Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. The Lost characters and universe do not belong to me.
A/N: This story started out as an RP on a forum I visit. This is the part that I wrote for the RP. Yes the plot jumps around and yes it is full of drama like a soap opera, but that is why I love it. Credit also goes to my fellow writers; tigerlilly, benlinusisagoodguy, and fearandloathin for their input and genius characters.
Chapter 4
It was the next day and Mel was walking quickly across the courtyard. She nearly ran up the steps to the house Sophie shared with some others whose names she didn't know. She had seen the man coming and going but she hadn't seen the other woman in a while.
She knocked loudly on the front door while glancing around her.
"Open up, open up." she said to herself as she looked towards Ben's house next door. The last thing she needed was him coming outside to see that she was about to disobey him.
Finally the door swung open and she saw Sophie looking back at her.
"Thank you!" she said as she rushed through the door and shut it behind her.
"Is anyone else here?" Mel asked looking around the house.
"No one. Did you need something Mel?" Sophie asked clearly wondering why Mel was in her house.
"How are you feeling?" Mel asked as she glanced at Sophie's wrists which were still wrapped in bandages.
"I'm fine." Sophie answered quickly moving her hands behind her back.
"Don't you dare start defending him. I know what a bastard he can be."
"He made a mistake." Sophie tried to explain.
Mel cut her off, "Yeah, the biggest one. But that isn't why I'm here. I couldn't care less who you're shacking up with."
"Then why are you here?"
Mel took a deep breath, "Do you know someone named Zoe?"
"Yeah, she lives here. She's only been here a little while."
"Well, she's not here anymore. She went to the beach where the plane crashed."
"What? How do you know that?"
"Ethan told me."
"I hadn't seen here for a few days but I just thought she was off training somewhere. I wonder why Ben sent her."
"That's the thing. He didn't. She went on her own. Ben was furious when he found out. I'm afraid of what he has planned for her when she gets back."
"Wait. You said Ethan told you? How? I thought he was at the beach pretending to be a survivor."
"He is. I talked to him over a walkie talkie."
"Why would they let you talk to him?"
"Umm, well. Ethan and I, we're kind of..."
"You're together?" Sophie asked finally understanding.
"Yes, but it's complicated."
"You think I don't know about complicated relationships?" Sophie said holding up her wrists.
"I guess you're right. Hey, what about Charlotte? Have you ever heard of her?"
"Charlotte? Yes! Do you know where she is? Is she at the beach too?" Sophie asked hopefully.
"I don't think she's at the beach. You knew her?"
"Yes. She was already here when we all arrived. She welcomed us. She lives here."
Mel looked down at the floor, "Sophie, I think, well at least Ben led me to believe that something happened to her, something bad."
"What do you mean?"
"I think Ben may have killed her. Well, no, I don't think he did it himself. He must have had someone do it for him."
"Ben wouldn't do a thing like that."
"Are you sure? He told me about Charlotte when he was threatening me to stop causing trouble. He said he'd do the same thing to me that he did to her."
"I don't believe you." Sophie said turning away from her.
"Sophie."
"No! Ben is not a bad man. I'm not going to listen to your lies about him!"
Mel threw he hands in the air in defeat, "So now I'm the liar? That's just perfect. Ben tells all of the lies and I get blamed for them."
Sophie threw open the front door, "Get out of my house."
"Fine." Mel said and walked quickly through the door past Sophie. When she was on the porch she turned around, "Sophie?"
"What?"
"Be careful with him."
Mel was sitting on the couch in Ethan's living room when she heard a loud knock on the door. When she pulled it open she saw Ben standing there. He looked positively livid.
"I thought I'd be seeing you soon." she said as she stepped away from the door.
Ben walked in and closed it behind him. Mel didn't notice him turn the lock as well.
"I thought I would come check on you. It's been a few days since you talked to Ethan."
"Of course. You wanted to see how I was holding up?" Mel asked.
"Yes." Ben lied convincingly.
"You're not sure if I told her or not are you?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"Sophie. You're not one hundred percent certain it was me who told her about Zoe and Charlotte. You're afraid you might hurt me like you did Sophie only to find out I wasn't the one who told."
"I see you have everything figured out." Ben said as he stepped into the living room and closer to her.
"I think I'm beginning to. How about I make things easy for you Ben? I did tell Sophie about Zoe. I wanted to know who she was. Ethan spoke of her like he knew her and then I found a file with her name on it on Ethan's desk. I was curious."
"You almost sound jealous Mel. I bet you're dying to get to that beach to be with Ethan." Ben teased.
"I'm not jealous, but I am cautious. This girl, who hasn't even been here a month is out there with him. One slip up and she could blow his cover and put him in danger."
"She's been here longer than you have."
"Regardless, you don't see me running off into the jungle. I don't blame her though. I would want to get away from you too."
"If I didn't know any better I would think you were deliberately trying to anger me. Is that what you're doing Mel?"
"I don't have to do anything deliberately Ben. I think I anger you without even trying."
"You do have a point there. Now I need you to answer me this one thing. Why did you tell Sophie about Charlotte when I told you not too?"
"There was your first problem. You shouldn't have ordered me not to say anything. By doing that you pretty much guaranteed I was going to say it to someone if only to spite you. Second, you threatened me with Charlotte's fate. I don't appreciate being threatened. And third, you killed that girl. I don't want Sophie to be your next victim. She needed to be warned about you."
Ben nodded as if he agreed with her and he walked forward.
"I understand your reasoning Mel. But Sophie's not the one I want to kill right now." In a flash he shot out his arm and gripped her throat with his strong hand. Then, never releasing his grip on her throat he threw her down to the couch where he towered over her.
"I don't think you realize the severity of what you have done. I gave you an order and not only did you ignore it, you went out of your way to cause me more trouble. I should kill you for all these headaches you have caused me."
Mel felt her self getting lightheaded from a lack of air. She clawed at his hand but he didn't loosen his grip.
"How I wish I could just strangle you right here. It would be so simple. A little longer and you'd fall unconscious. But alas, it's not to be." Ben hauled her up off the couch and threw her to the floor.
Mel gasped as she could finally breathe. Many minutes passed as she regained her breath. She looked up at the insane man standing over her.
"If you want to kill me so badly why don't you just do it?" Mel asked him harshly. "Why do you keep playing this twisted little game?"
Ben closed the distance between them and kneeled in front of her. "I can't kill you because you are too valuable here."
"Valuable? I'm a historian, what is so valuable about that?"
"Silly girl. You don't still think you're here to be the islands Historian do you? Why, you haven't even been given any work since you've been here."
"If I'm not here for a job then why did Ethan bring me here?" Mel asked, confused.
Ben looked at her in surprise, "He didn't tell you?"
"Who, Ethan? Tell me what?"
"Mel, you were brought here for one reason, and that is the same reason why I regrettably cannot cause you any real harm." Then Ben hesitated, "I'm sure Ethan had a good reason for not telling you."
Mel grabbed Ben's arm, "Tell me!"
Ben put his hand over hers, "Mel, you're pregnant."
