Thanks Mary815 for your review, I do miss them too thought I miss the REAL Sawyer and Kate, not jean la tulipe and monica. I hope you'll love this new one, I've a lot to post but I just need time to translate it and then my friend to check on it.

Enjoy !

Still thanks Su for checking on my english !

Summary : Happened before « Strawberries and Bunny Killer ». It explains how Sawyer and Kate were back together, Claire and Aaron left Kate's house and she feels lonely and sad.

She knew this day was coming but she never imaged that Claire could be better so soon and be ready for her new life, for Aaron. Even Aaron loved her quickly, probably because of the blood relation, it broke her heart when he started to call Claire "Mommy" only 3 months they were back, and step after step there was no more Mommy Kate only Mommy to Claire. So when Claire announced she was ready to take care of her son alone...What could she do? She only smiled and said she was here if she needed her. And then it was over. Aaron kissed her and gave her his orca plush so it was like he could be there too, and he wanted that Willy take care of her. So she was here, looking at this empty bedroom, sitting on the floor, holding the orca, the only souvenirs of her "son".

She was lost in her thoughts and reacted only when the phone rang. Kate picked up the phone and listened to Claire, who wanted to tell her everything was okay and Aaron wanted to say goodnight. Tears fell down her cheeks when she heard Aaron's voice. She couldn't say a word, then she said a low "goodnight" before hanging up. Kate's hand stayed a bit long on the receiver, then with hesitation, she dialed a number she knew by heart. She waited long minutes then the answering machine come on. She bit her lips and hung up. She didn't like the answering machines and it was stupid to call him. He didn't come for a month, and she knew why - "July". The month where Juliet died. He left on vacation with Clementine for a while, she got a card, then nothing. She didn't try to contact him, until tonight, when she would have loved to have someone to speak with, but it seemed everyone had started a new life now...

Kate went downstairs and looked at the room, empty with no laughter, no life. She went toward her office and found a picture of Jack and Aaron. She took it and murmured with pain.

"What could you do Jack?"

She smiled sadly then counted until five, closing her eyes then opened them, and the pain wasn't gone. Jack couldn't help her and she didn't know what to do and she wondered what he could have done if he was here. She thought of what she did when she left Aaron with Carole and the shame she felt using him. She just needed to be loved...

Kate put the photograph back on her table and went into the kitchen. The bell rang, surprisingly, and she went to open it.

"What are you doing here ?"

"Nice...well, I missed you too Freckles."

He looked at her to see if he could come inside. She opened it more and closed the door.

"I'm sorry I...Aaron and Claire are..."

"I know."

The young woman looked at him astonished.

"Claire called me. She thought you might need some company, so here I am, and with my best friend ever - THE BEER!" Sawyer said showing a pack of beer.

She laughed then invited him to come into the kitchen.

"Hell, I also need to cook?"

Kate turned to face him and fixed him with a"bad glance".

"You can help me no ? You'll not sit on the couch and watch some football game."

"I don't like football much, Sweetheart, but the couch and..."

She grabbed his jacket to stop him to say any "perverted" comment, and forced him to go with her.

She put the beer on the table and started to prepare their dinner with Sawyer's help, who was cutting the vegetables. He told her about his holidays with his daughter and how she was capricious and at the end he needed to call Miles to get more money.

"You're too nice with her Sawyer."

"I know, but you don't get it, she looks at me with her beautiful eyes and...Well, I'm a conman but I'm always conned when it's not Bunny Killer, it's my own daughter! Sawyer affirmed in a low voice.

Kate smiled. Then he gave her the plate to put the vegetables on, but she didn't turn around fast enough, and it fell on the floor.

"Son of a bitch!"

Kate mocked then left him to get a broom. Sawyer thought she could clean it but she put it in his hand.

"What ? I have to do that ?"

"You messed up, you clean up !"

Sawyer mumbled but did it. Soon it was done. Kate proposed to make some pasta since the salad was now in the garbage. She just asked Sawyer to put some tomato in the pan while she could go to the supermarket and get some meat.

He looked at the tomato, the pan on the fire with nothing inside, and put it all inside, then tossed it. Sawyer tasted several times to check, but he started to feel upset it wasn't hot.

"Damn it, what am I supposed to do ?"

He glanced at the pasta then chose to put it all inside another pan. He added some water because he remembered AT LEAST how to prepare pasta but he started to be annoyed on the time it wasn't ready. Sawyer scratched his head then put the maximum button on the cooker.

He looked over the first pan where the tomato was still cold then the microwave., He took a mug then put the tomato inside and put it inside the microwave. He chose to put 5 minutes as time thinking Kate would arrive later and the dinner would be ready and she would be very happy.

While waiting for everything to be ready, he chose to smoke in the garden. Then his phone rang and he spoke with Miles.

Sawyer just hung up when he smelt a weird odor. He ran into the kitchen and discovered the pasta completely burnt. He mumbled and put the pan in the sink then checked on the microwave. He opened it and saw all the tomato everywhere…

"She will kill me…"

He heard the entrance door open and he had no time to hide some of his "mistake" because Kate arrived …

"Sorry it took a long time, there was a lot of people, and OH MY GOD SAWYER WHAT DID YOU DO ?"

She looked at the room, smoke from the sink, tomato in her microwave, and then she glanced back at the man, not very happy.

"Did you get the meat Freckles ?"

"I don't think we should TRY to bake it." Kate said annoyed.

"Don't worry Freckles, I'll clean up and we'll eat something in your fridge."

"It's empty…I planned to go to the store tomorrow."

"Well, we can call to order pizzas. Sawyer said with a smile."

She looked at him a bit then smiled back.

"Ok"

"Ok"

They cleaned the kitchen together and one hour later Sawyer called to order two pizzas. While they were waiting for the meal to arrive, they chose to take their beer to the sofa. They spoke of Miles who just bought an expensive car, about Richard too, who was so happy to have his first grey hair, and Kate laughed.

"It's normal for him."

"Well I would prefer to not grow old and stay like I am right now - gorgeous and young."

"You're not young Sawyer."

"You know you just broke my heart Freckles ?"

The young woman smiles then left him to go to the toilet. The bell rang and Sawyer went to open the door. He met with a teenager holding the pizzas.

"Ah finally ! One hour ago I called !"

"Sorry sir, lot of people tonight."

"Yeah, yeah, how much kiddo ?"

"100$"

Sawyer's eyes opened wide.

"What ?"

"First it wasn't the right address, I turned in the street for 20 minutes and then there is the race, I'm in late so yes 100$ !"

"No way I'm gonna to pay this price ! You want to con me pizzagougouguy !

"No money, no pizzas !" the teenaged affirmed proudly.

"You can keep it ! 100$ why not 150$ uh kiddo ?"

"No but it's 120$ now"

"WHAT?"

"10$ each minute"

"What the hell...Get out of my sight kiddo before I kick your ass ! Sawyer yelled angry.

The teenager gave him the "finger" then ran to get his bike. Sawyer looked at him until he couldn't see the kid, then closed the door in fury.

Kate met him and looked at him, surprised.

"What is going on ?"

"Well Freckles I don't think we'll have pizzas tonight."

She glanced at him intrigued then Sawyer told her his "adventure" with the kid...

…..

Kate and Sawyer were around a fire in the garden.

"Put it out now or it will burn !"

"I'm used to tonight."Sawyer said with a smile eating his hot marshmallow.

Kate looked at him and smiled amused then ate hers too.

"It's finally great what you've in your cabinets, at least I'll not risk to burn your house down."

"You can always put my yard on fire." Kate said with little laugh.

He put his can in front of her.

"To no disaster dinner !"

Kate laughed hard then shared a toast with him and looked at the sky. Sawyer followed her eyes.

"The one on the right I'll call it Hot dog!"

"What?"

She looked at him surprised.

"Well you were wondering their names right ?"

"No. Why I would do that ?"

"Nothing"

Sawyer fixed the fire, Kate put her stick on the floor.

"You know you can't lie to me," Kate said with tender voice.

"Alright, I was thinking of the kid, Karl you remember him?"

"Yeah."

"Him and his Sally Slingshot well...they looked the sky at night and I don't know, just wanna try it myself."

They shared a long glance and Kate smiled to him.

"I would love to try to."

A few minutes later, they were lying side by side around the fire watching the sky.

"Flying dog!"

"What ? Flying ? Where did you see the wings Freckles ?"

"On the right here." Kate showed him with her finger up.

"I just see a big bird."

"No it's flying dog"

"Dogs have tails..."

"Not all and shut up !"

"Alright baby...Ok my turn. Red and green bee!"

"Red and green?" Kate mocked him.

Sawyer shrugged his shoulders.

"I imagine."

"You imagine too much Sawyer."

"Well that's the aim...Damn it why are we playing this stupid game ?"

Kate couldn't stop laughing at his comment.

"Your idea cowboy."

"Force me to shut up next time..."

Kate nodded when he turned his head and looked at her. Kate's eyes were shinning. She was genuinely happy.

"Thanks."

Sawyer didn't know what to say so he put his hand on hers and looked at her intensely.

Suddenly the rain fell. Sawyer got up and grabbed Kate's hand and tried to pull her up too but the woman was just laughing, enjoying the rain.

"Freckles I know you love the rain but you'll get a cold!"

She looked at him bemused but nodded and as he helped her up, her foot caught on a stone and she fell in his arms. Sawyer held her and his heart started to beat fast. Kate looked up at him and before he could say something, she kissed him. He kissed her back and held her higher. It was still raining but they didn't give a damn, they were lost in the moment.

Their embrace became more and more passionate. He lifted her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and without breaking the kiss, they walked inside the house.

Kate's body collided with the wall, and she couldn't stop kissing him again and again. With some clumsy gesture, she started to unbutton his shirt because she wanted to touch his skin. The shirt fell on the floor, and he stopped the kiss and looked at her. They got the impression of being back 4 years ago, an eternity but still a strong memory in their mind right now. Sawyer put his hands on her tank top and then his fingers started to touch each part of her skin, her arms, her shoulders. Sawyer started to set free her halter top and when it fell, he kissed her shoulder then went to kiss her neck and finally he captured her lips. The passion grew, and they couldn't stop touching each other, pressing their skin together, they just NEEDED to feel it once again. Sawyer started to walk in the room, not seeing anything except the woman he was holding and kissing. He put Kate on the table, sliding everything on it on the floor, then stretched her out on it. They stopped kissing each other and he looked at her intensely. She sat back on her elbows and started to kiss his chest while her hands where working on his jeans. She found his lips once again and they exchanged a hard and passionate kiss...

A lot of clothes were on the floor, and the couple were lying there, with only a sheet from the sofa on them. Kate's head was on his shoulder while he stroked some of her hair.

It was silent inside the house, kind of ironic after all the moaning and noises they were making a few minutes ago...

Sawyer bit his lips, very nervous...

"Did you think we made a mistake ?"

Kate lifted up, she saw Sawyer's eyes, so shining but still so insecure, she said nothing and waited.

"I don't know, we drank a lot and..."

"We drank only 2 beers Sawyer," Kate mocked him.

They looked at each other then laughed together. Once it was over, she put her head against his neck.

"We never did something normal in the past, why should it change now ?"

"You have a point here Freckles."

She smiled and lifted up once again and lost herself in his beautiful eyes.

"Maybe it was always supposed to be like that."

"Make love anywhere but not on a bed ?"

"No idiot."

Sawyer looked at her intrigued and astonished. Kate put a hand on his cheek and continued to smile.

"You and me together, like it should have been if you didn't jump."

"You think we could still be together ?"

"Why couldn't we be?"

"Because I was a coward."

'God it's like hearing Cassidy."

She sighed, bothered.

"But it's the truth."

Kate glanced at the blond, and he felt like he was "screwed" and he bite his lips.

"Alright maybe not so true..."

"Maybe you can have a chance at a clean slate, if you want it." Kate murmured.

"Ok" Sawyer said, seeing hope in her green eyes.

"Ok"

She smiled at him, and to make it real, to promise it to each other, Sawyer took her head in his hands and kissed her.

They got a new chance to be together, and if the destiny allowed it, maybe it could work, they could be happy together, living and loving each other.