A/N: I'm hoping for more reviews this chapter.

CHAPTER THREE: CHASING CARS

That evening when they returned to the cages, Kate wouldn't stay still. She restlessly moved about the cage, pacing and touching the bars with her hands, tightening her fingers around them into fists, her whole arm tensing, and then releasing desperately, moving to the other side and then back. Sawyer watched her work herself into a frenzy while he arranged to receive a fish biscuit. When he had the disgusting thing in his hands, he turned to Kate, who was wiping frantically at her face with the back of her hand.

"Hey… you want something to eat?" He asked her quietly. She shook her head shortly and then sniffled, facing away from him.

"No, I'm good. I'm not- I'm not really hungry." She said, her voice shaking precariously. Sawyer pursed his lips and got a drink from the water source.

"We're gonna be okay, Freckles. You and I, we're gonna fix this." He told her. She let out a strangled half-sob and he moved to the bars closest to her.

"If Jack was here…" She thought for a few seconds and then shook her head.

"If Jack was here, he'd be makin' a bunch of noise and he'd be bein' stubborn as hell. We don't need anyone else." He told her. She turned her head slightly so that he could see the tears shining on her cheeks. He could tell that she didn't completely believe him, but she was definitely listening. Sawyer sat down and then lowered himself onto his back so that he was looking up at the stars. "My back hurts from movin' all those goddamn rocks."

"I'm sorry." She responded quietly. She was facing him now, still standing. He looked over at her.

"Lay down." He told her quietly. She looked confused.

"What? I don't-" she began, but Sawyer cut her off.

"Lay down with me." He kept his gaze on her face. She awkwardly sat down, carefully making sure the short dress remained appropriate. She then moved jerkily until she was laying down, her cheeks still shining with tears. Sawyer wanted to tell her how he felt, what he was thinking, but he didn't know how. The three words that were required of him were hackneyed, so useless and meaningless that the mere thought of saying them out loud pained him. She was starting to get restless again. He asked her irritably, "Would you lie still for two seconds?"

"I'm sorry." She said once more, tears still rolling down her cheeks, unchecked now. "I just… they said that-"

"Forget what they said. Just for a little while. You waste all your time worrying, you're gonna wake up one day realize that you're old. Just lay here." He listened to her breath slowly return to normal and she seemed calm and collected enough to continue talking. "You're gonna be okay, Kate. I'm gonna make sure of that."

"You just called me Kate…" She said quietly. Sawyer stopped breathing for a second, a moment of sheer panic taking over before she continued. "Does that mean that… that I could call you James?"

Sawyer listened to the way he said the name and felt his heart swell. The way she said his name made him feel proud to own such a name that she could say with such grace. He wished that he shared her grace. "I have to get used to it."

He focused on the sky, little star-eyes winking at him reassuringly. The mysterious twinkle reminded him of Kate's eyes, perfect and green as they were. Then all he could see was her eyes, looking longingly, hopefully, desperately, down on him. He wasn't sure where he was or how any of this had come to be, but he hoped that things would never change for he and Kate. James and Kate.