Next flash. A Dazzling white light. The first thing he sees after opening his eyes is she. Her beloved auburn hair, her freckles all over the face, her mysterious eyes. He runs up to her and hugs her. "Charlotte", he whispers. He strokes her hair gently. Suddenly Charlotte begins to sway. Fear, that cold, devious snake, is already in his throat. Charlotte falls down, blood appears on her face. The nightmare, which he saw constantly night and day since she started to bleed for the first time, is coming true. Charlotte is dying. The island, this fucking, cursed island, takes her life piece by piece. Right now the island is what he hates the most. "Charlotte, charlotte," he screams in despair. He can't lose her now, he can't allow it because then he would lose his own heart.
***
Charlotte feels a piercing headache. Somebody washes her face with water. She wants to open her eyes, but she can't. She is so terribly tired, she wants to rest so badly, to lie here on the ground (here means where?) and feel nothing. She can't remember where she is and why. She knows only that a dull pain forces her to lie on the ground and she can't do anything.
She can hear words coming from somewhere distant. Among many incomprehensible words is one which sounds familiar. "Charlotte". Who is Charlotte? As if through fog she realizes that she should know her. The answer is near but she can't see it. "Charlotte is me", she realizes in a sudden flash. This voice... the voice of a man, somehow familiar, hesitant. She doesn't know whose voice it is, but it produces a warm feeling in her body. She wants to open her eyes and see who's talking to her.
She gathers all her strength and lifts her eyelids. She can see a man in front of her touching her face gently. He looks at her with concern, some kind of relief that she has woken up but there's something else in his eyes ( or maybe it's just her imagination?). The warm feeling enters her chest again. She is aware that she knows that man, that he's important to her, but this impression is as blurred as impressionist paintings. She remembers vaguely some tents, a bomb (?) and him saying...
"Who are you?" - she asks, slowly recovering. "It's me" - the man says and the relief on his face replaces fear. Fear about her . Pictures float towards her , incoherent, random. The freighter, Naomi, a mission ( what mission?), survivors, playing memory games with...(what's his name?), A quiet answer "Because I'm in love with the woman sitting next to me ( is it about her?), the camp, time travelling (?!)...She knows that these snippets can be put in a coherent and logical one mosaic ("can anything be logical on this island?", whispers some voice inside her. But she lacks the key.
"It's Daniel" , the man is looking at her. Her eyes meet his and suddenly she remembers, suddenly all puzzle pieces fit perfectly. Daniel was her key. She is relieved. The last thing she remembers is Daniel standing next to her, stroking her hair gently with concern and, now she's sure, love. She found the key.
"Daniel", whispers Charlotte with understanding and relief. She closes her eyes and finds the strength to get up. It's not only relief, she realizes. Daniel said he loves her. At this very moment, as she lies in the grass, the thought comes to her without any surprise, naturally as if she always knew it , as if it was her destiny from the beginning.
"I love him too. I love you, Daniel Faraday." But just after that the other thought comes: "I'm on the island , in danger. I can't show weakness. I must be strong as always. " This thought drowns out the former. When she gets up she doesn't confess her feelings but asks instead:
"What happened?"
"You passed out after the last flash. Are you all right?"
***
They go through the jungle. It's hot and muggy, sweat is running down Charlotte's back. She's exhausted and she knows there's a long way to the beach. She also knows that she has to be strong and tough if she wants to survive ( "or maybe even this won't be enough", whispers this tricky voice in her head). She shakes her head trying to get rid of this thought. Daniel notices that and softly touches her arm.
"How's your headache", he asks in a mother-like tone.
"Better".
Daniel throws her one of his half-smiles which is reserved only for her. This special smile makes her warm and her knees soften a little. Almost against her will she smiles back.
"The camp is near, you can rest there", Daniel tells her.
"I must be strong", she repeats to herself. She can't allow this treacherous warm feeling enter her chest again, it's dangerous.
"You're sweet but you don't need to baby me, I'm fine." She doesn't want to upset him but she needs to protect herself. Protect from this warm feeling. She can't show the weakness. They go further into the hot, sultry jungle.