"You havin' second thoughts?" James asked Juliet.

"No." Juliet lied. "Are you?"

"Nah." James lied too. "I was just waitin' for you to open your door first."

They'd arrived, and they were parked across the street, staring at Cassidy's house together just like James had stared at Rachel's. James had spent the last four days wondering what Clementine's reaction to him would be. Juliet was more concerned about Cassidy. She tried to imagine the situation from Rachel's point of view, a single mother allowing the father of her only child to meet that child for the first time after so many years of no contact at all. Juliet tried, but from everything James told her about Cassidy, the two women were nothing alike. Rachel was so warm and understanding, and Cassidy...well surely she had her reasons to treat James the way she did, but Juliet couldn't help but feel like James' bodyguard going into this. She already felt herself getting defensive on his behalf, especially when she saw how nervous he was. It was that protective streak that made Juliet reach for the door handle, instead of shoving James out of the car and burning rubber back to the motel like she wanted to. James was the face of the operation, but he needed Juliet as backup.

They walked toward the house together, close but too self-conscious to hold hands. The house seemed nice enough. Not palatial, but decent for a single mom in LA. James raised his hand to the doorbell, and hesitated. Knowing he couldn't back out now, and knowing Juliet wouldn't let him if he tried, he jammed the button with his finger and took a step backward. He felt Juliet's hand on his lower back, private island code that meant everything would be okay if they just kept their heads on straight.

"Hey." she said softly, and he turned his head to see her looking up at him, smiling. "It's going to be fine."

A few seconds later the door swung open. Cassidy stood before them, her eyes stuck to James like she hadn't expected him to show up at all. She smiled smugly. He'd shown up, but she could still gloat a little.

"Well, look who it is." she said. "Absentee father of the year."

"What - no hug?" James replied sarcastically.

"Make that decade." Cassidy corrected herself. She narrowed her eyes, as if she was searching his face for a reason not to trust him. "You look hungover."

"I've been sitting on my ass for eight hours straight, forgive me if I'm not ready to do a cheer."

"Watch your language in this house." Cassidy said sternly, right before lightening up and contradicting herself. "And why the hell didn't you fly?"

"Long story." said James, smiling snidely. Cassidy smiled back, equally insincere, and then she turned to his companion. "Is this Juliet?"

Juliet had been thrown off by their sarcasm. She couldn't tell if it was friendly or whether they really hated each other - with those two, it could have been both - but she recovered quickly. "Yes, hello." Juliet said politely, stepping forward and offering her hand for a shake. "Juliet Burke."

Cassidy let Juliet's hand hang in the air for a few seconds longer than was normal for a friendly greeting, and Juliet knew they'd already gotten off on the wrong start. It was obvious Cassidy had a certain view of James. That perception of the man he used to be would color any opinion she formed of the woman that would follow him on a road trip this involved and this personal. Juliet knew she could have introduced herself as Sawyer's Latest Whore, and it would have had the same effect. "Cassidy Phillips." she finally replied, taking Juliet's hand. Their grips were evenly matched. 1:1 Juliet couldn't help but think, before reminding herself that it was not a competition, no matter what Cassidy's reaction to her ended up being. "Come on in, make yourselves at home." Cassidy moved aside, and Juliet stepped into her home. The next thing she saw, the woman standing in the living room, was a surprise for sure, and for the first time since deciding to come along, Juliet felt definitively like she shouldn't have come at all. James was stepping in behind her, and she could almost feel his reaction.

"Hey." Kate said sheepishly, with a tight-lipped smile that matched her tone. Juliet's anxiety peaked at that moment, and her internal point counter now flashed a big, red zero. Cassidy had backup too.

* * *

You have got to be kidding me.

That was James' first thought upon seeing Kate in Cassidy's house. It made sense, them being such good friends and all, but facing Cassidy and meeting Clementine was stress enough for him without having to worry about Kate, and Juliet's reaction to him worrying about Kate, and figuring out if Kate remembered everything they did, and-

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." Cassidy said, interrupting his thoughts and sounding almost pleased by it. "Kate's been stayin' with me, 'til we get our business off the ground."

"You're in business together?" James asked, too distracted to notice the incredulity of his tone. Juliet noticed, and regretted it for him.

"Yes..." Cassidy said. She'd prepared an entire spiel for those that didn't believe in the dream of two hard working women, but she skipped it when she noticed James looking around the house like something might jump out at him at any second. "She's still at school." Cassidy explained, referring to Clementine. "As crazy as it might sound, you're early."

Kate smiled, even chuckled a little, when she saw James visibly relax at the news. The reaction was similar from Cassidy, and James suddenly felt like a zoo exhibit.

"Take a seat." Cassidy told them, a little warmer and more sympathetic after seeing James in such an awkward situation. "Kate made muffins. You can eat some while we catch up."

James, Juliet and Kate watched Cassidy walk toward the kitchen. Kate took one of the arm chairs, curling up with her feet underneath her. It was obvious she felt at home. Juliet sat on the far side of the couch, and James took a heavy drop into a seat beside her.

"Does she know what happened to us?" James asked Kate in a hushed tone, once Cassidy was out of ear shot. No use burdening her with their thoughts on string theory and time travel if all she cared about was the muffins.

"...Sort of." Kate said, implying the real answer was too complicated to cover in a few hushed seconds.

"Does she believe it? Or understand it, even?"

"Do you?" asked Kate, making a face they'd all made at some point in the past three years. It was the face one made when they'd been trying to make sense of an experience that made no sense at all - pained, sheepish, and sympathetic. She was as lost as they were.

Cassidy poked her head into the living room. "Iced tea okay for everybody?"

Kate looked up at her, smiled and nodded. Cassidy gave James and Juliet a chance to ask for something else, but iced tea was fine for them too. It was quiet for a moment after Cassidy disappeared a second time. They all stared at the carpet, until Kate looked up at James, and caught him staring at her with a funny look.

"What?" asked Kate.

James shook his head in disbelief. "Of all the weird shit that's happened to us, the thought of you making muffins with the mother of my child ranks up there with the weirdest."

Kate closed her eyes, stifling a laugh as Cassidy returned to the living room with a full tray.

"What's so funny?" Cassidy said in a playfully suspicious tone.

"James doesn't think I can bake." said Kate.

"Oh? You've got a lot to learn about your little Freckles here." Cassidy teased him as she set the tray down on the coffee table. Juliet wondered if Cassidy knew that name was the password to instant discomfort. It sure wiped the smile from Kate's face, and the familiar, silent exchange of guilt and jealousy was made between Freckles and Blondie. Whether Cassidy realized what it did or not, it blew right by James, who was just relieved to get a little good humor from Cassidy. Of course, that didn't last long. They ate their muffins, and drank their iced tea, making small talk about their cross country trip, but eventually their hostess got to asking what she really wanted to know.

"So." said Cassidy, leaning back in the chair next to Kate's. She clasped her hands and crossed one leg over the other, tapping her foot in the air as the corners of her mouth turned up in another smug expression. "How's business these days?"

James grew serious, disappointed to lose the good vibe so soon. "I'm not doin' that anymore." he said, but Cassidy didn't miss a beat.

"How long has it been since the last?" she asked.

"Three years." James answered immediately.

Cassidy's smile didn't reach her eyes. "I don't know, James. Something tells me you might be embellishing a little, to make yourself look better. I'd rather hear the truth now than get it later, and I'd rather hear it from you than a stranger. Or a cop."

James sighed again, recalling the words of a former cellmate. A nosy woman's worse than a cop. Smarter, too. "I was workin' one a month ago, my first in three years. But it stopped before any money exchanged hands."

"Who stopped it, you or them?"

"Me." James said, his voice getting harder the deeper her interrogation went. He wanted points for showing up, dammit.

"Don't get mad." said Cassidy. "I need to know this stuff. Just 'cause you walk in here with a nice lookin' blonde doesn't mean you get a free pass on all you've done. There's a reason I never tried to contact you again, even for child support. How do I know this isn't just another con?"

"Cass." Kate, the good cop, said softly.

"I get it." said James. "Fair's fair. But honestly, I didn't come here for you, Cassidy. I came here to see Clementine."

"Yeah, well she's the one with the trust fund. You been short on cash lately? Lookin' for a way to get your money back?"

"Cass." Kate said again, this time with urgency.

"James doesn't want your money." Juliet said calmly, her quiet temper getting the best of her manners. Cassidy turned to her, not pleased at the interruption.

"And why should I trust you any more than I trust him?" Cassidy replied.

"Because I have a doctorate in medical research. I don't need to hang around a con man for money." Juliet didn't like the way her own voice sounded. In fact, she kind of hated it. The words had slipped out without enough thought, and it sounded exactly like something Edmund would have said. She hadn't meant to brag, but the way Cassidy was talking to him brought out the self-righteous bitch in her. I hope that was worth the satisfaction. Juliet's conscience tutted. Because if she didn't hate you already...

"Cassidy." Kate said a third time. Cassidy turned to her with an impatient look. "Help me take these dishes to the kitchen." Kate suggested, standing and picking up two empty glasses. Cassidy glared at her. "Please??" Kate prompted.

Finally, Cassidy stood, taking the tray off the coffee table and leading the way.

* * *

"What?" Cassidy hissed when the door to the kitchen closed, dropping the tray onto the counter without much care. Kate put the glasses she carried next to the sink and turned to face her friend.

"I know you have your issues but you have got to give him a chance. After all I told you about him and what he did on that island -"

"I know, I know." Cassidy said petulantly, crossing her arms. "But it's pissin' me off."

"I thought you were excited for this." Kate reminded her.

"I was." said Cassidy. "I am. It's just..."

"Things have a way of getting complicated when he's involved?"

"You said it, sister."

"He's trying, Cass. He wouldn't put himself in a situation like this unless he really wanted to do right by you."

"You mean do right by Clementine."

"You and Clementine."

Cassidy sighed. "Why do you have to be so wise and level-headed about this? You're makin' me feel bad."

Kate smiled. "Sorry." she said, playing along. Cassidy smirked at her.

"Don't be. I'm glad you're here. And I promise I will try not to bite his head off this time."

"You'll try?"

"Yeah, I'll try. But we should probably bring some more dishes, in case you have to call a time out again."

* * *

"I shouldn't have come." said Juliet, assuming she'd ruined everything.

"Don't get all dramatic, she's just blowin' off steam."

"Did you hear what I said to her? That's it, there's no recovering from that."

"Hell of a comeback though, wudn't it?" James teased her. "Relax, this ain't gonna end just 'cause you felt the need to mention you're a fancy doctor that don't need no man to pay her bills." James smiled when he saw Juliet's pained reaction to his interpretation of her words. She knew he was teasing, but she still felt awful. Somehow she'd managed to insult everyone at once.

"I'm not fancy." said Juliet.

"I think you are." said James, to which Juliet smiled, almost laughing. "There, I got you smilin' again. This is gonna work out just fine."

It wasn't a reversal of roles that either of them expected to have on this trip, but suddenly it seemed a confident James was the one comforting a nervous Juliet. They sat quietly until Cassidy and Kate returned from the kitchen.

"Here. Have another muffin." Cassidy said, tossing the refilled basket onto the coffee table with all the enthusiasm of a stroke victim. They took their seats, and Kate gave Cassidy a subtle look. Cassidy turned to James. "Do you have any questions about Clementine?"

"Uh..." James stalled, no idea where to start. "When does she come home from school?"

"I'll pick her up in an hour." said Cassidy. "She gets tutored after regular school hours on Wednesdays. Just for math, though. She's already reading at a fourth grade level. That's what the teachers are tellin' me, anyway. My opinion, she's already better than the average high schooler."

"She likes books, huh?" said James, smiling a little and seeming tickled by the very fact.

"She loves 'em. I can't get her to turn the lights out at bed time, and when I do she always manages to find the flashlight no matter where I hide it."

"See?" Kate said to James. "You already have something in common."

Kate and Cassidy took turns telling stories about Clementine. Juliet listened and analyzed, as she'd unfortunately been trained to do, their distinct styles of sharing that information. Cassidy of course had the role of the proud mother, bragging about the smallest of accomplishments. Based on the collection of gymnastics trophies and framed certificates that decorated the living room, it was clear she deserved the praise. Kate was also proud of her, the little girl that called her Auntie. Juliet noticed that Kate was really making an effort to relate it all back to James somehow, trying to make the distance between them seem a little smaller. Juliet also began to notice that Cassidy kept glancing her way whenever Kate was speaking. The first few times, Juliet averted her eyes, looking to James as he spoke, or a spot on the carpet, or the baubles on the coffee table. And then, when Cassidy's glances became more like stares, Juliet decided it was time to drop the shy girlfriend routine for good. She stared back, and it was Cassidy's turn to look away. Juliet waited for a natural break in conversation to cut in.

"Cassidy?"

Cassidy turned to her, and gave her a nonchalant What? with her eyes.

"You keep looking at me." Juliet said, putting it simply. "Why?"

"You..." said Cassidy, giving her a once over as she shook her head slowly. "Are not at all what I expected. Not for him." she added, nodding in James' general direction.

"And why is that?" Juliet asked calmly. Her tone was pleasant, but everything else about her was unsettlingly confrontational. Kate recognized the look, having been on the receiving end of it on more than one occassion.

James sighed uncomfortably. "I believe she's implying that you're out of my league." he said, his tone wry.

"Yeah, I got that." said Juliet, still staring hard at Cassidy. "I just wanted to hear her reasons."

Cassidy stared back at her, unphased. Two immoveable forces trying to figure each other out. Just when James and Kate thought they couldn't bear the silence any longer, Cassidy turned to James.

"Can I talk to you in private?"