Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Author's Note:Thanks for the reviews. I worked overtime to get this chapter ready. It's not as long as the last one, but I hope you like it anyways. Please review if you do! Thank you!

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November 16, 2009

James packed a few more things into the big suitcase that he had propped open on the big upholstered chair across from the bed. He had to push onto it with one hand in order to get the zipper to close.

He looked over at Kate who was sitting Indian style in the middle of the bed, lost in her thoughts, "How 'r' you doin' over there, Freckles?"

Kate looked up from the US map she had spread out in front of her, "I'm fine." But she sounded everything but fine.

"Sure you are." He replied sarcastically and eyed her with amused eyes. "Claire ain't here, Sweetheart, no need to put on a show for me."

She looked up again and held his gaze. Her mouth opened as if she was going to say something but then she looked away and didn't speak instead.

"Spit it out." He replied and walked over towards the bed, settling beside her and casted a look at the map before he looked down at her.

"It's just so ironic." She suddenly replied.

"What's that?" he asked as he sat back against the headboard to get more comfortable.

She turned towards him, and suddenly confessed, "This need to get away from here has been eating me up inside forever, and now that I'm free to go … now that the day is finally here, I'm …" She shook her head and tears began to well up in her eyes, "I'm scared."

He nodded, and reached for her, pulling her into his arms. "You're scared to leave Aaron." He stated matter-of-factly.

She nodded at first, but then shook her head as she rambled on, her voice much lower because she didn't want Claire or anyone else to overhear her. "And I know what you think, but I swear it's not because of Claire. She's good and healthy; all she really needed to get better was having her son back. It's me … I just know how badly I'm going to miss him. And all the things I feel I'm going to miss out on."

"Freckles." He drawled and tipped her chin up so she'd look him in the eye, "Claire said we can stay as long as we want. So if you've changed your mind, that's fine by me."

She nodded and got more comfortable in his arms again, her head resting on his shoulder but when she didn't say anything, James continued, while his fingers played with strands of her hair, "We're pretty much broke. So to take Claire up on her offer and stay with her for a while would be the smart thing to do."

She nodded again, "Yeah, it would be the smart thing to do, but … but before too long I'm really gonna start showing and those paparazzi will only hunt us down even more."

"So we go." He stated somberly.

"Yeah." She sighed, "We have to go."

James kissed the top of her head and pulled her even closer. They sat quietly like that for a long moment before there was a knock at the door.

"Yeah." James replied before Kate could and the door opened.

Miles came in, stopping awkwardly in the doorway, "Carole sent me to get you guys, breakfast is ready."

"Okay." Both climbed out of bed, James draped his arm around her waist as they headed towards the door.

Miles cleared his throat, "Can I talk to you for a minute, Jim?"

James and Kate shared a look, before James nodded, "Yeah, sure." Kate slipped out the door and Miles closed it behind her.

Miles acted a bit strange, James spoke up, "What's up?"

Miles reached into his pocket and pulled out a little sachet, handing it wordlessly to James.

James poured the contents into this hand, his head snapped up at Miles, "Where the hell did you get those?"

"I found them." Miles replied defensively.

"You found them?" James asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "You just happen to dig around in a grave one day?"

Miles looked a tad bit guilty, "Look, they were already dead, it's not like they're going to miss them."

James sighed, stepped backwards and sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing the diamonds in his hands before he put them back in the sachet.

Miles stepped closer, "I didn't know if I'd get the rest of the money Widmore owed me, those gems were my back up plan."

"But you did." James looked up at him, and stated, "Penny paid you every cent Widmore had promised you."

"And that's why I'm giving them to you." Miles said, holding James gaze.

James scoffed and shook his head, "I don't know about this, man."

"What's there to think about? You guys are broke, here is your solution."

"It ain't that simple."

Miles leaned back against the closed bedroom door, folding his arms across his chest, "I'm sure there's someone you know that would take those of your hands in exchange for some cash."

He thought about it for a moment and nodded, "Yeah, finding a buyer ain't the problem, hoss."

Miles looked confused, "Then what is the problem?"

"Where did the money come from?"

Miles looked even more confused, but James went on and explained, "That would be the question people would ask. I promised Kate that no matter what, we would earn straight … we would figure out a way to make a living, without ripping people off."

Miles interjected, "You're not ripping anyone off, because nobody's missing those diamonds, Jim."

"Yeah." He sighed, and held the little bag of diamonds out for Miles to take back.

But Miles shook his head and held up his hand. "Keep 'em and talk it over with Kate."

He hesitated for a minute, before he nodded and stuffed the diamonds in his pocket, "Fine, it's her call then."

X

They were basically done eating breakfast, but everyone just sat around the table, reminiscing about old times, prolonging the inevitable.

James leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Freckles, I need to talk to you before we head out."

They excused themselves and disappeared into the downstairs bathroom, the only downstairs room with a door and a lock.

James closed the door behind them and Kate smirked up at him, "I'm not having sex with you while everyone's just a room away."

He chuckled at her as he leaned back against the door, "That ain't why I got you in here, Freckles, but I like where your mind is goin'."

She couldn't help but smile, then wondered, "Why did you get me in here then?"

James reached into his jean pocket and retrieved the sachet.

"What is it?" she stepped closer and he grabbed her hand in his, holding it so she could catch the diamonds as he slowly poured them out.

Kate gasped as she stared at the small gems in her hand, "Are they real? Where did you get those?"

"Miles found them on the island." He gave her a half truth, "He wants us to have them."

She stared at the small crystals in the palm of her hand, unsure of what to say to that, "How much are they worth?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Not sure, but I'm guessin' more than enough to retire on."

She picked one up and held it up against the light, critically eyeing the small crystal before she returned it back to her hand. James helped her to pour them back into the sachet.

She folded her arms under her chest and appeared to be lost in her own thoughts when James broke the silence, "What are you thinking, Freckles? I told Miles this would be your call."

She frowned and looked up at him, "I guess you'd know someone that would take them off our hands?"

"I do." He nodded and waited for her next words.

"What's to stop those guys from going to the press with this? I mean, we can't be sure that us trying to sell off diamonds won't end up on the front page of some gossip magazine."

The corners of his lips turned upwards slightly as he stepped closer to her and rubbed her shoulders in a soothing manner. "Trust me, Freckles." He drawled, "The last thing those guys want is some reporters snoopin' 'round. They ain't gonna tell no one 'bout it, I promise you, babe."

She looked up at him with hopeful eyes. This could be there salvation … this could be the answer to their prayers. But for as long as Kate could remember, nothing good ever happened to her without her having to pay a dire price for it later on.

"If we do this … then we have to do something good with this money." She said, her gaze unwavering.

"What do you mean?" James' eyebrows arched curiously, not really understanding what she was trying to say.

"I mean we have to give some of it away to … you know, the needy or something."

"We are the needy, Freckles." James joked, yet he couldn't help but smile at Kate's suggestion. The heart of gold beating in her chest surprised him once more.

She playfully patted his chest, "I'm serious, James."

He looked down at her with awe in his eyes and smiled broadly, "Fine, we'll do it your way, Freckles. Where is your cell?"

"It's still upstairs on the charger. Why?"

"I'm gonna call Gordy, he'll find someone interested in these rocks for us."

"I guess we're not going to Vegas."

"Probably not."

X

The goodbyes were heartbreaking, but they needed to be done.

The trunk was packed to the rim with suitcases, backpacks, shoes, pillows and blankets, amongst other things.

A cooler and a big paper sack sat on the floor on the passenger side, filled with drinks and food that Carole and Claire had packed for them. Kate took one last look around the small two car garage. She'd only really used it when they'd first come back from the island almost 5 years ago, but later on she'd simply parked in the driveway.

"Ready to roll?" James asked with concern in his eyes as he took her in, standing there lost in her thoughts.

She looked up at him and nodded. James opened the back door to Miles car and climbed into the backseat before he tried to find the most comfortable position on his back in the foot space behind both seats.

Kate waited until he was situated before she climbed in after him. She climbed on top of him, awkwardly and hesitantly, unable to really find a comfortable position, but she knew she'd only hide out like this for a short period of time. James wrapped his arm around her after he'd adjusted her knee near his groin.

"Ready?" Miles asked.

"Let's hurry this up, Enos."

"You got it, boss." Miles replied and threw a blanket over them both.

Miles quickly stepped around to the driver's side and got in. He pushed the garage door opener and just as he had expected, the crowd of reporters came swarming towards his car. However, when they saw it was only him in the vehicle, they stepped out of the way and he pulled onto the road without a look back.

It took him less than five minutes when he pulled into parking garage that was part of his apartment complex.

He looked around one more time, making sure no one had followed them and opened the back door, pulling the blanket off of them. "The coast is clear."

Kate tried to push herself up, "Sorry." She mumbled as she put all her weight on James' chest.

"Don't sweat it." He said but then reminded her, "Watch the knee, baby, watch the knee."

"Sorry." She mumbled again and had finally managed to get out of the car. James took her outstretched hand that she offered to help him get up, and he managed to quickly climb out as well.

Kate walked to the back and opened the trunk, retrieving her purse, the pillows and the other blanket, throwing them on the backseat instead. James moved the cooler and paper bag to the floor behind the passenger seat.

James turned to Miles, "You got the keys to the house, the Volvo and the BMW?"

"Right here." He patted his jean pocket.

"The power of attorney in case the sale for the house goes through?"

"I got that too. Don't worry, man." Miles smiled.

Kate stepped up to Miles and hugged him, "Thank you, Miles … for everything." She kissed his cheek. Miles just nodded, not sure how to react.

Kate stepped back and James stepped closer, holding out his hand. Miles took it and they shook hands for a long moment. "Take care, man."

"You too."

Kate smiled at their awkward goodbye as she stepped around the car to the driver's side.

"What the hell you think you're doing, Sweetheart?" James asked.

She'd already opened the door, but stopped and looked over at him, "You got a problem with me driving?" she looked at him challenging.

He frowned and looked back at Miles, who was grinning from ear to ear, before he looked back at Kate. "We switch at the first rest stop." It wasn't a question!

She smiled and nodded, waved at Miles one last time and got in behind the wheel while James climbed wordlessly into the passenger seat.

Kate turned the key that was still in the ignition and the motor roared to life, she adjusted the rearview mirror, glanced one last time over to Miles and began to pull out of the parking structure.

But as they approached the street, Kate's eyes began to fill with tears and the first trickled down her cheek.

James looked over at her, a grim expression on his own face when he took in the sight of her falling apart before him.

He held back as long as he could but eventually spoke up, "'Re you okay driving, Sweetheart?"

She glanced at him for a moment and gripped the steering wheel harder with one hand as she tried to wipe her tears away with the other, "I have to be the one doing this." She said and pulled the car out into traffic.

"He understood." Sort of. And simply reached over, resting his hand on her thigh and exhaled the breath he'd been holding.

He bit his tongue as long as he could. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi … twenty-five Mississippi

"You should buckle up though!" He finally blurted out, the concern for her and their baby's safety eating him up inside.

She looked over at him then as they had just come to a stop at a red light. A long glance was shared that ended with her pulling on her seatbelt and he did the same before they both cracked into a smile.

"We call him around seven thirty, tell him good night before Claire tugs him in, alright?"

She nodded and looked back at him gratefully, "Thank you, James."

He nodded at her and curled his hand around her thigh, giving it a squeeze as the light turned green and Kate drove on.

X

Eight hours later, after a few stops to stretch their legs and eat lunch, they had managed to make it to Phoenix Arizona.

It was early evening when they'd arrived, just early enough to still snatch up a room for the night since they hadn't bothered to make any reservations.

James unlocked their motel room and stepped aside to let Kate slip in first. It was nothing spectacular, but it wasn't the worst they'd seen, and he'd stopped fretting over the fact that they'd ended up with room number fifty-one once again.

While James closed the door behind them, Kate had already pulled the duvet cover all the way from the bed to lie down. She stretched out on the bed, sighing as she rolled onto her back and closed her eyes.

"Hey, it ain't bedtime just yet." He left the suitcase where it was and walked over to her, settling on the bed beside her, which caused the worn out mattress to dip and Kate practically rolled against him. They smiled at each other, "I like this bed already." He drawled and leaned over her to kiss her.

She kissed him back and when he pulled away she opened her eyes, "What do you wanna do on our first evening of freedom, Freckles?"

"Hmmmm." She purred and played with the stubble of his beard, "Let's go out, for dinner and maybe a movie, or something."

"What ya' hungry for?" he propped his head up on his hand; "What did ya' have in mind?"

She thought about it for a moment, "Just some place around here, doesn't matter if it's a diner or some fast food joint. It'll just be nice not being chased by photographers for once."

"Well, let me fire up the laptop and let's see what they got around this one horse town."

"Okay." She said and closed her eyes again, "Let me know what you find."

X

They'd found a mom and pop shop within walking distance of their motel. They both chose a burger with fries, James had insisted that Kate's had to be well done, while his burger was still a little pink in the middle, but both were good none the less.

They ate in silence, taking in the various people sitting around them. There was a mom with two kids, she hadn't had a single bite of her own food yet, since she was too busy cutting up her children's food for them instead.

The older couple in their sixties or seventies, yet despite their age he still held out the chair for her and Kate couldn't help but smile fondly at them.

Then there were the teenagers, talking loudly and being obnoxious, but James and Kate didn't care since at least they weren't over here with their cell phones in their faces and taking pictures.

James had pretty much cleared his plate, but Kate had just finished her burger and was now picking at her fries, clearly not all that hungry anymore.

She looked up at him, "You want the rest of these. I can't eat any more."

She pushed the plate towards the middle of the table, not even waiting for his answer.

He poured some more ketchup onto the plate and began to eat her fries as well.

"If we leave early enough, we could make it to Albuquerque by late afternoon. Still early enough to meet up with Gordy in person and discuss the deal he's willing to propose for us to the buyer."

"I still don't understand how Nikki and Paulo ended up with those diamonds."

James shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know either, babe. Like I already told you, they just died … it was the weirdest thing."

"You think that smoke thing did it?"

"Hell if I know. But Miles said that they were worth about eight."

"Eight million? That handful of crystals, that's crazy?" Kate asked surprised.

"Yeah, but that don't mean we'll get that much for them, Freckles."

She nodded and took a drink from her iced tea before she spoke, "We don't need that much anyways, just enough to buy a house, donate some of it and invest the rest to live off of."

James cleared his throat and looked over at her, "It ain't goin' to be that simple. We can't spend any money without provin' were it came from should the IRS come knockin'. After my assumed death, the insurance money you got and had to pay back, the lawsuit settlement, the loan from Hurley and us selling the house and the cars … we'll have to hire one hell of a tax-attorney to fight his way through our nightmare of paperwork. So we'll have eyes on us and every penny we spend regardless, meaning we gotta be smart about this money comin' to us, Freckles. Real smart."

She sighed and held his gaze for a long moment, "You mean like money laundering?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. We can't just go out and buy houses, spending money that according to our bank account we don't have. It'll raise fucking red flags and that's the last thing we want right now, don't you think?"

James couldn't stand the worried expression that crossed her face and he reached across the table, covering her small hand with his and gave it a gently squeeze, "Don't worry, Freckles, this ain't my first rodeo. We'll figure this out, I promise."

She nodded relieved at his confidence on the matter when her cell phone rang.

She quickly dug it out and glanced at the screen. It was Gordy; she handed it to James and said, "No matter how broke we are, we do need to get you a new phone."

He took it and nodded. "Yeah, we do." He said and quickly answered the call.

X

James heard the toilet flush and moments later, Kate stepped out of the bathroom, once again dressed in an oversized t-shirt and charcoal grey yoga pants that stretched comfortably over her expanding belly.

Kate dug around her suitcase for something and James looked up at her from his spot on the bed, turned the TV to mute before he got up and stepped towards her. Stepping up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Have you seen my hairbrush?" she asked, and he simply shrugged. "We'll find it later."

He pulled her closer, tucked on her until she finally gave in and turned around in his arms, abandoning her search for the hairbrush.

He tucked on her hand, stepping backwards towards the bed, but instead of pulling her onto the mattress he stopped and turned the alarm clock radio on, turning the dial until he found a radio station playing a suitable song, then turned the other dial to increase the volume.

Kate smiled up at him through her uncombed curls when he wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She obliged wordlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder, slowly moving their feet to the melody that filled the small room.

He stirred them slowly towards the front door of the room, let go of her just long enough to open the door and then tried to move outside.

Kate pulled back, "What are you doing?"

"Trust me, Freckles." He drawled and pulled her back against him.

She sighed, but stopped resisting and he twirled them slowly out of the room, onto the cement sidewalk that stretched alongside the building.

The sky was crystal clear, sparkling with stars and the moon was in plain sight.

It was mid November and the air was chilly, but neither of them seemed to care as they swayed back and forth to the music that was still playing in their room a few feet away.

James held her close, rubbing one hand soothingly up and down her back. A few people passed by on their way to their own room, but nobody seemed to give the dancing couple a second glance, "See, Freckles? Nobody cares 'bout us here."

She nodded and leaned into him, loving the feel of his strong arms holding her so close, "This is nice, James."

"Yeah, Freckles." He replied, "This is real nice."

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End Note:What do you guys think so far? Do you still like where this is going? Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! xoxo