Chapter 3: Flashes and Rain, Flash 5-7

"Charlotte!" I spun towards where Daniel and Charlotte were still standing. She walked a few steps, blood pouring out of her nose. And then she was down.

Juliet raced over to where she had fallen, her rifle on her shoulder. "Charlotte?" She asked, tilting her head back and forth. "Charlotte?"

I stood off to the side with James, unsure of what I should do. I didn't know how I could help, and at least Juliet was a doctor of sorts. "What the hell's wrong with her? She's been out for nearly ten minutes!"

"Stop shouting James." Sawyer backed up, and I was immediately surprised he listened to Juliet. If any of us told him that, he would have shot some sarcastic comment back at us, with a new nickname.

"Here man." Miles walked up to us, handing Daniel a flask.

"Thanks," Daniel said softly, unscrewing the top.

Miles stepped back and stood next to me. I risked a quick glance over. I tried to figure out how old he was, but I had no idea. He was older than me, that was for sure.I stepped back a few steps so he wouldn't see me watching. That was just what I needed, him to fuss at me and make some rude comment. Or ask me out again, another thing I didn't need.

"James, go away," Juliet said softly and to my complete surprise, Sawyer turned around and walked over to Locke.

I followed, leaning against a nearby tree. I kept a close eye on Charlotte, hoping she was going to come out of it. Was what was happening to her going to happen to the rest of us? Daniel seemed to know more than he was saying and I couldn't help but wonder what that was.

"Hey, she's waking up," Miles called, pointing down to Charlotte.

I pushed off from my tree and walked over to where Charlotte was lying. When I got there, Charlotte's eyes were open, her color slowly coming back. Juliet and Daniel helped her sit up, her face still streaked with blood. "What happened?"

"There was another flash, you passed out. How do you feel?"

"A bit dizzy. I'm fine," she said, smiling slightly.

"Hooray, everything's back to normal. So now what?" Rolling my eyes, I shot an aggravated look at Miles. To which he responded by glaring at me.

"I'll tell you what; we're going to the Orchid," Sawyer said with a glance back at Locke. He shouldered his rifle and started walking towards the trees. Shrugging at Miles,I fell in line behind him. Daniel and Juliet helped Charlotte to her feet and fell in line behind me.

We walked until it was dark and then walked some more. I wondered when we were now, before or after we crashed. Could we be at the beach right now? Could this be before Boone died? Maybe he was over there… at the beach. Or maybe we were long before we ever arrived, just like the last flash."Are you all right?" Juliet asked and it took me a moment to realize she was talking to me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." I forced a smile and continued walking. I didn't need to burden her with my worries.

The moonlight shined through the trees, making small circles in the grass. Thankfully, it was bright enough that I didn't trip too many times. Maybe two hours after the sun had set, a bright column of light shined through the trees. We all stopped and stared."What's that?" I asked, even though I knew no one could possibly know.

I turned to Locke, trying to make out the look on his face. It seemed as if he knew, but I couldn't say for sure. "I say we go the other direction, away from whatever it is."

"Beach is that way," Sawyer said, pointing towards the light. "Now you want to take the scenic route?"

"John, do you know when we are?" Daniel asked and I studied Locke's face.

"We need to keep moving." He said, and turned, walking the opposite direction from the light.

Everyone followed in line, walking slowly and mind was on the light,when we were?My feet kicked rocks and onceagain I stumbled over a large root. Miles caught my arm before I fell, "walk much?" He asked sarcastically, still holding onto me.

"No actually, usually I fly." I pulled my arm from his grasp and walked away.

"What's your problem?" He caught up to me and fell in step beside me.

"I don't have a problem."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Sure you don't."

I walked away quickly, trying to get away from him. I continued to trail behind for a few minutes, walking carefully so that I didn't trip and land face first on a large rock. My curiosity eventually got the better of me and I walked quickly, trying to catch up to Locke.

"When do you think we are?" I asked Locke as I struggled to catch up to him. "You seemed to know what that beam of light was. When are we John?"

I hadn't spoken his first name in months, not since Boone died. So when he stopped on the path and turned around to face me, I had a sneaking suspicion that he remembered. "I believe we are back in November of our year. The first if I'm correct. That light…"

"November first?" I interrupted, my voice shaky. November first was the day that Aaron was born; the day thatBoone died. "I can't go over there, can I?" I trailed off, trying hard to hold the tears in my eyes.

"No. We don't know when the next flash will occur and besides, what would you say to the people you ran into? Everyone knew where you were that night." Locke spoke softly and I figured some thought about saving Boone had crossed his mind. After all, it was his fault he was dead. If I were him, I would have tried to get over there… try toremedy my mistake.

I just wanted to see him. I didn't care that at the moment he was bloody, bruised and dying. All I wanted was to see his face, hold his hand and tell him I loved him. I had only been around him for just over a month… but I missed him so, so very much.

"Maybe if we travel earlier, we could push the plane over, and that way…" I trailed off again, knowing what a stupid plan it was. We couldn't change time; who knew what we might mess up along the way. "I know, it's stupid."

"No, not stupid. You would do anything to save the person you love," Juliet said quietly as she walked up behind me. She offered a quick smile before we continued walking through the trees, down to the beach.

Locke started walking again and I paused a moment before continuing with the parade. I wasn't thinking about our predicament, I could only thing about Boone. I wanted to run away and see him, but logic kept me in my place.

I was back walking next to Miles again and I tried to keep my attention elsewhere so he wouldn't talk to me. "Are you all right?" He asked and I shook my head, not wanting to answer.

Apparently my attempt at avoiding him didn't work. "No," I said softly. "I'm not all right." I didn't want to tell him what was wrong, he had no business knowing. I need to get off this bloody island.

Suddenly through the silent night air, a loud scream echoed through the jungle. Everyone froze. "Now what?" I heard Miles ask, and I couldn't help but wonder the exact thing.

"I'll go check it out." Sawyer raised his gun and walked off into the trees to find the source of the scream.

"James, wait…" Locke tried to stop him, but it was too late, he was gone.

I stood around, shifting my weight from foot to foot, wishing there was something I could do, but there wasn't. I was useless. I couldn't fire a weapon, I didn't know anything about time travel, and I was of no use to anyone in this group.

We stayed in the spot, waiting for Sawyer to return. A few minutes passed and then Charlotte clutched her head and moaned. I glanced around as a bright white flash of light shined through the trees. Dropping to the ground, I clutched my head as the pain seared through… and then it stopped. When I opened my eyes, thesun was shining andLocke was gone. I was left with the Science Kids and Juliet.

We stood for a few minutes, looking around confused. And then Locke and Sawyer appeared behind a thicket of trees and we started moving again. "What was it?" I asked Sawyer when I had caught up to him.

Not surprisingly, he ignored me and continued walking. Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath, counted to ten and continued walking. Fighting a yawn, I rubbed my eyes, wishing for my mattress of airplane cushions and my airplane pillow and blanket. I had grown accustomed to having those things and now that I didn't, I felt even more lost.

Locke and Sawyer led our group, walking in front and talking together. Everyone once in a while, Locke would look back and make eye contact with me before turning to face forward. I was curious, especially when I heard Sawyer ask him how he knew when we were.

We were walking silently, the same as we had been for hours. I pushed aside branches and twigs, kicked rocks and stepped over roots. Sawyer and Locke were in front, Daniel and Charlotte walked directly in front of me, Juliet was beside me and Miles behind. It was an interesting train."He said that you'll be okay."

I stopped in my tracks and turned around, staring at Miles walking behind me. "What are you talking about?"

"Your boyfriend. He says you'll be okay; he told you that you would be." He shrugged and began to walk away.

I stared at him, my jaw slightly open. "Boone?" How could he know about him? Andfurthermore, how could he know what Boone said?

"Did you have another boyfriend on this island?" Miles rolled his eyes at me and shook his head. I'd only known him for a few days, but Miles Straume was beginning to irk me.

"How do you…?" I trailed off, slightly confused. How did he know what Boone told me? How did he even know about Boone?

He rolled his eyes again, this time adding a shake of his head too. "You've apparently missed the memo. I can hear dead people…"

"Really?" I whispered, still staring at him. "Is… is that all?"

"He was thinking that he loved you… you and Shannon. And that it hurt, but you being there helped."

I felt the tears well in my eyes and threaten to fall. "I love you," I whispered. "Tell him that I love him so much."

"It doesn't work that way," Miles said and he turned to walk away, leaving me to stare at his retreating form.

It took me a few minutes to collect myself and wipe the fallen tears from my cheeks. I stared off into the jungle, wishing he was here, with me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry and I love you."

I missed him. I missed him almost as much as I missed Dad and Ashton.

We emerged from the trees, and a grin spread across my face. "Hello!" Sawyer called, walking around and through the tents.

"Camp's back," Juliet said, echoing my thoughts.

"Where is everyone?" I peeked in the tents nearest me, no one was there.

"Interest anyone in a Dharma beer?" Sawyer shouldered his rifle and power walked across the sand to the kitchen. "Hello? Anyone here? Rose! Bernard!"

As Sawyer walked to the table, I continued peering into tents. The tents were collapsed, knocked over and overgrown with weeds. "I wonder how long ago this happened," Locke asked.

I abandoned my search, convinced it had been quite a while since we were here. "Son of a bitch," Sawyer said, tossing the beer can down.

Slowly, I made my way across the sand to where my tent had been. My things were still inside and I knelt down, picking through the clothing. My violin was in the back, but there was no possible way I'd be able to carry it with me. I found my journal underneath the mattresses, just where I left it. Grabbing a purse from the back of the tent, I shoved the journal inside and stood up.

"Should you really be snooping through other people's things?"

Rolling my eyes, I turned to Miles. "These are my things. This was my tent before all this started happening. My clothes, my violin, my bed."

"Well isn't that nice," he said as he walked off, down the beach towards the crowd. I stood there, staring out across the ocean.

Just a few days ago, we had hope of rescue and now our friends were either dead or missing. We had yet to find Rose and Bernard just to name two. I had no friends left, no one I could talk to or commiserate with. I was left with Sawyer, Juliet and the Science kids who came here with the group that was planning on killing us. One day, when I was finally off this bloody island, I was going to write a book, My Adventures on Mystery Island.

"Hey Tinkerbelle, let's go!" I glanced up and down towards the water.

Jogging over, I helped drag the boat into the water. We hopped in and started paddling out into open water and around the island. "How far is this place?" Miles asked once we had reached open water.

"Around that point," Locke answered. "Not more than a few hours."

"Oh joy."

I was trapped between Miles and Juliet, not a place I wanted to be. I could hear Miles groaning in front of me, mumbling about how he didn't want to be here. Juliet and Sawyer were talking behind me and I thought I heard Kate's name mentioned, but the wind was blowing in the wrong direction. For all I knew, he might have asked Juliet on a date.

"Get down!" Juliet yelled and everyone ducked as bullets flew passed us. Who the hell was shooting at us!

"Paddle," Sawyer yelled and I began furiously paddled as fast as I could.

My arms were aching and the salt water splashed everywhere, including my eyes. "I think they want their boat back."

"Move!"

I switched arms and continued to paddle. "These your people?"

"No, they yours?" Juliet answered back and I wondered if it could be the freighter crew coming back to finish the job.

"Shut up and keep paddling!" I heard Juliet pick up the rifle and begin firing at the boat behind us. They were still shooting, but thankfully their aim was off. "Paddle harder they're getting closer!"

My heart was pounding as I switched sides yet again, struggling to paddle as fast as I could. A loud, shrill hum pierced the atmosphere and I squeezed my eyes shut as a brilliant flash of light flashed in the sky. I had never been this happy to flash through time. Apparently Sawyer thought the same thing as he yelled, "Thank you Lord!"

I was soaked within a minute and I opened my eyes to a rainstorm. The sky was dark and the rain poured from the sky. "I take that back!"

"Paddle towards shore," Locke called and we continued paddling. I thought my arms would fall off by the time we reached the land.

The rain had thankfully stopped and we dragged the boat onto the beach, collapsing against it. "Remind me never to do that again," Miles said and once again I found myself next to him. I needed to find a new clique to hang around with.

"Where are we?" Daniel asked and I scanned the beach, hoping to find a landmark or some clue.

"Hard to tell until the sun comes up."

There was nothing near us except sand, water and trees. I rested my head against the boat and shut my eyes, wondering if we were going to get a change to nap before heading back into the jungle. "Oi, everyone look at this." Charlotte's voice rang around the beach and I reluctantly opened my eyes and sat up. "Wreckage. It looks like it just happened." I stood and followed the group over to where Charlotte was standing.

All around us was remnants of a ship. "Anyone speak French?" I glanced down at the wreckage and a quick pain went through my heart. Shannon spoke French, the only one of our survivors who did. "We can do much until the sun comes up. Why don't we all get some rest?"

I sat back by the boat, peeling off Boone's tee shirt and using it and my purse as a pillow. Miles, Daniel and Charlotte lay down near me, Juliet and Sawyer were on the other side of the boat and I didn't catch where Locke had wandered off.

Staring up at the stars, I struggled to take deep breaths and calm my pounding heart. I didn't need another anxiety attack.

Were we going to make it to the Orchid? Closing my eyes, I prayed that we would. "Please get us home," I whispered, feeling the tears well in my eyes. "Please."

AN: And that's chapter 3. Thank you to the_werewolf_gal and JacDanvers for reviewing the previous chapter. And thanks to everyone who's added this to a Favorite or Alert list. Please leave a quick review on your way out. I greatly appreciate them! Even if it's just to say 'good chapter.'

Thanks again and enjoy Tuesday's episode!