I know this chapter is a day earlier than I said it would be but I checked my emails and found that this story had over 50 reviews! All that made me want to do is write. So I went with it and here is the next chapter. It is adapted from an event that occurred in All Stars.
DAY EIGHTEEN
Otokai walked into the challenge, unsure what to expect. It was around this point in the game that the merge became the main topic of conversation. Jane was hopeful that today would be the day. As much as she didn't want Emily, Grant, Ian or Garrett to share a camp with her, she also wanted Korsak to make it and with the way he'd been talking on the boat, a merge was his only option. Besides, maybe Ian or Garrett would have been voted off at the last tribal council.
"C'mon in Bomwi. Otokai getting your first look at the new Bomwi tribe, Garrett was voted out at the last tribal council."
Otokai cheered. It may be in poor taste but the eviction of Garrett was definitely something to be celebrated.
"Today is going to be a little different. There won't be a challenge."
The whispers of 'merge' erupted from both tribes.
"I need both tribes to line up. Bomwi, you'll line up one to five. Otokai, one to six."
Neither tribe really put much effort into the ordering; basically straightening from where they already stood. They knew whatever was about to happen would be random and order wouldn't really matter.
"Starting with Bomwi you are going to choose someone from the opposite tribe and together you two are going to go and have a conversation, get to know each other better, maybe strike some new alliances. Otokai, because we have an odd number and you have an extra person, one of you can choose to join an already formed pair. Clear? OK. Ian, you pick first."
"Maura."
Gasps came from Otokai and Bomwi.
"Me?" Maura basically squeaked.
"Umm. OK. Doc and Ian are a pair," Jeff said hesitantly. "Jane?"
Jane watched as Maura and Ian moved towards each other, keeping a large space between them. "We can pick an already form pair?"
Jeff nodded.
"Maur and Faulkner."
Jeff seemed to give a sigh of relief. "OK. Jane, Maura and Ian are a threesome."
Frost barked a laugh. "That'd be something I want to see."
He received a glare from Jane.
"Riley?"
"Frost."
"Wow. Looks like we are having old adversaries together again today."
Frost didn't look happy as he moved towards Riley. Jane almost felt sorry for him.
"Susie?"
"Korsak," she said happily, glad to have the only member of Bomwi that they actually liked.
"Emily?"
"Robin."
"That leaves Casey and Grant. Before you go; what's conversation without food?" Jeff lifted a sheet to reveal 5 boxes. "Some snacks to help the conversation. Grab one and find some space on the beach. I'll see you back here in an hour."
The next hour was the longest 60 minutes of Jane's life. At first they had sat around the box, desperately wanting to scarf it all down but instead reaching out hesitant hands well timed to not make physical contact. Jane had placed herself in the middle of Maura and Ian and had halted any attempt at conversation that Ian started.
"10 minutes," a cameraman warned, obviously bored by the lack of conversation and drama that had been occurring.
"Jane," Ian began, "Can I please have e moment to speak with Maura alone?"
"No."
"Jane. It's OK," Maura placed a light hand on the detective's arm.
"I will be right, there, OK?"
Maura nodded. Jane slowly stood and moved away, keeping her eyes on Maura the entire time.
"I'm listening," Maura said when Ian remained silent.
"I want to tell you how sorry I am for what I did. I also want to say that the way it was portrayed on TV wasn't entirely accurate."
Maura was silent, letting him speak.
"Maura, it was always you. Always. It was Garrett that lied to and strung along. Everything between us was real."
"You don't really expect me to believe that do you? You looked me in the eye and begged me to trust you and then you moved my hand. Garrett wasn't there."
Ian sighed a rubbed a palm over his face. "OK, yeah. After Garrett left things changed. I saw the million dollars within reach and I just knew that you'd get the votes, especially with the sympathy after Garrett. So I made a mistake but Maura, it didn't change what I felt for you."
"Ian. I understand that manipulation is a part of Survivor but there is a massive difference between a flirtation and what you convinced me that we had."
"Maura…"
"We had sexual intercourse. It's a fact that all of America knows. I'm an intelligent and mature adult. I would have understood if it was a transgression to be kept within the confines of Survivor but as we were laying there you said-"
"I'm in love with you. We are the final two, me and you."
"And that's what you said to Garrett."
"I'm still in love with you Maura and I know you feel the same. You wouldn't hate me so much if you didn't."
"I don't hate you."
"You don't?"
"And I don't love you. Any love I had left for you disappeared when I started falling in love with someone else."
"You're seeing someone?"
"I didn't say that. I'm not positive if I would label it as 'seeing someone' but I do have romantic intentions towards someone."
Ian chuckled. "Doctor Maura Isles. The only woman who can still be adorable while using the words 'romantic intentions' to break my heart."
"The heart is an organ-"
"You know what I mean."
Maura paused. "You broke mine first."
"That's time!" Jeff yelled.
The merged survivors stood in a randomly ordered line in front of Jeff, Jane and Maura standing together at one end.
"I hope everyone enjoyed the impromptu picnic. There was a reason for it. Everyone, drop your buffs."
Jane smiled. Merge.
Jeff held up a clay jar.
"Casey, reach in and pull out your new buff."
Casey pulled a red buff from the jar.
"You remain a member of Otokai."
Confused and surprised murmuring sounded along the line.
"What? You thought we were merging? It's time to switch the tribes up. Before Otokai had the numbers advantage with six to five. This jar holds six Otokai buffs and six Bomwi buffs, minus Casey's. The new six-member tribe will be chosen randomly. Grant, your turn."
Grant pulled out a new green buff.
"Grant stays in Bomwi. Frost."
Red.
"No changes yet. Riley."
Green.
"It looks like these tribes were meant to be. Susie."
Red.
"Wow. Korsak."
Red.
"Our first change. Robin?"
Red.
"Emily."
Green.
"Ian."
Green.
"As it stands: there is one remaining Otokai buff and there are two remaining Bomwi buffs. So far Korsak in the only person to switch tribes but there WILL be at least one more person; Maura, Jane or both. Maura."
Green.
Maura closed her eyes and Jane bit her lip. This couldn't be happening.
"Maura is now a member of Bomwi. There is still one Otokai buff and one Bomwi buff remaining. Jane."
Jane desperately wanted, needed to draw a green buff. Maura couldn't be alone on a tribe with backstabbers, on a tribe with Ian, where she would be the first to go.
Red.
Jane was in a daze as her feet carried her to the Otokai mat. Her eyes were glazed over and unfocused. Her brain was in shock and she couldn't form a thought.
"Head back to camp."
Bomwi began to leave.
"Maura… can we say goodbye?" Susie asked, talking to Jeff but looking at Maura.
"Yes," Jeff allowed.
Robin and Susie quickly moved towards Maura and pulled into in a tight hug.
"Fight hard," Robin muttered.
"We'll see you soon," Susie whispered.
As soon as Robin and Susie released her Frost and Korsak pulled her into another hug, whispering their own condolences.
Maura was released again and turned to move back to Bomwi, in a daze of her own.
Jane suddenly felt a sharp push to her back and she was propelled forwards, her brain restarting and kicking into overdrive.
Jane grabbed Maura's upper arm and spun her solidly into her body, wrapping her arms tightly around her favourite body.
"You can do it Maura. Promise them anything. Make any alliance. I'll back you. Just fucking get to the merge."
"I'll do everything I can."
"I can't do this fucking game without you."
"Alright Doc, time to go," Jeff cut in.
Jane only squeezed Maura tighter until Frost and Korsak pulled them apart.
Jane watched Maura with blurred, wet eyes until she was no longer visible.
How could Jane make it the next two days without seeing Maura?
"I want to win the million dollars," Frost stated.
"Frost-"
"No, hear me out," he continued through Susie's interruption.
Casey was in the water in search of fish, having a much more difficult time now that it was a solo mission without the doctor's assistance. Jane had left for the spring the second they had reached camp, not telling anyone where she was going or why. Frost, Susie, Robin and Korsak had been sitting at the wood table, completely silent until Frost had spoken.
"I want to win the mill. I mean, why else would I be here? Either time? But when I saw Maura… I was OK with not winning. As long as it was because she was the one winning."
Korsak chuckled. "I know what you mean. There's no hiding the fact that I had a miserable time with Bomwi. They don't have food, their shelter leaks, no one maintains the fire, they always lose, I was next on the chopping block,, I could go on forever… but I would happily take it back if it meant Maura was in Otokai where she belonged."
Now it was Robin's turn to laugh. "Yeah. She may have started with Kaua but from the second she spoke to Jane it was like her heart was with Otokai."
"What have I missed with all of that?" Korsak questioned.
Susie was the one to answer. "None of us are entirely sure of the situation. They are very close. At first we thought they had just bonded instantly as best friends but there was so much flirtation-"
"And heat," Frost cut in.
"They do have brilliant sexual chemistry. Before a tribal council one day they just kissed. There was no discussion about what it meant, about what they were-well, not in front of us anyway."
"And since then?"
"They flirt, they tense, they comfort. It's like what you see in the movies when best friends finally realise they have feelings for each other," Robin tried to explain.
"So it's serious? It's not just another Survivor fling?"
"We can't say for sure," Frost answered. "Why?"
"Just thinking about Africa."
"Oh shit! And now they're on the same tribe," Frost realised. "I didn't think that was serious?"
"It wasn't. Nothing really happened. There was definitely a lot less happening in real life than was implied on the show," Korsak revelled. "But she never spoke to me about them so I don't know the entire story. That's why I was curious about Maura."
Heads nodded in understanding and silence lapsed again.
Jane only reappeared for some rice that night before heading straight to bed. She was gone again the next morning before anyone woke up. The most amount of time Jane spent with them was on the walk to the immunity challenge.
DAY TWENTY
Otokai and Bomwi arrived at the challenge simultaneously, walking into the area from different directions.
"Welcome. So how have the last few nights been with your new tribes? Korsak?"
"Feels like home Jeff. I've got a full belly and energy to boot."
"Red looks good on you. What about you Maura?"
Maura was silent. Jane's heart broke even more. She understood that the only reason Maura wouldn't answer that question was because the honest answer would be negative.
"OK…" Jeff continued awkwardly. "Let's get straight to it. Today's immunity challenge is 'Choose your weapon'. During the challenge you will show your abilities with three different weapons: blow darts, spears and the bow and arrow. There will be three rounds and how well you do in the first two rounds will determine how many chances you have in the last round. The tribe with their blow-dart closest to the bulls eye in the first round will win two arrows for the final round while the losing tribe will win one. In the second round the tribe with their spear closest to the bulls eye will win two arrows while the losing tribe will win one. In the third and final round the tribes will choose one person to fire all of their won arrows at the target. The arrow closest to the centre wins immunity. The more arrows, the more chances. Worth playing for? Alright, Otokai, you're sitting someone out."
Otokai huddled.
"Jane should sit out," Casey stated.
"What? Why? She is the best show we have," Korsak questioned while Jane remained quiet.
"Look at her. If it came down to it she would lose this to keep Maura in the game. We all know it."
Four eyes turned to Jane, trying to read what Casey had.
"Jane?" Susie asked.
Jane swallowed and looked towards Maura who had her back to the detective. "I should sit out."
Casey nodded. "Jane's sitting out."
"Alright. Everyone else, draw for spots."
All competing members of Otokai and Bomwi drew straws, the shortest going first and the longest going last.
Emily shot first. Her dart dropped into the sand in front of her.
Susie went second. She didn't connect.
Riley went third. Nothing.
Robin went fourth. First connection. She hit the very outer edge of the board.
Joey. He had a good hit, reaching the second of five rings.
Frost. He connected but didn't beat Joey.
Ian. He didn't connect.
Casey. He hit the outside ring.
Maura was last for Bomwi. She hit the third ring making it the closest shot for far.
Korsak was last for Otokai. He stood in front of the board. He was a cop; he knew how to aim. He hit the fourth ring and won two arrows for Otokai.
They kept the same order for the spear throwing.
Emily missed.
Susie missed.
Riley missed.
Robin missed.
Joey missed.
Frost missed.
Ian hit the outside.
Maura missed.
Casey missed.
Korsak hit the second ring. Two more arrows for Otokai.
"Time for the final round. Otokai have won four arrows to Bomwi's two. Time to select the archers from each time.
With very little discussion Korsak was chosen for Otokai. Maura was nominated from Bomwi. Jane had to force herself to watch as her two closest people in this game stood head to head. Jane prayed for Korsak to miss.
Korsak shot first. His first arrow missed.
Maura shot second. Her first arrow missed.
Korsak's second arrow missed as well.
Jane held her breath. Maura loaded her arrow. Intelligent eyes scanned the sky and the bow, obviously doing a form of mathematics for archery that made Jane smile. Maura pulled the string back to her ear, squinted her eyes, and released. A solid hit. Maura's final arrow hit the fifth ring. Only a bull's eye would beat her.
Korsak took his third shot. It hit the fifth ring but didn't beat Maura.
It was time for the deciding arrow. His heart thumped. If he hit it then Maura would be going home. That most likely meant him and Jane in the final two, a shot at a million. This arrow could give him a 50/50 shot at a million dollars. At Maura's expense…
He fired.
He hit.
Bull's eye.
"Otokai wins immunity."
I know it's shorter than usual but I needed to cut it here because the next chapter is going to be a long and big one. Don't hate Korsak. One million dollars is a lot of money and Maura is still a new friend for him. Thank you guys so much for the 50 reviews! I will be home tomorrow and I will do my best to get chapter 10 up. Peace.
Either me or Is having issues. This chapter was posted and then deleted. I got to see one review before it was somehow deleted and I want to respond to it. It is not my intention to 'torture' Maura and I'm sorry if it's coming across that way. Survivor as a show has several twists and turns which is something I'm trying to replicate. It can't always be smooth sailing. I put Maura into a different tribe for a very important reason which will be revealed in the next chapter so please have faith. On the other hand, if you don't like where I'm going with this story please don't read it. I am a real person and I can see what's written. Thanks guys xx
