Title: The Last Time

Pairing: Sawyer/Kate.

Summary: Skate story based on the challenge to use the line: The Last Time.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kate, Sawyer, or any of the other characters on "Lost". They belong to Damon Lindelof, JJ Abrams and ABC. I am not making any money off this story and I am merely borrowing the characters.

Spoilers/Warnings:: Anything Season 1 or Season 2 thus far is fair game, but probably nothing will come up.

Rating: PG-ish.

Status: Completed. One-shot.

The arctic chill of the rain beat down on the rocks, the droplets bouncing off the hard surface much like a rubber ball would on a cement floor. Loud booms of thunder filled the air, echoing off the trees and the picturesque waterfall that sat behind the pair who were floating in the heart of the lagoon.

"We should get out of the rain!" Kate shouted over the thunderous noise of thunder, rainfall and the massive waterfall.

"What for Freckles? We're already wet, ain't we?" Sawyer sent her one of his characteristic grins. They'd been swimming for over an hour and were both soaked to the bone. Kate rolled her eyes in response to Sawyer's comment but smiled at him anyway. "Okay, fine, have it your way," Sawyer shook his head as he took long, clean strokes through the water, heading toward the rocks where they'd left their belongings.

When they reached the shore Sawyer climbed out of the water first, and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead before he turned and held a hand out to Kate. Kate accepted his hand and let him pull her up out of the water. After he'd let go of her hand and had retrieved his belongings from the rocks, Kate moved to step off the rocks but instead lost her footing and started to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the impact of the fall that never came.

Her face was pressed against something wet and warm but Kate didn't know what was touching her. Opening her eyes, Kate found herself in mid-fall, Sawyer's arms wrapped securely around her middle. Her cheek was pressed against his solid chest.

"You okay, Freckles?" he asked as Kate got her footing and righted herself.

"Yeah," Kate nodded, bending to grab her things. She struggled to pull on her soaked-through jeans before finally throwing them on the jungle floor irritated with the denim.

"Calm down, Sassafras," Sawyer sent her a grin. "I won't mind if you scamper around in nothin' but your-"

"Sawyer," she warned, "watch it."

"Or you'll what?" Sawyer challenged, moving to stand on a rock as the rain let up a little. A cocky grin appeared on his face and Kate couldn't help but smile back, a gleam in her eyes. She stepped closer to him as he held his tee over the water and twisted it to wring the water out of the cotton. When she stood so close they were nearly touching, Sawyer stopped wringing the shirt and turned to look at her. She laid a hand on his bicep and Sawyer looked at her hand and then her, raising an eyebrow at her. "Well? You'll do what?" he prompted in a mocking tone.

A purely womanly smile crossed Kate's face slowly as she looked at Sawyer. She purposely let eyes roam his body from head to toe then back up again, her eyes darker than usual. When her tongue darted out to lick her dry lips, Sawyer could help but swallow audibly.

"This," Kate leaned closer to him, her hand leaving his bicep to turn him toward her so they were facing one another. Her hands moved to his shoulders, trailed down his collarbone and down his torso.

"Freckles," he spoke in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Kate stepped even closer, her body brushing against his.

"What're you going to do?" Sawyer rasped. This all seemed too familiar to him.

"This," Kate's hands made solid contact with his chest and pushed forcefully backwards. At the last moment, Sawyer reached out and encircled her wrists with his hands, pulling her with him as they fell into the warm water of the lagoon. When she surfaced, she sputtered, spitting out water and found Sawyer swimming backwards with a wide grin on his face.

"Now Freckles, just because it worked before" Sawyer swam closer to her, shaking his head, "doesn't mean I'm gonna fall for it every time." Kate's mouth was agape as she stared at Sawyer. "I expected more from you, Sweetcheeks. You already tried that one. You're too predictable. "

"Why you little-" she moved to push on his good shoulder. Sawyer grabbed her hand just before it touched his flesh. He jerked her to him and silenced her effectively by kissing her tenderly. It was a chaste kiss, and he backed up slightly, regarding her closely. He went to move away from her, but it was Kate who pulled him back, kissing him again with more fervor and passion.

When the kiss broke, neither of them spoke for a few moments. Staring at each other slightly, it was Sawyer her broke the silence. "Okay," he conceded, earning a confounded look from Kate. "You're not predictable. That sure as hell didn't happen the last time."

Authors Note: My second ever Skate fic. Lost fic, really. So...it's really short, but what'd you think? Like? Dislike? I tried not to make either of them too out of character, but since I'm pretty new to Lost fics, I'm not sure how well I did. Be honest, but also gentle with me. Lol.

Jen