"So…who is he?" Sawyer questioned, in a tense voice.
"I told you, I don't know. I've never met him before" Kali retorted, as the pair looked down the beach at the man in question.
Since Desmond had been brought back to shore all he had done was drink. He had barely said more than five words to anyone, and so far seemed to be going out of his way to avoid Kali. She felt lucky that Jack and Sayid decided not to push her on the strange interaction she had with him on the boat. The secrets she kept seemed to be piling up more and more every day.
"Right, you've just dreamt about him" Sawyer scoffed, as Kali gave him a look.
"It's not like that" Kali rolled her eyes.
"Uh-huh, is that why you've already given him a nickname?" Sawyer muttered, kicking a pebble with his shoe.
"Sounds to me like someone's jealous" Kali grinned.
"Do I need to be?" Sawyer replied, as Kali's eyes softened.
"You're the only shaggy-haired guy on this island I'm interested in, dimples" Kali insisted, watching a genuine smile spread over Sawyer's lips.
"…But I do need to talk to him" Kali finished, making Sawyer frown.
"I think the conversation is going to be a little one-sided at the moment" Sawyer pointed out, watching as Desmond tipped his head back to take another long swig of wine.
"Sounds like all our talks" Kali teased, as Sawyer shook his head fondly.
"I'm starting to think I'm a bad influence on you…you're getting pretty cheeky" Sawyer smirked, as he wrapped his hands around her waist.
"And you're getting pretty handsy. You wanted to keep this quiet remember" Kali stated, looking behind Sawyer's shoulder to see a few of the people from the camp watching their interaction.
"Well, that was before I realised what a hard time I was going to have" Sawyer smirked, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously, the innuendo clear.
"Oh my god, you're the unbelievable" Kali giggled, nudging him in the stomach with her elbow.
"I'll be in the tent. Don't make me wait too long" Sawyer insisted, giving her a quick wink as he started to back away.
Kali turned on her heel, a large grin on her face as she looked over to Desmond. She was surprised to find he had been watching the pair, quickly averting his gaze when he had been caught staring. A frown grew on Kali's face as she made her way towards him, causing him to take another long chug from the bottle.
"I don't think you're doing your liver any favours, mate" Kali announced, making Desmond scoff harshly.
"Your doctor's already given me a lecture tonight" Desmond muttered, bringing the bottle to his lips, but speaking up again before he took a sip.
"…That your boyfriend?" Desmond inquired, as Kali tilted his head.
"Alright, a question for a question?" Kali suggested, coming to crouch down next to him.
"Sounds fair" Desmond nodded.
"Me and him…let's just say it's complicated. Where do you know me from?" Kali asked.
"It's complicated" Desmond smirked, smugly.
"This whole mysterious vibe isn't going to work for me, you know" Kali mumbled, lowering herself into the sand.
"You called me 'Des'. Why'd you say that?" Desmond slurred, looking up at her for the first time.
"It felt…natural. I don't know, like I've said it before" Kali admitted.
"…I was gonna' shoot myself" Desmond announced, watching Kali's forehead wrinkle.
"When I found myself alone in that hatch, I…I had enough. I couldn't bear to be in that dammed place another second. I was ready to die" Desmond continued.
"Why are you telling me this?" Kali frowned.
"Because you stopped me" Desmond confessed, as confusion grew over Kali's features.
"We've never met before. I'd remember" Kali insisted, causing Desmond to laugh.
"I don't think I'd forget your face, love" Desmond pointed out.
"Okay, I'll bite. How exactly did I stop you?" Kali asked.
"You said the one thing I've been wanting to hear my whole life. The exact thing that would make me stop" Desmond explained, as Kali pursed her lips.
"Which was what?" Kali pushed.
"It wasn't the words I needed to hear. Not really…it was that you believed them" Desmond went on, as Kali ran a hand over her face.
"You like talking in riddles, huh?" Kali mumbled.
"It's part of my charm I've been told" Desmond grinned, as Kali found her lips twitching into a smile, despite herself.
"Well, I guess your story isn't any crazier than mine…I've dreamt about you. In that hatch. Before I even knew what it was" Kali blurted out.
"This island…it plays with your head after a while" Desmond told her.
"So, is your plan to drink it all away?" Kali questioned, as Desmond shrugged, before bringing the bottle back to his lips.
"Pretty much" Desmond grinned, as Kali grabbed the bottle before he could drink anymore.
"Nah, I don't think so" Kali replied, pushing herself to her feet, the bottle still in her hand.
"Excuse me?" Desmond frowned.
"You don't strike me as a coward, Desmond" Kali told him, as Desmond's eyes snapped up to hers, his mouth going slack.
"So…sober up and help us get off this damn island" Kali insisted, firmly, as she went to walk away.
"Wait! I still don't know your name!" Desmond called after her, standing up shakily, as she turned back to him.
"What, I didn't tell you in this vision you had?" Kali teased, as Desmond shrugged, half-heartedly.
"Can't say it came up" Desmond mumbled.
"My name's Kali" She replied, watching a grin spread over his lips.
"It's good to meet you, Kali…wonderful even" Desmond exclaimed, holding out his hand for her to shake.
"You too" Kali nodded, as they joined hands.
There was a spark of light out in the ocean that caught her eye for a moment as soon as their hands touched. It must have been lightning, but there was no thunder that followed. Kali realised that Desmond was still shaking her hand and raised an eyebrow. He chuckled bashfully, reluctantly letting her hand go, as she gave him a little wave before walking away. The smile didn't leave his face as he watched her go.
Sawyer was grumbling under his breath as he walked further into the jungle, fiddling with his belt loop. He had just been ready to take a piss on the outskirts of the camp when Hurley had interrupted him and after an awkward few seconds of staring at each other, Sawyer had rolled his eyes and stormed off.
"No damn privacy on this island" He muttered.
Sawyer came to a sudden halt a second later when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, as he listened to the jungle. There was a strange creaking noise that hadn't been there before. His eyes darted around the dark undergrowth, squinting as he tried to spot what was making noise.
"Hurley? That you?" Sawyer hissed, hearing the creaking noise again.
Sawyer's hand instantly went to his gun, pulling it out of the waistband of his jeans and holding it out in front of him. There was no way some Other was going to sneak up on him, he thought to himself.
"You've got three seconds to show yourself before I fill you full of lead!" Sawyer warned, taking the safety off the gun, but no one appeared.
"One…two…" Sawyer began, his finger itching on the trigger.
"Three!" A voice boomed from above him.
Sawyer's eyes snapped up just in time to see a figure jumping down from a tree branch above him, as the body collided with his own, throwing them both to the ground. His gun had fallen to the forest floor, as he crawled over to it but a hand suddenly grabbed his hair, slamming his face into the ground. He felt someone walk over his body and heard the click of the gun a moment later. As his eyes shot open, they connected with blue ones that appeared so familiar. Matched with the child-like grin on the mystery person's face, Sawyer was quick to put two and two together.
"Sorry to drop in on you like that" The man smirked, looking down the barrel of the gun at Sawyer.
"You're Kali's brother" Sawyer exclaimed, pushing himself to his knees.
"And you're the old man who's been following my sister around like a lovesick puppy for the last couple of months" Ken retorted, quirking an eyebrow.
"I ain't no old man—" Sawyer began, but Ken cut him off, placing a finger to his lips.
"Hey, I meant no offence. I'm just a little overprotective when it comes to my little sister" Ken shrugged, as Sawyer gave him a look of disbelief.
"You shot her!" Sawyer exclaimed.
"No family's perfect" Ken shrugged.
Before Sawyer had time to react, Ken suddenly brought the handle of the gun down onto Sawyer's head, knocking the blond out cold. Ken tilted his head as Sawyer flopped to the ground, a steady stream of blood running down his forehead.
"…Well, I think that went well" Ken said to himself, pursing his lips.
"Guess what I've got, and no it's not…" Kali trailed off, as she walked into the tent not long after, finding it to be empty.
"Sawyer?" Kali frowned, looking around the tent to find all his belongings still there.
A bad feeling instantly began to gnaw away at her, as she quickly exited the tent, her eyes darting around the beach for the blond. It was dark by now, and most of the camp had gone to sleep. Kali's eyes flickered to the sand, seeing there were footsteps leading away from the tent and into the jungle. Nervously, she began to follow the trail, losing sight of it as soon as she got into the outskirts of the camp. She was no tracker. Without a second thought, she was rushing off towards the hatch, hoping that she might find him there.
Kali's heart was beating furiously in her chest as she walked down the long corridors of the hatch, calling out Sawyer's name. She was quickly met by a confused Jack and Kate and began to tell them what had happened.
"He's probably just…I don't know, gone for a swim or something. This is Sawyer we're talking about, he's not exactly reliable, is he?" Jack pointed out, as she crossed her arms.
"He wouldn't just wander off into the jungle and not tell anyone, Jack" Kali insisted, as he ran a hand over his face.
"Alright, look. If he hasn't turned up by dawn, then we'll go out looking for him" Jack exclaimed, as Kali opened her mouth to protest.
"He'll be dead by then" Boone's croaky voice announced, from where he was now tied up in the armoury.
"What did you say?" Kali gaped, storming over to him.
"I said, your boyfriend will be six foot under by dawn" Boone clarified, looking up at her, with cold eyes.
"You know what's happened to him?" Kate asked, as Boone's lips twitched into a smile.
"We expected you might need a little something to help you co-cooperate" Boone smirked, as Kali clenched her teeth.
"The Other's have taken him hostage?" Jack questioned.
"Kali's brother has. And we both know he'll have no trouble shooting Sawyer if you don't do exactly as I say" Boone explained.
"You want us to hand ourselves over to my brother?" Kali realised.
"More like an exchange. You, in return for Sawyer. Then we take Jack, Kate and Hurley to Ben and we'll be on our way" Boone went on, as Kali's hands balled into fists.
"You can't actually be considering this—" Jack began, but Kali immediately cut him off.
"I'm not considering it. We're doing it. Now" Kali retorted, as Jack raised his hands up in exasperation.
"It's a trap, Kali. Most likely an ambush" Katie pointed out.
"I know" Kali sighed.
"You still haven't told us who your brother is. Why he's doing this" Jack complained.
"I will. On the way. You know where we need to go?" Kali guessed, turning back to Boone.
"Ready to lead the way" Boone stated, holding up his hands that were tied up with rope.
"Kali, this isn't just your life you're putting in danger. You can't expect us to—" Jack began, but cut him off once again.
"He has Sawyer!" Kali insisted, her voice swimming with emotion, as Jack's eyes softened.
"Please. I can't lose him, Jack. I can't lose anyone else" Kali begged, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"…I'll get Hurley. You grab some supplies" Jack mumbled reluctantly, after a few seconds.
"You know, you're the one who put this whole plan into motion, Kali" Boone informed her.
"How's that?" Kali frowned.
"You remember, Cindy? The air hostess? That little fight you had with the Others…well, let's just say you did us a favour" Boone smirked.
"What's going on?" Boone questioned, peaking out of the window of the house they had been given.
"Looks like the plan to get that air hostess back didn't go too well" Ken exclaimed, watching as a man was hurried past the house on a stretcher, blood splattered over his clothes.
"You think my people did that?" Boone gaped, surprised.
"I think my boy did" Ken grinned, hearing Boone scoff, as he walked away from the window.
"That Billy guy we saw with Kali the other day?" Boone inquired, crossing his arms.
"What, you jealous?" Ken smirked, turning to quirk an eyebrow at the other man.
"How could you be so stupid, Otis?!" An angry voice boomed from outside, as they both looked back out of the window to see Ben striking a younger man, throwing him to the ground.
"I-I'm sorry, Ben. I just…I couldn't let them kill Cindy!" The younger man cried, as Ben grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"Throw him in the cages. I'll decide what to do with him later" Ben spat out, throwing him to the ground.
"I told you, these people are dangerous! We need to do something!" Danny insisted.
"No. We stick to the plan. This was an isolated attack. We shot one of theirs first, remember?" Ben pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
"Ben, they could have killed us" Danny insisted.
"We get their guns and they'll be harmless. As long as we're smart, no one else will get hurt" Ben told him, stalking away.
"…Oh no, why are you smiling like that?" Boone sighed, when he saw the look on Ken's face.
"I think I might have just figured out how we're going to get off this island" Ken announced, smugly.
The group reluctantly set off into the jungle less than an hour later, with Hurley now with them. When he had heard that Sawyer's life was more or less in his hands, there was no question whether he would join them. Hurley didn't want to see anyone else die. They kept Boone at the front of the group, his hands bound by rope in front of him and Kali's gun on him at all times.
"I'm not taking a step further until you tell us what exactly we're about to walk into" Jack warned, coming to a sudden halt.
"We don't have time to—" Kali began, but Jack cut her off.
"Then make time!" Jack yelled, an angry look in his eyes.
"Go on, Kali. Tell them the truth, haven't you lied enough?" Boone goaded, as all eyes turned to her.
"You won't understand" Kali shook her head, averting her gaze to the forest floor.
"C'mon, dude. We're your friends. It can't be that bad, can it?" Hurley insisted, as Kali let out a long sigh.
"…I don't have any friends off this island. I don't…I don't have anyone. People say they can handle it, but they can't. And I didn't want that here. I didn't want you to look at me like…" Kali explained, biting her lip.
"Like what?" Kate frowned.
"Like I'm a killer. Just like my brother" Kali finished, her eyes snapping up to Kate's.
"Who is he?" Jack questioned.
"Ken Dixon" Kali replied, watching Jack's eyes widen.
"Wait…as in the Bullet Killer, Ken Dixon? That's your brother?" Hurley gaped, as Jack looked like he was about to throw up.
"I'm sorry, I know I should have told you—" Kali started, but Jack quickly stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"You've been lying to us all this time. That's why it was so easy for you to kill the Marshall…" Jack muttered, in a disgusted tone.
"Didn't…didn't his sister help him? I mean with the…the murders?" Hurley stuttered.
"I was a kid. I didn't know what I was doing" Kali insisted, as Jack scoffed harshly.
"You didn't know the difference between right and wrong?" Jack spat out, as Kali turned to Kate.
"It's not as black and white as your making it out to be! Kate, you…you know why I didn't say anything, right?" Kali exclaimed, in an almost pleading voice.
"…I knew what had happened in your past must have been bad but this…how many people have you killed?" Kate questioned, with a grimace.
"I'm not that person anymore" Kali shook her head.
"You're violent, unpredictable and a liar. I wouldn't say you've changed that much" Jack retorted.
"You don't know what it was like" Kali mumbled, as Jack clenched his jaw.
"You know what, I've heard enough. Give me your gun. Now" Jack ordered, holding his hand out.
"Jack, what are you doing?" Kate inquired, as Kali reluctantly handed her gun over.
"Protecting the group from a threat. Just like I've always done" Jack answered.
"I'd never hurt any of you!" Kali insisted.
"And I wish I could believe you…I want you to leave" Jack announced, as they all turned to him in shock.
"What?" Kali gaped.
"We don't want you here. We'll get Sawyer back ourselves" Jack told her, as Kali shook her head vehemently.
"But I can help!" Kali exclaimed.
"And don't go back to camp either. You're not welcome there" Jack insisted, turning on his heel.
"Jack, please—" Kali cried, reaching out for his shoulder, as he whipped around.
"Just go, Kali…go!" Jack yelled, shoving her roughly, as she stumbled backwards, almost falling over.
"Ken's not going to let Sawyer go without Kali. She's the one he really wants" Boone pointed out, seeming a little taken aback by the fight.
"He's right. She has to go with us, Jack" Kate added, as he ran a hand through his short hair.
"Fine. But you stay out of my way" Jack muttered, pointing to Kali, who flinched.
"…You should have told us, man" Hurley sighed, as Jack grabbed Boone's arm and roughly pulled him away, storming off into the jungle.
"I'm sorry..." Kali exclaimed, but her words fell on deaf ears, as they slowly followed behind Jack, refusing to look at Kali.
Sawyer's head was pounding as he slowly woke up, finding his surroundings to be spinning in front of him. He moved his hands to rub his eyes but quickly realised it wasn't his vision that was the problem. His eyes snapped to his feet as he realised he was hanging upside down, rope wrapped around his ankles, as he slowly spun in circles.
"Oh, good. You're awake! How are you feeling?" Ken asked, as Sawyer spotted him sitting on a nearby log.
"Like you knocked me out with my gun" Sawyer muttered.
"Well, I was originally planning on just shooting you, but I figured Kal wouldn't appreciate that, so here we are" Ken exclaimed.
"Why am I hanging from a tree?" Sawyer grumbled.
"Perspective" Ken informed him, as Sawyer's forehead wrinkled.
"Huh?" Sawyer questioned, as Ken pushed himself to his feet.
"Your opinion of me is all upside down, hence…" Ken trailed off, gesturing to his current situation.
"Why I'm upside down" Sawyer finished.
"Well, that and I had some spare rope" Ken smirked, taking a step closer to the blond.
"Why're you doing this?" Sawyer frowned.
"You're my bargaining chip, Sawbuck" Ken went on, coming to crouch in front of him.
"If you touch a hair on her head, I swear to God, I'll—" Sawyer began, but Ken cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"I'm not gonna' hurt my sister. I'm here to save her" Ken retorted, making Sawyer scoff.
"I find that a little hard to believe" Sawyer muttered.
"I'm sensing a little resentment here" Ken commented, as Sawyer attempted to roll his eyes.
"That would be due to you being a psychopath" Sawyer spat out.
"I prefer the term sociopath, but thank you" Ken grinned, poking Sawyer's forehead, making him spin a little.
"Get off me!" Sawyer growled, trying to hit him with his hands, making Ken laugh as he backed up a little.
"I can see why my sister likes you…feisty!" Ken chuckled, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
"Why don't you let me down from here and I'll show you just how feisty I get!" Sawyer insisted, as Ken's grin grew wider.
"Are you threatening me or flirting? I always get those two mixed up" Ken mumbled, mulling over it.
"Are you always like this?" Sawyer complained.
"Pretty much. You can see why I'm so universally adored" Ken replied, his tone a little off.
"Whatever messed up family reunion your expecting, you ain't getting it. Kali hates you—" Sawyer was cut off as Ken suddenly lunged forward and grabbed his hair, pulling roughly.
"I like you, Sawyer. This whole alpha male attitude, I appreciate it…but don't ever talk about my family...or I'll cut your tongue out" Ken warned, his blue eyes darkening.
A moment later, he shoved Sawyer away from him, sending the older man spinning again. Sawyer knew better than to open his mouth again. He just hoped that Kali wasn't going to do anything stupid.
"Here" Kali exclaimed, holding out her bottle of water when she noticed that Hurley had drunk all of his own.
She didn't miss the way he flinched at her outstretched limb, or the look of fear that covered his features. It was an expression she recognised far too well. He was scared of her.
"It's just water, Hurley. It's not gonna' bite" Kali stated, trying to lighten the mood.
"Uh, I'm good…thanks" Hurley mumbled, quickening his pace, looking desperate to get away from her.
"Hurley—" Kali began, but Jack was suddenly coming in between the pair, holding a hand out in front of her.
"Back off" Jack warned, as a harsh scoff left Kali's lips.
"What do you think I'm gonna' do? Throttle him with a plastic bottle?" Kali retorted, irritated.
"I wouldn't put it past you" Jack stated, as Kali's jaw tightened.
"You really don't know me at all, do you?" Kali mumbled, shoving past him.
"I thought that was pretty clear" Jack pointed out.
"Do you think this was easy, Jack?! Lying to you all? I hated it! But I was scared of what you would do if you found out the truth…looks like I was right" Kali accused, catching the way he glared at her.
"Don't make out like you're the victim in this, Kali" Jack shook his head.
"What was your life like when you were nine?" Kali questioned, as the group came to a halt, noticing the tension growing in the air.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Jack scoffed.
"Alright, what was the thing that scared you the most when you were nine?" Kali pushed, taking a step closer to him.
"Letting my father down" Jack admitted, through gritted teeth.
"You want to know what I was scared of? Dying. Of making one wrong move and ending up dead. Because that's the threat that was held over my head for over a year. Because that's what happened to my little sister!" Kali yelled, angry tears welling in her eyes.
"Kids are supposed to worry about their grades, the bitchy girl in their class, boys…but I was worried about whether today was the day my own brother was going to slice my throat open. I was terrified!" Kali cried, as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Kali—" Jack began, his eyes softening a little.
"What I did was wrong. It was fucked up…but what the hell would you have done, Jack? He was my brother, he was all I had and I…I thought I could help him" Kali shook her head, brushing away the tears on her cheeks.
"…I didn't realise you were that young" Jack mumbled, his eyes downcast.
"I don't need you to hate me…because I already hate myself enough" Kali sobbed, shoving past him, as Jack opened his mouth to call after her, but stopped himself, not sure what he could say.
Boone clenched his jaw as he tried to push down the guilt that was gnawing away at him. He didn't feel any guilt after he killed Ana Lucia but seeing the despondent look on Kali's face when she had been rejected by her friends had brought something to the surface. Something he couldn't afford to feel. It was too late to change things now. He had already gone too far.
"You're sure you heard the scream from around here?" Alex, one of the Other's questioned.
A group of them had set off on a scouting mission towards the border between the Other's and the group from the plane. It was their job to make sure that no one crossed the border. They had splintered off into two different groups and that had been when Boone had heard the 'scream' Alex referred to. The only other man with them was Otis, who had recently been released from the cages, campaigned for by Ken.
"Yeah, it was just a little further" Boone nodded, as they continued further into the forest.
"You married Alex?" Ken asked, spotting the lighter skin on his ring finger.
"I was. She left me. Spoilt bitch, I gave her everything she could hope for on this island. Fuck her, right?" Alex scoffed, as Ken tilted his head.
"Wow…you're a dick. I'll leave him to you, Boone" Ken exclaimed, turning to the other man.
"The hell are you talking about, boy?" Alex frowned.
Before Ken could answer they heard a wheezing sound from nearby, as they all hurried forward, pushing through the thick underbrush in front of them. Alex came to a sudden halt when he saw a figure lying face down in front of him, his mouth going slack.
"Oh God…Karen! What happened?!" Alex exclaimed, rushing over to the bleeding woman, turning her over, seeing blood pooling out from her stomach.
"I stabbed her" Ken announced, suddenly coming up from behind him, placing his knife against the older man's neck.
"W-what are you doing?" Alex gasped, grabbing Ken's arm, trying to push him away, but Ken was far stronger than him.
"Jesus Christ, you never said you were going to kill them! You said you were only going to wound them!" Otis cried, his eyes wide.
"Oh, did I forget to mention fatally? Silly me" Ken shrugged, with a grin.
Boone was still staring at the woman slowly bleeding to death on the ground, feeling bile rising up in his throat. He had only had a handful of conversations with her, but she had seemed nice. Always smiling. Now she'd never smile again. But neither would Shannon. He needed to keep things in perspective. That's what Ken always said.
"Your turn" Ken told him, as he kicked Alex roughly in the back of the legs, pushing him to his knees.
"…What?" Boone gulped.
"Remember what you're doing this for, Boone. Take out your knife" Ken instructed, as Boone slowly did so.
"No…you can't do this!" Otis gaped, taking a step forward, as Ken quirked an eyebrow.
"Hmm, yeah. You should go running to Ben and tell him what's happened. But don't forget to mention our deal. How we planned to take these two out here and 'wound' them, creating just the right type of friction we need in the camp" Ken went on, as Otis ran a hand through his hair.
"But he doesn't need to die! He won't tell anyone, will you, Alex?" Otis pushed, as Alex nodded vehemently.
"I swear! I won't speak a word!" Alex insisted, with a pleading tone.
"And I believe you, buddy. I really do…but I don't really care" Ken replied, slicing Alex's neck open in one quick motion, as blood splattered over his face.
Otis let out a shout, stumbling backwards as Ken let Alex's dead body flop to the floor, wiping away the spray of blood on his face. Boone was still frozen to the spot, his heart beating quickly, but he didn't feel the urge to run away.
"Dammit, I liked this shirt" Ken sighed, when she spotted blood on the collar.
"Luckily, I came prepared…" Ken trailed off, taking his bag off his shoulder and pulling a new shirt out.
"Now, have we all got our stories straight? The survivors from the plane crash attacked us, we barely escaped with our lives. These two weren't so lucky" Ken announced, turning his head as he heard a gagging sound from behind him.
"Wow, way to commit to the act, man" Ken congratulated, as Otis vomited up the contents of his stomach.
"It sounds a bit unbelievable though, doesn't it? Us miraculously surviving the attack?" Boone pointed out.
"Which is why we have Otis here, one of their own, to back us up…and why you're going to stab me with this knife" Ken explained, placing the blade into Boone's palm.
"What?!" Boone gaped, as Ken quickly pulled his old shirt off and stuffed it in his backpack.
"I'll walk you through it, don't worry—" Ken began, but Boone cut him off.
"Don't worry?! I'm not stabbing you, Ken!" Boone insisted, in a panic, as Ken shrugged on his new shirt.
"Just a little flesh wound. I'll barely feel it" Ken dismissed, placing his hand over Boone's.
"I…I can't" Boone shook his head, feeling his hands begin to shake.
"Boone…" Ken started, but Boone stopped him.
"I don't want to hurt you" Boone admitted, as Ken's eyes softened a little.
He brought his other hand up to the nape of Boone's neck and pressed their foreheads together. With a smile growing on his lips, he pulled Boone's hand up to his shoulder, positioning the knife where he knew wouldn't be lethal.
"I've got you" Ken exclaimed, his eyes boring into Boone's.
With his hand still wrapped over Boone's, he then plunged the knife into his shoulder, hissing in pain as the blade cut into his skin. Breathing heavily, Boone quickly pulled the knife out, as Ken clenched his teeth, placing his hand over the now bleeding wound.
"I've got you too" Boone replied, placing his hand over Ken's bloody one, giving it a tight squeeze.
There was a loud thump from behind them, as the pair turned around to see Otis had passed out, falling to the ground. Ken couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up in his chest, as he leant against Boone, who found himself smiling too.
"We're here!" Boone announced, shaking himself out of the memory.
"This isn't the docks" Jack pointed out, as they cautiously approached what appeared to be a dumping site of the small canisters.
"Ken wanted his family reunion to be in private. Away from Ben" Boone explained, as Kate reached out to pick up one of the canisters and opened it.
"It's a journal book…it's all filled out.. 04:15 SR moves Ping Pong table. 04:30 SR takes shower…what is all this?" Kate frowned, looking up at Boone.
"They've been watching you in the hatch" Boone replied, as Kali's eyes widened.
"Jesus…" Kali grimaced, realising what they could mean.
"Kali!" A familiar voice boomed, causing them all to whip around.
She couldn't stop the large smile that spread over her lips when she saw Sawyer in the distance. There had been a part of her that feared that he was already dead. She could still save him. The smile quickly fell from her face when she saw the person standing behind him, a gun gripped tightly in the man's hand. Kali took a deep breath as her eyes connected with her brother's for the first time in over a year, as she desperately tried to stay calm.
"Whatever happens, you guys stay back" Kali ordered, as she reached out to grab Boone's arm.
"Kali, you don't have to do this" Kate exclaimed, worry etched over her features.
"I'm not running anymore" Kali replied, as she began to push Boone forward, nodding to Jack, who had a conflicted expression on his face.
Taking a deep breath, she began the long walk towards her brother, as he too pushed his captive forward. Kali felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack the closer they got, feeling her old bullet wound start to itch. She wasn't ready to die. When they were only ten metres away from each other, Ken came to a sudden halt, grabbing the collar of Sawyer's shirt. The two siblings stared at each other for a few more moments, as a small smile spread over Ken's lips. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as if he didn't know what to say.
"…Hi" He mumbled, shakily.
"I can't believe you're really here. In the flesh. My little sister, all grown up…I really wish it didn't have to be like this, Kal" Ken sighed, with a soft expression.
"No one gets hurt. That's the deal, okay? You let Sawyer and all my friends go" Kali called out, hoping her voice sounded more confident than she felt.
"Can't do that, I'm afraid. We need them to get off this island. But I do promise to stay away from any of their major arteries" Ken shrugged, watching Kali clench her jaw.
"I give you Boone and you throw the gun away" Kali exclaimed, as Ken nodded.
"Don't try anything funny" Kali whispered in Boone's ear before shoving him forward, watching as Ken chucked his gun away, his eyes directly on Boone.
The group watched with bated breath as Boone jogged over to Ken, who dropped his grip on Sawyer's shirt. Ken made quick work of untying Boone's hands, as the other man's shoulders slumped in relief.
"You good?" Ken mumbled, reaching up to grip Boone's arm.
"I did everything you told me" Boone nodded, as Ken's lips twitched into a smile.
"We're almost home free, Boone" Ken told him, as Sawyer turned to watch the interaction.
Sawyer's eyes almost popped out of his head when Boone suddenly leant forward to press his lips to Ken's, who eagerly returned the kiss, his free hand tangling into Boone's dark hair. Everyone's mouths had gone slack with shock, apart from Kali, who merely appeared irritated by the kiss. With a loud cough from the girl in question, Ken slowly pulled away, his hand still gripping Boone's arm in a possessive manner.
"Oh, right. Your boyfriend. You for him. It's as simple as that" Ken announced, as Kali tried to calm her nerves.
Kali took a cautious step forward, keeping her eyes on the grass, too scared to even look up. She was walking to her death. They all knew that. Her eyes flickered up when she saw Ken shove Sawyer forward, gesturing for him to start moving. Kali's heart skipped a beat when she saw him rushing towards her, a vulnerable expression on his face. Kali raced to meet him, only a few metres away from her brother, as she and Sawyer embraced each other instantly. Sawyer wrapped his arms around Kali's shoulders, bringing her close to his chest, having thought he'd never see her again.
"Did he hurt you?" Kali asked, pulling away, as he shook his head.
"I'm fine" Sawyer murmured, reaching out to touch her cheek lightly.
"…It's not your fault" Kali exclaimed, as Sawyer's forehead wrinkled.
"Don't" Sawyer pleaded, knowing what her brother was capable of.
"Don't look back" Kali told him, as she went to step away.
"Please. Don't do this, Kali" Sawyer begged, reaching out to grab her wrist, trying to pull her back.
Kali felt her heart speed up at the pained tone in his voice, as she moved her other hand to wrap around his own. She was surprised to see tears beginning to well behind his eyes, and found words flowing from her mouth before she could stop them.
"I love you" She admitted, in a shaky voice, giving his hand a quick squeeze, before pulling away.
It might have been her last time to say it, and it was the only thing she knew would stop him in his tracks. Sawyer's hand stayed in mid-air as Kali walked away, still staring into the space she had just occupied. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, as he stayed frozen to the spot, feeling a tear roll down his cheek.
"It's good to see you, Kal. Is it good to see me?" Ken inquired, as his sister approached, her breathing heavy.
"No" She replied, a humourless laugh leaving her lips.
"...Why are you doing this?" Kali questioned, a moment later, trying to ignore the pained expression on his face.
"You know why I'm here. Deep down, you know" Ken told her, as Kali's eyes flickered behind her, watching as Jack approached Sawyer, reaching out to place his hand on the blond's shoulder.
"You won't hurt them?" Kali asked.
"You have my word" Ken nodded, as Kali let out a long sigh.
"I'm ready" She exclaimed, as her brother gave her a sad look.
"Kneel" He announced, as Kali couldn't help but flinch at the order.
With trembling legs, she did as she was told, kneeling on the grass, her eyes snapping up to Ken's, tears beginning to cloud her vision.
"Close your eyes" Ken said, unable to match her gaze.
Taking a sharp inhale, she forced her eyes to flutter shut, knowing what was coming next. At least her brother had some compassion. She hoped she wouldn't feel anything when she died. She thought of Sawyer as she bowed her head, clutching at her jeans with balled fists. Maybe it was her time.
"I'm sorry" Ken exclaimed, his voice full of uncharacteristic emotion.
The blow to the head she had been expecting never came. Instead, in the next second, she felt arms wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her close. Her eyes shot open as she realised it was Ken embracing her, his hand coming to rest at the back of her head, his thumb brushing lightly against her hair.
"I'm sorry I hurt you. That I lied to you. Everything. I fucked it all up. And I know you can't forgive me…but I'm gonna' make it up to you. I swear" Ken explained, making her frown, but she didn't pull away.
"I…I don't understand" She stuttered.
"You deserve the truth. Before it's too late. You need to understand. I wasn't the one who—" Ken began but was suddenly cut off when a dart hit his neck, causing him to pull back.
"Ken!" Kali exclaimed, as her brother began to convulse.
"R-run" Ken choked out, as he flopped against her, trying to shield her with his body.
Kali's head whipped around just in time to see Kate and Jack get hit with the same darts, as they too fell to the floor. Sawyer took off racing towards her, shouting her name, but before long he too was hit. He tried to keep going but got no further than a few steps before his knees gave out.
"No...no" Ken shook his head, as he tried to force himself up, allowing Kali to help him.
She tried to drag him away when she felt a sharp pain in her thigh. The next second excruciating pain flooded through her body, as it felt like she was being electrocuted. She too flopped to the ground, dropping Ken beside her, as her vision began to blur. A figure suddenly came to loom over the siblings, as Kali squinted to make out who it was. The tremors continued to rip through her body, as a name left her lips. Boone.
"I'm sorry...but like you said, Ken, I can't lose sight of why I'm doing this...for Shannon" Boone exclaimed, as bags were placed over their heads a moment later, throwing them both into darkness.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I just wanted to take a minute and thank all my readers for supporting this story as we've now got to over 200 reviews! I'm so grateful and really do appreciate every single review I get. As a little reward, here's a bumper long chapter, haha. Enjoy this one because the next chapter...well, let's just say get your tissues out. Please leave a review:)
johnsonsweett: There is certainly a lot to process in this chapter, haha. I'm really glad you didn't mind the flashbacks, we still have one or two coming up! While the reunion with her brother didn't go quite as most people were expecting, the explosive part is coming next chapter! Thank you for the review:)
scripturient321: It looks like the manipulator has been manipulated, and that's certainly going to hurt! The gang didn't take Kali's backstory very well, but they'll have plenty of time to mull over it during Season 3! Boone's definitely become the underdog of this story now, what won't he do? Thank you for reviewing:)
carmelitajones: Aw, thank you:) I hope this chapter kept you on the edge too, haha. Boone's full motives will be explained very soon. Juliet will have a big part to play in Season 3, so you'll have lots of content to enjoy! Very true, I could watch the show every day and never get bored of it!
Giio brasileira: I hope you survived the month until this update, haha. I'm glad you're liking Ken's character, he's definitely an interesting one and your right, there's a lot more to his backstory. I'll give you an early warning too, there's a good chance you will not survive the chapter next month, as I'm not even sure I'm going to survive writing it, haha! Thanks for the review:)
DrLexieSloan: A review is welcome any time, haha! Ken's definitely been manipulating him...but we'll soon discover he's not the only one. Billy will be a big player in later seasons, I assure you of that. Aw, I love that nickname! I think we have ourselves the official shipname now, haha. Thanks for reviewing:)