A/N: Sorry it took so long to update! I've had some medical issues, and then I took some time to write a single standalone fic. But I'm back now! One more chapter til LaFleur, then onto Part 2! I hope you enjoy :)

P.S. The first scene was imagined a long time ago, and I found a way to weave it into this story. It was inspired by ~that scene~ in Gia. :(

—-

And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me

You're what I couldn't find, a totally amazing mind

So understanding and so kind - you're everything to me

My life is changing everyday, in every possible way

And oh, my dreams, it's never quite as it seems

'Cause you're a dream to me

The Cranberries, Dreams

—-

Chapter 21: Enter 77

In the days that followed, James tried desperately to put what happened in front of Juliet behind him. He'd woken up that evening feeling mortified that she'd seen him like that, in the weakest state James could possibly fathom being in. To make matters worse, he'd spent the entire next day after that nursing a well-deserved, monstrous hangover. It had been a terrible couple days, to say the very least.

Luckily, Juliet didn't mention what happened. Even the day-of, she treated him as she always had; though he couldn't ignore the fact that she was clearly much happier than she'd been in the weeks leading up to his 'departure.' She'd even explained to Horace on his behalf that he'd 'changed his mind' about going back to the States. That he'd 'miss the island,' which seemed to make Horace happy, though it was the furthest thing from the truth. And, it meant James didn't have to try to come up with an excuse for not going through with leaving.

It comforted him to know she still had his back, even when he didn't deserve it.

July and August passed by without incident. They celebrated their birthdays, Juliet got a promotion at work, and James finally accepted, once again, that this was his life now. Instead of chafing at the idea of normalcy and faux-suburbia, he embraced it. It took time to understand the beauty of it, but after almost losing it completely, James realized it was actually something he'd been searching for his whole life.

After all - hadn't he almost risked everything to save his family, to maybe give them a chance at having a normal life? What he had with Juliet now… it was everything he'd ever wanted. And he was going to hold onto it for as long as he possibly could.

Juliet was pleased by the small changes she saw in James. He cooked more often, griped less about doing laundry (probably his least favorite chore), and even invited Jin and Miles over more often, not just on Fridays. It seemed he was moving past the Curse of 1976, and she was glad for it. She'd missed him so much over the last couple months, and she was happy to have the real James back.

Just when things seemed to be completely back to normal though, Juliet was reminded of the fact that they were never really fully free from danger.

It was early September, and James was on patrol. He wasn't due home until after 8, but shortly after Juliet got off work at 5, James came stumbling through the front door. She hadn't yet had time to shower, and still stood in her jumpsuit in the kitchen drinking a glass of water when she heard him enter.

The first thing she noticed was that he was covered in blood. She gasped and half-dropped her cup in the sink before rushing over to him. Her hands were shaking and her legs felt like jello, but he raised his hands and shook his head, trying to ward her off. "It ain't mine," he murmured softly, and Juliet gulped down a quavering breath before pressing a palm to her forehead. She was dizzy with worry.

She looked him over closely, and took note of how pale he was. It made the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced, which also concerned her. Was he not sleeping? His skin looked wan and quite frankly, he looked exhausted. How had she not noticed before?

"What do you mean it's not yours?" He had blood in his hair, on his face, and his jumpsuit was coated in the sticky substance. The splatter was too heavy for a gunshot, so what the hell had happened?

James was trembling. Juliet could see it in his hands as he raised them up to his face. He looked at them in a sort of wonderment, and Juliet knew he was in shock. "Come with me, James," she said quietly, and took him by the hand. She led him down the hallway to the bathroom, where she carefully stripped off his jumpsuit, his undershirt, and his boxers. She balled them up and left him standing there temporarily so she could toss the garments into the kitchen sink. She'd deal with them later. Then, she started the shower and hastily stripped out of her own jumpsuit and undergarments, leaving them in a heap on the floor.

James stood there, not quite staring at her, but rather beyond her, as she helped him into the tub. It terrified her, seeing him like this. After everything he'd been through this year, hadn't he seen enough death? Hadn't he been through enough trauma?

She lathered up a washcloth and gently scrubbed at the blood crusted to James's skin. He said nothing, but allowed her to clean him up. His wide, unblinking eyes were almost unseeing as Juliet tried in vain to get him to focus on her.

When she was done cleaning his body, making sure to get every speck of blood off him, she moved to shampoo his hair. She lathered him up, scrubbing his scalp with tenderness and care. He closed his eyes at her touch. When Juliet looked down, she saw his fists were clenched at his sides. His jaw was gritted so hard, she could see the tendons in his neck. It would seem, at least from what she could tell, James was trying not to cry.

Juliet had to bite her lip to keep from crying herself. He'd been through so much already. He didn't need anything else on his psyche, or God forbid, on his conscience.

After she rinsed the suds from his hair, he finally opened his eyes. They were red and shining, but no tears fell. He said nothing as she hastily washed her own body, and didn't offer to help when she washed her hair. He did, however, switch places with her when she needed the showerhead to rinse off, and she supposed that was a good sign at least - that he wasn't completely unaware of his surroundings.

When she was done, she wrapped her arms loosely around James's midsection. She looked up into his face, trying to gauge how he was doing. He swallowed hard, nodded once, and gently put his hands on her waist. In his own unspoken way, he was trying to let her know he was okay. He leaned his forehead against hers and shut his eyes. She followed suit, savoring the delicate way in which he touched her. She didn't need him to say it out loud - he was trying to tell her 'thank you.'

After a moment, he reached behind her and turned off the water. They got out, dried off, and she pulled him by the hand into the bedroom. She wrapped her hair up into her towel and sat on the bed, patting the space next to her. Finally, he let his eyes roam her body. Oddly enough, the gawking made her feel better.

"Tell me what happened," she prompted softly, and placed her hand on his upper arm. She scooted back against the headboard and pulled the sheet up over her. Now that he was himself once more, she didn't want to sit there exposed like that.

James sat on the side of the bed with the towel wrapped around his hips. He scrubbed a hand over his face and started biting his thumbnail. Looking at the floor, he shook his head and finally told her. "I was on patrol. Out at the Orchid. And this guy - he just comes outta nowhere. And it was the same guy - the guy from Hydra."

"The one you guys interrogated?"

James grimaced, like he didn't want to admit he'd taken part in that. "I guess. Whatever. The guy I tackled." Juliet nodded. She remembered how scared she'd been back then, but she knew now that his leadership and quick thinking had been a primary reason he'd gotten the Head of Security job. Perhaps they should have thanked that guy. He continued, "Anyway. He was sniffin' around where he shouldn't be. Thought he was tryin' to sabotage somethin', break the truce."

"Was he?"

James pursed his lips. "He was lookin' for it… Miles heard him." His voice was soft, as if he was lost in thought. Juliet had to strain to hear him.

"Looking for what? The Orchid? Kinda hard to miss, don't you think?" Juliet raised an eyebrow at James. His face fell and he looked away. Juliet frowned. He looked regretful, like he'd said something he shouldn't have. Did she miss something?

"Yeah. The Orchid," he agreed. He cleared his throat before going on. "I found him with some dynamite. He was gonna use 'em… well, he was gonna blow somethin' up I guess. I called in Miles on the walkie. I tried talkin' the guy down, tried tellin' him the dynamite was dangerous, but he - " James choked on the last word. He had to clear his throat again before finishing his sentence. "He pulled an Arzt."

"A what?" Juliet narrowed her eyebrows. She didn't get the reference.

James sighed and shook his head. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. "He blew himself up. Right in fronta me. When Miles got there, he did his voodoo witch doctor shit and then drove me back here to clean up."

Juliet thought about what James had said. Something wasn't right, but she didn't know what. There were at least a dozen workers and scientists at the Orchid at all times. She hadn't been there herself in this time period, but she knew from James's reports that it was well-staffed and well-guarded. She also knew it was just a greenhouse on the surface. Why would a rogue Hostile come armed with dynamite, trying to destroy it?

"Are you sure Miles said he was coming to destroy the Orchid?" Juliet asked inquisitively. She held her fist under her chin as she leaned forward, and James could see the gears working behind her eyes. He'd said too much, he knew that now. She was too sharp for her own good.

"Yeah, that's what he said." James looked at the floor. It was easier that way.

"I'm sorry, James," Juliet whispered, and when he looked up, she had tears in her eyes. "You've had such a hard year, and to have to see that…" She pursed her lips and held out her hand. He slipped his fingers into hers. "You've been working so hard lately, I know Horace wouldn't mind if you took a few days off. You should take time to process what happened."

"I've seen a lot of death, Juliet," James murmured. He meant it as a reason to continue on, because death was just another part of his daily life. Only… it wasn't anymore. This is the first person he'd actually seen die in years.

Juliet misunderstood. "Exactly. You need the time to move past it. You've seen enough tragedy in your life. A few days off will do you some good."

James disagreed. What he wanted was to go back. Not only did he need to go back to where he found the stranger, but he needed to talk to Richard. He needed to find out why he was sniffing around where he shouldn't be in the first place. So, he shook his head. Sucking his teeth, he replied softly, "I can't. I gotta go. But I'm okay, really. Or I guess… I will be okay. Tomorrow."

He let go of Juliet's hand. He needed to distract her before she continued on with her tirade. She meant well, but there was no convincing him otherwise at this point. He knew what he had to do.

He put on a dimpled grin and stood, dropping his towel on the floor. As expected, her eyes flicked downwards and a pop of color freckled her cheeks. He leaned over her and kissed her softly on the cheek, then her forehead, then the tip of her nose. When his lips finally found hers, he ran his tongue ever-so-softly against her bottom lip. She sucked in a breath, and he knew he had her.

But no matter how hard he tried, every time Juliet ran her hands along his skin, he imagined the hot, sticky blood that had clung to him. The way it smelled, the sound of the squelch when the explosives had torn that man to pieces… He imagined his face, just before it happened, and the arrogant way in which he'd touted that he 'knew what he was doing.' It was too much, but James would never admit Juliet might actually be right after all.

Afterwards, as she disentangled herself to get dressed for dinner, he knew there was no way in hell he was eating anytime soon.

—-

It took nearly two months to coordinate a meeting with Richard, much to James's chagrin. But, he finally managed to secure a time and place to meet with Richard alone, with Horace being none the wiser. James didn't truly believe they were really alone; he could imagine Richard had several of his hostile buddies planted far enough away to keep up appearances but close enough in case James tried anything funny.

But it hardly mattered anyway. The meeting lasted less than five minutes, and James got nowhere. Richard didn't know why his man was snooping around the Orchid. He claimed to have been uninvolved, and James had nothing to hold over his head to encourage him to say otherwise.

It had been a complete waste of time.

James was so furious as he trudged through the jungle after it was over, he didn't even realize he was heading in the wrong direction. It wasn't until he heard the ocean waves crashing in the distance that he realized he'd walked west instead of north.

He was about to turn back and change course when he heard the strangest sound. It was almost like a dog barking. But that was impossible, there were no dogs on the island. Well, none except…

James ran. He followed the sound of deep, steady barking until at last he came upon a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was Vincent, playing catch with none other than Bernard.

Bernard looked up to where James emerged breathless from the overgrowth, and the smile faded from his face. He straightened, staring at James in bewilderment. "Rose! Come quick!" Bernard called, his eyes suddenly growing large and wild. He backed away slowly, and James raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey! It's just me! I ain't gonna hurt ya…"

"ROSE!" Bernard called again, and Rose scoffed loudly before joining Bernard in the clearing.

"What is it? You know I'm busy - " she started to say, and stopped dead in her tracks. Her mouth formed a perfect 'o.' "Oh, crap," she sighed heavily, and put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?"

James was so confused he could barely form a sentence. "Where the hell - we looked everywhere… What's - ?"

"Let me stop you right there, Sawyer," Rose answered with conviction. "We can't have this conversation here. I knew it was only a matter of time before one of you all found us…" She sighed, and shot Bernard a knowing look. He shrugged in response, and it was like they were having their own private conversation with looks alone. "Why don't you come with us, hm? We can talk."

James scratched the back of his neck. The shock was still coursing through his system but he gathered enough of his wits to nod and hold out an open hand, signaling for them to lead the way.

They walked for a few minutes, weaving through dense bushes and cutting around a thick section of the jungle. James got whacked in the face more than once on the way, but Rose and Bernard seemed to know the path of least resistance. James's head was spinning. They'd never patrolled out here - it being far too deep in Hostile territory to deem safe. But now he understood why they never found them - they hadn't been looking in the right place. The guilt he felt as a result was almost unbearable. They'd been living out here all this time? Alone, without resources? They could have lived a cushy life with the D.I. but were stuck out here instead.

When they finally arrived, James took note of his surroundings. There was a small hut, surrounded by odds and ends. There was a water collection station, a plank of wood with a stack of fresh mangoes on it, and even some clothing hanging on a line. They were roughing it, but they were surviving.

"Look, I feel real terrible about y'all bein' out here all alone, all this time. We looked for ya, I swear we did, but - " James explained, but Rose held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't. It's okay, Sawyer. Really. We didn't want to be found."

"You what?" James narrowed his eyes, and looked to Bernard for confirmation.

"She's right. We know you guys started working for the Dharma Initiative. But we didn't want to be found. We just wanted to be left alone, out here in the wilderness, just the two of us. Look, we got the ocean right over there, we have Vincent to keep us company and warn us of any unwanted visitors. It's been… peaceful." Bernard looked at Rose with such love and longing in his expression, it made James's chest ache. He thought of Juliet, and suddenly felt very uncomfortable, standing in their presence.

"You can't be serious. Look, it ain't perfect. We gotta work these jobs and contribute to 'society' or whatever but we got food, beds, air conditioning, for Christ's sake. This - roughin' it - can't be better'n that." James knew from experience. He remembered how hard it was, living on the beach. And one of the things he'd realized lately was how comfortable he really had it, and how he should be grateful - not push it away.

Rose smiled at him as if he were a toddler showing her his artwork. He almost expected her to say, 'That's nice, dear.' But she didn't. Instead, she patted his shoulder and said, "Do you want some tea? I think this is going to take a while."

And she was right. As they sat down around their campfire, Rose and Bernard took turns explaining in detail what happened after the flashes. How they ended up living here, and how they ultimately decided not to follow the others into the clutches of the D.I. James hadn't realized it had ever been their choice, but apparently they'd dodged their search party on purpose. When they found this spot, they decided the time was right for them to settle down and stop running. They just assumed they'd never be found. They knew they were deep in Hostile territory, and they had a pact with Richard that ensured they'd be left alone. It was the perfect hiding spot.

Until now. Now, James had found them, and therein lied a conundrum. They wanted to remain hidden away, which gave James the perfect bargaining chip. His silence and secrecy, but for what? Once a conman, always a conman. He wasn't going to give something for nothing.

And then it hit him. Hard. So hard, in fact, that he felt himself reel back from the implication. He looked up at them in curiosity, and Rose quirked an eyebrow at him in response.

"What…? You have a weird look on your face…"

James felt sick to his stomach. He'd had the nightmare almost a dozen times now. It never quite looked the same, but the result never changed. Juliet died, and John Locke spoke to him. Sometimes he remembered what he said, sometimes he didn't, but the message was clear. If Juliet stayed on the island, she was going to die. Or at least, that's what he assumed it meant. He didn't actually know for sure, because all of this was bananas, and he didn't really believe in magical messages from a magical island. Yet here he was, an idea finally sewing itself together in his mind.

And he was going to need help.

He took a deep breath and straightened his spine. He twisted his mouth to the side in what he hoped was a convincing smile. As far as Rose and Bernard were concerned, he was still Sawyer. They didn't know the man he'd become, and that could still play to his advantage.

"Alrighty. Seems to me this meetin' here wasn't a coincidence. Seems we both got things we want. Now, there ain't no reason we can't make this mutually beneficial. See, I need help with a little project, and in return you'll not only get my… discretion, but I can be real generous and throw in some supplies, too. Toiletries, food, stuff. Y'all know how I am about sharin' my stuff."

Rose and Bernard looked at one another, having another silent conversation. She looked apprehensive, but Bernard placed a hand on her shoulder. She sighed, and they both turned to face James.

"Okay, I'll bite…" Rose grunted. She crossed her arms over her chest. "What project are we talking about here?"

James's smile faded in time with his confidence. In his mind, he saw Juliet covered in blood. He didn't know what the solution was to save her. They had no way back to their time, and he wasn't going to send her to the States on the sub, not after what happened July 2nd. He owed it to her to give John as much time as possible to get them home-home, and he intended on giving it everything he had.

But as always, James needed to plan for every scenario. He always needed to have a plan B tucked away somewhere, to pull out on a rainy day. Because one never knew what was going to happen on this island, and he'd seen the consequences firsthand of not having any options.

He didn't want to have to do this. The consequences were risky, and unknown. But it was just a plan B. Hopefully, he never had to use it.

James took a deep breath before laying out his plan to Rose and Bernard. They listened without interrupting, but the looks on their faces said it all. They thought he'd gone mad. But once he explained it would only be used as a last resort, they seemed to settle down. Tentatively, Bernard agreed to help, and the two men shook on it.

It would take time, and James wasn't entirely sure it could even be done. But it was the only idea he had. He just hoped and prayed to whatever God was listening that he never had to use it.

—-

A few days after Amy's birthday in early December, she invited Juliet over for lunch. It had been a few months since they'd hung out, and Juliet was excited for some girl time. She grabbed a bottle of prosecco from the general store and arrived shortly after noon to Amy and Horace's house, prepared to receive all the best island gossip.

When Amy answered the door, she smiled widely before enveloping Juliet in a hug. "You made it!" she exclaimed, and Juliet couldn't help but laugh. Of course she'd made it. Where else would she go?

The women made themselves comfortable in the living room and Juliet handed the bottle to Amy. "I brought you this. Shall I get the glasses?" She grinned and shimmied the bottle a little, excited to catch up after being apart so long.

Instead, Amy said nothing, but shook her head mysteriously. "Actually, I can't have any…" she said slowly, widening her eyes at Juliet, hoping she got the message. It took a moment, but realization dawned on Juliet the moment a wide, cheeky smile burst across Amy's face. Juliet's jaw dropped, and Amy announced, "Surprise!" and placed both hands on her stomach. Her resounding squeal was like nails on a chalkboard to Juliet's ears.

Juliet was stunned. She shouldn't be, but she was. After all, Amy and Horace had been married for a few months now. These things happened. But so many overwhelming emotions surged over her all at once. In her mind, she flashed to the faces of the women she couldn't save, but startlingly, Juliet realized that wasn't it. After all, Lara was pregnant right now, and Juliet had hardly blinked when she found out that particular news. (Miles, however, had been thrilled, but obviously for completely different reasons.)

This though? Why did this feel… personal? Why did she feel so… angry?

With a gasp, Juliet figured it out. For a moment she was suspended in a memory, and Amy's excited face faded away.

It was late July. Her and James were back to being on great terms. They were having sex so often, it was no wonder Juliet didn't realize her period was late. It had been the last thing on her mind, until it was the only thing on her mind.

She checked the calendar, flipping back to last month and counting the days. She should have started on James's birthday, but here they were, three days later, and still nothing. James hadn't noticed, it would seem, because he said nothing about it. Why should he, though? She wasn't sure if it was normal for boyfriends to keep track of this stuff or not. Probably not.

For the evening, she convinced herself it was a fluke and that her cycle would come soon, but two more days passed and still nothing. She was in full panic-mode. Before going to work, she went for a blood test. They'd have her results in two days, they said. She cursed herself for not getting this done sooner.

So for two days she waited. And obsessed. And imagined what it would be like… then cursed herself for going down that road. No - they weren't ready. Not only between the two of them as a couple, but not here, not on the island.

But the more she thought about it, the more okay with it she became. She saw the tender ways in which James showed his affection. He kissed her before bed each night, he made her sit down when she was tired and did her share of the chores. He hummed while he scrubbed her back in the shower, which in itself was nothing, but he said he did it to make her smile. He took care of her, when she really needed it, and he listened to her bitch whenever she had something to get off her chest. He'd grown so much in the last two and a half years, it was astounding.

It wasn't until she waited for these results that she realized he'd make a wonderful father. Despite everything he'd gone through in his life, he had so much love to give, and his protective instincts were one of his best qualities. He would do anything to protect the ones he loved, and she respected that about him.

The night before the results were due to come in, James confronted her about being in a weird mood. She lied, calling it PMS, and he steered clear of her after that. Even though it had been her choice not to confide in him, his reaction left her feeling incredibly alone.

She laid awake that night, wondering what he would say, in either case. If it was negative, would he be disappointed or relieved? Would he insist they start using condoms, even though she was on the pill? Should they rethink their methods of birth control? Would this serve as a warning to him?

Oh God, she thought miserably. If it was positive… would he leave her? No. Definitely not. Besides, where would he go?

A small voice told her there was always a chance he'd be happy about it, if it was positive. Did he want to have kids with her, someday? They'd never really talked about it. Maybe they should have before now.

In the end, she was glad she didn't tell him. It would have just induced anxiety in him that he didn't need on his plate right now. Besides, come to find out it was negative anyway, and her period came the very next day. Crisis averted, she supposed.

She recalled the initial relief that came over her at the Infirmary, when she got the news. But it was quickly washed to sea and replaced with a sadness she hadn't expected to feel. She hadn't exactly wanted to be pregnant, but the concept of building a family with James was idealistic and comforting, nonetheless. She knew logically they weren't ready, but still… deep down, she knew they'd make great parents, if given the chance. It just hurt her to think they'd likely never get that chance.

As she left the Infirmary to head to work, she thought about her patients. Juliet knew whatever anomaly that existed in the future that caused the pregnancy problem hadn't happened yet. Logically, she knew getting pregnant wouldn't kill her here, now. But she couldn't deny the small sliver of guilt she felt at wanting this for herself. Those women had wanted it too, and look where that got them.

In some way, Juliet had come to terms with the fact that she'd never be a mother. But that was before she met James. Now? Now she wasn't sure what she wanted. And it scared her to death.

"Juliet? Are you alright?" Amy asked, and waved a hand in front of her face. Juliet's eyes refocused, and she came back to herself. Amy was frowning, and gripping Juliet's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm fine," she assured her friend, and plastered on a large smile. "I was just thinking. I'm really, really happy for you, Amy."

Amy grinned, and let go of Juliet's shoulder. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"When are you due?"

Amy placed her hands back on her stomach. "End of July. If he's late, maybe even early August."

"He?"

Amy grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. I know it's early and we can't know for sure. I guess I just have a hunch it'll be a boy. I always wanted a son."

Juliet inhaled through her nose. There was no reason this conversation should hurt this much. She really needed to get a grip. "I hope it's a boy then."

"Are you sure you're feeling alright? You look a little pale. Perhaps you should sit down?" Amy offered, her voice kind and concerned. It only served to remind Juliet how ridiculous she was being. Amy was a good person. There was nothing to be jealous of.

"You know, I actually don't feel too great. I may just go home and lie down for a bit."

Amy looked disappointed, but she offered a tight smile anyway. "I understand. We'll talk again later?"

"Of course," Juliet replied, and leaned in for a quick hug. "Again… congratulations. You're going to make a wonderful mom."

They said goodbye, and Juliet left, consciously monitoring her speed. It wasn't until she crossed the threshold of her house that she finally let a few tears escape down her cheeks. But she didn't understand it - not one bit.

How could she grieve something she never even had?

—-

"What do you say we stay in tonight?" Juliet asked James as they sat snuggled on the couch, both reading under the lamplight in the early evening. He was on his back with his head lying in her lap and her feet were propped up on the coffee table.

He placed his book face down on his chest and peered up at her curiously. "You sure? Thought ya liked the wild, goofy New Year's Eve parties."

She shrugged one shoulder and laid her book to the side, one finger stuck in the pages to keep her place. She used the other hand to brush hair away from his forehead. "I do. But I have to admit, I'm kind of tired. And getting drunk and dancing here with you sounds way more fun."

James grinned. "Hell yeah it does. You gonna go tell the Wonder Twins, so they don't bother us?"

Juliet nodded, rolling her eyes at the nickname. "Sure. You should go grab us some dinner from the cafeteria before it closes."

"What time they closin' tonight?"

"Seven, I think."

James sat up. "Alright then. Maybe I'll see if they got a little somethin' extra for ya, too."

Juliet giggled. "Oooh, like what?"

"I dunno. Somethin'." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before placing his book on the coffee table. He left to go gather their dinner, and Juliet went to Miles and Jin's.

She knocked twice before letting herself in. The guys hated answering the door. Miles usually complained about having to 'get up,' so Juliet had taken to just coming in on her own. As expected, Miles sat on the couch leafing through a magazine.

"Sup?" he called out to her, not even bothering to look up.

Juliet rolled her eyes and approached the couch. "I just came to tell you that James and I are staying in tonight."

Miles set his magazine down in his lap and narrowed his eyes at her accusingly. "You're not going to the party?!" he whined. Juliet sat on the coffee table beside him.

"Nope. We're opting for a night in instead."

"But you do that every night."

Juliet scoffed, feigning offense. "We do not!"

"Do so."

"Miles."

"It's New Year's Eve! We've spent it together the last, what, two years now?"

She almost felt bad, except she knew how this night would go. Jin would get piss-poor drunk and go home early. Miles would hit on every girl he saw before picking one to try and sleep with, ultimately leaving to go home with her if she was drunk enough. Or, if no one took the bait, he'd spend the evening making a fool out of himself and one of the security guys would walk him home. Although, Juliet knew he and Jane had been making eyes at each other lately, so maybe he'd end up leaving with her. Either way, he always had a great time separate from her and James, so she doubted very much that their presence would be missed.

"You never actually hangout with us at these parties anyway. You don't even notice when we sneak away."

"That's not true! I noticed last year."

Juliet laughed. "Only because I was looking for him, and you told me where he went. If I recall, you were having a grand old time without us before then."

Miles picked his magazine back up, rolling his eyes in the process. "Whatever. It's just the first time you've ever bailed, is all."

Suddenly Juliet felt painfully guilty. Perhaps Miles was right. She couldn't deny that it would be a break in tradition. But can two years really be enough to set a precedent? "If you want us to go, we will," she said softly, and put her hand on Miles's knee. He gave her a wicked grin.

"Nah. I'm just playin'. You go have fun, you disgusting lovebirds." She slapped the side of his thigh, hard. "OW! Whyyy?"

"Because! You made me feel guilty, Miles!" she shrilled indignantly. Miles only laughed. "Where's Jin? I wanna tell him to beat you up later."

Miles signaled to the window with his thumb. "He's over at the rec room, helping set up. Horace drew names out of a hat."

Juliet wrinkled her nose. "Fine. You survive another day, Straume. But seriously - have fun tonight, okay? Talk to Jane."

Miles licked his lips and Juliet groaned in disgust. "Oh. I will," he assured her, his voice low and suggestive. Juliet wanted to vomit.

Before she could, she stood and left the house, deviously leaving the door cracked behind her. She smiled hard to herself as Miles yelled at her to shut it. Served him right for messing with her. Lazy bastard.

At home, Juliet found James setting the table. Gloriously, he had brought home a pizza. Apparently, it was the special tonight. She took a peek into the box, happy to see it was ham and pepperoni, with pineapple only on half (she loved it, but James hated it). Best of all, off to the side on the kitchen counter, were two slices of New York style cheesecake in a cardboard box. Juliet melted.

"Oh my God, James. I haven't had cheesecake in forever," she groaned, and he chuckled to himself, pleased.

"Glad you're excited. I saw it and I swear I almost got a stiffy right then and there. Been years since I had cheesecake."

Juliet laughed. Already she was so excited for the evening. She didn't regret choosing to stay home one bit. He passed behind her, and ran his hand along the back of her neck before leaning in to kiss her cheek. Even after all this time, his touch sent electricity zipping through her stomach. She couldn't help it, especially when the touch was unprovoked or unconscious. It was just his way of showing his affection, and she was an addict for it. She could never get enough.

They chatted excitedly as they ate, each sharing stories of previous New Year's Eves. Juliet told James the story of how she'd accidentally (drunkenly) locked herself in the bathroom of a frat house in college and spent the entire night on the floor, waiting for someone to let her out. She'd contemplated trying to crawl out the window, but it was on the third floor and she was scared of heights. James had laughed, but also patted her on the back apologetically as he tried in vain to imagine Juliet going to a frat party. The concept was absurd and he demanded to know every detail of what led her there in the first place. Apparently, her friend had dragged her along so she could hook up with some guy. Juliet spent midnight in the bathroom, and fell asleep before someone found her around 2 am. It wasn't funny then, but even Juliet had to admit it was pretty funny now.

James, on the other hand, had plenty of wild stories from his youth. In high school, before he'd dropped out, he'd stolen his principal's car and went on a joyride through a cornfield with a girl he ended up having sex with in the backseat. It wasn't his proudest moment, and it certainly wasn't the wildest New Year's he'd had, but the story enraptured Juliet. Finally, after two and a half years, he felt comfortable laying all of himself on the table for her to see. As he'd hoped, she didn't judge him. She actually congratulated him, joking that he must have been quite a stud to convince a junior that he wasn't actually a freshman.

They laughed and continued telling stories, each trying to one-up the other. He won for wildest, of course, but she won for saddest. It was hard to choose, but she settled on the year she started contemplating divorce from Ed. She spent New Year's Eve stood-up at a restaurant while he hooked up with some other woman. Worst of all, he'd locked her out of the house, so she sat on her front porch alone until he got home, reeking of alcohol, covered in lipstick. She'd been miserable, realizing her marriage was imploding, and he'd been getting laid.

James won for worst setting - prison, and Juliet won for best setting - Jamaica with her sister. When answering the prompt, she almost argued they both won for best setting - here. That is, until she remembered she's supposed to hate this place. It was easy to forget that, nowadays.

When they finished their pizza, they moved on excitedly to their cheesecake. They moaned as they ate, both laughing at the euphoria caused by stuffing their faces with a dessert they'd missed so much. She was so glad James had thought to bring it home. They were so in-sync lately, often able to read one another's thoughts before they said something, or being in the mood to do the same things at the same time. It was astounding, really, the life they were living with one another. She couldn't deny she was the happiest she'd ever been in her life, and she solely had him to thank.

Completely stuffed from their extravagant meal, both retreated to the living room. They continued to talk, content to lie around and let their food digest. After twenty minutes or so, James whipped out the wine with a flourish and a wicked grin.

Half an hour later and a full bottle down, they opened another bottle. When that one was gone, Juliet finally put the music on. With no one around to complain about the noise, she cranked it up and started bopping around the living room, using one of the empty wine bottles as a fake microphone. James laughed, and pretended to hold a camera, taking her picture as she danced around the room.

Juliet was completely elated. Considering how the year had gone, and how hard it had been on them both (for different reasons), this was the way she wanted to end it. Unburdened, carefree, and joyously in love.

The song ended and James shouted, "My turn!" before going over to the record player to pick an album. He sifted through the choices, making loud 'hmmm' sounds as he decided.

"Just pick onnne!" Juliet whined, and hiccupped. It made her giggle.

Finally, he settled on a Frankie Valli album. He selected the song, and shot her a shy look. The opening notes to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" began to play, and her stomach turned to jello. She loved this song. And the way James was looking at her now? She knew he chose the song for a reason.

'You're just too good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you. You'd be like Heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much.'

He held out his hand, silently asking her to take it. She grinned demurely and placed her palm against his. Right away, he twirled her around, and the action made her breathless.

'Pardon the way that I stare. There's nothin' else to compare. The sight of you leaves me weak. There are no words left to speak.'

The song picked up speed, and her and James swayed around the living room. She was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt, and even James's dimples were as deep as she'd ever seen him. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen him this happy before. The weight of the year was being lifted completely off his shoulders, so it seemed, and for that, Juliet was eternally grateful.

James didn't know what was going on in Juliet's head as they danced around the room, but she was indeed right about her assessment. James was happier than he'd ever been, which was a huge statement. He'd spent so many moments with her, feeling happier than he ever thought possible.

But tonight? Tonight, something had shifted deep inside James's soul. Tonight, he'd decided something, and the more he thought about it, the more right it felt. He thought he'd be more scared of it, but the lack of that instinctive fear is what actually gave him confidence and courage to think about it even more.

He was going to ask her to marry him. He didn't know when, he didn't know how, but tonight had only reassured him through and through that she was the one for him. He'd known for a long time that he loved her, but something changed between them tonight. He wasn't sure what it was, but sometime before 1977 was over, he was going to ask her.

It could have been the wine, or the general euphoria caused by the evening, but he was pretty confident she would say yes.

'Oh, pretty baby, now that I've found you, stay.'

The song ended, and they were both breathless. James's heart was hammering, and it wasn't from the song.

"That was fun!" Juliet exclaimed with a hearty laugh. The sound knocked into James's chest.

"Sure was, baby."

"Wanna dance some more?" she asked, biting her lower lip.

And they did.

At midnight, dizzy and heated from the wine, the dancing, and the impromptu romp on the living room floor, Juliet and James lay on their backs, staring up at the ceiling. The record player was buzzing with static, as it had played through all the songs on the album. In the distance, they heard faint shouts, and they knew the Dharma Initiates were counting down to midnight. James checked his wristwatch, and sure enough, there were only seconds to go.

"1977's gonna be a good year," Juliet whispered. "I can feel it."

James grinned, and took her hand in his. He brought it to his lips, kissing the backs of her knuckles. "How can it not be? Startin' out like this."

Juliet giggled and propped herself on her elbow. "Happy New Year, James," she whispered again, lips so close to James's cheek, he could feel her breath land there, tickling him.

He adjusted his neck so he could see her - really see her - and he took everything in. The pink flush of her cheeks, the brightness of her blue eyes, the way her blonde hair cascaded around her face, sweaty at the temples. Everything about her. The fullness of her lips, her coy smile, the radiance her joy brought to her face. The way she looked at him, like no one ever had before.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Happy New Year, Juliet." Midnight descended, and their lips met with gentle promise.