Disclaimer: I don't own Lost

Here's part two of the festival! Where little Ben's bound to reunite with familiar faces.

Chapter 10

After one more game, James and Juliet purchased dinner plates and wandered over to a table where Kate, Hurley, Jin and Miles were seated. At the moment, the only thing that entertained the sitting or eating workers were guest speakers presenting speeches about Dharma.

Juliet balanced her plate along with Ben's as they neared the table.

"Hi guys," she greeted. "Ben, find a seat."

"He can sit right here. Come on little dude." Hurley offtered the space between himself and Kate.

"Ben, what do you say?" Juliet reminded him.

"Thank you," he said as he made to settle down.

"That is a cool looking bear," Hurley complimented.

"I won it!" he announced happily.

"Thanks to a little cheating," James shared.

"He's just being a sore loser," Juliet explained as she set Ben's plate of a hotdog and fries before him. She was pleased to see how much Hurley had gotten along with him.

"Sounds like the festival loosened you up," Miles noted.

"That ain't all that loosened me," James said with a pointed look at Juliet.

"You're going to have to think of a name for him," Kate said as Ben petted his toy. He scrunched up his face in thought before answering.

"Ice," he decided.

"Ice?"

"He's a polaw beaw," he answered, as if it cleared up everything.

"Oh," Kate answered as she traded a look with Hurley. Juliet was happy to see she was getting on good with him as well. She was sure if she hadn't been watching Aaron, Kate wouldn't respond the same way.

"I bet you had a lot of fun out there."

"Hmm-hmph. It was fun," Ben agreed. "I wanna go again!"

Kate turned and smiled at Juliet who felt their bond was getting stronger. Then she looked down the table and noticed a missing member.

"Where's Jack?" she asked Kate.

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "I've barely seen him."

Juliet was able to gather right away why he seemed to be avoiding them all. Her eyes fell on the boy who was bouncing the bear around and pretending to attack Hurley with it. She wished Jack would let the past go and accept what was happening now. The last thing they needed was a friend on the outside. She turned to James who expressed her concern, but said nothing about it.

"I think I see him, now." Miles nodded and Kate turned in the direction he pointed out. Jack was seated at another table, calmly eating.

Kate decided to make her way towards him. Even when she was standing before him, he didn't look up.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey."

"What are you doing?"

"Eating," he answered simply.

"No I mean what are you doing, over here."

He paused and stared at her.

"We're not suppose to know each other, remember?"

Kate rolled her eyes, but settled down beside him.

"Is that going to be your excuse from now on? Just because of Ben."

"It's not just because of Ben."

"Yes it is," she argued. "Just because you don't like their choice, doesn't mean you can ignore them, or us for that matter."

"What difference does it make Kate? You said it yourself on the plane. That just because we're together, doesn't mean we're together."

Kate wasn't sure what else could be said.

"So it's like that."

"Yeah, it's like that," Jack stated, which put an end to the discussion. Jack went back to eating, while Kate watched, feeling lost. She looked back at the table and saw Ben getting his polar bear to attack Miles. She knew Jack had a rough time dealing with kids, particularly after his experience with Aaron. Still, he had gotten over it. She wasn't so sure he'd get over this one.

"Hey hey, I'm not gonna tell you again. Put a muzzle on that bear or I'm locking it up in a cage," said Miles as Ben persisted in the bear attack.

"You can't lock Ice up," Ben argued.

"Wanna bet. I could arrange it with the Hydra folks. He'll be locked up and used for one of their, experiments."

At that, Ben quirked an eyebrow in suspicion. He then pulled Ice into his arms and hurried around the table and up to James.

"He can't wight daddy. He can't lock Ice up."

"I don't know short stop. I could get him a job looking after that bear if he wanted to."

Ben looked startled at the idea.

"Mommy won't let you."

"Well how bout it mommy? Will yah?"

Juliet playfully pushed him, then turned to Ben.

"It's getting late. You should be settling down."

"No!" He knew settling down related to the end of play and the start of sleep. He ran back around the table and took his seat next to Hurley.

"Hey I can take in a game," Hurley suggested.

"Yeah!" Ben stood on the bench and started bouncing up and down. "Game! Game mommy! Game!"

"Alright. You can go with Hurley and play another game or two." She smiled as he started to cheer. He then hurried up to her and handed her his bear.

"Watch Ice, kay mommy?"

"Okay sweetie," she agreed.

"What happened to being a parent?" James questioned.

"Nothing. Which is why you're going with them." He took one look at her devious smile and shook his head.

"Sure, why not." Ben seemed even more excited at the idea of James coming along. "Not like I got anything better to do. Miles, Jin? You coming with?"

"No, I think you got this covered," said Jin with a devious smile of his own.

"I'm cool too," said Miles. "Still recovering from that bear attack." He pretended to hold his arm while Ben giggled.

"I wanna do basebol! I wanna do socca..."

James sighed and gave a pointed look at Juliet.

"Keep an eye on him James."

"Will do captain."

Ben automatically reached for James's hand who secured his grip on the child. Just as the three were leaving, Kate was returning to the table.

"Not interested in joining us?" Juliet questioned.

"How could you tell. He's still not used to it."

"You think we came around that easily?" said Miles. "He's never gonna accept Linus."

"But I thought he joined sides with him after you were rescued?" Jin questioned.

"He did. He was working with Ben to get him, and the rest of us back to the island, which is why I can't see why he'd turn against him now. Jack got what he wanted."

"I don't think so Kate," Jin remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"He wanted to come here for a reason."

"He said we were all suppose to come back because we weren't suppose to leave. That isn't a reason," Kate argued.

"Maybe it is for him. But I can understand how he feels. I still haven't gotten what I wanted." Kate frowned, not following. "Sun."

She let his comment fully register before responding.

"We'll find her. You'll see her again." Jin could only nod, but she wasn't sure if he believed her. And as if to smooth over such a sad memory, the group turned to listen to the latest speaker on the stage.

The man was going on and on about the importance of being part of the Dharma family. Juliet watched with a blank expression. As well as the Initiative treated them, she still desired to sever her bonds with them eventually. She would do it, mostly for Ben, but also for herself. If these people had any chance of being saved, it was with Ben boarding a sub and getting off the island. The hard part, she knew, would be convincing James. He had quickly found comfort in taking a lead role in security, but the Initiative had it's secrets. It was almost Others' ville all over again. The only difference was they weren't kidnapping children or pregnant women for a master manipulator.

"Alright, just keep you eye on the ball. Now swing."

Ben followed Hurley's instruction and swung the toy golf club on the green carpet of a kid's golfing game. He managed to knock it into one of several holes that was worth 20 points.

"I did it! I did it!" he cheered. "Did you see daddy?"

"Yeah I saw," James announced lazily as he leaned against the booth. "You hit a ball into a hole. Takes a lot of talent."

"What are you talking about dude, golfing takes skill," Hurley informed him as he could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"And you'd know that by all the 'holes in one' you managed on your home-made golf course?"

"Hey it was a good idea."

Their eyes went back to Ben who was allowed to set up another shot.

"Like this Huwley?" He had to make sure he was setting himself up right.

"You got it little dude." Ben swung, but missed the holes entirely. "Almost."

Luckily, the game worker granted him three more chances.

"You know, you and Juliet are pretty good with him."

"How you figure?"

"Well, you haven't tried to like, hurt him or anything."

At that, James's lips twitched in a smile.

"Believe you me, I don't figure myself good with him. In fact, I don't figure myself a parent. Juliet's the one managing that area."

"Yeah but still, it's not too late for you to do more for him."

He scoffed, then turned his eyes back on the boy. The worker was now helping Ben to aim for a hole worth 50 points. For once, he was truly looking at the boy. There was nothing about him that was certain or confident, like his older self. There was nothing in the way he settled his club that said he was planning, like the dark plans he would tend to create. Everything about him was so simple and innocent. James had done nothing but fight that viewpoint. It was so much easier to fall into the old saying that if you could go back in time and kill Hitler, would you?

"Juliet was always pushing me to do more. I kept telling her to get rid of him. Can't change what he's gonna become."

"Just cause Farraday said it-"

"He don't even know about the kid. He's long gone."

"Then, I guess it wouldn't hurt to see if he was wrong."

James shot a glance at Hurley's positive expression. He felt out-numbered now that Hurley was sided with Juliet, along with Kate. The only one on the outs was Jack, and he didn't expect anything different.

"Daddy! I got fifty! I got fifty!"

"Well woop-di-do," he answered, once more in a sarcastic way. Ben didn't catch on. "Let's get out of here. You got enough prizes for one night."

As a reward, Ben recieved a red and white-stripped ball.

"I wanna play again!"

"We're done sport. You already played two more than your mama wanted."

"I wanna play you!"

"I don't think so."

"But-"

"You hush up, and I won't give you a spanking. And you know what that's like." Automatically Ben's eyes went wide, and he instantly buttoned his lip. "Good."

James led them along. Ben followed, while trying to quiet his own moans of frustration.

"Uh, I'm not sure threatening him is good parenting dude," Hurley whispered.

"Cut me some slack. Juliet did basically the same thing. Besides, it's our job to be strict with him, less he run all over us. You remember what that's like don't yah."

They fell into silence and simply walked along the booths as they were making their way back. At one point Hurley craved cheese curds from a food booth, so they were forced to wait in line.

"I want cottn candy," Ben begged.

"No more sweets," James growled.

"But-"

"Hush up and play with your damn toy!"

Ben tried to manage a frown, but his eyes softened too much for it to happen. For a second James feared he might break into tears. Luckily Ben followed his command and began to bounce his ball before him. Satisfied, James turned away.

The line was moving slowly, which allowed Ben to stay more occupied with his ball. Then for no reason, he decided to give it a big bounce and watched as it bounced away. Without thinking about alerting James, Ben decided to hurry after it. He paid no attention to the milling crowds around him, and they paid little attention to him. He pursued his ball until it stopped against the legs of an unknown man who was holding onto a rake and scooper. He turned around and Ben stopped in his tracks. The man smiled at him.

"Hello. Is this your ball?"

Ben nodded, so the man reached down and picked it up. He handed it over and Ben took it, but he did not move away.

"You better hurry to your parents. They'll be looking for you," the man advised. Though it was good advise, Ben wasn't interested in running back to James right away, especially since it would soon be bedtime.

"Thank you. I'm Ben."

The man frowned in confusion.

"Benjamin?" the man questioned. The boy nodded. The man then crouched down to his level and peered hard into his face, causing Ben to take a cautious step backward. "Benjamin Linus?"

Now it was Ben's turn to be confused. The man, whom he had hoped to gain as another friend, was staring at him in the oddest way. It made him wonder if it was smart to make the first move in making friends. Nonetheless he nodded again.

"It's nice to meet you Ben. I"m Sayid," the man greeted in a calm and controlled voice.

Their union was interrupted as a man from the side called out to him.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Sayid stood and faced Phil. "Get back to work."

Sayid gave a nod and went back to his current job of scooping up the trash. It was then that Phil took notice of who he was talking to.

"What are you doing here kid?" Ben didn't answer as he was somewhat fearful of Phil's harsh demeanor. Phil pulled out his walkie and placed an urgent call. "Hey LaFleur, loose something? I got your kid here. Over by the forms' booth. Don't go anywhere kid. Your daddy's coming."

Ben cuddled the ball close for comfort and attempted to suppress his moans. Then he glanced at the man known as Sayeed to him. He could barely recall his daddy mentioning the name. The man continued to sneak glances at him, which he was starting to find scary.

In no time he heard his daddy making his way towards them, mumbling angry words under his breath. Hurley trailed behind him with his cheese curds.

"What the hell is the matter with you! Running off like that!"

Ben brought a balled up fist to his eye. For some reason, he couldn't apologize like he could to his mommy. He simply stood, frightened before him.

James sighed and shook his head.

"Thanks Phil. Guess I wasn't watching close enough."

"Well you might want to change that with him around," he said as he motioned to Sayid.

Their eyes met, and for a moment James felt speechless. He looked down at the kid, then back at Sayid and was able to put two and two together.

"Well hello again," he said calmly, as if Sayid wasn't an old friend of his. "I see you met Ben."

He nodded, confirming what he thought. Unlike the others, Sayid didn't express shock or confusion. He was maintaining an expressionless facade.

"Your son," said Sayid. James simply gawked at him. "Benjamin Linus."

"Yeah." He saw no point in denying it.

"Better keep a close watch on him." The way he said it, almost sounded like a serious warning.

"I'll do that. Come on."

He grabbed ahold of Ben's hand and led him away without another word. Ben couldn't help looking around at the man once more. For some reason, the man's eyes had become serious, a lot like his daddy's. Ben didn't understand why. All he wanted to do was make another friend.

There you have it! You know I had thought about cutting the story off after Sayid introduced himself with his name, but considering I did that with the others, I thought I'd give you more, and make the next chapter the next day. Well this was the first real time I switched perspectives to little Ben, and it won't be the last. I was really looking forward to the festival chapters cause it gave Ben more outside time, and interaction with much of the losties. They all have different ways of responding. If anything, Miles is slightly a challenge to write. I re-watched an episode and heard him tell Claire he was good with kids. Whether that's true or not, I worked something to that degree in here.

(Now if all that Ben cuteness doesn't encourage more little Ben/losties interaction stories from other authors, I don't know what will)