Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. The Lost characters and universe do not belong to me.
A/N: This story started out as an RP on a forum I visit. This is the part that I wrote for the RP. Yes the plot jumps around and yes it is full of drama like a soap opera, but that is why I love it. Credit also goes to my fellow writers; tigerlilly, benlinusisagoodguy, and fearandloathin for their input and genius characters.
Chapter 37
"Jack, can you clear some of this blood?" Ethan asked. "I'm almost to the bullet."
"Got it." Jack said as he grabbed some gauze.
"You're not going to die baby." Ethan said to an unconscious Mel. "You're not; I'm going to save you."
"I've got the bullet out." Ethan said as he dropped it on the table next to Mel.
"Good. How does it look?" Jack asked.
"Remarkably good. It was a clean shot. We'll have to do some sewing up inside before we close her up. But I think she is going to be okay.
"Ben wasn't lying, you are a good surgeon." Jack said.
"I've had a lot of practice." Ethan said without looking up. "Thank you Jack. I don't think I would have been able to save her without you."
"You're welcome." Jack nodded.
Mel woke to a bright light above her. "Ethan?" she whispered.
"She's awake!" Jack exclaimed to Ben.
Ethan bent down close to Mel, "Hey baby. How do you feel?"
"Horrible." she said and smiled slightly. "Thank you."
"For what?" Ethan asked.
"You said you would save me and you did."
Ethan smiled at her and kissed her softly.
"Mel?" Ben said coming to her other side.
"Hi Ben."
He took her hand, "I am sorry Mel. I never meant."
"Haven't we been through this?" Mel asked. "I forgive you Ben. I know you were just upset about William. I think we have a right to be. But no more shooting each other, okay?"
Ben nodded, "Of course." he said as he smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm so happy you're alright."
"You know how the island is. I'll be up and running around the jungle in no time."
Ben's smile faded a little at the mention of the island and Mel knew what he was thinking. She had defied Jacob by not killing Sophie. She most likely wasn't going to be getting any help from him or the island.
"Ben, she needs to rest." Jack said coming back into the room.
"Of course. I'll be here when you wake up." he told her.
Mel nodded, "Until then, go see Sophie. She needs to tell you something, whether she knows it yet or not."
"I will." Ben answered as he stood to leave the room. "You'll take care of her?" he asked Ethan.
"Like I always have." Ethan said coolly as he watched Ben leave.
Ethan met Jack at the door when he returned to Ben's house. "How is Sophie?" he asked.
Jack looked at him in surprise.
"What, you're shocked I'm asking? I understand Jack, you still see me as I was with you all on the beach. The mess with Claire."
Jack nodded, "You did kidnap her."
"I only wanted to protect her and her baby. I may have gone a bit overboard. You see Jack; I have a difficult time with women who are pregnant. A long time ago I was married."
"I think you told me about this right after the crash." Jack said.
"Yes. I was telling the truth. She died in child birth here on this island. The baby was too young to live. So, I do care when I see a woman who is pregnant on this island."
"Even if it's the girlfriend of the man who just shot the woman you love?" Jack asked.
Ethan nodded his head and looked down at Mel who was sleeping. "Even so."
They were quiet for a few moments, "Do you think it would be safe to move her?" Ethan asked. "I hate seeing her laid out on that table."
"Your house is probably too far but I don't see anything wrong with moving her to a bed here. At least she'll be more comfortable."
Ethan offered his hand and Jack shook it, "Thank you Jack."
The next time Mel woke up she was in a soft, comfortable bed. She looked around and realized she was in someone else's bedroom and panicked. How had she gotten here? More importantly, where was she?
"What is going on?" she asked the empty room.
Suddenly the door to the room was pushed open and a man walked in. He was about 35 years old and good looking. His shaggy brown hair fell into his eyes.
"Hey baby, Jack and I moved you in here so you would be more comfortable."
Mel's eyes widened as he addressed her casually. She took a deep breath and spoke, "Who are you?"
"What do you mean who am I? I'm Ethan." he said as he set the water he was carrying on the nightstand.
Mel looked at him carefully, "I don't know you. I'm sorry."
Ethan looked at the woman he loved in shock. The woman who didn't know who he was.
"Why don't you stay here and rest. You've been through quite a lot."
"Ok." Mel nodded.
Ethan knocked loudly on the door to Richard's house.
Ben pulled the door open quickly, "Could you keep it down? Sophie is sleeping."
"So was Mel. Until she woke up and didn't remember who I was."
"What?" Ben asked shutting the door behind him and walking with Ethan across the courtyard and back to his house.
"She didn't recognize me at all. She doesn't know who I am. I'm betting she doesn't remember you either. How could this have happened so quickly? Half an hour ago she was talking to both of us and she knew who we were then."
Ben stopped abruptly, "I think I know what has happened." he whispered.
"What is it?" Ethan asked.
Ben looked out into the jungle, "Mel is being punished."
"For what?" Ethan said roughly. "She hasn't done anything wrong."
"I believe her memory has been taken away because she didn't follow the orders she was given."
Ethan looked at Ben blankly for a moment; then it hit him. "Jacob made her forget everything and everyone because she didn't kill Sophie?"
"Yes." Ben said as they stepped onto his front porch. "Now we just need to figure out how much she has truly lost."
Ben made his way back into his house to check on Mel. He was becoming so confused with the situations between Mel and Sophie; he didn't know what he was going to do.
"How is she now?" he asked Ethan as he stepped into the room she was in, his room.
"She just woke up." Ethan answered from the bed side.
"Hello Mel." Ben said as he sat down next to Ethan. "Do you remember me?"
Mel looked at him for a moment, "No I don't."
Ben nodded sadly, "It appears you have amnesia. What is the last thing you remember?"
"I was walking down the sidewalk downtown. I dropped the things I was carrying and bent to pick them up. Then, nothing."
Ethan looked at Ben with concern. Jacob had erased everything from the island, even Mel meeting Ethan on the mainland.
"Can you tell me where I am?" Mel asked.
"Of course." Ben smiled trying to hide his worry. "You are on a small island in the pacific. You came to work here many months ago. You've led quite a life since then."
"I have?" Mel puzzled. "Why can't I remember it then?"
Ethan took a deep breath, "You had an accident. You were hurt and myself and another doctor here operated on you. When you woke up, you'd lost your memory."
"What kind of accident?"
"You were shot. By me. I do apologize. It was an accident like Ethan says."
Mel studied Ben, "Is that something that happens a lot around here, people getting shot?"
Ben chose not to answer her question and turned to Ethan.
"Ethan, before I forget, would you mind running over to the lab? Juliet needs some help with the infants. It shouldn't take too long but she would like your input."
Ethan looked at Mel and Ben could tell he didn't want to leave her.
"Don't worry." Ben said. "I won't leave her side. She'll be fine."
Ethan finally nodded, "I'll see you later, okay?" he said to Mel then stood and walked out of the door.
"Is he alright?" Mel asked. "He seems upset about something."
Ben smiled slightly, "He most likely is. The two of you worked closely since you arrived. You became good friends."
"And now I don't even remember him."
"You know Mel, you and I were quite close too."
Mel smiled, "Were we friends as well?"
"You could say that, but we were also much more. We confided in each other, helped protect each other. We had a child together."
"What?" Mel exclaimed and tried to sit up in the bed. "I had a baby?"
"You did, not long ago, and he is beautiful. Looks just like you with a bit of me thrown in."
"Wow. I guess I hadn't realized that we were that close. You're telling me the truth? We really have a son together?"
Ben took Mel's hand, "Why would I lie about something like this? His name is William, you picked it."
"That is my grandfather's name." Mel smiled trying to wrap her head around the idea of having a son with the strange man in front of her.
"I'm telling you this Mel because I want you to be careful."
"What of?"
"That man, Ethan, he's done something that is very hard to accept. He took our son off of the island."
"You mean he kidnapped him?" Mel cried.
"Yes, mere days ago. I've had everyone possible trying to get him back."
"Why would he do such a thing?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe he was jealous of the relationship between us. Or he wanted William for his own. All I know is that he cannot be trusted. Be very careful around him."
Mel nodded, "I will."
"So when you said that we had a relationship you meant that we used to, we don't anymore." Mel stated after Ben told her about Sophie. "If we have a child together why aren't we still together?"
"That is a long story." Ben said patting her hand. "There were complications that came up. Just know that we cared very much for each other, even up to this morning when you lost your memory."
"Your hand is shaking." Mel said.
"What?" Ben asked.
"Your hand, it is shaking. Why are you lying to me Ben?" Mel asked sitting up again.
"Why would I be lying to you?" Ben said innocently.
"I don't know. You claim we had this strong relationship but now you are with someone else. I may not remember the last few months but I do know myself. I don't think I would be friends with the woman who took the father of my child away from me."
"But you were; you are."
"Are you sure about that?" Mel asked skeptically.
"Yes." Ben continued to lie.
"Here it is Ben. I will play along with your lies but I need you to tell me something and I need you to tell me the truth."
Ben watched her for a while and was amazed at how much of Mel's strong personality had stayed with her. "What is it?"
"I want you to tell me why I lost my memory."
"Ben are you in here?" A young woman asked as she rushed into the room. She caught herself when she saw Mel sitting on the bed with Ben next to her.
"Zoe, I will be with you in a moment, please wait outside."
Zoe nodded and was gone.
Mel looked at the door that the young woman just closed behind her then she turned back to Ben.
"Answer me Ben, please."
"Are you sure you want to hear this? You may not like what you hear."
"I'm sure."
Ben looked at her and shook his head but continued. "There is a man on this island, his name is Jacob. He is a great man. He told you to do something and you refused. Then he took your memory away as a punishment."
"What did he tell me to do?" Mel whispered.
"He told you to kill someone."
"Why would he want me to do that?"
"Because he knew you were strong enough to do it."
"Am I really the type of person who would kill someone? Who have I become on this island?"
"You're not a killer Mel. But you are a fighter. You've learned how to survive here and do what must be done for the island."
"Until now."
"Yes, until now."
"So, this Jacob, he knows what has happened to me. He can fix it?"
"Yes, but I wouldn't count on that. He doesn't forgive easily."
Mel nodded in understanding, "You should go. That girl looked like she really needed to talk to you."
"I'll check in on you soon." Ben said as he stood and walked to the door.
Mel watched him pull open the door, "Ben, who did he want me to kill?"
Ben looked back at her, "Sophie. She's pregnant and he still told you to kill her."
"Do you know why?"
"No." Ben shook his head, "Though I may have an idea."
Mel waited until Ben had shut the door tightly behind him before getting out of the bed.
"He must be insane if he thinks I am just going to sit here and listen to his lies." she muttered to herself. She looked around the room and saw a blue, striped button down shirt laid across a chair. It must have been Ben's. It looked similar to the one he was wearing. She grabbed it and threw it on before shoving open the window and climbing outside.