Quickie:

SassyLostie - Now that's just creepy. Hehe. Well, I assure you I haven't plagarized. As a fellow writer you know how horribly cruel that is to do and how horrible it would feel.
bonboni - I know everyone is dying to know if Sawyer will find out. But just as a magician never tells his secrets, a writer never tells either. p.s. - Damien's supposed to be dead, remember?
xox-emily-xox - Glad you like it. :-D

Chapter 36

Sawyer woke to the sound of chirping birds and a duck quacking loudly, splashing in the water. Something soft was in his face – Kate's hair, he assumed. Then he thought he felt something wet on his cheek. He opened his eyes staring at Mackenzie's nose in his face.

"Git off me you stupid cat," he muttered, sitting up and sweeping the cat away with his arm.

He finally realized that Kate wasn't on the blanket with him anymore. Turning his head around, he saw the back door was open wide. He turned back and sat for a few minutes, reliving the events of their night in his mind. He grinned at the thoughts. It was a good night. Finally, he got up and went inside in search of Kate. She was in the kitchen, looking in the fridge for something. He leaned over the counter enjoying the view.

"Hey," he said in a low voice, hoping to startle her.

She didn't jump, as he'd expected. She simply turned her head and smiled at him over her shoulder.

"Hey yourself."

She closed the fridge and leaned against it, unsure of what to do.

"You can go back to what you were doin', Freckles," he said with an innocent grin. "I don't mind."

"Of course you don't."

"What smells like coffee?"

She laughed. "That would be the coffee maker."

"Thought the power was out?"

"Yeah, well, I guess it came back on early this morning. Everything was working when I came in," she said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Guess that means it's about time to call the tow truck then."

"If you want," she shrugged without looking at him.

He noticed she started to scratch her arm as she turned away from him.

"What's up with your arm, Freckles?"

She turned back around, and looked down at her arm.

"Oh. Just a mosquito bite. They ate me up last night."

"Hm. Tell me about it. I got bites in places we ain't gonna talk about," he said, looking downward.

She laughed. "Thanks for the heads up."

They were quiet as Kate dug in the cabinet, pulling out a can of tuna fish.

"More fish?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's for Mackenzie," she explained.

"Oh. That."

"It's not a thing, Sawyer. It's a living animal."

"It's damn annoying."

"He's a kitten. And he's going to want attention until he gets a little bigger."

"You're not thinkin' of taking the thing with us, are you?"

She sighed. "Again, he's not a thing!"

"Well whatever! He's not gonna live in my house!"

"Why not?"

"'Cause I said so! It can stay here."

"And wind up like the dog under the stairs?" she said, folding her arms.

"It ain't comin'!" he said, firmly, getting up from his seat.

"Where are you going?"

"To call a towtruck!"

She sighed in defeat, watching him leave.

An hour later, Sawyer was outside conversing with the tow truck driver, while Kate was upstairs in the bedroom, getting their bags. Mackenzie sat on the bed, watching her with curiosity. She was stuffing some of her things into Sawyer's bag, trying to make more room in hers. Putting forth all her efforts, she finally managed to get the zipper closed. She leaned back on her knees and looked over at Mackenzie who seemed to be looking at her cynically.

"It's not as easy as it looks, okay?"

He started licking his paw. She pushed hair behind her ears and sat for a moment. Mackenzie jumped down and purred, rubbing against her leg. She scooped him up and pet him, then put him into her bag. He looked up at her with bright eyes.

"It's only for the ride home," she whispered.

She started to zipper her bag closed, and he tried to climb out. She pushed him, softly, back in.

"Just a little while, okay?"

She zippered it almost closed so that there was air for him to breathe. She heard Sawyer coming up the stairs and picked the bags up, putting them on the bed. She ran to the doors to the balcony, pretending to be closing them. Just in time, it seemed, for that was the exact moment he walked in.

"We got everything?"

"Yeah."

"Guess that's it then. Guy downstairs is gonna take the truck to the shop. Says he'll call when it's ready."

She looked at him incredulously. "You're not going to just get a new one?" she rolled her eyes. "With all that money you have in the bank – "

"I can't get a new truck!"

"Why not?" she laughed.

"Because! That's my truck. Maybe you don't know, Freckles, but a man and his truck share a special bond. I can't just give 'er up!"

She grinned, rolling her eyes. "Are you serious? A 'bond'?"

"Just forget it," he said, grabbing his bag. "Let's go."

She picked up her bag with Mackenzie in it carefully and followed him down the stairs. They reached the truck and got in. The driver was still working on attaching the trucks. Kate looked out the window at the house.

"You know, I think I might actually miss it."

"Yeah? Even after all that scared business?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "It was fun though," she smiled.

"Could have the same fun at home too."

A smile suddenly crept along her face. She wasn't sure if it was because of his normal obscure nature, or the fact that he'd just called his house home for the both of them, for the very first time.

"There's no lake at home," she said, letting the word slip out just as easily as he had.

"There's a shower," he retorted, with his trademark, dimpled, grin.

Mackenzie suddenly started moving in her bag. She jumped from the sudden movement in her lap, and she put the bag beside her, away from Sawyer's view. She sat up straighter, trying to play it off coolly.

"Gettin' a little excited there, Freckles?" he said with a sly smirk.

She laughed, feeling her face heat. "No."

"Yeah. You keep tellin' yourself that, sweetheart."

The driver got into the truck, and started driving. It was a quiet ride – apart from the music on the radio and Sawyer's direction – home…