The Paths We Choose

by Skater-For-Life

She was trying to live a life without the constant reminders of her past. He was trying to destroy a part of his past so that he could move on and make a life. When they meet they are thrust onto a completely different path neither of them want to be on.

Title: The Paths We Choose

Pairings: Sawyer/Kate

Rating: PG13

Summary: She was trying to live a life without the constant reminders of her past. He was trying to destroy a part of his past so that he could move on and make a life. When they meet they are thrust onto a completely different path neither of them want to be on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lost or any of the characters from Lost.

Author's Note: In this story, yes Kate is a fugitive, but she's not as wanted as she seems to be in the show. The Marshall hasn't gone after her yet, but her original crime still stands. But her picture isn't like posted all over the news and not many people have even heard of her.

Story Completion: WIP

CHAPTER 1

The steady thump of the music was beginning to get to Sawyer already. All the bodies writhing together on the dance floor were starting to annoy him. Jasmine had ditched him as soon as they'd arrived. He didn't know why he hadn't left as soon as she had, but for some reason he'd stayed.

It wasn't because he was worried about her getting back to their place. He knew the little conniver wouldn't have any trouble in that department. The reason he'd stayed stemmed more from the feeling of not wanting to go back to an empty room.

What he needed and wanted to do was to go find a bar and get something strong to drink, before finding someone to take home for the night.

He made his way through the crowd, ignoring the suggestive glances thrown at him by women who noticed his passing. They all looked the same to him, their looks blending together under the flickering lights that flittered through the darkness.

The sight of the bar was like finding water in the middle of the desert to him. As he moved toward it something soft collided against him. He could feel every inch of the person's body in the seconds it was pressed up against his own, before it began to falter and fall away.

Without even looking he let his arm wrap around the small waist of the petite body next to him. Whoever it was, was female he knew for sure. Otherwise the person's ass would have been falling on the floor.

Kate let her hand rest against the man's body as she tried to get out words between breaths, "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to run into you." Even though he could tell she said it loudly it sounded low when it reached his ears. Her tone was breathless and he felt it wrap around his body, ensnaring him in its grasp.

The music seemed to drown away and all the bodies around him seemed distant. He could hear the rapid intake of her breaths beside him. Her body was still pressed up against him as he turned his head to the side.

She seemed to notice their position as well as their eyes met. He couldn't tell the color of them as lights shimmered around them. One second they were one color before switching to something entirely different. Dark hair fell in ringlets around her face, framing it. But something that caught his attention and held it was the tiny freckles scattered over her face.

Kate noticed his intent gaze on her face, and she squirmed inside. His arm felt reassuring and strong around her as he held her tightly against him. But his penetrating gaze was beginning to make her conscious of herself.

"I'm sorry?" Her breathing wasn't as if she were gasping for breath anymore, but it was still slightly uneven as she said the words like she were asking him a question.

He forced his arm to move from around her body and stepped back slightly. "Don't worry about it. I'd tell you not to let it happen again, but I doubt we'll have to worry about it."

A smile spread over her lips and he found his eyes immediately drawn to them. "Yeah, I have to agree with you there. Well, I should probably be going. Sorry again."

She began to back away, her eyes still watching him, and she didn't see the person moving towards her. It was inevitable as he turned towards her, watching as they hit into each other. She took the brunt of the hit, and pitched forward. Her body molding against his front as he found her once again, back in his arms.

"Back so soon, Freckles?"

Kate felt the blood rush to her face, and she ducked her head. Her eyes tracing over the tan skin shown by the open buttons on his shirt. "Sorry, so much about it not happening again, huh? Next thing you know I'll be barreling into you and we'll be on the floor."

Sawyer chuckled softly, and she felt it roll through his chest. "Don't make any plans on it."

Her head came up and he saw she was smiling. Once again his eyes were fixated with her mouth. The way it curved more to one side when she smiled and how soft and inviting her lips looked.

Her lips parted slightly. Her voice was soft as she said, "I'll keep that in mind."

He almost didn't realize he was moving his head forward, but by the time he did he didn't feel like stopping. Her hold on his arms tightened and her eyes started to close. He could almost feel her lips under his as he pulled her closer. Her breath washed over his face and his lips were almost brushing over hers. He could nearly taste her.

"Kate." A loud voice invaded his brain and he didn't have time to process it before she was jerking away from him.

She looked out of breath and dazed like they'd been doing something they hadn't even gotten around to doing. She took a step back putting space between them. He wanted to pull her back and press the need she'd awaken in him, with what didn't even deserve to be called a kiss, against her. But he let her go.

"There you are, Kate. Why the hell did you just go running off? Kevin and your crazy friend Sarah are about to rip each other's heads off."

Some pretty boy had come up to her and was talking as if Sawyer wasn't even there. Sawyer was torn between knocking the guy's lights out, pulling her back to their former position, and going back to what they were doing before or to stalk off to leave her behind and out of his mind for good.

He went with the second one. Turning he plunged back into the crowd toward his former destination.

---

Kate resisted the urge to scream as she spun around towards the guy that had interrupted her and, damn she didn't even know his name. She hadn't been able to get around to it because someone had decided it would be okay for him to just stick his nose where it wasn't wanted.

This was just getting worse and worse for her. The night had started off great, but then it had begun to head in the opposite direction and continue to go that way. She and Sarah had started off dancing with Sarah having a couple of drinks, just having a good old time. That was till Sarah had begun to get more than a little tipsy.

But what had really blown their fun night out of the water had been the appearance of Kevin. Kate had begun to wish she'd spent a night in at their apartment cooking some of the great food she'd learned to make from her mother when she was younger and relaxing while she watched old movies like Gone with the Wind.

Not that she had anything against Kevin. He was a nice guy. And he was good for Sarah. At least he would be if there wasn't something about the two of them that made them want to go at each other's throats whenever they saw each other.

"Oh, don't even Kevin." Sarah's words had been loud and slightly slurred as she'd shouted at the guy standing in front of her. "The last time I checked you weren't my boyfriend. So don't act like you can tell me what to do."

"Sare, I think we should go." Kate had tried to get her friend's attention but her friend hadn't even acknowledged her.

"Fine, I won't tell you what to do. You can act like a whore for all I care."

She'd known things were going to get bad as soon as Kevin has said those words. She knew he hadn't really meant them; he was just hurt and angry by how Sarah was acting. But that still wasn't going to change the result made by saying them.

"Sarah, I really think we should go."

Sarah's body had spun around quickly, blond pieces of her hair hitting Kate in the face. "Why don't you stay the hell out of my business, Kate? Go get laid or something. We all know you could use some."

Kate's body had recoiled away from Sarah's as she'd stared at her friend disbelievingly. Seconds later an unreadable look had slipped over her face. "Yeah, that's right. Maybe I should just go find some random guy to sleep with. That's what you do all the time, right? Hey, if I'm really lucky the guy I screw and I will end up being just like you and Kevin."

She'd ignored the flinch she saw pass over her friend's face and she'd pushed past her, moving into the crowd. She'd decided to screw Sarah. She didn't have to have a messed up night just because her friend had decided to get drunk and piss off everyone around her. In the morning Sarah would apologize if she remembered, but her night would already be ruined.

Now she'd tried to go have a good time and had almost run over one of the most intriguing men she'd met in a long time. There was just something about him that had captured her attention. And she would have sworn he was just about to kiss her, until some loud obnoxious voice had jarred both their attention.

That was why she was now in the position she was in. Her back was to the guy she'd run into, and her fists were clenched tightly as she tried to control the strong urge she had to strangle the guy standing in front of her.

He didn't even seem to notice she wasn't responding. He brushed a piece of his short brown hair out of his eyes as he talked. "I don't know what your crazy friend is on, but she seriously needs to come down from her high. She's starting to attract attention."

"Look Ryan, right now I could really care less what the hell Sarah's doing. She can get thrown out for all I care."

She moved to leave but Ryan's hand on her arm stopped her. "Jesus, Kate. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she ripped her arm from his grasp. "I just don't know why everyone thinks I'm her keeper. I have a life too you know."

Kate turned around and her eyes fell on the spot where the guy had been. Shit, he was gone. Her brain whispered that she might as well go look after Sarah before she made a fool of herself, because it was doubtful she'd find him again in this mess. But she had this feeling that she should at least look for him. Without thinking about it again she set off in what she hoped had been his direction.

Away from the dance floor was a small bar and her eyes scanned it quickly. They came to a stop on a familiar figure and her steps quickened towards it.

As she got closer she could hear his voice as he talked to the bartender. "Somethin' strong. And go ahead and leave the bottle."

"Sounds like someone's trying to drown their sorrows." She let the amusement she felt seep into her voice.

His body tensed and his head turned to the side, his eyes running over her. "Well, if it ain't, Freckles, again. Gotta say I almost miss you hitting into me."

Kate grinned and lifted her chin. "You going to invite me to have a drink or am I going to have to stand here all day?"

"Pull up a chair." The bartender set down a bottle and two glasses in front of them. "Do you think you can take whatever this is or should I get something lighter for you?"

"Oh, I don't drink."

Sawyer sent her a strange look as he poured the dark liquid into the glass before raising it to his lips and downing the glass. He was pouring another as he spoke, "If you don't drink then why the hell were you askin' for one?"

Kate's fingernail trailed over the scratches in the counter top. "I never really asked for a drink. I just asked if you were going to invite me to have one."

"What?" She watched his throat move as another glass full went down. "You one of those people who think liquor is bad for you?"

"Depends, on whether or not you can hold your liquor."

"And you don't think you can?"

"Let's just say," Kate placed her hands on top of her legs, tugging the fabric of her black dress down further over the light skin of her legs. "That I'd rather not find out."

Sawyer grunted. "So what's your name?"

"Kate." Kate leaned her elbow against the wood and rested her head against her hand, looking at him. "Katharine actually, but no one really calls me that."

"I like Freckles better."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she did. "What about you?"

"Sawyer."

"Hmm, you don't look like a Sawyer to me."

He had just finished drinking as she spoke and he set his glass down roughly. "What the hell does that mean?"

She shrugged. "Just an observation. So what are you doing here?"

"I'm on business."

Her eyebrows rose. "You're doing business here?"

"I came to town on business and to visit my little sister. She's the reason I'm in here. She dragged me along. I'm still trying to figure out why I let her."

"Well, aren't you glad you came now?"

He wasn't drinking now as he watched her closely. "Maybe, maybe just a little."

Kate leaned forward slightly and her voice was low when she said, "I'm glad you came too."