The Stranger
Chapter One
Summary: The survivor's trust of Sayid is tested when he and Shannon disappear during a search for Ethan led by Jack and Locke. Meanwhile, when unsuspected wreckage is found by Kate and Sawyer, deep secrets once well hidden are revealed about each other.
Please Note: I mean no offense by bringing anything to do with Iraq into this. It's just the character that brings it in. Also, I have no clue what life is like in Iraq, or any other country. I don't know if Nuin is even a real name. It just came to me. If it's something that, well, shouldn't be put in stories, please tell! In fact, I know nothing of the Gulf War. I don't even know when it was fought. Yes, I know, I'm ashamed.
Disclaimer: The one and only. Lost belongs to J.J. Abrams and co.
A cool morning breeze left a few pieces of Sayid's hair flying as he looked down at the map he held once more. He sighed as held his hand to his head, trying to figure out the coordinates.
"What are you doing all the way out here?"
Sayid turned around, surprised at being caught. But it was only Kate, approaching him, arms crossed over her chest. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"I could ask you the same," he replied back, rolling up the maps.
"I was just looking for-"
Kate stopped, looking at something behind Sayid. Sayid's eyebrow curled as he turned, looking at what she was staring at. It was Jack, coming out of a path from the woods, a single bag slung over his shoulder. He was pouring water on his neck, completely oblivious to the two others standing on the same path.
"Good morning to you too," Kate mused.
Jack looked up, quickly recovering the shock of being caught.
"Yeah," he said innocently, "what's going on?"
Sayid watched as Kate followed Jack, determined to get some answers.
"What's going on with you Sayid?"
Sayid looked up from the drink he had. Standing over him was Nuin, a soldier he had met a year into the war. Instead of answering, Sayid just shook his head.
"You've got to stop doing this," Nuin said, "the war's been over for two years."
Nuin watched Sayid as he stared deeply into his drink, still not answering.
"Oh man, it's not the war is it?" Nuin said in disbelief. "It's still that girl- Nadia?"
Nuin pulled the stool beside Sayid out from under the counter Sayid was sitting at, at one of the only bars in at least thirty miles. If you could call it a bar. Really, it was the back of a warehouse, with a few chairs and tables thrown in. The lighting was off, and the dust was worse.
"That was three years ago, Sayid," Nuin said, "you hadn't even talked to her in twenty years before that."
"That doesn't matter," Sayid said, standing up.
Nuin looked at Sayid as he prepared to leave.
"What?" Nuin's eyes darkened as he realized what was going on. "Why doesn't it matter? Where are you going?"
Sayid stopped, halfway out the door, and turned around.
"America."
"What's going on?" Kate repeated in fury, following Jack as he tried to get out of her reach. "What's going on with you?"
Jack didn't answer, doing his best to avoid her.
"Jack!" Kate said, fighting for his attention. "Jack, answer me! What's going on with you?"
Jack turned around.
"I just need some time okay?" Jack said. "Just, forget about it."
Kate stared at him, and couldn't help but to think that even though Jack claimed he was relaxed, dark circles that hadn't been there before shaded his eyes, and he sounded all but rested. Jack turned, and began to walk back towards the caves. Kate didn't give up.
"Will you just talk to me?" Kate said, running after him.
"I talked," Jack shrugged, walking on.
Watching him for a moment, Kate stared after him, wondering what was really going on.
Sayid was walking back to the beach when he ran into Boone.
"Boone," he greated simply.
But Boone looked far beyond the simple side.
"I need to warn you," Boone said in a hurry.
"Warn me?" Sayid repeated. "About what?"
"About Shannon," Boone said, "she's using you."
"Using me?"
Sayid could've laughed.
"I'm serious," Boone said, "she sets guys up to help her fall into a bad relationship, because she knows I would come after her."
"Why would she think that?" Sayid asked, confused.
Boone didn't answer. Sayid was about to prove his point when they heard distant noises.
"Is that.. shouting?" Sayid said, straining to hear.
From the look on his face, Boone had heard it too. In mutual eye agreement, they ran for the caves.
"Where have you been?" Kate demanded, following Jack back to the caves.
"Where have I been when?" Jack asked, once again playing innocent.
"Last night!" Kate cried. "And the night before that, and the night before that!"
Jack ignored her, continuing on.
"Jack! Talk to me!"
"About what?"
"About you!" Kate exclaimed, wondering if Jack had always been this stubborn. "About what's going on with you."
"Nothing," Jack said, turning around, "nothing's going on with me. I swear."
"Don't lie to me," Kate said seriously, yet calmly.
She had told herself she was only going to push Jack so far, unlike he had done with her and the case. Sometime though, her plan didn't go as expected.
"I'm not."
They were now entering the caves, and their engaging voices were drawing a crowd. Amongst them was Sun, who was doing a good job at pretending she wasn't understanding a thing.
"Why won't you just talk to me?" Kate said as she followed Jack through the caves. "Or someone?"
"I don't need 'someone'," Jack said, showing his impatience of Kate. "I'm fine."
"You're not!" Kate argued.
She finally caught up to Jack, and spun him around to face her. They met eyes for a split second, and then he continued on his path to his cave.
"Just talk to me," Kate said, taking a breath, "what's going on?"
"You wanna know what's going on?" Jack said, spinning around. "I hate this."
Kate stared at him.
"Hate what?"
Sayid and Boone had quietly entered, adding onto the confused yet interested crowd.
"This," Jack answered, throwing his his anger out, "this situation, this place. I hate it."
Jack looked like a man who had been wanting to get something off his back for a while, but the statement only brought more questions to Kate's mind.
"And we don't?" She said, crossing her arms.
"I hate having to be the doctor," Jack confessed, "I don't want to be the one everyone turns to."
"These people need you," Kate said quietly so that only Jack could hear her.
"These people have probably never gotten hurt in their life before now," Jack said.
He then glanced over towards Sayid, who was standing beside Boone. Both were equally confused.
"Some of these people," he corrected, "and now they think it doesn't matter what they do, it's okay, because they have someone to save them. Well I don't want to save people anymore, Kate. I am not a savior. I'm not these people's God."
The caves were dead silent, all surprised that Jack was capable of saying something like that. Jack locked eyes with Kate, who looked personally taken aback at his statement, and a little hurt. Jack shrugged.
"I quit."
He was about to turn to continue down his original path when Charlie stepped out of a cave. Charlie stopped, suddenly feeling uncomfortable stepping into the errie silence.
"Um.." he said, looking from Jack to the very quite, very confused crowd, "I just thought you should know.. that Claire woke up."
Author's Note: There you have it. The first chapter of "The Stranger". Sorry it took so long to get out, but I haven't been able to get on. Thanks for all of you who reviewed for "Outlaws"! Yall are fantastic! I'm praying that there wont be too much going on this story, what with the search for Ethan, the soon missing Shannon and Sayid, and Sawyer and Kate. I hope I'll set it up all right. Oh, FYI, I was originally going to start this out as a huge Boone/Shannon fight that was going to get physical, but after writing it, I thought I was repeating myself. I also wanting to include Jack quitting, and wasn't sure where to write that in. Oh, and if someone could give me some background info. on the Gulf War and Iraq, that would be very helpful for upcoming flashbacks! Well, hope you enjoyed it.. until next time!
+ October Sky