Note: So sorry if some of the guys (Ralph) are OOC. I just figured if he had been that age this is probably somewhat what he would have been like. I'll try to make him a little more in character in the future. Also I apologize if this is a little out of order because I haven't read the book in a while. Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is kind of short but enjoy anyway!

Jo had always loved the smell of smoke. She adored Christmas time when her father would light a fire and they would all sit around it. She loved to inhale the air right after blowing out the candles on her birthday cake. She didn't even mind the smell of Margaret's cigarettes all that much. So when she smelled smoke while on her way back carrying a woven basket full of berries for Piggy, she didn't think anything of it. It wasn't till her vision was blurred with tears that she realized something was wrong, looking up at the tall mountain to see the violent orange flames, licking the hillside.

"Shit." she murmured before dropping the basket and running. She paused a few yards ahead and then turned around, about to go back for Piggy's berries when a tall tree fell, squashing it like a bug. She took off in the other direction.

She was running and running, smoke clouding up the tree filled forest before she heard it. Sobbing. She couldn't see anyone or tell where it was coming from but it was definitely there.

"Hello?" she called out, her eyes welling up once more from the smoke entering her mouth.

"Help!" called a faint voice. Jo rushed forward and the calling got louder.

"Who's there?" she asked as loudly as the smoke would let her which was no more than a rasp.

"Jo! Help me! Help me!" called the tiny voice. A littleun. By the sound of it, a really young one.

"I'm coming!" she called out, desperately. She kept running through the smoke, not quite sure if she was running in circles or not. The voice was getting fainter and fainter before it disappeared all together.

The burning sensation in Jo's chest overwhelmed her as clean air grew scarcer and scarcer. She finally dropped to her knees, as moving her legs had become an impossibly labored task.

She was on the verge of giving up completely. It was hopeless anyway. She'd probably never get off the island and it was better to die now than to wait it out. Better than starving, or going insane with island fever. She shut her eyes and rested her head against a tree trunk before a loud distinct yell cried out to her.

"Jo!"

"Ralph." she thought to herself, but calling back was out of the question because of how much smoke she'd taken in.

She tried rasping out but nothing came. Instead she shut her eyes and stood up, stumbling forward, eyes closed until she bumped into something.

"Jo?" She looked up to see Ralph's green eyes flooded with relief, the only thing standing out in the smoke before everything went blank and she fainted into his arms.

He secured his grip around her and then picked her up, running through the smoke and finally out to the beach where in an effort to get to clear air, he tripped forward, sending him and Jo rolling onto the sand. He looked up at everyone's eyes on him as he panted and gasped for air before turning to Jo. Her breathing was labored but she seemed to be getting better.

"Someone. CPR." he panted, wishing he could have done it himself but still struggling for breath himself.

"I know it." Jack said stepping forward.

"No!" Ralph snapped, even in the desperate situation wanting to keep his promise about keeping Jack away from Jo.

"I know it." Simon said stepping forward.

Ralph nodded and sat back on his knees, taking one of Jo's hands in his own.

Simon slowly came over and kneeled above Jo, placing his lips on hers and executing CPR for a few minutes until Jo finally sat up, gasping in a large intake of air. Simon, wanting to stay out of the spotlight, returned to where Anna was sitting, crying softly and put an arm around her. Jo sat up and looked at Ralph before throwing both her arms around him. He hugged her tightly, his normal breathing returning.

"Let's get you to a hut." he said, picking her up again and then walking her to the hut she shared with her friends. He placed her in the bed of leaves and then turned but she grabbed his hand.

"You saved my life." she whispered.

"Simon was the one who revived you." he admitted.

"I know. You pulled me out of the jungle. But Ralph- there was someone in there." she said sitting up. Ralph grimaced. He knew. He'd counted a few littleuns missing including the boy with the birthmark who in the past few days Jo had become particularly attached to.

"You know something." she said. He nodded and at the same time was slightly scared that she knew him so well after only a few days.

"I think it might have been that boy you like so much. With the mark on his face." Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes welled with tears as she shook her head.

He scooted closer to her and wrapped her in his arms as she continued to cry into his chest for a few minutes before pulling away and wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry...I'm not usually like this. I'm...I'm strong Ralph." she said, sniffling.

"You don't have to tell me twice." he replied, smoothing her wet and matted hair away from her face.

"Ralph I don't think we're going to make it off this island." she said quietly, laying her head on his chest again.

"Don't say that." he whispered.

"It's true." she replied. The fact made him uneasy as he considered it. The signal fire had failed, almost killing them all...and killing some in the process. The chances of leaving seemed to be getting slimmer and slimmer.

"Ralph?" she asked looking up at him, eyes still shining with tears. He looked down at her expression. Scared. Fearful. Jo who was usually just as bossy and as much of a leader as him, helpless.

"May I break my promise?" he replied. She frowned in confusion.

"I don't want to wait until we get off the island. I'd like to kiss you now." he said somewhat sheepishly.

She nodded as another tear rolled down her face. He softly and gently wiped it away before leaning forward and kissing her with so much care it was almost as if he thought she would break.

Jo reached up, wrapping her arms around Ralph's neck to bring herself closer, taking the incentive to deepen their kiss, pressing her lips to his harder than he had before.

Ralph was also the one to break it, pulling away regretfully for air.

"You should rest." he whispered, gently lying her back down.

"Don't leave." she whispered, grabbing his wrist.

"I have to go talk to everyone...but I'll come back. If it's ok with Anna and Margaret." he said.

"Do you promise?" she asked. He nodded and leaned down, kissing her on the forehead, before starting out of the hut.

Once he was gone, Jo smiled to herself before her smile faded as she remembered the littleuns who were missing. Dead. And her smiled turned to tears as she cried herself to sleep.