Here's another story, but this time it's a short one. It takes place after The 23rd Psalm, just after Kate has given Sawyer a haircut, and she still hasn't talked things through with Jack. It's Jate, even if there are hinting of Skate in it sometimes.

Xxx

"It doesn't look no different." Sawyer complained. "Just shorter."

"Well then, it looks different doesn't it." Kate pointed out, getting the comb and scissors together while Sawyer looks in the mirror from a thousand different angles to see the actual way in which his hair had changed. He didn't even think he needed it cut, it looked fine after she had just combed it through, he thought, but then again, when Kate's standing behind you with scissors, what you think doesn't matter. He didn't want her to really take that shot at his neck, even though a few weeks ago, she might have jumped at the chance.

Kate, however, was not returning Sawyer's unspoken thoughts. While he was thinking about her, and their relationship, Kate was thinking about Jack and her relationship with him. Could it even be called a relationship? After she had run away from him, she had barely spoken to him for three seconds. He had come to give Sawyer his medicine a few minutes ago, but besides the civil 'hellos' nothing else was said between them. Recently, their greetings had become friendly hugs, occasionally the kiss on the cheek, but then she had kissed him for real, and then things had gone wrong. No, Kate, they went wrong when you ran away from him.

She could see Jack further down the beach, checking on Claire and the baby. She wondered why a man like him didn't have a hoard of children already. He looked like a natural with Aaron in his arms, keeping him entertained and happy while he examined him for any chances of sickness on the island. He checked him every other day for Claire, who was worried about raising a baby on the island, and she was always running to him when she thought that Aaron had a fever, or if he had been in the sun for too long. However, to Claire's happiness, her worrying was always in vain. Aaron was a happy, healthy baby.

Kate sighed as she watched him, and she finally realised how much she wanted to be with him. It was strange how after the raft had left, she had missed Sawyer's company, and now he was here with her, with his usual sarcastic ways, and all she could think about with being a hundred yards down the beach with Jack.

"Stop mopin', Freckles." Came Sawyer's teasing comment. She snapped out of her daze to see Sawyer looking at her with keen interest.

"What are you talking about?" She said innocently, returning her attention to the items she was collecting up in the towel ready to return to Claire, who she had borrowed them from.

"Sweetheart, just because I talk slow, doesn't mean I'm stupid." He pointed out. "For the past few days you and Jacko haven't said all of two words to each other. Usually you can't keep your eyes away from one another." Kate rolled her eyes, before realising that he was right. "What did y'all fight about?"

Kate frowned at him. "We didn't fight about anything." She said stubbornly.

"Oh come on, something had to happen to start this little break up." He prodded.

"Sawyer, drop it."

"I'm just making conversation."

"Well, don't then."

"What's the matter with you, Kate?" He said strangely, noticing the difference in her tone with him. It was blunt, empty. He was used to always hearing emotion in her voice, more often then not hurt, pain, or anger, but sometimes like a while ago, there had been amusement, content even.

"Nothing's the matter." She said quietly. "Everything's fine."

"You had better take that back to Claire." Sawyer pointed out. Kate held back a sigh. Jack hadn't left yet, he was still sitting with Claire, and she was a little afraid to admit that she didn't want to go over there. "I hear the Rock Star is getting his own salon treatment this afternoon. Speaking of Salon treatment…how about a massage next…."

But she was already gone. She would rather face the awkward conversation with Claire and Jack then face talking about giving Sawyer a massage. She heard Sawyer call after her, but she ignored him, letting his voice fall victim to the heightening wind that swept a small layer of sand around her feet. She saw Jack's eyes rise to meet hers on her approach, and she gave him a small smile, before stopping in front of them both.

"Hey, Claire, thanks for the loaner." She said, holding out the borrowed items wrapped in the towel.

Seeing as Jack still held Aaron, Claire jumped up to take them from her. "No problem." She said in her cheery Australian accent. "You know, if you ever wanted a trim on yours, I'd be happy to do it for you." Claire offered, turning back to face Kate having put the things away in a suitcase.

Kate smiled, and tugged on the bottom of her hair. "Thanks. Judging from these split ends, I might be taking you up on that some day." She replied lightly.

"Just drop in." Claire said airily.

"How's Aaron?" Kate asked, desperate to make conversation and avoid returning to Sawyer's Salon, where he was still sitting waiting for her.

"He's doing just fine." Jack answered for Claire, not removing his eyes from where he was testing Aaron's eye reactions. "Well, as fine as can be for a baby on an island."

"At least he's healthy." Kate said optimistically.

"If you keep up whatever you're doing for him now, Claire, he's going to stay that way." Jack assured her, standing up, and handing the baby back to his mother, having completed his examination. "Whatever it is, it's working. I've got to get back to the caves, but if you need me, I'll be around."

He picked up his bag, and Claire smiled, placing Aaron back in his crib. "Thanks, Jack."

"No problem. See you around." Then he gave Kate a shy nod. "Bye, Kate."

She smiled just as reserved. "Bye, Jack."

As soon as Jack was out of earshot, Claire rounded on Kate. "Ok, what's going on with you two?" She asked like an excited child. Kate recognised the innocence in the younger woman's eyes.

"What? Nothing's going on." Kate laughed off.

"You're kidding, right?" Claire said, still smiling. "He's sat here for half an hour, and when he hasn't been looking at Aaron, he's been watching you." Claire told her, and Kate blushed. He had been watching her while she was finishing with Sawyer's hair? No wonder she had felt strangely watched. "He had that look in his eye."

"What look?" She asked.

"That look." Claire said, gesturing with her hands. "I've seen that look before. He cares about everyone on this island, and wants to make sure that we're all safe, but he always doubles that concern when it comes down to you, Kate. He doesn't just care about you. He loves you." Claire said.

Kate was about to respond when Aaron started to cry, and Claire rushed to pick him up. When she turned around, Kate had left her shelter, and was walking away in another direction. If there was a bigger form of denial than that, Claire hadn't seen it.

Kate had suspected it in both meanings, but hearing it come from someone else, someone who hadn't witnessed half of their moments together, saying it, was definitely more nerve racking. She walked past Sawyer, who called to her again, but continued into the jungle, on her way to the hatch. She knew that Jack was at the caves, but at the hatch she could get some food, and take a shower, and just relax, not worrying about bumping into him or anyone else besides Michael, who was on hatch duty.

But she never made it to the hatch.

She never even made it to the caves.