Title: Something's never changed

Authors: Koralina and LorMats

Summary: After the incident, the explosion really reset their lives, but they end up on the Island, again. Could they get the chance to be happy the second time around?

Chapter main Author: LorMats

Beta Reader and Editor: Eyeon

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. They mean a lot to us :)


Recon

James woke up to the sound of the rain. From the tent, he could see it was pretty dark outside, but it was time to get up. Juliet was still sound asleep beside him, she was facing him, curled up to his side, and close, dangerously close, he thought. He could feel her breath on his neck and while her head was resting on her arm, her free arm and hand were laying on his chest. He slowly put her arm aside and shook away the thoughts that were forming in his head, but damn, she looked so peaceful and beautiful. Trying not to wake her, he went outside. Hurley was already up, having breakfast with Libby. James ran toward the "kitchen". He was amused, and yet he admired the willingness and survival instinct of the castaways.

-Dude, you want a mango?

-Thanks Hurley, so we are the only three up?

-Nope, Jack and Sayid are up looking at some maps or whatever and Desmond is with them.

- Desmond was the guy in the hatch, right?

- Yeah you didn't know him? You know being an "Other and that stuff" I thought you knew everything – Libby punched him in the ribs- hey! Ouch! – James smiled at the sight he stood in front of him. Every passing minute it was getting harder to follow the orders he had, and not what his gut was telling him. These people were good, they had the worst luck in the world to have crashed on this Island, but they were good people, and he didn't care what Ben said that Jacob wanted for him to do, and why him? Why not Danny or Tom…

- Dude?

- Yeah?

- You got lost in there… you haven't change a bit, Have you Jim?

- Ha-ha Hurley, I wish I hadn't… but – James was interrupted by Sayid who appeared from behind.

- Can I have a word with you?

- Yes – he narrowed his eyes – speak.

- In private

- Lead the way –

The rain had stopped and James found Jack waiting for him and Sayid, sitting on a rock.

- What's this, an ambush?

- No – Jack stated calmly –I don't know why Juliet and Hurley trust you, but we want to know a few things.

- Shoot –

- Why you kidnapped us?

- Don't know, following Ben's orders-

- Why did you separate Juliet from us, and why were Hurley and Libby free to return?

- Ben's orders, again – he shook his head and didn't see Sayid move. He grabbed him from behind.

– Start talking, I'm sick of your games.

- Let go Sayid! – It was a calm voice, still powerful and angry – Sayid, Let, him, go, NOW! –

Sayid pushed James forward shoving him to the ground. Juliet looked at Sayid and stood still.

- What the hell do you think you're doing… and you Jack? –

Jack scratched his head

– I don't trust him, and his not giving us reasons to think otherwise.

James sat on the ground – Look, I don't know the answer to the questions you asked, you want to know who I am, I'm a cop, a company hired me, they brought me to this Island and that's it, I was working with them, they gave me orders I obey, there is no other way around –

- So why did they leave, why they did leave you behind, and why aren't they here yet, 'cos they were pretty interested in us from what I recall –

- They left me behind because I betrayed them, and they aren't here because – he point to Juliet – Dr Quinn made a deal with them, but this is the first time I see Ben keep his word.- Jack looked at Juliet verifying James' story and she nodded, Sayid looked at Jack and ran into the jungle. Jack excused himself. Juliet stayed still, looking to the horizon. James broke the silence – I didn't need you to burst into here and defend me, you know? –

-No? So Sayid was trying to dance with you, grabbing you behind your back? – She tilted her head to the side and smirked

- Danm it Juliet! Why do feel the need to rescue me? They were protecting the rest of them; I'd do the same thing if I were in their place -

- I don't feel the need to rescue you; I don't think they're being fair –

- No? I punched the doc, I held you hostage, I did things I'm not proud of, I – she interrupted him

- You set Jack and Kate free –

- Yeah because I'm a man of my word and I had a deal with you. I didn't do anything just because. I'm not like you I wouldn't have resigned my freedom to save a bunch of people who I don't even know well, I wouldn't have confronted them because of a person I barely know-

- No? You didn't have my back… back then with your people? Didn't you risk your life because of saving them? Didn't you risk your life for the sake's of a young girl?

- She's like a daughter, it doesn't count, and I owed you, why the hell do you trust me? Because Hurley knew me, but you – Juliet look at him and mumbled "I don't know", he didn't say anything else, and she walked away.

Flashback

James answer the door and found Tom standing there pointing to a bench nearby where Ben was waiting for him.

- Benjamin –

- Look, you're going to live with her for 3 more days, her friends are already on their way here, we're going to leave, and you're going to stay-

- You're gonna use the gas Goodwin was working on? –

- Yes –

- Ok-

- You have to be careful, she's going to ask you to join their little group, and if she doesn't you have to be sure it seems like her idea for you to go with the. When you arrive there, they're not going to trust you. Once you are ther,e you have to help them… you know Desmond the only member of the Dharma initiative who is still alive?

- Yeah because you couldn't put your hands on him before poor old Radzinsky did – Ben opened his eyes and James shut up.

- A friend of Desmond's is really close to the island; if they found out… – he paused. – They can't leave the Island –

-Why, if they don't belong here with us, why don't you let them be free? -

- Because Jacob needs them –

- For what? – Ben looked at James – Look Linus, I'm sick of the same old story… -

- You'll do what Jacobs wants you to do, or… -

- Or what?

- You know James, what will happen –

James got up cursing and went directly into his house

End of flashback.

James walked out of the jungle, Sayid and Jack were looking at him, and he looked down, he needed to stay out of trouble. He kept walking and saw Desmond playing with Aaron while Claire and Charlie were comfortably talking to each other. He spotted Juliet sitting alone looking at the sea. He needed to make things right with her. He didn't like the way their conversation went in the jungle, but the thing was… he didn't like what he was feeling. He was supposed to be conning these people and he was getting attached. Nothing of what Ben told him was true. The castaways were good, aside from Jack and Sayid, but he would have done the same, in their place. They were like a family, the family he never had and always wanted. How on earth was he going to be able to prevent these people from returning to their family and friends? He didn't have a thing to return and he wanted so badly to be free. He would have to choose between their freedom and his own. And what Jacob wanted? He didn't know Jacob, but he knew that the Others answered to him, why did Jacob want these people on the island?

He didn't realize that he had reached the place where Juliet was and she was looking at him.

- You're gonna stand there watching the sea?

- Do you mind if I sit down? Look Juliet, I'm sorry I was an ass.

- Yes

- Yes you forgive me, or yes I was an ass?

- Both I guess? - She shrugged

- I'm sorry, really, you were trying to help me, it's just that you don't need to, these are your people, they care about you and you don't need to confront them, I'm used to watching my own back –

- Ok I get it, you're a tough boy, a bad one, but I don't get why you don't seem to have a problem with Hurley selling you as a good guy, a guy we can trust, and you have a problem with me doing the same…-

- Cuz' I knew Hurley from a long time ago, and I know that I can't stop that dude-

- Yeah well you can't stop me –

- Why Juliet, why are you so eager to help me?

- Because I don't know why, but I trust you, you got my back in "Otherville", for whatever reasons you had, you did, you trusted me with you past, in some way, and you know everything that you have to know about me to run away and ignore me and you don't –

- There's nothing to know about you to ignore you, you know you're the most fascinating woman I know – He smiled, and she blushed, hoping that she could blame the heat, but he was either a gentleman or didn't pick up her sudden color was because of his remark – I don't get what you always put somebody else's happiness ahead of your own, why you made the deal with Ben to stay with us, so they could be free I don't know, how you can trust Ben?-

- I don't trust him, and that wasn't the deal…

- Then, what was it? – she leaned forward to whisper into his ear, an action that sent shivers up and down his spine – A girl has to have her secrets – she smiled and got up, walking towards the kitchen, he got up and followed her shaking his head, knowing that every passing day was going to make his task more difficult than already was.

He was talking, in the kitchen, with Hurley while Juliet was talking excitedly with Rose and Libby. He saw Kate and Jack were walking toward the jungle, trying not to be noticed, Sayid was waiting for them behind a tree. What was going on? Juliet looked at him and smiled. He didn't have the courage to smile back.