This chapter starts with a little Kate scene. It doesn't really fit any purpose other than that I love writing about a jealous Kate. More J&J later on in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

A little Kate interlude

Of course, she loved Jack. She had always loved Jack, there was no denying that. Even now, when their worlds seemed so far apart and his drive and actions frustrated her immensely. Kate was so tired of his tendency to rescue everything and everyone. Who was he to decide what was best for others? She was annoyed with herself for the way she reacted to him: angry, provocative.

So why had she followed him back to the island? Good question. No simple answer.

The world she had so carefully built for herself and Aaron (and Jack for a while too) had started to fall apart the day Ben's lawyers showed up on her doorstep. Was it her own fault? Had she been naïve? For three years she had convinced herself that it could work: that she could be Aaron's mum (the only mother he would ever know) and that she could be happy with Jack. For Christ's sake, she even said Yes when he proposed!

All of that seemed like another lifetime now. She was here, back at square one, back on the island.

Kate never came back to rescue anyone. She didn't come back because the other members of their little Oceanic group decided to do so. She had no heroic motivation. Yes, she wanted to find Claire. That wasn't a lie. A part of her wanted to make things right for Aaron. He deserved to know his real mother. But the decision to look for Claire was mainly made out of fear. They had been living a lie, and now someone was on to them. When she realized it was Ben, she knew the game was over.

And there was James. Yes, she had thought of him a lot over the years. Befriending Cassidy did not help. And Clementine looked so much like him! But she had been with Jack, and she had no idea how Sawyer was doing. Was he ok, was he still alive?

And now he was here. My God, he looked good. My God, she had missed his voice. Three years vanished in an instant. It seemed like yesterday he had jumped of that chopper. Sawyer triggered things in her that she had almost forgotten: the thrill of danger, the excitement of living on the edge. She remembered what had connected her to him: they were both lost souls, outcasts of society, feeling less alone together.

What she hadn't expected was Juliet. She was baffled when she found out, though she masked it like a pro at the lunch table when Hurley spilled the beans. It was shocking enough to realize James was with someone, really with someone. But Juliet? Of all the women in the world? Hadn't he hated her?

"Kate?"

She shivered. "What?" Jack and Jin were standing next to her. Apparently she had stopped walking without noticing.

"You see any more tracks?" Jin looked at her anxiously.

"I… I'm not sure. The rain must have erased stuff. I can't tell… I'm sorry."

"Let's just move. Maybe we can pick up anything along the way. No point in hanging around here." Jack and his usual logic.

Jin nodded.

"Lead the way Jin." Jack tried a smile but failed miserably.

Back at the camp

There was no walk to Dharma Ville the next day. Sayid wasn't going to make it. Juliet knew, and had known it for days. But this morning she could feel death in the air, like she had so many times before on this island. She sat next to him on the ground, looking at him, sometimes stroking his face. It was weird: she had never really like Sayid. To her he was a man that had crossed certain boundaries a human being should never cross. The borders of civilization: the thin line between being human and being something totally different. Come to think of it though: hadn't she crossed some of those herself? Hadn't she killed and manipulated too?

Sawyer still wanted to go to the barracks. He was being weirdly cynical about the whole situation. "The guy's not even awake Blondie. He probably doesn't give a shit whether you're here or not." She raised her eyebrows at him. Going on a 'romantic' quest for a 30 year old engagement ring while a man was dying just seemed wrong. And to Hurley Sayid was a friend. He would need them to be here in case of anything. So she stayed.

Sayid died early afternoon. At the hottest time of day. They sat inside Jack's tent for a while. None of them spoke for a long time. Hurley cried quietly.

"Sooo… he was from Iraq?" Miles broke the silence that had been hanging in their camp for hours now. "Was he in the war or something?"

Hurley looked up. "Yeah dude. He was a bad ass." A smile followed. "You know he killed a couple of people to get me out of the loony bin. Then he got shot by some dude. And I had ketchup all over me. It looked like blood. And then someone took a picture of me with a gun and it was all over the news. We were like … wanted. But we managed to escape. I hid Sayid with my folks, then got him to Jack so he could fix him. Of course he got himself into trouble again as soon as he was back on his feet. But somehow, we all ended up on the plane anyway. After we crashed guess who landed himself in jail straight away? Then he shot Ben and…" Hurley was laughing out loud by now. "MAN he was a bad ass!"

Miles mouth had dropped. Juliet smiled. Sawyer was shaking his head. "Sounds like quite the ride Hugo."

"It was." Hurley looked at Sayid, his face turning serious again. "I'll miss you dude."

Late afternoon they moved Sayid out of Jack's tent. Hurley insisted on not burying him yet. He was hoping for their group to come back in time to say goodbye. But no one came back that evening.

Sawyer felt uneasy at the beach. The boredom, the lack of privacy, the lack of purpose of whatever kind. Funny that, last time he was here he couldn't have cared less about all that stuff.

Miles was staring at him with a look that says more than a thousand words.

"What?" Sawyer grumbled.

"Nothing man. Just, why are you pacing around like a nervous school boy whose mummy just caught him smoking weed?"

"I ain't nervous smart ass, just sick and tired of this place."

"Newsflash for you: you're not the only one."

Silence.

"We can always go hunting bore again."

"Brilliant idea, Einstein. Let's add another corps to our group. Soon, we'll be selling perfume in the tropics."

"James." Juliet looked at him and he knew he had to shut his mouth. Fine.

He paced to the shore. He was moody and annoyed, and that wasn't going to go away.

You guys want to play a bunch of optimists, go ahead.

It was still early in the morning and he dreaded the day ahead. It wasn't that he wanted to head off on some jungle adventure. But he missed his job, his responsibilities, the freedom to just to decide to go out and PATROL or whatever it was he sent his men (and himself) out to do. Be out there, clear your head, and then – best of all – come home. He missed the coming home part. He missed the 'looking forward to coming home' part.

He heard Juliet approaching. She stopped next to him, not saying anything, and just stared out onto the ocean. After a few long minutes she asked dryly "Want to go to Dharma Ville now?"

He turned his head towards her.

"Just because I didn't want to go yesterday doesn't mean I don't want to go ever. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Sayid really doesn't care anymore if we hang around."

"You makin' fun of me Blondie?"

"I want you to lighten up. Let's go. Miles can keep Hurley company."

He grumbled again. "Whatever you say boss."

She sighed and started walking back to Miles. Then she turned around. "You coming or what?"

They walked slowly, partly because Juliet was still recovering (the cuts still hurt when moving around too much), partly because they were both thinking about what to expect. What would it be like to see their house? It was painful to know that Horace and Amy were no longer there. The people of the DI were all gone. It was nice to actually do something though, and Sawyer's crappy mood disappeared.

They arrived at the barracks just before nightfall. The place was deserted, like a ghost town. It was obvious no one had been living here recently. Juliet stayed right behind James. Being here made her feel uneasy. Sawyer tried not to pay too much attention to the scene around him. He walked straight to their house. It looked the same, yet not the same at all. Inside furniture had changed, and things were a mess. Different people had lived here since they left (which to them was only a few days ago).

He looked back at Juliet, who was standing in the doorway. This is depressing.

"I need a minute in the bedroom."

She looked up at him, and flashed a weak smile. "Ok, I'll see if the bathroom has anything of use." This is so depressing.

He entered the bedroom, while Juliet searched the house for useful clothes, food and, of course, condoms or something else that could brighten up their sex life. He walked straight to the spot behind their bed. Removing the floor board was easy. His heart was beating fast.

The box was there… it was just there, like he'd placed it yesterday instead of thirty years ago. He carefully took it, wiped of the dust, and then took the lid off.

"James?" Juliet entered the bedroom. He turned to look at her. "Any luck?" She shook her head.

"Not yet. Did you find it?"

"Sure did. Dusty, but intact."

He took out some pictures. They were black and white and definitely looked 30 years old. But it was them: their tight little group of four. The first one showed them smiling, with beers in their hands and a sign saying 'Happy 1976' behind them. He quickly put the ring in his pocket; then held up the pictures. "You gotta see this. Hippy times at its best." She walked over and sat down next to him on the bed. She chuckled. "We look ridiculous" she said. "We look like the happy Brady Bunch."

He put the pictures back in the box, raised himself from the bed and held out his hand. "You want to go search some other houses? Being here is depressing."

She took his hand. "You're right, this place IS depressing" she replied, trying not to get emotional.

They entered Miles' and Jin's house next. Same experience. Too many memories. Too confronting to think of all their friends dead. Also too bizarre with the time travel issue thrown in their faces all over again, only from a different angle. Searching part of the village (with Juliet trying to remember where the 'younger' people lived during her 'others' time, thinking that might increase their chances of finding anything useful) they found some clothes, a few cans of food, but nothing that could serve as birth control.

Just my luck! Sawyer thought, quickly correcting that in just OUR luck! They walked back to their house, not knowing a better (or 'less terrible') place to spent the next few hours of no daylight. They sat on the sofa for a while without saying much. When Juliet started to doze off Sawyer stroke her cheek gently. "Let's just sleep in our bedroom one last time, what'd ya say? Say goodbye properly."

Despite mixed emotions, they slept comfortable for a couple of hours (the blessing of a matras!). A little before sunrise they were up though, ready to get out of this place. They walked back slowly, resting frequently. Back at camp they showed Miles and Hurley the pictures and filled the rest of the evening telling DI tales to Hurley. Miles did not hold back imitating Phill and Horace. They laughed, which to all of them felt like a huge relief.

A little after sunrise Hurley's loud screaming woke up Sawyer, Juliet and Miles. Jack and Kate were back at the camp, Jack rubbing his ankle while Kate tried to take of his shoes.

Where is Jin? Sawyer walked up to Jack. "What the hell happened? You guys 've been away for three days!"

Jack looked up, face grimaced with pain.

"We found them" Kate spoke.

"Found who?" James looked up. Another guy came out of the bushes. Who was that? Was that that chopper guy? What's his name?

Then Jin stepped onto the beach, followed by his wife.

To be continued. Thanks for all the reviews so far!