Almost two months.

That's how long they'd been off the damn island.

Not much had changed, at least for Sawyer. They'd all been heroes for a while, but the press had left him alone once he'd made it clear he wanted nothing to do with them. Instead they focused on none other than the doc himself, calling him the "island hero" it made Sawyer sick to think about it. How many times had he turned on the TV to see that basted staring back at him from the screen? The latest interview was practically memorable. Jack had been on the Ellen show and she'd asked him about her.

Sawyer had tried to forget Kate when they'd been rescued. They'd gotten close on the island, and he never realised the first night they'd spent together would be their last. They'd asked about her, of course, but somehow or another she'd managed to get away.

He had no idea where the hell she was-but he always wondered. He told himself he was being stupid. She was just another girl, a fling. Just something to occupy him while he was on the island. These lies never worked, deep down, as much as he hated to admit it, he missed her.

But he might as well forget her, because he would never see her again. Hell, for all he knew she could be dead, captured. She might even be staying with the damn Doc himself.

Besides, he could get women if he wanted them-that was certainly no problem. He'd even pulled a few scams, just because he could. He didn't know what to do with himself anymore; at time it amazed him that he hadn't wasted the compo money.

He looked at the clock besides his bed and sighed. 3 AM, he needed sleep. A sudden noise caused him to stir again. He listened intently, and it came again, a loud banging. Jumping out his bed, Sawyer grabbed his gun and rushed downstairs towards the kitchen.

Flicking on the light, he aimed the pistol, but what he saw made his mouth hang open.

Kate was standing in his kitchen.

An awkward silence hung between them, then Kate said quietly, "Hi."

"What the hell are you doing in my kitchen?" Sawyer asked, still startled.

Kate looked at her feet, fiddling with the sleeve of her Jacket. She looked a mess, dirty in torn and ragged clothes. "I was hungry," she said in a small voice. Sawyer just stared at her, mouth still open in amazement; he couldn't believe the women who'd been driving him crazy for two months was actually here.

"why didn't you just ask me for some damn food?" he said at last, walking past the food she'd spilt in the cupboard and pulling open the fridge door.

"Well," she sighed, "first of all-you don't have any food, and second of all," she lowered her voice "you had company."

Sawyer heard the hurt in her voice but chose to ignore it. So what if he missed her? She couldn't just turn up and demand him to change his life?

"So what Freckles? I don't remember marrying ya," he sneered, but felt awful as soon as the words left his mouth. Kate looked crestfallen, but brushed the comment aside.

"Are you gonna let me stay?" she asked, her voice firm and business like, but her eyes pleading.

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Of course I am, I ain't gonna turn ya out on the damn street. How long you been here anyway?"

Kate threw him a playful grin. "Two days, you really need to learn to lock your doors Sawyer."

"How much you gonna eat Freckles?" Sawyer asked as Kate devoured the large Pizza.

"I haven't eaten in three days," she told him in between mouthfuls.

"Where you been?" Sawyer asked, interested in where she'd been hiding all this time. Kate threw him a playful grin.

"Everywhere," she said, being as vague as possible. Sawyer sighed, pissed off but knowing he would never get a real answer out of her anyway.

Sawyer watched her intently. She looked almost the same as the last time he'd seen her. Except she'd put on a little weight since then, and she looked a little more tired than the last time-but still the same Kate. The same Freckles, the same grin-the same twinkling eyes. God, he really had missed her.

Kate finished with the pizza, then reached for the second he'd ordered.

"gee freckles-you eatin' for two or something?" Sawyer joked. Kate gave him a strange look before replying.

"I haven't eaten in a while." Sawyer grinned and turned the TV on. Some music show was on, Sawyer recognised one of the men dancing with the women in tiny bathing suits. Behind his, Kate chocked on her slice of pizza.

"Looks like baby nappers doin' alright," Sawyer said, eyebrows raised in amusement. Kate broke into a grin as she caught Sawyer's eye.

"so, where am I gonna sleep?" she asked innocently.

Sawyer grinned as Kate stirred in her sleep. "Mornin' Freckles," she groaned and rolled over on the lounge, pulling her blanket more tightly around her.

"What time is it?" she mumbled, Sawyer checked his watch.

"Two thirty."

Kate groaned louder, it was clear she'd hoped for more sleep. Sawyer on the other hand felt a wave of relief; he'd been waiting since eight this morning for her to wake up. At one point he'd considered waking her up himself, but he'd managed to refrain.

Kate threw the blanket off, so that it landed carelessly on the floor. And with a final groan, staggered to her feet. Now that Sawyer could see her face clearly, he was surprised to see how pale she was. She looked ill, and there were large, dark bags under her eyes.

"You feelin' ok?" he asked.

Kate didn't answer though. She was gripping the side of the couch as if she might fall, biting her bottom lip tightly as if she were afraid to open her mouth.

"Freckles?" He asked, moving towards her. She tried to turn away, but Sawyer pulled her towards him, at the same time, she vomited all over the front of his shirt.

"Sonofabitch!" He shouted quickly. Not at anyone in particular, mostly just at the situation. Kate staggered and he quickly grabbed her, helping her back onto the couch.

"I'm sorry!" she mumbled, trying franticly to mop the mess up. "Sawyer I tried, I…" he gently pushed her hands away, trying his best to keep calm. "It's ok, I'm fine." Kate gave up trying to clean him and lay back. "I'm sorry," she whispered again.

"It's ok," Sawyer told her. He pulled his shirt off and threw it (a little too forcibly) at the wall. Before turning back to her. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Kate told him.

"Bullshit!"

She gave him a small smile as he said the word. Appreciating how worried he was for her. But he could also see something else written in her features-was it fear? Hell, he was a conman; he knew when somebody was lying.

"C'mon Freckles. Own up. Might as well do it sooner rather than later."

Kate rolled her eyes. "It was probably all that Pizza last night." She said, before adding "besides, I've been on the run non stop. I'm just tired, run down." She screwed up her face a little, "sorry about the shirt."

Sawyer found himself grinning, despite the way he smelt at the moment. "Yeah, well…never really liked that one anyway."

Kate seemed to recover miraculously, however, and soon it seemed as if she hadn't been ill at all. Still, she seemed more quiet than usual, more subdued. Sawyer put it down to her being worried about the feuds.

"So, what have you been up to?" asked Kate as she sat down next to Sawyer in the lounge room. "Since you got back?"

Sawyer snorted. "Nothing."

"Oh come on," she rolled her eyes. "You have to have done something? Didn't they have a celebration party?"

"Didn't go." Sawyer told her shortly. He changed the channel of the TV, bored with game show, an announcers voice blared across the room.

"Katherine Austen is dangerous and should not be approached by anyone. If you know the whereabouts of Katherine, or have any information about her-," Sawyer quickly switched the TV off, but it was way too late. He turned to Kate to see her reaction.

She wasn't looking at him, her eyes were glued to the TV. Slowly, as if it were almost painful, she turned to face him.

"Guess they'd do that sooner or later, huh?" Sawyer hated the way she looked-how much a simple reminder had upset her.

"Stupid Basteds," he said angrily. Kate tried to force a smile but never achieved it. Instead she bit her lip and nodded.

Before he knew what he was doing, Sawyer had leaned forward, and their lips met. After about 30 seconds however, Kate jerked away as if she'd been slapped.

"I can't!"

"Why the hell not?!" Sawyer roared, hurt and confused. Kate looked on the verge of crying. She shook her head and mumbled something Sawyer couldn't decipher. "say that again!" he demanded, desperate to know what was bothering her.

Kate forced herself to look him in the eye. A single tear slid down her face, as she uttered the words Sawyer would never forget. "I'm pregnant."

Sawyer opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He tried again, but nothing.

Kate was staring at him intently now, waiting for a reaction. But Sawyer couldn't muster one. How could he be so stupid? The signs were there! He should have noticed it.

"is it..are you sure…I mean…" he didn't need to finish the sentence. Kate nodded.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Sawyer didn't know why. Hell, it wasn't her fault, still, that didn't stop him from being pissed off.

"So," he said decidedly, trying to put all the pieces together. "You heard about the money I got huh? Guess you thought I'd give you some of it-sneak you out of the country, help you escape? Give you a nice little payout for the baby?" he said suddenly bitter.

Kate threw him a disgusted look. "no!" she said angry as well now. "I didn't come here for money!" she looked utterly outraged.

"Well good!" shouted Sawyer, getting to his feet. "Cos you sure as hell ain't getting any!" And with that he strode away from her, slamming the door behind him.

The door opened slowly, creaking as it did so. Kate came out of the darkness, eyes red and puffy, backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Thanks," she mumbled, refusing to look him in the eye, she turned to leave, but suddenly stopped. "I, I wanted to tell you." She said, turning around. "I thought you should know. that's all Sawyer." She sounded so sad, so betrayed. But he hadn't betrayed her-had he?

"Wait!" he cried suddenly as she turned to leave.

"what, I mean…what's gonna happen to the kid?" he asked quietly. He'd been thinking about it for hours. He sure as hell couldn't imagine himself as a dad. He couldn't imagine him and kate as a normal happy couple. But as much as he couldn't imagine himself as any of those things, a heavy amount f guilt was weighing upon them. He knew it was selfish, but he wished Kate had never told him.

Kate now looked him in they eye. "I can't keep it," she told him, confirming his worst fears. She seemed to be trying hard to hold the tears back, but had already failed. "What kind of a life would it have Sawyer?" she chocked. "Always on the run-or stuck in some social services place. It just…it wasn't meant to be."

"You can't!" he said, desperate now. "Can't you just…can't you.." but a plan failed him.

"Can't I just do what?" Kate challenged him. Hours ago he'd yelled at her because of this issue, but now he wanted to change things? "Sawyer I'm a criminal-I can't just drop everything and look after a baby. I," her voice began to break, "I can't do that!"

"I'll look after the damn kid!" he yelled, frustrated, but Kate shook her head.

"I've made my choice Sawyer."

And she left.