A TIGER DON'T CHANGE ITS STRIPES, OR DOES IT?
By Flowerpot Munchkin

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters; I own nothing but the plot

The sun was beating down on the beach, scorching the sand and anything else it touched. Sawyer was sitting in his airplane chair, his new glasses in his lap, holding a book loosely in one hand, and massaging his eyes with the other. A shadow fell over his face.

"Hey Freckles" Sawyer greeted, smirking up at her. Kate narrowed her eyes.

"Do you want everyone to hate you? Is that your only purpose in life?" She demanded, crouching down to his level so she could see his face properly. Sawyer smirked at her.

"Do you hate me, Freckles?"

Kate glared at him. She stood up suddenly and looked down at him. "Why did you take the guns, Sawyer?"

"Why do you want to know?" He returned.

"Why did you take the guns?" She repeated slowly, softly. Sawyer ignored her, putting his glasses back on his nose

"You can tell me"

"You've been spending too much time with our resident shrink, Doll-face"

"Sawyer, please. Just tell me why"

He looked up at her. "That's for me to know and you to find out, Freckles" He answered. Kate opened her mouth to shout at him, but though better of it, choosing instead to turn around and leave, making sure to kick sand at the leering man sitting behind her.

"What was that for?" Sawyer cried indignantly. Kate whirled around.

"That's for me to know and you to find out, Sawyer"

Jack was splashing water onto his face when he heard her approach. He dried his face with the sleeve of his shirt and turned around.

"Kate. Did you get anything out of him?" Jack asked, towards the beach shore. Kate followed, occasionally digging a toe into the sand.

"If you don't count the snide comments you get when you normally talk to him; then nothing" She stopped walking, and looked back at Sawyer's tent before sitting in the shade of a tree.

"If you don't want to continue trying to get the reason out of him, we can ask Libby." Jack said gently, sitting next to her.

"No… I'll get it out if him. Just give me time." Kate rested her chin on her knees, squinting out into the distant ocean. "Look, Jack. I think I need some time to myself. I'll be gone some time today, but don't worry, okay?" Jack looked sideways at her, wondering.

"You should take a picture, Doc. It'll last longer." Came Sawyers voice from behind them. Jack turned around, but Kate ignored him.

"What do you want?" Jack asked tiredly.

"Water. Why else would I be here if I didn't want any water? It's not a crime is it?" Jack stood up, facing Sawyer.

"Where's you're water bottle, then?"

"Right here, Doc." Sawyer pulled three bottles out of the bag slung over one shoulder. He walked towards the water-tub and went about filling them up. When he was done, Sawyer noticed that Jack was still staring at him. "Whatcha doing there, Doc?" Sawyer asked, turning around to lean on the 'tub'.

"Scrutinizing you. What else?" Jack snapped, sitting back down on the sand. Sawyer gave him an appraising look before heading back to his tent. Half-way there, Sawyer stole a look back at Kate and Jack. Kate hadn't changed; she was still staring at the sea, and Jack had returned to staring at her. Sawyer snorted. It was so obvious the doctor liked her. Obvious to everyone, that is, except Jack.

"Hey man, what's up it the gun-thing?" It was Hurley. Sawyer just looked at him, and when Hurley was the look that was being shot at him, he backed down and went back to helping Libby with something. Sawyer resumed his walk back to his tent, hoping everyone else had the sense to stay out of his way.

"Sawyer! Hey, Sawyer!" He turned around. Libby was running after him. "You wanna talk about the reason behind you taking the guns?" She pushed a blonde strand behind her ear and looked expectantly at him.

"Nope. Don't wanna talk about anything" Sawyer turned his back on her and got to his tent without anymore people trying to get him to talk. He knew they were just trying to get inside his head, and once they were in there he would be locked away, probably in the hatch, where he wouldn't cause anymore 'trouble' amongst the survivors. He knew all about getting inside peoples heads; having done it many times himself. As a con-man, Sawyer had made a 'living' out of getting into other people's heads and planting ideas they though were their own. Settling back into his chair, Sawyer relaxed and picked up his book. But no-matter how hard he tried to concentrate on the words written on the page in front of him, his mind kept slipping back to a certain someone.

"Damn!" He whispered, getting up again to sort this out.

He found her in her tent, packing her back-pack. "Whatcha doing there, Freckles?" He asked, leaning against the side of her tent. Kate jumped.

"Nothing of your concern, Sawyer" She retorted, continuing to pack.

"Where're you going then?"

"Again, nowhere of your concern, Sawyer. Just go back to plotting or reading or whatever you do to pass time." Kate snapped, zipping her bag up and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Freckles, a tiger don't change its stripes. You're going somewhere to run away from your problems. Now where're you going?" Sawyer said, blocking the doorway. Kate looked at him coldly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Why are you so concerned, anyway?"

"Because I know what it's like to be on the run from your problems. Because I know what it's like to have to betray people you love, people you care about. Because I know what it feels like to lie to someone you trust. Because I am probably the only person you can relate to. That's why."

"I thought you didn't care about anyone other then yourself." Kate said; sitting down, chin resting on her knees.

"I never said that" Sawyer entered her tent and sat next to her.

"You didn't have to" Kate answered, looking sideways at him. Sawyer looked back at her for a moment and leant in, kissing her lightly her on the lips.

"You don't have to run away, you know. People will miss you. I'll miss you." Sawyer said.

Kate looked at him, a smile on her face. "I thought you said a tiger doesn't change its stripes."

Sawyer smiled at her and stood up. He walked towards the doorways of the tent and turned around.

"I think it just did" was all he said before he simply walked away.

-fin-

A/N: Please let me know what you think of the story; and constructive critisism would be much appreciated. Please R&R!