Thank you to ClaireandKate for reviewing my first chapter, the encouragements are greatly appreciated.

As for CowboyswithDimples' review of chapter 2 I hope you like the light-heartedness of this chapter in comparison. However I must warn y'all the angst is not yet over for these two!

Chapter 3

James didn't even look up from where he sat, he was reading Moll Flanders, a book he'd found on the shelf. It hurt like Hades to read the smallish print without his glasses however, it was all the same to him since, the prospect of the next 4 and a half hours in this concrete monstrosity with her was just as painful if not more.

Kate walked up to the bookshelf pointedly ignoring Sawyer and picked the first book she came across, then sat down, purposely turning her back on him. She looked down at the cover, and realized she was holding a copy of Joseph Conrad's, Heart of Darkness. 'Great! Just what I need a depressing book about living in the African jungle, as if my reality isn't bad enough.' She thought darkly.

They sat in the room in silence for over an hour pretending to read and that they were unaware of the other's existence. The tension between them was palpable, a veritable miasma of anger and resentment hanging over their heads.

Finally James, gave in to his curiosity and turned around to see what she was reading. He couldn't see from his seat as the pages of the book were facing him, so he walked up to her to take a look. Chuckling to himself he realized that the Queen of Stubborness had fallen asleep! He walked round the couch so he was facing her, and allowed himself to study her sleeping form. He couldn't help but feel some tenderness towards her innocent face, relaxed and devoid of the usual wariness. She looked much younger than she was, and he found himself fascinated as he watched her gently breathing in and out as she slept. Realising that he was staring at her with an intensity that would no doubt frighten her should she open her eyes right then, James walked to the bunker to get her blanket.

'Sonofabitch, you've always been a sucker for a pretty face, James Lee Ford, and I am telling you right now to stop it. She's not meant for you, she doesn't even really want you. It's Jack she wants, hell, maybe even Captain Falafel, but is sure ain't you, so just stop this insanity now.' He berated himself, disgusted, he couldn't believe he was falling for a manipulative, possibly pathological liar, murdering fugitive! He marched back into the room and covered her with the blanket debating whether or not to tuck her in. He knew it was way past lust now, he was descending to some previously unexplored depths and he just did not want any part of it. Against his will, he was being sucked into this vortex of anger, tenderness, lust, bitterness, hate and strengthening emotional connection that was his relationship with Kate. And as he lifted the book out of her hands and simultaneously brushed a tendril of her hair away from her face, he couldn't help but give a derisive snort at his unconscious actions. 'You're ten damn kinds of fool!' He told himself as he resumed his seat at the computer, ignoring his book he simply stared at the screen.

Kate struggled against the hands that gripped her shoulders and were shaking her, "Aaargh! Let go of me! I won't let you, I'd rather die, leave me alooooooooone!" She realized she was screaming and crying and the steel cage she was in changed shape as did the face of the hands holding her.

"Come on Sassafras, wake up, it's just a dream!" James pleaded his voice bordering on desperation. 'What was she seeing!' James felt fear clutch at his heart as he looked into her terror stricken eyes. Her pupils were dilating and contracting to an unseen enemy and he couldn't help but feel the fear she was obviously feeling. It was palpable and it sent chills down his spine and the hairs on his neck were standing of their own volition.

Kate snapped back into reality, she wasn't in the cage anymore she was in the hatch on the Island, with Sawyer. She took shuddering breaths and went limp, trying to focus on the now and forget the horror she'd just relived. She knew she should shrug Sawyer's hands off her shoulders and put up the usual barriers but she couldn't quite find the strength just yet. Besides they were solid and unthreatening, she felt slightly comforted and she didn't want to move. "Are you okay, Sass? You were havin' one hell of a nightmare there, I've been trying to wake you up for the last five minutes." James asked her gently, concern tingeing his voice.

Kate opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, she cleared her throat and tried again. "Yeah, I'm…. fine." She managed to croak out, looking at the floor, when he didn't respond she risked looking at his face. Kate saw genuine concern in his face, "I don't even remember what I was dreaming about." She lied but she didn't care, there was no way she was going to tell him what she'd been going through in her dreams.

Kate drew a sharp breath, was that pity she saw flickering in his eyes? She mentally and physically drew on her cloak of wariness as she withdrew from him and forced herself to get to her feet, albeit a little shakily. "I'm fine Sawyer, save your pity for yourself where it's actually needed." She said cruelly before turning around to face him with a bit more distance between them. James flinched, 'She can be a real bitch sometimes can't she?' He couldn't help but bristle at her now frosty demeanor. She stood a few feet away from him, hostility radiating from her in waves. Her hands were curled into fists at her sides and she was eyeing him like she could stab a dagger into his chest at the slightest provocation. James shook his head ruefully, before getting up from the couch and standing toe to toe with her in unspoken response to her challenging stance. He could feel his temper flaring, he wasn't going to let her get all snooty with him for waking her up from her nightmare.

Kate stared at a point over his shoulder, breathing heavily with pent up anger, she always felt this rage after she had the dream. It was either rage or tears, and she was not going to cry in front of Sawyer! "Don't push me Sawyer!" She said angrily, the huskiness of her voice lent credence to the threat, James looked at the top of her head for another second before he grabbed her upper arms and twisted his lower body to avoid the knee that was headed swiftly to his groin. "Not so fast, Sheera! We're gonna talk about this like civilized folk!" He gasped as they grappled for the dominance, she tried to head butt him and he dodged that too, using his left arm to force her face down into the couch and planting his knee on her lower back to stop her from moving.

Kate bucked like a wild horse before managing to twist her body halfway round and head butt Sawyer as hard as she could. He yowled in pain but didn't loosen his grip on her arms, and dragged her with him as he fell backwards onto the floor. She landed on top of him, winded just like him and paused to take a breath before renewing her struggles. James managed to overpower her by flipping his legs over hers and straddled her, sitting on her chest so that her legs flailed uselessly. Kate panted with the effort it was taking to try and wriggle out of the hold Sawyer had on her. 'Damn him! Damn him to hell! Why did I have to have the dream in front of him!' She tried to head butt him in the groin but he was too far away. James laughed as he saw what she was trying to do. "I can think of better things you can do with your head down there Freckles."

She sent him daggers as she suddenly stopped her struggles, "Get off me, Sawyer, you're gonna crush my lungs!" She huffed. James shook his head, "Not until you promise to behave and stop acting like a goddamn bitch in heat."

Kate's chest expanded with rage at the comparison, "Fuck you Sawyer, burn in Hell, or sit there all day if you fucking like, either way I'm not promising you shit, you greasy haired scum of the fucking earth, redneck bastard!"

"My, my Miz Kate, you sure got a mouth on ya! Betcha Saint Jack doesn't know his lil Florence Nightingale can cuss like that!" James replied laughing outright at her colorful language. She really was full of surprises!

Kate took a deep breath and pushed her legs up and under Sawyer's arms. Then over, hooking her knees onto Sawyer's shoulders, using the momentum and the element of surprise she pushed her upper body forward using her legs as leverage. With a grunt of satisfaction, she landed on top of Sawyer and rolled away from him, standing up in one fluid motion.

She flashed him a self-satisfied grin as he stood up and gave chase, she ran behind the computer using it as a buffer as she feinted to the left then to the right. "Who's laughing now, Tex?" She giggled as he glared at her murderously across the computer, he growled in response as the timer started to blare. They both stopped, as James grumbled, "Damn button!" He paused to enter the numbers glancing in her direction warily, "Don't you dare move, Freckles." Kate laughed, "Okay James whatever you say."

James flinched, "Sonofabitch, you'd try the patience of a goddamn saint!" He hit, execute before turning all of his attention to Kate.

She wiggled her eyebrows at him, her eyes dancing with mischief as she ran towards the pantry. James slammed his body into the rapidly closing gap of the pantry door and grabbed Kate by the hair. Yanking it roughly she yelped as he dragged her back towards the couch. "That's hurts, Sawyer!"

"I know Freckles." He replied matter of factly as he pushed her onto the couch. Kate rubbed her scalp as she looked up at him, with bright unshed tears in her eyes. James felt his heart lurch at this, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean ta yank so hard, Freckles." His face was a picture of guilt and remorse as he unconsciously moved over to rub her scalp in apology. Kate moved away from him sharply, "I got it."

James let his hand fall to his side, resignedly, "It kinda got outta hand huh?" Kate accepted this olive branch by looking up at him with a mischievous gleam in her eye, "Yeah but it was fun, I beat you…again, and you even said sorry!"

"What? When you ever beat me, Freckles? I'd say I've beat you every single time if we are talkin' 'bout matters of fact-" James scoffed.

"Oh my God you're such a sore loser! Fine you may have beaten me physically in the past but when it comes to a battle of wits I win every single time, and you don't even have the physical advantage anymore-"

James bristled with good-natured indignation, "you're a damn liar, Sassafras, getting' the Doc or Ali or whoever else you can manipulate to do your dirty work ain't winnin' a battle of wits. That's just plain old underhandedness if ya ask me."

"Why would anyone ask you anything, Sawyer?" Jack demanded as he walked into the room.

James and Kate turned startled, to look at Jack. The spinal surgeon noticed that as usual, Sawyer's face turned into an angry scowl when he laid eyes on Jack. He also didn't fail to notice the smile on Kate's face dying, as she stood up, and finger combed her unbound curls into a semblance of order before tying her up into a bun. She looked at him seriously, with a searching, enquiring look trying to discern if he'd found the guns or not.

James too watched Kate rearrange her hair and straighten her appearance and couldn't help but observe the relaxed Kate of a few moments ago had been replaced by business-like I-Got-Somethin'-To-Prove-Kate with the appearance of the Good Doctor. He turned to look at Jack and also noticed that the Doc was frowning at her like she was punished school girl to his Principal, whom he thought was having way too much fun in detention.

James smirked, this should be interesting.