Jack had waited almost three hours before Alex came walking out of the trees ahead of him, holding a torch above her head.

"How did it go?" asked Jack wearily, as he had been hanging around one place the entire time. He was eager to get back.

"I'm going to stay a while," she said quietly, looking up at him. "She has some things to show me."

"Are you sure you want to?" Jack asked in a low voice. He wondered if she was afraid to say no.

"Yeah," Alex seemed confident. "I'm sure."

Jack nodded but couldn't understand why he felt suddenly very protective of Alex. He knew she was her mother, but it still felt wrong sending her away. He gave her one last pat on the shoulder and then she turned and disappeared into the jungle with her torch.

As he slowly headed back to the beach he hoped that somehow maybe Alex and her mother could reconnect. Nothing could make up for 16 years lost but maybe they could have a relationship.

He had only gotten halfway to the beach when he spotted Sayid, Kate, and Sawyer tramping out of a particularly marshy area and towards the path. Sawyer and Sayid were going at it, yelling between each other and shouting angrily. Kate just walked ahead of them shaking her head. When she reached the path and saw Jack she gave a small smile that he returned.

"What are you guys doing?" Jack asked as they reached the path and stopped bickering.

"The armory is flooded," Sayid said angrily, glaring at Sawyer. "We found the leak but something else."

"Jamar here thinks there's a tomb under the ground!" Sawyer said nastily. "Because we all know the others are Egyptians!"

"We don't know how long anyone has been here!" Sayid snapped back.

"What?" Jack turned to Kate.

"Sayid found…"

Suddenly there was a sound like an air horn that punctuated the night air and seemed to reverberate between the trees. They all fell silent, staring down the path and towards the water.

"Was that…" Kate said softly.

"A boat?" Jack breathed.

Satine walked slowly from her tent, unsure of what had awoken her. She had been jerked awake by some kind of horn. Now she came onto the beach and looked around to see other people coming slowly from their tents, staring in awe out to sea.

Slowly approaching the shore was a small tugboat that looked beaten beyond recognition. It's sides were chipping and it was many colors from the many layers of paint that had eroded off. Half of the mast was broken off and the deck and compartment looked almost destroyed. But shining from the top of the compartment was a large search light sweeping the beach and as they watched it approach, breaking the waves, the horn sounded again.

Jack, Sayid, Kate, and Sawyer came out onto the beach and stopped in their tracks. Kate gripped Jack's arm tightly.

"We're rescued," said Sawyer quietly.

"No," Kate sounded terrified. "It's them."

"They don't have a boat like that," Sawyer replied, his eyes wide.

"No one has found us in months…there's no way…"

"Believe it," Jack said, turning to Kate and smiling. She was shocked to find him actually happy. "Kate, we're rescued."

People on the beach had begun to move down towards the water as the boat slowly came to the shore. It got into the shallows and stopped, hitting the sand. There was the sound of an anchor being dropped off the side and then someone spoke.

"Hello there!" shouted a voice on the deck. No one could see because of the blinding searchlight. Almost every survivor stood on the beach, straddled down the shore, staring in awe.

"Hello!" Jack called, hurrying forward. Satine felt suddenly terrified and hurried up the beach towards Sawyer. "Where are you coming from?"

"We left port from Sydney five days ago!" the voice shouted, the person it belonged to still shrouded in darkness behind the search lamp which was now fixed on Jack, illuminating him. "We were heading back from some deep sea fishing!"

"What happened to your boat?" asked Jack, shielding his eyes from the light.

"Rough seas!" shouted the voice quickly. "How many are there of you?"

"About forty!" Jack shouted back. "We crashed here. Flight 815 from Sydney to Los Angeles. We've been here around sixty days!"

"Wow! And you all survived the crash?" the voice sounded surprised. "Well, we can't fit everyone but we can take a few of you. If you have any injured or kids, we can get them back first then send a rescue team."

Sawyer suddenly gripped Satine's hand very tightly. She looked up at him and she knew he felt it too. Something wasn't right.

Jack had turned around and looked around. He spotted Claire and hurried to her.

"We can get you two back first," he said quietly to her.

"No," she stepped back, holding Aaron tightly. "Jack, something isn't…"

"If ya'll need any help, we're sending a few of our men ashore! We should try to leave by dawn if we want to make it back by midday!" shouted the voice and there was the splash of a boat hitting the water. It was too dark to see, as there was no moon to reflect off the ocean.

"We'll find Michael and Walt," Jack said, turning around. He spotted Satine. "You should go too."

Jack hurried to the boat to help the men out. Sawyer and Kate exchanged a glance. Kate couldn't understand why Jack trusted them so easily. It was hard to believe that if they hadn't been rescued within the first month, that anyone would find them. Kate felt terrified and wished Jack would come back.

"They're going to help us move some of our stuff to the beach for when the rescue boats come back," Jack said confidently, walking up the beach with two rough looking guys on his heels. Kate watched them walk by as Jack went to lead them to the hatch. They had long beards and scruffy hair and their clothes were filthy and covered in dried fish blood. They reeked of fish and Kate felt dread run up and down her spine as they passed.

"I don't like them," Kate whispered as the other survivors began to get excited. They were running back to their tents now, getting their things together. Kate, Sawyer, and Satine stood there watching as everyone grew into an uproar of cheers and happiness.

"Sawyer," Satine said quietly. He looked down at her. "We need to find Alex."

Alex came stumbling from the brush and onto the path. Trying to compose herself she hurried down the dark path. She had heard the horns and had seen glimpses of the boat in her minds eye. But what she had felt was fear, horrible terror that seemed to fill her from within. She knew what she was feeling was Satine, and that they were connected as much as everyone denied it. Alex had no doubt that Satine was originally at the compound but had somehow either escaped or was taken back to the mainland where she was raised normally.

Holding slight resentment that Satine had been somehow chosen to live a normal life, Alex came out onto the beach. When she saw the boat and the spotlight on Jack she knew what was happening.

Sawyer and Satine headed to their tent and for a moment both stood outside it.

"Kind of hard to believe we're leaving," Sawyer said quietly, moving inside. "I guess I was getting used to it."

"You believe them?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Darlin, at this point we've been here so long we'd take the chance," Sawyer sighed. "I think the only reason we're jittery is because of what happened on the raft."

"You don't recognize any of them?"

Sawyer looked at her.

"No because they're not from this island," he said firmly. "We're rescued."

He wanted to believe it but as he said it, he was sure it was wrong. How could a boat that crappy possibly have made it all the way from Sydney within a day? It didn't make any sense unless they were closer to Australia than they realized. But Sawyer wanted so desperately for it to be true not even for his sake, but for Satine's. She was so weak nowadays, she was so frail and he knew if she went back she'd get better.

"Why do you think he said he could take children?" she asked him as he zipped up a few of his bags. "Don't you think that's weird?"

"Well naturally they'd want to take the sick and the kids," he shrugged. "I think we're all a bit paranoid because of what happened to Walt."

"I don't like it," she looked at him hard and she kept her gaze. "I just have a bad feeling."

"JACK!" Alex came into the hatch, her heart pounding. "Jack?"

"I'm here," he came out of the storage room with two strange men with him. Alex gasped. "Did you hear?"

"Yeah, I…" she looked at them. "Can I talk to you?"

Jack looked uneasily from Alex to the two men and then followed her out of the room and into the bathroom where she shut the door.

"Jack, they're not good," she said strongly, seizing the front of his shirt desperately. "You have to listen to me. They're bad!"

"Everyone is so convinced that we're not rescued," he sounded angry and pushed her hands off of him. "I want to go home! I want to see my fam…"

He paused. He knew he had no family to go back to other than his mother. For a split moment he'd thought of Sarah but her face was replaced by Kate's, which he couldn't understand.

"Please!" she was begging. "They're taking the injured and the children! You can't let them!"

"Alex!" he now sounded harsh and reprimanding as though she were his daughter. "Enough! I know it must be weird for you since you've lived here for a long time but you're going to go back and go to school and make friends and see the real world. Where is your mother?"

"She's…not around," Alex said quickly. "Jack, if you don't believe me they'll die!"

"Who?" he snapped, turning to the door.

"Kate and Aaron!"

He paused and turned around to face her.

"Why would Kate and Aaron die?" he demanded, his face red.

"Because…"

"Hello?" said a voice. "Anyone there?"

The two men were directly outside the door. Alex stared with horror at Jack who for a moment saw the terror in her eyes and wanted to believe her but he couldn't. He needed to get home, to get back to where he was useful. He needed to get away from this place that only reminded him of his failures.

"Hey," Jack opened the door and came out.

"We were wondering if you had any bodies that would need to be transported?" asked the taller one who had a darker beard.

"Um, well I figured the rescue people would do that," Jack sounded uneasy and glanced back at Alex. "I think it might not be good to disturb those graves until we have professionals here."

"Right," said the shorter one, nudging the other. "Well, if we can get together those of us who are going, we can leave."

"Right," Jack turned and looked at Alex. "I'll see you on the rescue boat."

But the smile he gave her was not genuine.

Sawyer walked with Satine down to the shore where everyone was gathered. There wasn't any fighting about who was going. It seemed to have been decided that Michael and Walt, Claire and Aaron, Alex, and Jack and Kate would go. Sayid was loading water into the small raft that would take them to the boat.

"I'm not going!" Claire said angrily as Sayid tried to help her into the raft. "Forget it!"

"Claire, don't you want Aaron to be home as soon as possible?" asked John, who was hovering over the group.

"No! I don't trust them," she said loudly and Satine saw someone on board turn towards her.

"I promise, ma'am," said a voice behind her causing her to jump. She whirled around and faced one of the bearded men who was grinning with yellow teeth at her. "We have the safest facilities. It may not look like much but it's seaworthy and you'll be on land in a day!"

"No," she said more meekly, backing away from the shore. "Forget it."

She turned and seemed to dash up the beach cradling Aaron to her chest. Jack came down the beach with the other man carrying several bags of supplies.

"Jack," Sayid approached him. "Claire wont go."

"What? She has to…" he began.

"Yeah, you try," Hurley said skeptically.

"I think Sayid should go," said John, stepping out into the group. Jack gave him a glare and people seemed to shrink away from him. No one had forgotten what he'd done and caused. "If someone is injured here, Jack would be needed."

"How long would it take to get to land and get a rescue boat here?" Jack asked the bearded man beside him. "Considering we track the coordinates correctly."

"A few hours at most," said the man confidently, putting his grimy hands on Jack's shoulder.

"It's settled then," Jack handed Sayid the large bag. "I'll stay."

Kate was glaring at Jack with wide eyes. He saw her beside Hurley and knew she was upset. She wanted him to go, she was terrified of these men.

As they began loading the raft Kate sidled over to Jack and seized his arm, pulling him away down the dark beach. There was a faint pink line on the horizon meaning dawn was approaching.

"Please," she pleaded. "I don't want to go alone."

Jack saw her begging eyes and squeezed her shoulders tightly.

"You have Michael and Sayid, and Walt for company," he said lightly, giving her a small smile. "Are you afraid of the police?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't even care about that. I'm going to jail no matter what, I just…I don't like these people."

Satine was watching Kate beg with Jack from her place beside Sawyer. She could see Kate's desperation and jumped ten feet when a cold hand touched her arm.

"Hey little lady," said a voice. "You comin' for the ride?"

Satine shook her head, shrinking beside Sawyer who held a tighter grip on her. Just then out of the jungle came Alex, hurrying down the beach. She reached the shore, breathless.

"Sorry," she panted, noticing everyone looking at her. "I got held up."

Alex glanced at Satine who was looking curiously at her. Then Alex made eye contact with Jack who was still talking to Kate. When their eyes met he seemed to freeze.

"Alright!" said one of the bearded men. "We'll make two trips."

Kate had stopped pleading and was now hugging Jack goodbye but it was a hug Jack would never forget. He held her for a moment and almost wished he was going back with her, that she wasn't going to jail. But instead she let go and gave him a small peck on the cheek and headed towards the raft.

Sayid, Kate, and Michael got in the boat first. Alex and Walt would come in the second raft. Everyone was shocked at how easily Michael had given in to getting on the boat. But all he had said was that he needed to get Walt home so a real doctor could see him, causing Jack to retract.

Alex moved towards Jack who watched as Kate looked back at him as the raft moved towards the boat. He felt her hand land on his arm and he looked down at her. She motioned with her head and he moved a little up the beach.

"Do not look over there as I tell you this," said Alex, aware that one of the bearded men was watching. "They are the Others. They're from the other side of the island and they came here to get me, Satine, Walt, and Aaron. They're in disguises, that boat was shipwrecked here years ago and they repaired it. You don't believe me…"

"No, I don't," he laughed, stepping back. "I don't know why you like to do this…"

"Jack," she seized his arm and her strength caused him to stare at her in shock. "If they do not get me, they will kill us all."

"What?" he had lost his breath for a moment.

"They want me back. They're afraid of what I've told you," she whispered. "Not everyone was killed in that explosion. They're rebuilding, reforming. And they want me so I don't leak anything."

"Stop!" he demanded, his voice rising slightly.

"When they get far enough off shore they will throw a bomb. It's in the cabin underneath the light. When I get on board, I'm going to grab it and use it to blow up the ship. But I need you to do something," she was speaking slowly and carefully as Jack stared at her. "When I wave my arms, I need you to shout."

"Shout what?" he wasn't even bothering arguing with her anymore.

"I need you to tell Kate and the others to jump because I wont be able to," she said, her voice shaking horribly. "I'm going to detonate the bomb myself."