Chapter 34
Allison left them alone and sat on the couch next to Sawyer.
"How you doing, Tennessee?" she said, teasingly.
"I'm fine. Doc gave me my meds," he held up the prescription paper. "Didn't get a lollipop though."
"You must be a bad patient."
"Yeah. Sure."
"So…who is he?"
"He's a son of a bitch."
"Okay. And now out of your reality?"
"The doctor on the island. The hero," he rolled his eyes.
"Was he the competition?" she playfully inquired.
"Competition?"
"Oh come on. There had to be more choices than you on the island. She didn't just choose you, did she?"
He looked away, annoyed.
She laughed, shaking her head. "I know you SO well."
"Whatever."
"You know, you may wanna go break them up. He could be putting the moves on her."
He laughed and got up. "Yeah. Thanks."
"Sawyer!"
He turned around.
"Is he married?" she asked, with a grin.
"Yeah. Right," he said, entering the kitchen.
Simultaneously, Kate and Jack looked at Sawyer.
"So, you guys done with your little reunion now?"
"You know, I think I'll go check into a hotel now or something. I don't want to make this any more awkward than it already is," Jack said.
"Good idea," Sawyer agreed.
Kate glared at Sawyer. She knew, after what Jack had said, he'd make sure she waited on him all day long. She suddenly got an idea to get him back. "Jack, why don't you stay here for the few days until your flight?"
Sawyer looked at her incredulously.
"I mean," she continued. "Sawyer has an extra room upstairs. Why bother paying those petty fees when you can stay here for free?"
Jack looked at Sawyer for confirmation, or quite possibly, permission. Kate looked at him too, eyebrows raised. Sawyer's lowered.
"Fine."
"Good," she smiled, pleased with herself. "I'll help you bring your stuff up."
Sawyer watched them go, and as luck would have it, Allison was coming in right as they left. She cocked her head and pointed backward.
"Yeah," Sawyer said, annoyed. "He's stayin'."
Later that night, Allison had decided to make dinner for everyone for once. With Jack's aid – well, his car – she went out to the store to buy what she needed and got straight to cooking when she got home. She had finally put something more decent on, even if it was only jeans and a sequined tank top. Kate had set the table, feeling a strange need to do something other than sit awkwardly in the room with Jack and Sawyer. When everything was done, they took seats around the table – Kate next to Jack and Sawyer, and Allison between Kate and Jack.
"Bon a' petite!" Ally said, smiling at Jack.
They all started eating the pasta in meat sauce Allison had prepared. Aside from the clanking of utensils to dishes, the room was very quiet. Allison cleared her throat.
"So, um, Jack, how long have you been a doctor?"
"A few years, give or take."
"Really? Have you ever like…saved someone who was hopeless?"
"Well, actually…"
As Allison and Jack went into sudden deep conversation, Kate kept stealing glances at Sawyer. He began to notice and finally put his fork down on his plate, starting a quieter conversation between him and Kate.
"Some reason you're lookin' at me like that?" he said in a low voice.
"No. Just like lookin' at you," she beamed, taking a sip of her drink. "Is that a problem?"
"No. No problem. Just gettin' a little annoying."
"You rather I look at Jack?" she teased, quietly, stealing a glance at Jack.
"I saw that!" Sawyer whispered.
She looked at her food, innocently. "Saw what?"
"You always gotta bring him into it?"
She twirled her fork around and around absently, managing to not get a single strand of angel-hair on it. She finally looked up at him.
"No. I just like seeing that little angry-but-jealous look you get whenever I mention his name," she joked, softly.
He looked away from her and started to focus on his food. She looked at him, waiting for him to say something, but he didn't. Though it confused her, she, too, tried to focus on her food. But then she felt something sliding up her ankle. She looked over at Sawyer and he was grinning mischievously. Looking under the table, she saw his foot sliding up her leg. She looked quickly at Allison and Jack and back to Sawyer.
"Stop," she mouthed, though smiling.
He shook his head and sent his foot higher. She started to laugh, and had to put her fork down to cover her mouth. She shook her leg and his leg slid off hers. When she thought she had won, she took her fork again and tried to take another bite of food. But he took her foot in both of his and starting running both slowly up her leg. She let out an unintentional laugh, but thankfully, neither Jack nor Allison noticed.
"I mean it," she whispered.
He failed to stop and started rubbing her ankle with both feet, rapidly. She slammed down the fork loudly, trying to hide her silent laughter, but her face was turning bright red. Sawyer finally stopped and Allison and Jack looked at her.
"Are you all right?" Jack asked.
"I don't know what she's all worked up about," Sawyer said innocently, eating more of his pasta.
Kate shook her head, and her laughter finally stopped, but her face remained bright red, and her smile didn't fade. Jack continued to look at her, confused.
"It was nothing," she said, finally.
"Seems like a whole lotta something to make your face that red," Allison retorted.
In response, Kate put a hand to her face and felt its heat. "It was just…it was nothing. Um, anyway, the food is really good," she said, picking up her fork again.
Sawyer laughed to himself, and decided to help her out. "Yeah. It is."
"Well, thank you," Allison said, feeling proud.
Kate looked at Sawyer, half-glaring and half-grinning. He gave her a challenging look, but she shook her head almost laughing again. He looked back down at his food, victoriously.
"I'm full, actually," she said, suddenly.
"Kate, you barely ate anything," Jack said, frowning.
"I'm not a big eater," she said, pushing her chair out from the table and taking her plate to the sink. Jack watched her, frowning.
"Actually, I'm done too," Sawyer said, following Kate to the sink.
"You're such an ass," she whispered, rinsing her plate off.
"You know you liked it, Freckles," he whispered back, rinsing his with hers. "That's why your face got so red."
She shook her head. Sawyer left his plate as is, and without drying his hand, grabbed her side, underneath her shirt. She jumped and dropped the plate, which loudly clanked into the sink. She put a soap covered hand to her face and Sawyer pulled away, just in time before Allison and Jack both looked over, startled.
"She's clumsy," Sawyer said simply. "That's why I'll never let her cook. Makes a mess outta everything."
Kate rolled her eyes and turned off the water and dried her hands. "I'm going to change," she said, then headed up the stairs.
"I'm gonna go shower," Sawyer said. "So don't go doin' dishes 'til I'm done."
"O-kay…" Allison said.
As soon as he left, Jack turned to Allison.
"So are they usually like that?"
"Not really. They're usually really quiet when I'm around," she said, finishing her food.
"Well it was really good," Jack complimented her, finishing his as well and trying to break away from the topic of Sawyer and Kate.
"Thanks," she said, clearing her place.
"Do you usually cook?" he asked, clearing his own place, going to the sink with her.
"Nope. This was the first time," she grinned at him.
"Any special reason why?" he smiled back.
"For you," she smirked, starting to wash the dishes. "Because you're that special. But I'm sure you've heard that a lot. I mean, saving peoples' lives and all…"
He laughed and shook his head, leaning back against the counter watching her. "No. You're actually the first."
"Oh that's a shame. You're making me feel sorry for you now," she teased.
He laughed again. "Don't."
"All right, I won't."
He started to help her dry the dishes. "So what brought you here, to Sawyer's house, I mean?"
"I…just got out of jail and needed a place to stay for a little while," she said plainly, looking up at him, seriously.
His smile began to fade and he grew quiet.
"Wanna know what I did?" she smiled mischievously.
"No. You don't need to tell me."
"It's stupid really," she laughed. "You'll probably laugh when you hear it."
"Allison…I don't need to know. It's none of my business."
"But it was really all Sawyer's fault."
That caught his attention…