Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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I rolled over for the hundredth time that night. No matter what way I turned, I could not get to sleep. Sawyer had gone to sleep in the guest bedroom next door, an had left me here alone, hence the reason I was still awake. With a sigh of frustration, I jumped up, grabbed my pillow, and walked out of the room.

I headed down the hallway that led to the guest room. When I got to the doorway, I paused, watching Sawyer sleep. He was sprawled out across the bed, his head thrown into the middle of the pillow, with one arm slung across the top of it. Then I moved into the room and slid quietly onto the bed. Sawyer rolled over and opening one eye, said "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep."I said softly, avoiding his gaze. I knew that even though he was mad at me, he'd still let me stay.

He grunted unconvincingly and, frowning, wrapped his arms around me. I curled up next to him, resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes. On the island I would stay away from this kind of comfort, but here... here I needed something, someone to hang onto. Otherwise... otherwise I'd end up just like Jack.

"I'm sorry" I said softly.

He let out a long sigh and moved his arm. Once again, I couldn't just let things go. I had to push.

"Sawyer..."

I grabbed his arm, and he looked back at me, still frowning .I needed him to understand why I wanted Jack here. Even if I didn't quite understand it myself.

"Why do you want to help him so bad?"he asked

I squared my jaw and looked over at him, tears blurring my vision.

"Because he needs us, Sawyer! He doesn't have anyone else. This isn't the Jack we know." I gritted my teeth and moved so our gazes were level. Jack had saved all of us more than once, and I knew that even if Sawyer refused to admit it, he cared about Jack too.

"When we were on that island he was the only thing that kept us alive. I am not going to abandon him now!"

Sawyer nodded slowly, his eyes searching my face. I could tell he was seriously considering what I said.

"Okay." he said roughly "He can stay."

I closed my eyes and fell back against the pillows, relief washing over me. Jack wouldn't have to be alone anymore. I knew for a fact that loneliness could do more damage than anything else.

Sawyer laid down next to me and once again pulled me against him.

"Go to sleep." he murmured softly into my hair. I curled up against him and closed my eyes, finally letting sleep overtake me.

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"Hey Freckles, what's our email password?" Sawyer called out from the next room.

"I don't know... check the forgotten password box." I called back.

It was 8:00 in the morning and I was sitting at our kitchen table reading the newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. God, I had missed coffee on the island.

"Oh, great, listen to this, Freckles, it'll email it to me. Veeeery helpful."

I grinned and got up, grabbing my car keys. He could be the most amusing person in the world, then turn around and annoy the hell out of me all within two seconds.

I passed him on my way out the door. He glanced at the keys in my hands.

"You going to Doc's already?" he asked.

I shrugged uncomfortably. "Figured I'd catch him before he left."

He gave a short laugh and said "The man's an alcoholic, I highly doubt he woke up at five to go on his daily run and is now on his way to the supermarket."

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. As I said, amusing one second, a jerk the next.

"Sorry." he said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes and opened the door, stepping onto the front porch. I knew for a fact he had said that just to bug me. With a sigh I headed down the stairs and walked towards my car.

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I reached his house about fifteen minutes later and parked in his driveway. I just sat there for a few minutes, staring up at his house. It looked like it hadn't seen a lawnmower in months .I sighed and stepped out of the car. There was absolutely no sign of life from inside the house. I knocked on the door and stood there, waiting. After a few seconds a gruff voice called out

"Come in!"

I raised my eyebrow and put my hands on my hips, staying right where I was.

"You know I could be a robber.." I called, amused.

I heard shuffling from inside and Jack's roughed up form appeared on the other side of the door. He squinted at me then moved to open the door, but I grabbed the handle and let myself in.

"What are you doing here?" he asked groggily, having obviously just woken up.

I cast my eyes around his house, which was a complete mess. There were papers all over the floor, with empty beer bottles scattered everywhere.

I raised one eyebrow at him "Nice house."

He rubbed his eyes with one hand. "What are you doing here?" he repeated.

Now I really felt wanted.

"I am here because I have a proposition for you."

That seemed to get his attention.

"You're coming to live with Sawyer and me."

"What?" he said "Kate... first of all that isn't even a proposition..."

"No arguing. Either you can willingly agree to come with us or we'll kidnap you in the middle of the night and do whatever we damn well please with you." I said, smirking at him.

"Nice to know I have a choice in the matter." he said, lowering himself to a horribly stained couch next to him.

I smirked, for once I could actually see a small smile on his face. I wasn't willing to imagine how long it had been since he actually really smiled.

"There is one more thing..." I said, hesitantly. I wasn't sure how he would react to this catch.

He groaned. "What?"

"You have two days to at least try to get your life together. No drinking, no drugs."

He stared at me, giving me a look that said he thought I was crazy. I got down on her knees so that I was level with his eyes and said softly "All you have to do is try... it's just two days of withdrawal by yourself. Then you'll have someone to help you."

I could see doubt and pain in his eyes that he was desperately trying to hide from me.

"And how am I supposed to get through those first two days?" he asked softly.

I felt a pang in my chest at how broken he looked. I immediately thought of the chain around my neck. I hesitated, not sure if I was willing to let him know how much one object meant to me. I looked up, my eyes catching his. The pure desperation in them convinced me. He needed this a hell of a lot more than I did.

Slowly I reached up, un-clipping the chain's clasp. The object on the end of the chain slid down my neck and into my waiting hand.

The key.

He'd given that to me the night before they had gotten rescued.

"What are you doing?" He asked, coming up behind me . I jumped at the sound of his voice and looked at him in surprise. We had kind of been avoiding each other like the plague these days. Ever since... ever since everything happened all at once.

"Watching the sunset." I said finally, lifting my chin in that direction. I smiled and looked over at him. "That's one of the only things that I'm going to miss about this place..." I said softly.

He nodded in agreement. I knew for a fact that if there were no Others, no polar bears, no Dharma, then half of the people here would stay on the island.

"The boat should be here tomorrow." Jack said, bringing my mind back to our conversation.

"Yeah..." I said, giving him a small smile. Then my face turned serious. "I'll miss you, Jack."

Our gazes collided, and I tried to block out my emotions. I was never good at goodbyes, especially ones that meant this much.

"What makes you think you won't see me again?" he asked softly.

I glanced over at him "Because no matter what I say or do, I'm going to jail."

Something unspoken passed between us, and I looked away quickly, not wanting him to see the pain in my eyes.

He reached around his neck and un-clipped the chain there, handing it ti me. I stared at him for a few seconds before shakily reaching over to take it from him. The day he'd taken it from me was the day when I'd completely broken any trust he had in me, and now by giving it back he was giving me a hell of a lot more than a necklace.

"It's a little late... but, it's something to remember me by." he said softly.

"Yeah..." I whispered, catching his gaze. A tear slid down my cheek. "Thanks ,Jack."

I handed the key to him.

"I just wear it..." I trailed off, not looking at him. "I guess it's a security thing." I said, giving him a small smile.

I looked up and into his eyes and could immediately tell that he knew I was lying. But, he would play along because he was Jack.

"Yeah.." he said softly, running hi thumb over it. "Thanks."

I shrugged "It might help."

He looked up and gave the first genuine smile I'd seen since I'd met him at the airport.

"I'm coming back in two days to pick you up, so be ready." I added, walking out the door. When I was halfway down the driveway I turned around.

"Jack!"

"Yeah?"

"Shave that beard off or you're not coming anywhere near me."

Then I jumped in my car and sped off down the road.

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Ding

"Who could that be?" He asked, looking up from the T.V.

"I have no idea." I answered from the bedroom. "Could you get it?"

"Yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming." he said, getting up off of the couch and walking to the front door.

He opened the door and had to grab hold of the coat rack next to me to keep from falling over backwards. The woman in front of him was someone he'd thought he'd never, ever see again.

"What... what the hell are you doing here?!" he sputtered "How did you find me?"

"Relax." the woman said, rolling her eyes at him and smirking. He obviously hadn't changed at all. "I'm not here for you. I came here to see Kate."

That really seemed to throw him. His eyebrows shot skyward and he stared at her with an expression she'd never seen before. Protectiveness. Huh, maybe he had changed after all.

"Kate? You leave her out of this! If you want revenge or..."

"Sawyer? Who was at the door?" I interrupted, stepping into the room. I blinked, staring at the woman in front of me. Of all the places I had expected to see her again, here was not one of them.

"Cassy?" I asked "What are you doing here?"

Sawyer whipped around to stare at me. "You know her?!"

"Yeah..." I said giving him a strange look, wondering why that bothered him so much. "What's going on? Sawyer, what's wrong with you?"

"Oh, don't mind him." Cassy said from the doorway "He's just freaking out because he doesn't want you to meet the mother of his child."

That shut them both up.

Heeheehee

review and tell me if you like this format/version better.

For a few chapters this will have equal amounts of Skate/Jate, but will definitely end up Jate

next chapters: Jack moves in (Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Cassy all in one house... yeah, that won't cause any problems...)