Come Back to Me

Ralph woke, a cold sweat running across his pale skin, the memories of his dream rushing through his thoughts, sending blood to concentrate in a singular area. He could still see Jack's face hovering over him, a flushed look of pleasure highlighting his freckled cheeks. A breath of air rushed from his opened window, bringing with it a whisper oh his dream.

"I love you, Ralph. Come back to me."

He tilted his head to the side as if avoiding Jack's penetrating gaze, avoiding looking at the ceiling at all costs.

"Come back to me Ralph."

Ralph lifted his pale fingers to rub the water from his face, his eyes tenderly locking onto the bow blurred image of a tattoo across the inside of his wrist.

Jack

His eyes closed involuntarily, the image of his own back flashing into his mind. The tears came faster as he visualized the ink forever imprinted into his lower back.

Simon & Piggy

Their names were surrounded by a pair of black angel's wings. He wondered if they would ever forgive him for not saving them. A whisper of doubt hissed softly into his ear. Of course they wouldn't forgive him. Especially as the name of their murderer was forever stained into his skin and into his heart

~*~*~

Jack moved stealthily across the darkened yard, easily slipping back into the ways of a hunter. He made no sound as he crossed the street, avoiding any light cast by the street lamps as he went. He moved beneath the comforting cover of the trees, and only then did he look back, his eyes taking in the shape of the house he had just left. He pushed his fingers through his unruly red hair, a tired sigh coming across his down turned lips.

"Come back to me Ralph."

~*~*~

The first time he had noticed the tattoo on his beloved's wrist he swore he had died and gone to Heaven. He had kissed the ink over and over again until Ralph was giggling from his menstruations. He had known, somewhere deep down, that Ralph still cared for him, even outside of this dream world he had created. But this was proof, beautiful, physical, permanent proof.

"I love you Ralph."

He paused, waiting on a response. He had never expected a response before, and he knew he would never get one again. But on this night, he needed to hear it from his lips.

"I love you too Jack."

Yes, it was true; Jack had truly just died and gone to Heaven. God was just being kind to him, giving him his Ralph in the dead of night under the cover of what Ralph thought was a dream.

~*~*~

Ralph pulled an armband over his wrist, covering the name from prying eyes. He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his fingers across his lower back, subconsciously lingering where he knew the names lie.

"Ralph, get down here! The bus is coming down the street." His mother's voice echoed franticly off the stairwell walls.

He mumbled something unintelligible, running his fingers through his fine hair in a half hearted attempt to smooth it out. He stumbled down the stairs, his scent filling the air, his clothing eternally holding the smell of the island within their fibers. His father would laugh, making jokes of how the smell seemed to just cling to Ralph's very skin, contaminating all that he touched. His father didn't know how right he was.

It had been six years but even know he couldn't help but flinch at the sound of the air conditioning whirring on, or the way the lights seemed too bright, shinning their artificial particles into his sensitive eyes.

"Ralph, here, take a bowl of steak and eggs with you before you go." His mother smiled, leaning in to kiss his forehead as she handed him the bowl.

He was forced to suppress a shudder, attempting to keep down the feeling of nausea that threatened to over take him at the sight of the limp pork. Ralph took it wordlessly, plans already forming in his mind to dump it behind the bush outside his house. He couldn't stand it even the smell. The image of Jack, his face covered in red, flashed into his mind. He was coming from the trees, grinning like mad as he presented his triumph to him, seeking praise. He remembered the revulsion he had felt, and while he tried to tell himself that wasn't Jack, Jack wasn't like that, a smack voice whispered in his ear, ringing loudly over his denial.

"Are you sure?"

~*~*~

Ralph sucked in a sharp breath, his brain finally waking from the fog of sleep as the school bus entered the parking lot. Spring break was over, sadly enough. He took in the sight of student parked cars surrounding the ugly grey prison like building. Freshmen ran around the breeze way, excited screams reaching their way through cracked windows as the banged angrily against his eardrums. The squeak of the bus door being cranked open caused an automatic reaction in Ralph as he stood, letting the masses sweep him across the parking lot, his mind far away on the island. Ralph lived in a dream world, where Piggy and Simon sat on a park bench and spoke with him and Jack had never been covered in crimson blood. They were all he had, and as he finally deviated from the crowed into the councilor's office for his first period, he was already on autopilot.

"It was really nice not having to be here for a week." Simon murmured as he stretched out on his typical park bench in Ralph's mind.

"Yeah, but learning I good, it helps Ralph focus better." Piggy piped up as he sun bathed by the pond in front of Simon's bench.

Ralph laughed, having sense gotten used to Piggy's flat sensibility. He secretly agreed with Simon, earning a snort of indignation from Piggy. Well, maybe it wasn't that secret then. All three of them fell silent as the voice of the councilor cut gently through his thoughts.

"Oh, how are we today Ralph?" the woman smiled; already aware it would take a moment for the shutter in Ralph's mind to open and let him out of his secret world. After a heavy pause, the woman practically hearing Simon and Piggy pushing Ralph back into reality, he answered.

"Good morning Mr. Smathers. Yes, I'm alright. How are you?" he smiled congenially but the bitter sadness he felt returned swiftly to his eyes.

"I'm fine. And how are Piggy and Simon?" …and Jack was the unspoken addition to the question.

"Oh they're fine, Simon wants to go back to spring break but I think Piggy is happy to be at school. Jack…he only shows at night." They had both known the last part.

Ms. Smathers watched him slowly begin to retreat at the mention of Jack's name. She reached out to touch him but stopped as his eyes snapped to lock with hers.

"Hello Jack." She smiled at him casually.

"Gene." Ms. Smathers rolled her eyes at him. Jack always did insist on calling her by her first name.

"I don't suppose you've told him yet, about all this." He gestured to Ralph's body with an appreciative hand.

"No, I fear for his sanity. To find that he takes on the persona of someone whose actions he despises…Do you seriously think he could handle that?" a pained look crossed Jack's face as he looked away from his intense stare.

He spoke more to the lime green walls then to her.

"I want him to be in as little pain as possible." She smiled at him, a soft sad smile.

Ralph wanted so badly for Jack to be the good guy he had originally thought he had been that even in this state, with everything Jack did, he cared only for Ralph.

"Yes Jack, I agree, as little pain to Ralph as possible." He nodded, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table before him.

"So how long did he last before I came out?" the look on his face was priceless when she spoke.

"He mentioned you almost as soon as he came in. You still have at least 45 min." Jack grumbled, closing his eyes, allowing a smile to cross his face as he watched them

Piggy, Simon, and his beloved Ralph. The Three Musketeers to his plotting villain.

Well this is my first attempt at Lord of the Flies fanfiction, so tell me what you think.