Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. The Lost characters and universe do not belong to me.

This is the sequel to my LOST fic: Legacy. If you thought that was full of drama just wait until you see this! Thank you for reading!

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.

Flashbacks are in italics. Flash forwards are bold.

Chapter 7

Mel snuck back into the village. She wanted to get back to her house and clean up before anyone saw her.

Millions of thoughts were running through her head. What was she going to tell Ben? Should she tell him that Sophie was still alive? For that matter, why had Locke drugged Ben to make him see Sophie dying in the first place?

Mel knew that Locke didn't approve of her. He never really had, ever since she and Ben had started their relationship ages ago. Locke believed that Ben and Sophie were meant to be, what the island wanted. She never would have guessed he would go so far to prove his point.

Also, what was she going to do about Jack? It was obvious something had happened, or was happening between him and Emma. Jack and Juliet were two of her closest friends on the island. She hated to see them torn apart. Juliet would be heartbroken.

Not to mention the four men she had just killed. There was bound to be repercussions from that.

She decided that she didn't want to see Ben at all. He had led her to kill those men and had somehow justified it in his skewed mind. He had caused her a lot of trouble in a short amount of time when she had been trying to help him.

"I'll let him wait a while." she said to herself as she opened her front door.

She let out a small gasp when she realized that the house wasn't empty. Ben sat in the rocking chair in the living room, holding Bella in his arms.

Ben looked up as she walked in and sent her a frightening smile, "Hello dear."

"What are you doing here?" Mel asked Ben.

"I'm taking care of my daughter since her mother was off fooling around in the jungle." Ben smirked.

"Don't you dare put that on me. You know I did that for you."

"Did you?" he asked quietly. "Tell me why?"

"Why what?" she asked.

Ben's face became serious, "Why do you do everything I ask of you, everything I tell you to? Even things I can't say aloud, you some how know that I need them done."

Mel didn't answer right away. She took time to think about her answer. When it finally came to her she was so taken back she fell into the chair across from Ben.

Ben waited patiently for her answer. Mel looked from his face to the beautiful little girl he held in his arms. She looked back into his eyes. "Because I love you."

Ben's eyes widened, "I thought you didn't feel that way any longer."

Mel shrugged, "So did I. I guess I just pushed it out of my head."

Ben looked down at Bella, "Mel, I."

"I know Ben. I'm not asking for anything. As much as it hurts me to say it, you belong with Sophie. I didn't mean to mess things up for you both when you brought me back to the village."

Ben stared at her, seemingly speechless.

"Ben?"

Finally Ben's eyes focused, "I'm going to ask you something and I want you to tell me the truth."

Mel nodded, "Of course."

Ben asked darkly, "Is Sophie alive?"

Mel froze. She hadn't even realized she had said anything damaging about Sophie. Apparently her silence was her answer.

"She's alive." Ben whispered in relief. "I have to go find her."

Ben thrust Bella into Mel's arms.

Mel stood with a jolt of anger, "Before you go running off to her I would like you to remember that you still have a daughter here, she needs you just as much as they do."

Ben stopped and turned to her, "And what about you Mel? Do you need me?"

"You know the answer to that Ben." Mel said as she closed the distance between them. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Before pulling away she whispered in his ear, "Always."

Mel saw that Ben was actually torn. Torn between staying with Mel and Bella and leaving to find Sophie and Molly.

Mel sighed before giving him her blessing, "Go; find her."

Ben smiled softly and turned back to the door.

As he pulled it open they both heard an unfamiliar voice making itself heard.

"Go and find your spokesperson." It barked. "The sooner we get our people back, the sooner we can leave without harming anyone."

Ben and Mel were out the door nearly at the same time. They hurried towards the courtyard but stopped short when they found the owner of the voice.

"Oh no." Mel breathed when she noted the anger on the man's face and Zoe's body lying on the ground in front of him.

Mel handed Bella to Juliet, "Will you take her to Ben's with Zoe's kids please? Protect them."

Juliet nodded and Mel knew she would give her life to protect the children if she had to.

Mel went up to Ben. "There from the boat aren't they?"

"That is what it looks like." he answered.

"What are we going to do? If they find out their men are dead we're in trouble."

Ben smirked, "You just might have to kill them all."

Mel rolled her eyes, "This is so not the time to joke around."

"Who said I was joking?"

Mel shook her head as she saw someone emerge from the jungle to their left. Jack walked up to them followed by Sayid.

"What is going on?" Jack asked.

"We have some visitors." Mel answered.

"From the boat?"

"Yes. They have Zoe with them."

"Mel, come along. Let's deal with this." Ben said as he walked toward the men.

"Did you find Desmond?" Mel whispered to Jack when Ben was out of earshot.

"Yes. He's with Emma."

Mel nodded and followed Ben.

The angry man watched Ben and Mel walk up to him with slit eyes.

"You in charge?" he asked them both.

Instead of claiming one was in charge, that one was more important than the other, they both simply nodded.

"We want our people back. One woman and four men were captured when they brought a raft to your beach."

"What is your name?" Mel asked calmly.

"Cameron." he answered.

"Well Cameron, if you know they were captured then you know who they were captured by."

"Yes, you two." he growled and some of the members of the crowd started murmuring.

"Where are my men?" he asked impatiently.

"They are not here." Ben said.

"Then take me to them." Cameron ordered.

"I'm sorry, but that is not an option."

"Why not?"

"Because your men are dead!" Sayid said loudly so the entire crowd could here.

Both Ben and Mel turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"Sayid, what are you doing?" Jack asked him.

Sayid ignored him and walked toward Cameron, "Your men are dead and this woman here," he said pointing to Mel, "she is the one who killed them."

Cameron immediately leveled his gun at her. "You killed my men?"

Mel looked at Ben, eyes wide, how should she answer?

"I don't know what he's talking about." she finally said. "I didn't kill anyone. Your men are here, close even."

"She is lying." Sayid stated. "We saw their bodies in the jungle. Their arms were bound. They'd been shot while defenseless."

Mel didn't know what Sayid was playing at but she sure didn't like it.

"She's not lying." Ben stepped in. "I can take you to Lauren myself."

Cameron eyed Ben and Mel, trying to weigh if they were telling the truth. "Fine. Take me to her. But she comes with us." he said as he grabbed Mel's arm.

Jack started to step forward and argue but Mel shook her head. She nodded towards Zoe who still lay motionless on the ground.

Jack understood what she wanted him to do. As soon as the men following Ben dragged Mel out of sight Jack bent down to examine Zoe.

Ben led Cameron and his men to one of the many yellow houses in the village. When he knocked on the door John Locke answered with Lauren close behind.

"Cameron?" she asked when she saw him.

"Lauren, you're alive." Cameron said with relief. "Where are the guys?"

Lauren looked from Cameron to Mel who looked like she was about to be sick. Then she looked at Locke. He gave her an encouraging smile.

"Go ahead, Lauren. Tell him what happened.

"John." Ben warned.

"Be quiet Ben." John said

Lauren took a deep breath, "They're gone Cameron. Dead. All of them."

Cameron's face flushed with anger, "How?"

Lauren's eyes went straight to Mel and she didn't need to answer Cameron. He already knew.

"So you did kill my men." he said dangerously while gripping her arm tightly.

Mel kept her head up and looked him in the eye, "I was protecting this island, my home."

"Those men came here to rescue you all!"

"I was never on that plane. I have no desire to be rescued. I did what I believed needed to be done."

"I hope you're ready to pay for it then." Cameron said as he turned to Ben. "I'm taking your little girlfriend with me. Consider her life as a payment towards the debt you owe."

Mel turned to Ben with wide eyes, "Ben?"

Ben's normally calm demeanor was gone. It was obvious his mind was racing.

"Just let them take her Ben. She's not needed here." John said carelessly.

"That is enough John." Ben warned.

"I'm sorry I don't feel the same way as John does. I do in fact think that Mel is needed here. I would like to come to another arrangement that doesn't involve her being your captive."

Cameron thought for a moment, "No. I'm not open to any new arrangements. She's coming with us." Cameron started dragging Mel towards the door. "Come on Lauren."

"No!" Mel cried as she broke free from Cameron.

She ran up to Ben and threw her arms around him.

"I'm sorry." he whispered into her hair. "I'll find a way."

Mel cried even more. She knew if she left with these men she would be killed. There wasn't going to be time to find another way.

"Take care of Bella." Mel pleaded to him.

Ben nodded, "Of course." as he cradled her face in his hands. They stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Ben leaned in and kissed Mel. It reminded Mel of when they had first fallen for each other. It was a kiss goodbye.