All We Are

"I tried to paint you a picture, the colors were all wrong,

Black and white didn't fit you and all along,

You were shaded with patience, your strokes of everything,

That I need just to make it and I can see that.

Lord knows I've failed you, time and again,

But you and me are all right.

We won't say our goodbyes,

You know it's better that way,

We won't break, we won't die,

It's just a moment of change,

All we are, all we are,

Is everything that's right,

All we need, all we need,

A lover's alibi."

-All We Are, One Republic

The tiny girl scampers across the lawn barefoot, chasing a large soap bubble that she's just blown. It climbs higher and higher until it's out of her reach, then it pops magnificently, showering her with droplets of liquid soap. She giggles, picks up her plastic wand and goes back to the large pan of bubble mixture.

"Hey there."

The golden light of the setting sun catches her round blue eyes, making them sparkle as she turns to him. Her bottom lip sticks out slightly, giving her the look of a permanent pout. For a moment he thinks he sees a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but maybe not...

He swallows, then asks uncertainly, "Your momma home?"

The little girl nods solemnly, twirling the ends of her straight blonde hair between her fingers. "Inside." She has a slight drawl, he notes.

He nods and smiles at her, then goes up to the door. As he goes for the doorbell, a figure appears behind the screen door.

"Sawyer?" the door swings open and a tired looking woman with wavy brown hair gapes at him.

He hadn't quite thought out what he was going to say to his ex-girlfriend, whom he'd conned and then abandoned with their child. He still has no idea, looking into her eyes and watching them fill with tears.

"Hey Cass." he breathes.

For a moment she looks angry, then she shakes her head and wipes her eyes. "Why are you here?"

He ignores the question and turns to watch the little girl. She's still playing with bubbles at the bottom of the porch steps.

"She ever ask about me?" his voice is hoarse and quiet.

Cassidy sniffs, leaning against the doorframe, but this time she doesn't answer him. Instead she pushes past him and calls to her daughter. "Clementine, time to come in and wash up, baby."

The four-year-old hesitates, but puts down her wand and wipes her hands on her cotton sun dress before ascending the wooden steps. She passes the tall stranger, looking up at him curiously, then goes into the house.

Cassidy sits down on the steps and lights up a cigarette, while James stands beside her in silence. She exhales a stream a bluish smoke, then glances up at him. "When I heard how you survived the crash I thought you might come and see her...but you didn't" she observes, taking another drag. "Why now?"

James sighs and seats himself beside her. "Took me a while to figure out my priorities." he replies vaguely.

She gives him a skeptical look, but doesn't push him to elaborate. "Well it took ya long enough." her words are followed by a half-smile that he pretends not to notice.

"I just wanna do right by her, okay Cass? This ain't about you and me, just about Clementine."

She nods slowly, considering it. She turns to him. "Okay."

Kate lays the baby in her crib and goes downstairs to wait up for James. She has trouble sleeping when he's not there, so she's grateful that he'll be coming home from his trip tonight. She has to admit that it seemed a little strange when he told her his job was sending him to New Mexico, but she trusts him.

She curls up on the couch with a mug of tea and tries to relax. On the small end table beside her sits her favorite picture. It's a photo of Sawyer and little Mary, sleeping side-by-side on the floor. He originally objected to having such a photo of himself displayed, but Kate insisted vehemently until he finally stopped arguing.

There's a crunch of gravel under tires from the driveway and she is already on her way to the front hallway. She can't wait another minute to see him. As soon as he comes in the door she can tell that something's wrong. He looks worried, then startled when he sees her standing there.

"Hey," he says awkwardly, "thought you'd be asleep."

She smiles, goes over to him and kisses him on the cheek. "I wanted to wait up for you." she pauses, still eyeing him with concern. "Are you okay?"

James looks at her for a moment. He wants to tell her...he needs to...but he doesn't know if either of them are ready for that yet. He hesitates. "I'm just tired Freckles. Flight back was bumpy."

Kate seems to accept this and rubs his shoulder, looking understanding. "Come on, let's go to bed then." she suggests.

He nods. "You go ahead. I'll be up in a little."

Once she's out of sight he pulls out a Polaroid. It's a little crumpled from being in his pocket for the whole airplane flight, but he doesn't care. He wants to put it in the frame next to Mary Sunshine, but he can't. Not yet. Not until he tells Kate about her, Clementine. He resolves to do it tomorrow. He can't lie to her any longer.

He glances again at the recently snapped photo. Cassidy had taken the picture earlier that day of when Clem had brought Sawyer a flower. It was a shame that as soon as she'd warmed up to him he'd had to leave, but he promised her he'd see her again. Clementine had smiled bashfully, showing off a set of dimples to rival his own. Suddenly he finds himself missing the little girl whom he's only just met yesterday.

James goes quietly upstairs and stops at baby Mary's room. She's sleeping soundly, her little thumb in her mouth. He brushes his fingers lightly over her light colored curls. He wishes he had been there for Clementine like he is for Mary. As he goes to his own room and finds Kate asleep as well, he finds himself hoping that Kate can accept his other daughter, because now that he knows her, he doesn't want to be away from her.

A/N: Soo, yay!! I'm back! I decided to make this a sequel to "Vindicated", because it's basically a different storyline and I didn't want to drag that one out too much. Let me know what you think please, especially if you read the previous story...but if you didn't, this probably won't make too much sense, so go read the other one pleease? :) Okay, annnyways, love ya guys!!