1Chapter One

She sat there, knees against her chest, arms embracing them, chin resting above them, staring towards the horizon. She hadn't done that in years. Not since she was a child. Alone. Afraid. Lost. Angry. Worried.

But, this time, it wasn't the same, she was trying to forget how to remember. To keep memories buried.

She had enjoyed the other side of the island, been grateful for the Others, even. It had all helped keep her mind straight, away. No memories to remember just survival. She regretted reuniting the flight, she had too much time to remember now.

Sure, the first few days were easy, building her shelter, helping Eko and Libby build theirs. Now, shelters were built, the other survivors hated her and she wondered why she had stayed. She had heard the horror stories of this side of the island: Invisible monsters, killer polar bears, crazy French chick who kidnaps babies. But still, somehow, she wanted to go into the jungle. "Pretty sure I'd be better tolerated by an invisible monster, than with the rest of the survivors," she had commented to Eko.

She had built a sand castle town, complete with a police station, fire department, hospital and homes with white picket fences. Made her remember the kids, they would have enjoyed helping her, finding seashells to decorate the castles. She was alone. Desperately trying to forget how to remember.

It had been easy at first, a suitcase up side the head could help anyone forget. Since Shannon and Sayid, she couldn't stop remembering, it had triggered something and now...She regretted shooting Shannon, tying up Sayid, finding Swayer, Jin, and Micheal. For once she wished she'd let them go, roam the jungle, find their own way back to their camp or get captured by the Others...

She had shown compassion to those from the raft, alright, she had to admit she was rough on Swayer, but he bothered her in an eerie way. He got under her skin, challenged her, threatened her, stirred up emotions in her she wished she did not have.

Her weaknesses with them had cost her, her ability to forget how to remember. Now, she was alone with her memories, she wished someone would come along, distract her for a while with a problem.

Swayer slowly made his way down to the beach, he had finally been able to creep out of the hatch. Of course, this was after Kate had left and Jack had gone to check on Claire's baby. So, he'd left without permission. He wondered through the jungle, his good arm drawn across his chest, clutching his injured one. He kept a slow and steady pace trailing the sent of the ocean. He could sense the pain resurfacing, feel as it began to weigh him down. He collapsed on a near by rock, curling his fingers around his arm and locked his eyes on a familiar figure being lapped up by the waves...

She fought the memories, thought of anything, but she failed, and the memory conquered her and dragged her under. The waves began to lap her up, pulling at her body until she lost her grip on the sand and was swept up with the waves, and carried into the ocean. A piercing voice echoed through her brain, forcing her to remember how to remember.

-FLASHBACK-

"So, you get your licence?" the piercing voice asked, as she strolled through the front door.

"Yeah, you want to go for a ride?" she asked, jiggling the keys.

"Let's go," the piercing voice replied grabbing both their jackets, and running down the driveway.

They got into the car and pulled out of the driveway, "Where to?" she asked.

"Pizza?"

"Sure."

The zoomed down the streets, laughing and joking, smiles all around. "Bet you can't beat the light," the voice taunted, yellow highlighting her face.

"Bet I can," she replied applying pressure to the pedal, flying through the intersection.

"Ana!" the voice screamed, and her head whipped around towards the voice, finding the facial features a blur, and the car came crashing into them, sending the car spinning into a near by telephone pole. Her body jerk forward, her head coming in contact with the steering wheel. The blood ran into her eyes, and as she turned her head, she found the passenger slumped forward in her seat, head resting on the dashboard. The door flung open, and her body slid out of the car, she grabbed the handle of the door and got to her feet, limping her way to the passenger side door. She swung the door open and gently shook the possessor for the piercing voice, when she received no response she slid her arms under the other girl's and dragged out of the car.

She collapsed on the ground, dead weight lay on top of her, when she noticed the smoke coming from the car, and the smell of gasoline. She struggled to get to her feet as the fire consumed the car, and then came the explosion, it set the door flying, and it landed on the possessor of the voice. Then there was a scream, and a mob of policemen, paramedics, and firemen coming towards them, and loading them onto gurney, asking questions, loading them into ambulances.

They were rushed down white halls with people shouting all around them, then there were bright lights, followed by darkness. When she finally awoke, she heard her mother's voice lingering in the corridor.

"Mrs. Cortez, Ana will be fine, she has a broken leg, and we had to go drain the blood from her lungs, and she has a few broken ribs."

"And..." Mrs Cortez began.

"She's in surgery, she has second degree burns on her back, we'll do our best, but there will be scarring. She was unconscious when she arrived, but her heart rate is good, and we are confident she'll pull through. She'll be out of surgery in an hour."

"And the other driver?"

"He's in ICU, the police will want to question your daughter as soon as she's awake."

-END FLASHBACK-

The piercing voice had drowned out the waves, and she began to gracefully sink to the ocean floor below. Her mind slowly began to break free from the memory, as she remember her addiction to oxygen...

Swayer watcher from his perch as the waves yanked her into the ocean. He had expected to see her arms flaring, and legs kicking, surge out of the water, but instead he witnessed her willing defeat. He waited for her body to appear, but when nothing happened he made his way to the water's edge. He waited a few more moments and when her body didn't appear at the surface, he dove into the waves.

She continued her decent to the ocean floor, the pain in her chest growing, but she was still trapped in her memories. She could never forget her sister's voice, but the face had escaped her grapes; it had been a blur, dark hair that framed a soft face, stunning eyes. But no defining features, just shapes that had created the image of horror, that cover where the piercing voice emerged. Her sister's voice had overpowered the ocean, and took her away from the island, numbing her pain...

Air filled her lungs as she was thrust through the sapphire ceiling. An arm was around he waist, and her body relaxed against it. The legs beside hers kick, and she found herself sinking into the wet sand as Swayer tilted her head back...

When he finally reached her floating form, he put his uninjured arm around her waist, and swam towards the surface. When he reacted the surface, he headed for the shore; he allowed her body to sink in to the sand as he tilted her head back. He began to press on her chest, hoping that all the times he had seen it on TV would pay off.

She pushed him off of her, and coughed up the water that had accumulated in her lungs.

"You okay over there?" Swayer asked gripping his arm.

She looked–no, glared–at him, she force herself to her feet, and wiped off the sand, "Fine," she replied.

"Don't sound like you're too grateful."

"Why should I be?"

"Saved your life."

"I don't need saving, I was fine."

"Whatever you say, Pri..."

She punched him square in the eye, knocking him onto his back, as astonishment crossed his face. She stormed pass him and into the jungle.

"This ain't over," he grumbled, scrambling to his feet, and going after her.