Chapter 12.

The mood in the car was much more relaxed on the drive home than it had been before. There was still silence, though it was far easier now. Sawyer was almost wary of breaking it, but he had an idea and now seemed like as good a time as any to suggest it.

"I was thinking," he began slowly, waiting to get Kate's attention. "Maybe we should go on a date tonight."

Kate looked at him as though he'd suddenly grown another head.

"What, is the idea that crazy?" Sawyer wanted to know.

"No," replied Kate quickly, clearly confused. "But why? We've never been on a date before."

"Sounds like a good reason to me, Freckles," he answered wisely.

At a loss for words, Kate turned back to stare out the window, probably wondering what had come over him. He decided to spare her the difficulty.

"I want to spoil you," he admitted. Kate didn't look at him, but out of the corner of his eye he saw her expression soften into a smile. He added, "I want to make up for everything I've put you through."

She glanced over at him, looking almost guilty. "You don't have to do that," she said, shaking her head.

"I want to," he told her firmly. Now that he'd made up his mind, there was to be no changing it.

She smiled, turning in her seat so she was facing him. Reaching over to touch his shoulder, she said "I'd love to go on a date with you."

Keeping his eye on the road, he reached up to grab her hand, kissing her knuckles before letting it go.

A comfortable silence reigned over them once more, and continued the rest of the way home.

"I'm gonna call Hurley and ask him to watch Peanut tonight." Sawyer announced as they walked through their front door.

Kate stopped in her tracks. "No, I don't think that's such a good idea."

Sawyer had been expecting her to say that; it was why he'd waited so long to bring up this part of the plan. It had also given him time to come up with a rebuttal for every argument he was sure she'd have.

"Why not?" he asked, knowing she needed to get her concerns out in the open.

"It's short notice, don't you think? Hurley might have plans." Kate reasoned.

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't. He offered to watch Peanut while we went to see Cassidy, and he said he'd be prepared for any disaster that came out of it. His words, not mine," he added quickly when he saw the look on Kate's face.

She played with the hem of the toddler's jacket, looking worried, avoiding Sawyer's eyes. "She's never spent a night away from us before," Kate said softly.

"She'll be fine," he reassured her. "What's the worst that can happen?"

Kate looked at him as though he'd temporarily gone insane. Before she could explain to him exactly what could go wrong, he quickly added, "Okay, but how likely is it that the worst will actually happen?"

He gave her an almost daring look, jokingly challenging her to answer the question. After a few seconds of this, her anxiety visibly faded, and she smiled.

"Okay?" Sawyer asked, wanting her, for some reason, to actually say the word.

"Okay," she agreed with only a little reluctance. "But this is a one-off. I don't want her getting used to being away from us," she added more firmly.

"All right then," Sawyer announced. "Why don't you get her ready to go, and I'll organise the rest."

As he strode out of the room he was sure he heard Kate muffle a laugh. He knew he was acting out of the ordinary, but for once he didn't care about keeping up appearances. He owed her this, and if she was as determined that it be a one-off event as she'd seemed to be, then he had to make it a night to remember.

As soon as Kate set her daughter down in her bedroom, the toddler made a beeline for her stack of building blocks. Kate smiled, watching her for a moment, before heading to the dresser. She didn't really want to do this. She understood Sawyer's reasoning, and she agreed that they needed it. It had been so long since they'd had time to themselves, and it seemed like it had been even longer since their lives had been drama-free.

However, separation anxiety was already building up inside her.

She remained where she was, lost in her thoughts, completely unaware of how quickly time was passing until Sawyer entered the room. Remembering what she was supposed to be doing, she hurriedly began grabbing things out of drawers and stuffing them into a bag.

The minute Peanut saw her father she abandoned her toys and ran into his arms, demanding a hug. Sawyer lifted her over his head and gently shook her around a little before settling her closer to his body. Listening to her giggles, he finally turned to Kate. She was glad he'd allowed her that time to compose herself.

"Hurley's agreed to take her for the night," he began. Kate forced herself to smile, to be excited. She was relieved to find it only took a small amount of conscious effort; despite her misgivings she was really starting to look forward to this.

Sawyer added, "I told him you'd be around to drop her off soon."

Kate raised her eyebrow at that. "I thought you were going to be organising everything?" she asked.

"I am," Sawyer told her warily.

"So shouldn't you take her to Hurley's? Give me time to relax, get ready for ... whatever it is you have planned?" she teased.

Sawyer smirked. "If I have to drop her off at Hurley's, I won't have time to organise things," he said logically. "And you'll have plenty of time to get ready for tonight. Don't worry about it Freckles, I've got it covered," he added confidently.

Now Kate couldn't help laughing a little. There was something about his tone that was so amusing. She often wondered if he was aware of it, and used it to his advantage.

Suddenly, she wasn't close enough to him. In a few quick steps she solved the problem, moving over to him and wrapping her arms around him and their daughter. Her family. She sighed deeply, breathing in their scents. This was where she felt most at home. As she always did when she was in this position, she wondered how she'd managed to get so lucky.

Eventually they broke apart. Kate picked up Peanut's hastily packed bag and the three headed downstairs. After one last goodbye kiss Sawyer handed the toddler to Kate, and headed into the kitchen. Kate watched him leave before heading outside. As she organised everything in the car she wondered what she'd find when she got back from Hurley's.

The minute Kate stepped through the front door after arriving home from dropping off Peanut, Sawyer rushed out of the kitchen. Grinning at the comical look on his face she started towards him, only to be met by him half-way. Putting his hands on her shoulders he spun her around, ushering her towards the stairs.

"Don't even think about coming through here until I say so," he said, firmly yet gently.

"Why not?" Kate asked, feigning innocence.

Sawyer saw right through her act, the look on his face telling her this clearer than any words ever could.

"Tonight's a surprise, Freckles," he explained nonetheless. "Can't let you see the display when it's only half done, can I?"

"What display?" Kate continued playing along, though she was a little confused by this point. "Are we eating here?"

"Of course we are! Where else would we eat?" Sawyer asked, allowing Kate to turn around to look at him. The minute he saw her trying to steal a look behind him, however, he turned her back, encircling his arms around her to hold her place.

"A restaurant, maybe?" she suggested sarcastically, leaning against him comfortably.

"Well, putting aside the fact that I couldn't get a reservation at such short notice," he began, causing her to chuckle, a movement that spread from her body to his, "I think you'll find this to be much better. Think about it Freckles," he murmured, his head dipping so his mouth was right next to her ear. She could feel his smile against her skin, and she could easily imagine his dimples on display as he continued speaking. "We're in the comfort and privacy of our own home. No need to put on act, no one to tell us what to wear or how to behave. We're free to be ourselves. What restaurant on Earth could offer us that?"

On impulse, Kate turned and pulled Sawyer in for a deep, passionate kiss. Once again, she relished in the thought that she'd found someone who really understood her.

It was Sawyer who pulled away first; reluctantly, it seemed.

"Much as I'd love to continue this now, Freckles, we have a dinner to get ready for. So how about you head on up and get dressed? There's a warm bath waiting for you too, if you want it."

Kate was very tempted to tell Sawyer to forget about their dinner plans, but she held it back. Everything about having a date was new and special for them, and she very much wanted to go along with whatever he had planned, just to see how it fit them.

"What should I wear?" she asked.

"Whatever you want," replied Sawyer, giving it no thought. "I'll call you when everything's ready."

One last lingering kiss on the lips and Kate left Sawyer, heading upstairs. She could feel his eyes following her the whole way.

Entering the bedroom, Kate was suddenly assaulted by the scent of the ocean, momentarily pushing aside thoughts of her date. She closed her eyes and breathed it in, certain it was a phantom smell that would soon vanish.

It didn't. If anything, it became stronger the longer she inhaled it. Opening her eyes again, she noticed the door to the adjoining bathroom was ajar. Remembering Sawyer's comment about a bath, she moved towards the door, the smell of the ocean growing stronger with each step. By the time she reached it she was almost dizzy with the smell. She pushed open the door, revealing a bathtub full of water, bubbles glimmering on the surface enticingly. Perched on the counter was the source of the smell; a bottle of ocean-scented bubble bath.

Kate picked it up in disbelief. Here in her hands was more proof of Sawyer's supreme knowledge of her; a little piece of their first home together. Still she couldn't help wondering, albeit briefly, when and where he'd gotten it. How long had he been planning something like this?

Kate knelt beside the tub, dipping her hand in the water, feeling the temperature. It was perfect. She couldn't fathom how Sawyer had managed that. How had he known what time she would be home?

She decided to stop thinking about it, and just appreciate it.

Standing up, she quickly stripped out of her clothes and slipped into the water. The warmth of it settled around her, cradling her. Letting out a sigh and feeling muscles she hadn't even known to be tense relax, she closed her eyes, took in another deep breathe of that clear ocean smell, and drifted back to the island.

She wasn't used to this. She'd never been a girly-type of a girl. Makeovers and pampering sessions had never interested her. Still, she thought maybe she could handle something like this every once in awhile.

She'd almost dozed off when she heard a shrill noise coming from downstairs, almost immediately followed by Sawyer swearing. As suddenly as the noise began, it stopped, and silence fell again. Kate's heart stood still as she struggled to think of what to do. Before she could worry too much, Sawyer called out, "It's okay! It's just the smoke detector!"

Kate thought that was a bit of a contradiction, but still, he hadn't sounded worried, so she figured it was safe.

The magic had evaporated though, so Kate decided to finish getting ready. Getting out of the tub, she dried herself off, and then wandered into the bedroom to figure out what to wear.

It was a problem. Sawyer had said to wear what she wanted, but she wasn't sure what that was. Her closet offered little inspiration. Most of her clothes were practical, for everyday purposes, and although they were what she'd be the most comfortable in, they didn't feel right for a dinner date. There were a couple of dresses she'd never worn, and she didn't plan on starting now. Shoved to the back were the formal skirts and blouses she'd worn to her trial. She never wanted to see them again, and made a mental note to get rid of them as soon as she could. Maybe she could burn them on a bonfire. It seemed a fitting end for them.

For now, though, she ignored them, focussing on the task at hand. She remembered what Sawyer had said, about this being the one place on earth where they could be themselves, and realised it didn't matter what she wore. She and Sawyer had been through so much together that they always saw what was lurking just below the surface. They knew each other inside out, no matter how they looked on the outside. She didn't have to pretend to be someone else with him.

So, inspired by the scent of the ocean, filled with memories of how they'd met, Kate put on the first pair of jeans and tank top her hands touched. She left her feet bare and her hair out, and, ignoring her jewellery box and make up, left the room and headed downstairs.

Sawyer appeared just as she reached the bottom.

"How do I look?" she asked, slowly turning so he could get a proper look at her ensemble.

He appraised her seriously, even though she'd intended the gesture as a joke. "Perfect," he declared. It was the highest compliment she'd ever received, she thought.

"Good timing, too," he added. "I was just about to call you. You're table is ready," he finished pompously, holding out his arm. Grinning, Kate allowed him to lead her through to the kitchen.

"Why aren't we eating in the dining room?" Kate wondered. "It's more formal."

"Because," Sawyer pointed out, "If we ate in there I'd have to keep leaving the room to bring the food in."

With that, Kate was finally able to see the trouble he'd gone to in the kitchen. She paused at the doorway, stunned.

There were candles everywhere, hundreds of them, she thought, their flickering light covering every surface. The effect was mesmerising. For the second time that night, Kate felt her mind drift back to the island.

She glanced over at Sawyer, who, she realised, had been watching closely to see her reaction.

"Is this what set the smoke detector off?" she asked wryly.

Sawyer smiled guiltily. "Remind me to put the batteries back in later."

Kate nodded, still slightly speechless. She began to slowly walk around the room, committing the sight to memory, amazed by how mystical and different it seemed. As she walked, a small mark on the wall caught her eye.

"What's this?" she asked Sawyer, running her fingers over it.

"That, uh..." as Sawyer began, Kate turned towards him. There was something in his voice that scared her a little.

"That day, when you left," he continued, clearly struggling to speak, "I got... angry, and I kicked a chair..." he trailed off lamely.

Kate stood still, processing this. She could understand, in a way. She knew who he was and how he reacted to things. It was a little disconcerting, but even so, it wasn't like it was a big deal.

Still, there was something about his demeanour that didn't quite match with what he'd said. He'd obviously thought it was something to worry about, so much so that he'd been afraid to tell her. Even now, he was tense, worried about her reaction.

She smiled at him reassuringly. "Let's eat," she said simply. Sawyer visibly relaxed, but as he glanced away for a second she thought she saw a hint of guilt in his eye. She decided not to let it bother her for now. She'd get to the bottom of it later, she decided. Not tonight.

Sawyer made a show of pulling out Kate's chair for her. She struggled not to laugh. She could already see how this evening would go; for all his talk about their home being a place where they could be themselves, he was apparently determined to be someone other than himself for her. She wasn't sure why he thought she'd want that. Then again, maybe he wasn't aware he was doing it. She knew this was a part of him that had made a living in the past, being what every woman wanted. The ideal date. But she wasn't like other women.

They made it through the entree and the main meal before Kate had had enough. She'd been enjoying herself, she had to admit, but the situation was a little too ideal. She'd grown bored with being treated like royalty. She wanted her Sawyer back, the one she'd fallen in love with, and she 

wanted him to treat her like his Freckles. The twinkling lights gave her back the sense of freedom she'd had on the island, and with it came a sense of mischief.

"So, I've been thinking about dying my hair," she said conversationally, pretending to ignore the way Sawyer choked on his food at the suggestion. "I was thinking blonde," she continued, speaking a little louder to be heard over his coughing. "Maybe red; I haven't decided yet. What do you think?"

"Are you insane?" Sawyer blurted out incredulously, his voice hoarse. Kate grinned wickedly at him in response. When Sawyer saw that she'd been joking, he looked relieved.

"Are you trying to kill me, woman?" he asked, throwing a dinner roll at her. She threw it back, harder, a challenge glimmering in her eyes. For a second Sawyer looked like he was about to retaliate again, but he instead raised his hands in mock defeat.

"You win," he said gallantly, "but only because I'm sparing us the agony of having to clean the whole kitchen later."

Glad the formality had disappeared, Kate relaxed, rearranging herself so that one foot was on her seat and she could drape an arm over her knee. Sawyer watched her move, grinning.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to put your feet on the furniture?" he asked mockingly.

"Shut up, it's comfortable," Kate replied. Letting her mind wonder for a minute, she then asked, "Do you think we should call Hurley? Make sure Peanut's okay?"

Sawyer, in the process of clearing the dishes, just shrugged. "I'm sure she's fine."

"You're not worried?" Kate asked. Usually Sawyer was the first to worry about her daughter, not her.

"Hurley would call if there were any problems," he reasoned. He paused, setting the dishes down on the counter. "Do you want to call him? Cause if you're worried, we can call him," he added hastily.

"No, you're right," Kate said. "She'll be fine." By saying at aloud, she was almost able to convince herself it was true.

"Are you sure?" Sawyer asked, looking at her closely.

Kate considered it for a second, but the worry was evaporating. "I'm sure."

"Okay then," Sawyer replied, heading to the fridge. "Close your eyes; it's time for dessert."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?" she asked, doing it anyway.

There was silence, until Sawyer spoke right in her ear, making her jump. "Because it's a surprise. Now you can open them."

She did, staring at the plate that had appeared before her, and for a moment struggled to figure out what to make of it. Realisation dawned on her gradually.

"You made fish biscuits?!" she said gleefully.

"Sure did," he replied proudly. "But I think you'll find mine taste much better than the last ones we had. These are chocolate."

As crazy as it sounded, the sight of the fish biscuits delighted Kate more than anything else so far that evening. It was a nice acknowledgment of their time spent in those cages, when everything changed between them. In a way, it was what had started them on the path that had led them here.

As they ate, they started sharing memories of the island. If anyone had told them before that they'd find humour in having bags put over their heads to go between buildings, or that Sawyer's tale of Ben shaking a rabbit in a cage until it keeled over would have Kate at risk of falling off her chair from laughing, they never would have believed it. Yet here they were, the fear long passed, and what was once considered dangerous was now a source of entertainment.

Finally, the laughter ceased. Their plates were empty, but neither made any attempt to clear them away.

"So, what do you think? Pretty good for a first date, wasn't it?" Sawyer asked after awhile.

Kate was taken aback. "It's not over yet, is it?" she asked, feigning shock.

"Definitely not," he replied, giving her his trademark grin. "I've been wanting to this for awhile," he added, growing serious. "Ever since your trial ended. Just never seemed to find the time."

Kate didn't know what to say to that. He loved her. She knew it, and yet every so often he'd do something like this to show her, and her heart would melt all over again. Needing something to do, she stood and began clearing the table. Sawyer got up to help her, and as they moved around the kitchen in some kind of seamless dance, Kate was suddenly struck by her domestic they'd become. Furthermore, she was surprised by how much she liked it.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back," Sawyer said mysteriously. Kate nodded and continued cleaning up. When he didn't come back straight away, though, she decided to go and investigate.

When she found him, she saw right away that she'd caught him in the act of something. Once she saw the phone in his hand, which he'd clearly been trying to hide from her, she knew what it was.

"You called Hurley, didn't you?" she asked knowingly.

"Alright, you got me," he replied, setting the phone down. "It's strange not having her here, isn't it?" he added after a pause.

"Yeah," was all Kate managed to say. Suddenly, she missed her daughter like crazy. Sawyer was by her side in an instant.

"She's fine," he reassured her as he pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry," Kate whispered tearfully into Sawyer's shirt. "You've gone to so much effort and I'm ruining it all."

"Hey," he said as he rubbed her back, "Don't say that. You haven't ruined anything. Tonight was supposed to be all about you, and if you'd feel better with Layla here, we can go and get her right now."

Kate pulled back a little and stared at him.

"What?" he asked, wondering about the sudden change.

"You called her Layla," Kate said, bemused.

"And?"

"You've never called her Layla! It's always been a nickname, ever since she was born. Even when we first introduced her to everyone, you never said her name. I did all the introductions." Kate was trying not to laugh at Sawyer's expression as she said this. "What changed?"

Sawyer avoided her eyes, looking embarrassed. "Something Hurley said. Apparently he tried calling to her to get her attention before. She wouldn't answer to her name. She only answered to Peanut."

Kate burst out laughing.

"It's not funny! Our daughter doesn't know what her name is!" Sawyer said indignantly. It only made her laugh even harder.

"I told you not to call her Peanut," she managed to say eventually, still chuckling.

"Yeah, well. It's not like you've never called her that, either. For someone who hated the name, you sure use it a lot," he reminded her, looking slightly ashamed.

"True." Kate conceded. "We'd better tell everyone to call her Layla from now on before she's scarred for life."

She leaned back against him, sighing contentedly.

"So should we bring her home?" Sawyer asked.

"No, I'm okay now," Kate replied. "I'll be fine without her for one night."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She reached up, pulling him in for a deep kiss. "You'll just have to keep me distracted tonight," she whispered suggestively into his ear.

"Really?" he said in a low growl, lightly raking his fingers through her hair.

"Mm hmm," she murmured, kissing him again. When they finally came up for air, she added breathlessly, "Think you can manage that?"

Deciding actions spoke louder than words, Sawyer backed Kate up until she was pressed firmly against a wall and began kissing a path down her body.

"Guess we'll have to find out, won't we?" he whispered, his lips against her neck. Kate let her eyes fall closed, allowing her other senses to take control.

Every thought that wasn't of the here and now had already slipped from her mind.

tbc.

So, now you know her name. My original plan was to reveal it in the final chapter (but that was back when the story was only going to be about 7 chapters long). Aren't you glad I got sick of trying to find ways to hide it?

Please leave a review; I'm not used to writing romance and I'd love to know how I went.