This was originally just from James' point of view but since Marla's Lost, x Lost Hero x, and makealist requested a companion fic from Juliet's point of view, I decided to do it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope you like this...
"So, when are you planning on telling him how you feel?" Amy asked, for what felt like the tenth time this hour. I sighed, wheeling out from underneath the car I was working on and stood near her. The past couple days at the motor pool had been slow, and since today was no different Amy had decided to stand to the side and keep me company. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I looked up to meet her gaze and explained, "Amy, I'm not telling him, because there's nothing to tell. I don't like James, he's just a good friend."
"Seems like more than a friend to me." She argued, "And it's obvious Jim likes you."
"What do you mean?" I asked quickly, my words blending together.
"The way he looks at you, talks to you, smiles at you--everyone sees it." She said simply and when I was about to respond, I noticed James from a distance.
"Well here he comes. I better leave you two love birds alone." She joked before strolling back to her house. As she left, I quickly pulled my hair out of my ponytail and let it fall over my shoulders, waiting for the man I claimed I 'didn't like'.
"Howdy, Blondie. Ya hear the news?" He asked, whilst walking in my direction. I instantly looked up at him, his eyes glowing, and I melted inside. He somehow always managed to look stunning, even when wearing a dirty dharma uniform.
"No, what happened?"
"H just announced the new head a' Security. Care to guess who it might be?" He asked smugly, and I could see the pride evident in his features.
"Really?" I asked happily, smiling as I congratulated him. James had been gunning for this position for a few weeks now and I was overjoyed at the fact he accomplished his goal.
"Why thank ya, sweetheart." He replied in his usual charming tone, "An' since I'm in a good mood, there's somethin' I've been meanin' to ask ya."
"Shoot." I said, trying to hide the anticipation of what he might ask of me. He paused for a moment and then began, "We're two people, stuck on an island in the 70's, an' we never liked each other but now...now we got each other an' you're not as bad as I thought an'--Hell, why is this so damn hard?"
He paused and my heart skipped a beat--to most people James' rambling would hardly make sence, but to myself, it was clear what he wanted.
"Shut up, James." I whispered, closing my eyes for a breif moment while I gained the courage to do what I had waited several months for. I inched closer to him and slowly pressed my lips against his, "I understand, James. I feel the same way."
"You do?" He asked softly as millions of thoughts rushed throughout my brain. I could tell now that Amy was right, by the look on James' face, he did in fact have feelings for me. And although I hated to admit it, I had feelings for him as well. But what if he ended up hurting me? What if dating didn't work out and our friendship was ruined as a result? What if he cheated on me and drove me back to my old, pathetic, style of living? I couldn't take that chance...but I also couldn't stand another day without being with him, without kissing him, so I did the only thing I could think of, "We're both lonely. We get along well. We might as well be together. It'll be meaningless, no strings attached."
"Exactly." He stated, smiling. I grinned back at him, but when I noticed his boss walking past, said, "Well you better get back to work. I don't want to get you fired on your first day in charge."
"Good thinkin', puddin'." He answered smoothly as he walked back to the control room, and once he was out of sight I heard footsteps and a voice squeal, "Juliet! You did it! You kissed him!"
"You spying on me?" I asked jokingly, and she shot me an innocent look before saying, "So where are you having your first date?"
"There is no first date." I answered and she looked at me shocked and stuttered, "B--but you kissed him. Things were--it looked like you two were finally..."
"We're going to be friends with benefits." I explained, "This way no one gets hurt."
Amy shook her head disapprovingly but stated nonetheless, "Whatever makes you happy, Jules."
The rest of the day carried on as normal, and when my work at the motor pool was done, I hurried over to the house that James, Miles, Jin, and I shared and went into James' bedroom. I stripped off my clothes and soon heard the door slam and, knowing it was James, said, "I'm in here."
He came into the room quicker than expected and as soon as he layed eyes on me, I uttered seductively, "Hello James."
"Why hello Juliet." was his answer and we smiled at each other as he took a seat next to me.
We went on like this for a while, having casual nights together, until a few months later, he changed everything for the better.
We lay in bed, snuggled up against one another, until James awoke me from my slumber by planting a kiss on my forehead. I smiled into his neck and blinked numerously to rid the sleep from my eyes, then looked up to see him grinning back at me, saying, "I love you."
"You what?" I asked frantically, not sure what to think, "What do you mean, you can't--you don't love me."
I then jumped out of bed and ran of the room, down to the pier, in order to collect my thoughts. I didn't want to leave him, sitting alone, with an awe stricken look on his face, but I couldn't trust the words that might have formed from my mouth if I had stayed. I wasn't sure what had scared me more: the fact that he admitted he loved me or that only a week prior, I had realized I loved him.
I dipped my feet into the water as I sat looking out at the sunrise, thinking over what my next move should be. It was undeniable that I had grown to love him and wanted a real relationship but my fear for getting hurt remained.
"Juliet." I heard a rough voice say suddenly and I glanced over, eyes wide open, "Why is it you're so scared?"
"Scared?" I asked, wondering to myself how he could read me so well, "Of what?"
"Don't play the dumb blonde card, we both know you're a hell of a lot smarter than that." He retorted and I swiftly turned my head away, afraid that if I kept my gaze on him, I would get lost in his eyes and be putty in his hands.
"I ain't gonna let ya run away from your feeling's. Not this time. Now just tell me how ya feel about me an'--if ya want me to, I'll leave ya the hell alone." He continued and I cringed at the word 'leave'. Edmund had left me for his younger, more beautiful research assistant, Jack had left me to live in the real world with Kate, there was no way in hell I was getting left alone again.
"Don't you leave me." I whispered sternly, although in truth, I knew he never would, "I don't want you to ever leave me James Ford...that's the problem."
"I won't leave you. Not if you don't want me to." He said softly and when I smiled, he added, "I meant what I said before, I love ya, Blondie."
"I believe you, but it--it's not only that. I...I've been through so many things...I've decieved, I've lied, I've killed. I don't want to hurt you, you've been through so much--" I started, reffering to his parents and Kate. Even though I trusted James not to hurt me, I wasn't sure if I could trust myself to not hurt him.
"Juliet." He sighed, ignoring my statement, "Do you love me?"
I almost laughed as the words left his lips, wondering how he could read me so well, yet not realize how much I actually cared about him.
"I..." I took a breath and smiled as I answered, "Yes, I love you. You make me feel safer than Edmund ever did, you make me feel happier than Goodwin ever did, you make me feel more important than Jack ever did--and I love you for that."
"Juliet, I--" He tried to interrupt, his eyes burning into my own, but I cut him off, "Hold on, I'm still not finished. I love you for your wit, for your smile, for not being ashamed of who you are, and I love you for loving me back."
"You look beautiful right now, ya know that?" He stated out of the blue and I crossed my arms playfully and, whilst trying not to laugh, asked, "You didn't listen to a word I said, did you?"
"Don't be silly." He reassured me, "'Course I did. It was all 'bout how wonderful I am, ain't that right?"
"Absolutely." I whispered after giving him a smack on the arm, and when he grinned, I leaned in close to press my lips against his.
"This mean I'm meaningful to ya, now?" He asked and I replied softly, "You've always meant something to me."