So, this is my first time experimenting with Skate and I have to say, it was quite enjoyable! I do have a bit of a soft spot for them, I just don't want them to end up together in the end, though I don't think I'd mind to terribly a little Sawyer-Kate action beforehand =D
Well, I'm hoping both Skate and Suliet fans can enjoy this!! Thanks for reading :)
Detective Ford slammed the metal door behind him, but the woman sitting at the desk did not move a muscle. She stared down at her wrists. The metal cuffs around them.
"Kate Austin." James smiled.
Her eyes met his. James was taken aback by how much he recognized her. He felt it in the elevator and again on the street, but this was different. The fear and pain and despair in her eyes mixed with the strength she tried to hide it with was so familiar…he knew he knew her.
For a moment he forgot where they were and why they were there. For a moment he felt so trapped in the small metal room with her and those eyes that all he could think about was being trapped somewhere else with this girl. Somewhere else about this size with the sun beating down on them. With his hands intertwined with hers and her body pressed against his…
He shook himself out of the reverie and felt for his keys in his pocket, just to be sure.
"Kate Austin…" he tried again. Softer. Gentler.
He pulled out a chair and set it down across from her. He knew he was supposed to be questioning her, getting information. But he couldn't do it. He felt like somewhere inside of him, he already knew all he needed to know about Kate Austin.
For a while they just sat there in the dimly lit room, staring at each other from across the desk. Then James eyes fell on her handcuffs. "How's it feel to be back in those?"
"What?"
"The handcuffs."
"You talking about the airport?" Kate asked coolly.
"Sure," he answered. To be honest he wasn't sure which time he was talking about.
"You know what I want to know?" She asked, her eyes piecing into his. "If you're a cop and you saw me at the airport, why didn't you do anything?"
He shrugged. "Not my prisoner not my problem."
"I don't buy that," Kate said.
"Well maybe I didn't think you were worth catching."
"You know what I think?" Kate asked, a smile forming on her lips. "I think you wanted me to get away."
"Now why the hell would I want that, Freckles?" he leaned toward her.
"Cause you feel it too."
"I don't feel nothing."
"You feel it just as much as I do."
James shot up and began pacing around the room. He couldn't stand being that close to her for another second.
"You don't look like a cop," Kate smiled.
"Well you don't look like a criminal," he retorted. He was letting this go too far. This girl was comfortable with him! She should be scared out of her mind! She was in fucking jail!
"James…" Kate started softly. Suddenly he was ready to explode with anger. He slammed a book against the metal desk and Kate jumped back.
"Don't call me that!" He shouted. "I never said you could call me that! That isn't your name! Stop trying to be her!"
Kate flinched. James sighed and sat back down, putting his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I don't know what I meant by that."
"No, it's okay. I'm sorry. I have…no idea what you're talking about, but…but I get it. I'm sorry."
James lifted his head. "What the hell is going here, Freckles?"
"Freckles? Do you nickname all of your prisoners?"
He looked back to her. "No. Just you."
They continued to stare. The pain and fear and despair and strength had all vanished.= from her eyes. All that was their was wonder and compassion and…love.
"James…I mean…" she struggled to find the right name and then gave up. She leaned forward. "Do you ever feel like running away? Like going somewhere where no one can ever find you? Where you can start fresh?"
He brought his face so close to hers that she could feel his breath. "Every damn day, Freckles."
"I'd do it differently," she whispered. "If I could start over, I would live a life where I didn't always have to run."
"I damn sure wouldn't have this job," James said. "If I had a chance to do it all again I'd want to be as far from a cop as you could get."
"That would make you a criminal," Kate smiled. James shrugged.
"Maybe. I wouldn't be surprised if that life suited me better."
"Neither would I."
Their lips were almost touching.
Sawyer pulled back suddenly. He fumbled around in his pocket until he found the right key. He pulled it out and stuck it into the cuffs.
"What are you doing?"
"You don't belong here."
"No, James. I don't want to keep running."
"You won't have to. I'll take care of it."
"But Edward-"
"I'll take care of it! Listen, Freckles. No one will come after you, and if they do, I'll here to stop them."
The handcuffs fell to the ground.
Kate stared at her wrists and then looked to him. They stood and did nothing for a while but search the other's eyes and then they threw their arms around each other and pressed their lips together. They backed up to one of the walls and Kate wrapped her legs around him. Her hands knotted in his hair. Then she dropped her feet back to the ground. "Thank you," she breathed between kisses. "Thank you." Then she let him go and rushed out of the room.
"Freckles, wait!" He ran after her, but she was gone.
"Shit," he muttered to himself. "Shit."
Four days had gone by and he still heard nothing from Kate. He had done everything he needed to to keep her safe. She didn't have to run. She knew that. But she still ran from him.
He found himself at a park on that fourth day, just needing somewhere to be alone and to think. He slumped into the nearest bench and closed his eyes. This was all too much.
"Excuse me," a voice pulled him away from his thoughts. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
James stared up at the blonde. Her blue eyes…oh God, not again.
He motioned to the empty spot beside him. "Why the hell not," he said gruffly.
She hesitated for a second but then sat down. "I can go someplace else if I' bothering you."
"At this point I think I'm past being bothered." His eyes were closed again.
She paused again, not sure if she should leave or not. But eventually she stuck out her hand and said, "I'm Juliet."
"James."
When it was clear he wasn't going to open his eyes she brought her hand back to her side.
"Well, um…it's nice to meet you, James."
His eyes shot open. The way she said that name…it sounded so..so right.
I never said you could call me that! That isn't your name! Stop trying to be her!
He turned to Juliet. "You're her, aren't you? You're the one who's allowed to call me James."
She stared blankly at him. "I'm sorry, I don't know what-"
"What the hell I'm talking about. Of course you don't." He sighed.
It was a while before Juliet spoke again. "I'm sorry, you just look so familiar. I know it's crazy, but I…I feel like I know you."
"Believe me it's not as crazy as you think."
Juliet stared at him a while longer. The words left her mouth before she was even aware of them. "Do you want to go out for coffee sometime?"
He looked at her. There was that same connection there that he had Kate. Only it didn't seem like Juliet was the type to run away. "Does now work for you?"
She smiled. "Now is fine. But only if we can go Dutch."
James laughed. He already felt like he knew her. He already felt like he cared about her. And he wasn't at all surprised that she would want to go Dutch.