Story Within: Lost
By: Tealmoon
Language: English
Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural/Romance
Fiction Rating: T
Title: Please, Understand my Sight.
Summary: "If you can see, look. If you can look, observe." One sight's may be forever lost. It may be on hiatus. It may be improved or it may be downgraded depending on one's beliefs. Mainly Skate.

A/N: Yes, English is my second language and yes, this is my first Lost fanfic. I'm not an entirely new writer, but I cannot say that I'm an old one spoilers… I believe that it won't have anything regarding the second season, but alas, I am not sure, for besides this chapter, this story has not yet been written. But if it does come to that, and contains spoilers of the second season, I shall warn you firstly at the beginning of the chapter.
This will be primarily a Skate fanfic… and kind of Sawyer centric, being him the main character. It will contain loads of fantasy, but doesn't Lost already have it, anyway?.
With all that being said, I hope you enjoy this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Please, Understand my Sight.

Chapter 1 - Missing

The wind seemed harsher these days. What used to be an extremely burning weather - one where the sun seemed to linger kiss one's skin while heating up one's interior and making oneself wish that he could simply drink anything fresh for an unlimited time - appeared to be currently on hiatus. The golden and smooth sand that used to blaze the survivor's bare feet now felt cold when in contact. Days were shorter now, the glittering moon came earlier and the defeated sun packed his possessions and went home hours before than what was normal. But anyway, what could exactly be called normal on that unknown and uncanny island?

On the top of a tree Kate moved like a trained acrobat. Her hands and feet travelled between the branches skilfully while obtaining as much fruits as she could possibly carry. "Just one more…" she muttered while gaining balance to catch the mango that would completely fill her back bag.

When caught and saved on her bag Kate smiled to herself and climbed down the tree. Down in the ground she took the elastic that trapped her messy hair. Her hair, now free, happily swung on the middle of her back. Softly combing her brown curls Kate trailed back to the caves while humming a melodic tune.

"Hum, Jack?"

"Yes Scott?" the doctor responded from the interior of the cave. His greenish brown eyes rested on his 12th patient that afternoon. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, actually I'm Steve, not Scott," the self-proclaimed Steve rolled his eyes and sat on a rock that role-played the usefulness of a chair, although not very comfortable.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Anyway what is it that you need?" Jack smiled wearily.

"I think I have a cold. I mean I have been sneezing all day long. I feel somewhat tired and my forehead is slightly hot." Steve's sickly air was indeed notable; he was pale and from time to time sneezed.

"I'm sure it's nothing serious, some pills will do. In a day or so you will no longer feel any ache in your body, the fever will disappear. The constant need to sneeze will go away in due time. Don't worry." Jack walked around the cave in search of the pills that he had been given all of his patients that day. The sudden change of weather brought numerous colds for the survivors. Jack inwardly chilled due to the draught of wind that entered the cave.

"Now, take one every eight hours. Not more, you wouldn't want to cause an overdose now would you?" Jack smiled, "Wear something warmer, this weather is getting cooler with each day that passes."

"Indeed it is. Well, I never liked this constant heat very much anyway." Steve grinned.

"Well, thanks and take care doc." Steve waved and exited the cave. Jack returned the wave and sighed. He dropped himself onto the same rock Steve had been sat. Jack was exhausted beyond measure. Today had surely been a busy day. Between helping all the sick patients, which some he was sure that were hypochondriacs, making lists of how many medical supplies he still had left and wondering what strategy he would have to engender to make them last a little longer, he hadn't exactly had much time to rest. While Jack was enjoying his time resting, in fact, almost dozing out, he heard footsteps. Passing a hand though his shaved head and letting out a frustrated groan he let his eyes drop on the entrance of the cave. A smile graced his lips at the sight. "For a while I thought that I would have another patient to take care Kate."

"Hey" Kate grinned. She dropped her bag on the floor and let her eyes roam his tired posture. "Hard day?"

"Awful, never seen so many people sick in such a short time… twelve passed through here today, and we are forty-something around here." Jack answered while extending his hand to the brown haired beauty help him up. Kate grabbed his hand and pulled him up. Extracting her hand from his she went to get her bag pack back.

"Well, this change of time sure is strange. It's not as if we have changed seasons or are even close to it. I only hope that all of these are simply colds and nothing more serious. You don't think that it could possible be the sickness… do you?" Kate almost whispered the last part and looked hopefully to Jack.

"I don't think it is. I mean, I don't even know anything about it. The French woman has been here for about 16 years, she isn't thinking coherently. We can't take anything she says for granted." The doctor responded. He turned his back to Kate and started to organize his medicines. "Did you find any fruits?"

"Yeah, I was just going to provide the others with them. Here, catch." She tossed him a mango and he easily caught it. "Thanks." Jack smiled.

"You're welcome. Well, I'll see you later." Kate said and started to walk out. Suddenly she stopped and rotated on her wheels. "Hey Jack!" "Yeah?" "Have you seen Sawyer around?"

Now Jack was fully turned to Kate and extremely aware of the conversation. "Sawyer? Don't know. Haven't you seen anyone wondering where their things are? Sawyer would surely be around…" "Don't be that way Jack." Jack noticed that Kate wasn't exactly happy with his answer but wasn't glaring anyway.

"Have you checked the beach? He is always sitting outside his tent reading some book." He sighed "Not doing anything" Jack muttered while scribbling something with illegible doctor calligraphy on some piece of rugged paper.

"I went to the beach some time ago and I didn't see him there. I even asked for him, but no one has seen him. I am getting kind of worried. I haven't heard anything from him since yesterday morning. Nor has anyone." Kate worriedly said.

Jack could see the worry drip from her face. Her eyes were glassy and her mouth was firmed. Her hands anxiously went to her pockets while waiting some kind of reassurance from him. He didn't want to be the one to give the reassurances; he wanted to be the one was being worried and concerned about. He didn't like it one bit. But most of all, it was the look in her eyes that he despised the most. The look that when assembled with his own made his hear falter and even skip a bit. Her emerald green eyes would glint with a visible, but lighten hidden by her, sadness.

"I am sure that he's okay. He must have felt bored and went to the jungle and probably lost track of time, saw that was too late, camped there and now is returning here. Don't worry Kate." He attempted to smile, but his heart was screaming to cry. Instead he opted for a calm face.

"Yeah, that's probably it" Kate smiled sadly, "See ya later then".

"Yeah, later" Jack whispered while watching her retreating back. Treading softly he went back to whatever he was writing. "Stupid redneck", he muttered.

The sun was already setting when Kate tread to the beach. It should be around four o'clock, five at the maximum by her calculations. To say that Kate was overjoyed with this alteration on the course of nature would be to tell a terribly lie. This new weather was scaring everyone. But most of all, it was scaring Arzt, the science teacher. On climates, he was definitely the most knowledgeable and he couldn't understand what was happening. It did not make the slightest of sense. And the unknown has a terribly and ingenious way of scaring anyone that has the dreadful fortune of knowing it.

As Kate continued to walk to the beach the moon was already soaring in the starred sky. She stopped and opened her backpack while roaming her hands inside it trying to find her flashlight in the dark. "Great, I should have thought about this while there was still sunlight" Kate annoyed with herself muttered. She had grasped the silhouette of what could only be her flashlight when she heard footsteps. She let her backpack fell in fear, leaving only the still turned off flashlight on her trembling hand. The fruits rolled now in the muddy floor having fallen of the bag.

"Who's there?" she whispered fearfully. She had asked with such a low volume that had been impossible to anyone but herself, hear her spoken words. The trees branches juddered soundly with the wind. The small bushes, just like the tree branches, did nothing to lower her fear. They repeatedly touched her legs, especially her ankles, making her jump uneasily. Dammit, why did Sawyer hide all the guns... if I only had one now.

The footsteps were nearer and she was alone. She only had two choices: to run or point the flashback and see who was there. The "Others" hadn't show up for some time. For a long time in fact, Kate had almost forgotten about them. But after everything they did, one couldn't ever forget the fact that they are still around and if the chance arrived, they would do everything again, if not worse this time.

With so many years being on the run, having escaped home with merely 18 years and never stopping since then, running was like a second nature to Kate. But she wouldn't do it again, and certainly not this time. Pushing the painful thoughts concerning her past away, she raised the flashlight with trembling hands. Preparing herself mentally she took a deep breath. She could feel the flashlight slipping between her sweaty hands, but she wouldn't let it fall. No, she only gripped it harder. Her shaky finger now caressed the power turn ON/OFF button. Kate blinked her eyes and pressed it. The light emitted by the flashlight illuminated the near vast area. Specially the very startled face of…

"Sayid?"

"Kate?" "Sayid! Gods, I…. You scared the shit out of me!" What could have started with a trembled whisper suddenly turned to an infuriated shout.

"I… I'm sorry. Although I can say that I'm quite relieved it's you. For a moment I thought you were one of the "Others"" His Iroquoian accent showing in each word he said.

"You were not the only one" Kate laughed now felling relieved and he soon joined her. Laughter has indeed a miraculous power. What before seemed like little monsters eating every inside of you, making your heart pound faster and bringing crystalline tears to your previous dry eyes, now seemed gone. Like they could rush out of your mouth entangled with the same miraculous laugh. Feeling much better, Kate crouched and started to pick up the fruits that had fallen from her back bag.

"Here, let me help you" the ex-soldier also bent down and together they got all the fruits back in her pack. Or at least the ones that they were able to find with only the help of the light produced by the flashlight.

"Do you want one? I was coming to the beach, to give these to you guys." Kate asked him while extending him a mango.

"No, thank you. I just ate. Jin has been catching fish all day. Big ones," he grinned "so I'm quite full". Sayid stood up and gave Kate a hand to help her get to her feet.

"Thanks. Were you going to the caves?" "Well, yes in fact… I... I was going to see Shannon actually." He passed a hand through his curly black hair nervously like a school boy. Kate could almost swear she saw him blush, but it could also be a trick of the light, or of the absence of it.

"Good," she grinned "she looked quite bored there. Boone is on his expeditions with Locke once again and Claire is on the beach with Aaron and Charlie. So she was a little lonely. She'll surely love your company".

"Well, she better" he laughed "I'll be going then…" "Wait! You are going to the caves alone? After the scare we had for not walking around with flashlights. I'll go with you; we only have one flashlight here anyway." Kate all of sudden told him. The jungle was indeed dangerous without any light to guide the way and show any suspicious shapes that are invisible in the absence of light. Sayid looked thankful, but shook his head.

"Thank you, but there is no need. It's a short travel from here and I know the way well." "Are you sure?" "Definitely" he smiled.

"Okay then. Sayid, did you happen to see Sawyer. On the beach? Or anywhere else?"

"Sawyer? No, haven't seen him since yesterday. But since I came just now from the beach I can assure you that he is not there". After what seemed to be five seconds of silence, he smiled knowingly. "But don't worry, if I happen to see him, I'll tell him you're looking for him."

"I don't know if I like that look on your face," Kate smiled "but do that if you happen to see him." "I will." Sayid gave her a simple smile and waved making his way in the dark to the caves.

"See ya" Kate shouted to his retreating back and saw his arm elevate in the air in a farewell fashion.

"…Hey you, out there on the road

Always doing what you're told

Can you help me

Hey you, out there beyond the wall

Breaking bottles in the hall

Can you help me

Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all

Together we stand, divided we fall"

"That was beautiful Charlie."

"You really like it?" he grinned "I mean, I wasn't the one who wrote it or anything like that… but still, that means a lot to me." Claire only smiled and gently rested her hand on his arm.

Aaron was animatedly gurgling doing his best to gain the attention of both Charlie and Claire. He was safely tucked in with warm blankets around his little figure, the warmest that Claire could find, in his wooden cradle, made especially for him before he was even born. His little tuff of golden hair on the top of his hair together with his clear blue eyes gave him an angelical look. And even more when he was under the light of the startling moon, and millions of glowing stars that probably were even shining just for a glimpse of his smile.

"Animated are we, mate?" Charlie grinned and laid his guitar on the sand before making his way to the cradle. While picking the baby up, Charlie could not stop smiling. Even if Aaron was not his son, he could not be happier to be a part of his life. And hers, he tossed a glance at Claire who smiled back.

Claire looked behind her and saw Walt a short distance behind them. The young boy was treading slowly and taking his time. He spotted Claire grinning at him and decided to go talk to her. He trotted to Claire while happily chewing on a mango.

"Hey Claire" he smiled and then spotted Charlie with baby Aaron on his arms, "Oh hi Charlie. Didn't see you, the tent was blocking you from where I came."

"Hey mate! Wait… what… what are you eating? Is that… is that a bloody mango?" Charlie asked astonished to Walt while giving Aaron to his mother's waiting arms.

"Hmm, yes…?" "Bloody hell, I love mangos" Charlie grinned. "Where did you get it?

"Kate came here to give some to us. She had been catching them today" Walt told him smiling. Charlie could get definitely get excited for something so trivial. "I don't know if there are still any left. But look, there's Kate. She's going back to the caves, I guess…" Before Walt was able to finish his sentence Charlie was already standing up and agitating his arms in the air while shouting: "Kate! Hey Kate! Kaaaatie!" he called in singsong voice.

Kate heard her name being called and had to smile when she heard "Kaaaatie!" being shouted in Charlie's full of life call. She put her hands near her mouth seeking to make her voice go farther. "Yes Charlie?"

He grinned, glad that she had heard him. "Could you come over here?" In the distance and even though it was dark, Charlie saw her nod and jog. "See, now I'll be able to get some mangos too" he told Claire who only smiled and shook her head.

"Hey, what's your favourite colour?"

"My favourite colour?" Sayid stopped looking at the blistering flames of the bonfire and turned to Shannon.

"Yes, your favourite colour. You do know what a colour is right…" "Yes, I do know what a colour is. Thank you very much." The Iroquoian quizzically looked at a smirking Shannon. "I was just perplexed by the question, that's all."

"So now that you stopped being "perplexed by the question" will you answer it?" She tossed a questionable look at Sayid.

"Well, I do like red." "What kind of red?" "What do you mean by what kind of red?" Sayid was definitely getting puzzled by all this strange conversation. Wondering if there was even a point to all of this.

"You know… what kind of shade? More on the light or the dark side? Brighter or not? Blended with purple, orange…?"

"Venetian Red." Sayid interrupted her. "I like that one".

"Now you got me lost" Shannon smiled "Never heard of that one."

Sayid smiled and laid down making himself comfortable near the bonfire. The light produced by the fire enlightened his dark curls making them seem browner. Shannon decided that she undeniably liked what she was seeing. "Venetian Red is also known as Indian Red. It is a beautiful shade of brownish red. I believe that it's prepared from sulphate of iron, but alas, I am not sure." He smiled looking into her eyes.

"A shade of brownish red, hun? I believe I have it." With that said she stood up and started walking to her tent that was build near to the cave entrance.

"Wait, what was this all about?" Sayid was indeed confused "What is that you believe you have?" "Nail polish. I wanted to make sure that you would like it." Shannon answered as if it was the plainest thing in the world. And well, perhaps it was for her.

Sayid smiled into the fire while shaking his head. Shannon and he could not be more different from each other even if they tried. But he wouldn't have it the other way.

"What's with that dreaming and far-way look on your face, hun mate?" Sayid looked up to see Charlie's grinning face looking down at him.

"Oh nothing." Sayid smiled. "What are you doing around here?"

"It was a little boring on the beach, so I came to make you guys company." Charlie vaguely answered while laying down in the same Sayid fashion.

"And why do I not believe that? You were bored on the beach… with Claire?" Sayid smirked.

"Oh all right. Kate and Shannon were here in the caves and Claire wanted to come to have you know… that girl's chats. I would have preferred to stay there. But…" "But you would follow her to hell and back if there was the need" Charlie smiled at the knowing look in Sayid's brown eyes.

"Bloody right, mate. Bloody right."

They stayed in a companion and comfortable silence around the bonfire. They weren't the only ones there. Other survivors were also enjoying watching the hypnotizing dance of the blazing flames and obtaining that so needed heat on that particularly cold night. After being trapped for nearly one year and a half on the island, every single one of them had long stopped hoping on being rescued one day. Sleepless nights wondering when a plane would notice the smoke coming from the beach's bonfire were long forgotten. The dreams and hopes of salvation had been shattered into million pieces and no one would now dare to pick them up, mend them… and rebuild them once again. The pain of holding onto something that would not happen was a part of their lives that they wouldn't want to perform once again.

Yet, the enjoyable quiet, light conversations and soft laughter in that striking night were rashly broken by shouts and hurried strides coming from the jungle.

"Jack!" Someone worriedly yelled.

Jack rapidly turned his head from Hurley and looked for the source of the yell. The figures could now be seen. Coming from the forest and quickly pacing to the camp were Locke and Boone, supporting a what-seemed, unconscious Sawyer.

Sawyer had each one of his arms around Boone and Locke's necks. Their arms were around his wait, for he would fall if not that way. Jack swiftly got up and jogged to them. A startled Kate was still sat around the bonfire, for what seemed too shocked to move. Gulping, she stood up and trotted to them trying to clear her head of her worst negatives thoughts concerning Sawyer's condition. The others survivors were sat dumbfounded. Some got up in hopes of doing their best to help in what they could, others silently stayed put, either in astonishment, or in dislike towards the injured man. Locke's face was troubled and sweat dripped from it. He firmly gripped the southern man in fear of letting him fall. Although his face was troubled, it was nothing in comparison to Boone's. His mouth was slightly opened; taking deep breathes as if he had run a marathon and forming unsaid words. His eyes were glassy and fearful.

"Dude! What's that? Did he cut his head? Is it open or something?" Hurley's frantic shout was heard from the background. This made heads turn and look Sawyer closely. Indeed, none of the survivors that earlier had been happily chatting around the bonfire seemed to have noticed the dark pool of blood that was now beginning to form on the muddy floor. Sawyer's head was turned down and his dirty blond hair covered it. It was impossible to see the source of blood on the conman's face or skull. Nevertheless, thick blood drips trailed down his face and went to join all the others that now formed the puddle of blood.

"Did he get shot?" Jack advanced to Sawyer "Is it his head? God, answer me!" He yelled to both Locke and Boone who remained unresponsive. Just as Jack's hand was extended to be able to raise Sawyer's face an unexpected cry came from Boone.

"It's not his head! It's not!" Boone's voice was hoarse just as his eyes were intense "It's from his eyes. God, he's bleeding from his eyes!"

To be continued…