awyer emerged from the jungle and stepped out onto the beach. He was exhausted by the hot treck back from the hatch, but while this would usually make him grumpy as hell, he actually felt in a pretty good mood. 'Jeeze, you must really have been horney for one night of sex to make you feel so good,' he said to himself, secretly knowing that it wasn't just the sex that had made him feel that way. He thought back to the way he danced with kate the night before and grinned, remembering how excited he felt just having her that close to him.

"Someone's looking pleased with themselves," a voice said.

Sawyer looked around and saw Claire standing to one side smiling at him, holding her baby in her arms. The sun was shining behind her, almost giving her a halo surrounding her. Claire always reminded sawyer of how an angel would look, she seemed so full of...well goodness. He usually tried to stay away from her, someone like him shouldn't be allowed near someone as innocent as her.

"Well hey there angel," Sawyer replied, flashing her his dimples, "Tell me ya aint planning on treking into the jungle with the little'un?"

"No, just going for my morning walk, usually settles aaron down, he's been a bit grizzly this morning, couldn't seem to settle him down all night."

"Well that's babies for ya," Sawyer replied.

Claire seemed destracted for a moment, and Sawyer saw that she was watching Charlie and Eko walk across the beach.

"Why don't you go over and talk to him?" Sawyer remarked. Claire looked at him frowning, "Oh come on you obviously want to."

"It's not so easy to forgive and forget," Claire said sadly.

"Sweetheart, I've known my share of drug addicts over the years," Claire looked up at him, "And he aint using. Surely one little conversation wont hurt?"

Claire thought for a moment and then smiled. "Okay, could you watch aaron for a bit, its not the kind of conversation I want to have around him?"

"Woah there, I may be in a good mood this morning sweetness dolling out good advice, but don't mean I'm on babysitting duty! How'd ya know I wont drop the little thing on its head!" Sawyer exclaimed.

Claire laughed, "I'm sure you'll be fine! He likes the sound of your voice anyway, so he shouldn't give you much trouble, just talk to him or something. He's a good listener, can't talk back!" And upon saying that she put Aaron in his arms, smiled and began to walk quickly in the direction charlie was heading in.

"This aint gonna look good for my reputation ya know," Sawyer yelled after her, "People'll think Ive gone soft!"

Claire just turned around and grinned at him and continued walking.

Sawyer shook his head, and looked down at the bundle in his arms. Aaron was grinning up at him gurgling. 'Cute little bugger,' Sawyer thought to himself, then shook his head, 'Two minutes around this baby and you've already gone soft,' he told himself and walked towards his tent.

When he got there he was glad to see his things were undisterbed, and he sat down on the aeroplane seat outside his tent, sitting Aaron on his lap and holding him upright. Aaron just stared at him, holding one fist to his mouth and drooling slightly. 'How do ya amuse a baby?' Sawyer thought to himself, and began to juiggle him about on his lap bouncing him up and down. Aaron smiled at him, his arms waving about, 'Must be good at this baby watching thing,' Sawyer thought, when suddenly aaron was sick all over the front of his shirt.

"Son of a ..." Sawyer exclaimed, just being able to watch his language.

At this point kate emerged out of the jungle on her way back from the hatch. She'd said goodbye to jack, after making small talk for a while and then tidying up a bit. Disposing of the whiskey bottle with a smile, and as an after thought decided to wash the sheets on the bed. Jack gave her an inqisitive look when she passed by him with the bed sheets in a bundle.

"They smelled a bit when I was sleeping on them," Kate replied, "Figured they could do with a wash." She grinned as she put them in the washing machine, remembering why she was actually washing them.

She was hoping and not wanting to see sawyer at the same time. Part of her just wanted to run up to him and pull him into his tent. The other part was terrified aout how out of control he made her feel. Around him she was actually ... happy, and that was something she hadn't allowed herself to be for a long time. As she walked over to her tent she saw Sawyer sitting outside his tent with aaron on his lap. Kate laughed to herself at how cute he looked sitting there with the baby, thinking no one was watching. then suddenly she saw him jump up with the baby in his arm and start shouting. She laughed out loud and couldn't help but go over there and tease him.

Sawyer didn't notice Kate walking towards him, he was too busy trying to pull off his sick stained shirt and hold the baby at the same time.

"Didn't think babies were your style Tex," kate said grinning.

Sawyer turned around, automatically pleased to hear her voice. "They aint Freckles, didn't exactly have no choice in the matter neither." Kate just laughed at him.

"Well, instead of standing there giggling ya think you could go get me a clean shirt or something, got baby puke on this one." he asked.

"So I'm your maid now?" Kate asked still teasing him. Sawyer just looked at her. Kate grinned and went into his tent, grabbing the nearest shirt, even though she secretly wished he would remain topless, although considering she wanted to jump him right about now, it was probablly for the best that he was covering up. 'What is wrong with you!' she thought to herself, 'you usually have better control of yourself.' She went back outside and handed sawyer the shirt, sad to see that tanned exapanse on chest hidden from her sight.

Sawyer sat back down on the aeroplane seat and Kate sat beside him. Aaron looked up at her a smiled from his position in Sawyer's arms.

"So where is Calire anyway?" she asked, genuinely curious why Sawyer of all people was babysitting Aaron.

"I saw her when I was on my way back from the hatch, she decided to go off and talk with Charlie, figured they're making up or something, and before I knew what was happening she bundled him into my arms, and ran away!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Glad to know those two are talking again anyway," Kate replied. They sat in silence for a moment, both highly aware of the fact that their bodies were pressed up aaginst one another on the small seat. sawyer wanted ntohing more than to pull her to him and ravage her in her tent. The fact that he could look at her and picture her naked body underneath all those clothes was driving him insane. 'Lucky I got this baby here on my lap,' he thought, 'Or I might just grab her here and...' he tried to drive his thoughts away from all the things he wanted to do to her right now, and looked down at the baby, who was yawning and beginning to drift off to sleep. Kate watched sawyer look down at the sleeping aaron and thought about how comfortable with the baby in his arms, if anything it made him look more masculine, protecting this tiny thing with his strong arms. Kate leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment and the three of them sat there in comfortable silence, neither wanting to move.

Claire returned from her walk, she had met up with Charlie, and realised how much she had missed him when they started talking. She'd taken the first step, and hoped that she could begin to trust him again. She walked over to Sawyer's tent, figuring thats where he had probablly gone. Then she noticed the three of them, kate with her head on sawyer's shoulder sleeping, and aaron curled up in Sawyer's arm sleeping too. Sawyer just seemed to be staring into the distance, thinking really hard about something and she thought she'd give them a moment longer together.