the bar. It was very spur of the moment; but it felt completely right for the both of them so they didn't question it. Juliet was able to continue her research while Kate relished in the role of a domestic goddess. She took up cooking and often had delicious meals waiting for Juliet when she came home from work.

One day, Juliet came home with some news. She wouldn't call it exciting; even though Rachel had thought it was. She kissed Kate hello and praised her plates of cookies she'd spent the day making.

"What's up?" Kate asked as she sat cross legged on the couch watching Juliet make coffee.

"A man came to see me at the lab today." Juliet began. "Richard Alpert; he said he was from Mittelos Bioscience."

Kate raised her eyebrows as she bit into a cookie. "What did he want?"

"Me." Juliet smiled bashfully. "He me to work for them."

Kate's face lit up. "That's great!" She saw Juliet was not as excited as she was. "You didn't take it." She surmised.

"It wasn't for me." Juliet said with a smile as she brought two mugs of coffee over to the couch. "I need to be here right now." She took Kate's hand in her own. "That's ok, right?"

Kate smiled. "Absolutely."

xxx

"We think you're special, Dr. Burke." Richard Alpert told Juliet as they stood in the conference room of Mittelos Bioscience. "And we want you to lead a team of highly trained people because we think you're just that good."

Juliet shook her head and smiled. She couldn't believe what they were offering her; the chance to save lives and heal women who couldn't have children. When Richard had insisted she just come for a tour of Mittelos; she had accepted. And it was more wonderful than she had imagined. They had state of the art equipment; Juliet's mind swam with how she could them to help Rachel. Two days before her sister had been told the wonderful news that her cancer was in remission; for the first time in her long battle. Now Juliet could really help her try and conceive without worrying what the chemo drugs would do to the foetus. Plus, Alpert had said the fully supported her conducting her own experiments, financially and professionally. She wouldn't have to hide anymore.

"What do you say?" Alpert asked her with a smile and raised eyebrows.

Juliet could do nothing but smile. "I say...yes." She grinned widely. "Yes."

"Wonderful!" Alpert said gleefully.

She nodded purposefully. "You said your office was in Portland, yes?" Juliet asked him. Portland was a fair way away from Miami; but Juliet had contacts there. Plus she was sure Kate wouldn't mind the move; she was always talking about how they needed to travel while they were young; see the world. "Can my sister and my girlfriend come?"

Alpert shook his head. "I'm sorry; it won't work. We're pretty remote. She wouldn't have access to the treatment that she needs. Besides; only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises." Alpert paused and bit his lip. "If you want to work for us; to help your sister conceive? You'll need to leave them behind."

Juliet's heart sank. Help her sister? Or stay with Kate? How the hell was she supposed to choose. But as she left Mittelos Bioscience and travelled home; the right choice became abundantly clear.

xxx