Early this morning Jack, Kate, Locke, and Charlie went out to get the fresh water Jack found yesterday. I've been spending my morning with Boone, which, unfortunately, also includes his step-sister, Shannon. She's not happy that I'm hanging around, but she mostly keeps to herself letting Boone and myself bicker playfully. At one point he gets up, leaving me alone with Shannon for the first time ever.

"You're not his type," she says to me when he's out of earshot.

"What?"

"You're not his type. He likes playing the hero. Eventually he'll want to save you from something and try to solve all of your problems. Trust me, he's not your type."

"What makes you think I have any interest in being his type?" her condescending tone is really annoying. I haven't spent any time with her since the hike up the mountain our second day here. I was beginning to forget how annoying she is.

"Listen," she turns to me. "I don't want to make any assumptions, but you're this cute, strong, Army girl who could probably put a cast on her own leg if she broke it. But every person needs someone to make them feel safe, including you. And Boone can't make you feel safe. He's not strong enough."

I think about that. I appreciate her complement and I'm pleasantly surprised by it, but I don't think what she said about Boone isn't true. The day of the crash, he was running around trying to save the life of a stranger. Yesterday he almost drowned trying to save another. What she's saying about him playing hero is absolutely true, but the bit about him not being strong enough for me, I have to disagree. It doesn't even matter, anyway, but before I can answer I hear Boone yell, "Tia, get over here! It's another fight!" Shannon and I get to our feet and run over across the wreckage.

We reach the scene of the fight and the Korean man, whose name I've learned is Jin from the flight's manifest, is trying to drown Michael in the shoreline while throwing in punches. Jin's wife, Sun is yelling at him in Korean, tears running down her face. Walt is there yelling "Do something! He's going to kill him! Stop him, please!" But Jin won't stop.

Sayid and Sawyer come running from behind the crowd. Sayid tackles Jin into the water while Sawyer helps Michael stand. Sayid tries to restrain Jin, who appears to be really strong as he attempts to fight his way out of Sayid's grip.

"The handcuffs!" Sayid says to Sawyer with difficulty. "From the sky marshal! Now!" They're in Sawyer's hand and the two work to secure Jin to a very large piece of wreckage. They manage to secure his wrist to the wreckage. I run over to Michael to see if he's okay. Jin struggles against the handcuffs, but it's useless. He's chained. Sayid begins to question Sun and I check on Michael. He's a little scraped up, but he's mostly fine.

Sayid moves to question Michael. "What happened?"

"I was just walking the beach with my son, and all of the sudden this dude is all up on me. I didn't do anything!"

Jin says something to Michael with a hateful look in his eye.

"Surely there must be something you're not telling us," Sayid says.

"Surely? Where you from man?"

"Tikrit. Iraq,"

"Okay. I don't know how it is in Iraq, but in the United States of America where I'm from, Korean people don't like black people. Did you know that? So maybe you ought to talk to him!"

Sun points at her wrist, trying to communicate with Sayid.

"The cuffs stay on!" he asserts.

"A little louder, Omar. Maybe then she'll understand you," says Sawyer sarcastically.

I decide to voice my concern. "How long are you going to keep him tied down like that?" I ask.

Sayid answers, "He tried to kill Michael. We all saw it. The cuffs stay on until we know why."

"So we're just going to keep him in the sun, handcuffed to hot metal while our water supply is being hiked from somewhere in the jungle?"

"If we let him go, he might attack again. We leave him there," It makes sense, but it's not very humane.

Everyone leaves and Jin and Sun sit where they've trapped Jin directly in the sunlight.


Jack and Kate show up a few hours later with bottles of water for everyone. As Jack hands me my bottles he asks, "Can we talk?" I can't imagine what he wants to talk about, but I agree and we sit down while I gulp my water.

"What's up?

"The place where I found this water? It's surrounded by these caves. They'd make great shelter. I'm trying to convince everyone to move camp there."

This doesn't make any sense to me. "Why would you do that? Shouldn't we keep the signal fire going? Stay on the beach to watch for planes and ships?"

"Tia, we've been here a week and I haven't seen one of those. As much as I want it to happen, the odds aren't in our favor. Aren't you the one who's always talking of survival and using our resources to our advantage? The caves have the best resources on the island."

He makes a point, but our best chance of survival is here on the beach. I sit there twisting and untwisting the cap of my bottle. Jack stands up and parts with "I'm moving the infirmary to the caves with me. Just think about it."

I think about it for a long time and I decide to stay on the beach for the time being. Jack can stay at the caves, and I'll stay here, leaving a medic with each group.


In the end, not many go with Jack to the caves. A few people I haven't met yet, Hurley, Sun, and Jin (who was released from his handcuffs by Michael. I assume they made amends.), with Locke and Charlie already there, scavenging the wreckage that they found.

I sit by the fire next to Shannon, who is not as bitter towards me as she was this morning for some reason. It glows bright in the night sky. How can no one have found us yet?