Lex was feeling sort of dejected. Everyone else seemed to be happy that they had adjusted. The fact that the trip was now over and that they missed everything didn't bother any of them. Was he the only one who had looked forward to the actual trip, to classifying flora and fauna, examining cooled lava flows, going rafting, and exploring caves? The latter of which Lex looked forward to most. He had always been fascinated by bats. They were magnificent, really. The process of echolocation was remarkable, and the creature itself was beautiful.

"I am going for a walk, Day," Lex announced.

"Lex, I don't want you out there by yourself," Daley replied in her protective tone. It annoyed Lex on occasions like today, but he was glad she cared at all. She hadn't done that much since they crashed.

"I'll go with him," Jackson offered. He had an ulterior motive: he wanted to get away from camp. He was sick of them already.

Lex practically groaned. He had secretly hoped no one would want to go so he could be on his own. No one would trust him to go looking for bats.

"Okay. Thanks Jackson," Daley agreed. Lex needed guy time anyway.

The two headed off and walked silent for a while, until they were a good distance from camp.

"So why'd you really want to come out here?" Jackson asked.

Lex shrugged, "I wanted to see another part of the island."

Jackson could tell he was lying. "Here. I'll go gather some fruit over here. You do what you need to do and meet me back here in an hour."

Lex smiled and ran off. Finally he was being trusted. Now to find the caves.

Lex checked his watch. His hour was about up. He was filthy, hot, and tired. Still no bats. But then... a clump of brown-gray mass at the corner of his eye. He found one, asleep hanging on the cave ceiling, barely still shaded as it must have been when it first perched. He reached out and petted the velvety soft wing. The creature stirred and Lex half expected it to latch unto his arm and come back to camp with him. Instead it flew off, deeper into the cave, no worse for wear. Lex felt the connection anyway. "Bye," he called forlornly after it. "I'll be back again," he promised. He would make sure of that. Lex ran back to Jackson, arriving almost fifteen minutes late.

"I am sorry I-" Lex began.

He was interrupted by Daley, "Lex, where have you been? You've ruined your shirt, and you're a mess."

Lex opened his mouth to explain, but it was Jackson that said anything. "Lex was off going to the bathroom. We've been picking fruit, it's a little muddy farther out, and we played a game of catch with a pineapple. You tend to get a little dirty when you go for the dives." He smiled, completing the sincerity of his words.

"Oh." Daley said as if that all should have been obvious. "Well, gather this stuff up and head back to camp. Then both of you take a swim and wash the dirt off." She turned and walked off, leaving the boys to their task.

Jackson yanked off his hoodie and as they filled it with the fruit, Lex broke the silence. "Why'd you cover for me? Don't you want to know what I was actually doing?"

Jackson shook his head, "if you thought I need to know you would have told me, and I covered for the both of us. You really think I want Daley knowing I let you off on your own?"

"Oh. In that case...race you back to camp." Lex took off, leaving Jackson with the half filled hoodie and pile of fruit.

"Cheater!" Jackson called after him. He dropped the fruit. It would be there later.