Reader Messages:
Well! It's been quite a while since an update. I finally stumbled back across this and decided this needed to be finished. Here's hoping there are still eyes out there willing to read what they left behind, or some new eyes to enjoy it. Apologies to any faithfuls that this took so long. Life happens, you know? =)

Also, quick sidenote: For those of you who hadn't noticed years ago, this is a brief crossover from my Sawyer/Kate fanfiction (Baby Steps) so if you're a reader of both expect bits of each in the other.

Happy reading!

Chapter 21

While Kate and Sawyer were busy getting settled, Claire went back into the kitchen to sit with Charlie and Aaron. Charlie was flipping through a newspaper while Aaron sat in his high chair with juice. Claire sighed, happily, and joined Charlie at the table.

"You do realize what you've gotten us into, don't you?" he joked.

"Be nice," she grinned. "They're our friends."

"Yeah but just think. We don't have any polar bears here this time, in case things go wrong."

Claire laughed. "Honestly, Charlie. It's Kate and Sawyer. I'm sure the worst we'll have to deal with is Sawyer's nicknames."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who got socked in the face."

Claire's eyebrows furrowed. "When was that?"

Charlie's face went pink. "It was just...a misunderstanding."

Before she could protest his vagueness, Kate appeared in the doorway, slightly flustered. Not a moment later, Sawyer was behind her. He sighed and looked away. Kate looked at the floor. Claire looked back and forth between them both. The tension between the two was excruciating. She wondered if Charlie could feel it.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

"Fine," Kate said, quickly.

"You're sure?" Charlie tried.

"Yeah, we're good," Sawyer said, with a sigh. After an awkward moment of silence, he added, "I'm gonna go to the store."

"For what?" Charlie asked, confused.

"A tooth brush," he replied, glaring at Kate.

"Oh. Well, I'll come with you!" Charlie jumped up from his seat.

"That's all right, daddy-o. I'll go myself."

"No, it's okay. Besides, you don't have a car. Planning to walk the mile, then?" he joked.

Sawyer sighed in defeat. "Well then, guess we may as well find one while we're out there."

"Great."

Charlie went back over to Claire and gave her a quick kiss, and gave Aaron a pat on the head.

"Anything you need?" he asked softly.

"No, thanks."

"Okay. I'll be back soon," he told her.

Sawyer glanced at Kate but she looked away, angrily. While Claire tried to hide her curiosity, Charlie cut past Sawyer, grabbing his keys off the hook.

"Ready, mate?"

Sawyer looked one last time at Kate but she was looking at the floor. Charlie glanced at Claire and saw a brief expression of worry cross her face. He gave her a look that said I'll take care of this and led Sawyer out of the apartment. Evidently, he did feel the tension.

After they left, Kate sighed and took a seat at the table with Claire. Seeing the pained look on Kate's face, Claire couldn't resist asking one more time.

"Are you and Sawyer getting along okay?"

Kate forced a smile. "We'll be fine. Just…a stupid argument."

"If you're sure…" she responding, disbelieving.

"I am."

"Okay," Claire said, forced to accept it. Instead, she changed the topic. "So, how do you like LA so far?"

"It's different. I don't know if I've seen enough of it to know how I feel yet, you know?"

"Yeah. It's really great, though. I mean, I didn't think I would like it, but I really do. And Aaron loves it. When he's old enough, Charlie's promised to take us to Disneyland!"

"Sounds like fun."

"Mum!" Aaron said from his chair. "Nana's!"

Kate smiled. "I didn't realize he could talk already."

"Oh yeah," Claire said, getting up to peel a banana. "It's hard to get him to stay quiet these days."

"I'm sure."

Aaron looked at Kate, curiously. "Who?"

She grinned. "I'm Kate."

"Kay," he tried to mimic.

She laughed. "That's close enough."

"Muma! Kay!" he informed his mother, pointing to Kate.

"Yes, Aaron. That's Kate."

After slicing the banana for Aaron, Claire sat back down with Kate. But this time she noticed her friend had gone pale. She frowned.

"Are you all right?"

Kate nodded. "I'll be right back."

In a flash Kate was up and running, clutching her stomach. Claire watched her zoom down to their room and moments later heard the toilet flush. Her heart filled with dread. Kate was sick a week before the wedding. What if she caught it and they had to call the wedding off? What if Aaron got it? She looked at Aaron and suddenly had a thought. Could Kate be...? The dread had quickly burst into excitement.

"Sorry. I…needed to check something," Kate said softly as she sat back down.

Claire smiled up at her, knowingly. "Do you know when it's due?" She fought not to laugh as Kate's face went wild with emotions. Claire only shook her head in assurance. "I was pregnant too, you know. It's not hard to tell what's going on when you've been through it."

Kate looked down and Claire knew she was right. "February."

"You haven't told anyone about it, have you?" Claire asked, shaking her head.

"No," Kate said, looking up at her again. "Only Sawyer knows."

Claire nodded. "Are you…"

"Yeah. We're keeping it."

She smiled again. "That's great. Congratulations."

"Thanks," she smiled at the floor.