Quickie:

SassyLostie - You'll kidney never hear the end of it, as long as I remember. :-) Father-knows-best? Hang on there. I don't think he's all that developed! Haha. You're not really onto anything except that you notice how I forget to clarify things frequently. I guess I should have worked Cassidy's character more into a mother, rather than...well...Cassidy.
LordXwee - I just want you to know that every time I see your username before the review I laugh. Hehehe.
lost-crazy - 'pretty good'? That's all I earn from you? Darn. Now I have to go and work harder and write away every night so that I cacn get more out of you.

So remember when I said I'd be giving you guys freebies sometimes? Well...here ya go!

Chapter 44

Little rapid footsteps sounded the hallway and stairs until Clementine appeared with Mackenzie in her arms, and Kate trailing behind her. Cassidy and Sawyer looked up, and Clementine smiled.

"I found the kitty."

Cassidy smiled nervously. "That's very good honey. But, um, why don't you come and take a seat over here, pumpkin?"

"Okay."

She did as she was told, taking a seat on her mother's lap, continuously stroking Mackenzie.

"Your father and I are gonna leave the choice up to you. You can stay here for a little while with Daddy and Kate, or you can come back home with me. Okay?"

Clementine let Mackenzie go, and tapped her index finger against her lips, thinking.

"How long do I have to stay?"

"However long or short you want to. But only until the week before school starts again."

"Hmm," she tapped her chin, and looked at Sawyer. "Will you really take me to the zoo?"

He glared at Cassidy. "We'll see."

Once again, she glanced at her mother. Then, she put her small hands on both sides of Cassidy's face, forcing her to make eye contact.

"You promise you'll come back for me?"

"Of course I will," she said, peeling her daughter's hands off of her face and holding onto them. "And I promise you you'll have tons of fun."

Her eyebrows creased. "Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah," Cassidy nodded.

"Well….." Clementine looked down at the floor. "Okay. But you have to call everyday, okay?"

Sawyer sighed in defeat. Kate walked around the coffee table and sat on the arm of the couch beside him, lacing her fingers with his.

"Okay," Cassidy agreed. She looked to Sawyer. "Okay?"

"Okay," he said, dully.

"Daddy?"

Sawyer felt uneasiness in the pit of his stomach upon being called 'daddy'. He would have to get used to that, but he was sure it would take a while.

"Yeah?"

"Are there other kids around here too?"

"In the park or by the lake, probably."

"Can we go there?"

"We'll see."

"Hey, Clemmy," Cassidy said. "You wanna know a secret?"

"Yeah!"

"I think there's a good chance you might be a big sister soon," she said, glancing at Kate.

Kate felt Sawyer's hand slip out of hers, and looked down before she could see him glare. She felt his eyes piercing through her, but dared not look up. In a moment's time, Sawyer was up from the couch and excusing himself and Kate from the room.

Kate let Sawyer drag her into the kitchen, and then outside onto the patio to talk, without any protest. She knew it was coming. But she also knew that while he wouldn't have wanted Cassidy to know, she needed to. If Clementine was going to be a part of their life, then Cassidy needed to know that there was a chance that a child of theirs would be a part of Clementine's.

"Before you start to yell at me," Kate began. "You have to understand why I did it. I mean…"

Sawyer glared at her, without an idea of even where to begin. He walked to the edge of the patio and stared out at the woods.

"I thought she should know. I didn't…"

He then walked back to her, but he didn't open his mouth. He sighed, shaking his head, and walked back to the edge of the patio, sitting down on the slate. Confused, she walked over, standing a few feet behind him.

"James…"

"What're we doin'?"

"What?"

"What are we doin'?"

She sat beside him. "What do you mean?"

"If we're still not even sure what we're gonna do, then you mind tellin' me why you told her?"

Kate stared up at the sky in thought. He was right. They hadn't made a decision, and she had already told Cassidy. Did that mean she actually made the decision, without realizing it? Maybe it was just a way of telling her that they needed to make a decision already. But it slipped out so easily…

"I don't know."

"Of course you don't," he muttered.

"No, I really don't."

She lowered her head into her hand, resting her elbow on her knee, and faced him.

"I can't figure out what it means."

"What?" he stared at her, confused.

"It came out so fast, I just…" she trailed.

A few minutes of silence passed. Sawyer kicked at the dirt, forming a shoe-shaped hole.

"You really wanna do this?" he finally asked.

"Do you?"

He dimpled. "I asked first."

She smiled. "I don't know yet. It just felt like the right thing to do. Tell her, I mean."

"Why's that?"

"Well, if Clementine's going to be a part of our life…"

As if on cue, the sliding door opened and Clementine walked out. They both turned their heads and she glanced back and forth between them.

"Mommy wanted me to make sure you were okay."

"Which one of us?" Sawyer asked.

Clementine pointed at Kate. Kate looked down, laughing, then smiled back up at her.

"I'm fine."

"What're you doing?"

"We're just talking."

She looked around. "Your outside is empty."

Sawyer looked around too. "Yeah. It don't get much use."

"Why not? Don't your friends come over to play?"

He grinned. "I ain't got many friends."

"Kate's your friend," she pointed out.

"She's a real good friend," he grinned, devilishly.

Kate flushed, and forced herself to look away from him. Clementine smiled.

"Is she your beeest friend?"

Kate looked up now and shared a long look with him. He smiled, finally.

"Yeah."

"I thought so."

He laughed. "You did, huh?"

"Yes."

"And why'd you think that?"

"Because she lives here with you."

"Just 'cause she lives here doesn't mean we gotta be friends."

"Then why else would she live here?"

"How do you know I ain't rentin' her a room?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind," he grinned.

A moment later, Cassidy appeared at the doorway to the patio. All three looked up at her.

"Looks like I'm missin' out on the party," she said, stepping out.

"What party?" Clementine asked.

"Not a real party, Clemmy."

"Oh," she looked down, disappointedly.

"So what's going on out here?"

"Just talking," Clementine answered before either Sawyer or Kate could.

"Well thank you Clem, but I was talkin' to them."

"Oh."

"Maybe we should go back inside," Kate suggested.

"Yeah," Sawyer agreed.

They followed behind Cassidy and Clementine and reverted back to the living room. Cassidy sent Clementine on a search for Mackenzie so the grown-ups could talk.

"Did I miss somethin' before?" Cassidy started.

"No," Kate and Sawyer said, simultaneously. They glanced at each other, weirdly.

"O..kay." She paused. "Was I not supposed to know about the pregnancy?"

Kate looked down, leaving Sawyer to answer her. But Sawyer didn't say anything either, so Kate was forced to take the initiative.

"I…We don't know what we're doing about it yet. I shouldn't have told you," Kate confessed.

"What do you mean you don't know what you're doing?"

"We're just not sure it's a good time right now."

"There is never a good time for kids. Believe me," she said, glancing at Sawyer.

"Oh I believe you," Sawyer shot back.

"How far along is it?"

"Ten weeks," Kate answered.

"Well, hell! Two and a half months - you've almost finished the first trimester. That ain't much time to decide."

"I know."

"What's the problem with keepin' it?"

"We just don't know if we're ready yet."

"Which one of you ain't ready?" Cassidy said cynically.

"Both…" Kate said hesitantly. "Both of us."

"Are you sure about that?"

Kate glanced at Sawyer, but he was wearing the same blank expression as she was.

"Pretty sure," Kate nodded.

"Well what about Clementine now? You'll get some good experience with her around."

"Look, Cass, why don't you just leave this to us, all right?" Sawyer intervened.

"Fine."

"Good."

"Well, in that case," she said, rising from the couch. "I'll go get her things and check out of that motel. Then I'll leave the two of you to it."

"Hold it," Sawyer stopped her. "You're gonna leave now?"

"Why shouldn't I? I have a life to get back to, after all."

"What about Clementine? You're just going to leave her here?" Kate chimed in.

"Clementine will be fine. She's already taken a liking to you two and Mackenzie for that matter."

"You realize that by leaving so abruptly – "

"Don't try and tell me about my kid, Kate," Cassidy snapped. "You don't know nothin' about her."

"No, but I know you."

"And?"

"And if you run away this quickly, she's not going to be happy."

"As much as I hate to admit it, she's right," Sawyer agreed.

"Well, she's your problem now, ain't she?"

Kate narrowed her eyes. Cassidy called herself a mother? She shook her head in disgust, then glanced at Sawyer. He raised his eyebrows, out of ideas. He couldn't stop Cassidy from leaving, and at this point, it would be a good riddance. He just wished Clementine wouldn't have to pay for it. Cassidy walked to the door, but stopped, holding onto the knob and turned halfway around.

"I'll bring her things inside and be on my way."