A/n: Wow, we jumped from 19 reviews a chap to 14. Sad….oh well. We got you another chap quickly anyway. :) Just so everyone knows, yes, this is either set in or after season 3. It's pretty AU, so not many of the story-line of that season, such as Desmond's flashes and Charlie's death, will be involved. We haven't decided exactly yet. Anyway, Sawyer and Kate have gotten together, but their relationship is still up in the air and it's not really 'official'…but don't worry. The love triangle is an ongoing subplot in this fanfic, but the story is so much more than romance, and you'll be seeing that very soon. Don't worry so much about Skate or Jate, but just read the story, cuz they exist, but the ships aren't necessarily our main main focus right now. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Sawyer stood there for nearly five minutes just watching. Jack barely moved from his protective position, holding Kate close as she caught her breath. Finally, he interrupted.

"She gonna be okay, Doc?"

Jack glanced over quickly, as if startled that he was still standing there, even though it was only a few feet away. "Yeah." He nodded. "I think so. It's gonna be okay." He repeated, and Sawyer half-wondered if he was talking to him still, or Kate.

"Yeah, well…good job, Doc."

Jack nodded again, barely seeming to notice Sawyer's presence as he shifted Kate and began checking her vitals again, talking to her quietly. At that, Sawyer turned and left the tent, unable to take anymore of this. She was gone one moment, and back the next…emotions were raging, adrenaline racing through his veins, as he tried to steady his own heartbeat. As he stepped out of Jack's tent, he was greeted by the curious eyes of the survivors, who had gathered in a half circle around the opening.

"There ain't nothin ta see. Move it." He snapped, pushing his way through.

"Of course there's somethin to see, Dude. One minute you were carrying Kate in here, freaking out like she was dead or something, and now there's nothing?" Hurley commented.

"She's fine." Sawyer replied firmly, with a glare. "Just give her and the Doc some space."

Rose nodded knowingly and began pushing people back as well. "C'mon, give the poor girl some air. She'll come out when she's good and ready."

Slowly, the crowd diminished with wayward glances back at the tent, the flaps now closed. Sawyer didn't stop to thank the older woman as he continued walking down the beach, his thoughts still on Kate. He couldn't get out of his mind how dead she had looked. How quickly her skin had paled and how limp and light her body felt in his arms as he carried her through the jungle. And then when she woke…Gosh, he thought he was going to have a heart attack when she took that first gasp of air.

Suddenly a new thought struck him. He'd watched her a good, long time and she hadn't said a word aside from her whispered 'Jack' since she started breathing again. Did that mean something? Or was it just because she saw him first? And her expression. He'd been lost in that blank, almost lifeless stare as she wordlessly let Jack check her over. She didn't even flinch when the Doc's lips brushed the side of her forehead, though Sawyer did. Who was he kidding? She almost died. Of course she was traumatized and out of it. Jack said she was alright, so she was alright…wasn't she? Soon enough she'd be back to her old, stubborn self…wouldn't she? Sawyer forced himself to believe this, shaking the worrisome thoughts out of his head. He was just being paranoid…but still, he'd ask Jack about it later. He wasn't taking any more chances with her.

Now, only one thought coursed through his brain. "If that woman ever scares me like that again, I swear I'll…" He mumbled to himself, but let himself trail off, not quite sure of what he'd do.

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"Feeling better?" Jack asked, handing her a bottle of water. She now sat across from him in the tent.

Kate nodded, taking a sip of the water. "What happened out there anyway?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask Sawyer, he was with you at the time."

There was a short pause. "Thanks for saving me, Jack."

She looked into his eyes, and Jack felt a strange shudder run through him at the way she was looking at him. She'd never looked at him that way before, and he wasn't quite sure if it was a good or a bad thing. "Yeah." He looked down with a chuckle. "It's no problem, Kate."

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"Is she alright?"

"Is that all you can say?" Jack smiled, clearly in a better mood than hours before.

"I mean it." He growled.

"She's fine, Sawyer." Jack assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"She said anything yet?"

"She asked what happened, but I told her she'd have to ask you that."

"I told ya already, I don't know."

"Has she been acting strangely lately?"

"No more than usual." He teased, then sobered. "Been avoidin me…" He muttered. "You too."

"Huh?"

"C'mon, you can't tell me ya haven't noticed she hasn't been around lately. I had ta follow her into the jungle. If I hadn't, she'd probably be lyin there, dead by now."

A worried look clouded the doctor's expression. "Anything else?"

"Nothin that I could see, but it ain't like the girl don't hide things."

Jack sighed. "She's traumatized, her body is still adjusting to the shock. Keep an eye on her." He said, his words more of a command than a precaution. Not quite a threat, but almost a warning to not let anything to happen to her in his presence.

The Southerner only nodded. "Always do, Doc."

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Sawyer was standing on the beach later that night, watching the crashing waves, when Kate came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He spun around in surprise. "Jeez, you scared me, Freckles."

She laughed lightly. "Didn't know I was that scary."

"Ya alright, Kate?" He asked gently, brushing a lock of brunette hair out of her face.

She moved a little closer. "Just fine…thanks to you." She added in a whisper as she inched forward, and surprised him by grabbing his face and capturing his lips in a powerful kiss.

He started to kiss her back for a short moment, but immediately pulled back, shocked. "What are ya doin?"

"Shh." She pulled him closer for another kiss.

"Kate-" He put a hand to her shoulder and pushed her back a bit.

A flash of annoyance shone in her eyes, but was quickly replaced with reassurance. "Sawyer, it's okay…"

"No." He searched her dark, emerald green eyes for an explanation, confusion written in his own clear blues. In her eyes, he didn't see love, he didn't see that familiar warmth and need that sparkled in them…he wasn't sure what he saw, but it wasn't the Kate he had known these past few weeks. It wasn't what he had seen in the cages…it was something different all together. It not only hurt him that she seemed so emotionless, but it made him a bit nervous. "Freckles, what's this all about?"

"James…" she paused, and looked into his eyes. "I just-I never got to thank you for saving my life."

He chuckled. "Well, Jack helped…He get one of those too?" Kate rolled her eyes and pulled him close once again, grasping the cloth of his shirt. "Hey now, hold on…what happened?" He kept her at arm's length, but looked genuinely worried. "You and the Doc get in a fight again?" He was only partially joking. He'd learned since that night when Kate jumped him in his tent, and he wasn't going to fall for that again. Suddenly she shoved him back, harder than he expected, causing him to stumble a few backwards steps and gaze at her in surprise. "Shoot, Woman, I was just kidding."

"No…you weren't." She shook her head and stormed away.

A/n: Haha! We see the first tiny emergence of Kate's change. Please review and tell us what you thought of this chap if you want a another chap soon. I made it a bit longer this time! ;)