1 Disclaimer: Though I think we all know Lost isn't mine at all, I will clearly state it just for good measure... Lost isn't mine at all. There.

A/N: Implies Kate/Sayid. Just a little bit more. Ok maybe quite a bit more. I don't know if they really make a great couple, but you know, Shannon and Sayid is just wrong, as is Sun, and Claire and Sayid... Well there's something slightly wrong about that too. Sorry if I've offended anyone that's just my opinion it means nothing.

Chapter two:

Sayid pushed a flashlight into his backpack and pulled the drawstring snug before shouldering it. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and noticed Sawyer climbing out of a cave. They shared a slight nod. Nothing extensive like a wave or a "where you headed." but a slight nod of tolerance.

Kate came behind him and Sayid noticed she had no sweatshirt over her usual attire of a green shirt and khaki pants. The morning was early, and the rain had made it slightly chilly for the island that was usually so beastly hot. She shivered slightly and folded her arms.

"Ready?" She asked.

He nodded and they departed the camp, heading into the woods where she and Locke and Boone and Jack had just the day before. The trees and vegetation were close, their water-filled leaves spilling onto their shoulders. The sky above them was black, dotted with familiar stars, and as the sky got closer to the horizon it was lighter blues, where it met the tree-line that they could see it was gray trimmed with gold and brilliant oranges.

Sayid saw Kate trying to brush the cold water from the leaves off her arms, and thought she must be chilled. He removed his light jacket and handed it to her. She looked surprised.

"Your shivering. I don't need it. Take it, it's ok." And she did, donning it appreciatively. They continued for hours, stopping once at noon for a brief lunch of bananas from a tree they found, and again at mid-afternoon.

"Are we close yet?" Sayid asked.

"Very." She said. She was having brief little flashbacks hat came before her mind like photographs, old prints that were frayed and slightly discolored at the edges. It had just rained. She found Jack, and they proceeded to climb the steep incline to find the hanging form of Charlie. Jack had run to hold him up to save his neck from the pressure and she had climbed to free him.

The memory brought a ball into her throat and a single tear escaped from the corner of her eye. She brushed it away quickly in shame and her cheeks heated at her inability to control her emotions in front of Sayid. Of course, nothing got past him. He looked her square in the eye and said,"Its alright. I'm not asking any details. It must have been very painful to see. Did you find him up this hill?" His words were so gently spoken that they were almost a whisper. She nodded and ducked her head down, sniffing and trying not to start to cry. This wasn't her. Why couldn't she seem to get a grip?

She had instantly gone into action. Not even thinking, just leaping onto the tree, throwing caution to the wind and cutting him down. Jack removed the noose, and the blindfold. Around his closed eyes his face was purple with bruising. She had started crying, his lifeless form so real. Jack started giving him CPR, encouraging him to come back to life. When it was clear he wasn't going to, Kate had leaned against the tree, sobbing and shaking, while Jack pounded Charlie's chest in frustration and failure. Suddenly, with one hard blow, Charlie sputtered and coughed and rolled to the side. Her mid was spinning and she had run to him in joy.

Now she felt Sayid's hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"He was dead. He was so close to gone forever. But he was dead for a minute at the least. Probably more."

"He came back. That's what really matters."

"He was so still, cold. Dead." Her eyes filled with fresh, hot tears and she let them flow.

"Kate.. It will be alright." She heard him say. She wasn't accustomed to hearing him say her name so quietly, so thick with accent, but it was comforting. He pulled her into his chest and she cried onto his strong shoulder for minutes. His arms were warm and quieting, strong but gentle. She stopped crying and pulled away.

"I'm sorry." She repeated, embarrassed again, as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

Sayid just smiled kindly and started up the hill. She followed closely. Now the real tracking began.