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"James, this might sound crazy, but--" I began to speak but was cut off by the chiming of his cell phone. He quickly searched the sand for the item and I couldn't help but laugh when I noticed the ringtone was a version of 'you all everybody'.

James soon found and grabbed the phone from the spot in which he left it and as he read the caller ID, he winced.

"Something the matter?" I asked curiously, hoping that everything was alright.

"Nah, its just..." He started and then paused, looking up from the phone and into my eyes, "I ain't gonna get it. It's nothin' important."

"Don't be silly, James." I said after a beat, "You can answer it."

"Alright." He said slowly, nodding his head once in agreement as he flipped open the small object.

"What the hell do ya want? I'm on a date." He asked angrily, and I faintly heard the voice on the other line let out a sob as they explained something or another.

"I feel bad for ya, freckles, but I can't handle this now. I'll get back to ya later, got it?" James replied hastily before flipping his cell phone shut and turning his attention back to me.

"Who was that?" I then asked as nonchalantly as I could, silently hoping that I misheard his end of the conversation. Unless I was mistaken, I could've sworn I heard him say freckles...

"Oh, that was just Kate." He answered plainly, instantly causing my thoughts to go into overdrive.

"Kate?" I asked softly, strenuously trying to mask my emotions, "Kate Austin?"

"Yeah." James answered bluntly before asking skeptically, "How do you know her?"

"I know her from--" I started but quickly stopped myself in order to conjure up an elaborate lie. But it took no more than a few seconds to realize there was no need for one.

"Jack dated her." I then answered with a sigh, speaking more to myself than to James. How strange was it for the two of them to not only be together in their first life on the island, but in this one as well? Then again, the same could be said for James and I...maybe it was more than just luck after all.

"Right." He soon retorted gruffly, snapping me out of my thoughts, "Your husband, Jack."

"Ex-husband." I corrected, "We're getting a divorce."

"Why is that?" He questioned, suddenly more interested then he was a few hours ago, "The pretty boy doctor type ain't good enough for ya?"

I paused, trying to think up a witty responce when he continued, "I'd ask who broke up with who but seems to me like you broke the poor mans heart. 'Course I ain't complainin', if you two were--"

"He's not in love with me." I brashly interrupted, "Never was."

"Now that's damn near impossible." He said in a hushed tone, unknowingly mimicking the loving way he had spoken to me so many times in the past. Whenever he had came home from a long day of Dharma work, he greeted me with a soft 'Blondie, tell me how it is ya get more foxy each time I see ya?"

"You spent the whole day with Miles." I'd retort, "Anything else looks astonishing in comparison."

"Touché." He'd whisper against my ear as he came closer and wrapped his arms protectively around my waist. He'd follow that with a kiss and soon add, "I love you, you know that?"

"Not sure I do." I'd whisper back seductively, turning my head towards our bedroom door and then add, "Why don't ya prove it to me--in there."

"Ya alright there, Blondie?" The present James asked, snapping me out of my reverie. I quickly nodded, pushing my many thoughts to the side as he continued, "Why wouldn't the doc love ya? You're funny, intellegent, witty...an' not hard to look at."

I chuckled slightly, glad that in this time period he still found me attractive, and answered honestly, "If you asked him, he probably would say he loves me. But he's just fooling himself--he's trying to prove that he's not in love with someone else."

"Who's that someone?"

"Your buddy Kate." I replied harshly, my tounge stinging as I spoke the name. I was partially angry for her part in Jack's and my break-up in this time period, but the rage was mostly lingering anger at myself for letting a single look in her direction come between myself and my soulmate.

"She's not my buddy." He replied slowly, clearly carefully choosing his words, "She's just Clementine's babysitter. An' ya know, we used..."

"What?" I asked when he finished speaking, for he mumbled his last words.

He then took a deep breath and after clearing his throat, he stated shyly, "We used to date."

"Oh." I said simply, causing him to explain, "We met right after Clementine was born...I was a mess at parentin' but I wanted Cassidy to let me take care of our kid and...Kate volunteered to help me out...She makes a great mother."

As soon as the last words came out of him mouth, I instantly knew he regretted it.

"Look. I didn't mean--she's not...ya don't gotta worry 'bout Kate. Trust me, she's the last person I want to be 'round right now."

"Why?" I asked curiously, wondering what was going on between them, "What'd she do?"

"It's complicated." He answered quickly, "Not somethin' I can really explain'."

"You know what..." I started after a brief silence, not wanting to think about Jack or Kate or any other touchy subjects, "Why don't you tell me a little more about yourself."

"Shoot." He said, waving his hands in the air, "Ask me anythin'."

"Favorite television show?"

"M.A.S.H"

"Oh, really?" I asked with an arched eyebrow, "Because you strike me as more of a 'Little House on the Prairie' type guy."

"Ya got me." James admitted with a laugh, "I just can't resist little Laura Ingalls."

I let out a laugh as well and continued on bombarding James with questions I already knew the answer to, and answered his questions which he had unknowingly found out so long ago.

"While I enjoy playin' this fun lil' question game, why don't we go on over there?" He stated after a while, indicating a nearby dock overlooking the clear calm water.

I tilted my head slightly at the gesture and he explained with a shrug, "Looks like its got a great view."

I paused for a second, trying to mask my many emotions flickering through my mind--happiness overwealmed me when I thought back on the many times we had spent on the dock in Dharmaville. Then shame for not trusting James when I needed him the most. Dissapointment for not being able to struggle out of the chains and back into my lovers arms. And finally happiness for being given a second chance--a second shot with James.

"Let's go." I eventually said with a smile, grasping his hand tightly as we walked off towards the dock.