Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or LOST.

"How'd you find this place?"

Dean grinned up at Kate as she smiled back at him from her place in between himself and Jack as they were led to the location of the fresh water. And to where his bags had ended up. The main reason he had even volunteered to participate in this hike with Kate, Jack, Locke and Charlie was so that he could retrieve his things. It seemed like these people were always seeking out reasons to enter this jungle, and while he was all for helping to carry the water back to the beach, his mind was otherwise occupied with the knowledge that he was hours away from his search to find Sam.

"Luck," Jack yelled back, a laugh invading his tone as he kept his eyes on the trail ahead of them.

"Whatever you say, man," Dean responded, his tone full of the same mirth.

"You don't believe me?" Jack asked as he stopped his trek. He turned back to Dean with a smirk and raised his eyebrows at the challenge, while Dean just chuckled with a shake of his head. He could see the smile Kate was wearing at the inquiry, but didn't even bother to turn to the rest of their party as Charlie let out a deep laugh.

"Dude, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the only luck on this island is bad," Dean informed him as he emphasized his point with a playful shrug.

"Says the man that survived a plane crash," Charlie murmured from behind him.

Dean let out a dry chuckle as Charlie's words sank in completely. If only he knew. Was it luck that he had willingly boarded a plane harboring a crash happy demon and survived that ordeal only to board another plane that would take him back to his beloved Impala, but have that supernaturally deprived vessel crash? Either bad luck or irony, he couldn't be totally sure.

"Well, this one I'm chalking up to luck," Jack told them as he ignored Charlie's remark. "Trust me, nothing else would have urged me to even go in there." Jack turned back towards their path and indicated a narrow opening in the rock wall ahead of them.

Dean's eyes widened as he realized that they were all looking at the entrance that had to lead to the water Jack had discovered. He could see his own shock mirrored on Kate's face as she stared out at the cave opening. Jack only smiled at their shock before continuing onward, glancing over his shoulder only once as all four of them moved to catch up with him.

As he ducked down to enter the caves, Dean became more and more positive that there was more to this discovery than luck. He just wasn't sure what was so horrible that Jack had to adopt such an evasive excuse about his activities, but he figured every man was entitled to their secrets.

They followed Jack further through a small rock tunnel that led them straight into a large cavernous opening where lush vines crawled up the walls and a small spring held the contents of the multiple waterfalls surrounding it. "Oh my god," Kate murmured in awe.

"This is it," Jack proudly informed them as he motioned around with a smile.

"It's amazing," Locke murmured as he stared out at the expanse.

"Absolutely," Charlie agreed. "It's totally you," he added, pointing at Locke with a grin.

Jack chuckled as he and Dean squatted down and shucked off their backpacks before they began to remove the empty water bottles they'd brought with them. "Gotta say, this is some luck," Dean commented as he scrutinized the space they were in with amazement. "Almost dumb luck."

"It's been my experience that dumb luck is pretty much the best kind of luck there is," Jack told him with a worried smile.

Dean grinned back as he took out his last bottle and sat down fully on the ground. "Hey, I'm not sure this is the best time, but I wanted to talk to you about something."

Jack tipped one of his bottles into the water and drank its contents before he turned back to Dean, his face a mask of curiosity as realization lit up his eyes. "Oh, sorry, I completely forgot. Your bags are over there with the other wreckage," Jack said as he motioned to the items in a corner of the cave.

Dean glanced in the direction Jack had indicated, barely having to search as his gaze landed straight on his bag, nestled right at the front. "Thanks man, but that's not what I needed to talk to you about." Dean tore his attention away from his belongings and turned back to Jack with a sigh. "Look…um. I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna help you guys get these bottles filled and brought back to the beach, but then I gotta go," Dean told him.

Jack nodded at him in understanding and opened his mouth to comment before a voice above them cut in. "Go where?" They both looked up to see Kate staring down at them, her face twisted anxiously.

"Uh…would you believe I'm not sure yet?"

She pursed her lips and glanced back and forth between Dean and Jack before rolling her eyes with a scoff. "Ok, what the hell's going on?"

Dean's eyebrows lifted as he turned to Jack, gesturing that he was more than welcome to elaborate. "Kate, his brother was in the tail section of the plane," Jack explained.

"So?"

"So, he's on this island somewhere, with the rest of the people that were in the tail," Dean told her. "Think about it, we know where the fuselage is and you guys found the cockpit, but the tail section's just gone?"

Kate mulled over Dean's words before she knelt down with them and slung off her backpack. She glanced over Dean and Jack's hunched forms to make sure Locke and Charlie were far enough away from them before turning her attention back to the two men in front of her. "The last thing I want is for you to think I'm being insensitive, but shouldn't you keep in mind that the tail section may have hit water and sank?"

"I'd know if Sam were dead," Dean objected as he shook his head. "He's my brother and I know he's on this island somewhere, either looking for me or waiting for me to find him." Kate turned to Jack with a helpless look, but only received a grim smile. She glanced back at Dean, surprised as she realized that there wasn't any hope on his features, only assurance. She'd never met anybody with that kind of faith in a dismal situation.

"Hey guys? Shouldn't someone look through this stuff?" Charlie yelled, breaking up their pow-wow as he indicated the wreckage. "Could be something useful in there."

"He's got a point," Locke agreed as he walked past him.

"I do?" Charlie asked incredulously.

Dean stood up and gave a last lingering look to Jack and Kate before walking over to the wreckage and patting Charlie on the shoulder. "You do. Only, let me grab my bags first, alright?"

Charlie nodded at him as Dean knelt down next to his bag. He gingerly touched the two zip-ties that were fastened around the handles of his and Sam's bag, holding them together just like Jack had told him. "When the hell did that bastard manage to tie our bags together?" He whispered around an amused chuckle.

"Sorry?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing, man," Dean smiled up at him as he unzipped his bag. "I'm just really glad to finally have my stuff." He pushed aside several clean articles of clothing, giddy as his fingers brushed up against the cool metal of what had to be his shotgun.

"Ah yes, now you can brush your teeth and shave those whiskers," Charlie surmised drolly. Dean opened up Sam's bag and dug around until he found his father's leather bound journal and pulled it out with a relieved sigh. He opened it up and began to flip through the pages before throwing Charlie a confident smirk. "I can also research."

The grin on Charlie's face faded into confusion before he shrugged it off. "Yeah, well, to each his own, I guess."

"Hey, if you're gonna look through the wreckage, bring me your bottles," Jack yelled across the caves. "Also, keep an eye out for any medical supplies. Drugs in particular."

"Drugs," Charlie agreed with a nod. "Right." Dean kept flipping through his father's journal, not paying any attention to Charlie as he backed up and headed out of the caves the same way they'd come in. He figured Charlie wouldn't go far or manage to get himself lost in the jungle if he stayed close by. It wasn't until Locke followed along the same path as Charlie and left the caves that Dean looked up.

"What the hell is he up to?" Dean asked out loud, his eyes narrowed.

"Who?" Jack asked.

Dean stood up and glanced over at Jack and Kate, their confused looks confirming that he'd just spoken his suspicions out loud. "Locke," he told them. "He just followed Charlie outside." They both shared a look as Dean shook his head incredulously and ran after them. He stopped outside and scanned the area quickly, frustrated when neither of them appeared in his sights.

"He's over there," Kate pointed as she and Jack ran up behind him. They all turned in the direction Kate had pointed to see Locke at the bottom of a small hill just outside the caves. He had his hand held out in front of him in a placating manner as he spoke to something or someone that they couldn't see from their current position. "Where's Charlie?" Jack asked.

"Let's find out," Dean murmured. He started his climb down the hill very slowly, observant of any roots, shrubs or holes that could trip him up and injure him along the way. The last thing he needed hours before he was about to journey this island was a twisted ankle. He was nearly at the bottom when his point of view finally allowed him to see the area past Locke's outstretched hand. He almost groaned as Charlie came into view, his face white as a ghost as he stood ramrod straight while several bees either climbed up his jeans or flew around him. "Oh shit."

"What's going on?" Jack asked from behind him as he and Kate came to a stop midway down the hill. He could hear when Kate let out an astonished gasp as Jack cursed under his breath at the situation before them. "He's standing on a beehive," Locke told them, still keeping his arm out in front of him. Dean snorted at the information that they were all privy to now, wondering what else Captain Obvious wanted to let them know about. The sky was blue? Nope, can't believe that one. Water was wet? Get out!

"What's a beehive doing there? Beehives are supposed to be in trees," Charlie frantically reasoned.

"What now?" Jack asked as he stepped further down the hill so he could get a better look.

"John, you gotta keep him still," Dean told Locke. "If he moves, he'll split that hive."

"I know," Locke agreed with a rueful smile plastered on his face.

"I don't like bees, ok?" Charlie told them, keeping his attention on the hive below his feet. "I have an irrational fear of bees…I think I'm allergic to…"

"Please be quiet," Locke requested with enough force behind his words that Charlie visibly gulped before shutting up completely. This was, definitely, the quietest Dean had heard Charlie be since the plane had crashed. "We need to get something to seal the hive," Locke informed them as he pointed in their direction.

"To cover it?" Kate asked. She stepped away from Jack, ready to run back up the hill and search through the wreckage in the cave for something to alleviate the situation. "Yes, hurry," Locke told them. She nodded as Dean nudged Jack and nodded for him to go with her. Jack shook his head in understanding at the silent request and raced back up the hill behind her, leaving Dean and Locke with a panicked but silent Charlie.

"Dude, it's not like we have any wax or glue up in that cave," Dean whispered over to Locke. "What the hell are you expecting them to find?"

"Dean, I need you to just have a little faith, alright?" Locke asked him, the smile on his face replaced with a somnolent expression. Dean straightened up, ready to jump the small distance that separated him from Locke and shove his 'faith' down his throat when Jack reappeared behind him, a suitcase in his hand. "Will this work?"

Dean glanced down at the suitcase, his face scrunched up pensively before shaking his head. "To seal up the hive?" he asked skeptically.

"We skimmed through the wreckage, but there's nothing in there we could actually seal it with. This was actually Kate's idea," Jack told them, indicating the suitcase again.

"Ok, maybe this is my GED education talking, but I'm not following you here," Dean told him, eyeing the suitcase and then the hive.

"I'm gonna cover the hive with the suitcase," Jack explained to him with a smile. He watched as the simplicity of Kate's plan dawned on Dean before Jack nodded at them and moved towards Charlie very slowly. He crouched down at his feet, right next to the hive and looked back up at Charlie, giving him a reassuring smile before he took a deep breath. "Ok, just keep still man."

"This is the most crap idea ever," Charlie exclaimed, still not moving a muscle. "It's never gonna work." Dean was amazed that Charlie was sill managing to remain stationary now that he had several of those little bastards crawling across his face.

"Pull yourself together, son," Locke calmly advised him. Dean nodded his head at him as he realized that there were too many bees out of the hive now for them to make a clean getaway. If that hive cracked, they would all be rewarded with a few beestings for their efforts.

"It wouldn't be an irrational fear of bees if I could just pull myself together, would it?" Charlie rebuked his advice. Dean watched as Jack leaned closer, his hands steady and his concentration focused on the task at hand as he almost had the suitcase over the hive. Almost there, Dean thought with a smile. Maybe there was such a thing as good luck on this island.

Charlie reached up and slapped at one of the bees on his face which knocked his balance off so badly that he stepped into the middle of the hive and cracked it down the middle. "Murphy's Law," Dean muttered as he watched a swarm of bees rise from the broken hive and converge with the already flying ones before they all scattered to five different targets.

He ran back up the hill behind Kate and Jack, cursing as the first stings bit into his right arm before he felt another nip at his cheek. Why had he stayed at the very bottom of the hill when Jack was the one that had been handling everything?He furiously swatted the air around him as he re-entered the cave with Jack and Kate who were also trying to get away from the tiny stingers attacking their skin. He yanked off his shirt and fanned it into the air, using it to swat away any of the remaining bees that had tailed them.

Even as the buzzing sounds finally died down, he continued to swat at the air, shuddering as he still felt them invisibly crawling on his skin. He dropped his t-shirt and collapsed on a low part of the rock wall as he finally started to take inventory of the bumps all over his arms and face. He looked up at Jack and Kate, both also shirtless, as they followed his cue and collapsed against the most solid surface closest to them so they could catch their breath and calm themselves down.

"Well, that was the most 'My Girl' I ever want my life to turn into," Dean grunted. Jack narrowed his eyes in confusion while Kate let out a mirthful chuckle as she shook her head in disbelief. "You've seen 'My Girl'?"

"Tenth grade," Dean told her around a grin. "Turned out Shelly DePommers really liked the sensitive types." Kate let out a full bellied laugh as she turned around and leaned her arms on an opening in the wall.

"Oh my god!" She shrieked, her laughter cut off as she backed up a step. Jack and Dean jumped up, both racing to her side as they inspected the rock shelf she was staring at in horror. Dean's own eyes widened at the dingy dressed skeleton that stared right back at them.

"Who is he?" Kate asked in a shaky tone. "How'd he get here?"

Jack leaned closer as he inspected the bones, careful not to touch them before he stood back up and shook his head. "I can't exactly perform an autopsy, but…there doesn't seem to be any major trauma to the bones."

"There's another one over here," Dean called out, motioning to the ground where another skeleton was positioned.

Jack and Kate scooted forward, both of them looking back and forth between the skeletons, curiosity lingering on their features. "Someone laid them to rest here," Jack theorized after a moment.

"Who?" Kate asked.

"I dunno," Jack told her with a shrug.

"Where would they come from?" Kate asked.

"Didn't you guys shoot a polar bear last week," Jack asked her.

"Yeah."

"Where'd that come from?"

"Wait a second," Dean interrupted, halting their conversation. "You guys shot a polar bear? When?" Jack and Kate shared a guilty look as Dean stared at them incredulously. "Well?"

"When we went out on the transceiver hike," Kate calmly explained to him. "There was a polar bear coming at us and Sawyer shot it and killed it."

"There was a polar bear here? On a tropical island?" Dean asked in disbelief. Kate nodded over at him before he continued. "Is that how Sawyer got that damn gun?" Dean asked.

Kate looked down at the ground and then back up at him with another nod. He snorted as he threw up his arms and turned away from them. This was just unbelievable….how many other things were being kept under wraps?

"Do you have any idea how long they've been here?" Kate asked after a pregnant pause.

Dean heard the sharp exhale from Jack as he kept his back to the both of them. "Long. It takes forty or fifty years for clothing to degrade like this," Jack surmised. Dean turned back around as Jack faced the skeleton on the shelf, his brow furrowed. He reached forward and pulled out a leather pouch that had been with it, looking over at Dean with a mixture of apology and inquisitiveness. Dean allowed the tension to melt away from his face as he stepped forward while Jack opened the pouch and held it upside down. Two polished stones fell into his open hand…one white and one black.

"Hello, anybody there?" They all turned from the rock shelf to the cave entrance as Locke came around the corner, startled to see them already in there. "Everyone alright?"

"A few stings aside," Jack told him, nodding as Charlie entered right behind Locke. He put the stones back in the leather pouch and placed it back on the shelf.

"You three run away fantastically. Glad my diversion spared you," Charlie lamented out loud. "I was only stung several hundred times." He indicated his arms and face where most of the bees had been as Jack and Dean put their shirts back on with a snicker. "Oh, and uh…someone left this," he smirked as he handed the material in his hands back to Kate who turned red as it dawned on her that she was practically topless save for a thin white bra.

She reached forward and grabbed her shirt from him while she tried to cover up her bare midriff and get her shirt back on at the same time in vain. "It was…um…it was full of bees," she stammered out after she'd calmed down enough to get her shirt on and smoothed out.

"I'da thought C's actually," Charlie countered with a smile.

"Ha…nice," Dean snorted, laughing harder as they all turned to him in shock. Charlie smiled over at Dean before turning to Kate, her cold look wiping the smile off his face as he muttered a half hearted apology. Out of the corner of his eye, Charlie noticed the skeleton on the ground and knelt down to get a better look at it. "Bloody hell. Are these the people that were here before us?"

"What are you talking about?" Locke asked, coming forward to inspect what they had found. Dean's attention turned to Locke as he rolled his question around in his mind until realization hit. The one thing that Dean knew that he and Locke had in common was that they'd both stayed out of the several hikes into the jungle, with the exception of the hunting hike. Those same several hikes in which Jack, Kate and Charlie had participated and obviously discovered things that they felt didn't need to be shared with the other survivors.

Of course, you didn't tell them about your hallucination, his inner self chastised.

"Oh…uh…just that…um…there could have been people…here…before us. Right?" Charlie stammered at Locke's question. Dean almost groaned, knowing that if he lied as bad as Charlie seemed to lie, his life as a hunter would have been cut short years ago.

"Clearly," Locke agreed. "But, who were these men?"

"Actually, one of them's female," Jack corrected him.

Dean watched as Locke stared down at the skeletons, a thoughtful yet serene look crossing his features before he let a small smile slip past his lips. "Our very own Adam and Eve."


It had taken Jack and Dean close to an hour to fill up every one of the water bottles they'd brought with them, while Locke, Kate and Charlie had looked through the wreckage. Dean placed the last of his bottles in his pack before he zipped it up and handed it off to Kate. "You guys sure you're gonna be ok getting back to camp alone?"

"Hey, at least Jack and I are heading back together," Kate corrected him. "I'm more worried about you trying to find your way back alone."

Dean waved off her concern with a smile as he knelt back down next to his father's journal and read through a few of the passages. "I'll be fine on my own, trust me."

"Whatever you say, Dean," she told him with a knowing smile. She clipped the backpack and adjusted the straps so that it wouldn't be moving before she stood up with a stretch. "Well, I'm ready," she announced to Jack who remained seated as he studied the caves surroundings. "Besides, people are probably getting thirsty back at the beach." Jack finally looked up at her, nodding his head as a calculating smile graced his features.

"What?" Kate asked.

"Forty six people need to drink a half gallon a day each," Jack told her. "Carrying all this water back and forth is gonna be a real pain in the ass."

"Yeah, why do you think I just 'mysteriously' volunteered to help look through wreckage," Dean joked in agreement.

Jack ignored Dean as he looked around at their surroundings, again, before he turned his attention back to them. "These caves make too good a shelter to be used just for burial. Adam and Eve…they must have lived here. Their plane crashed or maybe they were shipwrecked. They probably found this place and knew they could survive here. There's an unlimited supply of fresh water, tree canopy keeps the temperature down…shields out the sun. The openings are narrow, easier for protection against predators," he shook his head in disbelief at Kate and Dean, his mouth set in a firm line. "We don't need to bring the water to the people, we need to bring the people to the water."

Kate smiled uneasily over at Dean as Jack stood up and shouldered his own backpack, grimacing at the extra weight from the water. He moved his shoulders a few times to get a feel for the pack before nodding his head and turning back to them. "I think we could live here," he added before he walked away.

"He wants to move here?" Kate asked, incredulously.

"Apparently," Dean told her as rolled his eyes with a smirk. "I think the bigger question is how many people are actually gonna follow him up here?"

"You don't think they'd all follow him up here?" Kate asked as her eyes followed Jack's path to the cave opening.

"Well, it's no secret that you're one of Jack's biggest supporters," Dean told her, lifting an eyebrow as she nodded at his statement, no denial or confirmation coming from her lips. "Even you seem to be a little freaked out by this idea."

Kate stared at Dean for a moment, her face blank as her thoughts drifted to Jack's idea of moving everyone from the beach. He could tell she was conflicted and was glad that he wouldn't have to pick a side since we has leaving soon anyways. "Kate, you coming?" Jack called, breaking her out of her daze. She smiled over at Dean with a shrug before running to catch up with Jack.

"Oh, Dean?" She called back as she turned and jogged backwards away from him. "If you leave without saying goodbye, I'll track this whole island to find you and kick your ass." Dean nodded at her comment with a laugh before she turned and caught up with Jack.

"You two are so cute. Like the two dogs from Lady and the Tramp," Charlie commented from behind Dean. "Guess which one you are."

"Funny dude," Dean told him with an eye roll. "In case you hadn't noticed, not only do I stay away from the overly romantic feelings, but I have zero romantic feelings for Kate. Also, that chick is head over heels for Jack."

"True, true," Charlie conceded. "Maybe she's using you to make him jealous."

Dean let out an exasperated breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Charlie, is there anything besides your filler of drama that you wanted to discuss?"

"Yeah, actually. We were listening to you guys talk and I just wanted to know if you really think Jack wants to move everyone up here?" Charlie asked as he motioned to the caves. Dean looked from Charlie to Locke before he shrugged his shoulders.

"I think Jack's priority right now is to make sure that everyone that survived the plane crash continues to survive on this island," Dean told them as honestly as he could. "I have to admit that Jack's reasons for moving up here are valid, but at the same time, there'll be drawbacks."

"Pros and cons to every situation, Charlie," Locke added. "It's just a matter of weighing them out and deciding which option ends up as the best all around."

"Sometimes, it isn't even that simple," Dean countered, earning a nod from Locke. Maybe he'd misjudged Locke. Maybe he'd allowed his stress from the plane crash and Sammy being lost to fester on the hunting trip and he'd taken it out on the only other person that had been around.

"Well then, shouldn't we do something about them?" Charlie asked as he nodded to the two skeletons in the cave. "If Jack does move people up here they're not gonna react well to the previous tenants still hanging around."

Dean chuckled at his choice of words before nodding his head at him. "Look, I was planning on heading back to the beach shortly anyways, so why don't I just take care of them?" He smiled brightly as he thought of the three containers of salt he had in his bag alone. He knew that he was probably being overly cautious, but he was so glad that he'd be able to salt and burn the bones, just in case these caves had any spirits hanging around. Even though, he hadn't noticed anything to prove that.

"Yeah, sure mate," Charlie told him with a grin. "I know I'd appreciate not having to deal with that particular task."

"As would I," Lock agreed. "How about I clear out two of the larger suitcases for you to haul them out of here with?" Locke asked.

Dean glanced over at him, trying not to let the shock show through his features as he nodded his head. "I'd appreciate that. Also, if you guys see anything that'll make digging easier, would you let me know?" Locke grinned back at him as he picked out one of the suitcases and prepared to clear it out for Dean's use.


Dean climbed out of the last grave he'd dug with a grimace as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. The shard of metal from the wreckage that Locke had found had ended up being a suitable substitute to the shovels he usually used to dig up a grave, but it had its downfalls. Like the shallow cuts that replaced my normal blisters and calluses, he thought as he examined his tender hands with a wince.

Also, he hadn't been able to dig past about three feet deep and as he looked back down at the holes in the ground, he couldn't help but be disappointed that they weren't as deep as he would have liked. Had it been two freshly dead bodies that he had to take care of, the current depth wouldn't have worked, but considering that they were fully decomposed skeletons, what he had would have to do. Especially when he considered that the purpose of these graves was to contain the fire he was about to start rather than actually burying the bones.

He unzipped the first suitcase and carefully placed the first set of bones into the consequent grave before repeating the action with the second set of bones. He wasn't sure if he needed to keep the bodies separate, but he figured they each deserved their own graves. As he pulled one of the containers of salt out of his bag, he couldn't help but smile, even if his task at hand seemed a little grim. He'd been raised a certain way and he couldn't help it if he considered salt to be his own personal mineralized security blanket.

"Alright, well, I have to figure that this is all pointless since neither of your spirits are trying to kill me in order to stop this from happening," Dean muttered down at the bones. "Um…I don't really know what to say right now. Um…your stairway lies on the whispering wind?" He winced as he realized that he'd just quoted Led Zeppelin as a eulogy for two skeletons that had been dead for more than several decades. "Dear god, this plane crash has turned me into a complete chick."

He almost gagged at how pathetic he sounded as he uncapped his salt container and coated each set of bones in enough salt to kill an army of slugs. He rummaged through his bag some more, smiling as he found his small canteen of lighter fluid and doused the bones thoroughly before he retrieved his Zippo from his pocket.

"Ok, now I just gotta find something else to burn," Dean murmured as he gathered two tiny handfuls of dried brush. There was no way in hell he was willing to lose his only lighter by throwing it into the graves.

He lit the brush on fire before throwing them down into each of the graves, smiling with a relieved sigh as the familiar hiss of a growing fire coming alive reached his ears. He sat down on a boulder and watched the flames as they remained consistently strong shooting out of the two holes he'd dug. He figured he'd give it about twenty minutes and then cover each grave with enough dirt to safely extinguish the flames.

No sense in pissing off Smokey the Bear.


"Jack just informed me that you would be leaving us very soon," Sayid ambushed Dean the moment he stepped out of the jungle.

"Jack would be correct," Dean confirmed for him. He continued down the path to his tent, annoyed as he realized that Sayid was following him step for step. He glanced over at him sideways and noticed that his facial features were incredibly tense. "You kinda look like you wanna talk me out of it."

"I was told about your reason for leaving, which I believe to be very noble."

"Alright," Dean chuckled with a shake of his head. "But…?"

"But, are you sure that it is a wise idea?" Sayid asked. "Going into that jungle alone when you know what is out there…"

"I don't know what's out there," Dean corrected him as he stopped right outside of his tent. He turned to face him as he set down his bags with a deep sigh. "Unfortunately, I can't figure out what made those noises, but I'm prepared," he bent down, unzipped his bag and held it open for Sayid to see the few weapons he'd managed to get onto two separate planes.

Sayid looked down at him, his eyes wide and Dean could only surmise that he was being seen in a completely different light from before. "How did you get those weapons on the plane?"

Dean stood back up with a shrug. "Unlike Locke, I've made friends with people that have ties to customs," he told him. He figured the most honest answer was his best approach at this point. "Look, I was hoping to get a good head start on this hike before the sun goes down so…" he indicated his tent as he gave Sayid a knowing smile.

"Yes, of course," Sayid nodded at him. "I think it goes without saying for you to be careful out there."

"Yet, you still said it," Dean chuckled at Sayid's smile as he nodded and then turned to head back up the beach. "Hey Sayid," Dean called over to him. He waited until he turned back in his direction, his eyebrows lifted in question. "I'll introduce you to my brother when we get back."

Sayid smiled back at him. "I look forward to it."

Dean nodded back at him with a smile before he entered his tent and surveyed his surroundings. "I may have set a record for shortest time at a residence," he said to the open space. Considering the way he'd grown up, that thought amused him as he continued to study the items he'd pilfered for himself. He was well aware that most of the things that he'd actually need on this trip were already in his bag, but a few luxuries couldn't hurt his cause.

He made fast work of emptying his and Sam's bags so that he could put the most important items together in the hiking backpack he'd appropriated from the infirmary tent. Already, he'd gone seven days in the same clothes, so he figured that if he only packed a few changes, nobody would be complaining. Except for Sam. Sam would twist up his typical bitch face, scrunch up his nose and tell him that he couldn't be more disgusting. Dean was sure that, wherever Sam was, he'd rigged up a shower system first.

He rolled up his bulkiest weapons in his bedroll and placed them in his backpack first, careful as he made sure that he used the few changes of clothing he'd picked out as padding to keep them safe. He stood up straight and glanced around his tent, content to leave the rest of his items here instead of weighing down his pack even more.

"Well, I'm gonna need some food," he told himself, grimacing as he realized that relying on his ability to hunt while he was hiking fell along the same lines as gambling. He stepped out of his tent and looked up at the fruit tree that had made his tent's location so brilliant.

"It's either fruit or possible nothing," Dean sighed out as he reached up and picked a few of the lower hanging pieces. He didn't want to pack too much and risk all of it spoiling, so he made sure to stop at what he'd guessed could hold him for half a week.

He wrapped up the fruit in one of his t-shirts and placed it at the top of his pack with his dad's journal. This is it, he thought with a nod. He had everything he thought he would need to successfully make this hike. "I hope," he muttered to himself as he gave his tent one last look over. He knew he had probably forgotten something, but he was also pretty damn sure that his mental checklist was completely checked off on the important items.

"I guess it's now or never," he muttered as he shouldered his pack and buckled the straps before he left his tent behind. He walked up the beach, intent to find Jack or Kate so he could let them know he was leaving. Luckily, it didn't take long he found them both sitting in the sand, speaking animatedly to each other. By the look of their discussion, he wasn't sure if he should interrupt them or not, but he figured anything they were talking about could wait the few moments it would take for him to say goodbye.

He had almost closed the distance between them as Jack stood up and marched away from Kate, leaving her with a defeated look on her face. He could tell that Jack was also upset about something, but doing his best to hide it. "Hey, what's his deal?"

"I think he's disappointed that I'm staying on the beach," Kate told him, keeping her eyes on the water as she spoke.

"So, you decided to stay," Dean commented as he took a seat next to her in the sand. She looked over at him, her grim smile fading completely as she noticed the backpack he was wearing. "You're leaving?"

"That I am," Dean told her with a nod. "I would have left a little sooner, but someone threatened me with an ass kicking if I didn't say goodbye first."

Kate smiled over at him before she turned her attention back to the water. "You're sure you have to do this?" she asked, her tone hopeful.

"He's my brother, Kate," Dean explained to her. "I've been looking out for him since he was six months old. I'm supposed to just leave him out there now? Because he's lost?"

Kate shook her head around a sigh as understanding flooded her features. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I'll be as careful as I can," Dean told her as he stood back up. He offered her a hand and helped her stand up with him, waiting as she dusted the sand off of her clothes. "Do me a favor. Try and keep Red, over there, out of my tent. It would suck to get back with Sam and have to build a new one."

Kate glanced over her shoulder to where Dean had indicated, her face scrunching when all she saw was Sawyer sitting down the beach as he read a book. "Sawyer? Why'd you call him Red?"

"Man that knows how to get things," Dean explained to her. "Although, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Red never resorted to looting to get those things." He looked down at her with a smile as she shrugged her shoulders. "Seriously? Haven't you ever seen The Shawshank Redemption?"

She shook her head with a laugh as Dean threw his arms up in exaggerated exasperation. "How long have you been on this island?"

"Same as you smartass," she answered him. "But, if it's good enough to get a reaction like that out of you, I'll make it a priority for when we get rescued."

"Yeah, right behind taking a hot shower and eating a large steak," Dean told her with a smile. "You'll watch my tent?"

"I'll watch your tent," she agreed with a nod. Her smile faded as she reached forward and engulfed Dean in a giant hug. He stood shock still for a few moments before it wore off and he wrapped his arms around her. "Remember, you promised me that you'd be as careful as you can." She reminded him as she stepped away from their hug.

"That I did."


The small rays of light bursting through the tree's natural canopy flickered, in patches, onto Dean's face, half waking him from his uncomfortable sleep. After saying his goodbyes to Kate the previous day, he'd managed to get a good head start on the setting sun and hike several miles inland from the beach.

Once visibility had started to wane, he'd stopped for the night, made a campfire, laid out his makeshift bedroll and then spent a few hours carefully examining the text in his father's journal. He'd been dismayed when nothing in the journal's contents had identified the noises from that first night on the beach.

It doesn't matter, he thought as he stood up and stretched out all the kinks sleeping on the ground had given him. He smiled confidently at his bag, knowing his machete, shotgun and several other weapons were nestled inside, waiting to be used.

He kicked around at the few glowing embers that remained of his campfire before he sat down on a dead log and dug around in his bag for a piece of the fruit he'd packed. His hand grazed against something smooth as he pulled out a pink fruit with a grimace. Right about now, he'd trade any chance at rescue if that piece of fruit would just turn itself into biscuits with sausage and gravy instead.

"Oh well," Dean murmured, still shooting daggers at the fruit. "I'm a growing boy and I need my strength." He bit into the fruit, growling as juice ran down his chin while the tart meat made him grimace even more. If he didn't need the strength for his upcoming hike, he'd put a bullet through the rest of his breakfast.

He grunted in disgust as he took another bite, chewing the tangy substance until it was ground enough for him to force down his throat. "I better catch a fat ass steak for lunch," Dean commiserated.

He turned his attention to the clearing where he'd set up camp the previous night as took another bite, studying what had been covered in darkness. He wished he knew how far he'd managed to travel yesterday, but he could only guess.

After he took the final bite of his meal, he chucked the pit into the bushes next to him. His eyes narrowed as it hit a brightly colored piece of cloth before falling to the ground. "What the hell?" he murmured as he got up and closed the distance to the bush.

An old doll with a painted smile stared up at him, its plastic arms outstretched as if asking to be picked up. That's not wreckage, Dean thought, immediately knowing that no mother would allow their child to play with something so old and delaminated. This doll had to have been in those bushes before their plane had even crashed.

He reached out and touched the stingy fabric, wanting to make sure he wasn't hallucinating again before he gingerly picked it up. He almost dropped it as a wire pulled from the doll's back, throwing off his grip on it. "Why the hell would a…"

THWACK

Dean lurched forward, barely catching his balance as he let out an agonizing breath. He looked down at his right shoulder, only just able to keep the fruit he'd just eaten down as bile wrenched up his throat at what he saw. An arrow stuck out of the front of his shoulder, coated in his blood. He dropped the doll and collapsed to his knees, the pain exploding as he felt his own blood begin to run down his skin under his t-shirt.

"Help me."

Author's Note: Words cannot express how difficult it was to bend this story into seven days of Dean not leaving to go find Sam. Hardest challenge ever! We all know that the tailies don't meet up with our regular characters for 48 days and I refused to change that fact, but this is Dean Winchester! He sold his own soul to bring his brother back to life. I hope everyone likes where I took this and understands that this was the hardest chapter I've had to write, yet. For some reason, it took me about four re-writes to actually like what was unfolding, but after all those rewrites I ended up with this and I'm pretty pleased. Also, my reviews! WOW! You guys are amazing! I write this story to relieve the normal everyday stresses in my life, and to have the kind of feedback I've been getting…I'm very appreciative! I'm trying to get better with updating more, but please bear with me if I have another chapter that taunts me as this one did. Please keep reviewing and I'll keep posting! Big thanks to you all!