Chapter 11: Whatever The Case May Be

Disclaimer: I do not own Lost. It belongs to J.J Ambrams and Carlton Cuase. I only own Madison and other characters

Its now been four days since the incident with Jack and the caves. Since then, Claire has gone missing. Were all really worried about her. After Sayid came back from his little trip to clear his mind, he said he had met a woman on the island and that she was the that was on the radio the time we had arrived here. He also told Jack that he had heard voices in the jungle when he came back. I don`t think I was suppose to listen to their conversation but, I have a hard time drawing people out.

Ever since Claire has been missing or "TAKEN." There have been multiple search parties for. We also now have people on look outs at night. I went back to the beach after Claire went missing. I was a little afraid to stay back in the caves. I wasn't the only one either. Some of the others came back too. Right now, I`m trying to help move our things father down from the beach because it seems the tides are washing our thing out to sea.

Right now Sayid and I trying to get everything together into one pile, while some others are taken it father down the beach. That`s when Jack came up to us.

"Everything is getting washed out to sea. This can't be normal. The tide shifting so suddenly, rising in so short a time." Sayid told Jack.

"There's a lot not normal around here. At the rate this beach is eroding this fuselage is going to be underwater in a matter of days. We need to get all this stuff off the beach before nightfall." Jack told us.

"I just hope this will stop soon." I said, while carrying a couple of luggage from the water.

"I just hope that moving up the coast will make a difference." Sayid stated.

"It would make a difference if everyone moved inland. " Jack told us bluntly.

"I think you'll find people slightly wary of entering the jungle after what happened to the pregnant girl. Not to mention whatever that thing is." Sayid told Jack a little angry.

"You mean Claire!" I yelled, over the sounds of the waves.

"Sayid, I need you to take me back to the French woman, Rousseau. Claire's still out there. Now, Rousseau mentioned that there are others on this island." Jack said.

"Her mind is gone." Sayid said

"You heard them yourself." Jack stated

"I don't know what I heard."

"What do you think you heard?" I asked Sayid.

"You said that. . ." Jack said.

"The wind, Jack. It was the wind playing tricks." Sayid told him firmly.

"Okay, then, what about the papers that you took from her - the documents, the maps. I mean, isn't there anything here that. . ." Jack said

"I'm good at mathematics and decryption, but these equations are beyond anything I've ever seen. There are these notes in French accompanying some of the maps and diagrams. If I could translate them I might be able to make sense of it, but. . ." Sayid trails off.

"What?" Jack and I say in unison.

"Perhaps some things are best left untranslated." Sayid told us.

"Yeah? Maybe you should tell him that." Jack said, pointing at Charlie, sitting down by the water.

When Claire was taken by some "Others" ( that`s where we are calling them) on the island. He hasn't been talking to anyone. Apparently when Jack and Kate found him, he was already hanging by a tree with a vine wrapped around his neck. He was also dead, but Jack brought him back to life. Ever since he came back to camp all he does is solk around and doesn't talk to anyone.

I've tried talking to him, but he just sits and stares out to the ocean. I've even seen Hurley try to talk to him and a few others too. But unfortunately, no has broken him out of his trance. I think he feels bad for what happened to Claire. The both of them were close. More so Charlie to Claire then anything. But I still feel bad for Charlie.

I go over to my water bottle, and take a long drink from it. Piling luggage was a harder then I thought. I turned to the entrance of the jungle and saw Locke and Boone coming from it. Boone and I haven`t been talking to much the past couple days. Him and Locke have apparently been looking for Claire for these last few days. We talk but, it would only be a simple hi and bye, or I would say, "be safe." Or "good luck." Sometimes we would ask how we are doing, then in my case I would ask, "fine anything or her." He would always say no. They also wouldn't even get back till late night.

He looks in my direction, and smiles and nods at me. Then he looks onward to where Shannon was on a beach and reading a magazine. She has been doing that all day and not even helping at all with the luggage or other supplies. I could hear there conversation as always. Because it seems they would always have to yell at each other. Either then that, the waves are crashing onto the shore a lot harder.

"Glad to see you're doing something productive with your time." Boone told her bluntly.

I've been wanting to do that all day.

"Where have you been?" Shannon asks him annoyed, by his absence lately.

"What do you mean where have I been?"

"You and Locke have been leaving before sunrise and coming back after dark for the last four days. What are you doing out there? Is he your new boyfriend?" I chuckled at that.

"We're looking for Claire." Boone told Shannon, like it wasn't obvious.

"I thought there was no trail anymore - that no one even knew where to look." Shannon said simply.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm doing something. Don't you see the way they look at us around here? They don't take us seriously. We're a joke. I'm trying to contribute something. You're just - you're useless." Boone said.

After that, he walks off. I put down my water bottle next to my backpack, and walk over to him. When he sees me walking towards him, he starts walking over to me. I could tell by his face expression that he was still irritated by Shannon.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask him.

"Yeah, for the most part. I just wish Shannon would help you guys out."

"I know what you mean," I told him, he just gave me a look and I just smiled back at him. "Any luck finding Claire, seems like you and Locke have been out there a few days now."

"That`s what Shannon said too. We've been trying to look for a new trail but, so far nothing yet."

Some odd reason I didn't fully believe him.

"Well, hopefully you guys find something."

"Thanks, well I have to get back to Locke. We just came back here to see what was going on and to get something to eat." He tells me.

"Okay, be careful out there." I reassure him.

We walk away from each other. Then I find myself turning around and telling him.

"Hey, if your doing something out there. You would tell me right?"

"Why wouldn't I?" He tells me with a smile. Then he starts to walk back towards where Locke stood waiting for him.

I stare at Locke before Boone makes his way over to him. He`s just standing there, with his arms folded and staring back out at me. For some odd reason, I get a chill going down my spine. I shuttered it away, and thought it might be be the wind. Boone reaches him and he says something to Locke, and he just nods. Boone looks towards to Shannon then back to me and smiles at me. Before turning back around and heading back into the depths of the jungle. Either looking for Claire, or doing only God knows what.

After I had my little talk with Boone. I help out a little bit more with moving further down the beach. After we get a little settled back in and I found my new place on the beach. I sit down next to my tent and start to read a book I have found in one of the unclaimed luggage. I`m reading Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I was at the part where Edmund had just met The White Witch.

This is actually my first time reading this book and so my favorite main characters would to be, Lucy, she is just to sweet and reminds me of me a little. Peter, because he seems a bit protective like my brother was to me, then Edmund. He`s just the one that tries to blame things on others, and sometimes I would do that to David. Last but not least, Susan, I think she`s just a suck up snob, and a little to know it all. I don`t like people like that either. But either then that, I like the book so far.

After I get passed where Edmund has met back up with Lucy, I close the book and decide to go stretch my legs for a bit. Maybe get a little bite to eat. I see Sawyer with a black suitcase and he seems like he is trying to pick the lock open.

"Son of a bitch!" Sawyer yells, in frustrated.

I was about to say something, instead I see Michael walking next to me and he says.

"You're wasting your time, man. If you pick the lock on a Halliburton, I'll put you on my back and fly us to LA." Michael tells Sawyer.

"You better find yourself a runway, daddy, cuz there ain't a lock I can't pick. " Sawyer

Then I hear someone else come walking behind us.

"What's he trying to do?" Hurley asks.

"Pick the lock on a Halliburton." Michael explains.

Hurley starts laughing. "Good luck." Then he walks away.

"Yeah come on Sawyer, everyone knows then to pick a lock from one of those suitcases." I tell him while laughing as well.

"How do know Hazel Eyes?" He asks me.

"My brother was in the army, he shown me a few things."

"I didn't know you had a brother." Micheal says.

"You never asked." I told him with a shrug.

He turns to Sawyer. "The only way you're going to open that case is with pure force, man. Impact velocity." Michael explains.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sawyer asks.

"You've got to hit it with something hard, like a sledgehammer. Or the ax."

Michael walks away and I see the look of pure confusion on Sawyer`s face. He looks at me and gives a "I don't know what to do," look. I just shrug my shoulders, and walk away from him.

I then see Rose dragging a piece of wreckage across the beach. I was about to go and help, till she passes by Charlie. Then I see her talking to him, and Charlie is actually talking back. That`s a first since Claire has gone missing. There hasn't been much activity going lately here on the beach. I've only been back to the gold course Hurley has created a few times with him. But either then that its been quite. Of course everyone is still on edge and keeping a look out for these "Others." But nothing else to exciting. I mean what do I expect there to be when your lost on a deserted island on with 48 other people, and a dog.

I see Rose and Charlie making there over here still with some things. So I decide to go and help this time.

"Hey Rose, hi Charlie. Need any help with anything?"

"Hi honey, and you sure can. Could you possibly take a luggage or two off this thing for us?" She asks me.

"Of course." I say with a smile, and with no hesitation grab a couple of bags. I just see Charlie and he still has a blank expression on his face.

"Why are you smiling?" Charlie asks suddenly.

I turn to face Rose, who is indeed smiling.

"Am I?" She asks Charlie.

"You look happy." Charlie says, like he has never seen happiness his whole life.

"Well, I guess I must be then." Rose simply says.

"There's no reason to be happy, things are awful." Charlie said.

"Everyone can be happy Charlie. Even you." I tell him

He just gives me a small glare, and I just give him a smile back.

"They're not that awful." Rose says.

"We're stranded on an island. No one's coming for us." Wow, is he trying to bum us out here.

"You don't know that," Charlie says, in gloomy like tone. "Well, what I do know, is there's something in that jungle that eats people," He tone is different this time, like he is trying to prove his point. "Just because we haven't heard from it in a couple of weeks doesn't mean it won't get hungry again. And I know there's a person, or people, that are trying to hurt us. . ."

"Charlie. Nobody blames you." Rose and I say at the same time.

That actually felt good to say to him.

"What?" Charlie says in a defensive tone.

"For what happened to Claire. It's not your fault. You did everything that you could do. And you came very close to dying yourself." Rose said.

"Charlie, Rose is right. You did your very best, and you should be proud of yourself for that."

"Maybe I should have died."

I stop in my tracks and Rose doing the same while turning around to face him. I can`t believe he would say that.

"You know what I think, Charlie? You need to ask for help."

"Who's going to help me?" Charlie asks.

Rose looks towards me with a worried look on her face. I give the same look, while Charlie looks down to the sand. We start walking a little bit further into the beach. Finally Rose stops and tells Charlie to put it down. I also put down the luggage caring. Charlie is about to walk pass Rose and I, but Rose stops him and engulfs him into a hug. Charlie takes the hug with a little hesitation and shock. After a little bit though, he hugs her back, and I can see his shoulders are shaking. He is finally letting some of that emotion out of him.

I went over to him and said, "If you ever want to talk to someone else too Charlie, you can always come over and talk to me." I tell him while rubbing his back.

He nods without removing his head from Rose`s shoulder. Rose also nods at me and silently whispers a "thank you." I nod and lip her back "your welcome," and start to see if any body else needed help. It seems as though everyone is settling in just fine. Then I see that Jack and Kate were heading off into the jungle a little ways away. I was about to go follow. But decided against it.

I go back to my tent sitting down and picking back up my book where I left it. I didn't get to far into it when Jack comes back alone and starts heading over to where Sawyer is now at. I wondered what happened out there, and where Kate was. I didn't pay attention to where Jack was going and just went back to my book.

Everyone has now been moved up the beach. I decided to play with, Walt and his dog. We were just taking turns tossing the ball to Vincent. When I notice that Charlie walking over to Rose sitting by a tree.

"Hey Walt, thanks for letting me play with you and Vincent. I`ll see you tomorrow okay." I tell him.

"Okay, see you later Maddie." He says, while petting Vincent.

By the time I got over to where they were sitting and talking. I can hear Charlie crying next to Rose once again. Rose sees me and tells me to join them. Maybe she thinks I can help Charlie.

"Help me." Charlie says, with a shaky breath.

"Baby, I'm not the one that can help you... Heavenly Father, we thank you," Rose starts out, and I join hands with her, while putting a hand on Charlie`s shoulder. "We thank you for bringing us together tonight, and we ask that you show Charlie the path..."

After Rose finishes her prayer for Charlie, she sits for a while longer till he has calmed down. I stay for most of the night with him, just listening to the waves crashing onto shore. Then I hear him start talking.

"Madison, have you ever truly loved someone before?"

I was very startled by this question. I had to think, I don`t think I was truly ever in love. But I have once in high school. But that turned out to be a total lie. I didn't want to tell that to Charlie.

"No, not truly in love, no." I simply tell him.

"I felt that way towards Claire," He continues. "I`m not sure if she was that way with me. Now that she is gone, I`m not sure if I will ever tell her, or if I will ever find that out."

"Hey," I catch his attention. "Just keep this in mind. She knows you care about her, and so you are looking for her. We all are. Don`t give up so easily, Charlie."

He nods his head, and gives me a small sad smile. After another twenty minutes or so of just sitting and talking together. We decide to call it a night, and bid each other a good night.

"Madison," I turn back towards him. "Thanks for listening." He said, with his hands in his jacket pocket.

"I told you earlier, if you want to talk I`m here for you." I walk back towards him, and hug him.

He returns the hug as well. We pull apart and start heading in different ways back to our tents. When I get to my tent, I go inside and start putting on some more comfortable close to sleep in. I pull my hair back into a pony tail since it was going to be another warm night. I went back my tent to gather the things I have left next to it. I bend down to grab my water bottle and my book. Then I notice someone`s feet standing in front of me. I look up to see who it is, its Boone.

"Hey." Boone greets me.

"Hey." I greet him back.

"How are you?" He asks.

"Good. Just getting ready for bed." This is actually quite arkward for some reason.

"I just wanted to see how you were, and wanted to tell you something."

Now I`m a little worried. Did something happen while him in Locke were out in the jungle. He has my full attention.

"What happened?" I ask, with a bit of worry in my voice.

"Well, you know how you ask me if I have found anything and that I would tell you," I nod to him. "Well..." He starts to say, while looking for something or someone. Then he stops and I follow his eyes and he is set on Locke.

Locke is looking very stern at Boone, with his arms crossed. I look at him and then his eyes sets on me. He smiles at me, and that just sends chills down my back. Something about that man gives me the creeps. I know for one thing, that Locke is one of the very few people besides Sawyer, that is on my "not like list" on this island. Right now, he is number one. I give my attention back to Boone who looks a little scared at first, but when he sees me looking at him it goes away.

"So, what was it you wanted to tell me Boone."

"Uh..Uh, nothing never mind." He said stuttering a bit.

"Boone, is something going on with you two. If so we need to tell Jack..."

"No," He cuts me off. "No, I`m fine. I`ll see you later. Night." Before I even reply a goodnight to him, he is already gone.

I look towards where Locke was standing, and he is still staring at me, and glancing at Boone every now and then. Whatever he is doing to Boone, I am not liking it and I am going to find out what is going. After what seems like minutes, but only a few seconds he walks away. I go back into my tent, and I get a strange feeling that I am being watched for the first time since we've came on this island. I don't know why, but I am not liking this new feeling.

But I brush it off and get settle into my sleeping back after I have put my book away in my bag , and my water bottle down next to me. I lay on my back, and the same questions are repeating in my head, "What are Locke and Boone, and what is Locke doing to Boone?" He seems unarmed, but not himself the day I met him. He seems so distant, and that his mind is some where else. My mind is telling me to go and tell Jack, but I don't want to put more weight on Jack's shoulder then there already is. I just hope that thought is right.

Before I can think of anything else, I feel my eyes start to get heavy. I roll over to my side and let the darkness take over.

I am so sorry for this VERY LONG DELAY. I just don't have a computer or a laptop, so it`s hard to write anything and also hard to do this on my phone. But my mom is letting borrow her laptop for the time being and so I hope I can have few new chapters up. As most of you have probably notice, I have skipped a few episodes. I did it just because, and we've all probably seen the series about 3-4 times now. I know I have, lol. I was going to put up half of this episode and then put up the last part. But since I haven`t put anything up in awhile. I did a full episode for you guys.

So what do you guys think? I feel like this was one of my best chapters and I try to more into detail into this. I felt really bad for Charlie in this episode, so I made it to where my character can try to make Charlie feel better in some kind of way and so they can have more of a friendship as well. Also I am trying to make Madison and Locke sort of enemies, like him and Jack are because, I have big plans for Madison with Locke.

Please give me your thoughts on what`s going to happen with Boone and Madison after the next episode. Where do you think things will go? Again I am so sorry about this super long late update. Thank you all for your patience!