Chapter Ten: New-Old Memories

"So. . . what does the leader do?" Hurley asked Ben for what felt like the millionth time.

"I've already told you, Hugo. I don't know. Jacob told me nothing." Ben said bitterly, feeling, not for the first time slightly resentful that Hurley of all people, was the leader now. Hurley had never done anything for the island. No, that had been Ben. Ben who'd sacrificed his own daughter to protect it.

But Alex would've liked Hurley. He wasn't demanding, or strict when it came to rules. . . simply kind and easy-going. For that reason, and several others, Ben could put his resentment aside. He was tired of the drama, after all. Tired of lying, conning, fighting, shooting, and for heaven's sake, getting beat up.

Luckily, those who remained on the island didn't seem at all inclined to punch him in the face. . . Rose certainly wouldn't, and neither would Bernard. There was no danger of Hurley doing so either. . . though Ben had heard that he'd attacked Sawyer once. Desmond was the only real threat, and he had a slight concussion, so he was in the clear.

"Jacob was kind of the worst." Hurley admitted.

"I agree." Said Ben dully. "But. . ."

He stopped in mid-sentence, feeling slightly disoriented as a long buried memory replayed itself in his head.

"Sayid shot me." He said, realizing it even as he uttered the sentence.

"Dude, you remember?" Hurley asked, looking bewildered.

Ben nodded. "You were there too, weren't you? You worked in the kitchen."

"Yeah, dude— I was really good."

"How did you end up in the Dharma Initiative?" Ben asked.

"You know-- it was after the time travel junk. When we got transported off the plane. Sayid was still mad about how you used him, so he wasn't too happy when he saw you as a kid."

Ben nodded. "It's beginning to make sense now. It isn't in chronological order, but it makes sense. . . Juliet saved me, didn't she?"

"Yeah, dude. Well, technically it was Kate and Sawyer."

"Kate and Sawyer?" Ben repeated. "I'm nearly positive that our head of security, Lafleur was involved. . . was Sawyer there too?"

"Sawyer and Lafleur are the same guy." Hurley told him.

Ben thought a moment. Yes. . . that made sense. They'd looked the same, but he'd never connected it. . . not with Juliet either. Not until ten seconds ago.

Ben sat on the red swing-set, kicking the toes of his tennis shoes in the dirt. The sun was shining, the grass was green. . . and he was bored out of his mind. He always was on Saturdays, when his father was at home. And Ben did not like to be home when his father was.

"Good morning, Ben." Said a woman from behind him- he turned, recognizing Juliet from the motor-pool, walking arm-in-arm with head of security, Lafleur.

"Hi." Ben said, grinning. Juliet was the nicest adult he knew, and the only one who ever asked about him, other than Annie, anyway. . . but Annie had moved.

"How are you today?" She asked, smiling so sincerely he forgot about his boredom, and his loneliness.

"Staying out of trouble, right?" Lafleur interrupted in a slightly menacing tone.

Unlike Juliet, Lafleur seemed to keep a close and suspicious eye on Ben. Why? He had no idea. He didn't even know Lafleur.

"I don't really get into to trouble." Ben told him. "Why would I?"

"Just see that you don't." Said Lafleur. "Cause I got enough to deal with around here. You know, with the hostiles."

"Come on, Jim." Juliet urged, looking concerned. "You don't need to threaten every kid in Dharmaville. Have a good day, Ben."

"You too!" Ben yelled after her, sighing as she walked away.

"So that's why he was suspicious." Ben mumbled.

"You okay, dude?"

"Yes. I'm merely remembering things. . . it must've been because the island reset. It was the island that healed me, so. . ." He looked at Hurley. "Where is Juliet?"

"She died, dude." Hurley said sadly. "Like a week ago."

"Oh." Said Ben. It was all he could say. Nothing began to sting after Alex's death. She had carried his heart to the grave, and no one else's death could move him beyond pity. Not Ilana's, not Jack's. . . not Juliet's. Even so, he could not but feel sick to his stomach. She had saved his life, knowing that he would grow up and ruin hers.