Author's Note: This is a long one, but I couldn't find a good place to break it up. It's also the last chapter in this one! I hope you enjoy. This story kind of took on a mind of its own so it didn't really go where I had planned, but I think it turned out alright!

Thank you to those who have previously reviewed this story!

Also if you've got any Suliet story ideas send them my way! I love writing these two!

Disclaimer: Lost is not mine.

Please read and review! Reviews make me happy!

Dreamcatcher

Chapter 4

Sawyer got up the next morning to find Juliet sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and a book. He grabbed his own mug and sat across from her. She didn't look up. "Mornin'." He said, mostly because he didn't know what else to say.

"Morning, James." She replied and finally looked up at him for the briefest of moments before returning to her book.

Sawyer caught the dark circles under her eyes. Had she slept at all last night? He couldn't say he'd had the greatest night's sleep, but he did sleep. She looked like she hadn't seen rest in ages. "Everything ok?" He asked tentatively.

Juliet looked up again, this time with an attempt at a smile. "Yeah." She said. "Just didn't sleep very well."

That's an understatement. Sawyer thought as he eyed her curiously. There was more to the story, but he wouldn't push. Somehow he was able to hold his tongue from saying what he wanted to about her sleepless night. Maybe if you hadn't shut me out we both coulda slept better…and talked this out. Sawyer had never been one for big emotional let's-talk-about-our-feelings conversations, but right now, with Juliet, he wouldn't mind one. He didn't know how to fix whatever it was that seemed to be bothering her and he didn't want to risk losing the best friendship he'd had in well, ever. He finally decided he'd let her get away with her evasiveness for now. Maybe she just needed a little time and space and things would get back to normal.

"It's pizza night tonight. You wanna go? I told Miles and Jin I'd see 'em up there." Sawyer changed the subject. Once very couple of weeks or so the cafeteria had a pizza night where nearly every kind of pizza imaginable was available along with an assortment of potato chips and desserts. It had become a favorite among DI members and something everyone looked forward to.

Juliet's smile nearly reached her eyes this time. "Sure." She said. "But I'll be late. I've got that thing tonight remember?" Some of the Dharma women had started a monthly Ladies' Night. Amy had roped Juliet into it and although the blonde wasn't thrilled, it was nice to get a break from the guys once in a while.

Sawyer nodded. "Right. I'll save ya a plate." He gave her a full dimpled smile in hopes of raising her mood. He wasn't disappointed. She smiled back, a real one this time.

The rest of the morning continued as usual and after a lunch Juliet made they both settled on the couch to read. Each were at opposite ends. Juliet sat with her legs underneath her, leaning on the arm of the couch. Sawyer, as usual, attempted to read without his glasses before giving up and putting them on. Juliet thought it seemed as though he thought his vision might magically be fixed one day and he would no longer need glasses. She had to suppress a smile and a laugh each time she saw him hold his book near the end of his nose before snatching his glasses off the table in a huff and throwing them on his face.

A half hour into reading Sawyer heard the thud of something falling to the floor. "What was that?" He asked, eyes fixed on his book. Nothing but silence from the other end of the couch. "Jules?" He started. When she didn't answer he pulled his attention from his current paragraph and looked over to her. Her book lay in a heap on the floor and her head was tilted back against the back of the couch. Her eyes were closed and her breaths came evenly in sleep. It wasn't the first time one of them had fallen asleep while reading, but he knew it would be the first time he didn't tease her about it. Something had kept her up last night. He longed to know what it was that bothered her so much, but she needed the rest and he was content to see her features relax in sleep. It was the one time she was not bogged down by fears and worries and he had spent several morning s lying in bed watching her sleep, marveling at the peaceful expression on her face. He thought she was beautiful all the time, but especially so when she wasn't worrying about time travel or smoke monsters. Sawyer shook his head and turned his attention back to his book. Just friends. Just friends. Just friends. He reminded himself.

Two hours later Juliet woke up and discreetly picked her book up off the floor. Sawyer pretended he didn't notice a thing.

After a few more chapters Juliet got up and changed clothes. She wasn't looking forward to Ladies' Night, but she'd already said she'd be there. A different person hosted each time. Sometimes they did crafts or played games. Mostly they drank wine and gossiped. Juliet had gone for Amy's sake. The other woman insisted she go with her. But this week Amy wouldn't be there. She'd gotten word that her father was sick and had left on the sub the week before. Juliet missed her company. The guys were great, but sometimes it was nice to be around another woman.

Juliet told Sawyer she'd meet him in the cafeteria later and headed out the door.

Sawyer sat his tray down next o Miles and took a seat. Jin was on the other side and looked across Miles' plate giving a brief wave to acknowledge Sawyer's presence. Miles swallowed his mouthful of pizza and turned to Sawyer. "Still mad at me?" He asked, referring to the fact that it was his fault the entire island now thought Juliet and Sawyer were a couple.

"I haven't decided yet." Sawyer answered honestly before taking a bite out of his pizza.

Before he could even finish his first slice a tray was plopped down across from Sawyer and Juliet dropped into the corresponding seat.

"Thought you were gonna be late." Miles said.

Sawyer knew the look on Juliet's face. It was the one he often saw when he tracked mud in the house or left dirty clothes on the bathroom floor. She was pissed.

"Everything ok?" Miles asked and Sawyer inwardly cringed as her death stare was focused on the Asian.

"No, and it's all your fault." She said pointedly to Miles. Jin froze. Sawyer looked back and forth between his two friends hoping Miles wouldn't say anything stupid to make it worse.

Miles was momentarily stunned by Juliet's outburst. He was frozen with a slice of pizza hanging midair halfway to his mouth. "Umm…" Miles started and Sawyer held his breath. "What happened?" He asked slowly.

Juliet took a deep breath and some of her anger seemed to dissipate with the exhale. "I was uninvited to Ladies' Night." All three men were confused. "Becky's hosting tonight and she heard about us." She motioned between herself and Sawyer, shaking her head in the process and glaring at Miles who put his pizza back on his plate, suddenly feeling very guilty. "Anyway, she slapped me, called me a liar, and told me to get out." Her last sentence came out considerably faster than the ones previous and it took he guys a second to catch up.

Jin recovered first. "Why she think you lie?" He asked.

Juliet sighed. "She's been trying to work up the nerve to ask James out. I told her he was single so now she thinks I lied in order to get her to humiliate herself." Juliet explained. Jin shook his head in disbelief.

Sawyer was still stuck on a different part of Juliet's story. "She hit you?" He asked, his voice low and serious.

"It's nothing, James." She said.

"No." His voice as rising. "I'm gonna set her straight. Where's she at?" He started to get up from the table.

"James sit down." Juliet spoke sternly as though she were instructing a small child.

Sawyer glared at her, but took his seat when he noticed other people beginning to look their way.

"Can we just forget about all of this? Please?" Juliet nearly begged. "I just want things to go back to normal." She said although she was beginning to wonder what normal was. Was normal months ago before James ever sat on her bed let alone slept in it? Was it last week when they began and ended each day side by side? Or was it something altogether different? Juliet did know thinking about it was making her head hurt.

"So I'm forgiven then?" Miles asked hopefully. Sawyer elbowed him.

Juliet put her head in her hands, but when she went to rest her elbows on the table she caught the side of her tray and caused her plate to fly upwards, tossing its contents all over her. She immediately jumped up and looked down. She was covered in cheese and pizza sauce. Jin, Miles, and Sawyer all got up and started pushing napkins her way, all three talking at once. She managed to get the worst off, but her white shirt was stained. She looked up to see Becky along with a couple other women walk in the door. They were looking in her direction clearly suppressing giggles.

Sawyer noticed her blank stare towards the door. He turned and saw the other women. "Jules?" He said bringing her attention back to their table.

Juliet shook her head. This is too much right now. "I…I gotta go." She said. The concern on Sawyer's face along with that on Jin and Miles' was almost too much. "I'll be back." She added less urgently. "I just need some fresh air." She reassured them.

Juliet headed for the exit, passing Becky and her snickers in the process. She stood outside in the cool island breeze and caught her breath. The setting sun cast an orange haze over Dharmaville and it wasn't long before she saw Horace heading her way. His 70's hair flowed in the breeze and he approached with a big smile. He frowned when he got close enough to notice the stains on her shirt. "What happened?" He asked.

"Just an accident." She said with a polite smile.

"That's too bad. Hopefully it's Jim's turn for the laundry!" He joked.

Juliet smiled and nodded.

"Speaking of Jim," Horace continued. "I was thrilled to hear about you two. I always thought you guys would make a nice couple." The man was beaming. Juliet was speechless. "Anyway, I thought we could all double up sometime. You know, you and Jim and me and Amy. There's a ridge not far from here that would be nice for a picnic…" Horace continued, but Juliet wasn't listening anymore. She knew the place he was talking about. It was where Goodwin was murdered…or will be murdered.

Juliet flashed back to the dream she'd had the night before. She'd tried to put it out of her mind and had been doing a decent job at it, but now it all came back. James. Still. Cold. Dead.

Horace stopped abruptly and put a hand on her arm. "Are you alright?" He asked.

It was then that she noticed the tears filling her eyes. "I just, I gotta go." She said and walked quickly away from Horace, leaving him confused next to the cafeteria entrance.

Horace watched her head towards the dock before heading inside. He found Sawyer, Jin, and Miles easily.

Sawyer noticed the other man approach with an uncharacteristically grim expression. "What's wrong, H?" He asked when Horace got close enough.

"It's Juliet." Horace started. That got Miles and Jin's attention as well as Sawyer's. "I was just telling her about a nice place for a picnic and she went running off."

Sawyer looked to Miles. What about a picnic could make her upset? "Where'd she go?" He asked as he got up.

"She headed towards the dock."

"Thanks, H." Sawyer headed outside. He found Juliet sitting at the end of the dock staring at the sunset with her feet dangling over the water. Sawyer's boots pounded against the wood as he made his way towards her, but she gave no indication of hearing him. He sat next to her without a word. The wind was blowing her long hair around her face and he could see the tracks down her face from the few tears that managed to escape her barriers. They were both silent for a few moments until Juliet turned to look at him. She gave him a weak smile, but he could see the tears still waiting to fall.

"What happened?" He asked gently.

Juliet was looking out at the water again. She took a breath and turned back to Sawyer. "Last night." She started and then paused unsure if she really wanted to go into this, but there was something in his eyes that told her to continue. "Horace thinks the four of us should go on a picnic." She started over.

Sawyer waited patiently as she chose her words carefully.

"The place where he suggested we go…I know that place." Juliet continued, her voice filled with more emotion than Sawyer had ever heard before. "Ben sent someone I loved to die there. And he took me there to see his body." She paused again.

Sawyer took her pause as an ending. "I'm so sorry Jules." He said and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"That's not it." She said as she wriggled out of his touch and turned to face him completely. Sawyer was confused and a little hurt at being brushed off, but he let her continue. "Last night I dreamed that the man he killed, the body he made me see was you, not Goodwin." She looked him in the eye. "It was you James. And you were gone." There. She said it. But he was silent and she suddenly felt extremely embarrassed.

Sawyer was still processing Juliet's words when he noticed her look away as her cheeks filled with red. Then it hit him. She felt the same way he did when he saw her die in a dream. That's why she shut him out last night.

"Hey." He said softly which got her to look at him. He grabbed her hand and held it in his own. "I'm alright." He said and she nodded. "Remember the night I had a bad dream?" He asked and laughed when her face said 'Really? Of course I remember'. After all, that dream was what led to everyone thinking they were together which led them to their current situation.

Sawyer's face quickly grew serious again as he recalled the events of his dream. "Well in my dream I was hidin' under my momma and daddy's bed again. I saw him come in the room and I heard the shots, but when I looked again I didn't see either one of them lyin' on the floor." His grip on her hand tightened. "It was you Jules. And I watched you die."

The events of that night and the nights after suddenly made a lot more sense to Juliet. "I'm sorry I shut you out last night." She said after a silent moment. "I should have just told you, but I didn't want you to see me. I was a mess." She admitted.

"Don't worry about it." He said and he wrapped his arm around her again. This time she leaned into his embrace.

They sat silent for a while staring out at the ocean and listening to the waves lapping at the beach.

"We don't gotta go on no picnics if you don't wanna." Sawyer broke the silence abruptly.

Juliet glanced at him and smiled. That was the moment Sawyer realized it, realized he didn't want to be just friends with this woman. He wanted to go to sleep and wake up each day with her by his side. And he wanted to finally know what it felt like to have her lips pressed firmly against his.

"Jules?" She looked up at him again and without hesitation Sawyer brought his lips down onto hers.

Juliet melted into the kiss before returning it full force. Her hand came up to rest on his cheek and when they finally parted breathlessly their foreheads rested against each other.

Sawyer pulled away slightly to really look at her and grinned. "So…" He started, a smirk forming on his face. "Since everyone already thinks we're a couple how 'bout we make it official?"

Juliet smiled. "Can we not tell Miles for while? I'm still kinda mad at him for being a blabbermouth."

Sawyer chuckled and his smile increased tenfold. "You got it, Blondie." And he kissed her again.