So sorry for the wait! I feel horrible! Anyway. This is an Induala centric. Enjoy!
A nineteen old Induala stared at her parents, not believing a word that she was being told. Dowry? Really? Did her parents need money that badly? That they would sell their daughter?
'you cannot be serious,' Induala said defiantly, in their native language.
'Induala,' her mother said. 'this does not mean that-'
'that you don't love her?' Mukunda, her brother, interrupted. 'it sounds that way.'
'Mukunda, this has nothing to do with you,' their father said. 'and do not talk to your mother that way. It is disrespectful of her.'
'because selling Indy is respecting her too,' he said sarcastically.
'this is not a discussion,' their father said. 'Induala is getting married to Daruka, and that's final.'
.. ..
There was yelling. Screaming. Shouting. Whatever you wanted to call it.
Chaos.
Lucian had his arm around both Induala and Akilina, as if shielding them from the horrors in front of them, Layla had Mindy turned into her, and the rest of them looked shell shocked.
The young woman who had shot Ana Lucia rushed towards the now dead blonde girl who Ana Lucia had shot and the young man who was holding her.
'Eli,' the girl with the gun said to the shocked boy.
'Josie...hey,' he said slowly.
She put a hand on his shoulder, before being knocked to the ground by Constance.
'you killed her,' Constance said in a low voice. 'you killed her.'
'and I'd do it again,' Josie said calmly.
Constance went to punch her face, but her fist was grabbed by Roxy.
'Constance!' she exclaimed. 'don't!'
'she killed Ana!'
'and Ana killed Shannon!' Yoon exclaimed.
'I don't know Shannon, but I know Ana Lucia. And this bitch has got to pay!'
'she...' Roxy began. 'she's my sister. Please...don't.'
Constance looked between Roxy and Josie, feeling stupid for not realizing that they were obviously related.
Roxy pulled Constance off Josie and Josie got up too, crossing her arms over her chest.
'why'd you do it?' Constance demanded.
'she killed Shannon,' Josie said simply. 'an eye for an eye.'
'you know, an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,' Luka said.
Josie turned to him and hid a smile. 'Luka. Nice to see you again. Pity you didn't drown.'
Akilina opened her mouth to snap at her.
'pity you didn't blow up,' Luka snapped back.
The two stared at each other.
'I gotta go,' Josie said finally.
'you're not leaving,' Constance snapped.
'funnily enough, I am.'
Constance put a hand on her shoulder and pressed the gun to it.
'tell me, where?'
'back to my people,' she said.
'to the beach?'
'we're not her people,' Yoon spoke up. 'Josie's One of Them.'
Constance eyes sparked in anger, and she pulled the trigger.
.. ..
'you worry me, Matthew.'
'why's that?' he asked Emmeline, amused as he hooked her up to a machine, the same machine that Josie and Flick had been hooked up to a few weeks prior. The only difference was that they didn't have the rest of the researchers of the Morel Phenomenon there, just the two of them.
'I have only seen you talk to me, Hayden, Josh and Izzie for any length of time, you usually only talk to everyone else for only five minutes, if that. You talk to me for hours, and I've known you a week. It's like you are interested in me,' Emmy said.
Matt let out a laugh. 'you want to know why I spend so much time with you, despite the fact I've only known you a week?' he asked.
'that's what I'm asking,' she told him.
'well, we have had a chance to study Josephine for eighteen years now, and Felicity for a month and a half. And you for a week. Before that, a... friend,' he settled on. 'kept tabs on you and Felicity for eighteen years. And the thing is... you shot someone last year, didn't you?'
Emmeline blinked, remembering. The man, her father, had beaten her for years. He deserved it.
'and you...you are believed by many people to be the dark Morel. You are believed to be the most dangerous Morel. Many believe you to be the one to destroy the entire Island. You are a danger, and I was told that I must take precautions when you're concerned, that you are my responsibility. And it's not as bad as I thought it'd be.'
'aww. They think I'm dangerous. Sweet,' she said sarcastically.
Matt laughed at her response, and turned away to turn on the machines.
'so tell me, do you find me dangerous?'
He didn't reply, and she looked at him in interest. She had had a suspicion, but now she was even more sure. He turned back around, showing no sign that he had heard her.
'you're deaf,' Emmeline said in realization.
'excuse me?' Matt asked in surprise. He had known the girl for a week, and she had already figured it out? Half the people at the Barracks he had known for years, and they didn't know. Granted, he wasn't a social person, but no one actually made effort, apart from Hayden, Izzie and Josh.
She turned away from him and spoke. 'so it isn't true?'
He gently turned her face back to him. 'okay, so I'm deaf. So?'
'I just didn't realize. Until I saw the way that Isobel faces you any time she talks to anyone. But then, no one else does it. Except Hayden and Josh.'
'hardly anyone knows I'm deaf. The ones who do...they treat me differently. They pity me.'
'well, I ain't gonna pity you,' she said matter-of-factly.
'good,' he smiled.
'and I won't tell anyone.'
'thank you,' he told her.
The kind of sentimental moment ended when the door crashed open and a furious Kat was staring there. Emmy looked amused; the only thing the woman was missing was fire behind her, to match the anger in her eyes and her hair flying around in front of her face, the wind blowing it around through the door.
'where is she?' Kat demanded, advancing on Emmeline.
'Kat,' Matt said calmly, pulling her away from Emmy. 'we're busy.'
'where is Josie?' Kat asked.
'Josie...no, name doesn't ring a bell,' Emmy smirked.
Kat looked furious and Matt pushed her out of the room, following her out.
'we. Are. Busy. Katarina,' he stressed each word.
'and I need to know where my daughter is,' Kat said. 'got to talk to her.'
'well, we don't know. Funny, that.'
Kat threw up her hands in defeat and walked away.
Matt shook his head and went inside.
'so, we ready?' Emmeline asked him with a smile.
.. ..
'don't come any closer,' Constance held the gun to Luka's head.
'you're mad,' Luka laughed.
'that may be so, but she's madder,' Constance gestured with her gun to where Josie was unconscious, tied against a tree. Eli was tied up next to her, although he was very aware of what was going on.
'Hey, put it down,' Roxy said, slightly hesitant.
Constance fired past her head. 'you with your sister, Rosanna? You One of Them?'
Roxy shook her head vigorously, shaken up from the shot past her head. 'I sat next to you on the plane. You know that. You know me.'
'no, I don't,' Constance said simply.
.. ..
Claire walked up and down the beach, Aaron asleep in her arms, searching for someone, anyone, who she could talk to.
There was no one.
Everyone was somewhere else.
Jack, Kate, Locke, Maya, Michelle and Oz had not returned from their "expedition", if it could be called that, into the jungle, to the Hatch. Luka, Jin – not that he was much of a conversationalist – Yoon, Michael, Walt and Sammy were at sea, trying to find them rescue. Erica was gone. Sayid, Max and Hurley had disappeared a few hours before, Max returning not an hour later, desperate to find Jason. Jason was probably with Max by now, and Laura had been with Jason, so three guesses to where she was now.
'hi, Claire.'
Claire looked up to see Lucy and Deniz standing there.
'hi,' she smiled at them.
Deniz blinked at her and Claire blinked back.
'stop freaking her out,' Aryel walked over with Charlie, each of them taking one of Claire's arms and leading her off.
'thank God you guys are here,' Claire smiled. 'you would not believe how hard it is-'
'to find someone to talk to?' Charlie asked. 'tell me about it. Where is everyone, anyway?'
'that's a good question,' Sun walked up to them with Min-Hee in her arms. 'I'm worried. Everyone is gone. I am so very worried.'
'aren't we all?' Claire asked.
.. ..
Yoon put water to Sammy's lips.
'drink, dammit,' she muttered.
'Constance, he's getting worse,' Layla looked up at her.
'we should just get to their camp,' Libby added. 'it was an accident; they'll understand. Ana Lucia didn't mean to shoot them.'
'just like she,' she nodded towards Josie. 'didn't mean to shoot Ana?'
'oh, I meant it,' Josie said hoarsely, having just regained consciousness.
Constance turned to her, pointing the gun at her.
'what?' she demanded.
'an eye for an eye,' Josie said simply.
Constance narrowed her eyes at Josie and her grip tightened around the trigger.
'you shoot her, and I will shoot you,' Luka said calmly.
Akilina stared at him like he was crazy, which, evidently, to her he was. 'she's one of them,' Akilina said in their native language.
'so?' Luka asked.
Constance's grip slackened and she sighed.
'look,' Yoon said angrily to Constance. 'Sammy is dying. I want to take him back to my camp.'
'I will help you,' Induala said, helping Yoon to pick up Sammy.
'he wouldn't do this for you,' Constance said.
'I know,' Induala said. 'but I'm not doing this for him.'
'Indy,' Lucian and Akilina said at the same time.
'Lu, Lina, I appreciate the concern, but I can do this.'
And with that, Yoon and Induala left the clearing with Sammy between them.
.. ..
The mirror shattered, and she fell.
Induala fell to the floor, a hand to her face, blinking back the tears that were stinging in her eyes.
She heard the sound of Daruka leaving the room, the door slamming shut behind him and she let the tears fall, as she sat up.
She brushed her hair out of her face, and she shakily stood up, seeing her reflection in the broken mirror, the mirror that Daruka had thrown her into.
A bruise was forming around her eye, a few gashes on her face.
Induala sighed.
Just another day in the life of Induala Karim.
.. ..
'I think you should let them go,' Libby suggested timidly.
'she's One of Them,' Constance said calmly.
'but he's not.'
Luka stood up with one of the water bottles, and began walking over to Josie and Eli.
'what are you doing?' Constance asked.
'giving them water,' Luka said coolly. 'you want to shoot me for it? Go ahead.'
Constance sighed and let him give them water.
'hey,' Luka said.
'who is she?' Eli wondered.
'her name is Constance,' Luka explained, giving him water. 'she was on the plane. The tail section. All of them were. Even my sister.'
'Akilina?' Josie asked.
'yes.'
'my mother lied then. She said that your sister was dead,' Josie said before Luka lifted the bottle to her lips.
'you guys okay?' Luka questioned.
'nothing like a bullet to the shoulder first thing in the morning,' Josie said sarcastically.
'it really hurts,' Eli added.
'of course it does,' Akilina joined them. 'it's a gunshot wound.'
'who are you?' Eli wondered.
'I believe that is Akilina,' Josie said dryly.
'and you are one of Them?' Akilina asked her.
'I am,' Josie said coolly.
Akilina narrowed her eyes and Josie narrowed hers back.
'so...' Eli interrupted the glaring match going on between the two girls. 'where are Michael and Walt?'
'Walt was taken,' Luka's eyes met Josie's.
'by her people,' Akilina said in understanding.
'Josie...' Eli said. 'you saved my life. She would have killed me. You saved my life.'
'what are friends for, hey?' Josie asked.
.. ..
Scarlett looked at Walt, who stared back.
'want to talk about what happened, kid?' Scarlett asked.
'I don't know what happened,' Walt confessed to her. 'one minute I was talking to you, and then it felt like I was somewhere else. In the jungle, I think. And then I was talking to you again.'
'and you find Izzie the creepy one,' Scar joked.
.. ..
Liliana intently watched the sleeping Michelle.
'she's going to be okay, isn't she?' Liliana asked Jack, not being able to bring herself to look up at him. She had eyes only for Michelle.
'yeah,' Jack told her. 'Michelle will be okay.'
Liliana sighed and nodded.
.. ..
'don't let it go to your head too much, okay?' Laura smirked.
'what's that?' Jason asked. 'I can't hear you over the sound of being a God.'
'a God amongst doctors,' Laura corrected him.
'a God nonetheless,' he grinned at her.
'you think of yourself very highly, don't you?'
'I think of you very highly, too.'
Laura turned to him. 'do you try to be charming?'
'no. I know I am.'
Laura stared at him.
'what is this, flirting central?'
The two turned towards the doorway, where the voice had come from and they were pleasantly surprised.
'we need your help, Jason,' Yoon said from where she was standing in the doorway with Induala, Sammy being carried in between the two of them.
'you don't say.'
.. ..
'what are we doing here?'
Constance stopped taking the magazine of the gun out and slammed it back in, looking up at Bernard.
'I mean, their camp has got to be close. I want to get back to my wife, Constance,' he told her.
She raised an eyebrow at him. 'tell me again Bernard, how long have Ana and I kept you alive out here?' he didn't answer. 'exactly.'
'we just want to know what you're doing. What's the plan?' Libby asked.
'she has no plan,' Josie scoffed. 'she only has-'
'her guilt?' Eli asked.
'that too, but I was going for gun,' Josie sighed.
'so...you gonna let us go?' Eli asked Constance.
'...no.'
'you know,' Josie said. 'my people...they will come looking for me soon enough,' she said. 'and when they find out you've tied me up...well, my mother ain't gonna be happy.'
.. ..
Locke looked at Yoon and Induala.
'what happened out there?' he asked.
'there was an accident,' Yoon dismissed his query and went back to the other room to help fix Sammy up.
'What kind of accident?' Locke asked Induala.
'a...woman was shot and killed by one of my people,' Induala said. 'so another girl shot her.'
'who were these people?' Locke asked.
'the one who shot your person, her name was Ana Lucia,' Induala said. 'she shot a tall woman with blonde hair. Shannon, I think. There was a younger man with her, and a blonde girl.'
Locke nodded in understanding. 'You said there were fifteen of you from the tail section?'
'no, now there's thirteen. Ana's dead, and Cindy was taken,' Induala said.
'why didn't the rest of them come back with you? And Luka, Jin?'
'because...they can't yet,' Induala said.
.. ..
Induala rubbed in her makeup, so her face looked at least partway normal, what with all the bruises and cuts, it was hard to make it look like she wasn't abused.
But she tried her best.
There was a knock at the door of her hotel room, and she checked her makeup one more time before heading towards it.
Maybe it was an associate of Daruka's trying to find him?
She opened the door and stared in shock.
'Mukunda?'
'hello, my sister,' he smiled. 'there isn't much time.'
.. ..
Sammy coughed the pill up.
'swallow it,' Jack said.
'you're bedside manner's horrible,' Jason said bluntly.
'yours isn't that much better,' Yoon snapped.
'coming from a spy,' he shot back.
Yoon took the pill from Jack and the water.
'Sammy?' she whispered. 'please listen to me...the only thing, the only way, you will get better is if you take this pill. I want you to swallow it. Okay? I need you to.'
She put the pill in his mouth and held up the water for him to drink.
'swallow, swallow,' she said softly. He did so, and she smiled. 'good.'
Jason and Jack stared at her.
'I may be a spy, but I'm good at my job other job,' she smiled.
.. ..
Bernard, Erin, Serena, Layla and Lucian began to pick up their bags.
'What are you doing?' Constance asked.
'I'm going, Constance,' Bernard said. 'we all are.'
She looked at Libby, who was hesitant about this.
'What about you?' Constance asked.
'I just don't think you're the best judge of character right now,' Libby said carefully. 'Ana Lucia was your friend, even before the crash, back when you were both on the LAPD, so it affects you a lot more than it does us. And I was with you when you and Ana put Akilina in the pit.'
'Alright, you want to go?' Constance asked. 'go. All of you.'
She looked at all her people, plus Jin, Roxy and Luka, who looked at Josie and Eli.
'go on,' Josie nodded.
.. ..
'I want you to take me back there,' Maya said to Induala.
'no,' Induala said firmly. 'I can't.'
'please. I just need to make sure nothing's gonna happen to them. I was a negotiator for awhile; I can calm people down with ease. Please.'
'follow me,' Indy said to Maya.
.. ..
'where are you from?' Constance asked.
'right here, born and raised,' Josie said, and although it was true, she had a sarcastic undertone to it.
'I'm from LA,' Eli said, and for a captive, he was quite cheerful. 'Are you going to kill us?'
'how old are you?' Constance asked.
'I'm sixteen,' Eli said.
'eighteen,' Josie said.
Constance stood up and took the knife from her waist. She swung it at them, but it was only to cut the rope, although there was a small scream that came from Eli at how close it was.
Josie stood up and helped Eli up.
'c'mon,' Josie muttered to Eli, and they both went over to Shannon's body, picking it up.
Constance picked up Ana Lucia's body and followed them out of the clearing.
The three of them met up with Induala and Maya a few minutes of walking later.
.. ..
Mukunda entered her hotel room and walked around it.
'what are you doing here?' she asked. 'what do you mean, there isn't much time?'
'I've been trying to find you, Indy, for months, maybe even years,' he was paranoid, looking out the windows. 'your husband-' he spoke the name with disgust. '-will be back soon, and we need you gone by then.'
'what do you mean?' she asked.
'I have heard how unhappy you are in this marriage, he hits you, yes?' Mukunda asked.
'...yes,' she admitted.
'I am here to get you away from this...monster.'
For the first time in a long time, Induala felt a true smile coming along.
.. ..
A group walked out of the jungle, led by Jin, Yoon – who had joined them again to get her stuff she had left behind – and Luka. Everyone looked in shock. There were some people they hadn't seen before.
Sun quickly handed Min-Hee to the closest person – James – and ran towards Jin, hugging him tightly.
'Lucy!' a voice shrieked, and a redhead blur ran across the beach, tackling Lucy to the ground. The Tail Enders looked surprised at Melinda's energy and volume.
'Mindy!' Lucy exclaimed, hugging her sister back.
Yoon walked over to James and her daughter.
'Yoon-Cha,' he smiled.
'James,' she returned the smile. 'you've never held a baby before, have you?'
'never,' he confessed. 'that I know of.'
She smiled and took Min-Hee from his arms. 'hello, sweetheart,' she said softly to her daughter, kissing the top of her head. She looked at James. 'anymore memories?'
'the occasional Déjà vu moment, but other than that, nothing,' he said. 'I'm glad you're safe, Yoon-Cha.'
She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. 'I'm glad you are too,' she said.
.. ..
'I'm Lucian,' he introduced. 'Lucian Jones.'
'as in the comic book artist?' Hurley asked.
'uh...yeah,' Lucian said.
'Dude! I love Blue Moon! It's the best,' Hurley informed him.
'thanks...'
'how have I not known this?' Induala asked, for she too had joined them on the beach, Killy, Nemo, Oz and Kate had all come down with her.
'you didn't ask,' Lucian told her.
'true, true,' Akilina said.
'Akilina,' a heavily accented voice said.
Akilina froze and turned around slowly, facing her Petro, facing her father.
'you speak English?' Petro asked slowly.
'I...do,' she said. 'I do.'
Her eyes were going wide in fear, and Induala knew that this must have been her father, the man who abused her.
Induala put her arm around Akilina, and Lucian gripped Akilina's hand.
'hey, you must be Petro,' Lucian said. 'I'm Lucian, and this is Induala. Lina's told us so much about you,' Lucian said through gritted teeth, relaying exactly what Lina had told them.
'oh...how wonderful,' Petro said.
And with that, Petro walked away and Akilina let out a sigh of relief.
Her father finally knew she spoke English, and she was scared.
But she had Lucian and Indy on her side, all was good.
.. ..
'I'm Layla,' she smiled at the petite blonde girl with the baby.
'I'm Claire and this is Aaron,' she said.
'he's so adorable,' Layla told her. 'how old is he?'
'um, he's about a week old,' Claire said.
'you had him on the Island? Wow. That's impressive. Good on you,' she told her.
Claire smiled at her.
.. ..
'hey Oz, Oz, Oz!' Lucy exclaimed energetically.
'yes, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy?' he asked, rolling his eyes but smiling at the same time.
'guess who this is!' she exclaimed, gesturing to Mindy next to her.
'uh...well, she couldn't possibly be your sister, that's too obvious,' he said sarcastically.
'she is! This is Mindy! She was alive, I told you she was!'
Oz smiled at the twins and shook his head at the energy.
To be that young again.
.. ..
'where the Hell were you?' Aryel demanded, and with surprising speed she hobbled over to Roxy and threw her arms around her.
'oh, yeah, nice to see you too, Aryel, I'm great, and you?' she said sarcastically.
'you're turning into me. Please don't,' Aryel said seriously. 'now, where were you?'
'I got lost and then I got found by the tail section,' Roxy shrugged.
'Roxy, it's nice to see you,' Charlie hugged her and Roxy gave a pointed look to Aryel.
'see? Seeee?'
'whatever,' Aryel muttered.
.. ..
'Max?' Liliana said softly as they sat on either side of Michelle. 'I never...'
'you never what?' he asked, his brow crinkling, confused.
'I never thanked you for being there for Michelle when I couldn't,' she said. 'by the sounds of it, you were one of the things that kept her going. So thank you.'
.. ..
Maya and Induala were adamant that they should be the ones to carry Shannon into camp, Eli and Josie were both suffering from gunshot wounds, and they were thankful for the exchange. Constance refused any help in carrying Ana Lucia, just said she could do it alone.
So with Constance in the front, they walked out onto the beach.
What everyone there saw first was an unknown woman with another unknown, albeit dead, woman. And then Eli and Josie, both with bloody shoulders.
And then they saw one unknown woman and Maya carrying the pale body of the one and only Shannon Rutherford.
All was silent.
.. ..
Again, sorry for the wait. Imagine that...someone else got shot this chapter. That's new. *end sarcasm*
I'm sorry if this chapter is weird (i.e. if someone seems to be in two places at once, but I think I fixed the only problem with that. Yes, it did happen), but I wrote half of it straight after the last chapter, and the second half in the past two hours. So yeah. It may be very different.
Again, the huge wait between chapters is for several reasons:
Firstly, I am so fixated on High School Never Ends.
Secondly, I am going to Japan in four weeks, so I'm getting ready for that with packing and whatnot.
Thirdly, I have a heap of schoolwork.
And finally, I am developing something which is apparently called a...social life? Is that right? I know, I was shocked too. :D
Review?
200 reviews, maybe?
