Here's the next chapter. This chapter takes place as chapter 24 and 25. Enjoy!

Maya looked above her, watching as Kate was lowered down into the Hatch with her.

Kate suddenly slipped down and Maya flinched, knowing what was happening before it did.

But she was surprised.

Instead of Kate falling, she regained her composure.

For a moment.

And then Maya was grabbed from behind, a hand covering her mouth. She struggled with the person and bit the hand of her assailant.

The hand was kept there, and a light came on, lighting up the entire shaft.

Maya elbowed the person in the face and the hand left her mouth. She heard Kate scream and the sound of her falling, and a second later she was hit in the face by Kate's foot before she landed.

Maya screamed on instinct.

.. ..

'I'm sorry,' a twenty-two year old Michelle said. 'I'm sorry, I can't do it.'

The two people in front of her, her bosses, looked slightly surprised. Most people would kill to be an assistant of one of the owners of the firm.

'could you tell us why?' Genet asked.

'I...I'm sorry, but I've heard about what has happened to each of her assistants in the past,' Michelle explained. 'it works for a week, or maybe two, and then they piss her off and get fired. I'm sorry, but I just like working here too much to risk it.'

'I see...' Sade said.

'what if,' Genet began. 'what if we guarantee you that you will still have a job if it doesn't work out?'

Michelle looked between the two of them, their faces hopeful.

She sighed. 'guaranteed?'

'guaranteed,' they nodded in unison.

'okay,' she said slowly. 'I guess I can do it.'

Maybe it would work out.

.. ..

Izzie walked into her house and smiled, hearing her song. Her song being the song that Matt had composed for her years beforehand.

Izzie walked in the other room and stopped short, seeing not Matt, but Hayden.

'uhh...hi?' Izzie said. 'why are you in my house?'

'I'm waiting for your brother,' Hayden said, not turning around.

'okay, then why are you playing that song?' she asked.

'I have a photographic memory when it comes to music. If I hear it once, I can play it. Matt was playing this when I came in the other day. Why?'

'it's my song,' she said.

'you wrote it?' Hayden asked, suddenly interested.

'no, Matt wrote it for me,' Izzie said. 'only he plays it.'

'would you like me to stop?' Hayden asked.

Izzie didn't say anything but walked out of the room.

Hayden stopped playing.

.. ..

Locke and Oz were down the bottom of the Hatch now, walking around slowly, looking through the dim light.

'Maya,' Oz called out softly.

'Kate,' Locke called out softly.

The two slowly walked along the hallway, trying to remain as quiet as possible.

Oz threw all attempts of remaining quiet out the window, once he saw Maya lying on the ground, blood slowly trickling from a wound on her head.

'Maya!' he whisper-shouted, rushing forward and kneeling down next to her. She was breathing shallowly, her eyes fluttering.

'uhh...don't leave me,' she murmured, delirious.

'I'm not going to leave you,' he promised.

And then he felt pain, pain in the back of his head, and he fell forward, Darkness surrounding him.

Faintly he heard a Scottish voice, demanding something.

'Are you him? Are you him?'

.. ..

'it's been crazy. Crazy French Chick, crazy Others, crazy everything. It doesn't make any sense to me. Not to any of us. But you...you'd be able to make sense of it. You...you would rationalize this, and you would tell me what you thought of it. And that's why I love you. You can always make me feel better about any situation. I need you here. I love you. I miss you.'

Laura looked up as she heard footsteps, and turned to see Shannon slowly walking over to Boone's grave. She had two wildflowers in her hands, and she placed one on Boone's grave. After a moment of hesitation, she placed the other one on the grave, the one that Laura was in front of.

Laura gave her a small smile, and Shannon sat next to her.

'he died bravely,' Laura told her.

'so did she,' Shannon said.

.. ..

Maya was faintly aware of being pushed into warm arms.

'you touch her again-' she heard someone protest.

'it's okay, it's okay,' she repeated, murmuring reassuringly, her eyes opening blearily.

She looked around her, seeing Locke tying up Kate, a man with a gun pointed at them, and she was in the arms of Oz.

'you okay?' he asked her.

'I'm fine. You?'

'I'm good,' he smiled at her.

'so the world's still out there, huh?' the man with the gun asked Locke.

'As far as I know. Could you tell me your name?' Locke asked.

'my name?' the man asked. 'my name's Desmond.'

'I'm John. This is Kate, Oz and Maya,' he introduced.

'How many of your group have gotten sick?' Desmond asked.

'sick?' the four asked in unison.

'as in dead,' he clarified.

'No one has. No one. No one is sick,' Kate said.

'KATE! LOCKE!' a voice called out. 'OZ! MAYA!'

Desmond looked at the four of them.

'who's that?' Desmond demanded.

The four of them looked at each other.

'Jack,' they sighed.

.. ..

It worked out.

Michelle had never believed it would, but it did. It worked out great, in fact. Not only did they work well together, they had gotten along, and then they had started dating a few years after they met.

Now, eight years on, Michelle couldn't be happier with Liliana, couldn't be happier with life.

Scratch that.

She could be happier in life, as her daughter was sick, right now.

And she couldn't get a hold of Liliana.

They had a fight, a silly little fight about stuff that didn't even matter.

She sighed and picked up her phone again, seeing if she had a message from Liliana.

None.

.. ..

Desmond quickly gagged Kate and left her there, tied up. He grabbed Maya's wrist.

'let go of her!' Oz exclaimed.

Desmond took a hold of him too, and pushed them into another room, closing the door behind them and locking it.

Oz looked at Maya. 'you okay?'

'why do you keep asking me that?' she asked.

'you don't look okay. You were knocked out,' Oz said. 'and I get worried about you.'

'why?'

'you're my friend.'

'uh huh,' she said.

'so...are you okay?'

'are you?' she asked.

He smiled at her. 'yeah, I am.'

'I am too,' she smiled back.

.. ..

Shannon and Laura walked along the beach, having bonded over the mutual pain of losing a loved one in the past couple weeks.

'so he wasn't your brother?' Laura questioned.

'she wasn't your sister,' Shannon shrugged. 'but you loved her like one.'

Laura nodded. 'true. When did he become your step brother?'

'I was eight,' Shannon said. 'he was ten. It took us a few years to actually get along. When did you meet Jenny?'

'four years ago. We were the only women on our team of...seven, by the time we got on 815. We got each other on a different level then the others did,' she smiled sadly.

Shannon went to take a mouthful from her water bottle, but there wasn't any left.

'hey, I'm just going to fill this up at the caves,' she said. 'do you want to come?'

Laura didn't reply, and Shannon followed her gaze.

'tell you what, I'll go, you stare at Jason, okay?' Shannon hid a smirk.

'what?' Laura said, turning to her, not hearing a word she had said.

Shannon laughed shortly. 'I'll be back soon.'

'okay,' Laura smiled. Shannon walked off the beach and Laura continued walking down the beach, but she suddenly stopped, seeing something wash onto the shore.

No.

It couldn't be...could it?

But it was.

The bottle of messages.

.. ..

Oz and Maya looked around the room, trying to find a way to get out.

'there's a vent,' Maya suggested.

'can we reach it?' he wondered.

'you can't. I can.'

'how do you figure that?' he asked.

'you can lift me,' she told him.

He smiled and slowly began lifting her above him.

.. ..

'What is he doing here?' Desmond demanded.

'To be honest with you I'm a little surprised to see him,' Locke admitted, as Desmond pushed him through the hatch.

'well, he's got a gun, brother,' Desmond continued looking through the telescope. 'and so does she.'

'she?' Locke asked, looking through the telescope. 'Michelle,' he said in surprise.

'you seem a bit surprised, brother,' Desmond noted.

'well, she stopped talking after the crash. I wouldn't expect her of all people here.'

Desmond sighed. 'Make one more sound and I'll shoot. Let's go,' he said, walking Locke through the hatch again.

Locke walked out into the open and saw Jack and Michelle, Jack about to push a button on the computer.

'I wouldn't do that,' he said.

The two turned and stared at him.

'where is Kate?' Jack asked. 'and Maya and Oz?'

'drop your gun,' Locke said to Jack.

Jack looked at Locke like he was insane, and Michelle looked suspiciously at him.

Desmond put a gun to Locke's head. Obviously, things weren't moving as fast as Desmond wanted. 'Move and I kill him. Put the gun down.'

'Where are they?' Jack demanded.

'it's okay,' Locke assured him.

'drop it!' Desmond exclaimed, angry at Jack.

'I'm not dropping anything...' Jack began, but Desmond fired above their heads, at the vents.

.. ..

Maya flinched in the vents and recoiled as the bullet hit right outside where she was, making a dent where her head was.

Behind her, Oz closed his hand around her ankle, comforting her.

'you okay?' he whispered.

'uh huh. That was way too close for comfort.'

.. ..

Desmond moved behind Locke, holding his gun to his head still, and Jack's face flashed in recognition.

'you.'

.. ..

'I am so glad that's over with,' Liliana sighed, lying back on the bed in their hotel room.

'me too,' Michelle joined her on the bed, sighing. She had never been as good as Liliana when it came to meeting with new clients. But it didn't matter now. They had made a deal, and it was okay. 'what time's our flight?' she asked.

'in another two hours, love, don't worry,' Liliana said. 'we have a lot of time to do whatever we want,' Liliana raised an eyebrow suggestively.

Michelle smiled as there was a knock on the door. She leaned over and gave Liliana a quick kiss. 'I'll be right back,' she said, standing up and going to the door.

Behind her, Liliana sat up, looking at the door.

Michelle opened the door to see a slim woman standing there. 'can I help you?' Michelle asked politely.

The woman looked past her, at Liliana.

'Pampata,' Liliana said in surprise.

'you told me you would leave her,' the woman, Pampata, said.

And just like that, Michelle felt like her whole world was falling out from beneath her.

.. ..

'you.'

Michelle stared at Jack, before her eyes went back to the other man.

Did they know each other? She wondered.

'Do I know you, brother?' the man demanded.

.. ..

Maya and Oz lowered themselves from the vent, finding themselves in a gun vault.

'jackpot,' Maya muttered. She picked up a shotgun and smiled.

'do you even know how to use a gun?' he wondered.

In answer, she loaded it and cocked it.

'did you ask something?' she asked him, smiling at him.

He smiled and rolled his eyes, following her out. He saw Kate, and untied her, as Maya ventured forward, moving up behind the man and hitting him in the back with the shotgun.

Desmond fell, the gun going off in the process.

Jack rushed forward, holding Desmond down.

'Do not move,' Jack said.

'He's unarmed, Jack,' Locke said.

'He just had a gun pointed at your head!' Jack exclaimed.

Desmond's eyes widened, as he looked at the computer, up in smoke.

'What did you do? What did you do? We're all going to die. We're all going to die!'

.. ..

Laura fought an internal battle with herself – her mind versus her heart. Her mind was telling her to tell the people who would want to know – Sun, Petro, the people who cared for those on the raft – and her heart was telling her to spare them the worry.

But if she spared them the worry, then who could she tell?

.. ..

'I have to fix it. I have to fix it.'

'What the hell is he talking about?' Jack asked Locke.

'Look at the wall. You see that? That's a timer. It's counting down. I've got to enter the code. I've got to push the button,' Desmond said.

'Or what?' Jack asked.

'Do I know you?' Desmond asked.

Jack looked at Maya.

'I got him,' she said, holding the gun to Desmond.

Jack let him up and Desmond ran for the computer.

Desmond looked at it before running for the bookcase.

'whatever you're looking for, maybe I can help,' Oz suggested.

'can you fix a computer?' Desmond demanded.

'no...'

'then you can't help me, can you?'

'Sayid,' Maya said.

'what's that?' Desmond asked.

'Sayid can fix a computer,' Kate said.

'go get him,' Locke said to her.

Michelle pointed to herself, indicating that she would go, and she ran out after Desmond told her where the door was, and Jack looked at Desmond.

'what is this place?' he asked.

'The bookcase – top shelf, behind "Turn of the Screw" - projector's in the pantry,' Desmond said.

.. ..

'mango?'

Shannon looked up and smiled slightly at Eli, accepting the fruit.

'so how are you holding up?' he asked, taking a seat next to her.

'I'm fine,' she said, dismissing the idea that she would be anything less.

Eli raised an eyebrow. 'no, you're not.'

'okay, maybe I'm not. But I will be...eventually,' she said.

Eli put a consoling arm around his friend and she sighed.

.. ..

'calm at last,' Max said to Sayid, who nodded in response.

'SAYID!' an unfamiliar voice rang out.

'crap,' Hurley said.

The three men watched as Michelle of all people ran out of the jungle and stopped in front of them.

'we...' she began, gasping for breath. 'need your help.'

.. ..

Laura again walked up and down the beach. Who to tell, who to tell...Hurley wouldn't work. He was just the type of person who couldn't deal with something like that. Claire, Claire had just given birth, she had a son to look after, and Jason had Claire to look after. Jack was nowhere to be seen, same with Michelle, who Laura knew was perhaps the most level headed person on the Island. Sayid...

Laura looked around, yes, Sayid seemed a good choice, and there he was, talking to Max and Hurley.

She began walking over there, but no, Michelle ran out of the jungle and started talking to them, and Sayid ran into the jungle with her and Max.

Laura sighed. Maya...where was Maya? Although she remained adamant that Michelle was the most level headed person on the Island, Maya was a close second. But Maya was nowhere to be seen.

Laura turned around, looking, searching for someone, someone whose spirit she couldn't crush with this, who she couldn't destroy, either because they were destroyed already – God, that was a horrible thought – or someone who was indestructible.

And then she saw her, the one woman who she knew was indestructible, someone that it was damn near impossible to shake her confidence.

Laura smiled and began walking over to Aryel.

.. ..

"Welcome, I'm Dr. Marvin Candle, and this is the orientation film for Station 3 of the DHARMA Initiative. In a moment you'll be given a simple set of instructions for how you and your partner will fulfil the responsibilities associated with the station. But first, a little history."

Jack, Kate, Maya, Oz and Locke sat and watched the old film in fascination.

"The DHARMA Initiative was created in 1970, and it is the brainchild of Gerald and Karen DeGroot - two doctoral candidates at the University of Michigan. Following in the footsteps of visionaries such as B.F. Skinner-" the film was old, Oz knew that, but still, it surprised him when it jumped ahead. "-imagined a large scale communal research compound where scientists and free thinkers from around the globe could pursue research in meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and Utopian social-" Maya was transfixed by the film, and got only slightly annoyed as it jumped again. "-Danish industrialist and munitions magnate Alvar Hanso whose financial backing made their dream of a multi-purpose social science research facility a reality."

Desmond rushed around the room, gathering supplies and packing them into a bag. Michelle, Max and Sayid entered the Hatch, and Michelle showed Sayid to the room with the computer, informing him quickly of what was going on.

"You and your partner are currently located in Station 3, or the Swan, and will be for the next 540 days. The Station 3 was originally constructed as a laboratory where scientists could work to understand the unique electromagnetic fluctuations emanating from this sector of the island."

Michelle and Max joined them in watching the movie, Michelle raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Not long after the experiments began, however, there was an incident. And since that time the following protocol has been observed: every 108 minutes the button must be pushed. From the moment the alarm sounds you will have 4 minutes to enter the code into the microcomputer processor-" it jumped again. "-induction into the program. When the alarm sounds, either you or your partner must input the code. It is highly recommended that you and your partner take alternating shifts. In this manner you will stay as fresh and alert-"

'seriously...' Maya muttered in annoyance at the jump. Desmond started walking down the hallway, a man on a mission. Michelle stood up and followed him, Max right behind her.

"-utmost importance that when the alarm sounds the code be entered correctly, and in a timely fashion. Do not attempt to use the computer- for anything - Congratulations, until your replacements arrive, the future of the project is in your hands. On behalf of the DeGroots, Alvar Hanso and all of us at the DHARMA Initiative, thank you. Namaste. And good luck."

'where are you going?' Michelle asked of Desmond.

Desmond turned around. 'I was under the impression that you don't talk.'

'I do sometimes,' she said. 'where are you going?'

'away from here,' he said. 'you may all want to be around for the end of the world, but I don't.'

He opened the door to outside and walked through it.

After a moment, Michelle and Max followed him.

.. ..

Aryel looked up as a shadow was cast over her.

'can I help you, Warrior Princess?' she asked.

Laura pursed her lips. She had a feeling she would have to play this game with Aryel. She got a crinkled piece of paper out of her pocket and began reading it out. '"Dillon",' she began. '"Great idea, telling me to travel"-'

'where the Hell'd you get that?' Aryel demanded, snatching the piece of paper out of her hand. 'that was in the bottle.'

Laura held up the bottle.

'this one?'

Aryel crossed her arms across her chest.

'start explaining.'

.. ..

'Desmond!' Michelle called out as they ran through the jungle.

The man turned around and looked at the two of them.

'oh right,' he said. 'you want the code, yeah?'

'come again?' Max asked.

'Listen carefully. If by some miracle you manage to get the computer working again you've got to enter the code: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, hit execute.'

'what are you talking about?' Max demanded. 'Nothing is going to happen. Some man takes you down there, shows you a movie, and you push a button on, on faith alone? Nothing will happen!'

'In about fifteen minutes you're either going to be very right, or very wrong, brother,' Desmond told him. 'See you in another life, yeah?'

'Max,' Michelle said. 'run and tell them the numbers. I want to ask Desmond something.'

'you sure?' he asked hesitantly.

'I'm sure.'

.. ..

'you told me you would leave her.'

Michelle turned away from the woman, and looked at her wife in shock.

'Liliana?' she asked hesitantly.

Liliana looked passed her, at the woman.

'I said no such thing, Pampata,' Liliana said. 'in fact, it was the exact opposite.'

'did our time together mean nothing to you?' Pampata asked.

'you got that right. It meant nothing to me.'

'Liliana, what is going on?'

Liliana opened her mouth, but Pampata beat her to it, walking into the hotel room.

'your wife told me that she would leave you for me,' she said lividly. 'I guess she just said it to get me to sleep with her.'

Michelle's face turned stony, and she gave Pampata her best "I-hate-you-with-a-passion" look.

'the doors that way, honey,' she said angrily, directing her to the door.

'call me,' Pampata said to Liliana.

'ain't happening,' Liliana said as Pampata left.

Michelle turned to Liliana.

'Michelle-' Liliana began.

'we should head to the airport, in case of traffic,' Michelle interrupted.

'Michelle-'

'we'll talk about it when we get home, Liliana.'

'Munyemo, please just hear me-'

'Liliana,' she stressed. 'we will talk about it at home, okay?'

Liliana sighed and nodded.

.. ..

Laura and Aryel finished burying the bottle in the sand. They had come to the conclusion that they shouldn't burden anyone else with this, it could have just fallen off the raft, the raft was fine, they all were, they were getting rescued.

Or at least that's what they told themselves.

'what if they're not okay?' Laura asked.

'they will be,' Aryel said. 'now. Help me get back to my tent.'

Laura smiled and helped Aryel up, putting her arm around her waist and helping the woman back.

They would be okay.

.. ..

Maya leaned against the wall, tired of the argument raging in front of her.

'Why do you find it so hard to believe?' Locke demanded of Jack.

Oz walked over and stood next to Maya.

'Why do you find it so easy?' Jack demanded.

'God, this is pointless,' Oz muttered.

'It's never been easy!' Locke exclaimed.

'so you're okay?' Oz muttered to Maya, gesturing to the wound on her head.

'yeah. You?'

He nodded and took her hand.

'Jack, maybe you should just do it,' Kate suggested hesitantly.

'it's just a button,' Jack said defiantly.

'It's a leap of faith, Jack,' Locke said.

'one I'm not going to take,' Jack said.

'I'll take it.'

Everyone turned to the doorway, to see Max walk in.

'4,' he muttered, inputting the numbers. '8. 15. 16. 23. 42.'

He pressed execute and the timer flicked over to 108 minutes.

'I'll take the first shift,' Locke said as Max walked out.

He had to check on Michelle.

.. ..

'what if it's all a lie?' Michelle asked Desmond quietly.

'what if it's not?' Desmond countered. 'what if the world is going to end in fifteen minutes? What if there is no place other than this Island?'

Tears shone in Michelle's eyes. 'I have to believe it's a lie.'

'and why's that, sister?' he asked.

'otherwise I will never see my children again,' she said.

'I'm sorry about that, sister. But I have to go.'

And then he ran off, leaving Michelle alone.

Michelle broke down, and started crying.

A few minutes of relative silence passed, the only sound being her sobs, and a hand was placed on her shoulder.

She looked up to see Max.

'you okay?' he asked softly.

She nodded. 'I...I just miss my family, Max,' she said tearfully. 'you understand that...don't you?'

'I do,' he said, wrapping his arms around his friend.

Michelle's head snapped up suddenly.

'what is it?' Max asked.

Michelle listened, hearing a voice, a familiar voice.

'let's just leave it and go,' the voice said, from some place behind them.

Michelle whirled around.

'what is that?' Max asked.

Michelle took a few steps forward, the bushes rustling and spoke.

'that's my wife,' she said.

And then a gun went off, one, two, three times.

Chest. Shoulder. Arm.

Blood seeped from the wounds, and Michelle gasped in pain.

'what did you do, Killy?' one of the women whispered. 'what did you do?'

The other woman stepped back in shock.

Max ran out of the jungle, catching Michelle as she fell.

'Michelle, oh my God!' Max exclaimed.

Michelle wasn't looking up at him, but at the women – or rather, one of them.

'what did you do?' the woman screamed at the woman who had shot Michelle.

The screaming woman ran forward, and Max shot her a look, a look that told her to back the Hell off.

She ignored him and caressed Michelle's face.

'oh, God, Michelle,' she whispered.

'Liliana...' she whispered.

.. ..

Wow. Michelle was shot. So sorry for the wait. I've had exams and stuff. Not to mention I've been fixated on High School Never Ends. Just so you know, the second flashback takes place at the same time as Liliana's last flashback in the last chapter. So Laura and Shannon are both still hurting from the death in their lives. And Maya/Oz. Hmmm...

Please review!