Part One

Cause

"Hey" Kate greeted with a friendly smile as she parked herself in the opening of Sawyer's tent, folding her arms over a piece of wreckage he'd moved in front of the door way to serve as a fence, watching as Sawyer relaxed beneath the shade of his shelter, reading a magazine and eating some sort of fruit.

"What do you want?" Sawyer questioned with a sigh, not so sound defensive but just out of habit. He'd gotten far too used to people coming to him to barrow crap, which is why he put the fence up in the first place. So far, it didn't seem to be working.

"Well, I wanted to talk, but If I'm bothering you then I can find someone else" Kate replied, wondering why he was always so defensive.

Sawyer sighed once again and pulled off his glasses as he sat up, welcoming the friendly chat. Kate brightened up a bit, glad to know he was in a good enough mood to simply talk without making her jump through a bunch of hoops just to get his attention.

"What are you eating?" She questioned curiously, taking notice to the strange fruit that now rested on a plate at his side. "I have no idea" Sawyer replied with a casually shrug, not really caring to find out.

"What?" Kate asked, eyeing him curiously. Perhaps his mood wasn't all that great after all.

"I found it in the jungle last week. I don't know what it is, but it taste damn good." He explained simply, taking a bite and grining to prove his point.

Kate laughed, knowing only Sawyer would eat a strange fruit he found in the jungle and think nothing of it.

"Plus, its green. You know what that means, doncha?" Sawyer questioned playfully, wiggling his eye brows. Kate shook her head. "Do you eat everything you see?" She asked, trying to repress a smile.

"Yes I do. So I suggest you take off your pants now before I lose my appetite" Sawyer replied smartly, his grin widening as he took another bite. "I'm leaving" Kate scoffed and began to get up.

"I'm just kidding, freckles. Sit back down" Sawyer insisted, waving his comment aside. Hell, by now she should be used to it. Kate eyed him for a moment in consideration and decided to sit back down.

She watched as he took another bite, closing his eyes and savoring the taste. He didn't open them for a long while as he felt the juices tingle across his taste buds, but when they did open, they instantly meet with Kate's as she eyed him curiously, eye brow raised as far as it could go.

"You wanna try some?" He offered, holding out the fruit for her to taste. Kate stared at his hand for a moment with a look of uncertainty.

"Its probably poisonous" She noted, not really trusting Sawyer's good judgment.

"Trust me, if it is, you'll die happy" He assured persistently. Kate considered for another open but eventually gave into her curiosity and took the green, roundish fruit from his palm and took a bite.

"Wow, that is good!" She noted after taking her first taste, eyes widened in surprise.

"Told ya" Sawyer gloated playfully, watching her expression as she hungrily took another bite, closing her eyes and licking her lips almost suggestively.

A smile grew across her face unconsciously, unaware that he was watching her in such a way.

"Now, I just gave you my lunch. What are you gonna give me?" Sawyer questioned suggestively, wiggling his eye brows once again.

Kate's eyes snapped open in order to shoot him a mock-angry glare before it warmed into a flattered grin, cheeks turning bright red.

Usually Sawyers perverted advances only annoyed her, especially after he'd tricked her into shoving her tongue down his throat just to make her feel like an idiot two seconds later.

But for some reason, it now made her feel giddy, like she was back in high school. It left her with a warm, tingly feeling and she couldn't help but enjoy it, even if she wasn't sure why she had it in the first place.

Later

"Hey" Jack greeted, pleasantly surprised to find Kate out in the middle of the jungle. She was sitting in between two branches of a thick tree with her backpack in her lap, a fist full of something held close to her mouth.

"Hey" She replied after a moment, her mouth still full of what ever it was that she was eating. "What are you doing out here?" she questioned after reluctantly swallowing, not wanting to get rid of the sweet taste.

"Wondering aimlessly" Jack replied with a shrug. "Being a pain in the ass for anyone who gets injured on the beach" He added, flashing a clever smile as he stared up at her from the ground below.

Kate smiled at his little joke, but was still more concerned with the fruit in her hand, unable to wait another second before taking another bite.

"What are you doing out here?" He questioned, knowing she'd have an equally lame response. Kate hesitated for a moment, this time beingpolite enough to wait until after she'd swallowed to speak.

Jack watched for a moment as her eyes fell shut and a smile grew across her face, letting the flavor fill her mouth entirely before finally swallowing it down.

"Gorging. Getting fat" She replied sarcastically, a bit embarrassed at her inability to stop eating. She'd finished off all but the pit and tossed it to the ground.

"On what?" He questioned, staring at the odd looking core at his feet in mild confusion. A moment later there was a light thud as Kate's feet hit the ground after hoping out of the tree.

"I'm not quite sure. Sawyer had it in his tent and he offered me some. I swear to god its the best thing I've ever tasted" Kate explained, ignoring the urge to reach into her bag and feast on another one.

"You trust Sawyer?" Jack questioned playfully, raising an eye brow. Kate couldn't help but laugh.

"Here, try one" She offered, feeling a bit better for helping herself to another if he was dining with her. Jack stared at the fruit in her hand for a moment, then shrugged and took a bite.

"Oh, man" He exclaimed, unable to believe how good the stuff tasted. "I know, right?" Kate replied, smiling triumphantly.

Jack nodded, to busy stuffing his face to reply. Kate laughed as she watched him gorge shamelessly on the little green oblong, both amused and a bit turned on by the near orgasmic look on his face.

Unable to suppress her urge any longer, Kate took a seat on a rock near by and grabbed another one for her self, hungrily biting into the taste the sweet insides.

She closed her eyes and let her head roll back, an appreciative "mmm" escaping her lips.

"Oh, god that's good" Jack muttered breathlessly, a bit surprised by the effect the fruit was having on him. It didn't just taste good. It made him feel good. It was like his senses were being heightened. He was aware of everything that touched him and his skin felt ultra sensitive.

Suddenly, they both became aware that they were being watched and looked over towards the path where Jack had just come from, surprised to see Charlie a couple feet away, staring at them in confusion.

"What the hell are you two doing?" He questioned curiously, eyeing them in confusion. After over hearing the sounds they were making, he'd half expected to walk in on someone having sex, but instead he found them eating fruit. It didn't make much sense.

Jack and Kate exchanged a glance and began to laugh, both well aware of what he must of thought after over hearing their sounds of satisfaction.

Charlie raised an eye brow at the two, wondering if they 'ed found some marijuana along with the freaky little fruits they were eating.

"Here, Charlie. You have to try this stuff" Kate explained as she pulled another piece of fruit from her bag, hoping it would help explain why they were acting so strange.

Charlie looked at for a moment cautiously, then decided that what ever it was, he'd done worse, and took a hefty bite. Kate and Jack both watched as his eyes snapped open, as was the usual reaction, shocked by the amazing taste.

"Holly shit" He gasped, staring at the fruit in his hand as if he'd just found the holey grail. Jack and Kate exchanged another glance and began laughing once again.

Later

Charlie wondered through the jungle, making his way back to the beach. Unlike Jack and Kate, he hadn't gobbled down the remains of his fruit.

He'd eaten it slowly, savoring every bite and enjoying every second. By doing so he managed to make it the two three he had last the entire walk back, and had just barely started the second.

He'd only taken his second bite when he heard a bit of rustling in the near distance and turned his head instinctively. To his surprise, Claire was the one making the commotion just a few yards away.

He watched unconsciously as he leaned he stopped in his tracks, listening to her gentle humming as she wondered along the edge of a little stream a little ways before kicking off her saddles.

She knelt downward, letting her hair fall in her have as she carefully rolled up her jeans before straightening backup and cautiously stepping in.

The stream itself was very shallow and only came half way up her calves, but their was a little water fall only a few feet away that would do a lot more damage.

Without bothering to look around, she removed the little black hair tie from her the pony tale she'd been keeping it in and let her massive blonde locks fall from its tight restraint.

Charlie watched the scene in slow motion, feeling his lips begin to dry as she shook her head, trying to get her think hair to settle.

Her hands moved slowly, taking her time as they grasped the him of her tank top and began to lift it upward.

It took a moment to register to Charlie just what he was witnessing, and even longer for him to come to his senses and realize that he couldn't just stand there and watch her undress.

"Claire!" He called, not knowing what else to say. Claire's hands fell instantly and her head swung around, startled by his voice.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to walk in on you" He explained, feeling a bit awkward. He hadn't meant to find her, but for some reason, he still felt guilty.

"Its fine" Claire assured, eyeing him curiously. Charlie gave a ghost of a smile and turned around, ready to continued on his way.

He began heading down the path back to the beach, taking another small bite of the fruit in his hand and trying to get the image of Claire's glistening midriff out of his mind.

"Hey Charlie!" She called after him, snapping him out of his daze.

"Yeah?" He turned about quickly, unable to suppress the need to look at her a bit longer. She looked amazing. Even more so then usual.

The jeans she wore fit tightly to her hips, accenting her curves. The thin tank top fitting tightly to her torso, showing off her arms, stomach and a good deal of cleavage.

Her skin looked soft and creamy, completely flawless, glistening with sweat from the intense heat of the jungle. And the light shining down on her through the trees made it appear as if she was glowing. He swallowed a heavy gulp and waited for her to speak.

"What've you got there?" She questioned, giving an indicating nod to the fruit in his hand. A slow grin worked its way onto Charlie's face.

"Only the greatest thing you'll ever taste" He replied confidently as he made his way down the small hill to the stream she was standing in. Claire watched him with a intrigued look.

"Better then peanut butter?" She questioned skeptically, arching her eye brow as she crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her breast up higher and revealing even more skin then before.

It took every ounce of will power to keep him from glancing downward.

"Are you kidding? This stuff kick's peanut butters ass" Charlie confirmed persistently, keeping up the playfully act although he was finding it hard to breath.

Claire smiled tauntingly and once again began to eye the forbidden fruit in his hand.

"Can I try some?" She questioned, biting her lower lip and feeling a bit rude for asking so bluntly.

Of course, Charlie was never one to deny her anything, and as she respected, he willingly produced another untouched fruit and placed it in her palm.

Claire's eyes flashed at him before she slowly lifted the fruit to her lips and delicately sank her teeth through the bright green skin, her lashing fluttering slightly as the wonderful taste sparked inside her mouth.

As he expected, her eyes flicked open a moment later, sparkling brightly with the excitement the state had suddenly lit inside her.

His smile widened as he watched her pull the fruit away from her lips and take in a visible gulp, seemingly breathless as she stated down at the object in her hand.

Then her eyes shifted to him and he felt as if he was going to faint. The look she gave him was far from casual.

It was a look he'd seen in many group's and fan girls but never expected to see in Claire. Lust, un refined. It burned in her eyes and shot into his chest, warming his skin instantly under the fiery gaze.

Then in an instant it was gone and she quickly looked away, pushing the thought from her mind. She didn't even know what had brought it in the first place.

Sure, she liked Charlie. He was sweet and helpful and treated her like a queen. She was always flattered by his attempts to impress her and sometimes even felt a bit lost in his childish charm.

She'd always thought him to be cute, in his own, strange way. Cheeky. Maybe even adorable at times.

But now it was as if she was looking trough a completely different pair of eyes. His usually scruffy jaw line now seemed rough and rugged. His eyes dark and smoldering. His skin, his hair, both painfully soft.

His neck bare, pulsing, chest rising and falling gently beneath his thin shirt, just begging to be touched. Before she realized what she was doing, Claire's hand moved out and pressed firmly against the soft white cotton, feeling the heat of his skin less then an inch beneath the fabric.

His heart began to beat intensely as he lifted his head and stared at her in surprise, his mouth opened slightly as if he wanted to speak but had forgotten how. For a long while they stared at each other, both highly aware of every pulse in the others veins.

Finally, Claire came to her senses and slowly moved her hand away, tucking a stray hair behind her ear as she looked down at the water below, trying to understand why she suddenly felt so drawn to him.

Charlie lingered a while before the awkwardness became to much for him to handle, and he took a few steps back.

"I'll let you get back to your...bathing" He explained in a bit of a mumble, stumbling over the last word as the image of her bathing flooded his mind.

"Ok" Claire nodded, purposely looking at everything but him in fear that she'd tackle him to the ground if their eyes meet again.

After that, Charlie gradually backed away and disappeared into the woods, leaving Claire alone to finish what she'd been doing.

The chilly water was enough to cool her off after the heated encounter, and she lingered in the water long after she'd finished washing herself, lulling her head back dreamily as she nibbled at the delicious fruit, and couldn't seem to stop herself from thinking about Charlie.