Disclaimer: I don't own the series Lost or the original characters. All I want is my imagination and the plot.

A/N: This is a story I wrote after seeing The Long Con. I couldn't resist. :) Another take on the aftermath of Sawyer's actions and Jack's reaction to them will follow asap.

Candy Caramel

''... (there's) something I want, but can't have.''

''Good thing you don't hate me, Freckles,'' he said, keeping his chin up and eyes on her, daring her to prove him wrong, though somewhere he was afraid that she would. Afraid of how the truth might hurt, but she pulled back before it could get out of hand, her fingers trembling with everything that was going on within her. All of her emotions were stacked atop one and other, an unstable tower on the point of collapsing.

Sometimes she hated him.

She spun around, blurring up her vision and taking a second too long to get away. She fell from one pair of hands into another; Jack seemed to come out of nowhere as he caught onto her. She gasped at the sudden contact, not used to his touch anymore and from the clumsy and unsure way he held onto her, he had forgotten how to. It didn't feel as good as it should and she twisted herself free, aware of how close the triangle was to breaking. It was too much to handle and for one of the first times, tears stung at her eyes' corners. She hated it. ''What do you want, Jack?''

''What were you two talking about?''

He was serious, she knew, and suspicious. It made her sick to always be in the middle. She shook her head while feverishly running the back of her hand across her face.

Both guys saw the faint glistening of unshed tears in her eyes, but none stepped up, too into their own feelings. They already had a handful and didn't need another.

''Nothing,'' she said unconvincingly. ''It was nothing.''

''I don't buy it,'' Jack immediately went into the attack. ''You knew what he was up to. You knew he wanted the guns.''

''No, I didn't.''

''You expect me to believe that?'' He pressed his lips together. He was disappointed. Good. She was done seeking out his approval for every little thing. She didn't want it. ''I don't care,'' she strongly voiced, bringing her hands up to her locks only to repeatedly run her fingers through them. ''I'm over this.''

''Over what, Kate?'' He was losing the small amount of patience he still had with her.

''Over giving a damn about what everyone's doing and what everyone else is feeling.'' Her fingers untangled themselves from her hair and her hands dropped down to her sides, her jeans their next target. ''I'm better off on my own.''

''An ironic thing to say since you and him have been inseparable since he got back.''

''Look, I didn't know, okay, Jack!'' she snapped. ''I wish I did, but he conned me just like he conned all of you.'' She brought both her arms up to her chest and crossed them. ''I don't want to talk about this anymore.'' She wanted to leave and started to, but he didn't allow her to get very far. He couldn't let go.

Sawyer got up and confusion took over all of her heartstrings. He could tell from the way she looked at him without really looking at him. Kate choked back a sob and looked at Jack the same way. ''He isn't on my list of favorite people right now, so if you wanna say-''

''I told you so,'' Jack didn't let her finish.

She nodded and turned, slowly making her way down the beach.

Jack placed his hands on his hips while glancing over at Sawyer. ''You know, if you're not careful, you won't have any friends left.''

He shrugged. ''I can't please everyone, now can I, doc?''

''Yeah, but Kate isn't everyone, now is she?'' Jack gave him a nod. ''Have a good night, Sawyer.''

He walked off and Sawyer did nothing, but watched. He watched her as she stood by the ocean, a mermaid with legs; she didn't belong on an island. She probably felt trapped with nowhere to go.

How he guessed?

He didn't belong here either.

x-x-x

She was gone the next morning, but he had an idea of where she might be. She wanted to be alone and he knew the perfect spot.

She was sitting on one of the rocks in front of the waterfall, up to her knees dipped in the clear water and leaning back on her hands, wishing she could stay there without anyone ever finding her, but he had. She was more beautiful than usual in her leather miniskirt and dark green blouse, silk from the way the fabric slid and slithered with each breath. Her hair hung in rough curls, reaching almost down to her waist when she had her head tipped backwards just a little. He could picture the dark mascara and black boots that would complete a look and outfit that were only appropriate for laundry day; she was a jeans girl.

He moved, not quiet enough and her eyes opened, glazed with tears she had trouble holding back. She was sad and it was strange to see her that way.

''Go away,'' she mumbled, her eyes on his reflection in the water. He would have to do better this time than his sun kissed hair with the caramel swirls and his soulful eyes.

''We need to talk, Kate.''

Her gaze rippled over to his, warning him. ''I really don't want to talk to you, Sawyer.''

''That almost sounded threatening,'' he played off her remark. ''Come on, Freckles'', he said when he couldn't even manage to get the smallest of smiles. ''I'll give you a gun, free of charge.''

Her laugh was thick, heavy with bitterness. ''Please, like that's what I want.''

''Don't make me feel guilty about something that you would have done, too,'' he unfairly judged her.

''Would I?'' She turned her head just enough to look at him. ''Just leave me alone.''

She saw the emotion flare up within his eyes, a sign that she had gotten through to him. He was angry and took it out on her as he took the couple of steps over to her and unceremoniously reared her up, his fingers holding onto her tightly as he brought her as close as she would let him. ''Look, you want an apology, 's that what you're after?'' he hissed, his eyes full up on her as he tried his best and hardest to get her. ''I'm sorry, that what you want?''

''You couldn't even begin to imagine what I want.'' She tried to shake him off, but he only jerked her back towards him. ''Then how about you tell me?''

''Well, for starters I'd like a normal childhood,'' she told him with a tug of her arm. When he didn't give she looked at him again. ''A normal family, a normal life!'' she cried out, succeeding in freeing herself the third time around. She took a step back, careful not to slip as she went on, ''What I want is not to be in love with someone like you.''

''I can give the guns back.'' It was out before he knew and he couldn't take it back; he didn't want to.

The tips of her fingers slid over her cheek. ''You do that.'' Her hand dropped and she shrugged. ''I don't care.''

''Kate,'' he began, but not knowing how to continue and he didn't have to; she took over, ''I want you to leave me alone, Sawyer.''

''I can't do that, sweetheart.''

Her brow wrinkled up. ''Why?''

''Ain't it obvious, I wanna fix this.''

''Why?''

He sighed, a hand running through his hair before he answered. ''Because I feel...'' He couldn't say it.

''Bad,'' she finished for him.

He inched closer. ''There's no one else on this island.''

''Then I feel sorry for you.'' She couldn't move out of his way; there was nowhere to go.

''Oh no you didn't, Freckles.'' He raspingly chuckled, hurting her ears. ''You're actually calling me too good for you? That's a first.''

She shrugged up her shoulders. ''You don't have to sell yourself so short; you've been a good person, most of the time,'' she emphasized. ''At least to me.''

He shook his head. ''I'm not. A good person.''

''Neither am I, but does that make you feel any differently about me?''

''No,'' he said hoarsely. ''I didn't think-''

''Yes, you did,'' she gently cut him off. ''It's okay, though.'' She brushed a few restless curls aside so she could look at him. ''I'll get over it.''

''You will?''

Her smile was small, but he didn't care; he hadn't expected one from her in the first place. ''I have to. It's only an island.''

''Nowhere to run,'' he said, now understanding that she didn't have much choice in the matter.

She gave a slight nod and repeated his words, ''Nowhere to run.''

He lowered his head and his hands found his pockets, feigning modesty. ''Listen, Kate, if I could take it back...''

She shook her head. ''Don't. You can't.''

He nodded and licked his lips, lifting his head. ''If I can do anything?''

'Some of the twinkle returned to her eyes. ''Not now, but I have carte blanche, remember?''

''How can I forget.'' He smirked and watched her sit back down and dip her legs back into the water.

She wasn't going anywhere.

\Please review? (: I know this story might not be much, but it was just an umpulsive, spur-of-the-moment thing, so I think it turned out okay. Let me know what you think and if you see any mistakes please point them out to me. Thanks for reading. :)