Juliet's senses slowly trickled back to her as she woke. First it was a feeling of warmth and softness. Then it became obvious that sunlight was seeping through the crack of the curtains. She then noticed the comforting heaviness of an arm across her side. A hand…his hand was cradling her own. Her still sleepy mind put the pieces together and she realized she must have fallen asleep in James' bed and he was now spooning her. Was he awake? She studied his hand and fingers firmly clasping her own and smiled knowing he was safe beside her. She didn't want to wake him if he was still asleep, but she couldn't resist the urge to gently caress his fingers with her own. He responded by grabbing her hand tighter and pulling her closer to him.
"Morning Sleeping Beauty," he joked from behind.
"Hi," she answered shyly, before turning to sit up. The doctor in her couldn't continue without first giving him a cursory exam to see how he was doing this morning.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
He watched her as she ran her hands over his head and face, stopping to swipe her thumb gingerly over a tender corner of his mouth. "Does this hurt?"
"Nope."
"Good," she said as she leaned down to kiss him.
After she was convinced he was himself she sat up to question him. "Do you remember anything about yesterday?"
"Well, I remember some trees. You were there. Scarecrow and Toto too. And that prick Phil. I remember he pissed me off."
"They took you and gave you truth serum. When they finally brought you back last night they let us all go."
"Last night? They had y'all locked up all day too? Those idiots. I do remember they thought I was working with the hostiles. Are you okay? Did they…"
"No, I'm fine. We're all fine. They just questioned us. Then they brought you back all bloody and talking out of your mind. Oh, and for a little bit they made me think they were sending you off the island on the sub. Other than that I'm fine."
She was saying it in a joking manner, but he could see it must have really upset her. He reached up to cup her face.
"Would you miss me if they had?"
She smiled and looked away before answering, "What makes you think I wouldn't come find you?"
He laughed, "Well it's good to know you always got my back."
She found his eyes again. Yesterday was enough to show her (even if it was just a moment of panic) how much she had come to need him. Maybe she was scared to give into happiness and imagine a life with him, but it was even scarier to think of it without him. She decided it was worth the risk. He didn't know it, but as she leaned down to kiss him she made her decision. She would give into this feeling, to whatever this was between them, to him.
He pulled her back down, kissing her. After a minute he pulled back. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"While you were sleeping your shirt rode up a little…and well I couldn't help but notice that scar on your back. Almost looks like someone hit you with a hot poker or something."
She tried to hide the troubled expression that was forming on her face. As she thought about what to say, she reached back to trace the raised scar on her lower back. It had stopped hurting a long time ago and so she had left it's memory in the back of her mind along with all the other horrible things that happened on the island before now.
"That's cause they did."
Anger flashed into his eyes. "What the hell? So what, you telling me those assholes brand everyone as some sort of Other's initiation?"
"No, as a punishment."
"Punishment? For what," he scoffed.
She looked away from him again, not sure how to broach the subject. "For killing one of them," she finally admitted.
With realization in his face, he whispered, "You're telling me you got that for saving my ass?"
She smiled a sad smile. "No. It had nothing to do with you. I got it because I would have done whatever Ben asked me to do to get off this island…including helping you escape or shooting someone that was trying to stop you. "
He took a defeated breath. "Does it hurt?"
She smiled at his concern. "Not anymore."
"What kind of people do something like that?," he wondered aloud.
"Others I guess."
Without taking his eyes off her, he pulled her hand to his lips, placing gentle kisses. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him more. Just as things were heating up he pulled back and announced, "I think I need a shower."
She laughed, "Yeah, you do."
He feigned insult, "What you were going to just sit here and make out with me and not tell me?"
"Oh don't worry. I've lived with you in the jungle, remember? You've smelled worse."
He climbed over and out of the bed. "Well I never!"
As he headed for the door he added, "You gonna stay here or are you afraid Miles and Jin might find out you've been sneaking in my room."
"I wasn't sneaking."
"Oh, don't think I didn't notice you taking advantage of me in my condition," he joked.
She climbed out, joining him at the door and leaning in to him as she insisted, "I wasn't taking advantage. You wouldn't let me leave and then I guess I fell asleep."
"Sure. Sure…You don't actually have to leave you know."
"Well now I don't want Miles and Jin to think I took advantage of you."
The both chuckled as he opened the door, running straight into Miles and Jin who were ready and dressed for the day.
"Well hey!," James greeted them. Juliet ducked back behind him.
"Hey yourself. You back to normal now?," Miles inquired.
"Yeah I'm good."
"You look bad yesterday. Glad you better," Jin added.
"You really did look like shit man. Good thing you got Juliet here to take care of you."
"Yeah, she filled me in. I'm sorry about all that fellas."
"It's okay. I should have kept the stupid tape somewhere else. I didn't know Phil wanted your job that bad. What an idiot."
"Why are y'all gussied up so early? You got somewhere to be?"
"We go fishing."
"Yeah, we thought we might try and salvage what's left of the weekend. And tonight we're playing poker with Randy. I'm gonna make sure to take all his money for holding us hostage yesterday."
"Well y'all have fun."
"You too," Jin said, eyeing Juliet behind him.
"Later man," Miles added as he pushed Jin down the hall.
He turned to find her with a slightly pinker complexion. "Well I guess it's too late. Now they know you've taken advantage of me."
She pushed him out of the room as she walked toward the kitchen, "You shower, I'll make breakfast."
"So bossy. Don't forget to turn off the stove."
She ignored him. By the time he finished showering she had a simple breakfast (not even burnt) on the table and coffee brewing. She turned to find him in just his shorts. As she took him in she joked, "You ever heard the phrase no shirt, no shoes, no service?"
"Yeah. Why? You ain't gonna feed me?"
"No, I was just thinking you're over dressed for what I want to do to you after you eat."
As soon as Miles and Jin told them they were getting lost for the day (and he was pretty sure they were doing it on purpose) his mind had gone to what he and Juliet might get up to. He just figured they'd go on his lame excuse for a date first. With the way she was looking at him right now though, it seemed like she might want to skip all the formalities, including breakfast. He was instantly aroused at her boldness.
"When you put it that way, why waste time with breakfast?"
"You're going to want to eat. I won't be done with you for a while."
'Holy shit,' he thought. How was he supposed to eat now? He sat down not taking his eyes off her. She was still just dressed in her t-shirt and jeans from the day before, but at that moment he thought it was the sexiest she'd ever looked. They both attempted to eat, but the longer they stared at each other the more turned on they both got. Finally, they jumped up and she led him by the hand to her room.
They didn't rush, but instead stood there taking each other in. He placed kisses along her neck as he gently tugged her shirt off. She traced lines up his arms and across his chest and then down his sides, unbuttoning and discarding his shorts. Next he helped her out of her jeans, sliding his hands down her partially clothed backside. She could feel him throbbing against her stomach as he pulled her closer, now kissing her neck and chest.
After a long while of hands and mouths exploring, she pulled him to the edge of the bed by his boxers. He let her undress him the rest of the way, hissing with pleasure as she reached down to touch him. She lay down on the bed, still in her underwear. He hardened even more at the site of her. He kneeled down, raking his hands and mouth up and down her body, removing her underwear as he went. When he could resist no more he stopped and kneeled in front her.
"You okay," he asked.
When she nodded he scooped her up onto his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck in return. His fingertips grazed the scar at her lower back and she stopped kissing him to look him in the eyes, which were full of wonder and trust. She responded by kissing the scar on his shoulder and finding his mouth again. It was an unspoken acceptance of each other…all the mess, pain, and history between them. And finally with abandon and nowhere to be they continued to make love for the rest of the morning. Afterwards they both drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms. When she woke up for the second time that morning, she could see he was watching her again.
"You fell asleep," he teased.
"What time is it?"
"I don't know, lunch time probably."
"Are you hungry?"
"A little. I was little distracted at breakfast."
She smiled suggestively before continuing, "What should we do today?"
"Well I was hoping this was how the day was going to end, so now that we jumped ahead maybe we should go on that date now instead."
"Ping-pong?"
"Well, not just ping-pong! Maybe we get cleaned up, have a little lunch, see what time it is… maybe a nice walk on the beach. Whatever floats your boat and then ping-pong!"
She laughed, still absentmindedly stroking his forearms.
"Alright…but can you promise me one thing?"
"What's that?"
"Try not to get arrested this time."
"I'll do my best," he said as he pulled her close, running his hands down between her legs.
She squirmed and laughed into his mouth.
"Or we could just stay here all day," he suggested.
"Oh no, I want to play ping-pong now since you won't shut up about it."
"Suit yourself," he said, releasing her.
They both climbed out of bed to go salvage the rest of the weekend themselves. Even though they had just changed their relationship forever, it was like it had always been this way. The rest of the day they did the things they had always done together without a second thought. It was like a final piece of the puzzle had been added somehow and nothing could be more natural. Only now when he got the urge to reach out and grab her hand while they walked along the beach, he did. And when she wanted to stop and pull him in for a hug, she did. The day slipped away while they were lost in each other's presence, but eventually they did make it to the rec-room for some ping pong.
