Here is the next chapter. Thank you for all your reviews on my previous chapter. Sorry, it is so late, my life has been crazy and I also hit a bit of writer's block. But, I'm back now so here you go. Also Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.

I awake to screaming. A woman screaming in utter terror. I sit up and gather my bearings after this sudden interruption of my sleep cycle and I see the others around me doing the same. The screams continue and I stand up and head towards the source. Claire was the one who was screaming, but by the time I get there, her screams had reduced to quiet sobs. Whatever happened clearly really upset her because her palms were bloody, and even though she had calmed down by the time I got there she still looked a little shaken.

I offer to help bandage Claire up, but Jack refuses my help. "Go get some sleep, Sam. You look bone-tired, I've got this." Too tired to argue, especially since I know he's right, I don't need to help with everything, I head back to my makeshift bed and crash until morning.

The next day it, thankfully, not very eventful. I talk to Claire some in the morning and she seems okay, shaken still, but overall okay. I decide to explore the jungle some, looking for some fruit trees, but also just glad for the time alone. On my list of "bad things about being stranded on a mysterious and deadly island" constantly being around people is definitely on the list. It is not that the people are unpleasant, but it is exhausting being around a ton of people, most of which I don't know at all and all of which I don't know very well. Except for my brother, but while I love him I don't exactly want to spend every waking moment in his presence.

The canopy of the trees offers good shelter from the hot sun above, and I find many trees laden with fruits like oranges and mangos. I ignore the banana trees, not willing to carry a fruit I detest back to camp with me. When my bag is mostly full I start heading back to camp, and I notice a rustling sound following me. I reach into my bag and wrap my hand around a mango, ready to throw it if necessary, it might not hurt its target, but it will surprise it enough for me to run. And, if it is one of the other survivors, it won't hurt them, I reason.

"Planning to kill me with fruit, grey eyes?" Sawyer asks mockingly.

I put the mango back in my bag "How long have you been following me?" I demand.

"I wasn't following you. I was catching up to you." Sawyer defends, not answering my question.

I raise my eyebrows skeptically, but let it slide.

"What are you doing prancing through the jungle alone anyway?" he asks me.

I hold up an orange as an answer "gathering fruit"

"You do know about the smoke monster? and the polar bears? Do you really think the jungle is the safest location?" he says as we walk through the jungle.

I roll my eyes "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're worried about me."

Sawyer glares at me but says nothing and we keep walking. When we get back to the caves I unload the fruit in the makeshift kitchen. When I finish I turn to Sawyer "Now, do you want me to walk you back to the beach through the big bad jungle, or will you be okay?"

"I don't need protecting, grey eyes," he tells me, before walking down the path to the beach.

That night is decidedly less peaceful than the day. In a repeat of the night before Claire wakes up screaming, although this time she is much more coherent, claiming that someone is trying to hurt her baby. Jack gets her some water and Michael asks her for details. Claire relates what happened, but something doesn't add up. It is clear that she isn't lying, but what she is saying is impossible. She says that someone attacked her and they had a needle, but no one in our camp would do something like that. Not to mention have the supplies to do it with. We might not all get along, but no one has any motivation to hurt Claire or her baby. I ponder this as I sit with Claire and comfort her. Some of the others are searching the surrounding area for would-be attackers, and a lot of people are trying to go back to sleep.

Claire is silent at first but after a while, she speaks. "What if they come back?" she asks me hoarsely.

"Then we will keep you safe," I promise her. "I know you are scared, and I can't imagine what it feels like to have your child's life at risk, but we are all here to keep you safe. I won't tell you not to worry, that would be pointless. But I will tell you that everyone here will do what they can to keep you safe."

"Thank you, Sam," she says softly, taking another sip from her water. "You know, I wasn't going to keep this baby. I mean, at first, I was. But, my boyfriend left me and I couldn't do it on my own. And now I won't even be able to him in a hospital."

I take her hand in mine "Now that, sounds awful. I mean, no sugarcoating it. Giving birth is painful. But, at least you'll have Jack. Try to look at the silver lining." I tell her.

She laughs a little at my bluntness "Thank you, I needed that" she tells me. We chat for a while longer before the other return from scouting out the area. Charlie sits next to Claire, and I leave the two of them alone. I walk over to Jack.

"Did they find anything?" I ask.

Jack shakes his head "Nothing, and honestly? I don't even know if there is anything to find."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Claire was pretty shaken up last night. And tonight too. With the stress of being on the island and her pregnancy so close to term her having extremely lucid dreams is a real possibility. Especially when you consider that there is no way any of us would hurt her like that."

I nod in agreement "You may be right. But Jack, be careful with how you mention this if you say something to her. Because, whatever is happening, it is very real to her." I warn him.

The next day Hurley announces his idea to take an island census. I don't predict that it will go well, there are bound to be some people who don't want to answer his questions, but I stay out of it opting to instead spend the day reading the rest of a book I started on the island.

Hurley starts his census in the caves, and it is mid-morning when he questions me.

"Hey Sam, I just wanted to get you down for the census."

"Sure, what do you need?" I ask him.

"Name, residence, reason for travel"

"Well, my full name is Samantha Moss. I currently reside in the caves, and as for reason for travel. Family funeral.

"Oh, dude, I'm sorry," Hurley says, looking up from his notepad.

I wave him off "Don't be. No one was too sad to see him go."

Flashback

I remember getting the news that my uncle died and trying to be sad. Really trying. But I couldn't, not after everything that he had done to me. Patrick shared the same sentiment, but we both decided that we had to go to the funeral. After all, he did help us a lot- at first. And he was family, bad luck it seemed when it came to my brother and me. We felt we owed it to him, even if it meant we had to go back to Australia.

We got there the day before the service and had barely any time to recover from the jet lag before we were standing over our uncle's grave, dressed in black. We were some of the few attendees of the service. I don't know if there was a wake or not, I just know we didn't attend. I had an obligation by blood to attend his funeral, I did not extend this to going back into that house. We left the day after the funeral, not wanting to stay in Australia any longer.

Present Day

Hurley says goodbye awkwardly and walks off. I go back to my book. By afternoon I have finished the book and I stand and walk around the caves to stretch my legs. This is when Sayid comes limping back into the caves. His head is bloody and so is his leg. He nearly collapses. Jack and Kate catch him and ease him to the ground. I rush over and help Jack tend to his wound. Kate offers him water, but Sayid denies it.

"Listen to me," he tells us urgently. "I found her. The French women" he says, gasping with pain and exhaustion between sentences. Jack rips open the bandage over Sayid's leg and I get a look at the deep gash. I pass Jack some hydrogen peroxide. "The women, on the island. I had to come back. I had to come back." He takes a drink of water. He seems almost delirious, but I can tell what he wants to say is important by the urgency in his tone. Sayid sits up and grabs my arm "We're not alone." he says, looking into my eyes as he relays the information. He then lies back down, giving into exhaustion. Jack and I continue tending to his wounds, all the while exchanging worried looks amongst each other and Kate. Hurley comes up minutes later.

"We've got a problem. The manifest. Jack, the census!" Hurley says, trying to pull Jack away from his preoccupation of Sayid's wound. I glance up at Hurley, but I don't stop working. "The names of everyone who survived. All 46 of us. I interviewed everyone. Here, at the beach, got their names. One of them, One of them isn-. Jack! Sam!" Hurley exclaims, and both of our heads look up at him for a second. A second is all he needs "One of them isn't in the manifest. He wasn't on the plane."

End of chapter. I hope you liked it! Obviously, Jack didn't take Sam's advice about how to approach Claire about the dreams. XD Please review! And remember, my PM's are always open. - K