Author Note: Here's chapter 21, The Greater Good. It's short, but the next three chapters are going to be longer. Don't forget to leave a review! Luv, Lara K

PS. Thank to sissam93 for the review!

Chapter 21: The Greater Good

Jenn Shephard had learned the hard way that in order to survive she needed to be independent. That was why, after leaving Columbia, she had settled in Burbank instead of moving in with her brother. She had prided herself by never asking help and by taking care of herself. So it was very difficult for her to have Sawyer taking care of her. After getting her to lie down in his tent he had left for hers and had come back with a clean change of clothes. He helped her get dressed and tried to get her to sleep, but she couldn't.

"I'm afraid to close my eyes... I'm afraid I'll see him, dying in front of me..."

So he just hold her and kissed the top of her head. Some time later, it might have been a couple of hours or a couple of minutes - Jenn had lost track of time, Rose came down to tell them they were going to bury Boone. Reluctantly, Jenn followed Sawyer to the hill where they had buried Scott not so long ago. Kate was already crying, Hurley was trying hard not to... Jack... Jack looked so tired. And Shannon... There was no expression in her eyes, she looked haggard, defeated, lost.

"Shannon... Do you wanna say something?"

The young woman looked at Jack and whispered a barely audible no. There was a pregnant pause.

"I didn't know Boone very well" started Sayid, "and for that I'm sorry. On our sixth day here, a woman named Joanna died. She drowned."

Jenn could see her brother tensed at the memory of the poor girl's death.

"And Boone was the first one into the water. I didn't know him. But I'll remember his courage and I know he will be missed."

"It was my fault."

They al turned toward the newcomer, Locke. The bald man was standing further away, dishevel, still wearing the t-shirt stained with Boone's blood.

"We found a plane. A Beechcraft, in the jungle. It was lodged in the canopy so... I would have gone up, but... My leg was hurt so he... There was a radio inside, and he thought he could... His weight must have made the plane shift and it fell and... Happened because he was trying to help us. He was a hero."

"Where were you?" asked Jack.

The bald man didn't answer. Jack walked toward him, determined.

"Where were you?" he asked again. "Where the hell were you, you son of a bitch? What did you do to him?"

Out of nowhere he came charging toward Locke, using the last of his force to grab him by the throat.

"Wait! Jack! Stop!"

Sawyer, Charlie, Jin, Michael, Hurley and Kate ran to the two men. Jack had thrown the older man to the ground, screaming.

"Jack, calm down!"

"Stop!"

"Jack, it's okay!"

"Where were you?"

He suddenly collapsed, Sawyer and Charlie barely fast enough to catch him.

"Get some water! Bright Eyes..."

Jenn took her brother's face in her had.

"He's exhausted, dehydrated, his blood sugar must be low... Bring him to the Med Tent."

Sawyer nodded and, with some help from Sayid, grabbed Jack by the arm. Jenn went to Locke before he once again disappeared.

"You killed Boone. You killed him. It's your actions that killed him. My brother... My brother risked his own life trying to save him. And you? You drop Boon on us, say he fell off a cliff and walk away! You didn't even stay! I wish it was you in that grave... 'Cause Boon didn't have to die..."

"Jenn..." started Locke.

"Don't! It's not gonna work with me. I don't buy your ' I'm sorry '. But you're right about something, Boone was a hero and he was worth so much more than you."

She went to the Med Tent and found it empty.

"Said he was okay."

She turned to Sawyer and sighed. "Well, he's not. He can barely walk. He's exhausted."

The blond man wrapped his arms around her waist.

"So are you, princess. Why don't you lie down?"

"No, I must..."

"Relax. The world ain't gonna stop turnin' 'cause you're takin' some time off."

"I..."

"Jenn!"

"Freckles, don't bother. Bright Eyes is takin' the day off."

"It won't be long, Sawyer. Do you have sleeping pills?"

She nodded and went to search what was left of her stash.

"Here, take two, it should be enough."

"It's not for me, it's for Jack."

"He'll refuse to take them..."

The brunette smiled. "I know. That's why I'll crunch them and slip them in his drink."

"Ain't she a sneaky one" said Sawyer, once Kate left. "You should think of takin' one yourself, princess. You look like shit."

"Thank you for the compliment, James. But I'll be okay. I'll take a nap, sleep a little..."

"Alrighty, then." He kissed her. "I'll be by the raft if you need me."

She smiled. She went to 'bed' and, as soon as she closed her eyes, she was gone

The sound of both Sawyer and Charlie's voices, mixed with the cry of Claire's infant son woke her up. She didn't know how long she had slept, but it was clearly mid afternoon.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Sawyer was reading from a magazine and the moment he stopped the baby started crying.

"Sawyer's voice is the only thing keeping Turnip-Head from crying" explained Charlie.

"Really?"

She sat down next to the young man and relieved him of the baby.

"Hey there sweetheart... Pray continue your reading, handsome."

He grudged. "I would, but I finished the dam thin'. You wouldn't happened to have somethin' suitable for baby Huey here?"

"Charlie, go in my tent. There's a book next to the bed..."

The young man came back a with a white hardcover book. Sawyer opened it and frowned.

"The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time? Really, Bright Eyes?"

"Read!"

He took a deep breath. "Ludwig van Beethoven to the Immortal Beloved. My angel, my all, my very self."

By the time Claire came to collect her son it was already dark and sawyer had went through all the love letters.

"You're amazing! I would have never peg you to be good with children."

"I just read. Nothin' exceptional, princess."

"Exceptional? Your voice is the only thing that seems to soothe him. You're going to be a great father someday."

Something changed in his eyes.

"No, princess... I ain't ever gonna be a great dad... I..."

"What? Don't tell me you've got a child hidden somewhere! Oh my God... You do! I..."

He took his wallet and showed her a photograph of a smiling baby.

"Her name's Clementine... I've never met her. Her mama... It was over before she was even born. I found out about her later on... So you see, I ain't gonna win daddy of the year."

"You never tried to contact her? You..."

"Thin' between me and her mama didn't end well... I set up an account for her. She ain't gonna need anythin'."

"I think you underestimate yourself, James. You're a great guy..."

TBC