Chapter 21- Bad News and Love Yous

"I can't believe he wasn't there," Sawyer growled.

Kate placed her hand to the side of her face, as they walked away. "You're giving up to easy Sawyer,"

"I don't have much goin' for me right now sweet cheeks, I need to know what I'm going after…"

Kate crossed her arms, "I thought you already knew that,"

"Well guess what I lied…I'm not no freaking FBI agent." Sawyer complained.

"I've noticed," Kate replied in a smart tone.

Sawyer continued to rant for a couple more minutes, while Kate watched him, and looked around the setting in worry. "Are you done yet?"

"No,"

"What are you yelling about?"

"I don't know," He said standing up straight.

"We're wasting time, let's just go back to your house and figure out what we are going to do there okay…"

"You want to check on Jacko don't you,"

"No…I mean yes, but I don't want to stay out here much longer. Even though your friend Vinnie's house in surrounded by trees and in the mountains it doesn't mean we're safe."

"You're right, I am giving up too easy. That bastard is in there, and I'm going to knock his door down…"

"No, hold on Sawyer. If he is in the witness protection program, don't you think he has reason not to answer his door."

Sawyer thought it over, "Guess so,"

"And if you stampede in there like a criminal, then he might be armed."

Sawyer raised an eyebrow, "I didn't think of that,"

"I know you didn't." Kate walked over to Sawyer. "If he is in there, then you have to find a way to convince him that you're coming in peace."

Sawyer placed his hand under his chin, "Thanks for ur…"

"Thanks for what?" She asked.

Sawyer looked down, "I um…we have to take care of this business,"

Kate stared after him with a smile, "You're welcome,"

Sawyer grinned, "Thanks freckles,"

They both walked back towards the house.

"I've been meaning to ask you…" Kate started.

"Hold on, I think I saw someone moving inside…" Sawyer squinted inside.

He grabbed Kate's arm. "Stop,"

"What?" Kate asked swatting at some mosquitoes.

Sawyer squinted in the direction of the house, he saw a gun pointed towards them through the window. Quickly taking action, Sawyer threw himself forward onto Kate. She screamed as they fell onto the ground.

The air was knocked out of Kate. Sawyer held her down.

"What are you doing?" She choked out.

"Your suspicions were right sweetheart, someone's in there with a gun pointed right at us, it must be Vinnie."

Kate's eyes widened, "Then what are we doing! We have to…"

Sawyer placed his hand over her mouth. "Don't worry, it's him."

Kate was trying to talk, but Sawyer stayed on top of her. He liked this position. They had more important business to take care if…but when the Doc was away he wanted to play.

While he stared into her eyes. Kate bit his hand.

"Dammit!" He yelled pulling his hand back.

"Get off of me! We have too…"

"Sawyer, what the hell?" Vinnie asked stepping outside. He had a shot gun in his hand, and he was staring back at Sawyer befuddled.

Sawyer rolled off of Kate, and then held out his hand to help her up.

"I thought you were them, I was about to shoot." Vinnie yelled.

"No, it's just me." Sawyer said dusting off his jeans.

"Who is she?" Vinnie asked motioning the gun towards Kate.

"This here is my lady,"

Kate gasped, and opened her mouth to deny Sawyer's statement, but he shot her a "go along with it" glance.

"C'mon in," Vinnie said quickly, and then looking around outside.

Sawyer stepped aside, so Kate could go in first.

"I don't want to go in there first…I don't know that man," Kate whispered in Sawyer's ear.

"He's on our side," Sawyer whispered back.

"I don't trust anyone," Kate said.

"Don't you trust me…I take that back don't you trust Jack?"

"Yeah, you and Jack." She said glancing towards Vinnie cautiously. He was wearing a dirty white tee-shirt with holes, and he was staring back at Sawyer and Kate, with his mouth open, and three teeth poking out.

Kate winced. He definitely wasn't pretty to look at. Instead of focusing on Vinnie, she would focus on Sawyer…too bad Jack didn't come along.

"What are you'll tryin' to get killed by them hoodlums?" Vinnie yelled.

Kate walked towards Vinnie after Sawyer. She turned around once more, for some reason she felt as if they were being watched. Hopefully her feelings were wrong.

"Howdy, Vinnie. What have you been up too?" Sawyer asked.

Vinnie shrugged, "Taking care of business, tryin' to stay alive. You know my motto is stay low and survive…the more you run, the more likely they are to find you."

Kate closed the door behind her. She grimaced when she realized that Vinnie was looking her up and down like a raw piece of meat.

"Where did you find this thoroughbred, She's a looker."

Kate smirked. He just compared her to a horse, and that was a good thing?

Sawyer wrapped his arm around Kate, "I held her hostage,"

Kate glanced down at Sawyer's hand around her shoulder.

Vinnie chuckled, "I guess you've noticed by know, Sawyer's a charmer. Conman, thief, whatever, the ladies still want em'."

Kate playfully rolled her eyes, "Is that right."

"So what brings you by, besides trying to get me killed James?"

Sawyer glanced at Kate.

She looked up at him surprised. "Your names not Sawyer,"

"No…I mean yeah…James is just a nickname that this old geezer gave me."

Kate nodded, "Okay,"

Vinnie looked between Sawyer and Kate suspiciously, "I got some bad news for you…and some good news,"

Sawyer looked around, "You got any drinks my man? I figure I might need a little assistance handlin' whatever it is,"

"Yeah, I got some scotch, do you want something beautiful," Vinnie asked.

Kate shook her head, "No"

"What's your name by the way?"

"Skyler," Kate lied.

"Purty name, I'll be right back."

Sawyer sat down, and Kate looked around thoughtfully. "How long are we staying here?"

Sawyer tapped his hands along his jeans, "As long as we have too, don't worry Jacks the pessimist is okay, Skyler."

Kate smiled, "And if Jack is a pessimist what are you?"

"An optimist," Sawyer said flashing his dimples. "Whose side are you on?"

"The pessimists…Jack's," Kate replied.

Jack wanted to know more about Kate. He sat in the room they shared in Sawyer's house. Well Jack wasn't exactly sure if it was Sawyer's house…it was probably best to call it the house they were staying at.

Jack looked up from Kate's note that he had read three times over. He was searching for anything, like did she want a friendship or something else. He personally wanted something else. A relationship.

Jack grinned to himself. "Oh Shepard you have become a fool,"

His eyes drifted towards the closet where Kate's black jacket had been hanging. Jack got up and walked towards her jacket. What did he think he was going to find in there. As he neared, he thought about turning around. But something inside of him told him that he should check it out. Whenever Kate wasn't sleep on their way to West Virginia she had did a lot of writing, and after she was finished, she put it all in her coat pocket. Maybe that's where Sawyer had gotten the notes?

Jack took Kate's jacket out of the closet. He then put it back.

"Jack you got to have a little bit more self control than that."

He placed his hands to his mouth, and then reached in her pockets. His hand rubbed against a small book. Jack held his breath as he fished it out.

Jack looked down at the book as if it was gold. He opened the cover to the first page, and then started to read.

I woke up this morning, and I was in Jack's arms. Jack is handsome, and I feel like I can trust him. But trust is just so hard for me…the only person I ever trusted completely was Tom, and now that he is dead, I don't think I'll ever trust anyone again…even though I want to trust Jack. I felt safe this morning…I would've left earlier, and caught some train out of Ohio, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Jack. He is such beautiful man, inside and out. I can't leave him just yet. Not without a goodbye.

Jack sighed. He closed Kate's notebook. That was all he needed to know.

Kate stared off into space as Sawyer and Vinnie talked about Julian and his business.

"So what's the news pops?" Sawyer asked.

Kate snapped out of it. She wanted to hear this.

"Good or bad first?" Vinnie asked taking a sip of his scotch and then clearing his throat. His eyes drifted over to Kate, and he smiled.

Kate looked away. He bothered her.

"Good News, brighten my day," Sawyer said placing down his glass.

"Well the good news is Julian's dead."

"What!" Sawyer exclaimed in disbelief. He stared at Kate who was staring back at him with her mouth agape.

Vinnie nodded, "Yep, the slimeball is dead. He had a pretty bad heart attack and he croaked, I think it was about six months ago."

"So if he's dead, then who the hell is chasin' me." Sawyer asked.

Vinnie shook his head, "And that's what I don't know…maybe it's still him reaching out for you from the grave."

Sawyer's eyebrows furrowed low over his eyes.

"Hold on," Kate said.

Vinnie turned to her, "Yeah, muffin?"

Kate wrinkled her nose in disgust, "How do you know all of this,"

"Insider information." He said.

"Isn't it dangerous for you to keep in touch with them?"

"I have to stay informed somehow, I need to know where they are at."

"Then where are they?" Kate tested.

"I have no idea, I haven't heard from my friend in a while, they might have knocked him off,"

Sawyer placed his head in his hands.

Kate glanced over at him worried.

"Shit, Vinnie, so they must know about you,"

"I don't know," he said.

Sawyer stood up, "We got to go Kate,"

"Where are you goin?" Vinnie asked standing up.

"Getting ready to leave, C'mon Ka…I mean Skyler,"

Kate got up quickly and went over to Sawyer's side.

"If they are here, then it's too late." Vinnie warned.

Kate looked down in worry.

"You stay here and die then, we're gonna keep on movin."

"You can't run from the unknown." Vinnie warned.

"Yes, we can." Sawyer argued back.

He threw the door open, and then stormed back towards the car. As he walked out he glanced over at Vinnie's rusted pickup truck.

Kate quickly hopped in the passengers seat.

Sawyer reversed wildly, as usual, and stared back at Vinnie in anger. "If they are on our trail, then it's his damn fault, how could he be so damn sloppy,"

Kate rolled down the window, "They would find him before us…he doesn't know where your house is right."

"He knows,"

"We have to leave."

"First thing in the morning." Sawyer said.

Kate sighed, "We should leave now,"

"I have to get everything together, and I have to do an inventory of everything in the house…since I can never come back."

"Never," Kate said.

Sawyer shook his head, "No,"

Kate rested her head against the seat. "At least we have enough money to get out of the country right…"

Sawyer nodded, "That's our next stop. We're going down to Key West, taking a boat to Cuba, and then flying out of there…to wherever you want too…I'm bidding on Australia, freckles."

"Do you think Jack will come with us?" She asked.

Sawyer smiled, "I don't think so, he has a fiancé to get back to in L.A."

Ten minutes later they pulled back up to the house.

Kate quickly opened the door, and then ran to the house.

The door opened and Jack smiled back at her.

"You're okay,"

"Yeah, I'm fine…why?"

"We have to leave," Kate said trying to regain her breath.

"Why?" Jack asked concerned.

"Because they might be on our trail," Kate explained.

Sawyer stepped inside, "I'm gonna gather the money, you'll better collect the things you'll need."

"Hey Kate," Jack said.

"Yeah," She asked.

Jack looked down, and then looked back at her. "I wanted to thank you for last night."

"Don't mention it," She said softly.

"I was a mess last night…I have my periods some time, when I…"

Sawyer chuckled, "Did you say something about being on a period Doc? Those mood swings of yours explains it all."

"Shut up Sawyer," Kate growled.

"Oh sorry sweet cheeks, is it that time of the month for you too?" Sawyer asked.

Kate sighed, "Sawyer, please. Can you get everything ready so we can leave in the morning."

Sawyer shrugged, "As you want, we gotta get out of here anyways."

Kate turned back to Jack.

He was looking back at her with a smile.

"Why are you smiling?"

"You like to write don't you,"

Kate blushed, "Actually I do,"

"I've noticed," He flashed her the note that he had found on Sawyer's press earlier.

Kate smile disappeared. "How did you get that?"

"Sawyer took it…and I kind of came across it,"

Kate pulled her hair out of her face, "I forgot what it said."

Jack tucked the note back in his pocket, "It's no big deal,"

Kate watched as Jack walked upstairs. Good thing he didn't look through the notes she had written while they were driving. Kate sighed relieved, she had to get rid of that journal. As she leaned against the door. Kate's eyes glanced across the field. She froze, when she spotted a man, staring back at her.

Kate gasped. "Oh my…"

She closed her eyes and opened it once again. He was gone.

"Kate, close the door," Jack said coming back towards her.

Kate leaned outside to get a better view. The man was gone.

"Are you okay? You look ashen," Jack said analyzing her.

"No, I'm um…fine,"

Jack placed his hands on the side of her face, "Are you sure?"

Kate nodded gently reaching for his hands, "Now I am,"

Jack pulled Kate into a hug, and then slowly let her go. "Good,"

She stared after him with a smile. "Hey Jack,"

"Yeah,"

"I remember what that note said,"

"Me too," He whispered.

He stood there with a smile. Thanks to Vinnie being the idiot they had found them.

"Is Sawyer in there?" another guy asked.

"Yeah, with that other man and the woman…we got em' cornered."

"Why don't we just go and kill them now,"

"No, don't you want a show…don't you want to see the fireworks."

The other guy snickered, "Yeah, I want to see the fireworks, How do we know they aren't going to leave yet…"

"We got to rig the car, I was about to…but then she saw me…but I doubt they will be going anywhere tonight…Sawyer travels in the morning…we've picked up his habits."

"So we're still blowing up the house,"

"High as the sky, they're gonna fly."

(Thanks for the support as always! I appreciate your reviews so much, and I don't think there was any questions, but if you have any at all feel free to ask. You guys rock. Peace, and yeah…it's about time for Kate, Jack, and Sawyer to get back on the road, because they are not safe anymore.)